Author: Couture Fashion Week

Couture Fashion Week was founded in 2005 by Andres Aquino. CFW presents a series of couture and luxury fashion shows in New York City and other selected cities.

June 16, 2016

Rising Design Star Karishma Sondhi to Debut at Couture Fashion Week

Rising Indian design star Karishma Sondhi will present her latest creations on the runway during the upcoming 24th season of Couture Fashion Week New York. The fashion show will be held at 6:00 pm on Saturday September 10, 2016 in the Broadway Ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, 1605 Broadway, New York City. Click for tickets to the show.

Karishma Sondhi studied at the Pearl Academy at Nottingham Trent University UK, the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan and Heriot Watt University in Scotland. Her studies and hands-on experience with such renowned brands as Victoria’s Secret, Lululemon, Brandix, MAS Holdings and Quantum, among others, gave her expertise in textiles, manufacturing, fashion marketing, retail, management and finance, as well as brand communication. Ms. Sondhi worked as a stylist for the iconic Italian brand Diesel, dressing models for the runway in Milan. She was selected as a representative on behalf of India in the United Kingdom by the renowned luxury brand Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh to design a promotional strategy and ad campaign. She went on to intern with Indian fashion designer Pawan Sachdeva, and soon launched her own fashion label “Karishma Sondhi – Bridal-Couture-Pret.”

From her studio in Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi, Ms. Sondhi caters to her clientele: the modern woman looking to enhance her image with classy yet trendy garments. Whether the look is ready-to-wear or custom couture, Karishma Sondhi’s designer style comes through. All her designs are unique with a focus on impeccable cuts and silhouettes, draping and fit. She uses rich fabrics including silks and brocades, featuring fine detailing and opulent colors. Ms. Sondhi’s designs are mainly inspired by the rich Indian cultural heritage and a mix of western sensibilities from around the world. She is also inspired by elegant royal cuts and embroideries from the Victorian and Mughal eras juxtaposed with modern 21^st century trends.

May 16, 2016

Artist Kevin Berlin’s New York Top Hats to Shine at GSF Awards Gala in Cannes

Internationally renowned artist Kevin Berlin will show original, artist-designed luxury top hats during the Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes, France. Several hats will be worn by models as part of the Andres Aquino couture fashion show at the event on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton Cannes. The gala evening program will include a red carpet, fashion shows, awards presentations, world-class entertainment and auction. Tickets are available online.

Part of Kevin Berlin New York’s “Classic” Top Hat collection, these contemporary Top Hats are ‘unisex,’ perfect for both men and women and for ‘everyday’ wear. The handmade creations are of the world’s finest quality and come in three heights: X, XX and XXX. The North American launch will take place in New York in July 2016.

“Large Cup of Coffee” by artist Kevin Berlin.

Kevin Berlin’s art is found in the collections of Kim Basinger, Luciano Pavarotti, Quincy Jones, Bill and Hillary Clinton, President George W. Bush, and Ron Rice founder of Havana Sun, among many other prominent art collectors. Mr. Berlin has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Shanghai Daily, Tokyo Television, BBC Radio and over 40 television stations across the United States. Mr. Berlin was honored by President Reagan at The White House, and his recent solo exhibitions include New York, Miami and London.

In addition to the presentation of his beautiful top hats at the Cannes event, Mr. Berlin will also offer one of his original, signed, silk screen prints for auction. “Large Cup of Coffee” is almost five feet tall and features the New York skyline, the Empire State Building and New York’s famous ‘We Are Happy To Serve You’ coffee cup. Even if you are not a New Yorker you probably recognize this cup from movies and television shows including Brooklyn 99, Nurse Jackie, Men in Black, Mr. Robot and many others. The print retails for $10,000. A portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to charity.

Click for tickets and more information on the Cannes event.

May 14, 2016

Eric Abidal To Attend Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes

In partnership with Karmaloog, the upcoming Global Short Film Awards gala to be held in Cannes, France will include a luxury auction with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Eric Abidal Foundation. The festive event will be held on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton Cannes. It will include a red carpet, fashion shows, awards presentations, world-class entertainment and auction. Tickets are available online.

Eric Abidal is expected to attend the event as a special guest. He is a renowned footballer who played for Lyon and Barcelona during his stellar career, part of the teams that won 21 major titles including two Champions League trophies. He also represented his native France in two World Cup competitions. The Eric Abidal Foundation, based in Barcelona, strives to improve lives, especially for people suffering from cancer or at risk of social exclusion, and has a special focus on sports and football activities. It was started by Mr. Abidal and his wife Hayat after his own experience with liver cancer.

With many celebrity clients from all over the world, Karmaloog is famous for providing customers with the ultimate luxury experience. For example a delivery with a private jet and a butler. All Karmaloog items are unique and designed to break boundaries and exceed limitation.

Click for more information and tickets to the Cannes event.

May 14, 2016

Top Model and Humanitarian Farah Zulaikha to Emcee at Cannes Awards Gala

Farah “Fafa” Zulaikha, supermodel and Global Fashion Avenue Award winner (Couture Fashion Week S/S 2016 Top Model) and fashion and beauty expert,will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies at the Global Short Film Awards gala in Cannes, France. The event will be held at the Intercontinental Carlton on Saturday May 21, 2016. The festive evening will include fashion shows, awards presentations, world-class entertainment and a luxury auction. Tickets are available online.

Farah Zulaikha is a beautiful and accomplished role model. Currently she is one of the youngest United Nations Ambassadors ever (serving The National Council of Women of The United States), an award-winning humanitarian, top model, writer, biomedical researcher, TV host, and classically trained violinist. She has earned international recognition and influence in the realms of philanthropy, fine arts, fashion and media. Farah is the recipient of numerous and diverse accolades including the Distinguished International Humanitarian Leadership Award presented by the U.N. and the National Council of Women of The United States (2015), the Pancreum Diabetes Artificial Pancreas Contributor Award (2013), the Vassar Brothers Medical Center (a National Gold Seal-Winning Hospital) Auxiliary Young Ambassador (2013), the Hearst Media UGO.COM “Smartest Models In The World” list, taking the #1 spot on a list of legendary fashion names that has included such icons as Cindy Crawford, Iman, Christy Turlington and Beverly Johnson (2011). Farah also recently made her violin debut at Carnegie Hall before a sold-out audience.

Farah Zulaikha is noted for her large-scale role in major charity endeavors across the globe. These initiatives include her family’s own self-funded charity medical camps along with ambassadorships at some of the world’s leading organizations. She has achieved popularity as a worldwide youth leader/mentor, and is also recognized for her talents in various forms of media/arts and her collaborations with top fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands including Armani, Roberto Cavalli, Ferragamo, Nordstrom, the NASDAQ Stock Exchange and many others. She has been featured in top fashion events and publications such as Elle and VOGUE.

Click for tickets and more information on the Cannes event.

May 13, 2016

Jay Santos to Debut New Single at GSF Awards Gala in Cannes

European singing sensation Jay Santos will perform at the upcoming Global Short Film Awards gala. The event, which will include fashion shows and awards presentations in addition to world-class entertainment, will be held on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France.

A native of Bogota, Colombia, Jay Santos moved with his family to Rome, Italy at age 11. Soon after, he started building his music career, learning to play piano, guitar and drums. Influenced by Italian music and his Latin roots, Jay Santos created an original and unique rhythm with his music. At age 17, Jay moved to Madrid, Spain, where he continued to pursue his music career, writing songs, playing instruments and recording at small studios. In 2012 Jay debuted his first single Noche de Estrellas featuring Jose De Rico and Henry Mendez, produced by Roster Music. The song immediately rose to the top of the Spain singles charts and won a “Golden Record.” It now has more than 20 million views on YouTube. In 2013 Jay released Caliente, his first solo single produced by the Blanco y Negro company. In less than a month Caliente became the most watched video on YouTube in Spain, the top selling song on iTunes Spain, and the “summer hit” in many countries such as France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Chile. To date, the song has over 60 million views on YouTube around the world. At the end of 2013, the artist founded his own record label Envimusic. By this time he had established himself as an entrepreneur, without leaving his music career behind. Jay Santos has performed at more than 200 concerts worldwide and is widely considered to be the #1 Latin/Dance artist in Europe.

In April 2015 Jay Santos released Dale Morena, another instant hit with a lot of rhythm that differs from other “Electro dance” songs. In November 2015 he released Ya te olvidé, his first Reggaeton song that impressed all of his fans with an explosion of rhythm combined with Latin sounds. In May 2016 Jay will release his brand new single Tu Y Yo. According to Stefano Pugnali, the artist’s manager, the new single features lots of rhythm, sensual lyrics, and a catchy vibrant melody in Reggaeton style. It will be premiered at the GSF Awards gala in May 2016, and is sure to soon be heard on dance floors everywhere.

Click for tickets to the GSF Awards Cannes gala.

May 13, 2016

Leo Lo to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes

Award-winning animation and special effects producer Leo Lo will receive a lifetime achievement award recognizing his outstanding contributions to the film industry. The Global Short Film Awards gala event will be held on Saturday May 21, 2016 at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France.

Producer and Festival Director Andres Aquino noted “Mr. Lo’s dedication, love for films and his work in the field of visual effects and animation is an inspiration for new generations of filmmakers. We are proud to be associated with him. We are also grateful to Mr. Lo for contributing his time and expertise as a judge on the panel for the GSF Awards Festival.”

Mr. Lo began his career as a photo journalist with United Press International and later turned to commercial photography. By the 1990’s he started working in the motion picture industry, and was soon playing an important part in the changes from traditional film laboratory techniques to the new digital era. Mr. Lo is widely renowned as an industry pioneer in the Hong Kong film industry’s laboratory digitalization.

Leo Lo launched his own digital darkroom in 1996. Starting with the first complete Kodak Cineon System, he founded Asia Legend Limited to provide digital effects services to the industry. He received a Golden Horse award and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his special effects work on the award-winning ground-breaking film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon with acclaimed director Ang Lee. As China’s film industry has boomed, Mr. Lo built an international scale animation production center in southern China in 2007 from scratch. Under his leadership, the company has completed a number of highly successful animated movies, including Dwegons and Lephrechans, Life in The World of Dao, and the 3D animated movie The Adventures of Jinbao, starring film legend Jackie Chan.

Mr. Leo Lo’s accolades and awards include:
– For the animated TV series Life in the The World of Dao: 2011 Guangdong Best Animation Team and Best Animation second prize; HKPC Prize for Efforts; Japan TBS Digicon6 – Best Effort Excellence Prize.
– For the 3D animated feature movie The Adventures of Jinbao: 2012 HK Cyberport Stereoopic Award – Excellence; 2012 Golden Angel Award – Los Angeles; 2013 HKSAR Government, ICT Award.
– For the live action historical Iranian film Kingdom of Solomon: 2012 Best Visual Effects Iranian International Film Festival – FAJR; Iranian Golden Phoenix Award for Best Visual Effects.

Click for information and tickets to the Global Short Film Awards gala in Cannes.

April 18, 2016

Model and Humanitarian Fanny Torres at the Cannes Red Carpet Fashion and Film Awards

Fanny Torres from Guanajuato, Mexico has been modeling since childhood. She has participated in fashion shows at the national and international level around the world including major events in Milan, Rome, Sicily, Paris, Ukraine, Switzerland, Madrid, Alicante, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, Tbilisi, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. She has received over 50 awards, including first place for Miss Fitness 2007, Miss Pacific World 2006 and Miss Fitness Peru. In New York, she received special recognition as a social media-savvy model by Couture Fashion Week. In Bolivia, Fanny was guest of honor and received the “Key to the City of Sucre”, the nation’s capital, and in Ukraine, she also received a special awards an international model. She has also been featured in many prominent publications worldwide.

For the past 20 years, since her childhood, Fanny Torres has been involved in charity work with children in rural communities bringing toys, smiles and laughter. She also spends time remodeling and acquiring furniture and bedding for La Divina Providencia (Divine Providence) nursing home. Each year she supports efforts to collect shoes, blankets, stretchers and oxygen apparatus for La Busqueda (The Search), a rehabilitation center for women and children with disabilities. Fanny has also worked on missions bringing supplies, shoes and blankets to poor communities in Las Sierras (Highlands) and regularly visits and brings her love to hospitals and local orphanages.

Welcome Fanny Torres to “Andres Aquino’s Global People with a Big Heart!” and those who follow his motto: “Do good, live well.”

Fanny Torres will be participating in the upcoming Cannes Red Carpet Fashion and Film Awards event at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France on May 21, 2016. Click for tickets and more information.