Teacups & Couture A Fashion Blog by Roxanna Bina
It was a lovely Saturday afternoon when I went to a luxury gift suite run by Nathalie Dubois-Sissoko for the 2012 Golden Globes. Held on the rooftop of the post Luxe Hotel on Rodeo in Beverly Hills, the suite had lots of unique goodies for the stars of the show. The most luxurious gift given to a few lucky stars was an all-expense trip to French Polynesia at the following resorts: St. Regis Bora Bora , Le Tahaa private island resort and spa, Tikehau Pearl beach resort. Spectacular!
So many cool brands were at the DPA gift suite this year- everything from jewelry to evening gowns to hair care to cupcakes(!) were present. Even beauty treatments and massages were given during all three days of the suite. Here are a few of my favorites from the suite:
Ever get sick of wearing the same boots over and over again? Well, with CovFurs you can switch it up by placing these fun fur covers over your boot to change the look. My fave is the animal print, naturally, since I’m a cat lady!
If you want something casual, yet chic, yet comfy… look no further than Eva Varro. Fun prints in slinky fabrics make this designer one of my faves at the suite. If you’re in Santa Monica, check out their store at the Santa Monica Mall.
Straight from New Zealand is a unique line of skin care and wellness products that the Duchess of Cambridge herself is a fan of- Manuka Doctor. Utilizing bee venom in some of their products actually plumps skin smooth. A nice alternative who think botox is icky. They also have a nice honey that goes perfect in tea.
Part vintage-inspired, part classic Hollywood, Norwegian designer Cecilie Melli brought glamour to the suite in the form of evening gowns, jewelry and (my fave!) bejeweled peter pan collars. There was one in particular that caught my eye- a peter pan collar fashioned out of pearl and finished with a pink ribbon. So cute!
If you’re looking for a high quality, organic haircare line then look no further than Luxury Organic Haircare by Evolvh. Based out of San Francisco, this line promises to make your hair feel its healthiest and look good, too.
Vbeauté luxury beauty products gifted stars with their airplane friendly skin care line called ‘The It Kit’. Perfectly set up to go through the security line, this travel kit has all you need- facial wash, moisturizer, toner and a few others. Great for the jet-set.
I was super excited to see Magnolia Bakery at the suite since I know their cakes from NYC. I always get the Snicker’s Ice Box pie to put me in a sugar coma whenever I visit NYC, but I don’t have to wait anymore! Magnolia Bakery is now open on W.3rd Street in Los Angeles. Woohoo! Check out their cupcakes, pies, and baked goods all in a nostalgic setting that a Stepford Wife would swoon over.
Ever wanted to have a taste of cake but didn’t want the whole slice (or cake)? Well, Nibnobs Sweet Co. has that covered. These little ‘Nibnobs’ have the right amount of frosting, cake all dipped in chocolate all conveniently shaped into bite-sized pieces for your popping pleasure. A wide range of cakes are offered including my fave, Red velvet, carrot cake and chocolate mint. MMMMMM!
Stars were gifted a session at Edge Neurofitness,which is a program designed to reduce stress levels, anxiety and just maintain good brain function. It’s really easy, you just wear a pair of special goggles with lights in it and watch a screen. Brainwaves are then recorded and translated for you so you can reach your full potential, whether it’s at sports, performing, or just everyday function. I wonder if cats can benefit from this (I’m looking at you Ms. Coco– she’s skittish).
Lovely looseleaf teas were provide by Paris-based company Kusmi. I really love their teas because they are so aromatic, flavorful and also offer a wellness line. If you ever get a chance to have Kusmi tea- do it, man…. and don’t look back. Another tea company was on hand called Siptea , which specializes in herbal teas.
Halo By Geisha Fabulous gifted stars with these incredibly simple, yet beautiful headbands that resemble ‘halos’. If you pile them on, like 5 or 6, it really makes a cool fashion statement. I’ll be wearing mine with a messy bun.
And finally, the African Millennium Foundation was on hand to create awareness about the sustainable village in Mozambique for orphaned children by AIDS. Handmade jewelry is sold to benefit this charitable effort.
I always look forward to Nathalie’s suites- always, unique, luxurious and on the fore-front! Until next time….
-I’m wearing a vintage plaid jacket from Lip Service; plaid pants by Espirit; plaid skirt made my mom when I was 5; shirt from the depths of my closet; shoes are the ones I made with glitter and rhinestones; necklace by Betsey Johnson, headband by Forever 21, bracelet from this ghetto beauty shop in East LA and handbag by Chanel-
photos: moi, Kerstin Alm
