On Wednesday, February 13, Nolcha Fashion Week: New York Fall/Winter 2013 presented by RUSK held their runway shows at Pier 59. The day-long event featured 3 runway shows, and 13 designers. Now in its sixth year, Nolcha is one of New York’s leading platforms for independent fashion designers, and this season’s designers were global in scope including designers based out of China, Sweden, The UK, Brazil, and across the U.S.

The 1:30pm show featured: Mikailee Alton, Tess Johnson, Dos Caras Swimwear and The Vanity Project (featuring select shoes by Cat Footwear). The Vanity Project had celebrities walking in their show including rock-band “Early Morning Rebel,” Steve Maneri (Tight-end for the Kansas City Chiefs) and Robert McClain (defensive-back for Atlanta Falcons).

The 4:30pm show featured: Diana Simaan, Studio 6th Sense, Andressa Leão, Adolfo Sanchez and Michael Fenici. The Michael Fenici show included NYC’s most notable business men—including Nolcha’s own President, Arthur Mandel—making their catwalk debut to illustrate how Fenici’s bespoke suits are customized to different types & styles of men.

The 7:30pm show featured: JUNGWON (designer rain coats) Samantha Cole London, Lilly Lorraine and Dany Tabet. Tabet shocked the audience when during his finale walk, he stopped the music and started talking about his muse. He pulled her out of the audience and got down on one knee with a Tiffany box wrapped in a ribbon and proposed. The entire audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation and she said yes, it was an incredible moment where Fashion Week actually stood still, if only for a minute.

Celebrity attendance at the shows included: Carrie Keagan (VH1) with hair by RUSK, Dawn Olivieri (House of Lies) who was wearing Nolcha designer Tess Johnson, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola (Jersey Shore), Kacie Boguskie (The Bachelor) who wore looks by Nolcha’s designers Diana Simaan & Lilly Lorraine, Waka Flocka (rapper), Masha (recording artist), Allure (female R&B group), Briella Calafiore (Style Network’s Glam Fairy), Early Morning Rebel (rock band), Krystal Joy Brown (Broadway star, “Big Fish”) who wore Dany Tabet, Guinevere (recording artist), Steve Maneri (Kansas City Chiefs), Robert McClain (Atlanta Falcons), and James Anderson (Carolina Panthers).

The Presenting Sponsor RUSK returned for a second consecutive season, and was joined by Official Sponsors: smartwater, CLEAR, RealBeanz, DON Q Rums, FOCO Pure Coconut Water and American Airlines.

For more information, visit: www.nolchafashionweek.com.

[Alyson Roy]

What’s crazy is how totally diverse the opinions are from friends, colleagues, those nearby and those from afar. I see people for and against gun control, people for and against Obama’s stance, people for and against Mayor Bloomberg’s statement, people calling for a serious look at our Mental Health policies, and people shaken to their core.

I don’t know what the answer is, all I can think about is those Moms & Dads dropping their sweet innocent babies off at school this morning as if it were any regular day, and the devastation that has unfolded.

Inevitably, there was a PR scandal about the way the news was disseminated, ethical quandaries about online/social journalism, unfortunate errors in the reporting of the monster’s name, and many questions about how things are done in this country today.

This is a reminder to wake-up, fight for what you believe in, and live every moment like it’s your last.  You never know what tomorrow brings.

Sending love and prayers to CT.

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

For those who missed it, basically:

Oprah and The Biebs lunched on fries & salad at Ralph Lauren’s Chicago restaurant while they dished about his life and career.  Officially 18 years old, this was a coming-of-age interview with Justin’s childhood in the rear view mirror and adulthood in the present.  Among many things, they talk about the infamous hair cut, depression, girlfriends, touring, social media and Justin’s favorite restaurant, “TGI Fridays” (Seriously, J?).  They also talk about Scooter Braun, the genius who discovered Justin Bieber and my most current industry crush (read: I am ridiculously obsessed with him).  It turns out, tabloid scandals freak Justin out, and he loves buying gifts for other people.  He also admits that he loves Selena most because she is a genuine person and once rented out the Staples Center so they could have dinner & watch The Titanic on the big screen (the verdict is still out on whether or not they are still together right now, as this interview was pre-taped).  In true Oprah fashion, she gets deep on us for a minute by quoting from Malcolm Gladwell’s book “The Outliers” that in order to be truly good at anything, you have to put in 10,000 hours of work (I LOVE believing in this theory), and Justin confirms that contrary to popular belief, he really did have to put in the work going station-to-station and honing his craft before he became the overnight sensation we see before us today.  Oprah kindly nudges Bieber that he needs to rethink getting married at age 25 (Agreed J, live & learn), and bored by her beet salad, Op steals one (or five) of J’s fries, natch. Ultimately, Justin comes off super level-headed and down-to-earth, talking about how essential it is for him to remember what’s important (the people he loves) and his determination to avoid the curses of being a teen star.  The next goal he’s striving for is a Grammy award he can call is own, and it turns out, he’s just as gracious and lovely as Oprah thought he would be!

Annnd that’s what you missed on Oprah’s Next Chapter!

Justin accepts an AMA award with his Mom

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

Mixify is a service that allows DJs to broadcast into virtual venues (using their own hardware), either from a live event (like a festival) or on their own time, to fans worldwide. UNITY festival was an incredible example of Mixify’s ability to bring the community of EDM DJs, fans, and media partners together online in a way that has not been done before.

The feedback from the 30,000+ fans who attended the digital festival was overwhelming and evidenced through the live chat during each DJ performance, as well as on outside social channels such as Facebook and Twitter. The festival was equally embraced by the participating DJs, which included: big names (The Crystal Method, DJs From Mars, Adrian Lux) from top management companies (Complete Control Management, Red Light Management, Ultra), rising stars (Archie, Ken Loi), and Mixify’s own community DJs (Stalkerloo, Basik Hertz, Loud Assassins) who won the opportunity to be included on the bill.

One of the most telling results of the festival was the fact that some of the up & coming DJs received similar levels of buzz and attendance as did the headliners, showing EDM fans desire to discover emerging artists and Mixify’s ability to meet this demand in a unique way.

“This was awesome,” said trending DJ Archie, “Mixify is the future of live digital performances,” and “UNITY was sick! A great way to connect with the fans,” said DJ Henrix.

As a result of the 3-day festival, all of the participating DJs and presenting EDM blogs (representing 5 continents!) found that their social media engagement was up, that they were exposed to new fans, and that they gained more direct interaction with the fans than in any other online or offline setting. All of the partners from UNITY festival plan to return to the site to do additional events, and many DJs are already booking ongoing Mixify residencies for the near future.

With a successful kick-off to build from, this is just the beginning for Mixify. Next up, Mixify will roll-out of their first step towards monetization with their subscription model (“Mixify Pro”), and release of their mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

For more information, visit www.mixify.com.

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

In 2010, RTK launched a “Junior Initiative” designed to attract and promote philanthropic giving amongst a younger New York City demographic.  I’ve been honored to sit on the RTK Junior Board since its inception, and last night was yet another reminder of the overwhelming joy this organization brings.

Essentially, Rosie’s Theater Kids gives children who might not otherwise have the means, the opportunity to experience music, theater and dance in a supportive environment.  It’s not just about Broadway though, it’s about shaping these children into incredible human beings and teaching them that they can achieve their goals.

At the gala, RTK debuted their new music video, which was taken via steady-cam all in ONE take! Check out this awesome lip-dub video, performed entirely by the kids, which takes you on a tour of the amazing RTK facilities at Maravel Arts Center:

RTK also just launched their new theme song, “Sing My Own Way,” an original song co-written by my brilliant friends Steven Jamail and Morgan Karr as a donation to the program.  It’s available on iTunes now, and 100% of the proceeds go to the organization! Buy it here.

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

Fashion industry elite were treated to a complimentary pair of shoes or boots of their choice from the new collection, which is inspired by craftsmanship and an attention to detail.  Featured styles for women included: the Corinne ($230), the Marin ($210), and the Rita ($170), and featured styles for men included: the Isaac ($150), the Dougald ($140), and the Haverhill ($140).  Cocktails were sponsored by Iceberg Vodka and snacks included assorted popcorn flavors by Pipcorn and cake cups by Bee’s Knees Baking Co.

I’m currently lusting over both the Corrinne and the Annette boots in this black-on-denim-with-a-touch-of-brown combination:

The A/W 2012 collection is now available to the general public in select stores and online at: www.catfootwear.com.

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

This is how I feel about one of our newest clients, Tyler Hilton, a singer, songwriter and actor who is at the top of his game.

Recently at a show in New Hope, Pennsylvania, Tyler had the chance to perform for the first time ever, with British rock-and-roller, John Waite, the originator behind the song “Missing You.”

Tyler, a bonafide songwriter in his own right, is also known for his role on the CW’s hit TV show, “One Tree Hill” where he plays the character fans love-to-hate “Chris Keller.”  He’s also known for playing Elvis in the Johnny Cash biopic, “Walk The Line.”   The common theme here is that these breakout characters are sensational musicians, a role that comes naturally to Ty.

As “Chris Keller,”  Tyler did a really cool cover of Wait’s classic “Missing You,” which is what makes this duet such a special moment.   “Missing You” reached #1 on the Billboard Charts in 1984, and has also been re-recorded by greats like: Tina Turner (1996), Brooks & Dunn (1999), and Alison Krauss (2007).

Check out Tyler & John Waite performing the coveted rock ballad together:

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

But this season, we started making waves in Fashion Week as a whole, with other runway shows and Fashion’s Night Out events on our roster.

One of which was the Neodandi S/S 2013 Runway Show.

On the evening of Thursday, September 13th, designer Niilartey De Osu presented his S/S 2013 Neodandi runway show at Stollway, a new showroom and event space (and former knitting factory) in Midtown West.  Doors for the show opened at 9pm and guests were greeted with an open bar and an opportunity to view a collection of Neodandi designs that were displayed on mannequins in the entranceway.

The runway show itself featured 35 women’s looks and 20 men’s looks, and was a half-hour in full.  A refreshing departure from the traditional runway format, the show was split into 5 different sections encompassing 3 collections which opened with a solo modern dance piece, followed by a hauntingly beautiful mix of solo and group posing, and then followed up with a closing dance segment. The runway show was then immediately followed by an after-party in the same space.

Of his NYC debut, designer Niilartey De Osu said, “To me, this show told a symphonic poem through fashion, introducing the idea of spirit in motion. I wanted to communicate the movement of the clothes, and the spirit behind them. I believe that what we wear should match who we are. It means everything to me to be showing my work in New York this season. To me, even more so than Paris, New York is the capital of fashion. I’ve been so inspired during my visit here and am already excited about February and how this experience will impact my Fall collection.”

Now in their 8th year as a label, this is the first time that Niilartey De Osu has presented his designs to the New York fashion community.  The Neodandi team will now proceed with plans for an NYC pop-up shop this Fall, followed by another runway show in February, and a permanent boutique and atelier to debut in Spring 2013.

For more information about the label or the designer, visit: www.neodandi.com.

*Photo courtesy of Peter Roessler, Shoot Me Peter

[Alyson Roy for It’s All Very PR]

You all know Caterpillar, Inc right? The construction company? Well, Cat Footwear is the global liscensee of the brand—making more than just work boots, but casual and fashionable crush-worthy boots and shoes as well.

The year, they’ve partnered with international recording artist Shontelle, to create her own collection of Cat Footwear boots, now dubbed “The Shontelle Collection.”  If you don’t know Shotnelle, she’s an amazing vocalist, the singer behind radio pop-ballads T-shirt and Impossible.

On Fashion’s Night Out, the retail party that takes over the island on Manhattan on the first night of Fashion Week every September, Cat & Shontelle hosted an event at Harney & Sons Tea Shop in SoHo.

Guests were able to browse and try-on the Shontelle for Cat Footwear Collection while sipping on tea and enjoying the party atmosphere.  Shontelle capped off the evening by gracing us with a special live performance that blew the roof off.

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]

Is it weird that my first reaction was “who’s that!?!”  followed by, “whoa… sh*t just got real!!!”  I mean, my email signature still says “Alyson Campbell Roy.”  The reporter really just went for it huh, by chopping off the Campbell without even fact-checking that with me first? I guess it’s time I start recognizing myself by my new name!

As always, it’s still cool years later to be quoted in a newspaper.  Here’s hoping it’s the first of many quotes for Mrs. Roy!

Here’s the piece, as it ran in DNA Info.

[Alyson Roy for It's All Very PR]