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THE CREW<br />
YEMI SEKONI, editor-in-chief, is the owner and director of Donahue Models<br />
& Talent - Rhode Island’s oldest model and talent agency. Her company books<br />
some of New England’s top professional models and talent to work with many<br />
corporate giants across the region.With over 35 years of experience in various areas<br />
of the acting and modeling industry, including theater, TV, film, print and runway,<br />
Yemi also holds a Bachelor of Arts in education, a post-graduate diploma in<br />
marketing and an MBA. TRADE SECRETS magazine is the culminating outlet<br />
for all of her passions – education, performing, marketing and creative writing.<br />
tradesecretsmag.com<br />
JACLYN PELOPIDA, entertainment, graduated from Iona College in<br />
2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication with a concentration in<br />
journalism and a minor in psychology. She was the arts and entertainment editor<br />
of her college newspaper, “The Ionian.” Throughout her college career, she<br />
was an editorial intern for “M Magazine,” a web editorial intern for “Seventeen”<br />
magazine, and a public relations intern for MTV Networks. She is in the midst of<br />
writing her first novel and currently resides in Cranston, Rhode Island.<br />
linkedin.com/pub/jaclyn-pelopida/33/155/54a<br />
CINZIA ANTONELLI, international, resides with her husband, Gianfranco<br />
DiMarco, and their 14-year-old daughter, Enrica, in the little town of Cassino, Italy.<br />
Inheriting her creative and artistic flair from her father, a painter, and her grandfather,<br />
a novelist, she grew up with a love for fashion, and a passion for creating costume<br />
jewelry. When she is not busy with her daughter or helping her husband with his<br />
business, she can be found designing and creating new lines of costume jewelry<br />
– inspired by the ancient royals of the world, primitive prints and nature. Through her<br />
craft, her goal is to express her unique personality, as she believes that creating an<br />
object for the body is also a universal form of communication and language.<br />
facebook.com/cinzia.antonelli.16<br />
OLGA HAWWA, beauty writer, is licensed esthetician, and makeup artist offering<br />
facials, face/body waxing, eyebrow design, makeup artistry, and body treatments<br />
for women and men. She is located 1227 Main Street, West Warwick. Hours<br />
are by appointment:<br />
makeupandimage.com<br />
LAURA ROSSI, lifestyle, loves accessorizing! She regularly blogs for The Huffington<br />
Post Style section, SheKnows.com, and many other lifestyle sites. Laura is a<br />
published author, digital strategist, and runs her own public relations firm.<br />
LauraRossiPublicRelations.com.
ELIZABETH PHINNEY, health and wellness, is a Certified Personal Trainer<br />
with the American Council on Exercise. She also holds a certificate with the American<br />
Senior Fitness Association and is an affiliate of The American College of Sports<br />
Medicine. She was named Top Female Executive with Worldwide Who’s Who and<br />
VIP of the year in Health and Fitness for 2013 and 2014. In 2013, she co-authored<br />
“The Expert Success Solution,” an Amazon #1 international bestseller. Elizabeth’s<br />
passion is Fitness after Forty-Five and her mission is to inspire people to plan their<br />
physical future. Her flagship product is BodSpir®, a meditative strength training<br />
technique she created and has taught thousands of times in her classes.<br />
FitnessAfterFortyFive.com<br />
VALERIE LANGLAIS, events, hails from Oxford, Massachusetts and<br />
has an Associates Degree in Account- ing from Quinsigamond Community College,<br />
as well as a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Kennedy-Western<br />
University. During the weekdays, she is a mild-mannered accountant with<br />
Charlton Furniture Co., Inc in Charlton, Mas- sachusetts. In the evenings and on<br />
weekends, the former model teaches the children’s program for Donahue Models<br />
in Cranston, RI; is on staff with the Boucher School of Dance in Oxford, MA and<br />
runs an online business selling vintage designer clothing.<br />
RACHEL SILVA, writer, graduated from Merrimack college with a<br />
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a minor in Sociology. She went<br />
on to obtain her Master’s degree in Education with a professional certification<br />
as a reading specialist and Literacy Coach. Currently she is employed as<br />
a reading specialist in an elementary school. Over the past fifteen years she<br />
has strived to bring out the best in students and coworkers by helping them to<br />
discover who they are. She has trained teachers during professional workshops<br />
in various writing approaches and literacy programs. Educating individuals on<br />
topics that can improve and enrich their lives professionally and personally is<br />
a passion of hers. She currently resides with her two school aged children in<br />
North Attleboro, Massachusetts.<br />
LYNELL MASTERSON, writer, founder of Nell, develops individual<br />
and group wellness programs integrating mind, body, spirit methods.<br />
Lynell uses coaching, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), Expressive<br />
Arts, Hypnotherapy, Energy Work, and other practices to create the most<br />
effective life-changing programs. Life experience required her to develop<br />
these tools to address adversity, hardship and coping skills. Lynell recognizes<br />
and honors the challenges and difficulties that we all may encounter and that<br />
is why she has created individual and group programs to heal and empower<br />
others.
NATASHA MALONE, writer, is a twelve-year-old girl who lives<br />
in Massachusetts. She is a 7th grader and in her 2nd year at middle school.<br />
She loves playing with her dogs, chickens, and bunny. She enjoys going to<br />
fashion shows, such as Style Week which she’s been going to for about four<br />
years. Reading is one of her favorite hobbies as well as writing, drawing,<br />
hanging out with friends, and listening to music. Her favorite book series are<br />
“The Hunger Games ”and “Harry Potter”. She loves the color purple and she<br />
loves mint chocolate chip ice cream. Her idea of a perfect outfit is jeans, Converse,<br />
and a shirt with lace. One of her hopes is to be able to publish a book<br />
someday.<br />
PRINCE SEFA-BOAKYE (Say-fah Bo-ah-chi), writer, is what<br />
people in Boston refer to as a ‘Renaissance Man by <strong>Trade</strong>,’ ‘Entrepreneur<br />
by Day, and ‘Law Student by Night.’ Prince describes himself as a studententrepreneur<br />
blogger; providing daily blogs to students on how to start their<br />
own online business while balancing school. He also, from time-to-time,<br />
blogs about politics. Currently he is a 2L evening student at Suffolk University<br />
Law School, located in Downtown Boston, where he is studying to be<br />
a Copyright and <strong>Trade</strong>mark attorney specializing in fields like social media,<br />
start-ups, entertainment, and fashion.<br />
You can often find Prince at four star restaurants in Boston, having morning<br />
breakfast at either the Ritz, Langham Hotel, Omni Park Hotel, or Kimpton<br />
Hotel— or at weekly fashion shows at Liberty Hotel. Prince’s favorite Friday<br />
hangout spot is the Bond Lounge. For questions on his student-blogging<br />
business go to www.livelikeanenterpreneur.com. For his political blogs, go<br />
to www.princesdailyjournal.com<br />
DIANE CAPOZZI<br />
Writer
VALENCIO<br />
Photography<br />
DANIELLE DUBE,<br />
Hair / Makeup<br />
Wardrobe Styling Assistant<br />
SINNARITH VANN<br />
Hair / Maleup<br />
FLAVIO TAVARES<br />
Sales & Advertising<br />
AUDRA HUDSON<br />
Sales & Advertising<br />
LAUREN CHIARINI<br />
Coordinator
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
NINA DE MARTINO:<br />
Full Figured and Fierce!...26<br />
36... Shopping at Studio15<br />
46…Boston Fashion Awards<br />
56…Christmas, A Time for Gifts<br />
64…Holiday Gifts for That New<br />
Special Person<br />
14…Dressing for the Holidays<br />
A Night with DVF…44<br />
Tis The Season to Be…52<br />
Healthy Holiday Habits…60<br />
Don’t Look So Tired This Holiday Season… 8
THE COSMETIC COUNTER<br />
Don’t Look So Tired This<br />
Holiday Season...<br />
It is often said the eyes are<br />
the mirror to the soul. Yet<br />
one thing many of us deal<br />
with at one time or another<br />
are under eye bags and circles, which<br />
can make us look older and tired.<br />
Not exactly the reflection we want to<br />
project to the world!
Get Rid of Those Under Eye Bags<br />
By Olga Hawwa
Some of it can be attributed to ethnicity and<br />
genetics, especially if your skin is olive toned,<br />
while other contributors are lifestyle and skin<br />
care habits. By adjusting some of our lifestyle<br />
routines and using eye products with cuttingedge<br />
ingredients, under eye circles and puffiness<br />
can be managed and minimized.<br />
Some lifestyle tips for younger, more youthful<br />
looking eyes include:<br />
• Cut down on salt intake. Salt is responsible<br />
for a lot of our bodily fluid retention. In the<br />
eye area, this shows up as bags.<br />
• Drink lots of water to flush out excess salt<br />
from your system.<br />
• Sleep on back with head elevated to help<br />
drain excess fluid retention.<br />
• Get enough sleep! Tired eyes are often<br />
baggy eyes.<br />
• Manage your allergies to reduce inflammation and<br />
swelling around the eyes.<br />
• Remove all eye makeup before bed to avoid residue<br />
from seeping into the eye and causing irritation while<br />
you sleep.<br />
• Limit alcohol intake. Excessive alcohol dehydrates<br />
the skin.<br />
• Avoid sun exposure by wearing sunscreen specifically<br />
made for eyes, sunglasses, and hats. Some of the<br />
darkening under the eyes can be attributed to the “tanning”<br />
of the area.<br />
• Kick the smoking habit. Smoking breaks down the<br />
collagen in the skin and makes blood vessels more<br />
apparent.<br />
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to get the vitamins<br />
and nutrients you need for healthy looking skin all<br />
over!<br />
In addition to modifying some of our lifestyle habits,<br />
using eye products with the most advanced ingredients<br />
can also help the eye area look more youthful and<br />
firmer.<br />
• Retinol - the gold standard in skin repair. Retinol, a<br />
Vitamin A derivative, increases cell turnover, renews<br />
skin cells, reduces the appearance of fine line and<br />
wrinkles, and helps brighten the skin.<br />
• Haloxyl - a synthetic combination of active ingredients<br />
which stimulate the natural elements of the skin<br />
and help reduce the colored blood pigments in the skin<br />
• Microcrystalline Matrix - often found in firming<br />
creams. This ingredient tightens the skin’s appearance<br />
and reduces the appearance of bags under the eyes.<br />
• Green Microalgae Extract improves skin’s firmness.<br />
• Caffeine decreases swelling and protects the skin<br />
from sun damage.<br />
By committing to a healthier lifestyle and an effective<br />
skin care program, under eye circles and darkness can<br />
be definitely be minimized!
OUT OF THE CLOSET<br />
Dressing for the<br />
HOLIDAYS!<br />
By Diane Capozzi<br />
Dressing for the Holiday Season is so exciting,<br />
but always comes with the ultimate<br />
question: “What Should I Wear?” Everything<br />
from office parties to glamorous soirées,<br />
we have eight styling tips that will take the guesswork<br />
out of what to wear.
1. Eye-catching Outerwear<br />
It will most likely be freezing when<br />
you head out to your holiday gatherings<br />
& parties, so proper outerwear<br />
is a MUST! It is the first<br />
thing people will see, so it should<br />
fit perfectly! Play with texture & I<br />
say take a fashion-forward risk with<br />
a fierce faux fur coat. It will show<br />
your confidence & attitude.
2. Inject Color<br />
Black is a staple in any girl’s<br />
closet, so this year go big &<br />
incorporate some rich, jewel<br />
tones like forest green, wine,<br />
cobalt, velvety purples, &<br />
yes, RED! It might be a predictable<br />
color of the season,<br />
but red looks sexy &<br />
dazzling!!!
3. Heavy Metal<br />
You will nail the glam factor with<br />
a slinky metallic or sequined mini<br />
dress. Silver, gold or bronze are<br />
all stunning choices. Feeling a<br />
little shy with a head-to-toe look,<br />
start with metallic accessories,<br />
shoes or clutch.
4. Super girly<br />
Great for an office or cocktail-party<br />
style. Channel your best “Mad<br />
Men” with an off-the-shoulder top,<br />
voluminous midi skirt & pointy<br />
pumps.
5. Romantic<br />
An all-lace dress<br />
is so demure,<br />
make the outfit<br />
more interesting<br />
in a striking color<br />
of course!
6. Unexpected<br />
Maybe an understated holiday attire<br />
choice, the pant suit has never<br />
been more party-appropriate. Make<br />
a statement by adding gorgeous drop<br />
earrings, gigantic bib necklace or<br />
massive cocktail ring.
7. Play with Texture<br />
This creates an outfit that is so luxurious and rich.<br />
Mix a fuzzy sweater & sparkling skirt, feathermeets-lace<br />
mini dress, sheer top with leather jacket,<br />
sequin dress with velvet blazer; the options are<br />
endless.
8. Have fun, know your style,<br />
most importantly, be comfortable!<br />
There is nothing more annoying<br />
than watching a woman spends the<br />
entire night hiking her sleeveless<br />
top up or yanking her dress down<br />
& painfully walking in heels. The<br />
Holiday Season is the most sociable<br />
time of the year, so this is a chance<br />
to go all out & rock your look!
TALENT TALKS<br />
NINA DE MARTINO<br />
FULL-FIGURED and FIERCE!<br />
By Jaclyn Pelopida | Photography & Videography by Valencio Small<br />
Makeup by Sinn Vann | Hair by Danielle Dube<br />
Nina De Martino is a force to<br />
be reckoned with. Not only is<br />
she a full-figure model and a<br />
special education teacher, but<br />
she’s also one of the fiercest Zumba instructors<br />
I’ve ever met. This Talent Talks<br />
article is especially important for me as<br />
DeMartino is not only my regular Zumba<br />
instructor, but I’m personally lucky enough<br />
to call her a friend. If you need a great<br />
workout with high energy and moves to<br />
keep you shaking all night, De Martino’s<br />
Zumba class is the place to be.
CLICK HERE TO GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT NINA’S PHOTO SHOOT
“I love the Christmas Holiday<br />
season. Actually from Thanksgiving<br />
to New Year’s Day is the<br />
best time of year. It is filled with<br />
decorating, laughter, food, fun<br />
creative beverages (wink wink)<br />
shopping...”
Of course when I ask De Martino what her favorite<br />
form of exercise is, I already knew the answer would<br />
be “ZUMBA ZUMBA ZUMBA! This is my third year<br />
as an instructor and before I became certified, I attended<br />
my Zumba partner’s class. He motivated me<br />
and encouraged me to teach. We now teach together<br />
at a local dance studio,” De Martino told me.<br />
TS: “How long have you been acting/modeling?”<br />
ND: “This is my second year as a full-figured model<br />
with Donahue Model and Talents. I signed with Donahue<br />
Model and Talents in October of 2014. Previous to<br />
that I walked for one designer as a freelance model at<br />
Style Week in Providence, Rhode Island. As a child, I<br />
participated in numerous pageants throughout Rhode<br />
Island and Massachusetts.”<br />
TS: “How did you get started?”<br />
ND: “I was advised by a photographer to follow<br />
‘MODEL FAIR’ on Instagram. That same day a local<br />
designer from Boston, Mass. named Amanda Koker<br />
asked me to send my measurements and a recent<br />
photo. She then emailed me back and said ‘I need you<br />
to walk in Style Week, Providence Rhode Island.’ At<br />
Style Week, I knew that several agencies were sitting<br />
in the crowd. At the end of the show, I was introduced<br />
to the owner of Donahue Model and Talents. We then<br />
scheduled an interview and here I am as one of their<br />
full-figured models.”<br />
TS: “What made you want to become a model/actor/actress<br />
& why?”<br />
ND: “As cliché as it sounds, I believe that beauty<br />
comes in all shapes and sizes. I have always had<br />
curves and fluctuate with my weight. As a teenager,<br />
I skipped the Juniors department and went straight to<br />
misses. I had to alter everything and still do. I would<br />
look at magazines and constantly think I was fat and<br />
couldn’t wear something because my arms are too fat<br />
or my butt would look too big. When I was 15, Emmy<br />
had just made her appearance as a top, plus size<br />
model. My mother and I would see her on interviews,<br />
and read her articles in magazines. I remember in high<br />
school, my senior year we had a fundraiser to raise<br />
money for our competition team and we organized a<br />
fashion show. I, of course, modeled for the plus department<br />
of Dress Barn. I remember the feeling when<br />
I walked down the runway and the looks on people’s<br />
faces. I also vividly remember the comments and compliments<br />
I received. To me it was easy to walk down<br />
the runway proudly wearing the outfit I chose from the<br />
plus size department of Dress Barn.”<br />
TS: “What was your first modeling/acting experience<br />
like?”<br />
ND: “I was beyond nervous and thought I did great.<br />
People smiled at me and I was so proud that I actually<br />
got to walk in a fashion show modeling a dress<br />
someone created. As I look back at the video, I say to<br />
myself ‘Omg what was I thinking?’ I’m sure my agent<br />
must laugh at this point. I ran down the runway with<br />
my arms swaying back and forth like a school girl<br />
skipping to school. It amazes me how you truly need<br />
to be trained to walk in a show. There are four different<br />
types of walks that I have learned this past year.<br />
Thank god for my agency.”<br />
TS: “Who’s your favorite actor or model today,<br />
and what is it that you like about them?”<br />
ND: “The stunning model, motivational speaker and<br />
designer Ashley Graham. She is my idol and motivator.<br />
She eludes beauty and confidence when she<br />
talks, walks and takes pictures. Her TED TALKS are<br />
amazing. She is proud to be a size 14 and isn’t afraid<br />
to show it.”<br />
TS: “What obstacles have you had to overcome in<br />
order to become successful?”<br />
ND: “The biggest obstacle for me is that there is not a<br />
high need for full-figured models in Rhode Island. The<br />
opportunity is in New York, where I will be able to<br />
purse this dream eventually.”<br />
TS: “What’s your biggest turn off?”<br />
ND: “The term ‘Plus Size Model.’ Plus in the fashion<br />
industry can tend to have a negative connotation. I<br />
prefer full-figured model. When I see Plus Size signs<br />
they infuriate me. We are plus just because our bodies<br />
are built differently. Even at my thinnest weight I was<br />
still a size 12 and refused to get into a 10; it wouldn’t<br />
compliment my body. I like my curves and it took me<br />
until I was 24 years old to actually accept that they<br />
aren’t going anywhere.”<br />
Born on December 3rd and raised in North Providence,<br />
Nina De Martino is 100% Italian and proud as<br />
the nationality runs deep in her family’s blood. “My<br />
father was born in Mondragone, Caserta region located<br />
in southern Italy near Naples. My mother was born<br />
in Providence, Rhode Island, however my grandpar-
“Giraffes are my favorite<br />
animal. They are tall and walk<br />
with grace throughout the zoo.<br />
What’s the first animal you<br />
see at the zoo? A giraffe of<br />
course! And they have long<br />
eyelashes, which every girl<br />
loves.”
ents are from a region called Pico, located near Rome<br />
in the mountains,” De Martino said.<br />
Before I ask De Martino what her favorite fashion<br />
and/or accessory item is, I can already guess the answer.<br />
“My fashion accessory that I must have on at all<br />
times is earrings. I have over 55 pairs organized in two<br />
drawers. I never leave the house without a pair on and<br />
if I were to, I have a back up pair in my wallet. (Small<br />
generic cubic zirconia studs),” she said. Want to know<br />
how I already knew earrings would be the answer? De<br />
Martino shakes her hips, butt and hoop earrings unlike<br />
anyone I’ve ever seen before in every single Zumba<br />
class. True to her statement, I’ve never seen her without<br />
earrings.<br />
TS: “What is your best memory as a child?”<br />
ND: “I had a yellow, blue, green and red Fisher Price<br />
kitchen set that I would pretend I was a waitress for all<br />
my costumers. I played with this kitchen set throughout<br />
middle school. It’s amazing how times have<br />
changed. Cell phones and Facebook were nonexistent<br />
and I am grateful for that. I cherish the memories of<br />
going outside to play and actually playing with toys<br />
and board games. My cabbage patch dolls, of course,<br />
were my favorite. I still have them and hope to pass<br />
them down to my daughter one day.”<br />
TS: “Where did you attend school/college? Do you<br />
plan to continue your education?”<br />
ND: “I attended Rhode Island College located in<br />
Providence, Rhode Island. I studied for four years and<br />
earned a bachelor’s of science. My degree includes elementary<br />
education 1-6 with a concentration in special<br />
education K-8. I wasn’t a fan of the college years at<br />
all. I had to work nights at a bank and I was constantly<br />
tired and had to study long hours, as test-taking is not<br />
an area of strength for me. However, I did graduate in<br />
2006 with honors. I am currently working towards a<br />
Masters degree in education.”<br />
TS: “Tell me more about being a special education<br />
teacher.”<br />
ND: “I am a special education educator in the public<br />
school system. I have been teaching for 10 years. It is<br />
the most challenging job each year. You never know<br />
what the school year will bring. However, at the end of<br />
the year you can see the accomplishments you made<br />
with your students. It’s also really nice when those<br />
that come back to visit you tell you that you were their<br />
favorite teacher.”<br />
TS: “What was your best vacation/travel experience?”<br />
ND: “The best vacation was in 2006 when I traveled<br />
to Greece with two male friends and my best friend<br />
that I was able to reconnect with after two years of<br />
not speaking. Although she hadn’t spoken to me in<br />
two years, we ran into each other and she asked me to<br />
travel with her to Greece. I was confused and hesitant<br />
but knew there had to be a reason for me running into<br />
her at the market. I was graduating college and felt<br />
that I deserved this trip. The trip brought us together<br />
again and for 14 days we hopped around the islands of<br />
Greece.”<br />
TS: “What’s your favorite animal and why?”<br />
ND: “Giraffes are my favorite animal. They are tall<br />
and walk with grace throughout the zoo. What’s the<br />
first animal you see at the zoo? A giraffe of course!<br />
And they have long eyelashes, which every girl<br />
loves.”<br />
TS: “What is your favorite holiday and why?”<br />
ND: “I love the Christmas Holiday season. Actually<br />
from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is the best time<br />
of year. It is filled with decorating, laughter, food,<br />
fun creative beverages (wink wink) shopping, wrapping<br />
and giving to those less fortunate, always. Yes, of<br />
course it’s stressful and we are all running around but<br />
that moment when you make someone a little less fortunate<br />
smile, or visit children at a hospital and deliver<br />
toys gathered from a Zumbathon fundraiser, the stress<br />
fades away. It is also the one time of year when you<br />
can wear all the glitter and jewels you want and no<br />
one can judge.”<br />
TS: “What the biggest piece of advice you have for<br />
other up and coming models/actors out there?”<br />
ND: “Just keep going! Never give up! Listen to your<br />
heart and your biggest cheerleader, they will always<br />
help you. Ask the Universe to guide you when you are<br />
hesitant with a decision.”
“The stunning model, motivational<br />
speaker and designer<br />
Ashley Graham. She is my<br />
idol and motivator. She eludes<br />
beauty and confidence when<br />
she talks, walks and takes<br />
pictures....”
PURSUITS<br />
Shopping at...<br />
By Prince Sefa-Boakye<br />
Jia Wertz’s inspiration behind<br />
Studio 15 was just to<br />
be able to spend days doing<br />
something she loved while<br />
helping others who needed it. She has always<br />
loved fashion, but had also seen the<br />
frivolous side of the industry. She wanted<br />
to do it differently, and so Studio 15 puts<br />
an emphasis on giving back to those who<br />
need it, creating a very positive working<br />
environment for her team, hosting fashion<br />
events wherever they meet customers, and<br />
making sure that they have a great time.<br />
We first met Jia at the NY Fashion Week<br />
February 2015.
“Studio 15 is a women’s<br />
dress boutique, headquartered<br />
in NYC with pop<br />
up shops in Manhattan<br />
and San Francisco.”
TS: How would you describe yourself<br />
JW: This is always a tough question to answer. But<br />
here it goes...I am a very dedicated and passionate<br />
person. I keep a small but awesome circle of people<br />
around me. And I’m definitely a perfectionist, which<br />
can be good and bad at times.<br />
TS: How did you kick start your career?<br />
JW: One of my first jobs in retail was working for<br />
two partners who owned a denim company in Canada,<br />
called “Below The Belt.” At the time, it was the hottest<br />
store to shop at; they carried over 50 of the most<br />
popular brands from DKNY, Diesel, to Fubu and so<br />
much more. I had the amazing opportunity to work<br />
with the owners directly, for over six years. They not<br />
only taught me everything I know, but set a great example<br />
on how to run my own fashion business.<br />
TS: What is Studio 15?<br />
JW: Studio 15 is a women’s dress boutique, headquartered<br />
in NYC with pop up shops in Manhattan and<br />
San Francisco. The company is based on the belief<br />
that high quality products don’t have to be astronomically<br />
priced and woman from all walks of life should<br />
have access to great quality fashion. We also donate<br />
proceeds from every sale to a non-profit organization,<br />
Kleos MFG (www.kleosmfg.org), that gives micro-finance<br />
loans to women in developing countries, so they<br />
can start their own small businesses.<br />
TS: What would you say makes you stand out from<br />
other women entrepreneurs?<br />
JW: I don’t know personally if I stand out among<br />
other women entrepreneurs; I have met so many<br />
amazing women since I started Studio 15. One of the<br />
things I love most about being an entrepreneur is that I<br />
am always surrounded by so many innovative people,<br />
especially women, who are all doing such inspiring<br />
things.<br />
TS: Tell us your typical day at work?<br />
JW: I always start my day by checking emails and<br />
social media—before even getting out of bed or answering<br />
anything urgent. Recently, I have been trying<br />
to squeeze in 10 minutes for meditation as a morning<br />
routine. After that, my day always consists of many<br />
meetings with our team and companies that are partnering<br />
with us, from videographers, manufacturers,<br />
to seamstresses, etc. I typically finish my meetings<br />
around 7:00 pm and then get back to my computer<br />
to catch up on all the afternoon emails, projects, or<br />
anything else that needs deadlines to be met. I usually<br />
finish my whole day around 2:00 am, but I almost<br />
always take a break to have dinner with my husband<br />
and watch Shark Tank!<br />
TS: Was there a time when you thought you were<br />
failing, and were about to give up on your dream,<br />
but didn’t? And if so, what did you do to keep your<br />
dream alive?<br />
JW: In the start-up world, most entrepreneurs will tell<br />
you that there are numerous times of when you think<br />
you are failing. That happens almost every other week<br />
for me. With all the extreme ups and downs, with any<br />
startup, you are never ready for all the “highs” and<br />
“lows” that come your way. However the “highs” are<br />
wonderful and the “lows” do pass. You just have to<br />
keep going, make tough decisions, and take calculated<br />
risks.<br />
TS: What are three words that your friends can<br />
best describe you as?<br />
JW: I have no idea. You would have to ask them.<br />
(laughing)<br />
TS: What are three things that a woman entrepreneur<br />
should carry in her purse at all times<br />
JW: A tablet or pen and paper; a phone; and business<br />
cards. I don’t think it differs from gender to gender.<br />
TS: What is one piece of advice would like to give<br />
to young women entrepreneurs who want to do<br />
what you are doing today?<br />
JW: When you have a great idea, it’s better to start<br />
early than to wait and try—and perfect everything.<br />
TS: What are your future endeavors?<br />
JW: For now, to keep growing Studio 15; the company<br />
is only two years old! So there is a lot of work to<br />
do to get where we want to be.
The eleg<br />
most rece<br />
Night wi<br />
bring a d<br />
shelter a<br />
treats gave<br />
ON THE TOWN<br />
A Night with...<br />
By Valerie Langlais | Photos couretsy of David Josef<br />
If you ask your favorite image consultant about<br />
“investment dressing,” inevitably the brand of<br />
Diane Von Furstenburg will come up.<br />
Von Furstenburg, the woman, has been a fashion icon<br />
for decades and her brand, known affectionately as<br />
“DVF” has been dressing stylish women for nearly as<br />
long.
ant Newbury Street boutique in Boston combined its<br />
nt line launch with holiday spirit on December 3rd; A<br />
th DVF to Mix and Mingle. Attendees were asked to<br />
onation to “The Women’s Lunch Place,” a local day<br />
iding local women in need. Champagne and sweet<br />
the evening a festive vibe.<br />
The intimate crowd listened<br />
intently as a brief history of the<br />
house, and an overview of the new<br />
line, was given. Watch for innovative<br />
new fabrics and designs<br />
that appeal to current devotees of<br />
the brand and to the new, younger<br />
customers. The audience audibly<br />
“ooh-ed” and “aah-ed” when the<br />
new “Secret Agent” bag was demonstrated<br />
(a gorgeous leather bag<br />
with detachable, mix and match<br />
clutch!)<br />
To learn more about Diane Von Furstenburg;<br />
both the designer and the brand, visit<br />
www.DVF.com or read one of her books<br />
including “The Woman I Wanted to Be.”<br />
And to help less fortunate women in Boston,<br />
visit www.womenslunchplace.org
ON THE TOWN<br />
By Yemi Sekoni | Photos courtesy of AGAPEpiece Photography<br />
The annual 2015 Boston Fashion Awards was<br />
held this year at the Stage Night Club in<br />
downtown Boston, M.A., to recognize the efforts<br />
and hard work of some of Boston’s most<br />
accomplished industry professionals ranging from fashion<br />
designers, hair stylists, makeup artists, and models.<br />
Also billed as a fund raiser to benefit The Great American<br />
Foundation, this fast paced, high-energy event featured<br />
several fashion shows, a VIP reception and an after<br />
party.
Interspersed between the award announcements, the<br />
audience was treated to various performances by Cheryl<br />
D’Love, DJ Joe Bermudez, Louie Bello, Maverik,<br />
MB Padfield, Natalie Joly and Stage Performers;<br />
and a line-up of mini fashion shows by several of the<br />
nominated designers including Ashley Rose Couture,<br />
Claude Michelle, DH Studios, Isabel original International,<br />
Joe Malaika and Kinda Touma.<br />
And the winners of the night were:<br />
HAIR SALON<br />
Marc Harris Salon<br />
MAKEUP ARTIST<br />
Heather Schofield (HS-Artistry)<br />
DESIGNER: SWIMWEAR/INTIMATE<br />
Karla Medina (KM Swimwear)<br />
WARDROBE STYLIST<br />
Christina Pierce (Christina K. Pierce)<br />
DESIGNER: ACCESSORIES<br />
Jennifer Rose (Alpha Jewelry)<br />
DESIGNER: CASUAL/SPORTSWEAR<br />
Joe Malaika (Joe Malaika)<br />
DESIGNER: EVENING/CLUBWEAR<br />
Isabel Lopez (Isabel Original International)<br />
DESIGNER: COUTURE/FORMAL<br />
Luke Aaron (Luke Aaron)<br />
MALE MODEL<br />
Peihu Wang (Maggie Inc.)<br />
FEMALE MODEL: PRINT<br />
Ashley Wiggins (Maggie Inc.)<br />
FEMALE MODEL: RUNWAY<br />
Danielle Fortin (Maggie Inc.)<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Dawn Kingston (439 Photography)<br />
RETAILER<br />
Benrus
FROM THE INSIDE OUT<br />
Tis The Season to B<br />
*It’s YO<br />
Ahhhh, the holidays, aren’t<br />
they wonderful? All the<br />
added work, to do’s, overstimulation<br />
of events and<br />
to top it off, a diet laced with alcohol,<br />
sugar, carbs and heaviness, contributing<br />
to sluggishness in our bodies.<br />
It’s no wonder I look around at folks<br />
during this time of year and see their<br />
faces all scrunched up from anxiety.<br />
Our cocktail of choice being stress.<br />
That’s right, I said it was our choice.<br />
These choices we make on who we<br />
want to be while living life may not<br />
be aligned with who we truly long to<br />
be while living our life. How about if<br />
we check in with that? Does your way<br />
of living match what is actually happening<br />
for you now?
e…<br />
UR Choice, (Fill in the Blank)*<br />
By Lynell Masterson
“The only difference between a good day and a bad<br />
day is your attitude.<br />
The choice is always yours.”<br />
-Dennis Brown<br />
Taking inventory is the first step in noticing the choices<br />
you are making in your life. We are not victims to<br />
our circumstances, we are responsible for handling our<br />
stuff in a way that matches what we truly long for in<br />
life. Meaning, it is not as much about what is happening<br />
to you as it is HOW you are responding to what is<br />
happening to you. This is where your choice comes in<br />
and where you can begin to change your life to create<br />
what you want. Take a moment to allow that in.<br />
If you’ve actually found time to read this article in the<br />
midst of this season, BRAVO, you are already making<br />
choices to create peace in your life that lifts the spirit<br />
and guides the heart.<br />
Now let’s try something here, a little mindfulness<br />
practice, right between the pages of fashion and fun.<br />
You’ve got nothing to lose except maybe some stress,<br />
aggravation and resistance. AND nothing to gain as<br />
peace tranquility and happiness only lightens our load,<br />
eliminates the burdens in our life and lifts us to freedom<br />
from negative thoughts and chatter.<br />
Guided Holiday Practice:<br />
• Sink in to your body, noticing where you may be<br />
holding any tightness or constriction and just breathe.<br />
• Taking long, deep belly breaths and letting out all<br />
that is not serving you, taking in another deep breath<br />
allowing yourself a huge exhale noticing how that<br />
simple breath and connecting with you, makes you<br />
feel.<br />
• You are doing wonderfully and now along with your<br />
breath, pay attention to how you are sitting.<br />
• Getting yourself comfortable where you can allow<br />
the air in easily and with flow.<br />
• And with each deep inhalation and exhalation you<br />
are letting go and lightening the load of all that you<br />
have been carrying.<br />
• Giving yourself permission to sink into all that you<br />
are, a beautiful being, full of many different intricacies<br />
that make you special. Continuing with your breath as<br />
you read.<br />
• Pausing between the in and out breaths, knowing you<br />
are taking this time for you because you matter more<br />
than anything, your health, happiness and life is priority<br />
here.<br />
• Let’s create this space for you to put aside your<br />
concerns and time constraints and just be without the<br />
chatter of the outside world, meeting yourself again,<br />
whatever that means to you.<br />
• There is no right or wrong here, only you, showing<br />
up exactly as you are. GOOD now I’d like you to<br />
imagine this holiday season different for you, imagine<br />
this time filled with peace and serenity.<br />
• You are moving through the holidays with grace and<br />
ease, doing and being all that you know you are. In<br />
and out with the breath, breathing and reading.<br />
• Who are you when you have peace? Breathing and<br />
being. How do you handle the outside world? Taking<br />
deep breaths and feeling calm and serene as you move<br />
through this imagery.<br />
• Excellent. Allowing yourself to receive this gift of<br />
peace and tranquility knowing that you can create this<br />
for yourself whenever you so choose. AND NOW continuing<br />
with conscious breath, knowing that you are<br />
about to close this exercise, take this relaxation you<br />
have created for yourself into your body.<br />
• Realizing you can access this whenever you want.<br />
Pausing for a moment to soak in all that has shifted for<br />
you, whether big or small. As small shifts create big<br />
changes!<br />
And now dear one, you are ready to go back out there,<br />
into the holiday season choosing who you want to be,<br />
deciding what you want to say and how you want to<br />
treat yourself and others. And what if you lose that<br />
alignment? You go back to your breath again, remembering<br />
who it is that you want to say yes to, continuing<br />
this every day until that practice becomes habit and<br />
before you know it, you are living the life you have so<br />
chosen.
A WINK FROM…Italy<br />
Christmas,<br />
A Time for Gifts<br />
By Cinzia Antonelli<br />
And Christmas is finally here, and<br />
with it the desire to buy gifts!<br />
The art of the gift is that we practice<br />
what is deeply rooted and ancient, but in our<br />
society, with the increasingly rampant consumerism,<br />
this noble gesture has become a “rite of<br />
consumption.”
to express in words, a good feeling; with a<br />
simple gift coming straight from our heart,<br />
we can not fail to express our true feelings<br />
or what we really want to communicate to<br />
the other person.<br />
Giving gifts is a way to get to know one<br />
another, a real moment of introspection,<br />
soul searching - trying to understand what<br />
they really want to communicate: a feeling<br />
of esteem, friendship, and love.<br />
But it is also a detailed analysis of the<br />
person you want to make a present to,<br />
remembering or discovering their interests,<br />
the things they love, what you have in<br />
common and what will be better appreciated.<br />
The scents, the magical atmosphere, with<br />
the desire to be together, remind us that<br />
Christmas is coming, and exchanging gifts<br />
is really an indispensable habit even when,<br />
for us adults, there is no longer the belief<br />
in the legend of Santa Claus.<br />
During this time our cities are all decorated<br />
for the holiday, the streets are full of<br />
perfumes and magically illuminated, as we<br />
all anticipate December 25, along with our<br />
children, eager to see if Santa Claus, has<br />
brought us many gifts, under the Christmas<br />
tree.<br />
Also this year, it goes without saying that<br />
the tech gifts are the ones that are on top<br />
of our wish list.<br />
The object of worship that surely all of<br />
us would like to receive as a Christmas<br />
present, is the smartphone, including the<br />
best sellers here in Italy - the iPhone and<br />
Samsung Galaxy, both of which are now<br />
Today, in our modern era often stands just the appearance<br />
of gift buying, without reiterating and highlighting<br />
the true meaning of giving, an act of true generosity<br />
and altruism, because exchanging gifts means to<br />
receive and give attention to each other. It could be<br />
called a real means of communication: if we’re unable<br />
an integral part of our life.<br />
Another object much desired is the smart watch, with<br />
functions similar to a smartphone for the wrist, just<br />
like a clothing accessory.
For those who love reading, technology is still very<br />
popular with such gifts as an eReader - a real digital<br />
book reader, giving the option to purchase thousands<br />
of books.<br />
Of course, we cannot do without our beloved tablet;<br />
most notably the iPad, the GalaxyTab and the Kindle<br />
Fire, a cross between a laptop and a smartphone.<br />
It’s a great gift idea to start the New Year, leaving<br />
behind all the stress that we have accumulated! So we<br />
have to buy access to some spa or health club in their<br />
city, or give the gift of a nice trip in our beautiful Italy.<br />
The variety of items to give is really rich: from a<br />
basket full of culinary delights for our neighboring<br />
homes, to a bag or clutch for our fashionable friend or<br />
beloved aunt.<br />
Thinking of our dear fathers and beloved husbands,<br />
how about a nice sweater or a classy watch? Or, perhaps,<br />
a beautiful super puffy parka for our sons? And<br />
for that wise old friend, what could be more satisfactory<br />
than with a signed original print or painting, to<br />
hang in their study that smells of old books and ancient<br />
wisdom, like those of Ciociara, our artist painter<br />
Filomena Milos!<br />
Thinking of the most important women in our lives,<br />
such as mother, wife, girlfriend and beautiful daughters,<br />
December 25th is the most suitable day for a<br />
piece of parure Bulgari jewelry, or jewels from Bijou<br />
designer Cesare Paciotti, or a beautiful Gucci bag and<br />
Firminio, all made in Italy.<br />
The real stars of Christmas, however, remain children.<br />
Every year, kids everywhere write a letter to Santa<br />
Claus, asking him to bring them lots of toys: trains,<br />
toy cars, dolls, bicycles and stuffed animals of all<br />
kinds.<br />
Lastly, as I did when I was a kid, I would like to write<br />
a little letter to Santa Claus:
“Dear Santa Claus in the world today there is so much<br />
sadness, and for this Christmas 2015, what I want you<br />
give to all of us, is much joy and serenity. But if you<br />
have some change left in your pocket, you could add<br />
to my wish list: a sweet perfume, a pair of red high<br />
pumps, a faux coat fur, and a beautiful bag, I think I<br />
was good! See you on Christmas eve...!”<br />
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New<br />
Year.<br />
Ciao from Italy<br />
Cinzia Antonelli
PRIME CUT<br />
Healthy Holiday Habits<br />
By Elizabeth Phinney<br />
First of all, gaining weight over the holidays is not<br />
a “normal” thing to do. It, actually, is an abnormal<br />
thing we do in our eating and exercise behavior<br />
which causes us to gain the weight. What has<br />
happened over the years is a victimization of our better<br />
habits. We pretty much throw up our hands in surrender<br />
when it comes to all those delicious holiday meals<br />
and goodies. And, so we indulge…and indulge…and<br />
indulge…
But, why not, it’s the holidays, right? After the holidays,<br />
everything will go back to normal and we will<br />
lose the weight. But here’s the catch, we typically<br />
don’t. According to a study posted in the New England<br />
Journal of Medicine, we do not gain an average<br />
of 5 pounds over the holidays – that’s the good news.<br />
The bad news is that we gain an average of one pound,<br />
but it NEVER goes away!! That pound combined<br />
with lack of exercise can easily turn into 2 – 3 pounds<br />
each year. Multiply that by 10 years (which goes by<br />
in a blink) and you have your extra 20 pounds aging<br />
from 50 to 60!<br />
The best thing to do around the holidays is to consider<br />
them to be like all other times of the year. The festivities<br />
may be more plentiful, but the eating does not<br />
have to be. When a tray of hors d’ouevres is passed,<br />
have one sample of each kind of hors d’ouevres and<br />
spread it out through the evening. That way you do<br />
get to try everything, but the overindulgence has not<br />
controlled you. When it comes to desserts, if you are<br />
a sugar junkie (which most of us are,) HAVE ONE<br />
BITE, savor it and push the rest away. And, when you<br />
stop laughing, I can tell you that this truly does work.<br />
By having the bite, you have satisfied your indulgence<br />
urge and not deprived yourself or insulted the<br />
host/ess. By pushing it out of your way at the table,<br />
your ego will easily take over and not allow you to<br />
embarrass yourself by bringing it back in front of you.<br />
Show your restraint and your friends will not only be<br />
impressed with your willpower, but envious of your<br />
strength.<br />
Another trick is to start the evening with a tall glass<br />
of water – 8 – 12 ounces, no ice if you can. That will<br />
“fill” your stomach right away. Do this, also, 30 minutes<br />
before you sit down to a meal as it tends to make<br />
you feel sated before you begin. If you are a guest at
someone’s home, and someone else is serving up your<br />
plate, cut each portion in half and just eat that. (Push<br />
the other food around so the split is not so obvious.)<br />
Oftentimes when I am in a restaurant, I do this right<br />
away, get my ToGo box and load it up so I am not<br />
tempted to eat the other half.<br />
If you drink alcohol, try to intersperse your cocktails<br />
with glasses of water: have a drink, have a glass of<br />
water, have a drink, have a glass of water. This not<br />
only helps lower your calorie consumption, it helps<br />
you not overindulge in alcohol which is a huge trigger<br />
for overeating.<br />
One very simple action you can take to control stuffing<br />
yourself is to make a fist and look at it, seriously<br />
look at it. Think about how much you have eaten and<br />
drunk so far in the day/evening and look at your fist.<br />
That is the size of your stomach. Have you been kind<br />
to your stomach so far today? Or, are you stretching it<br />
out to accommodate your binging?<br />
A critical piece during the holiday time is your exercise<br />
regimen. This time of year because of the availability<br />
of overindulgence, it is so important to stick<br />
with your exercise routine. And if you are thinking<br />
about waiting until the first of the year to start exercising,<br />
you are making a HUGE mistake. The best way<br />
to combat holiday eating is to practice giving back<br />
to your body in the form of exercise and you will not<br />
have as much inclination to the plethora of food available<br />
to you. Exercise feeds the body with the natural<br />
rejection of doing bad things to it. In other words,<br />
when you exercise, you have far less tendency to put<br />
bad food or too much food in your body. The brain<br />
naturally reacts to the exercise with all those feel good<br />
hormones that are produced and the need for food<br />
for overindulgence and spoiling yourself simply goes<br />
away. You don’t need it for that any more.<br />
So, for the holiday season, consider giving the best gift<br />
of all to your body: healthy foods in healthy quantities<br />
with healthy activity!
OPTIQUE<br />
Holiday<br />
By Rachel Silva<br />
Gifts<br />
for that...
So you are recently dating and the holidays<br />
are now suddenly here. What to do…. What<br />
to do…??? After all, “you never get a second<br />
chance to make a first impression.” No pressure<br />
at all though…right? A safe and seemingly obvious<br />
rule of thumb is DO NOT dish out a paycheck on a gift<br />
for this fairly new person in your life. That could be a<br />
sure fire way to send your new significant other running<br />
for the hills. And yes, you will most likely come across<br />
as needy, and possibly even placed in the “Fatal Attraction”<br />
category. However, on the flip side you also fear<br />
that if you get them something too small without much<br />
substance, you could come across as apathetic.<br />
New Special<br />
Person!
Yes, it’s a tough one for sure. Gift giving can cause<br />
insecurity and sheer panic, especially if it’s the beginning<br />
of a new relationship, or the even worse… the<br />
dreadful… are we ever going to amount to something,<br />
or aren’t we stage of dating. Therefore, I felt compelled<br />
to help with this delicate situation and reach out<br />
for some first hand advice on this topic. Most importantly<br />
make it personal, pay attention to the intricate<br />
details of their lives, and lastly keep it fairly simple<br />
and affordable.<br />
Make it Personal<br />
Cheryl knew her recent significant other’s favorite<br />
pastime was grilling, even in the winter. She decided<br />
to buy him a light for his grille from Brookstone, “it<br />
was inexpensive but thoughtful and personal. To go<br />
along with the grilling theme, I purchased a cedar<br />
plank for him to cook his salmon on.”
Ed would make it personal by cuing in to his significant<br />
others’ hobbies and interests. “My new girlfriend<br />
really loves cooking and actually wanted a food<br />
processor. I made it personal by putting it in a stocking<br />
for her with her name on it. “These gifts are simple,<br />
not too expensive, they show your significant other<br />
that you pay attention to them, and this is an indication<br />
you do actually…. CARE.<br />
Pay Attention to Details<br />
Kim starting dating her boyfriend this time last year,<br />
a month before the holidays. She knew he enjoyed<br />
micro -brewed beers, and trying different stouts. She<br />
bought him an assorted six - pack of beers. “I had<br />
to take the time to browse the internet and do some<br />
research, so it was thoughtful, but not over the top. He<br />
loved them!”<br />
Does your recent significant other enjoy wine? Go to<br />
a wine tasting together before the holidays, buy her a<br />
bottle of her new favorite wine from the night, give it<br />
to her for the holidays… and VOILA! … you just won<br />
the… I pay attention and actually remember details<br />
Gold Star!<br />
Give an Experience<br />
Tim had been dating a girl for about two months.<br />
He knew she had been under a lot of stress at home<br />
so he decided to get her a spa gift certificate. “I’m<br />
not really into giving gifts, I think it’s more about<br />
an experience. I knew she loved massages, and she<br />
could definitely have used one. In the card I told her<br />
the reason why I picked a spa certificate for her, and<br />
then she knew it wasn’t just a random gift card. She<br />
ended up using it a few days after I gave it to her,
she was definitely psyched to get it.”<br />
Enjoy watching sports together? Get<br />
tickets to your favorite team to watch<br />
together. If you can’t afford tickets<br />
to a professional team, get tickets to a<br />
semi-pro team instead like the Providence<br />
Bruins. Or your guy can go<br />
with a friend, just give him two tickets<br />
and he can enjoy a night out with the<br />
guys. He will be sure to appreciate<br />
that gesture, too.<br />
The Best Things in Life Are Free<br />
Lillian said, “It feels so special when<br />
someone takes the time to make me<br />
a gift. I recently started dating a guy,<br />
and we often sat outside and listened<br />
to music on his deck. He made me a<br />
cd of all the songs that reminded him<br />
of our time together, and songs he<br />
knew I loved. I have been smitten on<br />
him ever since.” Steve is an avid fisherman.<br />
“One girlfriend hand painted<br />
a huge glass jar for me. She filled it<br />
with inexpensive fishing bait. I knew<br />
she didn’t have a ton of money. It was<br />
a really cool thought. “<br />
“Gift giving can cause<br />
insecurity and sheer<br />
panic, especially if it’s<br />
the beginning of a<br />
new relationship, or<br />
even worse… the dreadful…<br />
‘are we ever going<br />
to amount to something,<br />
or aren’t we’ stage of<br />
dating. “