Simply Stylist LA 2015 Recap

This year's Simply Stylist LA took place over the weekend and, once again, it exceeded all our expectations! We were so happy to provide a space for all our stylish go-getters learn from the best of the best at The Grove LA, with CITI. A VIP brunch at Bar Verde, hosted by Barneys New York (who gave each attendee at $200 gift card!), kicked off the day. Elissa Kravetz of The Farley Project spoke to the attendees as they snacked on scrumptious eats and got inspired by the Simply Quote Cards that graced each place setting. Afterwards, everyone made their way to Theatre 14 of the Pacific Theaters for the Fashion and Beauty Panels. A juice break hosted by Glow Bio provided a much needed nutrient break for all "VIP Fashionistas" and "Fashion and Beauty Lovers". Check out more on the panels, below!

The Park at The Grove was transformed into a shopping, relaxation and pampering haven we like to call, The Brand Experience. It was a booming metropolis where ticket holders could discover awesome brands, charge their mobile devices at the Simple Human charging station while they reapplied lip gloss in their new Sensor Mirrors, eat delicious bites and even get their hair, makeup and nails done. A huge raffle at the end was the grand finale, but the entire day was certainly a treat! The Brand Experience included makeup, manicures and heat styling by The Glam App, hair braiding by eSalon (our favorite custom formulated at-home but salon grade hair color), massages by on-demand app Soothe, skincare consultations and samples from Rodial, and so much more. In addition to all the pampering, attendees got the chance to create their own app with DWNLD (did you download our app yet - just search Simply Stylist in the app store) - and they gave everyone a free 30 day trial, snag a copy of The Inspirational Women Project book by Bri Seeley, get a personalized sketch by fashion illustrator Jeanette Getrost at the Time Out LA setup and even get a fun, instant photo printed by Foto Fwd. Fashion brands onsite were Vinted which is an online marketplace to swap/sell/buy secondhand clothes, who hosted a fabulous photo booth, Ale by Alessandra, Nation Ltd. and Cream. Download Cream's app HERE for a sartorial wonderland of street style, all available to shop directly from the app (how cool)?! VitaFrute by VEEV provided tasty cocktails, while PROVA came through with mouthwatering pizza (they put on quite a show flipping dough) and Kneady Bakery with the sweet and customized treats. DVF, right around the corner, offered a chance to win an outfit and handbag, while sipping on champagne and receiving 10% off all full-priced items in store.

This year's Breakout Sessions were held at Morel's and took all interested guests through the ins and outs of the Fashion, Beauty and Digital worlds. These mini sessions, hosted by Celebrity Hairstylist Jon Reyman, Blogger Extraordinaire Jenny Bernheim and Social Media Guru Calli Cholodenko provided practical advice that all attendees will undoubtedly use as they work their way through the industry. If that weren't enough, this year's Breakouts included a Pitch Fest, where applicants could actually apply for a job, be judged "Shark Tank" style, and then get results right on the spot! We are so excited to announce that the judges panel, which one of the biggest fashion bloggers - Wendy Nguyen of Wendy's Lookbook who helped to match Celebrity Stylist, Anita Patrickson with her newest assistant! We would love to thank everyone who came out to this year's event. We have no doubt that we will see all your projects catapult to success very soon! We hope you left The Grove feeling rejuvenated, motivated and inspired to go out and 'Do What You Love'.

Panel 1: Keynote - Alessandra Ambrosio Alessandra is most known for her work with Victoria's Secret and is currently an internationally recognized Victoria's Secret Angel and has been a global spokesperson for the lingerie giant for over 10 years. She was the first ambassador for the Victoria's Secret Pink line launching the brand at a nationwide tour in 1999. Aside from the commercial market, Alessandra has also been the face and global brand ambassador of many notable fashion brands including Dolce and Gabbana, Loewe, Moschino, GUESS, Revlon, Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani, Armani Exchange, Rolex, Oscar de la Renta, Escada, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. She has walked in shows for some of the biggest designers in fashion including Dolce and Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Giles Deacon. More recently Alessandra has spread her Angel Wings and soured to new heights, taking on the Fashion and Digital worlds from another angle. Her brand, Ale by Alessandra, captures her cool, laid back Malibu chic lifestyle, as does her blog, Ale by Alessandra.

Panel 2: Bloggers Cara Santana of Cara Disclothed , Wendy Nguyen of Wendy's Lookbook and Jen Chae of From Head To Toe, moderated by Lauren Gores of Lauren's Lyst. Originally hailing from El Paso, Texas, Cara Santana is an LA-based actress (you may recognize her from Salem) with a deep love for all things fashion and beauty. Cara Disclothed is her personal outlet where she shares fashion must haves, beauty advice, travel content and a peek into her Hollywood lifestyle. She has recently partnered with Nordstrom, Max Studio and Botkier and has been featured in publications such as Vogue, Glamour, Elle.com, E! Online, Harper's Bazaar, NY Mag, OK! Magazine and more. Plus, Cara is the co-founder of The Glam App, which is an on-demand beauty app. Passionate about juvenile justice and inspired by the world around her, Wendy Nguyen takes art, nature, culture, architecture, food, people, and music and fuses them into the artful expression of fashion. With a unique blend of trend-setting and social conscience, she boldly explores the world of style. Jen is a designer-turned-beauty blogger and vlogger with over 1 million subscribers on Youtube tuning in to her videos on makeup, fashion, product reviews, and self-confidence. As an artist at heart, she has a love for creating beauty and encouraging others to feel beautiful, believing that makeup should be used as a form of expression and not a mask to hide what we are afraid of.

Panel 3: Experts & Entrepreneurs Maria Hatzistefanis, Founder of Rodial, Stassi Schroeder of Style by Stassi and Designer to the Stars, Michael Costello, moderated by Marcy Geuvara of The Marcy Minute. Maria started her career as a beauty writer at Seventeen Magazine before moving to New York where she received an MBA from Columbia Business School. After a stint in Corporate Finance first in NY and then London, Maria followed her passion for beauty and founded Rodial Skincare in 1999. Maria identified a gap in the market for a range that would offer targeted treatments to specific skin concerns. 15 years later, Rodial is a global brand available in 35 countries and more than 1,000 luxury stores worldwide, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Space NK and Nordstrom. Maria also founded two other skincare brands, Nip+fab and Nip+man and has recently launched a make-up range, growing the presence of the Rodial group to more than 20,000 stores worldwide. In 2014, Stassi took a step back from reality to focus on her true passion, fashion. She started StyleByStassi.com, a fashion and styling blog which has since gone on to gain a large following, solidifying her as a fashion influencer. Through the site’s posts, Stassi shares the latest in beauty & fashion as well as her one-of-a-kind opinions on all things trendy. Michael Costello is a fashion designer based out of Los Angeles, most well known for dressing the A-list celebrities of the entertainment industry. Michael Costello has been a designer since age 14 and has focused his design technique around elegant yet sexy silhouettes. All dresses are made custom in Michael's showroom and design house in downtown Los Angeles. His client list includes Beyonce, Katy Perry, Arianna Grande, Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek, Paris Hilton and many others.

Panel 4: Stylists Celebrity Hair+Makeup Artist Joey Maalouf, Fashion Stylist Turned Designer, Mary-Alice Haney and Celebrity Makeup Artist Christy Coleman, moderated by Ashley Fultz of The Style Editrix Over the span of 15 years Joey has built an impressive roster of loyal clients due to his incredible skill, attention to detail, and infectious personality. Celebrities including Jessica Alba, Molly Sims, Rachel Zoe, and Diane Von Furstenberg trust Joey for his exquisite vision. Whether creating a simple bun for a daytime event or dramatic eye makeup for a black tie ball, Joey’s range is vast and he has a keen ability to organically interpret a client’s vision. Mary Alice Haney, the founder and designer of luxury brand HANEY, has been creating some of the most memorable and glamorous images, both on and off the red carpet, for the past two decades. A renowned celebrity stylist and fashion editor, Mary Alice first refined her creative skills as a fashion student at Parson’s School of Design and during an editorial post at Harper’s Bazaar in Paris. Her love of the gorgeous and glamorous, mixed with an extensive knowledge of couture designers, Hollywood costume designers and the film and fashion industries, has cemented Mary Alice’s signature style—a sophisticated sexiness that exudes luxury and confidence—and catapulted her career as one of the industry's most sought after stylists. Christy has traveled the world, working with visionaries across media and entertainment. Her editorial work has appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and Vanity Fair and in advertising campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Victoria’s Secret. She’s been tapped by photographers Arthur Elgort, Irving Penn, Patrick Demarchelier, and Bruce Weber to work with top models Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Karlie Kloss, Miranda Kerr, and Alessandra Ambrosio and sought out by celebrities like Emmy Rossum, Amanda Peet, and Connie Britton. A huge THANK YOU to our fabulous Host, Catt Sadler, who guided the entire day and looked amazing doing it!