I cannot remember the very first time I met designer Nicole Romano, but after running into her at a few events (where she always looked fantastic), we ended up working together on her spring/summer 2008 collection presentation. Now, I can honestly say that Nicole is one of the nicest designers in the industry and not only does she design clothing, but also a killer line of jewelry!

Nicole grew up in Rhode Island and studied apparel design at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) before landing a coveted internship with Nicole Miller upon graduation. Wanting a label of her own, Nicole set out out to work on her first collection which immediately caught the attention of Sex and the City stylist, Patricia Field. Both Nicole’s jewelry and ready-to-wear can be seen in countless episodes of SATC including the one where Samantha first bags Smith (then known as Jerry Jared).

I had the privilege of visiting the huge, fabulous, dreamy wardrobe department of Sex and the City: The Movie  with Nicole early last fall (which at the time was filled with options for Carrie’s wedding gown, hundreds of pairs of shoes, and clothing and jewelry for as far as the eye could see). We showed Field and her team Nicole’s latest collection and also brought them pizza and beer from Patsy’s - Nicole’s favorite restaurant -because that’s just the kind of cool girl Nicole is. Several of her pieces made it into the movie including earrings seen on both Miranda and Samantha, as well as the awesome striped skirt seen in the opening sequence featuring what is meant to be four younger versions of the original SATC ladies.

So what makes her collection so perfect for fashion-forward city girls? Nicole’s aesthetic vision is one that celebrates the individuality, femininity, and strength of women - and she isn’t afraid to have fun with fashion, which is part of what has made her a favorite of celebrities including Rihanna, Jessica Alba, Lindsey Lohan, Alicia Keys, Heidi Klum, and more. I recently caught up with this lovely and extremely talented designer to get her answers to my 21 questions.

1. Name: Nicole Romano
2. In 5 words or less, describe your personality: A true Leo
3. In 5 words or less, describe your style: A true Leo
4. What do you do? Fashion and Jewelry Designer in New York
5. What would you like to do? Exactly what I am doing
6. What do you covet? My truck that allows me to escape whoever I want!
7. What are you most into: shoes, handbags, clothes, jewelry? Clothing and jewelry because I’m literally up to my knees in work on a daily and nightly basis!
8. Latest obsession? Rene Furterer Naturia Shampoo
9. Favorite stores? Té Casan
10. Favorite artists/designer? David Foote
11. Favorite runway collections? Preen
12. Last book you read? Perfume
13. What is your favorite piece from your new collection? My favorite piece is the powder blue denim dress with rose pink denim inserts
14. What are you listening to? I listen to big band and swing when I work because it keeps me moving at a fast pace!
15. Drink of choice? Ty Ku Lover’s Lemonade
16. Favorite restaurant/coffee shop/bar? The original Patsy’s Pizzeria in East Harlem
17. Favorite sites? Fashionweekdaily.com
18. Favorite blogs? ThoseExtra4Inches of course! runners up: TheSartorialist, Facehunter
19. Best party you’ve ever been to? A magazine party on Liberty Island - I never thought I would be dancing and drinking champagne by the ankles of Lady Liberty!
20. What’s your favorite thing in your closet? My Fendi Vanity clutch
21. One thing people should know about you? The thing I cherish most is my family

Next week I’ll be attending Nicole Romano’s Spring/Summer Collection celebration at espace and will definitely give you guys a sneak peek of what she has in store for the future. Also, VIVRE.com will be selling a large selection of her jewelry within a few days, and I swear that I want almost every piece…

This season, there is a major return to costume jewelry. Balenciaga’s dazzling bling has been included in practically every fashion magazine’s September issue. Alexander McQueen’s maharajah worthy gems dripped off models as they strutted down the catwalk. Vera Wang’s girls had crystal encrusted snakes slithering around their necks and super-oversized crystal cuffs locked on to their wrists (created in a collaboration with Philip Crangi).

About 3 or 4 years ago, brooches seemed to be everywhere and I couldn’t leave the house with out wearing one - so needless to say I’m very excited at the idea of piling them on my capes and coats this coming fall.

Believe it or not, fabulous faux jewelry is (sort of) in my blood. My parents are ballroom dancing instructors and over the past ten or so years, my mother has amassed quite a collection of costume jewelry (her favorite place to shop is Hello Beautiful in Honolulu, HI). My mom and I actually went through a Swarovski phase together, buying delicate crystal hat pins and exotic bird brooches that have long since needed to be repaired and are sitting in my jewelry box.

I also began my career in fashion as an intern for Showroom Seven where I had my first taste of the crazy fashion jewelry that is Erickson Beamon…and I after several sample sales, I’ve gathered quite a little collection of my own. And although my jewelry box is already overflowing, I’d gladly make some room for pieces by Tom Binns (he actually has a ridiculously gaudy necklace at Moss right now called, ‘Now This is a Fucking Necklace’) or the House of Lavande.

No collection to call your own? Well, there’s never been a better time to start your own collection of brilliant baubles…Begin with Kenneth Jay Lane, Banana Republic, HSN, or at any vintage shop and bling it up. Don’t be afraid to wear more than one piece at a time - after all, it is costume jewelry.

Yesterday for lunch we made a run to the big Intermix sale at the Metropolitan Pavillion. It was definitely larger than we had anticipated and as soon as you walk in you are greeted by the designer collections on the left - lots of Chloe, Stella McCartney, some Helmut Lang, Zac Posen, etc.

I spotted a lone Thakoon dress that I obsessed about last fall, a bunch of gorgeous Stella sweaters, all of the ‘it’ Chloe dresses of this and seasons past…and then I spotted something extraordinary.

Rummaging through the racks, my hand fell upon a lightly waxed trench coat. No label, no price, no info - just a stunning coat created with careful draping and yards and yards of fabric. I couldn’t help but pick it up and haul it into the dressing room along with my other finds including high-waisted jeans from Earnest Sewn and a little silk romper.

The dressing room was exactly what you’re expecting - a bunch of girls stripping and clothing thrown all over the floor. I started with the Thakoon dress, which was of course too large (a girl can dream) and then moved along too the jeans. The fit was terrific, but flattened out things in back a bit too much so I moved on to the trench, which I knew I was going to love.

The trench was perfect. A little beat up, but perfect nonetheless. I twirled in the dressing room and knew it was going to cost too much, but took it to the counter and waited for the girls to give me a price. They said it was Lanvin, originally around $3,000 and that I could buy it for $700. After a bit of investigating back at the office, I discovered it was from the Spring 2005 Runway. I didn’t buy it because I already have a trench coat (and one I love) and because we need to buy a new couch, but I’m sad that I don’t own it since I’d wear it forever and love it always. Too bad I don’t still charge up a storm or that beauty would be mine…and now I need a trench to protect me from my own tears of sorrow!!

Anyway, go and get your own freak on (and if you see the Lanvin Trench think of me):
Intermix Sample Sale
Aug. 26-28. Tues.-Thurs.
9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion
110 W 19th Street (6th/7th Ave)

Today, aside from my usual 10-6 writing job, I was asked to step into the studio to pose as an ‘arm’ model for our upcoming holiday issue. I agreed because, well why not - plus, I’ve always loved going on photoshoots. And although I’ve never modeled before (not even a hand or a foot), I do sort of understand what makes a good model:

• A good model is on-time
• A good model takes direction
• A good model has a positive attitude

Determined to be a good model, I called my art director, Darryl, this morning to confirm my call time, which he was very relaxed about (’Case, just show up around 5′). I of course was slightly excited and spent the rest of the day worrying about when I was going to be able to squeeze in a manicure to tame my super long, ‘witch-length’ talons.

I started to worry about my nails and then called, emailed and texted all about how I should have them shaped, what color they should be painted, etc. I got no response at all (later I learned that his phone died) and just decided to keep it simple, go with a sheer, pale pink shade. Of course I ended up leaving the office later than I wanted to and ran into the nail place on 28th Street and Lexington - where I got (drum roll) a fairly decent 20 minute manicure! Unfortunately I was about 15 minutes late, thus starting out my highly anticipated career as a supermodel in bad form.

Anyway, I walked into the studio and was greeted by 4 artistic, pale but adorable boys. Darryl told me to put my arms above my head so that the blood would leave them and make them look better. I asked Darryl which of my arms he wanted to use and with fairly little hesitation he said the left one. Now I’ve never really compared my left arm to my right one, but perhaps the freckle placement is a bit sexier on the left now that I really look at it.

My ‘inspiration’ for the shoot came was a tear from ELLE featuring an arm stacked with cuffs, bent in the shape of a Z. It looked fairly simple, but as we began shooting and my arm was awkwardly twisted on a large sheet of white, I started to wonder if I was going to be able to deliver a decent shot.

I wore a large gold spiky cuff by SURevolution, a lucite one from Alexis Bittar, an elaborately beaded one by Miriam Haskell, and ended up holding/reaching for a diamond detailed wooden cuff by Jessica Kagan Cushman. The photographer and Darryl kept teling me to relax my hand, bend my fingers, move things slightly to the left, etc. I think we ended up getting the shot, and Darryl said we could get a big blow up of my crooked little arm for the office. The whole thing only took about 30-45 minutes.

It was a nice break from the typical day - its always fun to be back in the studio. If any of you need an arm model please know that I am in very high demand, and charge a ridiculous fee of 1 venti regular coffee per shot.

The cuffs and bracelets shown here all available at VIVRE, except for the CHANEL one.

This post marks the first of a new series I’m doing on fall fashion. I’ll bring you my top picks, the best trends, as well as the essential pieces you need to buy this season, all from A to Z.
Hope you enjoy!

Shop the above picks here:
Alexander McQueen Bag
Bing Bang Earrings
Elizabeth and James Necklace

Can you tell the difference between Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags? I thought about this on Monday when watching The Hills, seeing Heidi’s bag, and then realizing that I wasn’t sure which one it was.

I’ve never become obsessed with Hermès bags simply because they’ve never been in my price range (which is why I never really took the time to notice the difference in styles), but I do own a few of their scarves, twillys, a pair of lady gloves, and one of their fragrances. Since I didn’t know exactly which was which (and as a young fashionable person, I really should), I’ve put together a bit on the bags…

About both bags:

• Prices for both begin around $7,000 and can go well beyond $50,000
• Part of the price of all Hermès bags is the privilege to bring it into any boutique to be sent to Paris for a “spa treatment” where the bag, no matter how old or abused, will be bought back to the best possible condition…for an additional cost of several hundred dollars
• Both bags can be customized to the buyers specifications
• Locks and keys are number-coded
• Lining is usually made of goat skin that matches the color of the exterior skin
• Identifiable by their metal-tipped clasp, which can be closed with a tiny padlock (and the clasp’s hidden key often dangles from the handle in a leather sheath of its own)
• Not sold online and never ever will be
• Famous for their waiting lists - Remember on Sex and the City when Samantha used Lucy Liu’s name to score the red one faster?

The Hermès Kelly Bag:

• Named after Grace Kelly
• Became famous in 1956 when Grace Kelly (then Princess of Monaco) used one to shield her pregnant stomach from the prying eyes of the paparazzi
• More formal than the Birkin
• Comes in 5 different sizes (although possibly more from looking at the Fall runway show)
• It takes a single craftsman about 18 hours to make one

The Hermès Birkin Bag:

• Named after Jane Birkin (who has an interesting history with the company)
• 5 Birkins are produced a week at the Hermès Atelier in Paris
• More casual than the Kelly & has a slightly younger more bohemian appeal
• With an open top, it is easier to open than the Kelly
• Both Jay-Z and Lil’ Kim have both rapped about the Birkin

I think I’d go with a Birkin, but which one do you like? Do you know anyone who carries either a Birkin or a Kelly? Do you think they are worth the price

P.S. Want your own Kelly - for free? Go here, and then click on the little picture of the Kelly bag paper cut-out next to a pair of orange scissors. Nothing new, but fun for those of you who haven’t seen this before!

Love love love - sometimes it is in the air, but more often times, love is on the foot. But for $1,398.00, I’d better be ready to commit.

What: Azzedine Alaia, Maris - patent gladiator heeled sandal
First Seen: today while wandering through Bergdorf’s
What would I wear them with? Easy, breezy summer shifts…and everything else!!

According to Style.com’s Nicole Phelps, “The spectacle Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel staged…at a Los Angeles airfield was so audacious, so over-the-top, it elicited a standing ovation before the first model hit the people mover.” But, well, as someone who did not attend the spectacular-spectacular, all I can say is this collection was just not as fantastic as I thought it was going to be, at all.

The moment I read about the show production, the location, etc, I was excited. I wanted to fly the Coco Chanel skies.

The first few looks were fun and fitting, but then it seemed to go a little too rachel zoe. Some of it was too hippie, some looked a little too hipster, and then some of it looked genuinely good (and that would be basically everything on Raquel or Bruna), but just not so exciting. There were too many eras there for me, and sadly, none of my favorites.

And a lot of the show was the attendees: Lindsey Lohan (enough), Camilla Belle (yay!), the Rodarte girls (why??), and of course, Dita von Teese (again, enough).

What really killed me, however, was the plane’s name: CHANEL LINE. Wow, I mean, what a name. Exciting, no? Um, not so much. Maybe the next resort collection will inspire me a bit more.

1. Hermes black muff in what? Croc? ohhh…

2. Louis Vuitton awesome bracelets…looks like uni.

3. Dolce & Gabbana - those boys know sexy, much more so than Justin Timberlake. The mesh, the swarovski crystals, the cut, the bra, the locked metal formed corset! Oh my god!

4. And these Burberry gloves. Wow. Yes, please!!

1. Thank you Christopher Bailey for making Burberry one of my favorite shows for two seasons now - Hello! look at these boots!

2. Alberta Ferretti had a stellar collection, very metallic, very feminine. These new-age mary janes are perfect for all of next year’s black, gray, and purple looks…even green, orange, yellow, and hell, why not red too?