Category: Fashion

Artist Kevin Berlin’s New York Top Hats to Shine at GSF Awards Gala in Cannes

Kevin Berlin New York Top Hats to be shown with the Andres Aquino collection at the GSF Awards gala in Cannes, France.Internationally renowned artist Kevin Berlin will show original, artist-designed luxury top hats during the Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes, France. Several hats will be worn by models as part of the Andres Aquino couture fashion show at the event on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton Cannes. The gala evening program will include a red carpet, fashion shows, awards presentations, world-class entertainment and auction. Tickets are available online.

Part of Kevin Berlin New York’s “Classic” Top Hat collection, these contemporary Top Hats are ‘unisex,’ perfect for both men and women and for ‘everyday’ wear. The handmade creations are of the world’s finest quality and come in three heights: X, XX and XXX. The North American launch will take place in New York in July 2016.

"Large Cup of Coffee" a print by artist Kevin Berlin will be audtioned at the GSF Awards Gala in Cannes, France.
“Large Cup of Coffee” by artist Kevin Berlin.

Kevin Berlin’s art is found in the collections of Kim Basinger, Luciano Pavarotti, Quincy Jones, Bill and Hillary Clinton, President George W. Bush, and Ron Rice founder of Havana Sun, among many other prominent art collectors. Mr. Berlin has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Shanghai Daily, Tokyo Television, BBC Radio and over 40 television stations across the United States. Mr. Berlin was honored by President Reagan at The White House, and his recent solo exhibitions include New York, Miami and London.

In addition to the presentation of his beautiful top hats at the Cannes event, Mr. Berlin will also offer one of his original, signed, silk screen prints for auction. “Large Cup of Coffee” is almost five feet tall and features the New York skyline, the Empire State Building and New York’s famous ‘We Are Happy To Serve You’ coffee cup. Even if you are not a New Yorker you probably recognize this cup from movies and television shows including Brooklyn 99, Nurse Jackie, Men in Black, Mr. Robot and many others. The print retails for $10,000. A portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to charity.

Click for tickets and more information on the Cannes event.

Top Model and Humanitarian Farah Zulaikha to Emcee at Cannes Awards Gala

FARAH ZULAIKHA Young UN Ambassador (NCWUS); Fashion Ambassador (www.FarahZulaikha.com); Supermodel and Global Fashion Avenue Award Winner TOP MODEL S/S 2016

Farah “Fafa” Zulaikha, supermodel and Global Fashion Avenue Award winner (Couture Fashion Week S/S 2016 Top Model) and fashion and beauty expert,will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies at the Global Short Film Awards gala in Cannes, France. The event will be held at the Intercontinental Carlton on Saturday May 21, 2016. The festive evening will include fashion shows, awards presentations, world-class entertainment and a luxury auction. Tickets are available online.

Farah Zulaikha is a beautiful and accomplished role model. Currently she is one of the youngest United Nations Ambassadors ever (serving The National Council of Women of The United States), an award-winning humanitarian, top model, writer, biomedical researcher, TV host, and classically trained violinist. She has earned international recognition and influence in the realms of philanthropy, fine arts, fashion and media. Farah is the recipient of numerous and diverse accolades including the Distinguished International Humanitarian Leadership Award presented by the U.N. and the National Council of Women of The United States (2015), the Pancreum Diabetes Artificial Pancreas Contributor Award (2013), the Vassar Brothers Medical Center (a National Gold Seal-Winning Hospital) Auxiliary Young Ambassador (2013), the Hearst Media UGO.COM “Smartest Models In The World” list, taking the #1 spot on a list of legendary fashion names that has included such icons as Cindy Crawford, Iman, Christy Turlington and Beverly Johnson (2011). Farah also recently made her violin debut at Carnegie Hall before a sold-out audience.

Farah Zulaikha is noted for her large-scale role in major charity endeavors across the globe. These initiatives include her family’s own self-funded charity medical camps along with ambassadorships at some of the world’s leading organizations. She has achieved popularity as a worldwide youth leader/mentor, and is also recognized for her talents in various forms of media/arts and her collaborations with top fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands including Armani, Roberto Cavalli, Ferragamo, Nordstrom, the NASDAQ Stock Exchange and many others. She has been featured in top fashion events and publications such as Elle and VOGUE.

Click for tickets and more information on the Cannes event.

Leo Lo to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes

Award-winning animation and special effects producer Leo Lo will receive a lifetime achievement award recognizing his outstanding contributions to the film industry. The Global Short Film Awards gala event will be held on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France.Award-winning animation and special effects producer Leo Lo will receive a lifetime achievement award recognizing his outstanding contributions to the film industry. The Global Short Film Awards gala event will be held on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France.

Producer and Festival Director Andres Aquino noted “Mr. Lo’s dedication, love for films and his work in the field of visual effects and animation is an inspiration for new generations of filmmakers. We are proud to be associated with him. We are also grateful to Mr. Lo for contributing his time and expertise as a judge on the panel for the GSF Awards Festival.”

Mr. Lo began his career as a photo journalist with United Press International and later turned to commercial photography. By the 1990’s he started working in the motion picture industry, and was soon playing an important part in the changes from traditional film laboratory techniques to the new digital era. Mr. Lo is widely renowned as an industry pioneer in the Hong Kong film industry’s laboratory digitalization.

Leo Lo launched his own digital darkroom in 1996. Starting with the first complete Kodak Cineon System, he founded Asia Legend Limited to provide digital effects services to the industry. He received a Golden Horse award and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his special effects work on the award-winning ground-breaking film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon with acclaimed director Ang Lee. As China’s film industry has boomed, Mr. Lo built an international scale animation production center in southern China in 2007 from scratch.  Under his leadership, the company has completed a number of highly successful animated movies, including Dwegons and Lephrechans, Life in The World of Dao,  and the 3D animated movie The Adventures of Jinbao, starring film legend Jackie Chan.

Mr. Leo Lo’s accolades and awards include:
– For the animated TV series Life in the The World of Dao: 2011 Guangdong Best Animation Team and Best Animation second prize; HKPC Prize for Efforts; Japan TBS Digicon6 – Best Effort Excellence Prize.
– For the 3D animated feature movie The Adventures of Jinbao: 2012 HK Cyberport Stereoopic Award – Excellence; 2012 Golden Angel Award – Los Angeles; 2013 HKSAR Government, ICT Award.
– For the live action historical Iranian film Kingdom of Solomon: 2012 Best Visual Effects Iranian International Film Festival – FAJR; Iranian Golden Phoenix Award for Best Visual Effects.

Click for information and tickets to the Global Short Film Awards gala in Cannes.

Model and Humanitarian Fanny Torres at the Cannes Red Carpet Fashion and Film Awards

Model and Humanitarian Fanny TorresFanny Torres from Guanajuato, Mexico has been modeling since childhood. She has participated in fashion shows at the national and international level around the world including major events in Milan, Rome, Sicily, Paris, Ukraine, Switzerland, Madrid, Alicante, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, Tbilisi, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. She has received over 50 awards, including first place for Miss Fitness 2007, Miss Pacific World 2006 and Miss Fitness Peru. In New York, she received special recognition as a social media-savvy model by Couture Fashion Week. In Bolivia, Fanny was guest of honor and received the “Key to the City of Sucre”, the nation’s capital, and in Ukraine, she also received a special awards an international model. She has also been featured in many prominent publications worldwide.

For the past 20 years, since her childhood, Fanny Torres has been involved in charity work with children in rural communities bringing toys, smiles and laughter. She also spends time remodeling and acquiring furniture and bedding for La Divina Providencia (Divine Providence) nursing home. Each year she supports efforts to collect shoes, blankets, stretchers and oxygen apparatus for La Busqueda (The Search), a rehabilitation center for women and children with disabilities. Fanny has also worked on missions bringing supplies, shoes and blankets to poor communities in Las Sierras (Highlands) and regularly visits and brings her love to hospitals and local orphanages.

Welcome Fanny Torres to “Andres Aquino’s Global People with a Big Heart!” and those who follow his motto: “Do good, live well.”

Fanny Torres will be participating in the upcoming Cannes Red Carpet Fashion and Film Awards event at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France on May 21, 2016. Click for tickets and more information.

Couture Fashion Week 24th Season Tickets Now On Sale

Couture Fashion Week New York

Recent participating designers include (l-r): Dauphine of France, Anniesa Hasibuan, Andres Aquino, Addy Van Den Krommenacker, Catalin Botezatu.

Tickets for the 24th stylish season of Couture Fashion Week in New York City are now on sale. Don’t miss one of New York Fashion Week’s most prestigious events.

DATES: September 9-11, 2016

LOCATION: Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan

Exquisite fashion shows, gorgeous models, trend setting hair and makeup designs, fine art, world-class entertainment, parties and more.

In addition to front row and general seating tickets, CFW offers Platinum VIP tickets for the ultimate fashion and style experience. And don’t forget the fun after parties right at the same venue which include buffet dinner, open bar, music and dancing. Attend the parties even if you do not attend the fashion shows.

Mark your calendar and buy your tickets to this memorable event!

Learn More About Couture Fashion Week Partner FashionUnited

Lori Hernandez-FashionUnited Country Manager for USA and CanadaInterview with FashionUnited Country Manager Lori Hernandez

Couture Fashion Week is partnering with FashionUnited for the third time in 2016. What a great occasion to interview Lori Hernandez, Country Manager for the USA and Canada to tell us more about our valued partner.

Lori, for those who don’t know FashionUnited yet, what do you do?
FashionUnited is an online B2B platform for the fashion industry. We provide fashion professionals with the latest industry news, fashion jobs, business intelligence and many other services. FashionUnited is kind of a one-stop-shop destination for everything that you need to know if your heart beats “fashion”.

How did FashionUnited begin?
Our CEO, Lennard Minderhoud, formerly worked as an agent for a sportswear brand and noticed a lack of one platform that offers various services that are crucial for fashion professionals, so FashionUnited was born! Those working in fashion have busy schedules, therefore providing one platform with multiple services and features is very convenient and time efficient. You can visit FashionUnited if you are looking for a new professional challenge but also if you would like to be in the know about what is going on in the industry.

What is your role at FashionUnited?
I am the FashionUnited Country Manager for the USA and Canada. In this role I take care of different marketing and HR tasks. For instance, I support and consult fashion companies that are looking for a new employee. Employer branding is also a vital part of my work. Companies want to share insights into the company culture and values to attract the candidates that can relate to it and see themselves working there. Apart from working closely with fashion companies, I’m also in touch with fashion trade fairs and other crucial industry events.

Couture Fashion Week is also featured on FashionWeekWeb. Can you tell us more about it?
FashionWeekWeb is a platform that is dedicated to fashion week news. We noticed a need for one website with Fashion Week content. FashionWeekWeb is the result. Our editors report from Fashion Weeks around the globe, from Fiji to New York. Super exciting!

You are the country manager for the USA and Canada, are you active in other countries?
Yes, FashionUnited was founded in the Netherlands in 1998. Almost 20 years later we are active all around the world. We serve fashion professionals in more than 20 countries by offering them our services.

More information: FashionUnited.com and FashionWeekWeb.com

Celebrity Model Candice Zhao To Walk the Runway at Couture Fashion Week

Celebrity model and actress Candice Zhao at Couture Fashion Week NYChinese celebrity model and actress Candice Zhao will close the “Elysium Fields” collection by Andres Aquino fashion show, 8:00 pm on Saturday February 13, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza Times Square in New York City.

Candice Zhao is the winner of the 35th Miss Bikini International competition in China and runner up in the World competition. She is also the winner of the reality TV show The Transformers for China talent search, chosen from 70,000 contestants. As an actress, Ms. Zhao has appeared in films including Transformers 4: Age of Extinction, Monster Trucks, Can I Borrow Your Phone and The Truth, as well as in the remake of the Chinese film We Are Family. She has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines such as Man’s Uno, Esquire, Face, and Milk among others.

“I am so glad to have Candice close my show,” says designer Andres Aquino. “She is a triple threat: talented, beautiful and smart, representative of the 21st century woman on the rise, bringing grace and style to the catwalk and inspiring other women around the planet to excel.”

Mr. Aquino’s “Elysium Fields” collection is a magical place where the immortal heroic paradise of Greek mythology meets the Champs-Elysees in a blissful confluence of art and fashion.

In addition to being an award-winning fashion designer, Andres Aquino, is the founder and producer of Couture Fashion Week New York, now in its 23rd season. He is also the founder and director of the recently-launched Global Short Film Awards Festival, which had seen entries from 81 countries for its inaugural edition. In addition, Mr. Aquino is the publisher of Couture & Luxury magazine, a photographer and poet. His work and innovations in show production have been recognized by publications and media around the world. He has appeared in such media as FOX TV Networks, major TV outlets in Russia, Indonesia, and Turkey, as well as Slavi’s Show (Bulgaria), Algebra of Fashion (Ukraine), and publications including Collezioni Haute Couture, Book Moda, Prestige, Rendezvous de la Mode, Moda International and many more.

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Brazilian Designer Silvia Ulson to Present Innovative Denim Designs at Couture Fashion Week

Silvia Ulson fashion show at Couture Fashion Week NYProminent Brazilian fashion designer Silvia Ulson will present her latest collection of womenswear at Couture Fashion Week New York at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. Part of the event’s 23rd season, the fashion show will be held at 4:00 pm on Saturday February 13, 2016.

Silvia Ulson studied fashion design at Massart (Massachusetts College of Art and Design) in Boston and at F.I.T. (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. She has worked with several top fashion brands, including Carolina Herrera for three years. Now based in Sao Paulo, Ms. Ulson founded the beachwear brand Silu Designs, which has been shown at such fashion events as Miami Fashion Week. Her signature label is SU, which caters to to women who seek exclusivity and quality. The designs feature fine fabrics and rich embellishments such as embroidery. Cosmopolitan and sophisticated, SU conveys an unpretentious, casual-chic message.

At Couture Fashion Week New York Silvia Ulson will present an exclusive line of couture dresses made from denim.

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Luxury Spanish Footwear Brand Bymara On the Runway at Couture Fashion Week

Bymara Shoes at Couture Fashion Week NYBymara, the luxury Spanish footwear brand, will present a selection of stunning designs on the runway as part of the Andres Aquino fashion show at Couture Fashion Week New York. Marking the prestigious brand’s first appearance at CFW, the fashion show will be held at 8:00 pm on Sunday February 14, 2016 in the Broadway Ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, in the heart of the Big Apple.

Founded by Yaimara Munoz Mata, and based in Alicante, Spain, the exquisite Bymara footwear designs are inspired by the women who wear them, who are participants in their own dreams. The handmade shoes are constructed to the strictest quality standards and with the impeccable craftsmanship for which the Spanish footwear industry is famous. Made from the highest quality leather, the shoes feature a complex choreography resulting in a perfect geometry of material, design and color. These are exclusive shoes for inspiring women.

The Bymara shoes to be shown at Couture Fashion Week with the “Alicante Heat” fashion collection by Andres Aquino, feature high heels and beautiful combinations of silver and gold tones accented with shades of blue and salmon.

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Elegant Designs by Elcy Cortorreal to Grace the Couture Fashion Week Runway

Elcy Cortorreal fashion show at Couture Fashion Week NYNew York-based designer Elcy Cortorreal will present her latest elegant collection of womenswear during the upcoming 23rd season of Couture Fashion Week in New York City. Marking the designer’s second appearance at the prestigious event, the fashion show will be held at 4:00 pm on Saturday February 13, 2016 in the Broadway Ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Elcy Cortorreal discovered her passion for fashion design and painting at a young age. She graduated from Laie Fashion Design School, and went on to study at the renowned Altos de Chavon design academy where she perfected her craft.
Ms. Cortorreal has shown her designs at important fashion events in the Dominican Republic, garnering enthusiastic reviews from experts in the fashion industry. She became a pioneer in launching fashion shows in regions of the Dominican Republic where they had never been held before, including the first-ever fashion show held at the Pinar Dorado Hotel in Jarabacoa, a fast-growing tourist region.

Since 2006, Ms. Cortorreal has worked in the United States with a number of established designers, including fellow Dominican and fashion legend Oscar de la Renta. Her wealth of experience has contributed to the perfection of her own unique style and her vision of offering her clients a variety of products of optimum quality. She launched her own signature label in 2009 with the mission of creating high quality designs and services which strive to revolutionize consumers’ taste in the world of fashion design.

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