press releases

BY ALEX MISSICK

STUNNING, rich and decadent can best describe the Spring 2009 NIKOLAKI Red Carpet Collection by Nick Verreos, one of the many talented judges at the Islands of the world Fashion week and his partner David Paul.
The designer showcased 25 gorgeous pieces in a variety of vibrant colors such as Crimson Red, Golden Sand, Salmon Pink, Canary Yellow and Basic Black. Surprisingly, all of the gowns were hand sewn and all of the beaded sequin and bead work were intricately done by hand.
The inspiration behind the collection came from the golden era of Mexican cinema and the actresses of that time such as Maria Felix, Sara Montiel and Dolores Del Rio.
“I started with the colors-the bright reds, the Turquoise, and the Gold’s, and I thought about the old movies both of our grandmothers watched in the 1950’s,” explained Verreos. “I then decided to turn those gowns into 2008-2009 versions,” he continued.
Verreos explained that having this collection displayed at IWFW is like having a brand new baby come into the world.
“I’m so excited that it all came out. We know that it is so much work but in the end it worked out flawlessly- I’m more than happy,” Verreos beamed.
Verreos’ partner, David Paul, a native of Southern California noted that both he and Verreos play separate and equal roles in the way they approach the designs. Paul said that Verreos draw thousands of sketches which he subsequently edits. Then the two collaborate on which designs they will create.
“We wanted to give the collection a sexy, Latin feel, but not too ‘cha-cha’. We choose our fabrics together and Nick does all the draping and patterns and I do the hand sewing on all of them,” Paul explained.
Verreos noted that the Divas of the 1950’s were the real inspiration behind the designs this collection. He explained that the look for the gowns was vintage without looking dated.
Kamela Forbes, a Bahamian model based in New York with APM models, said she was thrilled to find out that both Verreos and Paul were showcasing their designs at IWFW.
“I was absolutely thrilled to do the show because I modeled for their very first collection. Their collection now has grown so much from what it was,” noted Forbes. “It was fabulous then but it is unbelievably fabulous now.”
The NIKOLAKI line was launched in 2001 and is available in over 100 stores in the United States and worldwide. Designs by Verreos and Paul have also been worn by actresses such as Kathy Griffin and Heidi Klum.