Halloween Eve

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Scene: Christina Osburn and Paul O’Connor’s Annual Halloween Gathering. On a cool fall evening full of spirits and delights, festive friends arrive. Smiles, hugs, and greetings. Some in costume. Some in sweaters, jackets, and warm wear. The Waxing Crescent Moon in the sky, was illuminated 41% by the Sun. A subtle breeze brushed by, the leaves rustled as the branches swayed. The wind then howled as the trees bent, the leaves shook, and the clouds covered the moon! Everyone looked up. Everyone looked at each other. “It’s so strange”. What was that? “Must be the season of the witch”!
Revelers above, Giselle Potter, Rachel Chayon, and Jojo Ans.

Scene: Co·hosts Paul O’Connor and Christina Osburn, with their adorable Stella.

Scene: Kieran Kinsella.

Scene: Fred Smith and Paula Cerrighino.

Scene: Josh Alexander and Aya Cash.

Scene: Katie Coyle Todd and David Todd.

Scene: Giselle Potter and Kieran Kinsel.

Scene: Anthony Borelli and Chris Boosahda.

Scene: Jojo Ans and Carmel Holt.

Scene: Giselle Potter, Chris Boosahda, Rachel Chayon, Jojo Ans, Carmel Holt, Darren O’Sullivan, and Anthony Borelli.

Scene: Chris Boosahda, Sean B Nutley, and Brendon F. Casey.

Scene: Pema Cliett.

Scene: Josh Alexander and Paul O’Connor.

Scene: Christina Osburn’s delicious Pavlova Cake with the Day of the Dead imagery. The merinque desert had flavoring of vanilla, and a richness from the custard and fresh fruit.

Scene: Rachel Gans and John Murphy.

Scene: Janet Wygal and Todd Prudhomme.

Scene: Tasty delights.

Scene: Spooky treats.

Scene: Sunny and Elise.

Scene: Janet Wygal and Todd Prudhomme.

Scene: Liv and Greg Hill.

Scene: Rachel Chayon.

Scene: Todd Prudhomme.

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Scene: Paula Cerrighino, Beth King DeVito, Mario Geissler, and Janet Wygal.

Scene: The cowgirl spirit is strong and brave, and full of endless possibility.

Scene: Brendon F. Casey and Sean B Nutley.

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Scene: Amy Worley, Hans Gissinger, and Frank Bango in the back.

Scene: Christina Osburn and Josh Alexander.

Scene: Frank Bango and David Todd.

Scene: Giselle Potter.

Scene: Anthony Borelli and Paul O’Connor looking at the Waxing Crescent Moon as the clouds cover it.

Scene: Sunny and Elise, and Mario Geissler.

Scene: Paula Cerrighino and Beth King DeVito.

Scene: Jojo Ans, Sean B Nutley, Brendon F. Casey, and Rachel Chayon.

Scene: Steve Bohn.

Scene: Yours truly.

Scene: Christina Osburn looks back to make sure the prison officer isn’t around!

Scene: Jim Fossett, Suzanne Stokes, and Veronica Reck.

Scene: Paula Cerrighino and Aya Cash.

Scene: Co·hosts Paul O’Connor and Christina Osburn, the hosts with the most who always put together a fun and wonderful celebration.
Thank you!

Scene: Stella on the scent for a treat…

Scene: Paul O’Connor’s unique creation “Self – Serve Dispenser”.

Scene and Heard: Season of the Witch Donovan, 1966.






Summer to Fall

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Scene: Seasons change from warm to cool. Summer sightings of lace, stripes, and semi-sheer. Orange, yellow, lime green, and blues. Always black and white. Patterns, 90’s simplicity, and updated romantics. Denim and cargo pants. Flowing and hugging fabrics. Super mini and maxi too. Boots, slides, and strappy low heel sandals. Oxfords, loathers, and kicks. Easy Breezy.
Note: Normcore is a fashion movement that celebrates effortless style and comfort, which relates to this post.

Scene: The seasons turn. The colors of nature change, maintaining the summer’s vibrant hues of orange, yellow, greens, and lavender. Mixed with beige, browns, and blues with touches of red. Enhanced neutrals. And yes, black and white with grey too. Leather, wool, cashmere, suede, and cotton. Boots, Doc Martens, Timberland, sandals, and sneaker. Color and texture.

Scene and Heard: Steppin’ into fall with Bizarre Inc’s I’m Gonna Get You






NYFW Kim Shui

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Scene: Kim Shui’s Fall Winter ’23 collection at New York Fashion Week. The Chinese-born fashion visionary doesn’t shy away from sex appeal as she celebrates the female form, presenting an array of skin-baring garments that skillfully play with textures, patterns, and faux fur. This maximal excess collection was ultra sultry, ultra sexy, and ultra ’90s. Skin and nudity were prevalent. But Shui herself is a self-proclaimed shy girl. Her clothing however is bold, loud, and statement making.
“The reason I chose Bowery Savings Bank building is because the banks are a place that historically withheld power from women. I wanted to reclaim that because the whole thing was about women’s agency, women’s freedom to express themselves”. A poignant message in this time of feminine political issues.
The runway show began with models cascading down a marble staircase before strutting atop an elevated runway strewn with official documents. Notably, Kim Shui’s model line-up was richly diverse. Women of all skin tones, hair textures, body shapes, and sizes. The collection delves into the delicate balance between individuality and self-expression. For Shui, celebrating the bodies of women comes second nature, as her looks commonly drape the body and provide the wearer with uninhibited confidence. Her signature diamond encrushed “K” was on belts, bras, coats, jewelry, skirts, and sunglasses.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Jaylin Seng and team for Cutler Salons using Redken products. The key hair looks were very long straight hair with the signature “K” tattoo and very long braids. Hair “K” tattoos by Paul Miller for Cutler Salons. Lead makeup artist Romero Jennings and team for Mac Cosmetics using Mac products. The key makeup look was two toned lips lined in red with purple, an ombré effect (gradient color effect). Nails by Narina Chan and team, Stylist and Casting Director Ella Cepeda, Shoes High Heels and Moon Boots, Location Bowery Savings Bank building which opened in 1834 located in Manhattan’s Chinatown, Photos by Fred J. DeVito.

Scene: The ceiling of the historic Bowery Savings Bank built in 1834.

Special thanks to Helen Oppenheim, hair historian,  archivist, and blogger, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.

Photo 40 courtesy of CR Fashion Book.






NYMD  A.Potts ’23

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Scene: A.Potts Fall Winter ’23 collection at New York Men’s Day during New York Fashion Week. The New York based designer, Aaron Potts, delivered a polished and modern collection. Titled Neorascalism, Aaron reimagined lives of “The Little Rascals” as if they were students at Parsons in the early 1990’s, “NeoRascal”. Potts’ signature, oversized genderfluid looks also featured slimmer silhouettes this season.
This collection was grounded in a classic color palette of black, white, and red, full of texture, layers and depth with faux fur.
A Detroit born and raised Brooklynite, Aaron Potts attended Parsons School of Design where he interned with Donna Karan at DKNY. Potts would go on to amass an impressive resume designing for Emanuel Ungaro, Anne Klein, Victoria’s Secret, Escada in Germany, Badgley Mischka, Ellen Tracy, Kaufmanfranco and at Tamara Mellon (co-founder of Jimmy Choo) where he was the design director. With two decades of experience under his belt, Potts felt it was the right time to step out on his own in 2018. The work of fashion legends like Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, as well as pioneering American designer Willi Smith, were some of Potts’ early influences, particularly when it came to volume and silhouette.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Kien Hoang and team for Oribe. The key hair look was natural, windswept with movement. Lead makeup artist Jessica Marisol and team for New York Academy of Makeup AOFMPro. One of the key makeup looks was called City with simple glowy skin. The other was called Outdoors with a matted natural look. Stylists Memsor Kamarake, Shoes Dr. Martens, Legwear Hue, Hats Kangol, Eyewear Kimeze, Custom Belts Delfina Farias, Location Daylight Studios in Hudson Yards, Photos Fred J. DeVito.

Scene: A.Potts lookbook film.

Special thanks to Helen Oppenheim, hair historian,  archivist, and blogger, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.






NYFW PH5 ’23

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Scene: PH5 Fall Winter ’23 collection at New York Fashion Week. Designed by Zoe Champion and Wei Lin. The New York based label presentation was titled This Is Not a Jellyfish which imagines life in a plastic filled ocean. Inspired by the idea of a post-apocalyptic life under water addressing climate change. Garments were made with over 90% recycled materials, like viscose and see-through plastics.
80 percent of the ocean remains undiscovered. The environmentally conscious brand imagines what humans might wear when life on earth is no longer tenable and we’re forced to live underwater. “Welcome to PH5’s underwater world. We went deeper underwater, into a world where plastic can be mistaken for otherworldly life forms and a place that we have barely explored is being impacted by us so greatly. We asked ourselves if we had to move to the deep ocean, could we create a new home out of the trash we’ve put down there?”
PH5 co-founder and designer Wei Lin said “the showcase was inspired by her experience as an avid scuba diver, after noticing an unfamiliar figure in the water in one of her dives. I saw what I thought was a white giant mammal floating in the middle of the ocean.” When getting closer she realized it was plastic.
For this presentation they asked their friends and family to collect plastic from their lives for them to use and gave them a second life as crochet bags. Transforming plastic waste.
The models moved with the currents of the ocean while floating their arms. They became alluring sea creatures.
Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Carly Loura and team for Cutler Salons with products by Redken. The key hair look was a center part with two buns which were worn outside of the veils covering the hair and the face. Lead makeup artist Molly Marie Ganster and team for New York Academy of Makeup. Alluring vibrant eyes showing through the veils with a natural look using NYMUA Cosmetic Pigments in floro, pop, and coyella. Stylists Coke Ho, Shoes Hoka, Photos Fred J. DeVito.

Special thanks to Helen Oppenheim, hair historian,  archivist, and blogger, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.