Sally at Kent House for Presentation Boxes, Packaging and More

One morning last year, bright and early, I attended my friend Lori's BNI (Business Networking group)marketing meeting at 7:15 am as a guest. I met Sally, owner of Kent House, which is a company that makes gift items, display boxes, packaging, photo albums and more. I needed a house for my ponytail holders, so decided to go meet Sally at her office in Chelsea to see if she could do presentation boxes for me, which I could take to meetings to show my accessories. At the time, I was using a black leather box with a Di Manno Designs logo on the outside, but all the accessories were just in the box and I felt I could use something that was more organized and looked better! Sally can pretty much do anything you would like, she does custom orders all the time, so I told her what I was looking for and together we came up with the idea of these 2 boxes to hold the ponies. The pictures don't do the boxes justice, because you miss some great details. I will try my best with a written description! The black box holds Di Manno Designs leather, patent leather, exotic skin and canvas collections. There is also a space with a box which now holds business cards, but if I would like, I could use that space for another future collection. (Sally made the box this way with that as the intention) Inside each division, there is different fabric to match the look and feel of the different collections, for the leather I chose a white canvas material, the patent sits on a red felt fabric, the canvas is on a creme canvas material and the exotic skin sits on a black velvet fabric and the material on the box itself is black python print. Sally made a pouch on the inside to hold the pouches with logos for display. I wanted everything together, so when in meetings, if a buyer wants to see packaging, I could show him/her the pouches as a suggestion. The white box houses Di Manno Designs crystal collection made with Crystallized-Swarovski Elements. I chose a gray felt fabric for the interior to mesh well with the crystals and the outside of the box is a white python print. We also included Swarovski's Crystallized logo in the box since the complete crystal collection is made with Crystallized-Swarovski Elements. We had the Di Manno Designs logo made into a stamp that Sally could use to stamp the boxes with the logo. We went with gold for the black box and silver for the white box. Sally is very creative and passionate about her work. When you see her in action in her space, you can see she pours her whole heart and soul into her company, which makes you feel comfortable knowing this woman is going to create something unique and special for your brand! So if you are looking for packaging, display boxes or anything original, I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the results at Kent House!

You can check out Sally's work at: http://www.kenthouseinc.com/#/about-us/4527994020.

How to Use a Di Manno Designs Ponytail Holder

After many requests to do a demonstration video on how use a Di Manno Designs ponytail holder...here it is! In this video, I am putting on a Di Manno Designs black patent ponytail holder (standard) in Sabina Les, a friend of mine's, hair. Watch if for yourself and see how easy it is!

Sabina Les is also wearing a Di Manno Designs black patent wrist cuff

I am wearing a Di Manno Desgins black croc wrist cuff

Interview With Printed Scarf Designer, Sabina Les

Over the past few months, I've gotten to know Sabina Les, the woman who designs fabulous scarves, really well. We are both Collective-E and Accessories Council members and are at a lot of the same events together, so eventually we started talking at one of the events, and discovered we live nearby each other and have been close since! She gave me great styling tips when she showed me all the different ways I could wear my Sabina Les scarf...I was impressed! I wanted to take the time to ask her a few questions that you may be interested in hearing the answers to.

What made you decide to get into the scarf business?

I wanted to have an accessory line for a long time, something I could relate to. Scarves were a perfect choice because I'm a big fan and I couldn't find prints that I liked. With that in my mind, my designs have distinguished elegant, artistic and graphic personality.

Do you plan on adding any other lines?

Yes, I'm planning on expanding into other accessories starting with bags. Also, I'm collaborating with other designers.

How did you get on the Today Show?

I was doing my own PR and did a research on stylists. I "cold emailed" a fashion stylist pitching my scarves. Lucky for me, she emailed me back right away saying that she was looking for interesting scarves for the Today Show's fashion segment with the In Style magazine. She loved my scarves and asked for a few styles. About a week later, my scarf was on TV.

What were you working on previously and is it helping you now with your business?

I developed textile prints, branding, worked in merchandising and fashion design for some of the largest companies in the industry. Combining this experience with understanding of production process really helped me to stay on track with designing my own line and understanding that there is a lot of nitty-gritty details involved, sometimes more work than glamour!:)

If you would like to learn more about Sabina Les, go to: http://www.sabinales.com/

Di Manno Designs Zebra Headband Appears on Ugly Betty

I was watching an episode that I DVR of Ugly Betty one night and in the last scene noticed that Betty was wearing a Di Manno Designs Zebra Headband! I was so excited! I knew there was a chance that my accessories could appear on the show so I was watching out for it. My sister Angela was home with me watching it as well and said "this is a special moment" after seeing the look on my face when I actually saw the Zebra headband on Betty after it had been months since I sent the accessories to ABC. I called ABC just to confirm and sure enough it was a Di Manno Designs headband:) I was glad that one of the accessories made its way on an episode before the show goes off the air, which I believe is after this season. Don't know why, my friends and I watch and love this show! My mom and dad are also bummed that it is going off the air! Please don't take Ugly Betty off the Air ABC!

Another Way to Wear Your Pony; Lauren Conrad's Low Side Ponytail Look

Don't forget about all the different ponytail hairstyles you can do! In this picture Lauren Conrad is sporting a low side ponytail with soft curls with a chic white dress. The low side pony is a great way to wear your hair with elegant attire. I like the fact that it shows some hair from the front, but is not all down, making your facial features stand out and the soft curls add a touch of romanticism to the look. The other thing that is great about wearing your hair in a ponytail is once you are done doing your hair, there is no more fussing with it all night! With this dress, I would wear a Di Manno Designs White Patent Leather Pony (narrow size). It would add to the sleekness of the look without taking away from the diamond earrings.:)

Alexander McQueen, Style Legend of Our Time

This week we heard the tragic news of the designer Alexander McQueen found dead at 40 years of old at his home in London. This comes as a shock to the fashion world who embraced his brilliance and to all those who simply just loved his clothes, like me. I remember going into the Alexander McQueen store in the Meatpacking District, NYC and just was in awe of all the fashion works of art around me. I can't remember the last time I was in a store wanting every single piece in it!!! That is when I knew I loved his work; his sense of fashion. His designs were so bold, edgy and daring, but yet so tailored, feminine and sexy. I like the fact that when you wear his clothes, you know you will be making a statement! I respect him as a person and a designer because he didn't follow the norm, if anything went against it. I admire his strength and confidence to follow his dreams, make them real and not conform to the norm. I think that is why he has the following he does, because his clothes aren't boring and plain, they are extravagant and unique. I think people like to stand out in a crowd and Alexander McQueen clothes let you! I have a pair of Alexander McQueen black rimmed cat eye glasses. Funny, when I picked them out at the counter, I didn't know they were his brand. I am not really a label girl, I just like to wear what I like. But when I read the label, I thought, now I know why I like them!!!

So sad to see such an extreme talent leave this world at such a young age. But in his time here he managed to be named British Designer of the Year--- four times, named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Year Awards, was chief designer of Givenchy, creative director of Gucci Group, had Alexander McQueen boutiques in New York, London, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Milan, collaborated with Puma on a line of trainers for the brand and was the first designer to participate in MAC's promotion of cosmetic releases created by fashion designers.

He was quoted in LOVE magazine saying, "I'm 40 now, but I want this to be a company that lives way beyond me, and I believe that customers are more important to making that happen then press. When I am dead, hopefully this house will still be going. On a spaceship. Hopping up and down above Earth."

I am sure the Alexander McQueen brand will live on and continue to inspire designers and people for many years to come.:) Thank you for that Alexander, may you rest in peace.

Accessorize Your Dress With a Di Manno Designs Wrist Cuff, 20% off Your Order, Valentine's Day Special Coupon

Who says wrist cuffs are only for casual attire?

Taylor Momsen in this picture shows that mixing a little rock n roll wrist cuff with an elegant dress works! It is a way to make your look unique and personalized. It also shows how one accessory can completely change a look. It lets you get a lot of use out of one dress! There are many ways to wear a dress depending on your mood...get creative and put that wrist cuff to use!

As much as I enjoy wearing my wrist cuff with jeans, I also like wearing them with dresses. I like pairing a Di Manno Designs black patent or black crystal covered wrist cuff with a black cocktail dress or even with a black tailored skirt paired with a white blouse. Or if I am wearing a red dress, I will throw on a black patent wrist cuff with it. With white dresses, I usually wear a red leather or red patent leather wrist cuff to add a little color. In the summer, with my colored dresses (purple or green, some of my favorite colors), I bring out a white leather or white brass studded wrist cuff to jazz up the dress.

Valentine's Day is coming up and we are running a Valentine's Day Special! 20% off all Di Manno Designs accessories from now until February 14th. Just type in VDAY SPECIAL as the coupon code at check out on our online store at: http://www.dimannodesigns.com/.

Add a little splash of red to your outfit on that special day!:) Enjoy!