[Fashion]
4th Annual Fashion Beauty & Lifestyle Expo

About This Event

The 4th Annual “Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Expo” (FBL) featuring designer Nikki Poulos from NBC’s Fashion Star and Project Runway winner Anya Ayoung Chee will return to the Washington Convention Center on Saturday, October 20th from 2-8pm.

America’s Next Top Model runway coach J. Alexander (Miss. J) will host this year’s event, which is produced by WDCW-TV/DC50, Tribune Broadcasting’s CW affiliate in Washington, DC. Kate Michael, editor-in-chief of K Street Kate, will serve as co-host of the Expo. WDCW-TV is producing the Fashion Beauty & Lifestyle Expo in conjunction with event production expert Maggy François.

FBL will feature J. Alexander hosting fashion shows introducing top national and local designers, meet and greet sessions as well as more than 60 vendor booths. Some notable designers that will be hitting the runway are: Hush, My Bougie Baby, Nam Nguyen, Kelly Tang, Walish Gooshe, Aidah Collection, Current Boutique, Studio D’Maxsi, Red Hue Boutique, ZweetSport, Tashia Senn Collection, Christopher Schafer Menswear Clothier, Maven Style, Anna Bags and Saint Chic from Lifetime’s series 24-Hour Catwalk.

Other events currently scheduled include:
•An autograph session with J. Alexander. The first 25 people in line for the session receive a free copy of his book, “Follow the Model.”
•Meet and greet events with: DC style Icon Paul Wharton, Big Tigger, Resident DJ of the Washington Wizards and host of Direct Access with Big Tigger, Lavar Arrington, Host of Sports Week and Kate Michael & several local Pageant Queens.
•A model search judged by Paul Wharton, host and producer of Paul Wharton Style. The winner selected will win a beauty makeover, a portfolio and a day trip to New York City to meet a top-modeling agency.
•New this year, FBL will also feature a CW Lounge where people can stop by to screen upcoming CW fall shows: Emily Owens, Arrow, and Beauty & the Beast. The much-anticipated Carrie Diaries (the early days of Carrie Bradshaw), set to premiere in early 2013, will also be exclusively showcased in the CW Lounge.

Tickets to FBL can be purchased online or on-site at the event. Check out www.FBLDC.com or www.DC50tv.com to purchase your tickets.

About Anya Ayoung Chee
Anya Ayoung Chee is the winner of Project Runway Season 9 and one of the hottest young fashion designers to emerge from the Caribbean in recent years. Hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, she launched her women’s label, PILAR, in May 2009 and it has been making waves ever since. In June 2010, she launched a lingerie line named Anya de Rogue, the first of its kind in the Caribbean. A graduate of Parsons School of Design and Central St Martins School of Art and Design, Anya spent several years working as a designer in New York City until in 2007 she returned home after her eighteen-year old brother Pilar died tragically in a car accident. Soon after the move, Anya was selected to represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant. This experience propelled her into a life in front on the camera as a model and television host. Anya has since hosted several Caribbean television and web-based events and live shows, including movie premieres, fashion shows and her own fashion program “make it yours.” Anya’s diverse background as a designer, stylist, model and host is only a hint of things to come. As a designer, Anya is set to redefine the Caribbean as a fashion mecca, and has already begun to do so in a revolutionary way.

About Nikki Polous
In the 1990’s, Nikki was the designer and proprietor of ‘ecobaby’ an environmentally friendly babies and children’s clothing business in her native hometown Sydney, Australia. A love affair with the ocean led Nikki to pursue a career in marine biology and her Bachelor of Science degree and a scholarship opportunity brought Nikki to US shores. Working in coral reef conservation, Nikki juggled the dichotomy between science and fashion; ultimately her creativity lured her back to the fashion world. Nikki is now based in Delray Beach, Florida. Since creating her 'nikki poulos' label in 2008, she has built up a loyal following with her clientele and in the press. The collections have been featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Elle, Lucky and Fitness magazines, and the European version of the hit show Next Top Model. The line is available across the US most notably in Anthropologie, and can be found across Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Australia. The biggest news this year is that Nikki appeared on the new NBC Fashion Star show. Both her collections ‘nikki poulos’ and ‘nikki poulos swim’ reflect Nikki’s love of vintage inspired styles, sassy prints and bold colors. A fascination with old Hollywood glamour and the icons of fashion, film and art, coupled with her love of the great outdoors, inspires and influences her styling to create a line that represents the epitome of modern boho chic. Nikki believes firmly in supporting her local economy, therefore all her pieces are proudly produced in the US.

About Miss J
Alexander Jenkins, commonly known as “Miss J.” and/or J. Alexander; was born and raised in the South Bronx of New York City, which served as Miss. J.’s first introduction to fashion and overcoming adversity. His childhood memories have been well documented within his self‐authored book Follow the Model, a memoir about his rise to fame as a black gender‐bending model coach. He is best known for his television work as a runway coach for contestants on America’s Next Top Model (ANTM). J. Alexander’s career as a world‐renowned runway coach began when he coached runway glamazons both backstage at fashion shows and within the venerable fashion houses of Europe. He was recognized for his coaching abilities and has worked with most major models through both private training and consultancies with major designer brands. J. Alexander became a judge in cycle 5 of America’s Next Top Model and most recently in season 14 and 15 has returned to his role as a guest celebrity, model coach and mentor. He has an ability to elicit elegance and movement on the catwalk. This coupled with his outlandish sense of style, has put him in high demand in the world of fashion and modeling.

About Kate Michael
Kate Michael is the President and Founder of K Street Kate, an online media company comprised of an online magazine (www.KStreetKate.net) and online talk show (www.TheDistrictDish.com) devoted to lifestyle news about the District of Columbia. Hip, happening and hyperlocal, Kate formed the company while serving as Miss District of Columbia 2006 and competing in Miss America (2007) while at the same time completing her dual MBA/Masters in Government from Johns Hopkins University and working both for the Federal and District of Columbia governments. When not writing or serving as an on-air talent, Kate works as a professional model having walked the runway for such industry icons as Valentino, Peter Som, Dior and Carolina Herrera. Her media portfolio includes a spread in Elle magazine and features on Inside Edition and BBC World News' The Real Cities series. Her work has also appeared on NBC, NewsChannel 8, Comcast and in other local publications.

About Maggy François
DC50TV proudly partners with Maggy Francois for “Fashion Beauty & Lifestyle Expo.” In 1996, Maggy Francois began her stylish career producing fashion shows for clients up and down the East Coast. With unmatched talent and vision, she launched Maggy Francois event management company in 2000 committed to “creating the unimaginable” for fashions biggest names, including: Project Runway winner Christian Siriano, Korto Momolu, Betsey Johnson, Amsale Aberra, Francis Hendy, Jerell Scott, Reco Chapple and Carol Hannah Whitfield. In addition to her love of fashion, Maggy’s passion is in education, providing her experience as a roadmap for aspiring designers through West Potomac Academy Fashion Design. Maggy believes “The impact of educating through design is more than just creating clothing, it is fashioning a way of life for young adults to express themselves and their ideas into tangible items.” Visit http://www.maggyfrancois.com for more information.