Backstage at NYFW: Venexiana Show!

By: Tiffany Olson

Remember my article about the Venexiana show? Well, I had the opportunity to go backstage and get all the scoop on everything before the show! Here is your official backstage pass to all the behind the scenes fun!

Hair and Makeup!

Tons of photogs capturing the BECCA makeup artists at work!

Getting dolled up in BECCA Cosmetics!

Confessions of a NYFW Model: This gal above, said the Venexiana show was her 3rd of the day. At her first show, they put a lot of gel in her hair, for her 2nd show, she needed pin straight hair, so all the gel was fried out via straightening iron! She said she couldn't watch as her hair sizzled! Luckily for this show, it just went up, but she said it took over an hour to get this lovely look! We asked how she cares for her hair after fashion week is over, and she said she sleeps in conditioner over night to try to reverse all the damage! Phew! (I learned that male models have it way easier- no heels and no hair drama!)

Hair in progress...

And here's what the finished product looked like!

And here's the makeup guide all the BECCA Cosmetics gals used! I absolutely LOVED their makeup!

And here's a pic my friend snapped of me interviewing Venexiana designer, Kati Stern!

You can read my full interview with her {here}.

Here's Kati on the runway after the show! The crowd loved her!

Soo exciting! Thank you to the Venexiana team for letting me come backstage and play!

NYFW: Venexiana Spring 2012

By: Tiffany Olson

I love to see bold, fun, looks on the runway - Kati Stern is known to deliver just this, and she certainly did with this collection! The energy at this show was probably the best of any show I saw this season. It made me wish I had a black tie event coming up!!

I had the pleasure of interviewing the Venexiana designer, Kati Stern, backstage before the show. Here’s what she had to say!!

CupcakeMAG: What was your inspiration for this collection?

Kati Stern: Always, always my fabrics. I go and I look for… beautiful. What I find is beautiful. And then I start designing. It’s the fabric, it’s the texture, it’s the color.

CupcakeMAG: What era influences you the most?

Kati Stern: That’s a tough question, because I have a great interest in the 17^th and 18^th century. And a lot of my inspiration comes from there. But at the same time, the 20s and the 30s are definitely an inspiration as well. But what I do is take it and turn it into contemporary – I don’t try to do a costume look. But it’s difficult to take something that I feel so strongly about and then dissect it basically.

CupcakeMAG: If I had to tell cupcakeMAG readers to buy one piece from this collection, what would it be? The one piece they NEED that will just go anywhere!

Kati Stern: Ah! Oh my god. I’ll tell you something, you will see many pieces that will go anywhere. I’m trying to find the one….. (scans the racks of dresses)… I just want you to see this one. (Finds gorgeous dress pictured below.) This is a dress which is satin, and it’s handmade. All the embroidered pieces are hand attached – every pieces of this is handmade inside and out, even the zipper. So, this is a cocktail dress, that you can take anywhere... I’m not saying you can have breakfast in it. You can go in the afternoon, and follow it up in the evening… so that’s one … but you’ll see many variations on the runway.

CupcakeMAG: You seem so calm!

Kati Stern: I am completely! Because anything that can go crazy did already – at this point… a broken zipper? We’ll deal with it!

Don’t you love her? She was so sweet and sincere and her designs are just out of this world. If you're looking to make a statement, these are the dresses for you!

Also, the makeup for this show was by Becca, and was absolutely gorgeous!! Here is a close up of one of the models' makeup. Those eyes!! I die! So pretty! I chatted with some of the Becca girls backstage while they were glamming up the models, and their work is absolutely amazing!

Overall, I loved the Venexiana show and can't wait to see these looks on a red carpet!!

Just a Wee Bit of Green

St. Patty’s Day Beauty Guide

Lucky charms, leprechauns and shamrocks galore – St. Patty’s Day is here and it’s always fun to bring out your inner “Irish.” Whether you’re the St. Patty’s Day enthusiast or you just like to have a little fun, here’s a wee bit of green to help you get into the spirit. From dressing up your nails with vibrant green polish to adorning your bathroom with subtle green skincare secrets, feel like a Lucky Lady with these festive yet modest essentials for you and your vanity.

Sula Paint & Peel Polish in Fern

A one-of-a-kind, water-based nail polish formula that allows rich shades to be peeled off the nail in one clean sweep – no harsh nail polish remover required! Created with Sula’s “Big 3-Free” Formulation – free of Formaldehyde, Toluene and Phthalates – finally, a polish that’s safe, and sure to make a statement Price: $9; SulaBeauty.com

BECCA Jewel Dust in Minty Green

A loose powder that will make your eyes pop. This playful color to the eyes creates a rich and exotic tone, providing the highest luster and intensity when worn alone or over neutral eye shadows. Dab some on and around your eyelids to get a flirtatiously festive look.

Price: $24; www.beccacosmetics.com

eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere in Sweet Mint

eosTM reinvents the lip balm category with its USDA-certified organic, all-natural lip balm smooth spheres. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos lip balm spheres keep lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth.

Price: $3.29; Walgreens

boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil

A refreshingly different and extremely gentle way to deeply cleanse skin, breaking up makeup and dissolving impurities. Ingredients including peppermint, eucalyptus, rose hip and more, boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil will invigorate the senses and protect the skin from harsh environments.

Price: $21.00; Sephora stores

Tweezerman- Green Apple Slant Tweezer

Positively the finest general use tweezer in the world - top eyebrow artists always recommend Tweezerman's original, award-winning Slant Tweezer for expert brow shaping. The perfectly aligned, hand-filed tips are slanted to grab every hair, every time with the smoothest, true precision. Groom your brows to "Irish" perfection with the Green Apple color!

Price: $20; www.tweezerman.com