Next on my "Macy's Tour" was Orlando Florida!! I was excited to return to Orlando, since the last time I visited was during my "Prom Dress Tour" a couple of years back when I did a one-time-only line of "Nick Verreos Prom Dresses" for Windsor Fashions and I was making in-store appearances. This time, though , it was all for Macy's! As you know, I am traveling around the country hosting the Macy's Fashion Director events where we have in-store runway shows and get the shoppers and audience involved by letting them take the "Fashion Challenge", put together looks and have a chance to win Macy's Gift Cards to go shopping!
I arrived into my Downtown Orlando Marriott the day before, checked in and got myself acquainted with the hotel's "Sports Bar". Yes, I felt like George Clooney in "Up In The Air"--it was me, in my skinny jeans and vintage LeTigre royal blue polo shirt and TWENTY business men in PLEATED DOCKERS (ouch!) and pressed shirts, drinking beer, talking about the basketball game on the TV screens, while I was trying to look over my next day's hosting notes over my Turkey Club Sandwich. Good times.
Orlando Vice: Nick Verreos poses with his Orlando models, Macy's Mall at Millenia, pre-"Make-Overs"The following day, I headed to the Macy's at the Millenia Mall. I decided that since we were in Florida, I would give a Don Johnson/Miami Vice look with my crisp white jacket, bright blue pants and pink striped shirt. I know, I could just hear Tim Gunn saying now: "That's a LOT of look Uncle Nicky!". I met up with my trusty Macy's Special Events Florida team of Janelle and Rich who were ready and waiting for the show to begin.
Pick Me: The scene at the Macy's Orlando Fashion Director eventThe place was packed as I got to meet "my" Models backstage, from the Lisa Maile Image, Modeling and Acting School ,hand-picked by its President, Debbie Tapia. They were ready in their white tees and jeans to get "made over".
Model Make-Over: Nick Verreos and his Orlando models after getting a "Fashion Director" Make-OverThere were 3 fun Challenges: What You Wear to a Beyonce Concert?; What Would You Wear to Have Coffee with Your Ex?; and Show Me Your Best Outfit To Meet The In-laws. I pulled two audience members per challenge and the winner of each was voted on by everyone else based upon how loud they were hootin' and hollerin', Orlando style!
Dress For a Beyonce Concert: Nick Verreos announces the winnerAt one point, when I was deciding on who next to pull (for the "Meet Your Ex Outfit") a woman kept pointing to her daughter and proceeded to explain (teary eyed) how she (the daughter) had just been dumped by her boyfriend (in a crummy way) and so she would be perfect to take this "Fashion Challenge". Well, of course, I picked her!
Lo and behold, her daughter WON THE CHALLENGE and a $100 Macy's Gift Card to get new clothes! (photo above) After the event was over, I was happy to pose for photos and sign autographs with everyone. 
Fashion Instructor: Nick Verreos is flanked with a group of fashion students from IADT OrlandoI was happy to see a very hip-looking group of kids who all wanted photos and were VERY EXCITED to meet me. They all came from IADT/International Academy of Design and Technology Orlando and had been told about me being there and they all showed up to get "A little bit of Nick". Needless to say, I was in HEAVEN!!!!
The evening ended as my clients--the Macy's Special Events DIVAS, Janelle and Rich--took me out to dinner and drinks. It had been a long day and we were A.)Parched and B.) Starving! We ventured into Downtown Orlando--away from the Spring Break tourist madness--and had a fabulous steak dinner at Kres, a restaurant referred to us by our hotel. 
It was a perfect ending to another great Macy's Fashion Director/Take The Fashion Challenge event.Next up: Sacramento California!!!
