TalkingWithTami: Hello Nick loved you on Project Runway! Since the show how has it changed your life?
Hi Tammie, thank you so much! My life has changed dramatically since the show. I definitely have to put on my “fashion” seat belt and gotten ready for an unexpected ride!
When I did the show, I was designing my line, had done several LA Fashion Weeks and was teaching at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising/FIDM here in LA.
But immediately since being on the show, I began to get calls and emails about appearing on “Style Shows” and give red carpet commentary and be an “expert on E! and TV Guide Network, etc. Naturally I ran with it! I didn’t expect to–in addition to what I already do–to then have this new side life , but I love it and feel very comfortable doing it.
Also, now more and more people have been exposed to my line, NIKOLAKI, and more stylists and publicists are requesting my gowns for their actress clients. So since the show, Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin has worn my gown to the Oscars, Heidi Klum on the Conan O’Brien Show, Kathy Griffin on the Bravo A List Awards, Tila Tequila on the MTV Movie Awards, actress Shelley Heenig at the Daytime Emmys, and so on.
I’ve also recently begun meeting with various production companies about developing my own shows or hosting shows, which is very exciting to me. And I’m in talks with releasing my line on the web, so you can actually purchase my “red carpet gowns and dresses” on line–something on the line of “Demi Couture”–everything will be almost made-to-order. But everything is one step at a time of course.
TalkingWithTami: Nick please tell us about your new show,Style Studio?
I was so excited when I was asked to join the “Glam Squad” of hair, make-up and style experts for MSN.com and its Lifestyle section. It’s called “Style Studio” and I am one of the style and fashion experts. I give great advice to women all over the country on what to wear for occasions, 3-day weekends, how to accessorize, how to wear the trends of the season, etc.
We film it in NY and I love doing it. It’s also an honor to be with the likes of Scoop Boutique creator, owner, and fashion icon, Stefani Greenfield as well as all the other experts. This is the Third Season that I am part of and we just launched it last week!
TalkingWithTami: Nick you dress some fab celebrity women! Who are some of your favs to dress?
Oh, I love dressing ALL of them!! I am most proud of actress Marlee Matlin, since this was for the Oscars and I thought I would grow old and not see the light of day before ever getting one of gowns at the Academy awards so I’m very thankful for her , her stylist and manager for even considering me.
It’s VERY DIFFICULT for a designer like myself to get my gowns at such high profile events. We cannot compete with the multi-million dollar design houses like Dior, Chanel or Valentino, who fly out ten seamstresses, set up showrooms at the Four Seasons, give out Champagne to stylists and their clients, plus sometimes even some underhanded money so they will wear their gowns. I cannot do any of that. So I am very humbled when an actress doesn’t want to go that route and chooses me.
I also loved when Heidi Klum wore my sexy black dress on the Conan O’Brien Show. She looked like one of my fashion illustrations! It’s always nice when models wear your designs since models KNOW how to “work it” but of course, I am also happy when actresses and women who are not size 2′s also wear my designs, so the World can see that everyone can wear NIKOLAKI and look gorgeous and sexy!
TalkingWithTami: When you design your clothing, do you ever think of the more curvier female form? I’m a 12/14 and find it somewhat hard to find fabulous dresses for red carpets.
I do. I do think of a certain neckline that will bring attention away from say, wider hips, larger tummy, or also silhouettes that will flatter more curvier women. My designs glorify ALL women, from a size 2 to a 20!!! A lot of people ask me “Why don’t you make clothes for larger women?” Well, I do!! But stores DO NOT ORDER THEM!!!
When I sold to Henri Bendel and Nordstrom and other stores, my line was available in size 2-14–but you know what the stores ordered? 2, 4, and 6. That’s it. So don’t blame me. Blame the stores darling. Ask them to order more larger sizes, especially in the “Designer” section.
TalkingWithTami: If you could dress any female in the world, who would it be and why?
I would love to dress Michelle Obama of course. There’s a red gown in my Spring 2009 collection which EVERYONE told me “Oh My God, That’s the Michelle Obama gown!” “She should totally wear that!”. So we unofficially dubbed it that. It’s on the home page of my websirte (www.nikolakidesign.com). I would love to get in touch with her but that’s easier said than done. If only I had Desiree Rodgers’ (her Social Secretary) contact info., wouldn’t you think I would have contacted her already? But yes, i would love to dress the First Lady.
I would also love for Queen Rania of Jordan to wear my dresses and gowns. I absolutely adore her, she’s gorgeous, has a stately air and represents the “modern woman” who can have power and be feminine and stylish at the same time. I am also obsessed with Charleze Theron, Penelope Cruz and Oprah. Dressing them would be like “done and done…now I can go to Elton John and Cher heaven!”
