Shantall Lacayo: Oleos Sobre Tela

Last week, I went to an annual fashion show by my one and only favorite nicaraguan designer, Shantall Lacayo. I think I was 16 and she was 17 when she had her 1st fashion show and I loved it! Back then she was thee sexiest designer I knew - very "Cavalliesque" - even her bridal wear was latin hot. About 2 years ago, she finally left Nicaragua and started studying fashion textile at Buenos Aires, Argentina and opened an atelier. I personally hated her show last year, I thought the pieces were dull, brown, and just too Argentinean. It was like she lost herself. This year, her show was called "Oleos sobre Tela". She used photomontage of Nicaraguan artists paintings to create "Pucci-like" textile. I loved this year's show! It was a hit! Her sexy is BACK! (literally too!) Each piece transitioned from Herve Leger to Pucci to Rock & Republic to nautical Ralph Lauren. The pictures above are some of my favorite looks, but quality isn't that great. I was sitting 3 rows back, on the side, and the lighting wasn't helping. Hope you like! ** I just found an interview of her for TrendXchange and she said:

-¿Con qué icono de la moda relacionas la colección?

-En este momento podría relacionarla con la actriz Kate Bosworth. En Argentina me gusta mucho el estilo de Susana Giménez, especialmente cuando viste un Cavalli o un Emilio Pucci.

I was right! What can I say - when I know it, I KNOW IT!

Final Details IV

I got my student visa yesterday! yeyyyyy! but only for a year! boooooo! Well hopefully when I get a job in Italy, I just have to come back and get the work visa - FINGERS CROSSED! and I also got my euro debit card - so daddy can deposit my rent and food money! So now I can sleep! Relax a little, because I AM SET! Just counting the days and enjoying the company of my family and friends. Tonite Ilu arrived and its her welcome back party and its the NYE launch party at Contempo Hotel - "tonite is gonna be a good nite". I have also been meaning to blog about a fashion show I went to on wednesday nite - just to sum it up, it was Shantall Lacayo's "Oleos sobre Tela" show and it was amazing! She is my one and only favorite Nicaraguan clothing designer. - Have a great weekend, cause I definitely will ;)

Inspiring: My Big Sister

Last night, I went to a graduation, but not just any graduation but my sister's 3rd graduation! Now she has a Bachelor of Science in Law and graduated top of her class! It doesn't surprise me she graduated with honors but that it's her 3rd title! She already has a bachelors in Electric Engineering from FIU and a Masters in Business Administration from UM. Man! I have a lot more studying to do to be like her, I'm just half way! - Hmmm? What should my 3rd title be in? I always did like Business Law... Ok! WAIT! I do not wanna get ahead of myself, I'm about to do my MASTERS! I'm stressing enough just thinking about my move - I don't need to think about this now! LOL Anyways, CONGRATS again PATRICIA!

Final Details III

I just booked my hotel in Florence. I will be staying at Hotel Alex for 8 nights while I look for the perfect Florentine apartment. All I need is my visa & debit card this week, and I think I'm set. WOOHOO!

Final Details II

I finally made it to the Italian embassy today. I tried to go yesterday but there were thousands of cops and antimotines b/c of some political march, so I had to turn around and head to the bank. At the bank, I finally opened my euro account yesterday ;) Account # 456783 in case anyone wants to make a donation for my survival - meaning shopping addiction. LOL

Checklist of Most Important things to do before I leave Nicaragua:

• Find & Pay an Apartment and/or Room - When in Florence.
• Find & Pay Hotel - Found it but haven't paid. I'll get to it today. CHECK - updated december 14th
• Pay tuition - CHECK
• Open bank account - CHECK
• Debit Card - My euro debit card comes with the account, now I'm just waiting for it to arrive - WAITING - updated december 14th
• Get student visa - Waiting for the embassy to return my passport with the visa stamp - WAITING - updated december 14th
• Find & Pay student insurance - CHECK
• Find & Pay flights - CHECK
• Check if passports aren't expired - CHECK
• Unlock my cell phone - I'll do that a few days before I leave.

Am I missing something else?

So there it is. I think everything is pretty much ready which freaks me out b/c I'm a day closer to my departure. I keep thinking, "This is it! I'M REALLY MOVING TO FLORENCE TO GET MY MASTERS! OMG! Something I would have never ever expected to do in my life right now!" Life has amazing and strange of coming together. All thanks to God! He is amazing! This life is incredible! Unbelievable!

*BTW 2 things: That account number is fake LOL I don't think its safe to post the real one and today is my BFF bday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY IVA! TQM!

Final Details

I finally bought my student health insurance today - which the Italian embassy asks for. Unfortunately my school does not provide insurance and housing, which sucks because I have to had to get quotes with different companies and go over each detail of possible scenarios of me getting injured or dying; and well thats something I definitely do not like thinking of, specially when the insurance includes life insurance and I know what I'm worth in case my plane falls, train collides or have a ski accident - oh wait! ski accidents aren't included! GREAT! anyways going back to the main topic. Tomorrow, I'll head to the embassy, present my health insurance and finally get my student visa! woohoo! However, I still don't have an apartment, I think I'm going to stay at a hotel for a week while I look around at different apartments and possible roommates, cause I do not want to end up in the wrong neighborhood with a psycho roommate and with an outrages rate! BTW anyone have a friend in Florence I can room with? THX!

Who What Where Why & How's of Polimoda

The person who has asked me the most about my school has definitely been my older sister, Patricia. Is it good? What does it rank? Why Florence? How did you find out about it? Do any Nicaraguans go there? Are you sure you its good enough? Is it well-known? OMG! MIL PREGUNTAS! So I'll just answer these questions for my sister and everyone else to know.

How did I find out about Polimoda? I just googled best european fashion grad schools! DUH!

What is Polimoda? Polimoda, International Institute of Fashion Design & Marketing is an Italian centre of excellence, recognized worldwide for its high quality, fashion-oriented, didactic offer ranging from design & marketing to management and communication, always in close realtion to the business world. (from website)

Management:

President - FERRUCCIO FERRAGAMO - A name representing fashion made in Italy in the world.

Dean - LINDA LOPPA - A world renowned name in the fashion education field.

Polimoda SRL President - SANTO VERSACE - President of Gianni Versace Spa & brother of Gianni & Donatella Versace

The Institute Spin-Off - POLIMODA SRL - Education, consulting and internationalization services for companies. 34 major fashion companies as associates. (from website)

Their Values: Dynamism and Innovation, Enhancing Talents, Care for local area Development, & Internationalism (from website)

What is the application process like? 1. Send in my application papers (obviously) 2. Online Video Exam (mine was an old Levi's commercial) and it comes with 3 questions that must be answered and returned in 24 hours. 3. Phone Interview - and I was in! :D

How does it rank? Well I couldn't find any rankings, but plenty of websites considered it one of the top fashion schools in Italy and Europe with Marangoni Institute, Parsons, ESMOD of Paris

Did you apply to other schools? Yes. Just Lorenzo d' Medici (also in Florence).

What other schools did you look into & why didn't you apply to them? I considered Parsons, FIDM of California, ESMOD of Paris, and the Marangoni Institute, but Parsons and FIDM only offered what I wanted as a bachelors or summer programs. In addition, if I was getting my masters in fashion, I might as well go for it and head to Europe! and honestly, ESMOD scared me a little! It looked really intense and amazing too but idk I just hesitated. Either way, I'm not a big fan of Paris, parisians are a bit rude - and my sister divorced one - so I don't like them. LOL and as for the Marangoni Institute, I honestly forgot! I guess I was just so caught up in Polimoda, I loved it since I first opened their website, what can I say, it was love at first sight :D

You're getting a Masters in...what? Fashion Management & Merchandising.

What can you do with that? I could be a Merchandising Manager, Freelance Consultant,Distribution Manager, Customer Relation Manager, or Merchandiser

What are your courses? Principles of Fashion Marketing, Principles of Fashion Merchandising, Cross Cultural Communication for Fashion, World Business Issues, Research Project AIM - Applied International Management, Merchandising Specialization Set, Fashion Promotion Mix, Customer Relation Management, and Business Plan for Fashion.

What language is your Masters in? English! ;)

How long is the program? 9 months of coursework and 3 months of thesis/internship.

- - - - So did I answer your questions ???????? or do you have more ????????- - - -

One Month to go.....

Yesterday finally marked my one month countdown to Florence, Italy. How do I feel? A lot more anxious, nervous, excited, and a little sad. I can't sleep! I can't stop thinking of the little things like what I am going to do while waiting for my connecting flight? What am I going to wear on my first day there? Where and how much should I spend on a good coat? Should I buy a new blow dryer? LOL the most random thoughts are the ones that worry me the most! The only thing I'm not worried about is my 1st day - orientation day - at Polimoda - where I will be getting my Masters in Fashion Management & Merchandising. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be the best at what I know. Do I sound pompous? I think I sound and am confident with a touch of pompous - what can I say, I'm Nicaraguan - and we Nicas are high & mighty (en otras palabras FRESA, OLI)! LOL - My countdown couldn't have started on a more perfect date than my high school friends wedding, Allam & Myriam. Felicidades a los dos! This whole month will be dedicated to spending time with the people I love the most - my family & friends - and this blog will also be dedicated to them, to keep them close to every memory of this month and upcoming experiences in Europe. With much LOVE.