Grammy Award-Winning Artist Ashanti hosted an intimate press gathering at Luxe Laboratory to launch a new charitable program from JOHNSON’S Body Care. The sensory elements of the event were inspired by the new JOHNSON’S Body Care collection- the hors d’oeuvres and specialty cocktail incorporating various flavors from the line and the floral arrangements representing each of the line’s six colors and corresponding scent. Ashanti got ready with her sister, mother & girlfriends in the Luxe Spa and looked radiant throughout the evening as she gave insight about Johnson’s new cause parties to the cameras from EXTRA! and beauty editors from InStyle & US Weekly.

Michelle Huff, Shia Douglas, Ashanti, Eunice Liriano & Debbie Asrate

Once again this season, Verdi successfully transformed his Chelsea event space into an intimate haven for fashion’s most influential editors and insiders to escape the frenzy of New York’s Fashion Week. At the outset of 2009 amidst America’s electrifying new political climate and rapidly changing economy, the week-long retreat stood out against the crowd by offering empowering solutions and optimistic possibilities for self-renewal and progress. BRAND NEW YOU! provided savvy streamlining solutions and life’s little touch-ups to fashion’s finest editors and celebrities, returning them to the front-row feeling refreshed and looking fabulous. The exclusive guests couldn’t get enough of the on-site treatments from manicures to make-up, expert advice from fashion to fitness and pioneering products from accessories to electronics. Elite insiders returned again and again in the event’s fleet of Mercedes sweeping editors and celebrities off between shows to Verdi’s intimate community of convivial brand partners offering the unique opportunity to relax, revitalize and interact at ease. The event had truly unparalleled success during Fashion Week as guests left with an overflowing goodie bag and raved about their unforgettable experience at BRAND NEW YOU!

GUESTS INCLUDED…
CELEBRITIES: Eva Longoria-Parker, Natasha Bedingfield, Kathy Griffin, Lake Bell, J. Alexander, Stacey McKenzie, Stefani Vara, Justin Tranter & Cole Whittle of Semi-Precious Weapons, Fabiola Beracasa & Genevieve Jones.

FASHION INSIDERS: Cindy Cushnie, Michelle Ochs, Sean Patterson, Wilhelmina Models, Shelly Bromfield, Gina Glickman, Lauren Ezersky, R. Scott French, Judy Licht, Monique Pean, Lars Nilsson, Paula Dorf, Bryn Taylor, Alexander Allen, Catherine Baba, Wendy Schecter, Deborah Watson & Tory Gast.

EDITORS: Linda Wells (Allure), Renata Espinosa (Fashion Wire Daily), Suze Yalof Schwartz
(Glamour), Christopher Bollen (Interview), Joanna Coles (Marie Claire), Lucy Kaylin (Marie Claire), Zanna Roberts (Marie Claire), Lucy Sykes (Marie Claire), Brian Boye (Men’s Health), Eloise Parker
(NY Daily News),Katie Goldsmith (New York Magazine), Shauna Bass (OK!), Mickey Boardman (Paper), Kika Maria Francisca Rocha (People en Español), Katie Livanos (Star), Melissa Ventosa (NY Times Style Magazine), Jessica Mehalic (US Weekly), Olivia Barker (USA Today), Troy Artis (USA Today Weekend), Lynn Jager (The Village Voice), Stephanie Horton (Vogue), Sally Singer (Vogue), Anne Vincent (Vogue), Teri Agins (Wall Street Journal), Cheryl Tan (Wall Street Journal), Holly Thomas (Washington Post), Jean Scheidnes (WWD), Casey Gillespie (Zink) & Joseph Ungoco (Zink).

Eva Longoria-Parker                                                             Joanna Coles & Zanna Roberts

Sally Singer & Natasha Bedingfield

Kathy Griffing & Pierre Woods                                                    J. Alexander & Stacey McKenzie

Margo Morrsion & Linda Wells

Judy Licht & Robert Verdi

Lauren Ezersky

Justin Trantner, Robert Verdi & Cole Whittle

Lucy Kaylin

Alexander Allen & Stefani Vara

Lake Bell

Anne Vincent, Nicholas Makhatadze & Stephanie Horton

Margo Morrison & Suze Yalof Schwartz

Genevieve Jones                                                      Fabiola Beracasa

Robert Verdi

Luxe Laboratory held the grand opening of “In Your Face”, an exhibit by Brooklyn-based fashion and celebrity photographer Mat Szwajkos. Kodak sponsored the debut of Mat’s tightly-framed portraits of celebrities, style icons and socialites hung at Luxe Lab in vignettes such as “Ladies of Gold” which juxtaposed TV’s original Golden Girls beside modern glam girls Amanda Lepore, Jenna Jameson & Dita Von Teese. The collection of cultural curators in attendance included Genre Editor-In-Chief Neal Boulton, Designer Ted Rossi, Stylist & SheFinds.com Fashion Editor Bryn Taylor, Tribeca Film Festival Design Director Tory Gast, Good Morning America’s Eric Noll & Courtney Chapman and Kate Bussard of The Chicago Art Institute.

“Golden Girls”

“Women We Worship”

Stylist Bryn Taylor, Tribeca Film Festival’s Tory Gast, Photographer Erin Wigger, & Mat Szwajkos

Mat Szwajkos & Genre’s Neal Boulton

Seventeen’s Lindsy Swartz & Dan Koday

Fashion’s finest gathered at Luxe Laboratory on the opening morning of NYC Fashion Week for a breakfast hosted by Zac Posen to celebrate the next generation of talented designers to win the coveted Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Awards.The up-and-coming designers each displayed a winning design at the event and received their awards from The International Fashion Syndicate’s Marylou Luther. EDFF spokesperson Robert Verdi led the presentation in front of fashion’s most powerful faces, from Vogue’s Sally Singer to Barney’s Julie Gilhart to The Fashion Calendar’s Ruth Finley to Paper Magazine Founder Kim Hastreiter.

Zac Posen

Zac Posen with the 2009 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award winners

Robert Verdi & Vogue’s Sally Singer

Designs from Monique Pean, winner of the EDFF Award for Accessories

Design from CORPUS, winner of the EDFF Award for Menswear

Breakfast from Bouley Bakery

WWD’s Alex Badia & EDFF winner Jerrod Cornish

Robert Verdi & Barneys’ Jay Bell

Barneys’ Julie Gilhart

International Fashion Syndicate’s Mary Lou Luther & Ruth Finley of The Fashion Calendar

Designer Lynn Devon, The Atlantic Monthly’s Ben Schwartz