New York Fashion Week: Backstage at BCBG with a Marrero Makeup Artist

By Susan Langenhennig
The Times-Picayune

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has found a fun new way to torture the media: make them stand outside in the 24-degree weather for 45 minutes to get credentials. About 9 a.m. this morning, the corner of Columbus Avenue and 63th Street was a sea of fashion journalists shivering in skinny jeans and fierce shoes.

Former New Orleans Hornets cheerleader Lynna Vo backstage at Fashion Week Thursday in New York: 'I didn't think I was going to be doing anything but observing today, but they were like, "Go ahead, we believe in you."'
Former New Orleans Hornets cheerleader Lynna Vo backstage at Fashion Week Thursday in New York: 'I didn't think I was going to be doing anything but observing today, but they were like, "Go ahead, we believe in you."'

It was an inauspicious start to my Fashion Week, but things quickly turned up when I met Lynna Vo of Marrero backstage doing a model’s makeup before the BCBG show.

Vo entered a nationwide contest for aspiring makeup artists, held last fall by Maybelline The prize: a chance to join the makeup team at New York Fashion Week. Out of thousands of submissions, Vo’s video entry was picked.

And though she has no professional training, the bubbly 23-year-old was thrown head-first into the backstage fray.

“I didn’t think I was going to be doing anything but observing today, but they were like, ‘Go ahead, we believe in you.’” said Vo, a student at the University of New Orleans. “It’s been an absolutely amazing.”

A former Hornets cheerleader, Vo’s not entirely new to showtime cosmetics. She fine tuned her makeup skills by helping her fellow Honeybees get ready for performances. She also has a YouTube channel, where she posts how-to makeup tutorials.

Working elbow-to-elbow with Maybelline global makeup artist Charlotte Willer, Vo got to see the whole backstage beauty assembly line at work, brushes flying, dryers buzzing, photographers swarming.

The look for the BCBG show was a soft, natural face, with brown and gold-flecked eyeshadow and no mascara. As Vo put the finishing touches on her model, Willer cast a critical eye over the work, and then gave Vo the nod.

Video: DCCs Model Richie Sambora’s Clothing Line

Last Friday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and family hosted a big party at Mi Cocina Restaurant in Dallas, TX. The restaurant turned into a hot fashion spot for a preview for White Trash Beautuful, a couture fashion line from rocker Richie Sambora and partner Nikki Lund. The collection was modeled by a group of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Here they are in order of appearance:

Lauren Williams
Ally Traylor
Mia Greenhouse
Cassie Trammell
Nicole Bulcher
Tobie Percival
Jordan Chanley
Kaitlin LeGrand
Evan Anderson
Tia Williams
Kelsi Reich
Carey DePasquale
Meredith Oden
(I might have missed one. Corrections are welcome).

It’s amateur video, but it provides a pretty good look at the show. Warning: the opening song will get stuck in your head. “White Trash Beautifuuuuuuuuuuul”

Cowboys cheerleaders wear Richie Sambora line

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by Lynn Hoppes
ESPN.com
Feb 3, 2011

Richie Sambora, getting ready to board a plane from Los Angeles to the Super Bowl city of Dallas, wanted to talk football.

“Who is going to win the Super Bowl?” he asked.

“Aaron Rodgers vs. Ben Roethlisberger is going to be a great battle,” he answered himself.

“Who has the experience to win?” he said rhetorically.

Sambora, the lead guitarist of legendary rock band Bon Jovi, was so excited to head to Dallas on Thursday night to be part of the spectacle of Super Bowl weekend.

And he’s really looking forward to Friday afternoon when he and his partner Nikki Lund have their clothing line — WTB (White Trash Beautiful) — modeled by the Dallas Cowboys’ cheerleaders.

“Of course, I’m extremely proud,” said Sambora, who started the line in spring 2010. “You will have gorgeous girls wearing our fashion. These girls are going to be showing the clothes like art. It’s going to be wonderful.”

WTB is anything but white trash. It’s a contemporary fashion line consisting of distressed leather separates, dresses, evening gowns and more. The WTB Collection already has found celebrity fans including Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus and Kellie Pickler. A men’s line will debut this spring.

What’s with the title of White Trash Beautiful?

“I was walking around my house with this title in my head and I couldn’t figure out what to do with it,” Sambora said, “so I thought ‘women’s fashion line’. I met this brilliant woman named Nikki and we took it from there.”

Lund, who already has a clothing line called Eccentric Symphony, said when Sambora came calling, she wasn’t going to say no.

“He is a humble and amazing man, and it really was quite easy for me to say ‘Yeah, let’s do it,'” she said. “We’re knowledgeable together on a lot of things and he’s taught me a lot about football. He explained what a first down was!”

Back to the Super Bowl, Sambora continued the conversation:

“It’s going to be a great game. I can’t wait to see the stadium,” he said. “Some of the players are my friends. It’s going to be a wonderful weekend.”

Ravens Cheerleaders Show off Their Personal Style

Kenneth K. Lam
Baltimore Sun
November 16, 2010)



Ravens cheerleader Kellie

When it comes to personal style, it’s an easy lift for Ravens cheerleader Kellie Lee G. When she is out and about on her own time, she prefers a “more classic, sleeker, basic” style. Nothing fussy for her. When we “glimpsed” her in the Ravens’ workout room, Kellie Lee stood strong in a gray and black striped cotton knit cowl neck Hooked Up tunic and black leggings from Macy’s. Kellie Lee bought her knee high black leather pointy toe Michael Shannon boots at Off Broadway. She says her wardrobe is generally black and gray, and she likes to make statements with her jewelry. She showed off some metal in her stamped silver cross pendant and chain, large hammered link necklace, silver cuff, bead bracelet and charm bracelet, and large silver hoop earrings — all from Silpada. “My sister is a rep…Until three years ago, I wore gold with everything. Then, I got introduced to silver, and I’m hooked.”



Ravens cheerleader Sammi Jo

When Sammi Jo C. hits the town, this Ravens cheerleader generally grabs her skinny jeans instead of a dress, to fit her “trendy” style. But, even if the “in” color is bright, she’s “always in earth tones, or black, gray and white.” On the indoor practice field, Sammi Joe models one of her favorite outfits; an olive military style ruched shirt with rolled sleeves and gold buttons from Express over a white camisole, with a pair to True Religion dark wash skinny jeans. Her brown leather and suede scrunch boots came from Bakers Shoes, and she picked up her Louis Vuitton “Damier Speedy” bag at the Louis Vuitton store…which leads us to her favorite place to shop; Towson Town Center. “It’s a very dangerous place,” she says with a laugh. Sammi Jo adds a little edge with her leather and gold cuff bracelet and two leather and crystal bead bangle bracelets, all of which she found at South Moon Under.



Ravens cheerleader NaShanta

It’s simple. When Ravens cheerleader NaShanta E. isn’t in uniform, she’s probably wearing clothes from Victoria’s Secret. She says they suit her “eclectic” style. She certainly knew how to step it up when we “glimpsed” her in the Ravens workout room. NaShanta sported a teal, lime, green and black animal print tank top with a pair of skinny jeans, a black faux leather biker jacket, and black leather Colin Stuart cage sandals with gold studding on the high heels. You guessed it. They all came from Victoria’s Secret. She bought her gold double leaf drop earrings at Target, her black felt fedora at Forever 21 and her turquoise and leather choker on the Greek island of Mykonos when she was on a cruise there. Her sparkly purple animal print clutch handbag is an example of her fashion passion. “I have an obsession with purses. Clutches, totes — I love them all. Usually it’s the bigger, the better. But, I’m trying to go small.”



Ravens cheerleader Adriene

You may know Adrienne B. as a Ravens cheerleader. But, she describes herself as “between granola and skater girl,” at least when it comes to her personal style. “[My style] starts with the fact that I’m pale and red-headed. I come from a background of skating and surfing. So I like something comfortable that also expresses my personality.” When we “glimpsed” Adrienne in the Ravens’ workout room, she stood her ground in a creative ensemble that showed just the right edge. She had layered a sleeveless chiffon tuxedo blouse that she’d found at a thrift shop over a black and white striped H&M tank tunic and gray denim leggings from PacSun. Then, she added a cropped gray cotton PacSun bomber jacket. “As I’ve grown up, I’ve found a way to put a girly edge to my tomboy side,” she says. So, in addition to the ruffles on the blouse, Adrienne added girly touches with a crystal embellished flower headband from PacSun and black sequined H&M ballet flats. That leads us to something you probably won’t find her wearing on her own time. “I’m not a fan of high heels. Unless I’m involved in a photo shoot.”



Ravens cheerleader Abbie

You could say Abbie M. was in the Ravens spirit even before she became a cheerleader. Purple has always been her favorite color. We could see why when we “glimpsed” her at the Ravens indoor practice field in an ensemble which emphasized her “trendy” style. She found her purple cotton jersey Frenzii dress at Federal Hill’s Babe boutique. It featured a drawstring waist, and neckline that looked as if it was a cowl neck top over a camisole. She can change her cool black leather foldover Guess “pirate” boots from DSW by unfolding the cuff and making them over-the-knee. “I do love shoes. I’m always shopping for shoes.” Her black faux leather Big Buddha clutch from South Moon Under featured a black flower embellishment, her crystal embellished stud earrings and her swirly textured black tights from JC Penney added an extra kick. That New York & Co. multi-crystal pendant on a gunmetal chain necklace is an example of one of her fashion passions. “I love really long necklaces, and wear them almost all the time.”



Ravens cheerleader Erin

Erin K. is a “classic,” as far as her personal style is concerned. When this Ravens cheerleader isn’t in uniform, she generally goes for clothes with simple lines and “trendy touches” in her shoes or jewelry. These days, one of her favorite wardrobe pieces is this black knit Theory swing vest with a crocheted back from Nordstrom. “Theory is my favorite label. I love this vest. I try to wear it all the time. I look for clothes to wear it with.” When we “glimpsed” Erin on the Ravens’ indoor practice field, she had paired the vest with a front-pleated charcoal swing tunic from Urban Outfitters, that featured an exposed zipper feature in the back, and black stretch Bailey 44 skinny pants from Nordstrom. Her charcoal suede Classique peep toe booties and Marc Jacobs big face watch also came from Nordstrom. She picked up the big turquoise ring at Urban Outfitters and the turquoise and silver cuff bracelet was a gift. As for her little gold Dogeared Karma necklace from Nordstrom? “It’s my favorite. I wear it all the time, even when I wear other necklaces.”



Ravens cheerleader Courtney

When Ravens cheerleader Courtney D. goes out on the town, it is often all about the shoes. “Shoes are my weakness,” she says. “I have them in all different colors to match any outfit.” When we “glimpsed” Courtney at the team’s indoor practice field, she was sporting one of this year’s hottest footwear trends — the nude pump. She nabbed these suede Steve Madden platforms at zappos.com. They were a perfect complement to her Forever 21 silver striped black tank top and black skinny jeans and white faux leather cropped jacket from Arden B. Her black Coach wristlet was a gift, and her cool heart pendant was carved from a quarter — a find at a shop in New York City’s Grand Central Station. Courtney describes her style as “a mix. I like to do a lot of classic looks and then spice it up a bit.”



Ravens cheerleader Amanda

When she’s working, Ravens cheerleader Amanda G. has to look like everyone else — in uniform. But, on her own time, she loves a “trendy” style. “I don’t like wearing things that everybody else has. I like different, eclectic pieces.” In fact, when she shops, Amanda never looks for complete outfits. She’d rather find interesting pieces that she can mix and match with what she has. She gave us a “glimpse” at the Ravens indoor practice field in silver and gold sequin embellished cream silk camisole from Urban Outfitters, that she’d combined with an olive knit banded skirt with exposed back zipper and a cream faux leather jacket, both from Forever 21. That’s also where she picked up her Chanel-style cream handbag. She found her feather earrings, crystal embellished floral pattern brass cuff and brown and gold-braided skinny belt at Urban Outfitters. And those nude suede platform stiletto Steve Madden pumps were a zappos.com purchase. Among Amanda’s fashion rules: “I’m more of a bargain shopper with trendy pieces. But, I’ll splurge on staple items. I love to shop little boutiques. And you’ll never see me out without 4-to-5-inch heels. Never, ever, ever. Ever.”



Ravens cheerleader Angel

When Angel P. is out on the town, she loves a “classy, sexy, but simple” style. When we “glimpsed” this Ravens cheerleader in one of her favorite outfits on the team’s indoor practice field, we didn’t think there was anything simple about her look. She was a classic in a light brown cotton cable knit sweater dress that featured a fold-over v-neck from The Limited, over which she’d added a wide brown stretch belt from Charlotte Russe. And speaking of classic, her brown crocodile pointy toe pumps were ones her mom wore in the 1980s. “I raided her closet,” she said with a smile. Her white Toy watch came from Neiman Marcus, and she wears an amethyst ring not just for the color. “It’s for the Ravens.” Angel admits she loves wearing dresses because she likes feeling feminine, yet professional. Something else she can never have too many of — little tank tops. “You can wear them with anything. Even with a big pair of sweat pants, you can look girly and sexy.”



Ravens cheerleader Dana

When Dana G. isn’t in her Ravens cheerleader uniform, she loves to go the elegant route in her “simple, yet classic” style. She models one of her favorite outfits on the Ravens indoor practice field: A sleek sheath from Express that featured a ruched light peach chiffon sleeveless top and banded black stretch chiffon pencil skirt. Dana says she likes to ramp up her style with accessories, like the black satin peep toe slingback Nine West pumps with satin knot embellishments, a black leather Marc Jacobs bag from South Moon Under, and her classic string of pearls, which were a gift. One reason for her sleek style? “I shop for things that elongate me because I’m short; shorter, more fitted dresses and skinny jeans. Never anything baggy.”

Former Fins Cheerleader’s Sexy Swimwear Debuts

2009-mdc_tiffanypearl3bMIAMI (CBS4) ― Okay ladies, the start of game days is just around the corner so it’s time to say ‘goodbye’ to boxy jerseys and say ‘hello’ to hot new halters and bikinis.

Don’t know what I mean? Then check out the sexy apparel and swim wear from “Miss Fanatic” designed for the female sports fan.

Former Miami Dolphins cheerleader Tiffany Pearl spent four years on the squad while earning her degree in fashion. This week the current Dolphins cheerleaders unveiled their 2011-2012 calendar at Liv on Miami Beach, and it was one of Pearl’s swimsuits that graced the cover.

“It’s really cool to see two of your suits published,” Pearl told CBS4’s Lisa Petrillo, “and actually start to get your name out there.”

Pearl added that the idea to create the line came from her own experiences in attending games.

“Being an ultimate sports fan it was hard for me to find things that were flattering to a woman’s frame,” said Pearl. “I wanted something that made me feel like a woman. I wanted to make cute tops and bikinis so no matter where you are, at the beach or at the game, you could be proud of them.”

Pearl’s line is made in Miami, and in the future she hopes to expand her sexy sports fashions to all of the NFL and college teams.

“Miss Fanatic” bikinis are sold separately, $20 each for the tops and bottoms, and form-fitting jerseys run about $80.

“We have jerseys that are nicely fit to a woman’s body, the skirts look like what the players wear on the field, just a lot sexier,” said Pearl.

2011-mdc-cal-coverClick Here To Check Out The Miss Fanatic Line

The 25-year-old entrepreneur says these days she’s cheering about her up and coming career.

“I couldn’t be happier. It’s the best of both worlds, I love fashion and I love sports, to be able to combine the two, I couldn’t be happier,” said Pearl.

Nearly a dozen colleges are represented in the current “Miss Fanatic” line, including the University of Miami and the University of Florida. Pearl says she has plans to keep the ball rolling to more universities around the country.

P-R-O Convention Sponsor Spotlight: The Line Up

When I arrived in Atlanta, I had an idea of the type of article that I was going to do, my customary event report.  I knew that James was going to cover each and every squad in attendance, but I wanted to do something different and I was searching for another angle.  So, when Saturday began, I took the opportunity to talk with each sponsor.  I wanted to find out a little more about their business and why they were here.

One sponsor stood out immediately. The Line Up is one of the leading designers of performance dance apparel.  I was impressed by the number of teams that wear their fashions and in talking to owner Deb Erickson, I discovered that many of the squads here would be wearing her designs.  I figured a little article covering the Line Up’s fashions might be in order, so I spoke with the organizers of PRO and received clearance to pose a few girls in their Line Up designed uniforms.

First up is the N.Y. Jets Flight Crew (NFL) and Houston Texans (NFL).

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Continue reading “P-R-O Convention Sponsor Spotlight: The Line Up”

Ben-Gal Cheerleaders to be Featured in Designer Swimsuit Fashion Show

Cincinnati’s NFL cheer squad will work the runway in couture swimsuits from NYC-based designer

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PRLog (Press Release) – Jun 30, 2010 – Cincinnati, OH — Summer is officially here and vacation season is revving up, which means the search for the perfect swimsuit begins. That’s why Cincy Chic (www.cincychic.com), the only online publication for women in Greater Cincinnati, is hosting a couture swimsuit fashion show featuring the “Ben-Gals,” cheerleaders of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, and New York City based designer Anne Pachan’s collection “Cala Ossidiana”.

The event will take place on Friday, July 23, 2010 at Cincinnati Tan Company in West Chester (8179 Princeton Glendale Rd.) beginning at 6:00 p.m. with the fashion show kicked off at 8 p.m. The event will also feature various local vendors, who will provide mini treatments, product samples and discounted shopping opportunities. Vendors include: Votre Vue by Julena Bingaman, Perfections Salon, Flocktails and Booty Parlors by Shannon Fink.

“Our entire staff can’t wait for this event. It’s such an honor to feature NFL cheerleaders from Cincinnati and have the opportunity to bring couture swimwear designer Anne Pachan to Cincinnati from New York City,” says Cincy Chic Publisher Amy Storer-Scalia. “Anne just recently debuted her designs at Cincinnati Fashion week, so we’re excited to bring her back to the Queen City with our event.”

The event is free for all to attend, and no RSVP is necessary. The Wise Owl will provide food and drinks and DJ Storm Bennet of Killerspots.com will provide music. An after party will take place at the Wise Owl.

For more information, visit www.cincychic.com/events.

Wings Angels Performance & Fashion Show

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Philadelphia runway fashion takes center stage on Thursday, February 18, 2010 as G Lounge Announces the Launch of PhillyIn.com with a kick-off celebration to benefit Students Run Philly Style. Hosted by Christian Crosby, G Lounge will welcome models provided by JS Models, LLC, which will be styled by The Studio CL Workshop. Additional models will include: Miss Keystone 2009, Andrea Helfrich & Philadelphia Wings Players, Brett Moyer & Bobby Snider. Beginning at 9pm, this launch party will feature music by DJ Isaac Jordan special guest, Marshall Harris, Comcast SportsNet Anchor an exclusive performance by members of the Philadelphia Wings Dance Team & a Fashion Show at 10pm, showcasing top local designers: Carmelita Couture, Thorsen Handbags, Denim Habit & Rack and Roll Clothing. With no cover, a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Students Run Philly Style, the only program in Philadelphia that offers marathon training to help young people succeed in life.

Axe Maidens See Red

The Twisted Martini located at the Jacksonville Landing invited the 2009 Axe Maidens to host their annual Red Party which took place on Saturday, April 18th.

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The ladies were all given red t-shirt dresses which included the Axe Maidens logo and event sponsors. Each stylized their dress to suit their own styles. Some ladies added glitter & rhinestones others added ribbons & strategically placed strips. To complete the outfit the Axe Maidens wore their white game day boots.

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The night began with the ladies on the red carpet welcoming patrons. There was a live band performing outside which was the perfect opportunity for the Axe Maidens to show off some sideline moves which drew a crowd. A few spectators even enjoyed dancing along. Twisted Martini was beautifully decorated in red and had a special area roped off just for the Axe Maidens.

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Amy

The 2009 team was introduced which kicked off the Red Party Fashion Show. (Unfortunately, Axe Maidens Diane, Emily and Amanda couldn’t attend and Erinn had to leave early.) Four of the ladies participated in the fashion show which included several models and fashions from a variety of stores. Amy W and Michele modeled fashions from Three Muses and Keana & Cara (who filled in at the very last minute for a model who was ill) wore two outfits from Wardrobe Therapy.

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Keana

The evening was a huge success and helped spread the word about the Axemen and hopefully made some new fans.

More photos are available on MySpace.com