When the invitation came in to cover the premiere party for Soapnet's new reality show about assistants, it only seemed appropriate to have our own editorial interns take on the job. (They had already fact-checked more than 1,000 listings for our upcoming venue guide, so it only seemed fair to let them have a little fun.) Here's their report:
The drama stayed on-screen Tuesday night as the screening and premiere party for The Fashionista Diaries, Soapnet's new reality show about six assistants beginning their careers in the fashion industry, went off without a hitch. Event host Erin Weir, director of promotions for Soapnet, decided that the show should begin with a real-life experience that introduced the cast on-screen and off, as they were all in attendance. "It's always fun to watch a show in a big group," she said.
Tiffany Iino, vice president of creative services for Soapnet parent Disney/ABC, approached Richard Venezio, president and creative director of Events Forum Inc., to handle event production and Russell Harris of Los Angeles-based Russell Harris Event Group to do the design. "We've worked together before," Harris said of Venezio, and their seasoned teamwork showed in the event's cohesiveness.The event was held at Arena, a venue Venezio decided on after considering more than 30 locations. Arena has large projection screens—20 by 10 feet—so, in the name of efficiency, Venezio chose the club rather than relocate guests from a theater to a second location for the party. Also a plus: Arena's proximity to the garment district as well as the offices of Flirt and Condé Nast (two companies involved with the show).
Toward the back of the club, guests became fashionistas themselves with a little help from 1154 Lill Studio, a design-your-own-handbag company. The bags were courtesy of Soapnet—because honestly, what is a fashion event without a little free loot? The fashion swag continued in the form of gift bags; on their way out, guests received shopping bags emblazoned with the Soapnet logo and filled with Flirt cosmetics, a Fashionista Diaries T-shirt, and bangle bracelets by Joettesgifts.com.
The intention of the event's design was to take guests behind the scenes of a magazine. After two weeks of planning and two days of setup, the event's centerpiece was an area known as "the closet." A take on magazines' infamous fashion closets—where editors hide all the freebies—was an important element as the assistants of the show spend the bulk of their time in closets.
Apart from the closet, the event's color scheme was red, white, and black. Bartenders wore red T-shirts bearing the TV show's logo, and red lighting washed over the room courtesy of Arena's programmable LED lighting system. On the two bars sat large glass vases filled with black-painted flowering trees in red water with battery-operated red tealights in glass bulbs hanging from the branches. The trees were used to create a "high-end fashion show" look, Harris said. "I like to bring in color and texture and wanted to outline the closet."
The drama stayed on-screen Tuesday night as the screening and premiere party for The Fashionista Diaries, Soapnet's new reality show about six assistants beginning their careers in the fashion industry, went off without a hitch. Event host Erin Weir, director of promotions for Soapnet, decided that the show should begin with a real-life experience that introduced the cast on-screen and off, as they were all in attendance. "It's always fun to watch a show in a big group," she said.
Tiffany Iino, vice president of creative services for Soapnet parent Disney/ABC, approached Richard Venezio, president and creative director of Events Forum Inc., to handle event production and Russell Harris of Los Angeles-based Russell Harris Event Group to do the design. "We've worked together before," Harris said of Venezio, and their seasoned teamwork showed in the event's cohesiveness.The event was held at Arena, a venue Venezio decided on after considering more than 30 locations. Arena has large projection screens—20 by 10 feet—so, in the name of efficiency, Venezio chose the club rather than relocate guests from a theater to a second location for the party. Also a plus: Arena's proximity to the garment district as well as the offices of Flirt and Condé Nast (two companies involved with the show).
Toward the back of the club, guests became fashionistas themselves with a little help from 1154 Lill Studio, a design-your-own-handbag company. The bags were courtesy of Soapnet—because honestly, what is a fashion event without a little free loot? The fashion swag continued in the form of gift bags; on their way out, guests received shopping bags emblazoned with the Soapnet logo and filled with Flirt cosmetics, a Fashionista Diaries T-shirt, and bangle bracelets by Joettesgifts.com.
The intention of the event's design was to take guests behind the scenes of a magazine. After two weeks of planning and two days of setup, the event's centerpiece was an area known as "the closet." A take on magazines' infamous fashion closets—where editors hide all the freebies—was an important element as the assistants of the show spend the bulk of their time in closets.
Apart from the closet, the event's color scheme was red, white, and black. Bartenders wore red T-shirts bearing the TV show's logo, and red lighting washed over the room courtesy of Arena's programmable LED lighting system. On the two bars sat large glass vases filled with black-painted flowering trees in red water with battery-operated red tealights in glass bulbs hanging from the branches. The trees were used to create a "high-end fashion show" look, Harris said. "I like to bring in color and texture and wanted to outline the closet."
Designer Russell Harris's take on a fashion closet in a magazine office.
Photo: Farryn Weiner
The centerpiece of the event was Russell Harris's take on a fashion closet in a magazine office.
Photo: Farryn Weiner
White tables with internal lighting from Lounge 22 displayed both the Soapnet and Fashionista Diaries logos and gave the room a soft glow.
Photo: Farryn Weiner
The evening's drinks included the Fashionista, the Flirtini, and the Multitasker—Venezio's takes on mojitos, cosmos, and vodka and Oso energy drink.
Photo: Farryn Weiner
Customized pillows were strewn across white sofas and chairs.
Photo: Farryn Weiner
