Nick Verreos--NIKOLAKI/ NV Nick Verreos Los Angeles Design Studio--Look TV shoot

Every week, new videos are on YouTube from my fun Look TV show. The videos, titled "Design School With Nick Verreos", "The Nick Fix" and "Nick's Tricks" involve my unique, instructional, and yes, fun way of Design Schooling, sketching, pattern-making, creating mood boards, etc. as well as giving styling tips-on-a-budget using the FABULOUS FIDM Scholarship Store...

I'm so excited about the latest "Nick Videos" that are up on the Look TV You Tube Channel! In case you didn't know, I've been filming some fun videos on Look TV--YouTube's Source for Fashion, Beauty and well, everything that's Fab.

I am so proud of my "Design School With Nick Verreos" (my Fast-Pass to Fashion Schoolin') and "Nick Fix" and "Nick Trick's" videos--shot at my Alma Mater the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM and the wonderful FIDM Scholarship Store, located on campus in Downtown L.A.

There are some new videos up from my Look TV "Design School With Nick Verreos" series on Look TV/YouTube, and naturally I want to share them with you--along with some behind-the-scenes photos we took. The videos were shot at my NIKOLAKI/NV Nick Verreos atelier in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Some of the newest Look TV videos include "Creating Looks", "Draping" as well as "Creating a Collection". For the last "Creating a Collection" video, I was excited to use my NV Nick Verreos dress line--available at Dillards and Lord & Taylor--as an example.

I am so excited to be part of Look TV--YouTube's premier fashion and beauty channel. These past few months I have been filming A BUNCH of videos about fashion, fabric, drawing, creating looks...you name it, it's THERE. In one of my recent posts HERE, I highlighted some of my first "Design School With Nick Verreos" videos...

And now, I want to talk about the latest in my Look TV "Nick Fix" videos, all completely shot at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM--my Alma Mater and of course, the College of which I am the Official Spokesperson.

Salon Extravaganza!


Last Monday, I flew to Las Vegas to judge a most unique hair/make-up/fashion competition: "Battle of the Strands: Xtreme Beauty" Finals! I went there as the Fashion & Style Correspondent for LookTV--the BEST YouTube Channel devoted to the Best in Fashion & Beauty-and one of the sponsors of this one-of-a-kind beauty battle.

Produced by Vegas Beauty Unbound, "Battle of the Strands" is a cut throat competition between salons from across the nation. The actual competition began a month ago when 22 teams competed against each other to then get the chance to make the Semi-Final Top Twelve and seek the coveted "Battle of the Strands 2012: Xtreme Beauty" Champion title.

These 12 semi-finalists all then met in Las Vegas on October 17, 2012 to compete in a thrilling round of challenges that tested their teamwork and ingenuity in the areas of hair, makeup, and beauty. Everything was done very "Project Runway" style. After these challenges, the 12 semi-finalists were then cut down to five surviving teams: Body Spa Salon of Las Vegas Nevada; Clark Russell Salon of Lafayette California; Fringes Salon of Omaha Nebraska; Glam Alliance from Minneapolis Minnesota, and Mile High Magic from (you guessed it!) Denver Colorado.

These five teams then went on to compete in the final battle at The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas last Monday night on October 2, which is where I came in--as one of the esteemed "Celeb Judges".

I arrived to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas early in the afternoon after a quick LA-Vegas flight (I spent more time at LAX waiting for my flight than in the air!) and was greeted by Kelly and Barb--my two very cute (and hard-working) "VIP Handlers" (above photo).


As you may know, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas has a lot of rock & roll/music memorabilia "sprinkled" throughout its grand lobby/casino floor so before I got to my room, I had to explore. My favorite items (naturally) were some of the fashions worn by famous music icons on display, including the red dress and bolero worn by MADONNA on the "Who's That Girl" /Ciao Italia World Tour and a red-and-gold jacket and ripped jeans from Axl Rose. Guns N' Roses are headlining at the hotel beginning October 31 so the entire place is a Guns N' Roses MECCA right now; big ol' signs advertising their concert hit you at just about every corner of the hotel. Speaking of hotel...I finally made it to my room:


The hotel's Paradise Tower website describes the room as such : "The trendsetting Paradise Tower combines rock ‘n’ roll decadence with style and sophistication to create an energetic vibe that can only be found at the Hard Rock Hotel. Rooms evoke visions of a rock ‘n’ roll manor house, using iconic materials like leather, wood and silver studded velvet to enhance the sensory experience and emphasize that this is no standard hotel room." And they were right! The room was very spacious, great bathroom and yes, love the bathroom products (I collect 'em!!). Soon, it was time for an outfit change and I had to head down to "The Joint" and do my judgin' duties at the fabulous "Battle of the Strands". The show was being LIVE Stream televised on YouTube for thousands and thousands to see so I had to look (slightly) decent.


The two hour show began with an exciting and very sexy dance number by the Los Angeles Samba Dancers. It was like the Opening of a "Miss Universe" pageant! I almost got up from my judging seat and stole one of those feathered headdresses and starting booty-shakin' myself!


The Five Final Teams, and their "Battle of the Strands" Final Creations--the Theme was GOLD:


Team Two: Clark Russell Salon Lafayette California--Clark Russell, Jeffrey Lotspeich, Anje Mayma and Brenda Agcaoili created a "Golden Medusa from Africa"-like creature with multi-colored hair, gray/purple body and face makeup, and a very impressive--and massive overskirt made of HAIR--in various shades of golden blond! Oh and did I mention she arrived on stage via a golden luggage cart. Yes, who needs a set of Louis Vuitton Luggage...when you have HER!
Photographs Courtesy of Battle of the Strands Facebook Page/PRSmith_PSPhotography

Team Three: Fringes Salon Omaha Nebraska--Carol Cole Lapole, Omar Rodriguez, Tiffany Welch and Kristina Lee created this "Amazonian Golden Warrior Goddess" featuring a very high wig--in varying shades of blond--a gold lame skirt, a forehead golden crown, golden tubing around her upper torso and a golden "Warrior Goddess Stick".
Photograph Courtesy of Battle of the Strands Facebook Page/PRSmith_PSPhotography

Team Four: Glam Alliance Minneapolis Minnesota--Andrew Schmitz, Brenda Torre and Crystal Mitchell created this "Marie Antoinette-Meets-Goldfinger Bond Girl Beach Diva" with an extravagant golden wig weaved into an UBER Faux Hawk, gold bikini top and bottoms, an iridescent organza back overskirt and crystallized Cleopatra-like makeup.
Photographs Courtesy of Battle of the Strands Facebook Page/PRSmith_PSPhotography

And Finally...

Team Five: Body Spa Las Vegas--Jessica Taylor, Felix McShaw and Jeremy McShan, Jeremy Mihelich created this "Exotic Hair Bird of Paradise" golden beauty featuring gold and black "wings", gold lame draping, and lots of gold chains and jewelry--as well as a headdress reminiscent of some Indonesian-meets-Nepal-meets-Vegas Fantasy Princess
Photograph Courtesy of Battle of the Strands Facebook Page/PRSmith_PSPhotography

The Judging:



After our judging--and "Michael/Nina/Heidi" commentary--we finally had to make a decision and "crown" the Winner of this year's "Battle of the Strand: Xtreme Beauty" Competition. This was NOT an easy decision and we--the judges--deliberated and conferred--even after putting our votes in--on the merits of why the Winner should be the winner--but we were all in agreement for sure. It was up to Kim Vo to announce the result. But before that, there was several other awards to announce including...


And The Winner (drum roll!!)...


GLAM ALLIANCE of Minneapolis Minnesota!! Yes, the "Marie Antoinette-Meets-Goldfinger Bond Girl Beach Diva" was our Top Vote Getter. From head-to-toe (literally!), this team had our highest scores. Congratulations to Glam Alliance, it's creative team and...

...that fabulous model for having the chutzpah to go out there in that ensemble and to not have a neck injury for holding up that very high Fax Hawk--just take a look at the intricacy of that hair!! Yep, she got my Highest Scores for sure!

Post Finals Pics:

Hair Couture Vegas...Here I Come!


I am BEYOND excited to announce that this weekend I am flying to Las Vegas to be a Judge at the "Battle of the Strands 2012: Extreme Beauty" Hair and Beauty Competition. In case you may not have an idea of what Battle of the Strands is...here's a reference: it's like the "Miss Universe" of salon contests! I was invited to represent LookTV, one of the sponsors of this great competition.


As you may know, I am one of the spokespersons for LookTV--the BEST Beauty and Fashion YouTube Channel--and have done some fun videos for them, including a "Behind-The-Scenes" of Season 10 Project Runway Castings as well as a great video I did with Project Runway Season 1 All Stars Winner Mondo Guerra which you can see HERE.


Battle of the Strands is the centerpiece of a three-day beauty extravaganza in Las Vegas from October 20-22. The competition pits 10 top and unknown salons from across the country in a head-to-head battle of outrageous challenges to showcase creativity and teamwork in extreme situations.


The Top 5 will compete in the grand finale at The Joint, Hard Rock Casino Hotel. I just went to Las Vegas last month for an event I did for Crystals at City Center so I am very happy to return! I am honored to be a judge and bring my fashion expertise and insight (and yes, the fact that I LOVE me some HAIR and Makeup!) to this wonderful competition.


I am EXTRA excited when I found out that master colorist to Hollywood's A-List, Kim Vo was hosting this year's Battle of the Strands! J'adore Kim Vo! We have worked together before, having a blast, filming many TV Guide Network Award Show Fashion Wrap  TV shows in the past...


Kim Vo will be be hosting this year's Battle of the Strands along with Dayna Roselli, Morning News Anchor and Entertainment Reporter for CBS in Las Vegas. The other judges include:



So, DON'T MISS IT!!! Come to Vegas for the most FABULOUS--and extreme Salon, Hair and Beauty Competition in History...The Battle of the Strands:

Here are the DETAILS:
What: "Battle of the Strands 2012: Extreme Beauty" Competition--
           The most extreme salon competition in history

When: Monday October 22, 2012, 8 PM


Where: "The Joint" at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas
              3970 Paradise Road  La Quinta Inn & Suites
              Las Vegas Airport North Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tickets: Click HERE

For More Information, click HERE