Inspiration

October 12, 2016

Cara Santana

Actress & Founder of the Glam AppWest Hollywood, CAStory & Photography by Lauri LevenfeldMakeup by Ashley Schaeffer & Hair by Taary Moy of The Glam App

I am not one for using the term “fierce” but when you talk about Cara Santana, the word perfectly describes this self-made actress, entrepreneur and beauty expert. An actress by trade, Santana has used her industry smarts to cater to the Hollywood world and beyond through creative business centered around necessity and dreaming in all aspects of fashion and glam. And with her blog CaraDisclothed, Cara boldly uses her persona and messaging to stand up for women (#imwithher) and girls everywhere (see her recent note to Vogue), acting as a strong female model to all around her. With a Netflix series in the can (co-starring Drew Barrymore) for early 2017, we should see a whole lot more of this lady soon.  

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October 5, 2016

Gasya Akhmetov-Atherton

Cirque du SoleilNew York City, New YorkPhotos & Story by Lauri LevenfeldStyling by Katja O’Brien

Sometimes we all feel like life is one big circus, with us as the clowns juggling our everyday tasks, passions, and family within. But for Gasya Akhemtova-Atherton and her husband Andrew, life really is a circus (of the Cirque du Soleil kind) where love and family evoke passion and inspiration and vice versa. For the Atherton family, spending less time “juggling” and more time

“merging” their loves, life, and work have truly become their highest form of art and expression. This is a story about a mother, wife and visionary who dedicates every day to living out her dreams and the dreams of her family. I guarantee these images are most worthy of a long double-take.

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September 7, 2016

Carrie Cramer

Stylist & Jewelry DesignerManhattan BeachPhoto & Story by Lauri Levenfeld

At first it was all the glitter, bling and bedazzlement that caught my eye. Stylist Carrie Cramer’s sense of creativity and experiment has no bounds. A true artist by nature, what is even more interesting about Cramer is her found perspective and personal understanding that just doing art would not make

her happy, she also wanted to make money doing it. Cramer, a split of right and left brain, with an entrepreneur soul, set out to find opportunity in making art a business. With a successful career notch under her styling belt, Carrie has launched her latest endeavor- one that started with her four-legged muse.

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August 10, 2016

Jene Park

Thomas WyldeLos Angeles, CAPhoto & Story by Lauri Levenfeld

For most, there is the dream of someday walking down the Red Carpet. For Jene Park, the dream is to dress the ones that do (in the most kickass, rock-n-roll glamour she can possibly create mind you). Park, of the iconic brand Thomas Wylde, dresses all the A-listers. She puts her heart and
 soul into everything she does. But her greatest achievement and best product, her twin teenage girls, who have sparked a continued inspiration and need to keep creating and staying passionate. This is a story about a woman with a joie de vivre that propels her and an honest perception that excels her.

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July 20, 2016

Susan Feldman

One Kings LaneLos Angeles, CAPhoto & Story by Lauri LevenfeldMakeup & Hair by Glamsquad

This is a story of how your passions in life can lead to the most revolutionary ideas in business. Susan Feldman, a proclaimed “hunter & gatherer,” came up with the idea of a lifetime in One Kings Lane. And with the help of her savvy partner Ali Pincus, their brainchild became one of the most sought-after flash sale sites for unique home products and has evolved into an omni-channel business with design studios in NYC and San Francisco. Recently, One Kings Lane was sold to Bed Bath and Beyond. Feldman, a serial entrepreneur with a joie de vivre spirit, talks to TPFW about how her passion led to her idea, which led to her dream of traveling the world and bringing the most sought-after products back to her customer. This is a story for every business creative who has ever dreamed of following a similar course.

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June 15, 2016

Abby Falik

Global Citizen YearBerkeley, CAPhotos & Story by Lauri LevenfeldMakeup & Hair by Irmina Martinez Loeffler

With an almost 7-year girl growing up so quickly, I am continually imagining and implementing ways for her to live out a unique path in life, one filled with wonderment and endless possibility where she sees a bigger world, prepares for adulthood with unique experiences, and connects with others through service. All of which will provide a course that is different and broader than the expected or chartered direction mapped out for our younger generation in regards to education and life experiences. With a childhood routed in travel and opportunity, Abby Falik was lucky to acquire a most valuable perspective of the world seeing its beauty, its injustices, and how talent is evenly distributed but opportunity is not. This realization fueled her life’s work and gave her the momentum to create Global Citizen Year, an organization dedicated to building a new pipeline of global leaders and to changing the trajectory of our young generation breeding passion, purpose, and better understanding by broadening their world view.

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May 4, 2016

Becky Straw

For The Adventure ProjectNew York, New YorkPhotos & Story by Lauri LevenfeldMakeup & Hair by Irmina Martinez Loeffler

As a mom I am always thinking of the best way to support, love and provide for my child. Having the ability to do so is the single biggest gift of my lifetime. I am honored today to tell the story of Becky Straw, a woman who is not a mom (yet!), but has dedicated her life’s work to giving not only the gift of life to so many children around the world, but also the training and skill set needed to the moms and the women of the Uganda community giving them

opportunity to provide for their children while elevating their individual sense of worth and confidence. With Mother’s Day around the corner (see campaign below), I can’t think of anything I would rather gift myself, a friend, or my mother than the opportunity to support a woman and child by creating a sustainable system within a community for all to not only survive, but thrive.

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March 23, 2016

Lubov Azria

For BCBG Max Azria GroupLos Angeles, CAPhotos & Story by Lauri Levenfeld

Lubov Azria tells the story of when she was 18 and new to Los Angeles,  she walked by a department store and was stopped by the most gorgeous dress sparkling in the window. It was love at first sight! She went inside to try it on, everything was perfect from the fit to the feel. As Lubov stood before the mirror gleaming and twirling, ready to purchase, she looked down at the price tag. It was $3000!! Her car wasn’t even worth $1500.  She felt a pit in her stomach and a feeling came over her that she was not worthy of this dress.  It was at this moment Lubov vowed to herself, and all women, that no one should feel this pain and if she ever became a designer she would make gorgeous, affordable clothes that would make everyone feel good about themselves. This day changed her forever and gave Azria the purpose to follow her dreams and
 become the woman she is today. It was at this moment that the DNA of BCBGMAXAZRIA was born. I met Lubov at an intimate dinner she hosted for 45 women held in San Francisco. After Lubov told her story, she asked everyone in the room to introduce themselves (a vital process for her to learn and know about everyone in the room and one we dedicated an hour to during dinner). Instead of asking “What each person did”, the questions were about inspiration, favorite quotes, and a first job.…

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February 24, 2016

Carly Steel

for Entertainment TonightHollywood, CAPhotos & Story by Lauri Levenfeld

Most of us dream of living the Hollywood life- interviewing the charismatic actor, attending an awards show, walking a fashion runway, having lunch with the ultimate designer, or traveling off to an exotic place to film a movie. This is the ultimate fantasy checklist, one that host and actor Carly Steel has already checked off at such a young age. The ultimate success story, one driven by a go-getting, yet shy child who dreamed and stayed devoted, and ultimately wound up on the red carpet with a job of a lifetime.

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February 10, 2016

Zanna Roberts Rassi

for Milk Makeup & Marie ClaireNew York City, New YorkPhotos & Story by Lauri LevenfeldMakeup by Jakob Sherwood

Zanna Roberts Rassi has my dream career…actually dream careers. Senior Editor of Marie Claire ✓, E News style correspondent ✓, Project Runway designer’s mentor ✓, Milk makeup co-founder ✓. Rassi has more energy than anyone I have seen and she runs around town with a big smile
 on her face shaking up the scene in cross continental states (NYC & LA). Her latest job-to-date and the one she has the absolute most fun with is being mom to her almost 2-year old twins. Here are Zanna’s latest adventures…

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