A Real Movie About Passion for Fashion, Ben Affleck's & Matt Damon's Tribute to Air Jordan, "Air."

 By Laura Medina

If Neil Bogart's life story, "Spinning Gold" is about the music business where style and fashion follow the music, then "Air" is about the story behind Air Jordans, the trajectory and endurance of style and fashion from athletic footwear to designer streetwear.  It's also about athleisure where jogging outfits became everyday wear and where the humble sneaker became designer wear,

1984 was a pivotal year where jogging and its accompanying clothes and sneakers were taken over by the rise of basketball. Remember, it was and is all about Michael Jordan and his sneakers specifically  designed for him.

It was basketball and Michael Jordan that saved Nike, not jogging.

Since this is Ben Affleck's and Matt Damon's movie, this is a labor of love for them, a true fashionista movie.

Since Air Jordans saved Nike enough to be buy out its competitor, Converse, it launched a super stylish fashion category, the haute couture designer sneakers market that are keeping French haute couture brands afloat catering to Millennials and Gen-Yers, and don't forget the Gen-Xers that started this all.

"Air" should be watched by fashionistas and fashion students about product development, from its beginning to end.

"Air" proves there's more to fashion than haute couture clothes and catwalks and fashion shows.

It proves that fashion is a lifestyle.

Neal Bogart's Casablanca Records was the Zeitgeist of the Seventies, as Portrayed in "Spinning Gold;" Defining Fashion & Musical Style.

 By Laura Medina

Joyce Bogart-Trabulus said of course, the fashion in musical drama, "Spinning Gold," of her story with Neal Bogart, founder of Casablanca Records was awesome because she and him set the trends in music, which in turn, set the fashion trends for everybody else to follow.

That infamous John Travolta white suit with black shirt, Casablanca Records' Neil Bogart set that when he was running the label, chasing after talent then promoting them at clubs.

The drama of his life, "Spinning Gold" gives where credit is due.

He was the man who spotted, signed, then promoted the heck out of Isley Brothers, Edwin Hawkins Singers' "Oh, Happy Day," KISS, Donna Summers, and The Village People.

As Jason Isaac says, Neil Bogart gave us the soundtrack of our lives during the pivotal late Sixties thru the Seventies.

Neil's lover-mistress-turned second wife, Joyce, took it upon herself to be KISS' manager, from teaching them how to apply their iconic makeup then designing and styling their iconic costumes.

Neil had his finger on demographics, that "zeitgeist." What others call "having his finger on the pulse."  

"Spinning Gold" shows the little things that define and directed Neil's tread forecasting then marketing.  When he spotted that KISS' earliest fans were tween and teenaged boy misfits who saw themselves in KISS, in order to save KISS, Neil market to the fan base with the now recognizable KISS merchandising of lunch boxes, t-shirts, and bubblegum (this ugly duckling scribe used to chew KISS Bubble Gum with KISS trading cards).

Hint, hint, Gene Simmons business acumen came from Neil.

Alright, Joyce had this story of a soaring Gene Simmons always hitting on her female secretaries, that she had to hire a male secretary to make Gene quit hitting on her assistants.

How's that for stopping sexual harassment?

Even though the fashion was so stylish that it's considered classics now a days, "Spinning Gold" should one of those movies about the music business.   The one that one should watch for, in how to deal in the music business, vinyl and streaming.

Folks should watch for the little details that Neil had a knack for, in discovering then promoting talent.

Neil's instincts were so on point, that his discoveries become legends like KISS; and the songs that came from his discoveries, The Village People's "YMCA" and Donna Summer's Disco hits, transcended the era they defined into pop music enduring classics.

Where Food & Fashion Does Intersect Where Style is Not Mutually Exclusive, Miley Cyrus' ‘Endless Summer Vacation’" Release Party with Her Being the Face of Gucci Flora Perfume at Gucci Osteria Beverly Hills.

 By Laura Medina

Miley Cyrus did a double celebration at Gucci's Beverly Hills bistro, Gucci Osteria.

Not only did she threw her "Endless Summer Vacation" album release party there, she also celebrated her being the face of Gucci's new perfume, Gucci Flora at the same time.

Miley's team selected Gucci's Gucci Osteria bistro where fashion meets food.

For all those  stuck-in-mud anorexic, sample-sized fashionistas, you all will be amazed that style exists everywhere in unexpected ways and places.

The chef at Gucci Osteria is the childhood friend of Gucci's head designer, so this idea of a restaurant has been digesting for a long time.

Plus, the restaurant caters to the customers' taste (this scribe has a knack for puns) and lifestyle.

Due to the tight space and exclusive address, Gucci Osteria is a great place to throw a fashionable party.

Supermodel Paulina Porizkova Got Open & Naked About Her Life at Her "No Filter" Book Signing, While Pierce Bronson & Keely Smith-Bronson Waited in Line, Like Everybody Else.

 By Laura Medina

During the Eighties, brown-haired brunette supermodel, Paulina Porizkova had such a hold that her fan base is still strong forty years later.  Tween and teen girls are now established and powerful influential women who sat and stood for a whole afternoon to hear their idol talk about her journey, divorce, sexual harassment then agism.

Paulina wants to prove that women aren't alone in these experiences; and being a supermodel is no different when it comes to personal and financial losses then having to re-invent herself as a fifty-something Gen-Xer.  A person Gen-Xers still hold dear.

Pierce Bronson's wife, Keely Smith-Bronson is one of Paulina's fans.  The Bronsons arrived late then stood in line for the entire one-hour Questions and Answers chat with Gen-Xer podcast, @prettyripe.

When this social media scribe asked her about the difference between being a model in the Eighties versus today's social media influencers, Paulina says it's great that these social media influencers have a say and control over how they present and project themselves, while having a voice.

This is something she said, she never had.  While modeling in the Eighties, she wasn't allowed to have a voice.  Obviously, there was no technology for social media.  Everything about her, before social media, her image and voice were controlled by other people.  Especially, back then, most models, like her, were so young, teenagers who had no voice and allowed others to control them, and yes, took advantage of them sexually.  In her case (yes, read her book, "No Filters"), she was sexually harassed when she was still a virgin.  

During those pre-social media years, Paulina was even punished for speaking her mind, earning the moniker "No Filter." Something that a lot of social media influencers take for granted.

She thinks it's great now a days, that social media gives, really, anyone and everyone, regardless of age, gender, preference, and background, a voice.

Something that was denied to her way younger self.

During her Questions and Answers session, she selected to read "Nude, Not Naked" chapter from her "No Filter" book discussing agism and using her wisdom to gain the self-confidence to not only pose nude because she's comfortable with her body and skin, but she took charge and direction of her life.

Paulina Porizkova is no teenage to be taken advantage of, anymore.

Gigi Hadid Modeling Same Versace Gown in Versace's Fall-Winter 2023 Fashion Show in West Hollywood During Oscar Week Then Lady Gaga Wearing It on Oscar Sunday.

 By Laura Medina

If today's gifting and style lounges and suites and studio costume designers during the Golden Era of the Studio System, in Hollywood set the precursors in using Oscar's red carpet and the awards show itself, as a fashion runway to advertise unique, original couture creations then emulating a many knock-offs, Dontella Versace took it one step further.

She recognized a marketing opportunity.  Instead of celebrities going out of their ways to schedule then travel to a Versasce fashion show in Milan, Dontella brought it to them in Hollywood on a night and during a week when they need it the most-Oscar Thursday before Oscar Sunday.

Dontella was right.  The same Versace gown Gigi Hadid modeled on Pacific Design Center catwalk, in West Hollywood, was the same gown Lady Gaga wore, four nights later, to the Oscars on Oscar Sunday. Eeehhhh, smart?!

Since major runway shows are a rare treat, of course every A-listers flock, with shopping expectations in mind.

As Gavin says, it's a win-win.

It's Isn't Oscar Week Until Its GBK Productions Annual Pre Oscars-Celebrity Gift Lounge Celebrating the 2023 Academy Awards.

 By Laura Medina

Based on years of being lucky enough to attend, cover, report, and gleam trend forecasting from gifting, beauty, and style suites and lounges, it's all about prepping awards shows' nominees and guests getting ready for the spotlight in one week or less, intense glam slamming!

Gavin Keilly's pioneering GBK Gifting Lounge was the leading lighting in celebrity gifting and style lounging where others, copycats, and wanna-bes tried to be, but aren't; when and where his gifting lounges are on every agents' tongues yet Gavin is still.

GBK Gifting Lounge thinks beyond instant awards' red carpet appearances.  He thinks of the post-awards chill, when nominees, winners, and guests need stuff to calm down, long after the fun storm of the awards' week and the award show itself and the accompanying post-celebration parties.  As in gifting Viola Davis with a relaxing Netvue Bird Feeder cam at the GBK Brand Bar Pre Oscar’s Lounge.

It's all about giving what celebrities can use, long after that moment in time has come and gone, then hopefully repeated again.  GE Cync lighting – a SAVANT company at the GBK Brand Bar Pre Oscar’s Lounge.  Celebrities have always been influencers for the longest time, way before social media.  Celebrities gifted with GE's Cync Lighting colored lights strips with app, can throw their own parties or interior decoration with GE's Cync programmable lights synchronized to music and basic light control, https://www.gelighting.com/cync-smart-home-app

Celebrities and nominees all need good luck charms and protective charms against jealous people.  Anna Sophia Robb receives jewelry by The Artisan Group at the GBK Brand Bar Pre Oscar’s Lounge.

Euphoria star Nika King receives El Cristiano Tequila at the GBK Brand Bar Pre Oscar’s Lounge.  Nominees and winners need to relax, after all that networking and cheering on that big awards night.

So, who's the wizard behind this awesome gifting suite that's on all and everyone's tongue, as the place to be and the event to be copied?

Simply put, how did the concept of gifting suites and lounges started in the first place?

Guess what, the man himself, Gavin Keilly sat with this inquisitive scribe to explain how the gifting suite came about.

He said it started twenty years ago, when he simply gifted fancy watches to The Osbournes, yes Ozzy Osbourne's family, when they had their reality show.  Simple as that.

From that simple gesture, the gifting lounge concept was born then grew and evolved into an industry unto itself.

What differentiates his gifting lounges from the "johnnies-come-lately" copycats and wanna-bes?

Simply, he cares.

Gavin cares about the quality of the services and the products he offers at his lounges, tailoring his lounges to the events and the awards shows and their accompanying leading week.  

There's a strong sense of hospitality, from having celebrity wranglers greeting, accompanying then introducing celebrities to products that they can use prepping for the awards shows and using products long after the awards shows then the following brands' awareness to fans.

In-between hopping from vendors, and for vendors too, there's catering for lunching at the lounge or lunch to-go when you, the media, the nominees, and celebrities are hopping from one event to other lounges non-stop (remember, Tis the Season, Awards Season).  It's the "devil in the details," the thoughtfulness that separates GBK Lounges from the others.  This is the "what" while others try to follow and copy.

Unfortunately, there are some that try to attempt, only to fail, realizing what hard work goes into a gifting suite.  This is something Gavin is well aware of; and yes, he just simply sits back and smiles, knowing it is this idea of thoughtfulness and hospitality that makes then breaks away from the pack.  Those who had failed, trying to be "Gavin," could only respect his "devils in the details" thinking that they accept they don't have then realizing they don't want to do it nor have the time and energy to attempt then succeed, like he does.

He also put a lot of consideration into the audience for each and all awards, from female-dominated Golden Globes and Oscars to the more athletic and male-driven ESPY Awards, giving attendees what they can use, now and later.

Surprisingly, for all this glamour, being vendor and having celebrities and yes, the media promoting products, is actually way more affordable than a traditional magazine print ad in traditional upscale magazines.  Paying for a full-page magazine ad is out of reach for emerging companies.  Even, more established companies want to save money.

For an affordable budget, especially regarding product launches, these companies get more bang for their buck, with celebrities and media promoting then using products getting ready for the big nights then long after.

Gavin cares, from beginning to end and the in-betweens.

One thing you'll noticed at each and every GBK Lounge is one or two charities.  Gavin makes sure that they, and celebrities in particular, they give back.

Oh heck, we're all people.  Vendors and charities get a kick meeting their favorite celebrities while celebrities get tickle pink getting stuff they can use.  Combined, they attract awareness at both ends. 

Again simply put, Gavin is all about "win-win."

Rihanna Rolling onto the Oscars, with Lenny Kravitz. Ashely Graham, Vanessa Hudgens & Lilly Singh Warm Up with "Countdown to the Oscars," Only in LA.

 By Laura Medina

Music superstar Rihanna will perform the Oscar®-nominated song “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” at the 95th Oscars®, executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner announced today.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the 95th Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

“Lift Me Up,” with music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson and lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler, is nominated for Original Song.  It is Rihanna’s first Oscar nomination.

A nine-time Grammy Award winner, Rihanna has eight multi-platinum albums, and 14 singles that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The 95th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Grammy®-winning musician Lenny Kravitz will deliver the “In Memoriam” performance at the 95th Oscars®, executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner and executive producer Molly McNearney announced today.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. 

A writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Kravitz has transcended genre throughout a three-decade-plus musical career.  He has recorded eleven studio albums that have sold 40 million copies worldwide and won four consecutive Grammy Awards.  Kravitz appeared in such films as “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “The Hunger Games” and “Precious.”

Following the broadcast tribute, more than 200 filmmakers, artists and executives will be memorialized in an extended photo gallery on A.frame, the Academy’s digital magazine.

The 95th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Only in LA, televised locally on KABC7 within the Los Angeles County greater area, we locals have the treat to an afternoon long red carpet warm-up, catering to Gen-Zer, Model Ashley Graham, actor Vanessa Hudgens and multi-hyphenate Lilly Singh will host “Countdown to the Oscars®,” the official lead-in to the 95th Oscars on Sunday, March 12, airing at 6:30 p.m. EDT/3:30 p.m. PDT on ABC. This marks Hudgens second consecutive year hosting the official pre-show. Content creator Reece Feldman will be a backstage correspondent and Rocsi Diaz will be the correspondent for the Academy’s member viewing party in NYC. The 90-minute special will highlight Oscar® nominees, performers and presenters, and give fans around the world the ultimate insider’s sneak peek at Hollywood’s biggest night. 

“Countdown to the Oscars” is executive produced by David Chamberlin and Michael Antinoro, alongside executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner.

Leading into the official pre-show, ABC News will have special coverage of Hollywood’s biggest night with a live Oscars pre-show “On The Red Carpet Live: Countdown to Oscars 95,” Sunday, March 12, at 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT/10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. The pre-show coverage will also stream on ABC News Live starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/10:30 a.m. PDT throughout the day until the start of the 95th Academy Awards®. ABC News Live Prime anchor and “World News Tonight” weekend anchor Linsey Davis and “Good Morning America” weekend co-anchor and “World News Tonight” weekend anchor Whit Johnson will host the red-carpet special at Hollywood’s Dolby® Theatre, featuring interviews with Oscar nominees and previewing the big night. Davis and Johnson will be joined by ABC News correspondent Chris Connelly, ESPN’s Andscape senior entertainment reporter and ABC News contributor Kelley Carter and Hollywood insiders, including Variety’s Elizabeth Wagmeister and Clayton Davis, and celebrity stylist Joe Zee.

“On The Red Carpet Live: Countdown to Oscars 95” is produced by Catherine McKenzie and John Green.

 
The 95th Oscars will be held Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

 Oscar®-winning multi-hyphenate David Byrne, Oscar-nominated actor Stephanie Hsu and music trio Son Lux will perform the Oscar-nominated song “This Is A Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once” at the 95th Oscars®, executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner and executive producer Molly McNearney announced today.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the 95th Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 12, 2023. 

“This Is A Life,” with music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski and lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne, is nominated for Original Song.  

Byrne was the founding member, lead singer and guitarist for the critically acclaimed band Talking Heads. He won an Oscar for the original score of the 1987 film “The Last Emperor,” in collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su.

Hsu is nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”  Her other credits include the award-winning series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” an upcoming appearance in Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face” opposite Natasha Lyonne, an appearance in the upcoming Disney+ series “American Born Chinese” and starring in the forthcoming film “The Fall Guy” opposite Ryan Gosling.

Experimental musical group Son Lux is founder and front man Lott, Ian Chang and Rafiq Bhatia.  The band is nominated for Original Score for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Riz Ahmed, Emily Blunt, Glenn Close, Jennifer Connelly, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, Troy Kotsur, Jonathan Majors, Melissa McCarthy, Janelle Monáe, Deepika Padukone, Questlove, Zoe Saldaña and Donnie Yen will present at the 95th Oscars®, executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner and executive producer Molly McNearney announced today.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. 

Continuation of presenters:

Halle Bailey, Antonio Banderas, Elizabeth Banks, Jessica Chastain, John Cho, Andrew Garfield, Hugh Grant, Danai Gurira, Salma Hayek Pinault, Nicole Kidman, Florence Pugh and Sigourney Weaver will present at the 95th Oscars®, executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner and executive producer Molly McNearney announced today.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT.