Interview with Fashion Stylist – Bettina Bati

The first thing you notice about Bettina is her great sense of fashion. The second thing you notice is her warm smile and charming personality. I first met Bettina last year at L’Une’s SS 2011 preview for Two Point Oh! LA's Bloggers' Café. We exchanged cards in the hallway. I ran into her again at the USC Fashion show this past April. As it turns out, we both have more in common than just a love of fashion. We also worked in finance. In fact, we actually worked for the same company at different times. While Bettina may have been good with numbers her true talent and love lies in fashion. I commend her for leaving a world of security in order to pursue her dream, and I’m happy to see that she is finding success in doing what she loves.

Fashion Los Angeles Steps Up To Help Displaced WCM Designers

Less than 48 hours before its fashion presentation was set to begin, World Coast Management (WCM) cancelled its self-titled “Official LA Fashion Week” production. As a prompt solution to this cancellation, Fashion Los Angeles has organized a community movement through its Bloggers’ Café program, to ensure that the designers are given an opportunity to exhibit the fashions they have worked so hard to produce. Fashion Los Angeles, the group behind the new Los Angeles fashion presentations set to debut February 2011, has joined forces with Two Point Oh LA, an organization that includes 80 of Los Angeles’ biggest fashion and beauty bloggers, led by Kelsi Smith, to offer the displaced designers an opportunity to meet with local media. The Bloggers’ Café event, known by the Twitter hashtag “#bc911,” will take place at Fashion Los Angeles headquarters. “There will be no exchange of money, there is no underlining agenda… we simply want the designers to show their work,” said Michael Venedicto, co-founder of Fashion Los Angeles. “We also hope that the designers do not perceive this to be a representation of the City of Los Angeles nor its fashion industry. Considering the current economic difficulties, it is the wrong time for a fashion presentation of this magnitude to be cancelled and for talented designers to be left stranded.” Designers who are confirmed to present their works are Daisy Gonzalez, L’une, and Paulina Lopez from Mexico City. Since this is a community service event, individuals and groups able to donate time and products (models, hair, makeup, mannequins, etc.) should contact Fashion Los Angeles via email immediately at bloggerscafe@fashionlosangeles.org. Come back to BiteMe M+F for coverage of the designer presentations.

Fashion's Night Out Los Angeles

Last year Fashion’s Night Out Los Angeles paled in comparison to FNONY. Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills put on a pretty sweet bash and Fred Segal did too, but that was about it. This year L.A. is on the ball with over 200 retailers participating in the night’s festivities.

On Friday, September 10th the annual shopping extravaganza will kick off at 4 p.m. with Red Carpet arrivals at The Beverly Center, followed by a speech from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at 5 p.m. A number of stores will feature gifts with purchase in addition to other special events. Macy’s is sponsoring a Denim Rock’s fashion show, and The Beverly Center will feature various fashion shows throughout the evening with special host WILL.I.AM of The Black Eyed Peas. www.beverlycenter.com/fashionsnightout

The Grove will also host an evening filled with glamorous gifts, amazing prizes, and fashionable savings, which will be available to members of its loyalty awards program. (If you are not yet a member you can sign up at concierge services.) The night will center on The Park at The Grove, featuring up to ten wonderful Los Angeles based stylists, including Reah Norman, Kallah Maguire, Bree Cooley, Laurie Brucker,  Margaret Sche, and Kelsi Smith who will all be on hand to lend their styling expertise. Bloggers' Cafè hosted by Two Point Oh! LA will be on hand to cover all festivities, which will include a meet-n-greet with Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of Tom’s shoes, at Nordstrom from 6 – 9 p.m.  Fergie will also make a special appearance at Nordstrom from 9 – 10 p.m. Shoppers will also receive a free Fashion’s Night Out T-Shirt when they visit 5 participating stores. (L.A.’s official FNO Tee was designed by Marc Blaskovits, a student in FIDM’s graphic design program. Proceeds from the sale of the shirt will go to the California Fashion Foundation’s scholarship program to fund fashion education in Los Angeles.) http://www.thegrovela.com/los_angeles/promos/promo_page.php?id_promo=48&section=events