Come Meet Me and See Temecula's Most FAB Trendsetters!!! TOMORROW, Saturday September 17th, I will be in Temecula (about 85 miles Southeast of LA) at the Promenade Shopping Center from 1-3PM--Why? To host the LIVE Project Style Style Off of course! Promenade Temecula is the shopping and dining destination in Temecula. The shopping center features 140 national retailers, quick and fine dining, and entertainment options such as Edwards Cinemas, a food court, and an entertainment plaza — in a unique indoor/outdoor setting.
I am so excited to meet the Five Finalists of the Promenade's Project Style 2011 Contest and see what styles they will come up with to have the "ultimate bragging rights" as Temecula's Top Trendsetter AND win the $1,000 Gift Card Prize! What is Project Style, you may ask? Well, darlings, Project Style is the ultimate fashion competition for guys & girls ages 13 and up. Budding stylistas put their sense of style & fashion to the test by creating the ultimate outfits. They create a video and post photos of their ensemble. Live voting by Shoptopia.com members determine the winner for the each round. And then the Top Five have the LIVE Style Off TOMORROW!!!

Come and see all the FASHION FUN, cheer on the "Project Style" Finalists and even get to try the FAB Swivel Virtual Dressing Room--where anyone can "virtually" try on clothes, accessories--and even my NIKOLAKI Red Carpet Gowns! Oh and if you come, you might just make it into my BLOG PHOTO Recap of the event! You'll for sure get a BIG "Nick Hug", a Facebook Pic and an autograph--and maybe some "DISH" on Project Runway :)
When :1-3PM
See ya TOMORROW!!!!!!

Rancho Cucamonga Style, An Outdoors Style Off...and a Mini Michael Jackson??? Yep, Welcome to Project Style Victoria Gardens!!!!
As you probably read in my previous post, I had been in NYC last Friday for some business meetings--along with my NIKOLAKI partner-in-design crime, David Paul. I also attended the Finale Runway Show of Project Runway Season 9. The following day, I got on a 7AM flight to LA. Why? I had very important Duties: I was to Host the "Project Style" at the Victoria Gardens Shopping Center in Rancho Cucamonga--about 40 miles east of Los Angeles. My plane arrived at LAX at 10AM and I had to be at "VG" (Victoria Gardens) by 11:30AM. Driving in Southern California and 40 miles can be anywhere from 1 hr+ to THREE, so I was scared that I would not make it in time! Somehow, WE MADE IT!!! David might have been doing just a little bit over the speed limit (ooops!) but I took a nap while he drove so I have no proof!
Upon arriving the beautiful outdoors mall--located with the gorgeous mountain backdrop in Rancho Cucamonga--I got acquainted with the stage, met "my" DJ and of course, the Finalists of this year's Victoria Gardens "Project Style". These budding stylistas went on shoptopia.com, applied, were picked as Finalists in five different rounds of competition and now they were here for the Live Style-Off. The Competition was as follows: I gave each of the Finalists a $200 VG Gift Card and they had ONE HOUR to shop for an entire ensemble, put it on and then model it in front of all the audience--including very supportive friends and family AND every random Mall Shopper Attendee!!!--and then a panel of judges would decide who would win the Grand Prize of a $1,000 VG Gift Card! Once they were out shopping, there was a fun Banana Republic Fashion Show on the center stage showing the latest Fall 2011 Trends, which I also hosted (that's me above with the Banana Republic Fashion Show models). I also checked out the Swivel Virtual Dressing Room "Booth" where shoppers could "virtually" try on clothes, accessories...even MY NIKOLAKI gowns!!! Oh and, I almost forgot: back onstage (while waiting for the Finalists to return), a mom who was in the audience asked if the DJ could play Michael Jackson and if her son--who LOVES M.J.--could do a dance to one of his songs...
Well, HUNEEEEYYYY! Of course I let little Jaymes onstage and before I know it, he was bringing the Victoria Gardens Rancho Cucamonga House down!!! He even brought another young "Project Style" attendee to share the stage with him (above photo). I got a video of Jaymes doing his AMAZEEENG Michael Jackson dance number and it's at the end of this post...so don't miss it!!!
After such a fun--and impromptu intermission (Thanks Jaymes!), it was time for the "Project Style" Finalists to come back on stage with their new outfits to be judges. All five did an amazing job and I especially liked the variety of styles in each and every one of the contestants. There was Boho Chic , Elegant Business, Going Out "cocktail" and our guy Rashid, gave the audience "Meet-the-Parents Proper Elegant-Sport".
The Style-Off was very close--in fact so close that the judges couldn't decide and it was a TIE!! Between two contestants. So, guess who the Tie-Breaker Judge was? Yep, moi! So, I decided the Winner of the $1,000 VG Gift Card Prize and Project Style 2011 Winner would be...
Needless to say, I had a BLAST hosting "Project Style" at the Victoria Gardens Center in Rancho Cucamonga and especially was very happy with the outcome--as well as with our "Michael Jackson Intermission Dance Number"---Oh and speaking of that... Click BELOW for a GREAT video from "Project Style Victoria Gardens" Intermission, when I let a VERY TALENTED boy named Jaymes on stage to perform a song by Michael Jackson:

PROJECT STYLE: Rancho Cucamonga Edition! In celebration of Fashion's Night Out, join me tomorrow--Saturday September 10th--noon-3PM in Rancho Cucamonga, CA for another great Project Style Event at Victoria Gardens Mall... Once again as part of my "Project Style 2011" Mall Tour, I will be hosting another great Style-Off involving Five Finalists who will get a $200 Gift Card (this time from the Victoria Gardens Mall) and then have ONE HOUR to Shop, Style, dress themselves and be back on the Stage to be judged on who was the Top Trendsetter for Victoria Gardens Mall in Rancho Cucamonga! The winner will get a $1,000 Victoria Gardens Mall Gift Card! Come see the excitement, meet me, and have a Project Style BLAST!! And also get to experience the Swivel Virtual Dressing Room which is making its Debut across all these Southern California Shopping Centers! Adress: Victoria Gardens Mall 12505 North Main Street Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739 Time: 12:00-3:00 PM!!! Click HERE for all the details!

Style Off: South Bay Galleria!!
This past Saturday, I hosted the first--of several--Project Style "Style-Off" contests--I have been invited to do. The location: Redondo Beach and South Bay Galleria, near LA. This was the second time I had been invited to host Project Style at the South Bay Galleria, so I was excited to come back!! Project Style--in case you were wondering--involves finding the Top Trendsetter for each Shopping Center/area. They are chosen as Finalists after going through several rounds of judging.
After the Finalists are picked, they are given a $200 Gift Card to purchase clothing in which they will style themselves into an outfit. Then, at the "Live Style-Off", they model their look in front of judges who choose the Winner--The winner gets a $1,000 Gift Card to shop some more!!!
Soon after arriving at South Bay Galleria, I got to check out the new Swivel Virtual Dressing Room, which features many different brands of clothing which shoppers can "virtually" try on and choose via a webcam. The Swivel Virtual Dressing Room Company, actually came over to my NIKOLAKI Atelier not too long ago, took very detailed photos of several of my gowns, to then add into their program.
Naturally, as I got to the Swivel area, I wanted to see how I would look in one of my NIKOLAKI red carpet gowns!!! It was FABULOUS!!! I actually look good in a red silk ziberline strapless gown!!! I could have stayed there ALL day virtually trying on clothes, but it was soon time to go host "Project Style". First, I did a fun Meet-and-Greet with South Bay Galleria Shoppers, fans and Project Runway fashionistas:
Pics from the fun "Project Style" Live Style-Off Contest:
The Winner was (drum roll) Nikoleta Panteva (left and right, with Host Nick Verreos), who chose palazzo pants, a peach-colored blouson top, multi-colored belt, stacked heels and bangles--from Nordstrom and Forever 21 (photo courtesy of Nikoleta who also happens to write a FAB blog called Live Love LA. Check it out HERE (Photos courtesy of Oliver Viboolkij)
For More Photos, Check out Live Love LA, RedondoBeachPatch.com