StyleWhipped: Books

I got some terrific gifts this year, but one of the coolest gifts came from my good friend Nicole-- Be The Wonder Woman You Can Be, Diane von Furstenberg's limited edition book inspired by the ever-fabulous Wonder Woman, published by DC Comics (cover image from www.dvf.com). In addition to The Adventures of Diva, Viva & Fifa, an inspirational comic book written by Diane herself, the book includes Wonder Woman cover art through the ages, and a collection of previously published pieces on Wonder Woman by feminist icon Gloria Steinem, writer Les Daniels, and a letter from the television face of Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter.

As someone who once-upon-a-time owned her very own set of Wonder Woman underoos, this book reaches me on several levels, speaking to the girl I once was in addition to the woman I strive to be. And in a time of uncertainty, the message of empowerment, courage and optimism is exactly what we all need. So go out and get your own copy, and get inspired. And by the way, Diane von Furstenberg, a Wonder Woman in her own right, donates all proceeds from this book to Vital Voices, an organization dedicated to empowering and supporting women in developing countries.

- Cindy

Got a must-have you want to share with everyone? Email me with your Daily Devotion suggestion.

Last night, StyleWhipped was a sponsor of an incredible, successful (and really fun!) launch party for Daniel Vosovic, a finalist from Season 2 of Project Runway. Daniel has written an amazing book called "Fashion Inside Out" that explains the entire process of fashion...from the inspiration behind the designs to choosing the right models for your runway show. It is beautifully presented, intimately written and even has a foreword by Tim Gunn. So when Cindy and I were asked by Genre Magazine to have StyleWhipped involved in the celebration, we of course instantly said yes!

Held at our favorite 51st Street lounge, Vlada (many, many thanks to Michael Osterhout, Vlada's manager - the evening was flawless!), we had hundreds of people come out to support Daniel as he begins a nationwide book tour. Conceived and put together by our delightful hosts David Robbins and Taylor Schultz, they ensured the gorgeous crowd enjoyed good drinks and the perfectly executed promotion of Daniel's book. We were beyond happy to sponsor along with Vlada, Genre (special thanks to Paul West) and Tara Gilbride & Alice Peisch from Random House (Daniel's publisher). More great photos were taken by Genre's own Rob Berg - if you'd like to see them, go to www.flickr.com/robberg later today!

I hadn't met Daniel in person before the event (of course, these days email makes us feel like we already know everyone!), and I have to quickly say what a gracious, grateful, lovely guest of honor he was. He made sure to talk to (and be photographed with) literally every single guest, and repeatedly thanked the hosts and sponsors. He is generous with his thoughts (make sure you read my Running With Heels column this coming Tuesday for a fantastic interview with him!), easy to talk to, and truly passionate about fashion.

Now, I have to mention some of the fabulous guests who joined us. We had a crew that included our own Project Runway friends Suede and Stella (who both have exciting things coming up - more to follow asap!), celebrity make-up artist (and newest Genre Magazine and Running With Heels columnist!) Nathan Johnson, StyleWhipped guest writer Serge Van Lian (from Season 2 of Top Design) and Joseph Ungoco who managed to be there even though he had to cover a red carpet 20 minutes later. We have to thank friends like Aileen Barry from Lynx Ensemble Theater, my husband David, and Katie Russo for always supporting StyleWhipped's events, and then we have to mention that Fern Mallis (yes, that Fern Mallis who runs all of NY Fashion Week) not only attended the party, but took time to chat with so many of us.

Many, many congratulations to Daniel - we love the book and are so happy to have been a part of this important celebration! We wish you much luck and good fun on your book tour, and know "Fashion Inside Out" will be a huge success!