The thrills, the rush, the fashion . . . all condensed into a roller coaster of a week. I am so thankful to have this as part of my job at Kent Stetson Handbags. This season is SS20 (meaning spring and summer 2020) I saw a lot of patterns, animal print, cascading ruffles, belts, sheer accents, and puffy sleeves. ​Each designer brings something unique to the table. This year for the first time I was accompanied by my boyfriend to some very big shows. ​This very attractive Physical Therapist from Newport, formally known as Dr. Matt, was the best Instagram Husband ever taking video and photos for me. It kind of felt like a Carrie and Mister Big moment when we escaped the fashion week madness in-between shows to indulge in a jazzy brunch at Blue Note. Highly recommend BTW.

So a big thing happened . . . People Magazine used my video from the Kyle & Shahida debut show. Special thanks to the IG hubby for taking the video. I was so honored to be featured and attend the show. It was televised for the new season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, scheduled to air in 2020.  It was actually my favorite fashion show during NYFW this season. The pieces were very wearable. View the full NYFW article here. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

I am so grateful to have my blog and viewers who enjoy reading my story.
I have grown so much from when I was aspiring to work in fashion six years ago to where I am now.
Thank you all for making this happen.

Much Love,
Elizabeth 

​xXx

Kyle Richards, Reality TV star from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,
debuted her resort wear collection Kyle and Shahida at NYFW on September 8th.
She co-designed the collection with designer in collaboration with designer Shahida Clayton. 
Kyle's fellow housewives supported by walking in the show. The housewives that modeled included Lisa Rinna,
Erika Girardi, ​Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, Dorit Kemsley and Denise Richards.
Kyle's daughters Alexia Umansky and Sophia Umansky were in the show modeling and supporting their mom.
Having women of all different ages in the show makes the line appeal to a wide range of customers.
Celebrities in attendance included Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, and CJ Perry (Lana from WWE). 
The pieces from the collection are available for preorder and will be ready to ship within three weeks! 
Usually collections seen at Fashion Week take about 6 months to end up in stores.

https://www.kyle-shahida.com

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills were seen filming around NYC this past weekend.
The runway show will also be included in season 10, airing early 2020.
My video was also featured in People Magazine. I was the only influencer included. 

Dreams do come true.

Thank you MAO Public Relations for inviting me.

xXx

Every year in late July, Rhode Islanders come together and celebrate
each other’s ​local businesses at the Best of Rhode Island event.
The event is hosted by Rhode Island Monthly. Awards are given for a range of different accomplishments
including Best Restaurant, Best Designer and Best Boutique. For the past few years I have been
attending for my client Feminine Fancies, a women clothing boutique in Barrington.
Elaine Felag is the owner of Feminine Fancies and has won
Best Locally Owned Female Boutique in East Bay consecutively for many years now.
I am so proud of her! She has the best selection of designer clothing.
The event is usually held at PPAC. Since Hamilton was playing, it was held at VETS Auditorium.
Local food vendors and delicious martinis were served.
I spotted many Kent bags at the event! I love how Rhode Islanders support each other.
I was wearing a Venus one shoulder dress, Snakeskin Kent Stetson Bag, & Valentino shoes.
This year I attended with my favorite plus one, Dr. Matt.
After the event we went to our first date spot, Providence Oyster Bar
and danced (briefly) to live music in DePasquale Plaza on Federal Hill. 

xXx

It is a magical moment getting invited to Paris Fashion Week for the second year in a row. I am so grateful for the journey I took in life to get me to this point. I feel so happy in my home and work life. I am a true believer in living with passion. If you give positive vibes to the universe it will come back to you. I have worked so hard to get to this point. When I was a senior in high school I was attending fashion events and had my designs even featured in some of the shows. In my last year of college I created this blog as my online diary to document all the things I was doing in my fashion journey leading up to being a part of the industry. I had drive from a young age, I wanted a taste of this mysterious and high-end world. On my days off I rushed to NYC any chance I had to attend smaller fashion events and network with people. I met a lot of people and built up my blog to the point where I was able to apply for NYFW. A few years later here I am now in the heart of it all, Paris. Thank you all for being a part of this journey. Your support following me means the world and has brought me to the point I am now. Always follow your dreams.

​xXx

NYFW this season was filled with fun events, fashion friends, and killer shows. I was really excited to see the trends for Fall 2019. Waistline belts are going to make a big come-back next fall. A lot of the belts were mixed in with professional blazers, double-breasted suit dresses, and vests. There is a hint of strong feminine power across all the collections. Although each designer has a different aesthetic, I also spotted a lot of puffy sleeves and shoulders. Some of the events I attended included Nicole Miller, Ellie Tahari, Daily Front Row NYFW Kick Off Party, Fashion Hong Kong, Chromat, CAAFD, and Son Jung Wan. Below are my highlights! Enjoy.

xXx

One of my favorite runway shows this season was Nicole Miller. I loved the fun 90's patterns and patches accented on the pieces. Cheetah print is also super big for fall 2019. A lot of the pieces also tied in astrological signs.

NYFW was fun as always! I attended an array of high end designer shows including the Badgley Mischka 30th Anniversary Show, Michael Costello, and The Blondes X Disney Villains to name a few. I enjoyed catching up and sipped cocktails with my fashion friends. It is great having a support system. The shows are great for networking. I attend through my blog but also for work as Kent's Brand Ambassador. 

Paris was a dream come true. Although my trip was short, I enjoyed every minute of it. My main reason for traveling to Paris during March was for Paris Fashion Week. The temperature was surprising not too cold, about in the 50's. I stayed at the Hotel Beaurepaire which is a boutique hotel just an uber ride to the city center. It was only $80/night but extremely small. I didn't mind much since we spent most of our time out and about exploring. I also got an international data plan from Verizon. It was about $10 a day. Usually when I travel to Europe I have no problem finding WIFI at different restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops but since I was blogging for fashion week and I wanted to have constant access to the internet. I suggest going to Paris at least once in your life, even if its just a stop in your Euro trip roster. You can see the highlights of Paris in about 3 days. Below are a few things you need to check out if you are planning a trip to the city of love. 

Brunch at the Eiffel Tower
One of the first things I did in Paris was dress up in a tutu & head over to the Eiffel tower. I had brunch at 58 Eiffel Tower Restaurant. You have to make reservations in advance. Sometimes they have deals through Expedia. You must go early because it takes a little white to get up to the tower. I would budget yourself at least 30 minutes. 

Go Sightseeing
​Make sure you pack comfortable shoes and visit all the important sights such as Notre-Dame and the Louvre Museum. 
​
The River Tour
If you're planning to go to Paris why not take a ride on a relaxing river tour? I went through Expedia to book my tickets but you can get them right at the ticket stand. Here is a link to where I went. It tours all the best sights. I boarded right before sunset but it operates every hour.

Best Eggs Benedict 
Benedict in Paris (19 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004 Paris, France) is the best brunch place if you love eggs benedict as much as I do. They feature a range of different benedict styles from truffle to tuna tartare. The price is even pretty reasonable. 

Best Macaroons
Pierre Hermé has hands down the best macaroons in Paris with flavors ranging from jasmine flower to hazelnut oil and green asparagus. It is also close by to Benedict!

The Moulin Rouge 
If you are looking for entertainment and like cabaret you'll love the shows at the Moulin Rouge. Check out Expedia's deal here.

Dinner to Splurge
Café de La Paix is definitely a splurge. It is a gourmet restaurant right in the Intercontinental Hotel next to the opera. It is designed with baroque details and painted ceilings. You can ask to be seated in the terrace area which actually has a more affordable menu. 

Drinks with a View
Chez Francis (7 Place de l'Alma 75008 Paris, France) is a dinner/drink spot with a killer view of the Eiffel Tower. I went here in-between fashion week events for wine & cheese. The tower sparkles every hour for a few minutes right on the top of the hour.

Hey everyone!
I have done a ton of traveling the first quarter of the year.
One of the places I visited was Dallas, Texas.
I was sent there to showcase our top styles at the Brand Assembly trade show.
I was really exciting. It was my first time in the lone star state and my first business trip outside of New York City.
At the premiere party I networked with some industry people including Courtney Kerr of KERRently blog.
After the show I explored the city and ate at different restaurants including Meso Maya and Sachet.
Definitely a place to check out. I look forward to adding more southern states to my upcoming travel calendar. 

​xXx

Most of you know by now that I am the Account Manager for Kent Stetson Handbags. One of my many jobs entails building and maintaining buyer relationships. We are currently in about 300 stores (mostly in the USA but we have several international accounts ranging from Australia to DR). The main way buyers see us is through trade shows. Our booth showcases our current collection where we help the buyers select designs for their shop. ​Sales is a big part of my job whether it be B2B or B2C. This past winter we were a part of the Holiday Fair in Grand Central. It was our biggest sales show yet where I lived in an apartment in NYC for half the week. The display is similar to a trade shows but it brought our designs directly to customers instead of buyers. I have worked many other B2C sales events including StyleWeek and it is fun to see which styles the customers graduate towards. Love what you do, live with passion.

It has always been my dream to attend Paris Fashion Week. In March of 2018 my childhood dream came true. It goes to show that hard work and passion really does pays off. On Saturday of Paris Fashion Week I arrived at the Intercontinental in Paris to see European Designers debut their collections. That Sunday I then attended a fashion cocktail event and thereafter gala in celebration of new collections along with raising money for heart disease. To Saturday's shows I wore a Showpo playsuit and Sunday's gala I wore my Nicole Miller gown. I styled my looks with vintage designer jewelry and Kent Stetson clutches. On top of the clothing being spectacular, the venues were ornate and elegant. PFW was the ultimate. It was such a big honor to be invited to these prestige events. 

LeVico 
Inspired by the unique aesthetic of woven fabric as seen by the NTT, Yurita Puji aimed to bring awareness to the runway through fashion. Intricate lines, emphasized by bold tones of black, white, and navy exemplified why the collection titled, "The Heritage of NTT" was important to distinguish how fashion has evovled through time while keeping traditional statement pieces that can transition into this generations most fashionable women's closet.

Alleira Batik 
Motivated by the philosophy of "East meets West", Lisa Mihardja explored lines, and lace details captivating the naked eye to follow through each silhouette. Alleira Batik, taken from the English word "Alluring" meaning attractive or captivating, was created in 2005, in Jakarta, Indonesia by Lisa Mihardja. Alleira’s unique design philosophy of “ East meets West” matched with superior selection of materials have enthralled prominent business and public figures of Indonesia and captivated the heart of the nation’s fashion enthusiasts.

Esha Sethi Thirani 
Esha Sethi Thirani’s sartorial exploration presents itself through modern tailoring and structured silhouettes, allowing the wearer to carry history in a manner that is relevant and powerful, even in today’s era.  This juxtaposition — of history and modernity, of structure and fluidity  — is the essence of the collection and was brought to life in Paris by masked adorned models in a collection that dripped futuristic opulence in black and gold.

The fashion cocktail event took place at the Hotel Plaza Athénée in the heart of downtown Paris. Hosted by Ghribi and The Globe Trotting PR the event showcased designer collections while raising awareness for heart disease while debuting the latest collections from emerging European designers. Tea, champagne and small bites were served as models showcased the latest collections. There was also a live jazz band, my favorite genre to see live. It was lovely to meet the ladies behind AF Klingberg. Who knows heels better than the women that wear them? Made in Italy, AF Klingberg specializes in comfortable heels with their unique patent insoles approved by orthopedists. Comfort with a fashionable twist is what DAY Birger Et Mikkelsen channels with their designs. This Scandinavian brand based in Denmark uses easy silhouettes and comfortable fabrics for a chic and carefree look. DAY stores are popping up all over Denmark, Sweden, Norway, South Africa and even China. Engelbert Jewelry is a Swedish brand founded during the roaring 1920's. They are known for their craftsmanship and precious materials. Mehdi Kallel's creations are stunning and exquisitely detailed. Kallel's creations are inspired by his Tunisia heritage. The pieces fit the models like a glove. I would definitely wear these out to a gala or other formal event.

Sunday night of Paris Fashion Week was spent at the Four Seasons George V for the gala. Also hosted by Ghribi and The Globe Trotting PR, "A Caring Experience" was in celebration of emerging talented designers while spreading medical and humanitarian awareness. This glamorous fundraiser was to help support heart disease research. The food was spectacular and there were even live performances. It was great networking with likeminded professionals. They even auctioned of a Ghribi limited edition heart bag which went for around $35,000! After the gala I sipped Louis XIII cognac and took pictures in the mirrored cube featured at the hotel.