Nick Verreos Talks Under the Gunn, Twitter and His Advice for Curvy Fashionistas

Seldom does a fashion blog get to speak with someone who is not only enthusiastic, positive and energetic but also incredibly well-spoken. I had the pleasure of speaking with Nick Verreos recently and am quite excited to share the interview with you below. Read on for his advice for fashionistas of all sizes, current inspirations, some insider info on Under the Gunn and much more...

*Your personal style is legendary! Was it inspired by anything in particular, or did you put it together over the years?

First off: I’m blushing with your compliments Kendra! Thank you! In regards to my personal style, I think it is something that has “developed” over the years. I’ve always tried to be “On trend” or at least ahead of trends, especially when I was younger. I tried lots of different looks and styles, many times failing LOL! I didn’t realize it then—I thought I was looking “cool” and fashionable, unfortunately there are photos to prove otherwise. I feel my personal style now is what I like to call Euro-Elegant-Hipster; I like to blend great fitted tailored jackets and elegant dress shirts, silk pocket scarves (the “Euro” part) with super-skinny jeans (the “Hipster”). I also remember a crucial moment when I really decided to dress up—wherever and whenever: I was in Torino Italy in 2006 for the Torino Winter Olympics and there was an elderly couple (in their 80s at least) taking a stroll through the Torino streets. Both were dressed IMPECCABLY. But what really stood out for me was the man. He was dressed in a fabulous jacket, pants, scarf, and beautiful loafers. I thought “if he can pull it together at his age, I can do the same at mine!”

*I love those moments! Sometimes a complete stranger can change your whole life. Now, you've done a lot of traveling, in part thanks to your Project Runway fame. What is your favorite city to visit? And where would you most like to spend some (relaxing) time?

Well, yes, I have been lucky to visit lots of amazing cities and I’m very thankful and grateful for that. I LOVE traveling and if I must confess, I’m a big airplane/airline aficionado—whatever the airplane version of “foodie” is, that’s me! Going to Torino Italy (as I said above) to cover the Figure Skating Costumes for the Winter Olympics was a big traveling highlight. I also loved going to Florence Italy when I was invited to give Fashion Lectures for the Miami University of Ohio Summer In Italy Program. But I also enjoy traveling to different cities here in the US for my appearances, if even for an overnight trip, it gives me a quick chance to have a mental “postcard” of the US and to see cities that I wouldn’t normally have an inclination to visit.

*All throughout Under the Gunn, you came off as fair, calm and supportive of your designers. What moment really made you sweat, though?

Awww, thank you again Kendra for the sweet words. I really tried to be fair, calm and most of all supportive to my designers on “Under the Gunn”. When Tim Gunn and the producers contacted me and asked me to do the show, at first I wasn’t “all-in” as they say. I taught fashion design, sketching and pattern-making for many years at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, and run two fashion design companies but I never professed to be a Mentor; I am first and foremost a Fashion Designer. On “Under the Gunn” I mentored in the only way I knew—and how I was mentored—by combining all my knowledge, my teaching skills and my passion for all things fashion. I would have never thought that way of mentoring could be misconstrued as being ‘too hands-on” by Tim Gunn and that I would be edited as such. So, yes, I think one of the moments that really made me sweat as you said, was when in the beginning, one of my designers—Natalia—asked for my advice and suggestions on how to make one of her dresses better—and Tim ran in and completely chastised me like a parent chastises their 5 year-old child. It was definitely a moment. I quickly realized that I had to re-think what I had known and assumed was “mentoring’ and change it to how “Tim Gunn would mentor”.

*Yikes! Love hearing some of the behind-the-scenes info on that, though. Many of us wondered how you felt, because it did seem tense when you were asked to be less 'hands-on.' Speaking of mentoring, though... What's your best advice for the curvy fashionistas out there who love clothes and want to look their best?

I have several words of advice for the curvy fashionistas. First off: LOVE your body; pay tribute to it, don’t hide it. Also, re-think your thought process that Fashion and Fashion designers are your enemy. They are not. Get to LOVE fashion. And finally, don’t be afraid to do a lot of shopping; get out there. One big complaint I get from the SuperFabulous “Big & Beautiful” ladies is that ‘There’s NOTHING out there for us…” well, they are wrong. I visit a Macy’s “Plus Size” Department, for example and there are TONS of options. If you want to be “sexy” plus size, there’s clothing for you; if you want to be “proper and Lady-Like” plus size, there’s another clothing line for you…it’s all there. You just have to look for it, try on many, many clothes and once you find a brand that fits you and looks good on you, stick to it!

*Love it! And you recently visited my state, New Hampshire , for an event in Keene. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Yes!! This was my THIRD visit to New Hampshire but my first time in Keene. I LOVED it! This time, I was invited to give a Trend Presentation, go shopping and consequently, do a Style Makeover for two radio contest winners at the Women’s Expo in Keene. I especially enjoyed three things being in Keene for my appearance: I loved the 3 hour long ride from Boston to Keene and seeing all the GORGEOUS trees and varying colors of green in them; absolutely stunning. I also loved the New England homes. You don’t see that in LA! Finally, I loved styling the contest winners and interacting with the fans and people who came to the Women’s Expo. After all these years since first doing “Project Runway” and now, after winning “Under the Gunn”, I am still humbled that anyone wants to take a photo with me or want an autograph.

*You've had an extraordinary outreach on twitter, thanks to your fun and engaging personality. Your fans love it! But have you ever been starstruck to talk to someone on twitter?

You know, funny enough, I was a bit “slow” and reluctant to do the social media thing and especially Twitter. I remember saying to myself “Why does anyone care that I’m going to the bathroom?”…”and why do I need to tweet that?”. I finally opened up to it and use it as a way to interact with fans; say Thank You for their support as well as notify them of when and where I’ll be so they hopefully can come and say “Hi!”. Also, in terms of my business, it’s been useful to let people know where and how they can buy my dresses, etc. In regards to being “Twitter Starstruck”, a while back I began writing on my blog about Figure Skating Costumes for the Olympics or every time there’s a big international or national competition. Well, I really didn’t think the actual skaters—or former skaters--were reading it. But as I found out, they were. When I got a tweet from Olympic Gold Medalist Tara Lipinski saying how much she loved my blog, that’s when I lost it…in a good way!

*Anyone you'd particularly love to design an outfit for?

I’m very lucky that many celebs like Katy Perrry, Heidi Klum, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, have all worn my designs. It’s always nice when your designs are worn on the red carpet or for an event by someone like that. I would love to design for the First Lady Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez and a royal here and there—such as Queen Rania of Jordan or Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

*Anywhere in particular that you're drawing inspiration from right now for a future collection?

Several weeks back I visited the Charles James Exhibition at the Met in NYC and was very inspired by his art, gorgeous gowns, and technological/pattern-making feats of wonder. He thought outside the “pattern-making/draping-book” box and that’s inspiring me right now. Also, an old high-shool friend of my partner David Paul, gave us a bunch of vintage Vogue pattern Magazines spanning three entire decades—the 60s, 70s and 80s and the fashion editorials in those magazines are making my head spin!

*Current favorite song or album:

It sounds so silly but I cannot get “Happy” by Pharell out of my mind! I feel like a 13 year-old school girl just thinking about it! But what I have really been listening to lately is the late 70’s/early 80s music of Chic and Sister Sledge. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were music geniuses!

*Last book you read:

The last book I read was “Black List” by Brad Thor. I LOVE his books and I’m a big fan of international political thrillers. Thor’s novels are perfect for my airplane travels—I literally get so engrossed that before I know it, I’m almost done with them, and it was just a six-hour flight!

*Movie you can't wait to see:

The “Yves Saint Laurent” movie. The trailer made my hairs stand up and heart a beat a bit faster. I cannot wait until it comes to the US at a very “artsy” cinema near me.

Thank you so much to Nick Verreos for being a guest on the Kendry Bird blog. It was an honor to speak with you, Nick! Looking forward to hearing and seeing much more from you in the future!

Visit Nick's website:  http://www.nvnickverreos.com/

Follow Nick on twitter: @nickverreos1

Send Kendry Bird to England!

The Kendry Bird blog and its stylish owner would very much like to visit England this year for a research trip (for novels), to visit friends and to get some insider looks at English style.

You can help me get there by picking up a piece or two of Half-Lucid jewelry here or making a donation through Paypal to kendralsaunders@yahoo.com (any donation over $15 will get a postcard from England once I return to the US. US addresses only though, please!)

 See more here! http://kendralsaunders.com/sendkendratoengland.html

Once over there, you could expect photos of street style, a full write-up and maybe even some interviews with some stylish English ladies (and gents!) Ultimately I'd love the trip to take place in late September over to early October, so please share this link to your friends who love great jewelry and order some Half-Lucid! :)

Kendry Bird's Top 10 Style Rules

1. You don't have to put on your pants.

Really! I mean, you should probably wear something on your lower half, but it doesn't have to be jeans. Ever since I can remember, I've preferred skirts and dresses to pants. While everyone else talked about how comfortable their jeans were or how much they loved shorts, I waited and waited for the day that I, too, would magically fall in love with jeans and turn into a 1980s supermodel in denim.

At some point I realized I just don't like pants, and that's okay. They rarely fit my body type (curvy, small waist, short legs) and always feel too tight in the tummy area. So I gave up on the pants thing and shopped for skirts and dresses that I love, and never looked back. Frankly, I still don't understand the gals who pour themselves into restricting pants all day... especially with belts. *shudder*

2. Two statement pieces are better than one.

You know how Coco Chanel famously said that you should take off one accessory before walking out the door? I've always thought that's cool for those minimalist people who can weirdly pull off an itty-bitty gold chain necklace, plain white t-shirt and jeans, but reaaaaallllly. The rest of us just don't need to live with those kinds of limits. If you've got a killer bib necklace and some sparkly bangles and red lipstick and you're trying to decide if you should wear the pink heels or the black ones... don't be afraid to go full on awesome. More is always more for me.

3. If you can't afford to buy it, make it.

I'd love to own some Dolce & Gabbana but it's not in my budget just yet.. Many times, though, I can take inspiration from something on the runway and recreate it at home. Whether it's an outrageous pair of earrings or a dress with foxes on it, I've made DIY versions of favorite luxe looks... for much, much less. If you like a certain look, google DIY videos for it and then enlist the help of your creative friends for any part of it that you can't do (sewing, pattern making, etc)

4. Inspiration can come from boys, too.

Even though I'm usually a traditionally feminine dresser, I love snagging style ideas from my favorite male rock stars (Matt Bellamy, David Bowie, etc). Whether it's adding a pair of suspenders to an outfit or seeking out a t-shirt I spotted on a fashionable guy, it's fun to add a bit of boy-spo!

5. Wanna try that new hair color? Try it.

It's your hair. It's your life! If you wanna try pink hair or blonde hair, do it. DO IT. I've tried red hair, black hair, brown hair, dark blonde hair, platinum blonde hair and have had blue and pink streaks. In the end, I've always gone back to blonde, but do I regret my forays into other colors? Not a bit! Don't let anyone stop you from trying something new. Same goes for haircuts. If you really want to try it, just try it.

6. Not everyone looks good in a cat eye.

I've tried! I've tried so many times to draw on a cat eye; I've tried liquid eyeliner, pencil eyeliner, and magical alien marker pen (okay not really but might as well have). No matter what style or color of cat eye that I've experimented with, though, it never looks right on my naturally-squinty eyes. Instead, I've discovered after many years of trial and error that my eyes look best ringed lightly all around, tight on the waterline, with no extensions on the side. Keep experimenting with eyeliner, if you haven't figured out your best look, and take note of famous gals you respect with a similar eye shape to yours. They probably have a fancy makeup artist to give them their most flattering look, so it'll almost be like getting help from a professional.

7. Find good shoes. WEAR THEM. Always.

If you wear uncomfortable shoes, you're going to unexpectedly have to walk for 6 miles uphill or something. Seriously. Or, like me, you'll have spent the day at NYFW and be at a party with fashion designers and realize your feet are so swollen that they're about to burst out of your shoes, at which time you're going to limp very, very, very slowly to Old Navy at 10:30pm and buy a pair of fluorescent orange clearance-priced flip flops.

Conversely, if you wear ugly comfortable shoes, you're going to run into someone important. Or, like me, you'll end up being asked to take part in an impromptu photoshoot, photographed for a magazine and tagged in about 199 pictures, all while wearing the ugliest flip flops that exist on the planet.

Spend however long it takes you to find a pair of comfortable and cute flats. Spend however long it takes you to find a pair of comfortable heels (you never know when you'll need them). And really, for the love of God, find a pair of great ankle boots that look good and feel good. You'll live in those, trust me.
 

8. Short skirts are great.

As I've chronicled on this blog previously, I've struggled with self image/body issues for most of my life, but something particularly freeing took place when I discovered how great my legs look in short skirts. I've tested the limits of job dress codes and personal comfort zones ever since.

9. Find your style muse and borrow without shame.

My go-to style muse is Kate Hudson. She's a gorgeous blonde who can pull off the breezy boho looks just as easily as the glam ones. I love her inner and outer glow, easy laugh and don't-care-what-others-think attitude. I love to keep an eye out for what she's been rocking lately, because we share a similar fashion sensibility and facial features. One of my recent style mantras is "Be the fabulous Kate Hudson-esque boho babe you were meant to be." Find your muse and your mantra and keep it in mind when you're in a fashion rut.

10. If you're having a bad day, rock some lipgloss.

You can ask my Mom... this is my greatest advice to all gals. If you're having a bad day, you need some sparkly lipgloss. It just makes everything better.

Happy dressing and shopping, fashionistas! <3

***Note: I'm currently raising money for a research trip to England. You can help me get there by buying some beautiful Half-Lucid Jewelry or adding a couple dollars to my donation button. Check out all the info about the trip here: http://kendralsaunders.com/sendkendratoengland.html and look at my Half-Lucid inventory here: http://kendralsaunders.com/halflucidjewelry  :)

New!! "Boho Swingers" from Half-Lucid

Soooo I got creative the other day and made a new style of earrings called Boho Swingers. The prototype was made specially for me, but I'm thinking of adding them to Half-Lucid's inventory. (And speaking of Half-Lucid, two pairs of Half-Lucid's Babecatchers will be featured in a fashion shoot for an upcoming issue of a magazine. More details on that soon!)

What do you think of the Boho Swingers? Leave a comment or tweet me @kendrybird !

A Return

It's been almost a month since I've been able to make an update, mostly due to tight novel-writing deadlines, but this month I should have a lot of wonderful content for you, fashionistas! Make sure to check back regularly for more interviews, tips, pictures and fun stuff.

Sparkle on!
-Kendra

Meggie Royer: Depression, Self Image and the Power of Poetry

Art and writing have long been a way for humans to cope with the mysteries of life. Opening a book and reading the detailed, painful, embarrassing, loving or heart-breaking experience of another person helps us to remember that we're not alone and we never truly walk in uncharted territory, only in territory new to us.

It's a real honor to welcome poet Meggie Royer (author of Survival Songs and Healing Old Wounds with New Stitches) to the blog. In the spirit of this blog's themes (fashion and body positivity), Meggie is perhaps one of the best-suited guests to speak about the latter in terms of the power of art, healing and self-image. Read on for my interview with her...

You’ve written a lot of poetry with themes of depression, heartbreak and self-image, things that countless among us struggle with. Do these themes come from a personal place, or an outside observation?

Some of these themes definitely do come from a personal place, especially the depression and self-image issues. Those are issues I struggle with a lot myself, so they manifest themselves as common motifs in my poetry. I write about them with the intent of self-healing, but more so with the intent of hopefully providing some sort of comfort and healing for others experiencing the same difficulties. I also like to mix my own personal experiences with outside observations of others’ experiences to create a blend of personal and observational, because I think it makes my poetry more relatable.

Your response through social media like Tumblr and Twitter has been overwhelming, with people contacting you to say how much you inspired them. Some even say your work saved them from suicide. Did you ever imagine this kind of response?

I never, ever in a million years imagined this kind of response. Sometimes it honestly still just feels surreal- like it’s another writer people are responding to and contacting. Overall, I am incredibly grateful and overwhelmed for the huge volume of support I’ve received throughout my writing career, and also so relieved and glad to know that my writing has actually saved some lives. I could not imagine a better result stemming from my writing. I’m just happy it has such a positive impact on so many people.

I know with my own poetry, it’s often hard to extract myself from the work and speak on the subject because it’s a deeper form of communication in so many ways. But what is your advice to people who struggle with self-image?

To people who struggle with self-image, I would say this: You are more than a mirror. You are the face looking into the mirror, no matter how difficult it is to see the beauty of that face. You are more powerful than you know, and you may feel hopeless and crumbling and damaged at times, but just remember that the Big Bang grew from dust and rock and exploded into an incredible universe. And you’re just like that, built from flaws yet so beautiful and humbling.

That's so beautiful. What do you listen to or read for encouragement and inspiration?

For inspiration and encouragement I read the poetry of Bob Hicok, Sierra DeMulder, Shinji Moon, Clementine von Radics, Sharon Olds, Gregory Sherl, Andrea Gibson, and more, as well as messages from my own readers. I love listening to Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, Cloud Cult, Radiohead, The National, and Phoenix.

Amazing taste in music! Not surprising- and many of those bands write with similar themes of struggling to understand life, even the darker sides (Radiohead and Arcade Fire especially) What’s the best way for your fans to keep up with what you’re doing?

Probably reading my blog! I’ve been trying to keep it more updated and since summer is on the horizon I’ll be trying to post a new piece every day like I did last summer! J

What are your plans for 2014?

This summer I’ll be holding two jobs: a manual labor job and the second job of writing a third poetry book! This time it will be combined with photography. I love making mixed-media collage self-portraits, which are a blend of poetry and photography, so I will include a lot of those in my new book. It’ll be a busy summer for sure, but I’m looking forward to it! Then back to college in the fall.

Exciting! One of your fans, username Mysteriouswritergirl from tumblr, wants to know if you’d be interested in taking part in a poetry reading if she put one together, or in poetry readings/collaboration in general.

I’d love to do a poetry reading, but unfortunately my schedule/financial situation would likely prevent me from traveling much during college. I’ve done several collabs before though and they’ve been pretty fun, so I’d be glad to try a few during the summer.

Thank you so much, Meggie, for stopping by!

You can follow Meggie's Tumblr here: http://writingsforwinter.tumblr.com/

Survival Songs on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18369456-survival-songs 

(Neighborhood #1 by Arcade Fire)

Alexander Pope Talks Project Runway, McQueen and How to Survive in NYC

Project Runway has brought a lot of colorful people to the world's biggest stage (television!) but some of them remain in the memory longer than others. Alexander Pope, Season 12's flame-haired avant-garde king, is one of those people.

I had the pleasure of chatting with him during a fun evening in New York City recently, at which time he reminded me that it was *my* fault that we hadn't already conducted this interview (oops). Alexander has a wicked sense of humor and an insider's view of Broadway and the more playful and extreme side of fashion.

Here now is that interview I've promised everyone for so long...

 

First of all, this is a longtime coming—my mistake! But here we are finally. We all know you showed some gorgeous and unusual pieces on Project Runway (Season 12) but not as many people know that you made a decoy collection for the show’s NYFW finale show. You’ve said the “glamping” challenge was your inspiration, but can you tell us more about how that came out in your collection?

Well it really came down to the fact that that challenge was my favorite of them all and I really wanted to continue with that theme. The silhouette of the trees really stuck with me throughout the whole season. So when I was chosen to do a decoy collection I just thought what a perfect chance to continue with it, and the thought of having more than 8 hours to design something really interested me.

http://www.alexanderapope.com/new-york-fashion-week-summerspring-2014  (Alexander's runway show)**

Your hair is amazing and a memorable part of your public persona. When did you find this look and was it inspired by anything?

I've had interesting and vibrantly colored hair since I hit puberty in 1885, but this style has been my go to style for awhile now and I tend to go back and forth from red to blonde. I am a child of the 80's and New Romantic has been a lasting influence with me since then, so I think that's where it comes from.

1885? Well, next time we'll have to talk about your face cream, then, because it's certainly working! What are you working on now?

Broadway still beckons! I just wrapped up making some of the costumes for Aladdin, worked on some regional ballets, made some very cool costumes for the circus and am filling reorders for shows like Lion King, Pippin, Wicked etc... now I'm starting the new Marvel Universe show that will be touring this summer, including all the famous Marvel superheroes now owned by Disney.

Is there anyone from your season of Project Runway that you’d VOLUNTARILY collaborate with?

 I'd collaborate with the majority of them, the real question is would they collaborate with ME??

What’s your best advice for curvier fashionistas that want to look great? 

I think the one mistake that curvier women make when dressing themselves is not buying clothes that fit properly. I constantly see people, men and women(!) wearing clothes too big or too small. I don't care what the trend is at that moment, ill-fitting clothing is never in style.

That's probably some of the best advice all of us could follow! As someone who lives in NYC and knows where to find a delicious lamb burger, among many other things, what’s your best survival tip for someone visiting the city for the first time?

I guess I was a little obsessed with the famous Breslin Lamb burger that night, but that's what several martinis do to me!

Don't go to Times Square. That place is a bloody zoo! Haahaa... I suggest making friends with a local and do what they do. This city is amazing and has a billion things to do besides the typical tourist traps. It is the best place in the country to have the BEST food. DON'T go to big chain restaurants while you're here.

There are thousands of delicious restaurants to eat from here.

Pick one....

Oh and also don't get mugged or murdered.

Don't get mugged or murdered- check! We recently talked a bit about your feelings about Alexander McQueen since Sarah Burton took over. Can you share some of your thoughts on the state of the house with us?

As far as my limited knowledge goes, I think the state of their house is doing well without the boss. I think Ms. Burton is doing a good job, all things considered with that devastatingly harsh blow, and I can tell why she was Heir McQueen's #1. But that said, no one will ever be him and the new collections have a more soft and subtle flair. I can tell a woman designs for them now.

What’s the best way for your fans to keep up with what you’re doing? 

With my Facebook (AlexanderPope) and Twitter (@AlexanderAPope). I try to update those as often as I can. But remember, I can't always share what I'm working on at the moment...

What’s your current favorite…
Store or online store? 

I don't have one at the moment. I need to find someplace new to shop...
Song or album?
I'm feeling the as-of-yet unreleased Royksopp & Robyn collaboration “Do it Again”.
Item of clothing or accessory?
I love me some pointed shoes. They will always be in style in my eyes.

Thank you, Alexander!