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Reporting from Milan Fashion Week, aka We’re Not in Kansas Anymore!

by 81 Comments

What it do, homeskillet? Are you ready for a few days of gelato-fueled fun!?

Remember how I spent most of Monday stuck in San Francisco working out the kinks with my passport? Well, tomorrow morning my cameras and I are off to Italy to cover Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan Fashion Week show.

I’ll be knee-deep in makeup backstage at the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2011 show on Sunday, digging up deets on the runway looks and bringing you insider beauty tips from the incomparable Pat McGrath (she collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana on their makeup and brush collection).

Before and after the show, camera batteries willing, I’ll try to capture as many interesting Italian makeup and beauty brands as possible and share them here on the blog.

I wonder how many miles of walking it takes to burn off four days of gelato…

You ready to visit the land where Nutella was born? Let’s do this! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Oh my God, I’m so jealous! Have fun! (I would say something in Italian, because I’ve studied it for 3 years, but I can’t remember any of it. For shame.)

    Reply

    • Hi Jen,

      No worries, I’m the same way with French! I can only say random things like “Hurry up, we’re gonna miss the bus!” and “I want a ham sandwich.”

      Reply

  3. Buon viaggio Karen! 🙂
    Hope you like Italy and….. you have to try the Nutella ice-cream flavour, it’s the best ever!! 😉

    Cheers!

    Reply

      • I’m sad to say I havn’t, I’d never pass the chance up if it was offered to me! :c BUT, I assisted some makeup artists in London on london fashion week back in… 2008? and 2009(I did a course with AOFM who are sponsered by MAC, benefit etc and take alot of doing with LFK) Wow was it that long ago? It was FANFABULATASTIC! I really hope you enjoy your time backstage, enjoy the vibe and hecticness that is runway!! 😀 Ps, got one spare ticket for me? 😛
        Ithfifi recently posted … Time for some positivity! Tagging random people!

        Reply

  6. Whaaaaat??? You’re coming here, in my city (very close to mine)?!?! Watch out for famous italian make up brands, like KIKO,MADINA, pupa, deborah, and of course the higher ones that you can find at Rinascente! oooh how would I like to meet you!!!!

    Reply

    • Hi Mariachiara,

      AWESOME! I can’t wait to check those brands out!

      Are there any places you can recommend to go makeup shopping? I’d love to hear about your favorite spots.

      Reply

      • as many told you, KIKO are a little bit everywhere in milan, and Madina in Via Meravigli, about the higher end brands, I don’t raccomend you to buy it here because you will end up spending a LOT more than in the US, both for the higher prices and the exchange rate $/€!!!!! Just check out Collistar and pupa in places like Sephora or Limoni!

        Reply

    • Hi Sarah,

      It should be a fun trip! Are you familiar with any Italian beauty brands? If you are I’d love to hear about them.

      Hope you’re having a lovely Friday!

      Reply

    • Hi Giulia,

      I’m really excited to visit your city. Do you have any good insider tips for me? I want to do some sightseeing while I’m there, but I only have a day to pack it all in. If you have any must see places to see/shop/eat I’d love to hear about them!

      Happy Friday!

      Reply

  9. That’s great news Karen – good luck and have a good time. I haven’t been to Milan – only Venice and I have to say the little bit of Italy that I saw then is gorgeous. If you like not-so-healthy food (no such thing as junk food! :)) Barilla the company famous for its pasta has a range of biscuits that are not very sweet, but really delicious with a mug of tea.

    P/s – Gelato eaten far from home don’t really count in calories. Besides, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do when she’s faced with so much temptation – give in and worry about it later 😉

    Reply

    • Hi Vonvon,

      Thanks! I’ll have all my techie stuff so I’ll be sure to update lots from the road. 🙂

      How are you doing? Got any fun plans for the weekend?

      Reply

  17. What an exciting opportunity!! I’ve never been to Italy, but would love to go one day! Can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Michelle,

      I’ll try to take lots of pictures so it’ll feel like we are all there together. 🙂

      How’s your Friday going? Are you having a good one so far? I hope so!

      Reply

  20. Shrieking with joy for you!!!! You’re going to have a blast! Travel safely and enjoy your time in Italy. I’ve never been to Milan, but I love Rome. This is so exciting! Just promise that you’ll come back. 🙂

    Reply

      • I’m very late getting back to you but I’ve been catching up on the weekend posts and you were such a trouper with the schedule! I’ll bet Tabs was so psyched to see you. I just hope he’s not like one of our gals who shows her excitement (and anger and boredom) by puking up hairballs!

        Reply

  21. Wow you are coming to Italy! Benvenuta!!! ^_^ If you want to appease your conscience on the matter of gelato calories, do what I do: pick fruit flavours! They don’t contain eggs and milk = way less calories ;-P Enjoy!

    Reply

    • Hi Meibaola,

      Maybe I’ll alternate between chocolate and fruit! 🙂

      Do you know Milan very well? If you have a list of fun things to do I’d love to hear them.

      Reply

  24. Fantastico! I was in Italy for a month this summer (studying Italian… but do I remember any? No… just the amazing experience lol). Never got to see Milan though i wanted to. Please take lots of pictures!!! And enjoy a cappuccino for me 🙂

    Reply

  26. When I was in Italy, I ate nutella ice cream! You gotta try it!
    And I wasn’t aware of it yet, but Kiko, which is sold in Italy seems to be a pretty good brand.

    Reply

  34. Hi Karen,
    coming to Milan?! Great! Try Grom’s gelato, it’s one of the best and there are a few shops around the city. Other good gelaterie are Marghera and Baravalle (in the Navigli area).
    As for Makeup: Kiko, in piazza Cordusio, and Madina, with shops in via Meravigli and via Marghera, and all the “upper class” brands at Rinascente and Coin department stores.
    For dinner: absolutely try risotto alla milanese (with saffron) and cotoletta (breaded veal meat).

    And should you need a guide, drop me an e-mail!! 😉
    ciao e benvenuta!!
    Leo

    Reply

  35. oops, mistake (I was still thinking about ice cream!!) Madina stores are in via Meravigli and via Pontaccio!!
    another GREAT gelateria is “Il Massimo del Gelato”, but I’m afraid it’s a bit out of your area (it is via Castelvetro, shoud you be around!!). they have 8 different kinds of chocolate ice-cream!! 😛

    Reply

  38. Lucky!!!! i went to Italy, 2 summers ago and yes the gelato is definitely worth the vacation weight gain, you are going to want to try them all. the hazelnut tastes like cold nutella 😉

    Reply

  39. Ciao bellezza! (or in English – hi beautiful 🙂 )

    This means we’ll be really close! I don’t think we’ll ever be this close again 😀 I live right next to Italy, in Croatia. I really hope you’ll enjoy your time there. 🙂

    And looking forward to lots of photos! 🙂

    Reply

  40. OMG! Have fun! Be safe! You deserve this! If you happen to run into Karl Lagerfeld before he heads to France pass along my email haha 🙂

    Reply

  43. Fabulous news! You’ve really made it to the top with your site!! Wow, Italian Fashion Week, I wonder where you’ll be with this in another 5 years!!

    Really looking forward to your posts. Are you going alone or is your husband coming with you?

    Longtime reader but infrequent commentor,

    May

    Reply

  45. How much FUN!!!! OMG, what a lucky girl you are! Have a fabulous time, take lots of pics and try not to drink too much wine! That really will be the most exciting trip; please give the rest of us living vicariously through you this week as many details as you can, ‘k?

    Reply

  49. OMG Karen! Have a SUPER fun trip! Be sure to bring us back some Nutella 😉 Imagine how cheap it must be over there :O! I’d ask you for gelato too, but since it would melt, I’ll ask for lots of backstage makeup pics and a video interview with Pat from the D&G show! 😀

    Reply

  50. That’s amazing news! Hope you’ve landed okay and are already enjoying all that Milan has to offer! And remember, calories are nonexistent when you’re not in the US!
    Can’t wait to hear all the new looks and hot hot hot tips from Pat!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

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