Munkeh Takes Manhattan

I'm in New York!! It's been quite an adventure so far.  Many challenges have arose from packing, last minute changes, and not having a place to stay. But things have worked themselves out.  To get my mind off things I explored the city for a few hours. I love the energy of New York! And the "good weather" seemed to follow me from LA. It's been 40 degrees instead of 1 degree.

Good night everyone! To be continued.....

xoxo,
Munkeh

Here it is...the finished collection. Well except for a few minor details which I will be working on while I'm here in New York

Packing was definitely challenging but I finally managed to get everything into these suitcases.

Waiting anxiously to get on the plane so I could sleep. I was exhausted.

Nap time!

My first stop in New York! 

My home and office for the next 8 days. Holiday Inn Chelsea.

I was sooooooo happy to find a White Castle!!!! It was such a big part of my childhood. Nothing beats a freshly cooked slider. :)

Inspiration in the White Castle bathroom.

Superbowl madness in Time Square

Creative Marketing :)

Working on the goodie bag stuffers. Only 199 more to go..

Let the Countdown Begin!!!

Hello!!!!

I haven't posted in a very long time because I've been busy getting ready for New York!! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.  I found out 4 months ago and now my show is in less than a month!

I had a mini preview/trunk show/ fundraiser on January 15th.  I was very happy with the turnout and everybody seemed to love the collection.  Although my indie gogo campaign has ended, you can still send contributions directly to my paypal account,  rochellecarino@gmail.com.  You can still view the page to see my video and perks http://igg.me/at/rochellecarinonyfworbust/x/5584503

Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this incredible journey so far!!! I couldn't have done this without you. Next stop....the big apple!

xoxo,
Munkeh

The event was at Runway Boutique. Thank you Fatima Dodson!
Everyone that made a $20 contribution or higher, received a gift bag. :)
All photos by Nick Howell

Mini preview of my New York Collection!
Munkeh in the middle!
Lovely models from l-r: Brittany Grimmett, Heather Mayer, Shannon McMahon, Summer Webb, Jessica Rice, Melinda Baker.  Special shout outs to Sarah Morales, Megan Lopez (meganmichellemua.com)  and Abie, the wonderful make-up artists, Abbie Roberts a model not pictured here, and Raymond Delgado the awesome DJ!(www.soundcloud.com/raymonddelgado)!

This is my favorite look! It was also a crowd favorite! 

I already have pre-orders for the collection, especially this outfit!

Mr. and Mrs. work the runway!!

New York Fashion Week or Bust!

http://igg.me/at/rochellecarinonyfworbust/x/5884503

Hello!

Please take a few minutes to look at my indie gogo campaign. I'm offering some fun perks in exchange for contributions. Any amount helps. This is my big chance and I want to make the most of this opportunity!

Thank you so much!
xoxo,
Munkeh

Channeling Carrie Bradshaw...

I love ballerina skirts.  And I love pairing mine with casual tops or sweaters. The other day someone told me I looked like I was channeling Carrie Bradshaw. I was actually going for The Devil Wears Prada. lol

"Give me a full ballerina skirt and a hint of saloon and I'm on board"
- The Devil Wears Prada

xoxo,
Munkeh

I made the skirt
Shirt- Rails
Shoes- Forever 21
Necklaces- Francesca's

Anchors Aweigh

What a week. I barely got any sleep and have been working around the clock.  I had a lot of orders to finish and haven't had much time for anything else.  I'm going to Vegas for  MAGIC this weekend. The show doesn't start till Monday so I'll at least have a couple of days to relax so I am looking forward to getting at least a couple of good nights of sleep.  I can't believe I actually said I'm looking forward to going to Vegas so I can get some sleep. What's happened to me? hahaha

Anchors aweigh! See photo caption for a fun piece of trivia.

xoxo,
Munkeh

The term Anchors Aweigh often gets misspelled to Anchors Away. It totally changes the meaning.
The prior means that the anchor is clear of the bottom of the ocean so the ship is moving and on its way.
The latter changes its meaning to dropping the anchor, therefore keeping the ship at dock.
Sequin Anchor Tank- J Crew
Flounce Skirt- by me
Cardigan- Forever 21
Shoes- Forever 21
Bird Necklace- H & M

In The Trenches...

I saw Lucy Hales's character wear a floral trench coat on Pretty Little Liars last season and desperately wanted to acquire one for my wardrobe.  Hers was from Anthropologie and it sold out very quickly. So I decided to make a couple of my own.

Quick post today...gotta get back "in the trenches" to finish my orders. (ba dum bump)

xoxo,
Munkeh

Watercolor Bird and Floral Trench Coat- by me
For ordering info email me rochellecarino@gmail.com
Dress- H & M
Shoes- Forever 21
Necklace- Forever 21

I made this trench from upholstery fabric last fall.
Shirt- H & M
Skirt- Forever 21
Hat- Forever 21
Necklace- Forever 21

Fun linings! You all know how much I love to mix my prints! 

Floral and polka dots!

Birds, florals and stripes!

                                                         

Tiny Dancer

People don't believe me when I say that fashion was actually not my first career choice.  It wasn't even my second choice. My mom taught me how to sew when I was a kid and I used to make my doll clothes. And then when I got a little older I started sewing my own clothes and I loved looking at pictures in magazines. It's always been a part of my life and something that I've always enjoyed but I never thought I would end up becoming a fashion designer or working in the field period.  No, I wanted to be a dancer. I used to do ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop and ethnic dance. I studied for a long time, belonged to a dance company and I was actually very good.  You wouldn't think so because I'm the biggest klutz in day to day life but when I danced, I was very graceful and controlled. Then I got injured. I was preparing for the biggest audition of my life, a part in A Chorus Line. I randomly ran into a psychic on the street and she told me I was going to get my big break very soon. The very next day I completely tore my achilles tendon in my dance class. I got my big break, literally. I was devastated because the doctor said I would never be able to dance professionally again.  I really do miss dancing and I wonder from time to time what life would have been like if I got to pursue that path. I think it's those feelings of nostalgia that inspired my outfit today. hahaha. But I'm very happy how things worked out and grateful for the things and people in my life. So maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

When fate steps in, don't question it, you never know where it will lead you.

xoxo,
Munkeh

Prima Ballerina
Skirt- my own design (buy here)
Sweater- Joie
Shoes- Vince Camuto
Necklace- Francesca's

I want these Chloe shoes!
available at Saks Fifth Ave

Me playing dress up at work....

Look how cute and how perfect those shoes are with my outfit today!

Alter Ego

I had my second class at S Factor tonight.  It was so much fun and such a great way to unwind from my  hectic day. Earlier today, I had a sweet schoolgirl look going on. I did mix my prints and one of my co-workers said that if he saw this outfit on anyone else he would think they were crazy and got dressed in the dark, but on me it totally worked and looked cute. I didn't quite know how to take that although he  said it was a compliment, I'm not so sure....  As soon as I got to class the hair came down, the layers came off and then I was doing tricks on the pole. My sassy alter ego came out to play. haha

What's your "S" Factor? For me "S" stood for sexy secret....

xoxo,
Munkeh

Schoolgirl by day.....
My usual crazy mix of prints :)
Skirt and Blouse- by me
Sweater- Forever 21
Shoes- CC REpublic

Power Suit

Yesterday was amazing. I got to meet one of my all time favorite designers Antonio Berardi. He complemented my outfit which just so happened to be one of my own designs. It completely made my day! I also made some great contacts with a couple of top Hollywood stylists who said they would love to use some of my designs for their clients and editorials. Another stylist got us VIP tickets to Taylor Swift's (she's his client) concert and he said I could give her a couple of my dresses. I honestly think it was because I was wearing my lucky suit, haha. Every time I wear this outfit, without fail, at least a couple of really good things always happen. I get tons of compliments and it just gets plenty of attention. It's probably my favorite thing that I've ever made.  I was inspired by Dolce and Gabbana's use of tapestry fabric last season. I love the fabric, I love how feminine it is and it pretty much sums up everything about my personal style. Someone commented that it's very Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl.  I wish I could wear it everyday because I could be the luckiest girl ever. lol

Have a great day!

xoxo,
Munkeh

My lucky outfit, the "power suit"
I love this tapestry fabric and how feminine the whole look is.
Blazer, Skirt, & Top- all by me
Email me for purchasing info or general inquiries, rochellecarino@gmail.com or visit my website here.
Shoes and Necklace- Forever 21

Florals and Stripes, my all time favorite pairing!

Antonio Berardi and I
He is super talented and just a really nice and genuine person.
He made my day by complementing my outfit :)

Some pieces from his new collections.
Stunning. 

My favorite dress of his.
It's inspired by hummingbirds.
The details of the sequins and beading really do look like the feathers of a hummingbird.
Exquisite work. 

Third Times the Charm

Outfit of the day for the third time this month! Thank you to youroutfittoday.com! Make sure to check out their site to see other wonderful fashionistas. See my original post for this outfit here, The Big Reveal.

Have a wonderful day!

xoxo,
Munkeh

See my original post here, The Big Reveal

Fine Feathered Friend

I will find a way to incorporate feathers into my wardrobe as much as I can.  They are so much fun to wear and I instantly feel chic and glamorous once I put them on.  I missed my calling in life.  I should've been a showgirl so that I could wear those amazing headdresses and costumes. hahaha. The dress I'm wearing is one of my best selling designs. You can buy it here.

Have a great evening my fine feathered friends!

xoxo,
Munkeh

Dress- by me (available here)
Studded Belt- Forever 21
Shoes- Asos
Necklace- Francesca's

More Feathers!
This is another one of my best selling designs.
It was featured during London Fashion Week in Feb 2011.
Available here

Fashion For A Cause

I went to the Rebecca Minkoff denim launch party at Confederacy boutique in Hollywood a couple of nights ago.  With every purchase from the collection, a donation was made to Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry program which helps connect children in need with up to 20 meals. There were a lot of fashionable people in attendance.  That's one of my favorite things about LA fashion.  It's so eclectic and at any event you will always see a variety of different styles. I snapped a few photos of my favorite looks from the evening. I decided to wear something I designed.

Thanks to Lookbook.nu, Rebecca Minkoff and Confederacy boutique for a fabulously fashionable evening!

xoxo,
Munkeh

Blouse and Skirt- by me
Necklace- Francesca's
Shoes- Forever 21

I love the embossed alligator detail on the faux leather and the bows on the back of these shoes

My handsome hubby

Fashion for a cause

Her mixing of prints is right on trend and so chic!
Judy Elle from voguevillain.com

I love her watermelon dress!
Sakura from tabbisocks.com
Those stockings are from her own collection!

These ladies have great style. Those blue studded booties are AMAZING!

Lovely ladies

She is too cute. I love the flowers!
livinlikelarz.com