May Fashion Outings

May 19 - September 29 Tired of paying retail? Join the rest of us at The Thread of Life Fashion Design and Entrepreneur ship Classes & Career Development sponsored by SINGA, 608 Rhode Island Ave., NE Washington, DC, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. (202) 526-6940 or jrhsinga@yahoo.com. Wednesday, May 20 Models, Bottles and Bikini's at Cab ana's in Georgetown, 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM Dennis Ro Che of Ro Che Salon’s hair model showcase of the hottest swimsuits for summer served with complimentary margaritas and appetizers. Wednesday, May 20 Moonlighting in MD - Celebrate the Grand Opening of South Moon Under’s new location at National Harbor in conjunction with DC Magazine. 100 American Way National Harbor, MD, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM A 20% discount is offered with a purchase and the chance to enter to win a gift package. Friday, May 22 Runway Action DC Black Pride Presents Super Fly Fashion Show, Renaissance M Street Hotel - New Hampshire Ballroom, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Tickets are $35. Saturday, May 23 Pay Your Respect and Bid adieu to WDC's Calico Corners, 4400 Jennifer St. NW Closing after 10 years. All in-stock fabrics are 50 percent off; trims and drapery hardware are discounted 75 percent. Thursday, May 28 Bubbles & Brows Beauty and Shopping Event, Topaz Hotel 1733 N St. NW, 6:30PM - 9:30 www.uptowngirlent.com. Merci, QYANA AGINA, Blogging Maven for Simone's Butterfly!

NYC Launches Fashion Retail Plan

Today Mayor Bloomberg unveiled a retail action plan called FASHION'S NIGHT OUT to jumpstart retail sales in NYC this fall. The initiative involves a day of special personal appearances and other incentives to get people out shopping. Fashion's Night Out kicks off on September 10, the first day of fashion week! How do we convince Mayor Fenty that fashion = economic development? Hmmmm. We've got a few ideas.....

NYC : MEET BYRON LARS, MODEL CALL @ THE MET, BARBIE ON THE CATWALK, VALENTINO's OPULENCE

SIMONE BUTTERFLY TAKES ON NEW YORK!

In preparation of the 5th Annual Capital Catwalk Salon Event scheduled for June 5, 2009, we packed up our cotton candy pink suitcase and hopped the BOLT BUS for what turned out to be the most stylicious action packed FashionWeekend we've had in months.

Friday 5/15/09:

We met prominent NY designer, Byron Lars whose fashion career spans over 20 years.

On Friday, June 5, 2009 (7pm to 9pm) we will present Lars with the 2009 International Style Maven Award at the Capital Catwalk Salon Event - (Tickets are on sale right now, darling!)






Fun Facts about my new friend BYRON LARS:
Fashion Designer. Freelance Sketcher and Pattern Maker

1991 Showed first collection
1993 En Vogue fashion collection designer
1990-1998 Ran Byron Lars Shirt Tales
1997 Designed fashions for BARBIE
2000 Launched Green-T label
2001 Launched Beauty Mark label, 2001

Byron is not only a genius, but he is a genuine, affable and generous. An Oakland, CA native, he currently lives in NYC. His apparel is featured at DC boutique Everard's Clothing located at

West End Store: 1120 20th Street NW / Washington, DC 20036
Georgetown Store: 1802 Wisconsin Ave, NW /Washington, DC 20007

Saturday, 5/16/09
We called our favorite NY gypsy silver town car driver Sam and....

9:30 am Simone Visits the MET: Model as Muse Exhibit



Surrounded by stunning photography by Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, we glided through the 5 rooms lined with vintage VOGUE, ELLE, HARPER's BAZAAR magazines and mannequins dolled up in vintage Dior and Charles James, etc.

The exhibit traced the history of fashion models from the European days of Haute Couture and Praline, a house model selected not for her photographic looks but her exquisite poise and carriage to the New Look models who expressed movement despite the boned bodices and crinolined skirts of the day by bending from the hip, making swan like jesters with their necks and arms rather than posing with stiffened waists through the status conscious lady like looks of the 1950's and the overt ssensuality and highly individualized looks of the 1960's. Covering the Body Politic of the 1980's when apparel which long loss her rigid underpinnings now highlighted a youthful body; the grunge of the 1990's and Gautier's modern day fantasy fairy tale opulence, the presentation was lush, extravagant and informative. BRAVO!

Highlights for us include:

Marisa Berenson (Mariessa's name sake) who appeared on the scene in 1966


Donyale Luna (first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue in 1964) featured wearing an aluminum dress from Qui estes-vous Polly Maggoo, a short moving picture that represents the first time I've ever seen Donyale outside of a magazine. Priceless.


Beverly Johnson first black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue (1974) who was discovered while attending law classes. Inspirational.

Reference to the epochal Battle of Versailles where the top American designers presented in Paris against the French designers. America WON. See our interview of Bethann Hardision a Battle of Versailles model (www.simoneswashington.blogspot.com) for more information on this fab event.


11:00 Simone Gets BARBIElicious at Dylan's Candy Bar


What's a birthday party without presents?
We decided to visit Dylan's Candy Bar to sample the newest BARBIE confection created especially by Dylan to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Barbie. Want to taste test for yourself? Attend the Capital Catwalk as a VIP guest and satisfy your sweet tooth...fashionably.

1:15 pm Simone Is Mesmorized by Flick: Valentino: The Last Emperor


We lucked up and found a theater in NYC still playing the documentary on Valentino. Sitting in the middle chair of the 20th row, we along with 3 other couples spent 1 hour and 50 minutes being drizzled with a steady stream of Valentino Red opulence. Darling it was really quite exquisite.

Favorite quote: "I love beauty, it's not my fault." -Valentino

Alexander McQueen storms TARGET!

We lucked up and attended the Alexander McQueen Sample Sale in NYC during Fashion Week. We grabbed a ton of fabulous punk rock frocks, jackets and pants. Visit the fab Columbia Heights Target to get your own.

OBAMA Nail Art: Wearing Your Heart on Your Nails

With only a few days to the most highly anticipated election since well….the last election, we opted to celebrate the imminent arrival of a new administration by shopping for the most innovative and fashionable campaign paraphernalia. Surprise, Surprise- the award goes to Natasha Ray , SE nail maven and East Coast Minx Nails representative. Natasha.Ray@msDainty.com (202-538-0142)

Never heard of Minx Nails? Darling, it’s a clever new nail coating that has no drying time, no chemicals, and comes in hundreds of different designs from French to our favorite, “OBAMA.” Whether you get your nails done today or next week be sure to represent your candidate in style AND PLEASE VOTE!

Pssst...Diversity Comes to VOGUE

i started making collages like this 5 yrs ago-hot girls collected over a span of 7 mos

Claiming Beauty…the Power in that and the dissemination of it to the young women who follow us, is as serious….as boys pointing cannons at oil wells. –Audre Lourde

There is great power in fashion, beauty and style. Power to elevate the mind. Power to conjure a mood. Power to inspire young women to walk outside the lines commanding attention with each step.

Fashion magazines are conduits for this power. Each image, interview and advertisement communicates a standard for beauty and style…for some. For others, magazines and runway presentations have loss a bit of their relevance.

After attending a forum on the dearth of black runway and print models sponsored by Bethann Hardison, famed fashion photographer, Steven Meisel, decided to take a bold step and reverse the tables. In the spring of 2008, Meisel teamed up with Italian Vogue editor Franca Sozzani, to create an historic July 2008 issue with 100 pages of pictures, interviews and stories featuring iconic models of color, including, fashion veterans Tyra Banks, Iman, Veronica Webb, Naomi Campbell, Pat Cleveland and new comers Arlenis Sosa, Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn.

With diversity finally invading Carrie Bradshaw’s New York and even threatening to penetrate the White House, it is time to expand the very narrow beauty standards currently espoused. How, darling? Well for starters, let’s make the July issue of Italian Vogue the best selling one ever. I for one will be buying each of the four covers twice. ☺

Interview with Mariessa for CLUTCH magazine

Excerpt from a June 1, 2008 Interview for CLUTCH MAGAZINE

by By Nikki J. Duckworth

http://clutchmagonline.com/fashion/mariessa-terrell-simones-butterfly/

The exclusive design vs. the knockoff is an issue that’s as old as fashion history, but with high profile companies like Diane Von Furstenberg bringing their fight against copycats to the forefront in the form of lawsuits, trademark infringement has once again become a hot button issue. And while budget conscious fashion lovers may be crossing their fingers in anticipation for the next Louboutin knock off, designers both established and emerging are trying to figure out ways to protect their creative vision. Enter fashion lawyers like Mariessa Terrell. Terrell is the founder and CEO of Simone’s Butterfly a company that works with clients on everything from brand management and promotion to contract negotiation. We caught up with the style maven to talk fashion law and find out about more about her work on the D.C. style scene.


Clutch: Many emerging designers are focused on their art and may be unfamiliar with the business side of the industry or the importance of branding. How important is it for a designer to establish a unique image?

Mariessa: I believe that in today's saturated fashion marketplace it is crucial for designers to develop a unique and arresting business image through branding. Many times, unique brands, logos, and slogans are the easiest way to distinguish one fabulous black dress from another.

CLUTCH: The subject of copyright infringement seems to be coming up more often as we're reading about very high profile companies being involved in litigation. Some retailers have basically knocked off a garment before the runway show is even over! How does the law make the distinction between "inspiration" and "stealing"?

Mariessa: Current law does not provide much protection for fashion designs. If the Design Piracy Prohibition Act becomes law it will create a special, limited three-year copyright in fashion designs, with penalties of $250,000 or $5 per copy for violations. In May 2007 the Bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

The best way to protect clothing is to obtain a trademark and build brand recognition. Designers gain notice for creating consistently marvelous clothing under one label. Diane von Furstenberg is a great example. She perfected the wrap dress not by preventing others from copying it, but by marketing her wrap dress under her brand name. Her advertising campaign has been so effective that wrap dresses bearing her logo are seen as superior to those dresses marketed under a different name.

Protecting and registering a trademark and creating clothing under this label are the best way to protect fashion designs.

CLUTCH: Besides your work in fashion law, you're also a journalist and a photographer. Have you always had a passion for fashion?

Mariessa: There is great power in fashion. My mom was and is a fierce style maven who paid attention to fashion trends even if she did not always follow them. Mom believed that your style of dressing (up or down) had the power to not only alter your mood but could drastically affect those around you. She taught me the importance of creating a personal style that could elevate a mundane occurrence into a signature event. Since then, I have always had a zeal for fashion. I recall many dreamy afternoons at Martin Luther King Public Library pouring over the biographies of style icons like Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross and Audrey Hepburn. They, like my mom, had monumental individual style. I learned from the best.

CLUTCH: How did you get involved in a career as a fashion lawyer?

Mariessa: During my second semester of my third year at Howard School of Law, I took an elective class on trademark and copyright that forever changed my mind about the law. Here was a discipline that combined creativity with sound legal reasoning. I was hooked. Thankfully, after graduation, I was hired as a Trademark Attorney at the US Patent and Trademark Office, the only place in the nation to obtain a federal registered trademark. I was assigned to Law Office 106 where I prosecuted trademarks for the top cosmetic and fashion companies in the world. After a few years at the USPTO, I was ready to start my own trademark law firm specializing in fashion.

CLUTCH: How would you describe your personal style? Who are a few of your favorite designers?

Mariessa: Funny Face meets Mahogany. I love to glam it up with looks inspired by my favorite cinema characters…Laura Hunt in Laura; Tracey Chambers in Mahogany; Pola Debevoise in How to Marry a Millionaire. Most of my shopping dollars go towards the purchase of vintage Chanel, Christian Dior and Herve Leroux with a sprinkle of Dolce and Gabanna for a bit of modern appeal.

CLUTCH: When people think of D.C. style the words conservative or buttoned up may come to mind, but we know that you're working to change all that! Tell us a little about your work with to establish DC as a major fashion capitol.

Mariessa: I grew up in Washington, DC and watched the recent construction boom with much enthusiasm. I decided to get involved with politics to help ensure that some of the new retail space was marketed to unique independent boutiques. In 2007, I drafted legislation to create a Commission on Fashion Arts and Events tasked with developing a fashion incubator for emerging designers, fashion career technical programs for DC youth and a fashion retail corridor to recapture the millions of dollars lost when DC citizens shop in neighboring Maryland and Virginia malls.

CLUTCH: Do you have any words of wisdom for anyone who may be thinking about pursuing a career in fashion law?

Mariessa: My advice to any aspiring fashion lawyer would be to strive for top grades in law school…any law school. The fashion industry is very competitive. The largest and most coveted fashion law firms and corporations want the top students. If you are one of them, you increase your chances of success exponentially.