EuroStar:


Last month--as you may know--both David Paul, my NIKOLAKI partner-in-fashion-crime, and I went to Europe. Primarily, I was invited to lecture and show our NIKOLAKI Collection at a first ever "TREDICI 13" Fashion Show sponsored by the Miami University of Ohio Summer School in Florence Italy Program. You can click HERE to read my posting of the Fashion Show, including a favoloso video and tons of photos.

This post here is all about my time in Firenze after the Fashion Show, partaking in a special lecture alongside fellow designer and Project Runway Season 6 Finalist Althea Harper, as well as a tour of the new POLIMODA Institute Campus.

POLIMODA International Institute of Fashion Design Tour:

The day following our very well-received runway presentation, Althea along with her lovely sister, Maeve (who accompanied Miss Althea on her "Europe Summer 2011" trip), David and I joined students and instructors from the Miami University of Ohio Summer in Italy for a tour and special presentations/lectures at the POLIMODA International Institute of Fashion Design--the Premier University in Florence, specializing in Fashion and the Marketing of Fashion.


We had been to POLIMODA on my previous visits to Florence, having been invited to speak & lecture at the Miami U. Summer in Italy Program, but this was a brand new Campus location for POLIMODA. Last year we began the tour by "climbing" up the hill to the Villa Strozzi, once the summer residence of one of the most powerful families of Florence, the Strozzi family. But this year, Institute is undergoing a "location change", to the more centrally-located Villa Favard in one of the toniest sections of Florence. We even got a wonderful and very special lecture from its famed Director, Linda Loppa.


Lecture Time:


After a delicious lunch, we all headed back to The Gould--site of last night's Fashion Show, as well as the Campus Headquarters for the Miami University of Ohio Summer In Italy Program. There , both Althea and I lectured to a group of the program's Journalism students--all set up with their laptops (Note taking 2011!). The students listened intensely as we spoke of our backgrounds, how we "got to where we got", as well as the importance of social media in the fashion world, strategies for interviewing subjects, and how to create a good story/article--especially if the subject matter might be "foreign" to you.


Soon we were off for Goodbye Drinks and hors d'oeuvres at the gorgeous rooftop pool bar of the Grand Hotel Minerva overlooking the Piazza Santa Maria Novella as well as breathtaking views over the Duomo. But before we left, I had to snap a "Miami Vice in Firenze" photo with Jerry Ingram--photographer extraordinaire as well as the Producer of the TREDICI 13 Fashion Show--it's become a tradition. See for yourself:



Rome:

Soon, we were off to Rome. David and I had one full day in Rome before returning back to the USA and so, we were going to "Make It Work!" and do a Marathon Rome Tour! Of course, we hit up the monumental Colosseum, or Flavian Amphitheater:

David Paul in front of the Flavian Amphitheater/Roman Colosseum (notice his little bag from Gucci!!)

Afterward, we walked (yes, we WALKED EVERYWHERE!) to the Victor Emmanuel Monument (above photo), honoring Italy's first king, Victor Emmanuel II. Then we stumbled--literally--onto the...

Mario Testino Photo Exhibit "Todo O Nada", which had just opened!! This exhibit features 54 photographs of Testino, exploring his two loves, Fashion and the Nude.

Model Stella Tennant by Mario Testino, "Todo O Nada" Exhibition, Rome Italy

It was so GOOD!!!! We bought the book, a full-size poster/print--well, you name it, we bought it!!

We also headed to the Piazza di Spagna, or Spanish Steps, where yes, there were THRONGS of people (see above photo)--mostly young tourist just chillin' on the steps or walking the chic shopping streets. I also noticed the "V" for Valentino insignia nearby which happened to be Palazzo Mignanelli, which belongs to yes, Valentino. This meant one thing: Photo Time...


And in case you were wondering, yes we eventually made it to the Fontana del Trevi or Trevi Fountain (above). It was--as usual--PACKED, but somehow, I still got a fun photo of David doing the requisite "Make a Wish and Throw a Coin" toss. I got the pic midway: