Fashionably Cynical
In the world of marketing it’s easy to have a love/hate relationship with one’s job. Hate derives from the grueling hours, constant ass kissing and pulling out the stops to move up the corporate ladder. Love blossoms from the party invites, free loot and tickets to highly sought after events. Today was a day full of love.Promptly at 9am, I walked up to the crisp white tents at Bryant Park: the epicenter of New York’s Fashion Week. I certainly did not snag tickets by being a blogger. No, that seems to be the cliché of the week. Rather, I merely had to drop my client’s name and POOF!, I’m a potential sponsor (i.e. walking money bags).
As I walked through the tents with my clients, we received white-gloved treatment with full access to the VIP “holding area” and the “back of the house.” Although I appreciated the hospitality, I thought the scene itself was rather comical. It is a scene that would make any tourist drool…true New York celebrity, pretension and status.
To my trained and desensitized PR eyes, I didn’t think anything about the tents were glamorous or special. Yes, I saw celebrities. Yes, I got to go backstage. Yes, I walked through the line of paparazzi. No, they did not want to take my picture.
As a result of my morning escapades, I thought I'd enlighten the masses. If you ever go to an event at fashion week, be sure to keep the following in mind:
- Everyone is a people pleaser until they find out you don’t have money. In other words the only people that matter are sponsors, potential sponsors, celebrities/socialites/etc. that wear the clothing, and fashion editors and writers who tell the world that celebrities/socialites/etc. wearing the clothing are cool.
- Shocker! Some models are thin, but most models are downright emaciated. Eat something already! Even the garments that models “have to be small enough to fit in” are hanging off their bony shoulders. I happen to think Spain is onto something.
- The over saturation of marketing is truly mind-boggling. Everything is branded. Some booths even had brands within a brand. Of course it’s ironic considering I was at fashion week to figure out how my clients could get in on the fun, but good god…there was so much branding that it was easy to turn off to all of it.
- Unless you want to look like you’re working at the tents, dress like you work at Vogue. Everyone was decked out in designer duds. As a result, everyone was people watching wondering who was who...even if they happened to be a nobody. Even Nina Garcia looked distracted by the crowd.
- Everyone wears sunglasses. Anywhere. Everywhere. Even with the lights off. Apparently it means you are “somebody.”
I was able to see both the Ports 1961 and Peter Som shows. Seeing the simplistic, yet constructed manner of which the beautiful fabrics were patterned together made it hard not to be excited to shop for my spring wardrobe.
If only my meager PR salary could afford such extravagance!
posted by Lisa @ 5:36 PM
2 Comments:
"Seeing the simplistic, yet constructed manner of which the beautiful fabrics were patterned together"
Sounds like you are after Nina Garcia's job!! I can't wait for my spin at the Tents this Thursday... (Yes, as a potential sponsor.)
i've been wearing sunglasses for years now, day and night. i guess i'm somebody, huh? :)
love your blog.
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