NIKOLAKI at the Oscars: Actress Ali Landry Wears NIKOLAKI, TV Guide Network's Academy Awards Countdown Show!

Statuesque Gorgeous!!!

Mermaid Chic: Ali Landry--Actress and Host of TV Guide Network's Fashion Wrap" and star of the new show TV Guide Network "Hollywood Girls Night"--wearing NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul, TV Guide Network Academy Awards Countdown/Red Carpet Show

The 2012 Academy Awards occurred last Sunday and as you may know--from my last post, I was part of the TV Guide Network Academy Awards Live Countdown/Red Carpet Shows Hosted by Chris Harrison. Along with Tabatha Coffey of "Tabatha Takes Over" and TV hostess Maria Sansone, we gave LIVE hair and fashion commentary from right above the Oscars red carpet.

Best Dressed: Actress Ali Landry in NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul gown, and Marc Istook, TV Guide Network Academy Award Countdown/ Red Carpet Show

Joining our team from a nearby "Penthouse" rooftop overlooking the Hollywood & Highland Theater were also the very handsome TV host Marc Istook and the always GORGEOUS, actress Ali Landry. Ali is one of the stars of the new TV Guide Network show "Hollywood Girls Night" and of course, she was our Hostess-with-the-Mostess for our Award Show Fashion Wraps this season.

I was beyond excited that for her Academy Awards TV Guide Network red carpet moment she wore one of my NIKOLAKI gowns!!! Amanda Jones, the TV Guide Network Wardrobe Stylist, brought her several gowns for her to wear for the Oscars and the filming, and after she tried my NIKOLAKI gown, I heard that Ali couldn't even see straight she loved it so much! She had no idea that it was one of my creations but when Jones told her, then it was "Done and Done"!

NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 dark raspberry silk ziberline sleeved mermaid-shaped gown

The gown is from our Spring 2011 Collection and is a Mermaid-shaped gown in a dark raspberry color of silk-wool ziberline (about 20 yards of it!)--a Couture fabrication my design partner, David Paul and I get from Italy. It features structured shoulders, cap-shaped mini raglan sleeves, a peek-a-boo cut-out in the front torso, open back and full pleated back train. Oh and yes, there are pockets (you know, to hide your lipstick and award show tickets!).

Raspberry Couture: Actress Ali Landry in NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul

Ali looked STUNNING in our gown and like I said, I was so excited that she chose to wear it for such an important event. I heard that when she made her way to film her live segment with Marc up in the TV Guide Network "Oscars Penthouse" location, EVERYONE gasped and literally stopped talking! Afterward, the entire crew--from the grips, p.a.'s to the cameramen--came up to me and remarked how beautiful and fabulous (OK, they didn't say "fabulous", more like HOT!), Ali looked.

Now, you know it's good when BUTCH Straight men who normally could care less what gown an actress wears--are beside themselves saying Couture Compliments! And yes, I agreed 110 % with them. Ali: you looked stunning and made my design come alive! MY Best Dressed at the Oscars!!!

Nick TV Minute: Nick Verreos, Tabatha Coffey, Camille Grammer on TV Guide Golden Globes 2012 Fashion Wrap hosted by Ali Landry THIS MONDAY NIGHT!

We're BAAACK!!!

Nick Verreos and Tabatha Coffey, TV Guide Network Fashion Wrap

Hello Red Carpet Fashionista Followers! Guess what? Award Season is BACK and you know what that means: I AM BACK--on the TV Guide Network, giving my "Nick Fashion Two Cents" for all the upcoming award shows.

First up are the Golden Globe Awards--being held this Sunday, as we all know. I was invited back to join the TV Guide Fashion Wrap panel to discuss the Good and well, Not-So-Muchey Good, from Sunday night's show. In case you're not on the "up-and-up", TV Guide Network's "Award Show Fashion Wrap" will happen every Monday following the award shows this season...

Nick Verreos joins TV Guide 2012 Golden Globes Fashion Wrap--Monday January 16th

Joining me on the panel this coming Monday will be the ever-so-fab Miss Tabatha Coffey---my platinum blond sister from another mister, thank you very much! (LOVE HER!). While I discuss the Couture, Miss Tabatha will talk about who should have FIRED their hairstylist--or not! And as you know she NEVER minces words. I had such a BLAST last season doing the Fashion Wraps as well as covering the 83rd Academy Awards that I am beyond happy to be "re-united" with her.

Our 2012 Fashion Wrap Host is the beautiful actress and former Miss USA 1996 Ali Landry! Ali will star in the TV Guide Network's "Hollywood Girls Night" premiering Sunday, March 4. Ali and I go WAAAY back: she probably doesn't remember but...

Ali Landry in NIKOLAKI custom gown, during her Final Walk as "Miss USA 1996"

She wore one of my first NIKOLAKI gowns back in (wait for it!) 1997, during the LIVE telecast of Miss USA. She was Miss USA 1996 and wore my gown to give up her crown and do her "Final Walk" (photo above). The gown was SCANDALOUS--for then: it was a sheer stretch organza and we hand applied very, very expensive applique sequined lace pieces in the "important" spots. It was custom made for Miss Ali.

And guess who else will join us on Monday night? The one and only Camille Grammer of Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills". So you know it's going to be fun kids! You better watch!!!

See who will make our Best and Worst Dressed (and the "Oh Huney, You Need To Fire Your Hairstylist") List?! Join us Monday Night to find out. Details below:

WHAT: TV GUIDE 2012 Golden Globes Fashion Wrap

WHEN: this upcoming MONDAY NIGHT, January 16, 2012

TIME: premiere airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Click HERE for all the times.

WHERE: TV GUIDE Network, check your local TV/Cable Listings

*Update* It will also repeat at 9pm, 12am and again on Tuesday Morning at 10am!!

Nick Verreos goes through the Miss USA Evening Gowns!

The Higher the Slit...The Closer to....Um...The Crown?Vintage Nick Verreos: Ali Landry wears a Nick Verreos-designed gown, when she gave up her Miss USA 1996 crown (with a very young Mario Lopez)

OK, let me just start off by saying that I should do a show on pageant gowns and critiquing them---oh wait! I did already, I was on Crowned: The Mother Of All Pageants giving pageant gown advice to Mom's and their daughters. Oh well, continuing...
In 1997--yes, TWELVE YEARS AGO!!!--I designed and created a gown for then Miss USA, the STUNNING Ali Landry, who was giving up her crown. It was a see-through stretch chiffon/mesh with sequined embroidered lace from France. David (yes, he was with me back then too!), hand sewed all that embroidery and strategically placed it to "cover up" areas that obviously, should not be seen on national television. The design/idea was more Ali's but still a collaboration between Designer and Client.Pageant Gown Trend Alert: Lace and See-Through Stretch Chiffon gown, Miss Indiana

Cut to 2009, and the Miss USA 2009 Pageant is in full force in Las Vegas. The final telecast is this Sunday night at 7 PM on NBC, but they have already had the Preliminary Competition, where all 51 contestants battle it out in front of judges in bathing suit and gowns. From this, the Top 15 which you will see on the Live Telecast will be announced. I was surprised to see that this gown, which again let me reiterate, I made 12 YEARS AGO, is now "the rage" in the pageant world. See for yourself:Embroidered Lace and See-Through #2: Miss Florida Embroidered Lace and See-Through #3: Miss Hawaii works it OVERTIME in this red gown

What once was old...is new again, I think the saying goes. After looking at photos of the girls in their evening gowns, it seemed like more than HALF were featuring these transparent mesh over-layed with sequins or embroidered lace. I guess we have not really "evolved" in terms of evening gowns or like everything else in fashion, trends come and go...and some come back--whether good or bad.What started the Trend: Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart in the gown she won in

There is also another theory for the sudden upsurge in this style: Last year, Crystle Stewart, won the Miss USA 2008 title (you might remember her famous slip and fall at the Miss Universe Pageant), in---wait for it---a see-through mesh gown with embroidered sequins. I guess, somehow, every other pageant National Director got a fax saying "Your girl must wear a see-through mesh gown with embroidered lace...or else!" I feel bad for all the other girls who also wore the same type of dress. I bet they thought they were going to be the only ones who got this "secret" evening gown memo!
Cut It Out: Miss Delaware hangs on by a thread

I also noticed a trend for the "Cut-out" gowns, where the bust is covered (barely) and the sides are exposed and the rest of the gown is attached from the bust-cleavage area. There were about 10 of these at this years Miss USA Evening Gown Preliminaries. Some were very dramatic and over-the-top (Miss Arkansas) and some looked as if a strong wind were to blow on them the whole gown would snap in two (Miss Delaware). We did a gown of this silhouette for our NIKOLAKI Spring 2009 Collection, in a canary yellow silk crepe but I think we went for a more "demure" version of what these girls were going for. Somehow I have a feeling that even if a contestant approached me to purchase this gown (or have it custom made), she would have wanted to cut out a lot more fabric from it (I would have declined).That's My Leg...and More: Miss Massachusetts bares it all

A trend, which unfortunately, has NOT DIED is the SLIT. Every other gown had a side slit, a side-front slit or a center front slit, up the wazoo. Most went as high as the crotch level. Who thinks this is elegant, cute, or even worthy of a Miss USA going to Miss Universe? Unfortunately not I.If The High Slit Wasn't Enough: Miss Michigan also had cut-outs on her sleeves

As a person just looking at the photos on the Internet, I was just excited to see a gown that DIDN'T have this not-so-pretty trend of a crotch-high slit. I'm sure as a judge, they would too. It got a little ridiculous as one after another vied for the higher and trashier slit. I understand the girls need movement but...As a "fashion guy", it's so funny to see most of these gowns and how they really do not reflect what one sees on the runways of New York, Milan or Paris. Or even have any resemblance to what a Charlize Theron or Penelope Cruz, for example, might wear to an Awards Show red carpet. This is a whole "evening gown sub-culture" which I now realize goes by its own lovely rules. Also, I have one personal request in regards to contestants and their evening gown ensembles: We must put an end to those Stripper Lucite Heels. Once and for all. Pretty Please? Who, in their right Pageant mind, said these were the accessory of choice, to wear with an EVENING GOWN, no less! Is she performing at Cheetah's? Say "No" to Lucite/Clear Stripper Heels

With so many beautiful shoes out there--nude, gold, silver, that can be worn to enhance the look of the gowns: Why these?
There are some gowns in this years Miss USA 2009 which I did like---mainly because they didn't have any crotch-high slits and had a resemblance to maybe something we might see on an actual red carpet or on the runways of New York and Paris. I was surprised by Miss Kansas' choice of a white gown with a beaded halter neck detail. She was COVERED!!! Hurray! But maybe the judges won't like this. I think she looks very elegant and almost Grace Kelly-like. After looking at the photos, Miss Tennessee (above) became one of my favorites and I liked her gown choice. Again, because she A) Didn't wear Lucite Stripper Heels and B) There was no high-slit! I know that the Mermaid silhouette has its detractors but I'm not one of them. I liked it. It helps that even among the beautiful Miss USA contestants, she still stands out as being extra beautiful and model-like--which seems to be what the Miss USA organizers are going after.Finally, I actually kind of liked Miss Arkansas' gown (above). The color is striking and stands out from all the rest. It's very dramatic (I love that!) and when you watch the video she works it like an experienced Drag Queen had taught her back in her hometown! I know, it's "A Lot Of Look" (as Tim Gunn would say), but she somehow pulls it off.

Tune in to The Miss USA Pageant LIVE Sunday, April 19th at 7pm