Dallas' Fashion at the Park

Last week I covered Dallas' version of fashion week, which is called Fashion at the Park. Valentino, Marchesa, 3.1 Philip Lim, Roberto Cavalli,Rodarte, and Oscar de la Renta held shows, just to name a few. Check out my coverage on SMU's news website, The Daily Mustang .

(photo by Evans Caglage, Fashion at the Park, NorthPark Center, Fall 2008)

Oops

Wow. My bad for not keeping up with my blog! There are so many things that have happened between June 26,2008 and now! I will do my best to fill you in on what new scoops I have learned about. Currently I am going through an identity crisis because I graduate... in two months! AHHH!

Here is something to keep you preoccupied while I figure out to catch up on Fashion 101. Here is a site I've been using to look for jobs. Media Bistro is extremely helpful!

What's Your Story?

So why are you working your butt of this summer as an unpaid intern? Below you'll find my reason and my story for why I am. **Note: This is the essay I wrote to win the $1,000 of Ed's Trust Fund. (copyright is mine) Use it as an example to write your own 500 word essay and apply!


Tired Of Not Knowing What
You’re Supposed To Do With Your Life?
Find Out How One Girl’s Teenage Tantrum
Turned Into Her Life’s Calling


My obsession with magazines all started at the dramatic age of 13 when my dad grounded me for two weeks for throwing a temper tantrum, and a phone, at a family dinner. No one at dinner that night thought that my dad’s punishment would transform his little girl into a fashion maven.

After spending the first two days of my so-called solitary confinement of life without phone or friends, I decided I needed something to fill up my time. That’s when my childhood creativity kicked in and transformed my blank bathroom walls into a canvas. Every day I would come home after school and start ripping out fashion stories I loved, celebrities with unique looks, and models I adored (I knew Adriana Lima was going to be big even back when she was doing editorials for Seventeen!). Due to my precise cutting skills and refusal to post pictures just to fill up space, this project took way longer than two weeks. Even longer than two years. My grand project took a total of three and a half years.

Ever since I had my bathroom wall epiphany, I knew that I was meant to work in the industry, but I still didn’t quite know how my talents converted into a title on a masthead. In high school I found my fit as the editor-in-chief of the yearbook and up until my third year in college I thought it was my calling. After spending a summer as a fashion intern at Glamour, my passion for photography and fashion was revived. But I didn’t quite see myself as a Market Editor. So I poured through fashion blogs, magazines, and even Anna Wintour’s biography to find my place in the industry. That’s when I discovered Stylist by Sarah Mower. I devoured the pages of photography and learned how some of the world’s greatest stylists also served as creative directors. I finally understood how my eye for a certain look, my intuition about certain trends, my background with InDesign and my love of art all pointed towards a career as a creative director.

Since this “aha!” moment I have started to piece together my idea of what makes a good creative director. I changed my plans to study abroad in Madrid and begged my parents to let me study art and French in Paris. For five months I immersed myself in the French culture because I know a good director must understand the ins and outs of the world’s fashion capital. I now look at the world through different eyes. I am always on the lookout for prime photo shoot locations and look to architecture, paintings, and trends to inspire new designs and angles for a magazine.

My dad’s normal solution for handling a boy-crazy 13-year-old turned out to be a not-so-normal event in my life. My love for fashion magazines has taken me on a winding journey. And just when I think I have it all figured out and know what to do with my life, I am introduced to new aspects of the industry that I love. Yet I know that I am on the right track to living the life of my dreams.

Ed's Party

So for those of you who didn't go to Ed 2010's party... you missed out! Okay, I'll admit, it wasn't a raging party or anything but it was cool to find out what other interns do at different publications. It's a good networking thing! And...




I won Ed's Trust Fund award! During the summer Ed's Trust Fund gives two interns $1,000 scholarships. What's crazy is only 30 people applied... so the odds were pretty good! Ed also gives away one fall and one spring scholarship too. Check Ed2010 for more details.



Oh and one last thing: visit the Boat Basin Cafe on 79th St. and the Hudson River, it has an amazing sunset view!

Come to the Party!

Tomorrow night my favorite magazine go-to site, Ed2010.com, is hosting an NYC intern party. So come! There will be door prizes, free cupcakes, a chance to meet other interns and network with editors! I'm going and I would love to see you there!

Here is the address:
7th Annual Welcome to NYC Intern Party
Boat Basin Cafe (West 79th Street at the Hudson River)
Tuesday, June 17, 6:30-8:30pm

Visit their website for more information.

Post-Peabody's

I arrived at the Waldorf around 11:15 a.m. and my friend Andrew and I wandered around until we found the right ballroom (the hotel is huge!). I was a little surprised at how many "older" people were there. But really I should have known it would be a mostly older crowd... the people with the most experience are going to be the most talented!
At noon we took our seats at table 73 for the opening of the ceremonies. Michael Adams, the president of University of Georgia, gave an introductory speech and afterwards we ate a delicious lunch: steak, salad, potatoes and chocolate. Unfortunately Andrew and I had to leave as soon as the ceremony began, which was a little disappointing... but it was time for both of us to get back to work. On the bright side, I did get to see Stephen Colbert! Very charismatic and handsome, just like on T.V.
Even though I didn't get to see the ceremonies, here are some highlights:
- Lesley Stahl replaced Brian Williams as the emcee because Williams opted to attend Tim Russert's funeral (and rightly so).
- Heidi Klum was present to accept an award for Project Runway . Showtime's Dexter won as well.
- The Colbert Report , The Discovery Channel's Planet Earth won,
- ABC's Wounds of War – The Long Road Home for Our Nation`s Veterans, which is a series of reports by news correspondent Bob Woodruff, won a Peabody, along with many others.

Check out the press release to view more information about the 67th Annual Peabody Awards. So wish I had seen Heidi!

An Intern goes to the Peabody's

YAY! So you know how after you get home from working all day and you are too tired to do anything? Well... this was me on Thursday, but I did not feel like sitting home alone so I went to dinner with my Paris roommate,Savannah, and her friends from the South. And oh how glad I am that I went!
We went to Paradou's over in the Meatpacking district and I met some guys who work on Wall Street. (all those guys who work in finance get amazing tickets to stuff!) One guy happened to have an extra ticket to the Peabody's.... and I finangled my way into receiving that ticket! Ahhh I am so excited.
Skipping work is not acceptable, even to go to the Peabody's, so I am going to skip my lunch break and come in an hour early in order to go.
NBC's Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is the emcee of the 67th Annual Peabody Luncheon luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Even though I am only going for an hour of it, it should be pretty exciting! I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Oh and the point of the story? Make the most of your summer and be social! Go out (I don't mean get drunk and make a fool of yourself) and have fun! In New York City, you are surrounded by the most interesting mix of people in the world; you never know where you will catch your big break!

Style.com's Intern How-To

Style.com collaborated with editors, designers, and PR firms to bring this summer's interns a list of what to and what not to do. This slideshow gives tips on what to wear, when to give your opinion, and what they don't want to see you doing in the office (is that your phone I hear ringing?).

What to Expect at Your Summer Fashion Internship

Finals are over and many students are looking forward to the next challenge: a summer internship. Internships are a great way for students to learn if a job or professional field is right for them. A job in the tough and competitive fashion world is no different: Some students realize they are on the right track. Others learn that this isn't the industry for them.

Hilary McCanse, a senior journalism major at the University of Wisconsin, realized she was going in the right direction after her internships. McCanse spent her 2007 summer as an accessories intern at Glamour magazine. It was her second internship in the fashion industry. She worked at Chanel in London in 2006.

McCanse’s job as an accessories intern involved returning purses, shoes, and jewelry to the designer after the magazine had used them. She also organized the fashion closet, a room where the magazine holds all their samples, delivered accessories to photo shoots, and did many Starbucks’ runs.

McCanse got the Glamour internship by asking a friend of her dad’s for an editor’s contact information. Several e-mails and one phone interview later, McCanse got the job. She didn’t even have to interview.

“Honestly I think I slipped through the cracks,” she said.

The application process starts early for students who don’t have connections to help secure an internship. Some students start applying for summer internships in the fashion magazine industry in December. Conde Nast has a January 31st deadline for its summer intern program. Others are able to find internships at the online site EdBoard2010.com a month before it starts.

Some professionals warn that students who really want the job need to step up to the plate, get their paperwork in, and be persistent.

Nick Axelrod, a fashion assistant for Women’s Wear Daily, is surprised by how many students don’t follow through with the application process.

“I only ever actually got responses from people after following up at least two or three times,” Axelrod said.

Axelrod recommends that intern applicants follow up at least once a week with the editor responsible for the hiring. This shows the editor how much you are interested in the internship.

Don’t worry if your boss has not told you the details about your job in the days leading up to your internship. Editors have busy work schedules and sometimes don’t have time to answer e-mails. They are used to receiving new interns and will answer your questions, but it is better to wait until the first day of work.

People in the fashion industry dress stylishly, but appropriately, while on the job. Interns wear summer dresses or jeans with a cute top and flats or comfortable heels. Male interns should pair a nice shirt with jeans and either open or closed-toe shoes. You will spend the most of the day on your feet, running errands and making copies, so be comfortable. Many New Yorkers wear flip-flops on the metro and when they are a block from work, change into their dress shoes.

If you are wearing a dress, make sure it is long enough because you may find yourself working on the floor creating storyboards. Storyboards are made up of the looks editors want their assistants to get samples of to use for a photo shoot. When you are working on storyboards, the last thing editors want to see is your underwear.

McCanse said she wore a skirt or dress to work almost every day.

“You are in the fashion industry…get creative with what you wear. I love thrift stores and wore many vintage outfits. What ever you wear, don't look sloppy,” she said.

Holly Bauman, a senior at the University of Texas, also spent last summer working at Glamour. After her experience at Glamour, she decided to spend her following spring semester working at D Magazine in Dallas. She was surprised by the casual, laid-back atmosphere.

“At Glamour, we barely had a moment to eat lunch. At D they give us an hour break and let us work from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Bauman said.

The New York City market is more fast-paced than other cities’ work environments. If you have a job in New York, be prepared to work non-stop. But just because you work hard doesn’t mean you don’t have fun.

Bauman said her most memorable experience was the friendships she made with the other interns.

“We all became so close because we were working on top of each other all day. There is no way we could all have gotten our work done without the help of other interns,” she said.

Whether it is an internship in the Big Apple, or in the Big D, make sure to enjoy your experience for what it’s worth. Before you know it, the summer will be over and you'll be back hitting the books.

Get a Career Head Start

I started my internship at WWD last week and have really learned a lot! Working at different publications helps broaden your horizons and better understand different facets of the industry. I've even received some insider tips from other interns. For example, have you heard of Model Mayhem ?

It is a website dedicated to helping new photographers, make-up artists, hairstylists, models, and stylists make connections. You can create a profile and post ads to look for models, photographers, stylists, etc who are willing to work with you to create a portfolio. Some people pay, some people don't. The whole idea is to network and help each other create work to use in your portfolio. (For those of you who don't know what a portfolio is, it is a file of all your work and experience to show to potential employers on interviews)

So! If you are like me and panicking about having a job upon graduation, check out this site. Start creating your portfolio! Find models and photographers who are willing to work for little or no pay and get your name out there. It is never too early to start!

Finally! I'm Back

Ahh I am so sorry about this confusion over the past month. When Blogger (the host of this blog) switched their server over to Google.com, the system wouldn't accept my information. So after many e-mails and help postings to Google, I am finally set back up! Check back for daily posts.

Things an Intern Should Know.. and Do!

I made a list of the top 10 Most Helpful Tips for interns. If you are coming to NYC this summer and working in the magazine or fashion business, use these tips to help you stand out from the crowd. An internship can be the gateway to a job after graduation, so every impression counts!

10. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier than asked. This way you are prepared for the day when your boss gets in. The 15 extra minutes really comes in handy when you are running late, want to eat breakfast, or the metro's having problems.

9. Remember what you are told the first time. Business in New York is very fast-paced. Editors don't want to have to take the time to tell you twice. They will notice you can keep up to their pace, and may reward you later.

8. Look for ways to improve your job. If you notice that packing trunks a certain way keeps the clothes in better shape, suggest it to your boss, and if they approve, tell the other interns. Your boss will notice you care about your work, and the interns will respect you making their job easier. Be careful to not take on a know-it-all tone, this only makes you disliked.

7.Know how to get around the city. You may be asked to run errands all over town on the first day. It will make your day so much more stressful if you don't know where you are going! So before you start work, take the time to learn the metro system and your specific route from home to work.

6. Do your work without being asked. If you know that your boss reads her mail every morning, put it on her desk for her so she doesn't have to go get it. If you notice the fashion closet is almost out of hangars, put in an order before you are out. If you notice that your boss is private about certain things, like her mail, make sure you don't invade on his/her privacy.

5. Save your receipts. Most magazines and PR firms I have heard of pay interns' lunch expenses. The cap is normally $10 per day. And they should pay for your travelling expenses if you go on errands. So make sure to save your taxi and metro receipts as well. Your boss might forget to mention that on the first day, so don't be afraid to ask him/her what their policy is.

4. Stay on good terms with people you meet. The fashion industry is not that big. And sizewise, neither is New York City. You are likely to run into the same people throughout your career, so always be nice and stay in contact with people you meet. You never know who you will need a favor from.

3. Dress for the job you want. Most magazines have a laid back dress code, but everyone dresses stylishly. This does not mean you have to go buy a new wardrobe (I know one girl who bought a full closet of Chanel because she thought she could only wear their brand at her internship at Chanel). Just know that your boss will notice if you have good taste. Note: Don't wear short dresses, you will be picking up stuff all day! Don't ruin your nice shoes on the metro either, wear flip-flops to get there, then change shoes a block from the building.

2. Bond with the other interns. You never know when you will be running late and need someone else to get your boss' coffee. (yes, you will most likely do this) Plus it makes work so much more fun if you enjoy the people you are with! They might be your future roommates for when you get your first job, or even your future boss!

1. Be happy! Even if you are having a long day, have a positive attitude. No one likes to work with complainers. And no matter what you say, your attitude shows to your boss what you really think of your job!

Accessories Intern Gives Advice

I did a Q & A with my friend Hilary McCanse that was one of two accessories interns at Glamour last summer. Curious to see what it was like? Read below!

Q: What did you do as Glamour’s accessories intern?
A: I was in charge of sending all the purses, belts, shoes (loved the shoes) and such back to the designers. If an accessory was needed urgently at a shoot I was sent to the designer to pick it up and drop it off at the shoot. I also created accessory storyboards and organized the closet. And I must be honest, many many Starbucks runs.

Q: How did you get your internship at Glamour? Friend, connection or through an application? When did you go in for an interview?
A: The accessories editor is from my hometown. My dad mentioned to a coworker that I wanted a magazine internship and the coworker is a family friend of the accessory editor's family. I asked my dad to get me her email address and phone number. At the time I was interning at Chanel and my bosses there were friends with the accessory editor. So I called her and we chatted about her job, Chanel, etc. She told me to email her my resume. It took many many email follow-ups but eventually I got the internship. And I actually did not interview. Honestly, I think I slipped through the cracks.

Q: What most surprised you about working at Glamour?
A: Everyone is so busy at Glamour; it took awhile to get into the groove of things. At Chanel the office was small I got to know my bosses well. While at Glamour I only got to know my 2 editors well. Otherwise, Glamour was how I expected it to be.

Q: What do you recommend future interns wearing to work?
A: Dress nice. We were told we could wear jeans but I would only try to wear jeans on Fridays, which were half days. Usually I wore a dress or a skirt. You are in the fashion industry, dress like you are. That does not mean your clothes have to be designer or expensive but get creative with what you wear. I love thrift stores and had many vintage outfits. Also, NYC has glorious sample sales. What ever you wear don't look sloppy.

Q: What advice would you give to future interns?
A: Make connections where you can and always follow up with your contacts. And do not be shy. You want your bosses to take notice of you. That does not mean you have to suck up. But really attempt to convey your personality.

Q: What is your most embarrassing or funniest story about working at Glamour?
A: Well it is not about Glamour, but while I was riding the elevator in Conde Nast, Anna Wintour came on. And I literally could not stop staring at her. I think I tried to say something to her and just froze. I came across as such a creeper.

Q: What was your most memorable experience at Glamour?
A: I was featured in the magazine for how to dress a petite. Being at a professional photo shoot was a surreal experience. When I remember the Glamour experience as a whole, I smile. I had such a good time and loved working with the other interns. There is no need to compete or be snooty to the other interns. You are all there for the whole summer, make the most of it.

Q: What's your major? Did you get school credit for the internship?
A:I am a journalist major with an emphasis on strategic communication. No, I did not get credit for this internship but I did for Chanel.

Hilary’s final bit of advice:
No matter how outrageous a contact is, make sure you e-mail or call that person. For example: if your brother's girlfriend's dog-walker's cousin works for a fashion magazine, contact her. And have fun. You are in the best city, working in fashion. Don't stress out but enjoy yourself!

Love Fashion Photography? Read This

Stylist: The Interpreters of Fashion
Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. $75.00 ISBN: 978-0-8478-2924-8

Sarah Mower interviewed the best stylists in the business for the book "Stylist: The Interpreters of Fashion." Mower gives a one page biography of each photographer and explains how their work has influenced the fashion industry. She then proceeds to let their work speak for itself: the book is 90 percent photography.

Each stylist's section includes a compilation of their most well-known work. From Grace Coddington's Alice in Wonderland photoshoot to Andrea Lieberman's work on Gwen Stefani's music video, this book shows every type of media stylists delve into. Featured stylists include: Grace Coddington, Tonne Goodman, Andrea Leiberman, Carine Roitfeld, Karl Templer and Joe Zee.

This book isn't just for future stylists, it is also inspiration for future editors.... Roitfeld, Zee, Coddington and Goodman have all gone on to manage major fashion publications. If you're smart, you will use these stylists tips of success to start off your own fashion career.

Check it out!

I put together a slideshow of all my pics from my summer 2007 internship at Glamour.

Click on any of the "Glamour Days" pictures and it will take you to flickr.com where you can read captions that will describe my Glamour days' experience!

There is information about a photoshoot I assisted on, walking in on Mariah Carey's shoot, the work I did in editorial, and even about my own modeling experience in the Nov. '07 issue. (that's me in the left-hand corner!)

France Follows Spain's Model Law

France's National Assembly approved a bill that would make it illegal for anyone - including fashion magazines, couturiers, and advertisers - to incite extreme thinness. The bill will be reviewed by France's other house of parliament, the Senate, in the upcoming weeks.
According to CNN ,if Senate passes the bill, it will be the strongest bill affecting the model market because "inciting extreme thinness" is such a broad term. Spain passed a law last year saying a model's BMI could not be lower than 18. France is following in their footsteps to change a market that accepts, and even encourages, anorexia.
Some couture houses aren't happy that the government is trying to regulate what is or isn't considered beautiful.... including protruding hip bones.
Personally, I think France is going in the right direction. But it is going to take a whole lot more than a bill to change the body image here! It seems like almost everyone you see on the streets has twig-like legs and flat stomachs. These parisians subsist on coffee and cigarettes!
I head back to the states in a week... and I can't wait to get away from the mini-meal atmosphere over here and pig out on all the foods that makes America great (or fat...): fudge brownies, queso and hot tortillas, massive Starbucks muffins, and REAL coffee!

Hemingway's Parisian Masterpiece

"A Moveable Feast"
by Ernest Hemingway
211 pages. Simon & Schuster. $11.00
ISBN 0-684-82499-X

Thirty years after leaving Paris, Ernest Hemingway writes about his life in the city of love during the 1920s. A Movable Feast, written late in Hemingway's life, is made up of a series of anecdotes that describe his neighborhood hangouts, his eccentric group of friends, and the difficulties of being a poor, young and unknown writer.

Many of the stories take place in famous literary cafes, such as Les Deux Magots in Saint Germain des Pris, where Hemingway went to write. He uses his signature style of simple, terse language to describe his writing process: “After writing a story I was always empty and both sad and happy, as though I had made love, and I was sure this was a very good story although I would not know truly how good until I read it over the next day”.

A Movable Feast touches on many of the relationships Hemingway has with other writers of the time, including Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Hemingway tells about the time spent in Stein's apartment, talking about love, sex and writing. Stein regarded Hemingway as a friend, but also as someone she imparted wisdom to. She tells Hemingway that he is of “the lost generation” from World War II and educates him about sex, homosexuality, and how to buy good art.

Hemingway briefly recounts his run-ins with Joyce, the Irish novelist who was already known as one of the most influential writers of the day. Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, lived in a run-down apartment with their infant son, whom they call “Bumby”. They did not have money to spend on dinners, or nice clothes. Hemingway and his wife are on there way home one day when they see Joyce inside an expensive restaurant eating happily with his big family. He comments to Hadley that he aspires to reach the literary success of Joyce, which in retrospect is quite interesting to hear from one who would become one of the most famous writers of the twentieth century.

A significant part of the book is dedicated to Hemingway's love-hate friendship with Scott Fitzgerald. Hemingway recounts a humorous car trip from Lyon to Paris in a convertible in the pouring rain. He also talks about Fitzgerald’s literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, and how he could have written more if it wasn’t for his destructible relationship with his wife Zelda.

The whole theme of Hemingway's book is based on one phrase:
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
The book offers no official story line, yet it accurately depicts what it must have been like to live in Paris in those heady days. Reading A Moveable Feast is like tasting a piece of that great city without ever leaving your couch. This is Hemingway’s terse literary style at its best. Give yourself a couple hours to read this gem, because you won’t be able to put it down.

Elle Fires Famous Fashion Director

WWD reports that Elle Fashion Director Nina Garcia has parted ways with the magazine. But why? Elle was the gateway to stardom for Garcia, who is also a Project Runway judge and author of The Little Black Book of Style.

WWD, Gawker, and TMZ barely give any information about why the editor was fired.

Lacroix's Take on Fashion History

A few weeks ago I went to the Le Musee des Arts Decoratifs and saw a breathtakingly gorgeous Christian Lacroix exhibit.

The museum invited Lacroix to create his own collection based on the history of fashion. Lacroix spent months pouring over art history books and then creating his collection.

The result is a colorful take on history with a modern textile twist. There are 1930s boleros, delicate lace frocks, sequined flapper dresses, eccentric wedding gowns, and so much more!

The exhibit is huge - over 100 pieces I would say - and takes up two floors.

I went with a friend and seriously went from piece to piece thinking the next was better than the last. If you are in Paris, go take the time to see this. It is well worth your six euros! And hurry... the exhibit is only here through April 20, 2008!

Marc Jacobs+ KCD Bribe Scandal

So I know this is old news (the story first leaked Feb. 8), but I just read the article. Apparently Marc Jacobs has been paying up to $30,000 to the superintendent ofLexington Avenue Armory, where Jacobs has held his shows over the past few years. KCD, a powerful PR firm that you will work with if you are interning in NYC this summer, has been the middleman for the transactions.
What a shame! New York Magazine and The New York Post have the full story.

Marie Antoinette: An Original Fashion Icon

Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
458 pages. Anchor Books $16.95
ISBN 0-307-27774-7


In her informative and page-turning work Marie Antoinette: The Journey, Antonia Fraser tells the real story of the legendary French queen who played many roles. As a child, Marie Antoinette was a political pawn of her power-hungry mother, Empress Maria Theresa of the Hapsburg Empire.

When she was 18, she became the young Queen of France. For the next decade the public mocked her for her lavish parties, clothes, and lifestyle. Then, eight years into her marriage, she finally produced an heir and became the Mother of France. Marie Antoinette’s life took a tragic turn with the Revolution of 1789. Within two years, the queen went from riches to ruins, from living in castles to being confined to prisons. After her husband was beheaded, she faced her own death on the scaffold. As part of the last true monarchy of France, Marie Antoinette’s story leaves an important mark on history.

Marie Antoinette was betrothed in 1769 to the Dauphin of France to create an unprecedented alliance between the Hapsburg Empire and the French. She left Vienna when she was 14 years old to meet Louis Auguste in Paris. When she crossed into the French border she performed a ceremony that symbolized rejecting her Austrian heritage to become a true French dauphine. Even though Marie Antoinette performed this ceremony, the people still considered her an outsider.

When Marie Antoinette arrived at Versailles she immediately tried to gain the favor of King Louis XV to appease her mother’s political motives. Even at her young age she knew that her future success in the Parisian court and role as a political influence depended on the King’s favor. When Louis XV passed away on May 10, 1774, Marie Antoinette lost an ally and a father figure. The new young King and Queen uttered the words, “Dear God, guide us and protect us we are too young to reign." Marie Antoinette was eighteen years old. Her husband had just turned twenty.

The foremost duty of a queen is to produce a male heir. Unfortunately, the obese and timid King Louis XVI was not interested in spreading his seed. In fact, it took seven years to consummate their marriage. To cope with her husband’s lack of affection, the 18-year-old queen created a lively social circle to entertain her with music, clothes, gambling and parties. Marie Antoinette suffered vicious attacks from the media for her lavish lifestyle. Pamphlets circulated spreading rumors that she was a lesbian and was unfaithful to both her husband and France. While there were rumors that the Queen had affairs with various men of the court, they never pegged the right courtier. Fraser found many documents that refer to a lifetime affair between the Queen and the handsome Count Ferson from Switzerland. However, the Queen and Ferson were so discreet that it is impossible to confirm an affair.

The people called her “l’austrichienne”, the Austrian, because of her attempts to be a political influence on her husband for Austria. Yet it was not until 1789 when King Louis XVI became so depressed he could not rule, that the queen became involved in the political arena.

In December of 1778 Marie Antoinette gave birth to a little girl, Marie Therese. A year later, she fulfilled her duty as Queen by producing a male heir. Sadly, the little boy was born with tuberculosis and died when he was seven years old. She gave birth to two more children, Louis Charles, who became the dauphin when his brother passed away, and one baby girl, Sophie, who died three weeks short of her first birthday.

Marie Antoinette entered a new phase of her life when she became a mother. Although she still hosted lavish parties, she was more interested in cultivating her family life. She created Le Petit Trianon, a small village that resembled the Austrian countryside, to spend time with her children away from the courtiers. Her relationship with Louis XVI became stronger with the birth of their children and they truly appeared to be a happy royal family.

Yet their happiness was cut short by the French people’s dissatisfaction with the monarchy. While the royal family was living a luxurious lifestyle, the people were suffering. Bread and oil shortages led to marches on Versailles and the people began to talk of forming a new type of government. Even though Marie Antoinette never pronounced the infamous words “let them eat cake” in the time of a bread crisis, she was labeled an ignorant and evil queen. In a sense, Marie Antoinette became the scapegoat of her husband’s weak rule. The people blamed her for everything, from the bread crisis to the government’s shrinking National Treasury. Instead of focusing on popular opinion, the queen held her head high and busied herself with her children’s education.

On October 6, 1789, a mob forced the king and queen to leave Versailles and live under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace. Within a matter of months Louis XVI was forced to sign away the monarchy. When the king felt he had no other option, he tried to escape with his family to Belgium. However, they were caught by a Nationalist guard in Varennes, a town next to the border of Belgium. The king and queen surrendered and returned to Paris followed by an angry mob.

The newly empowered National Assembly of France put the royal family in the Temple Tower, where they lived under tight security for over a year. On January 21, 1793 Louis XVI was taken from the Tower and beheaded in front of thousands of people in the royal square. Despite all of her sorrows, Marie Antoinette carried herself with dignity. After her husband was killed, Marie Antoinette was separated from her children and taken to an infamous prison called Le Concergerie where she was held until her trial. Marie Antoinette withstood 18-hour court days where she was accused of treason and sentenced to death. On October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette was beheaded in the same royal square as her husband.

Fraser does an excellent job balancing the role of historian and novelist. She fills her book with historical information and makes it read like a page-turner at the same time. She also describes a different side of Marie Antoinette than other books. History has mainly painted Marie-Antoinette as an ignorant, selfish woman who had no interest in the welfare of the French. In reality, Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were the most frugal of all the other royal families living at Versailles at the time. Interesting tidbits like this make Fraser’s book worth reading.

Director Sofia Coppola was so inspired by Marie Antoinette: The Journey that she based her 2006 movie, Marie Antoinette off of it. The movie stars Kirsten Dunst and won a 2006 Academy Award for Best Costume.

Fraser has a long interest in historical nonfiction. In 1968 she achieved her first literary success with Mary Queen of Scotts. For decades she continued to write about England’s past. She peaked in 2000 with this informative and page-turning work. I highly recommend reading Maria Antoinette: The Journey if you are at all interested in learning about the life of one of France’s most gossiped-about historical figures.

Just make sure you have the time… it is 458 pages!

Gucci's Back to Its Roots

Remember last month how I complained about how Gucci had gone too commercial? Well hallelujah, Gucci is back! For the Autumn/Winter 2008 collection creative director Frida Giannini designed a stunning collection. Sarah Mower even called it "Giannini's most confident [collection] so far."

Whether you want to call it rock 'n roll, bohemian chic, or Russian gypsy, this collection rocks! Giannini used an array of silks, velvets and furs to make a statement. The rich fabrics turn a defiant cheek to the talk of a recession. And the looks are guaranteed to translate into marketable pieces for not only Gucci, but retail brands as well.

I tried to pick out a few of my favorite looks, but I ended up pulling half of the collection! As always, take a look at Style.com's lookbook for every piece.

Barbara Walters' Interview with Anna

Barbara Walters chose Anna Wintour as one of the top 10 most interesting people in 2006. I love this interview because it's the first time I've ever seen Wintour open ups to the reporter. She talks about what she really though of The Devil Wears Prada and about the rumors about working at Vogue: "We do expect, but do not dictate a certain style of dress" !

Newsflash: We're in a Recession

According to a CNN poll, 74% of Americans believe we are already in a recession. You mean the subprime mortgage rates, consumer reports, and plummeting stock market didn't tell us that?
I'm working on a piece about how the talk of a recession influenced designers autumn/winter '08 designs, and how it will also affect the retailers come September. Check back for it in a week!

Collection Line-Up and Stand-Outs

Save the best for last. That’s what fashion insiders say when they talk about Paris Fashion Week. Throughout the month of February designers, editors, buyers and fashion enthusiasts gather in the four proclaimed fashion capitals of the world: New York, London, Milan and Paris to view the Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collections. Each city attracts a certain type of designer. New York is known for heralding American Chic, London for its out-there designs, Milan for its intricate fantastical creations, and Paris, with its high-end, yet wearable couture.
Paris Fashion Week began on Feb. 23, with four new, less known designers. Portugese designer Fatima Lopes showed at the Westin Hotel to an almost full house. Effervescent pink lighting shone down on models whose deer-in-the-headlights faces revealed their lack of experience. The front row was filled with French press, public relations’ people and a few famous Parisian faces.
Not many of the week’s international audience had arrived yet. Milan’s fashion week was wrapping up its final shows. And some of the celebrities who can be counted on to fill seats were in Los Angeles, attending the Academy Awards ceremony.
But fashion lovers did trickle in to view Rick Owen’s show on Feb. 24. Stacey Kosene attended the show to get an idea of the clothes she wanted in her Indianapolis-based boutique, French Pharmacie.
“This season he added to his layering 
effect with cashmere leggings and shorts with the most 
phenomenal boots that give a leather leggings look,” said Kosene, a mother of four in her fourties.
Style.com labeled Rick Owens as one of the top 10 collections for the fall. The site contributed his success to his structured jackets.
Kosene said he has always been famous for his jackets.
“ You can never go wrong with any style in
any one of his typical fabulous colors....dark shadow, pearl, black and 
dust,” she said. “If you buy just one piece get a jacket!”
Dior kicked off the tent events in the Tuileries on Feb. 25. Only big name designers like Dior, Christian Lacroix, Celine, Nina Ricci and Sonia Rykiel were able to attract audiences large enough to fill the white tents in the Tuileries gardens located between two grand monuments: the Louvre and Champs-Elysees.
Actress Lucy Liu walked in solo wearing a vintage white skirt suit by Dior. The next day, www.style.com and www.fashionweekdaily.com raved about Liu’s style.
Vivica A. Fox walked into Christian Lacroix on the arm of America’s Next Top Model judge J. Alexander. The magnificent pairing strutted past the paparazzi and straight to the tent entrance, not even bothering to show security their tickets.
After the show, Fox raved about the designer’s new collection to Style.com reporters.
“There was a lot of wow effect, which is exactly why I came to my very first Paris Fashion Week. There were jackets that I just thought were out of sight,” she told the online magazine.
Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga kicked off the Feb. 26 events at 9:30 a.m. at an undisclosed location. All but seven of the ninety designers revealed the location of their show on www.modeaparis.com. The designers that gave the words “see invitation” instead of an address on the website wanted to prevent an excessive number of uninvited photographers, journalists, and fashion students arriving at the show an hour beforehand to ask for tickets.
The true craziness of Paris Fashion Week began on Feb. 28 when a hooded Kanye West hustled past the paparazzi into the Stella McCartney show with fiancé Alexis Phiffer on his arm. The celebrity-supported designer and daughter of rock royalty Paul McCartney showcased form flattering velvet dresses and youthful, sheer tops.
Other stars made it to Paris for the weekend. On Friday, Feb. 29, Rihanna, Julianne Moore, and the Olsen twins watched as Chanel pumped out another successful show with a new twist on the classic tweed jacket. Designer Karl Lagerfeld left the hemming untrimmed on the jackets to make them appear more youthful.
On Mar. 2, Alber Elbaz capped off the end of fashion week with a stunning black and navy collection for Lanvin. Elbaz wound ribbon around the body to create tops, skirts, and dresses. The end result landed Lanvin on Style.com’s top 10 collections of fall 2008.
For more information about the Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collections, visit Style.com

Students Experience the Shows Too!

A few SMU students studying abroad in Paris watched models strut down the runways of Paris Fashion Week, which started Feb. 23.
Paris was the last stop of a month-long preview of designers’ Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collections. While there is no cost to attend the Paris shows, every person must have a ticket to enter. Students and journalists without tickets arrived an hour beforehand to wait outside the shows and try to sweet-talk the security guards or event coordinator to let them enter.
Brittany Connors, an SMU student studying in Paris, waited outside the Christian Lacroix show for a ticket.
If a designer’s show isn’t completely packed, students and journalists are allowed to stand behind the seats to give the appearance of a full house. Crowds of students and journalists waited hours for the slim chance of entering one of the more prestigious shows, like Louis Vuitton or Giambattista Valli.
“Even though I didn't end up getting tickets to the bigger name shows it didn't really matter because to me just experiencing the ambiance of fashion week is rewarding enough,” said Connors, a junior English major.
Connors was able to catch smaller, but equally famous, shows like Emanuel Ungaro and Costume Nationale at the Carrousel du Louvre. The Carrousel is located in the underground floor of the Louvre museum. Students can stand outside the entrance for twenty minutes and gain access to any one of the shows being featured in the Carrousel’s rooms.
During the month long fashion events, different designers showcased their collections in one of four cities: New York, London, Milan or Paris. Each city attracts a certain type of designer. New York is known for heralding American Chic, London for its edgy designs, Milan for its detail-focused creations, and Paris as the hometown of haute couture.
Savannah Engel, another SMU student studying in Paris, attended two shows with Connors.
“Waiting outside is not so fabulous. You are very vulnerable…but the people are amazing, watching them come in and organize everything,” said Engel, a 21-year-old Art History and Business major.
Engel said that standing outside was worth the wait after she got into Barbara Bui, her first ever fashion show.
“It was amazing, much shorter than one would imagine. I always thought the shows would last longer or go by a lot slower...but Barbara Bui lasted for only ten minutes!” she said.
One of the season’s new designers, Requiem, showed in the salle soufflot in the Carrousel du Louvre. Requiem’s designers Raffaele Borriello and Julien Desselle created high waisted pencil skirts and flowing sheer tops in a color palette of black, royal purple and mustard yellow.
Editors of Vogue’s website, www.style.com, said Requiem’s first Paris runway collection landed Borriello and Desselle a spot on the list of the top 10 up and coming designers.
Connors attended the Requiem show and was surprised they received the attention.
“I liked the ruffles and high-waisted ensembles… but I wasn't moved by it, nothing really seemed very innovative,” she said.

A Day in the Life of a Runway Model

Bee Bouchard was in Paris for a total of two weeks. One week for fashion week's runway castings, the other for the actual shows. Within that two week period we only found one night where she was free to sit down and get coffee with me. But something went wrong. I was at one cafe waiting for her, and she was at one around the corner waiting for me! Since we didn't meet up, Bee was nice enough to do an online interview. Bee is from Woodstock, NY. She attended Columbia University in NYC before taking a break to model full time. For more information about Bee's work, check her out at Major Model Management.

Q: So Bee, I know this is a typical question, but how did you get into modeling?
A: When I first got into it I was actually 8 years old! I was this really tall lanky girl with massive eyes. I used to stand in as the model for my mother’s friend who worked at the New England School of Photography. I would stand for four hours and I loved it. There must have been 15 photographers in the class and each had this creative vision with how they wanted to work with me.I never signed a contract until last September.

Q: What did your parents and friends think about your career choice?
A: My mum had always posed the question if I wanted to do it. But then once it became official she kind of questioned it and still does today. My friends are so supportive. I love them dearly and I miss them, they are the people who keep me down to earth when I want to get caught up in the scene.


Q: Is it still as nerve-racking as it was when you first started walking the runway at fashion week?
A: When I first did a show I thought my heart was going to come out of my skin! I was ballistic, but when you get on the runway it's a different feeling, your living in the moment and all eyes are on you. You’re this diamond in a Tiffany’s shop window, and all the people are Hugh Grants and Audrey Hepburns!


Q: What is the craziest experience you've had as a model?
A: I have had so many crazy things happen, it happens on a day to day basis! Since you’re not inside your house protected by your warm blanket and earl grey tea, every day you have to face work and life right in the face! But the one time I will never forget is when a hairstylist hated the way my hair was reacting to the product she was using. So to fix it she decided to take me outside in nothing but a T-shirt in the freezing rain of Milan and take a hose to my hair. I turned so blue you would have thought I was a smurf. I was so embarrassed and very unhappy.


Q: How has your life changed since you started modeling?

A: Do I still have a life? Haha I feel sometimes that I'm not normal. I don't have time to go to the movies or get a pizza with friends, go on cross country road trips or even drive! I don't get to see my family a lot and I miss my friends back home and my small hometown of Woodstock and the marvelous ex-hippies! But I do travel the world and meet amazing people every day who have such a major impact on me, and the world, every day. I try to make the best out of every situation.

Q: There's no way you can do this and college, right? Do you plan to go back to Colombia and finish school?
A: Well I'm just starting to figure out what I want to do with my life. A lot of girls go to school and model on the side. It's not 
impossible! I would love to one day open my own record label though. That is my dream! To complete that I am, going to do a lot of internships and see where I go from there. During the summer I spend my time catching up with family and friends and studying. I haven't quit learning at all, I teach myself. Psychology, Art History, Photography, Mathematics, Science and World Affairs.

Q: So..do you have a boyfriend?
A: I do not have a boyfriend! Boys are such amazing creatures I can find something beautiful in all of them, even when their temper is raging. It's so hard to keep long distance relationships I can't do it. To be away from someone you love for long periods at a time... your heart just breaks in two. A lot of people stereotype male models. They’re not a different species... most of them are very grounded and nice to talk to. They’re just guys doing their job. They are mainly who you’re around most of the time in this business and I'm friends with many of them. If I had one type of guy I would never keep a long lasting relationship… haha.

Q: Where have you traveled for work? What was your favorite shoot?
A: I have traveled to London, Paris and Milan. My favorite shoot was with Oliver Rose he just told me to be myself and I was. I am not thekind of girl who likes to stand in front of a camera and pose how people tell me to. I like to play and act. You can find Olivier’s story in SO CHIC Magazine.

Q: So I know you had a shoot the other week that involved spending all day jumping up and down on a trampoline in heels. What was that like?

A: It was fun, but hard and I had very heavy long hair extensions and all the exercise made my body just overheat. But again it was me being myself jumping on a trampoline and I never had one as a child so I lived up my childhood in that moment! I shot this for HARPERS BAZAR and it was a story about these beautiful long, long dresses and movement, lots of accessories as well. It was stunning


Q: Another annoying, typical model question…. Do you think there is a growing eating disorder/ drug issue in the industry, or do you feel like it's improving? And is it as big of a deal as the media makes it?
A: If there are drugs you don't hear about it. It's a secret.. I have seen it a few times but not as much as the media makes it out to be. The media has this power to make the smallest situations hit the headlines and create quite an uproar. I don't get it.

Q: I'm curious…. the CFDA has made a big deal of how designers aren't using black models anymore. What do you think about that, from a behind-the-scenes perspective?
A: I am not sure about this question. I have not seen racial predjudices held against any girl because of her skin color. A lot of the black girls have the most expressive features you have ever seen and the most powerful walk you have ever laid eyes on. But I would hate to see anything held against someone because of their race, because the only race is the human race.

Q: What's it like working with these young teenage girls? Can you tell the age difference between you and them?
A: I think you have to learn to grow up very fast in this industry! I have learned to grow a very thick skin. Because you always feel like you need to protect yourself so you won’t be taken advantage of. A lot of the girls I meet I think are about 25 but turn out to be 16 or 17 years old. But you do see some girls who are young and they get caught up in this world that isn't quite so. You may have warned them, but they persisted and end up with nothing to show. Tis, sad to see young, beautiful girls waste their lives away.

Q: What is your advice for other young girls wanting to enter the modeling industry?
A: Think a lot before you jump at it. It's not as easy as you think. You will have moments when you want to cry and give up, moments when you just want to run off the earth and onto a cloud and float away. The smallest advice I can give I think before you act and keep a strong head on your shoulders!

Gov. Spitzer Resigns

Today at 11:45 a.m. EST New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned. If you didn't already know... he resigned because of his involvement in a high-priced prostitution ring. He will officially leave office on Monday, March 17.

Style.com's Paris Review

Style.com gives an opinion of fashion week through the eyes of fashion's most powerful influences.

Galliano's Show Magic

Check out a behind the scenes look of Galliano's fashion spectacle in Paris last week. The clip was posted on YouTube by The Daily Telegraph.

Flashback to Fashion Week

Oh! I am so tired. Paris Fashion Week is exhausting – even for a lil nobody like me who only attended the smaller shows! However, the beauty, the excitement, the fast, international pace is so alluring and enticing that it inspires you to stay up at all hours to take it all in.

Everyone stays up til the wee hours of the morning and then wakes up early to enter the 9:30 a.m. shows. My own fashion week experience started off with Fatima Lopes, and ended with Anne Valerie Hash. Between the no name shows I attended, I spotted Alber Ebaz, Hamish Bowles and Irina Lazereau at Le Baron. I also hid from a scary editor I worked for in the Tuileries (no, she would not remember me, but I dunno… she might be pissed about the time I cluelessly walked into her Mariah Carey shoot!); went to the Thomas Wylde showroom with buyer Stacey Kosene, and watched Vivica A. Fox walk past me with Jay Alexander into the Christian Lacroix show.

It is virtually impossible to get into the big-name shows like Lacroix, Balenciaga, Chanel, Chloe, and even Stella McCartney without securing tickets beforehand. Believe me, I tried. My girlfriend made it sound so easy, saying all she had to do to get into Lacroix was ask people if they had extra tickets.. but that's not the case! Unless you have the guts to go up to some fabulous editor to ask for her extra tickets, you probably wont get in. I think my friend just got extremely lucky!

Even though I arrived an hour before the shows and sweet-talked with the bouncers (which normally always works in Paris), I still was unable to get into Lacroix or McCartney. However, there are still perks to hanging around the tents. You watch the stars come in, like Kanye with his sweet fiancé Alexis Phiffer at Stella McCartney, and, if you dress fashionable enough, you are photographed by the paparazzi.

I found it extremely amusing that the Japanese press loved my camel coat I had custom made in China and I slightly embarrassing when I had to explain that no… my shoes are not Loubotins…. Just err…. BCBG pumps! Haha whatever. The paparazzi thing was quite new to my girlfriend and I, but it was fun. And funny. I really got a kick when one journalist asked my friend… wait your wearing Diane Von…. Who? Poor thing had never heard of great Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress and was quite lost amidst all the tents and glamorous women. But yet, so were half of the people outside the tents... including me.

The "Next Step" for Fatima Lopes may be stepping down

The Portugese designer Fatima Lopes may have called her winter 08/09 collection the Next Step because she was hoping to enter the big ring of well-known designer. Lopes showed her collection on February 23, the first official day of Paris' Fashion Week. Any collection shown on the first day will most likely be seen by fashion-crazed students (like me), international journalists that don't speak French (or English) and a few B-list Parisians starlets.
Lopes describes her collection as a very structured, elegant futuristic style with a nod to the 40's. I thought it was like the visual equivalent of a teacher scratching her nails down the chalkboard. The stage lights faded to black then shot neon pink headlights on the first model to walk on the runway. Poor models. Only half of them remembered to pose long enough on the runway, and as a result were yelled by the photographers trying to capture the perfect pose for their bosses. Three dresses fell off the models shoulders, and as a result flashed the audience (only intentional nudity is accepted. Otherwise it means the clothes are a poor fit!) . To my horror only two looks were applauded by one dapper young man who was probably trying to be nice. I truly felt bad for Lopes.
However, there were a few bright moments in the show. The high waisted skirts were right on target, and they had a few looks that reminded me very much of Miuccia Prada's darling lace numbers in Milan. The picture above is one of Lopes' safer looks. It isn't bad, but it shows nothing new. I looked for one of Lopes' more typical looks online, but her show didn't even make style.com. There were only a few photos found on Yahoo of her show.
Even though this show was somewhat helter-skelter, you have to admire anyone who has enough backing and support to be one of the few designers selected to be a part of Paris Fashion Week. However, I pray she veers away from the futuristic and focuses more on her so-called tribute to the 40s. The helmut-like headbands were a little too much.

Let the Games..er shows... begin!

Paris Fashion Week is finally here! Right now I am heading to the Westin Hotel off of Rue de Rivoli to "prends un cafe" and watch journalists and fashionistas trickle in to Fatima Lopes' show. Maybe I'll get a seat, who knows. But I'm not really worries since this designer isn't well known. ModeaParis is the official Paris Fashion Week site and can give you details about the week. Curious what the actual schedule is? Or plan on being in Paris to catch a show? Check this out!

The History of Fashion Week

1660
Louis XIV promotes haute couture with the Fashion Dolls. These dolls were life-size mannequins wearing the current fashions.
The royal court and its seamstresses would analyze and take apart the garments to make their own version of the gowns.




1700s
Marie Antoinette appoints couturier Rose Bertin the Minister for Fashion. Bertin is famous for creating Marie Antoinette’s elaborate court dresses.

1804
Francoise-Marie Leroy is made the new Minister for Fashion when Napoleon crowns himself Emperor.

1858
Charles Worth is the first to sew labels on his clothes and to show customers the outfits on live models. This Englishman is considered the father of haute couture.

1868
Worth and his sons create an association of couture houses called The Chambre Syndicale De La Confection Et De La Couture Pour Dames Et Fillettes. The house’s purpose is to prevent couturiers’ designs from being copied.




1903
Ehrich Brothers specialty store holds the first American fashion show in New York City to attract middle-class female customers.

1910
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, the mother of chic, opens her first shop in Paris. Chanel was first known for using jersey materials, which were originally used for men's underwear, to make skirts and dresses for women.








1910
Department stores like Wanamaker’s promote their own fashion shows.



1914
Edna Woodman Chase, a Vogue editor, hosts a charity called the Fashion Fete to benefit the war-relief effort. Some consider this one of the first “real” fashion shows.



1920s
Fashion shows go mainstream. Flapper girls strutted down the runway in both boutiques and department stores. Shows took place during tea time or at lunch and were considered more theatrical than today’s shows. Shows had ethnic and costume themes. A few even had narrative commentary.


1943
Eleanor Lambert creates “Press Week” in New York since America was in the middle of World War II. Fashion editors were not able to fly over the Atlantic to attend the Paris shows, so Lambert got the idea to boost the American economy and fashion market with her version of fashion week. As a result, Vogue and Elle started to wean off the French fashion obsession and feature more American designers.

1950
Fairchild publishes How to Give a Fashion Show. Around the country, PR women purchase the book to learn how to give the shows their bosses are increasingly asking for.

1960s
American designers start showing their collections in art galleries, Soho lofts, and chic hotels.

1961
London Fashion Week is created.



1990s
The “Big Six” Supermodels – Christy, Linda, Claudia, Naomi, Cindy and Kate – dominate the runway. These women brought attitude to the runway and used their personalities, along with their great looks, to book shows. Linda Evangelista’s infamous comment “I don’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day” sums up their earning power.


1990
At the Michael Kors Autumn/Winter show, chunks of ceiling plaster fall on models and editors alike due to the booming bass. This is when Fern Mallis, the Council of Fashion Designers of America executive director, gets the idea to organize all the shows in one centralized location.




1994
CFDA puts on the first Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park.



1995
Sao Paulo Fashion Week is created. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen regularly struts the runway to help boost her home country’s status as a fashion show player.

2001
Olympus Fashion Week is bought by marketing company IMG, who changes the name to Olympus/Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

2005
Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo is created. The show is supported by the Ministry of Economy, the Fashion Trade and Industry. Designers, material and apparel manufacturers join together to sell Japanese fashion to the globe. However, some critics complain that the show is too westernized with its models and designs. Some locals wish the show would show true eastern beauty and fashion.

2006
In September the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers decide to ban models that have a BMI lower than 18 from walking the catwalk.

Campaign to Feed the Pringle Models!

EW. Not only did Pringle of Scotland's show in Milan today fail miserably compared to last year's Autumn/Winter collection, but their models were seriously lacking in BMIs! If you stare at this photo long enough... her head really does seem like it's pasted on top of the outfit.... you can barely see her fingers creeping out the sleeves! uck. I guess this is what can be expected from a city that was offended when Spain declared they wouldn't accept models with BMI's lower than 18! Looks like Milan should follow suit instead of throwing stick figures on the runway!

Montaigne Market

Last Saturday I met with Anthony Celhay, who is the DMM at Printemps and is also the son of Alain Celhay, the owner of Montaigne Market. Anthony gave me the inside scoop on what it’s like to work with big-name brands on a daily basis. He also told me what makes Montaigne Market one of the chicest boutiques in Paris.
Montaigne Market is located on Avenue de Montaigne, a small street that branches off the Champs-Elysees. It is the first boutique to claim space on the expensive street that is lined with monolith designers like Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and Louis Vuitton.
The boutique has a reputation for carrying a variety of designers that encouragers their customers to mix and match high and average priced designs. They carry smaller high-end designers such as Matthew Williamson, Proenza Schuler, Behnaz Sarafpour and Mayle. However, they still carry some well-known brands like Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu and Luella. They even carry some U.S. brands exclusively in France.

check out the store!


I am in the process of creating a separate web page about the upcoming fashion week. Keep checking back for more details on: Anthony (who's got a pretty interesting life of his own as the DMM of Printemps), a view of fashion week with Montaigne Market, a day in the life of buyer Stacy Kosene, and an interview with up and coming runway model Bee Bouchard.

Summer Housing goes FAST!

It is almost impossible to find housing in NYC if you wait til the last minute. I advise that you get movin' NOW and start applying! Below are a list of preferable options of undergraduate housing. This list includes dorms, apartment-style dorms, and apartments.
1. New York University summer housing. Goes fast, so apply NOW. It's usually filled by March. Almost everyone loves living here!
2. Webster Apartments. Where I'm living this summer! It's owned by the Webster family and since it's considered a philanthropy, they offer cheap housing for single women interning or working in NYC. They offer maid service, two meals a day, and your own single dorm room for only $250 a week! I'm working on a getting a discount if there are enough interns who apply through this site! So be sure to mention The FashionSocial.
3. New York's Craiglist. While it may take a lot of searching, you can find some awesome places for a good price! My friend and I shared the master bedroom in an amazing apartment we found online with two adults in their upper-twenties. While we were a little nervous at first, it was awesome! Our roommate Paola worked as a fact-checker at Vogue, which was fun to hear about!
4. Columbia University. Really far up north... wouldn't advise it if you are working below 60th street!
5. The New School. I haven't heard about housing here, but my friend goes to NS and loves it! Also, its a fashion design school, so there are probably some cool people there! Possibly a lil' emo, but it makes life more interesting, no?
6.Polytechnic University. This place is in Brooklyn, but right by the 2 line, which will get you to Times Square in 20 min! Plus... its $35 a day for a room! Good inexpensive option.

Gucci Loves New York

From left to right: Donald Trump, Frida Liani, Gucci's creative director, Mark Lee Gucci CEO, and Daniella Vitale, Gucci's North American president.
Last Friday Gucci opened its largest store inside the Trump Towers. The crowd sported "Gucci Loves New York" t-shirts made for the occasion and Times Square's jumbotron played the "Gucci Loves New York" advertisement throughout the week.Personally I think this is a big stint to get their name back in fashion magazines. The past few years they have relied on their logo bags to make the company profit. Personally I'm sick of seeing tiny tweens sporting Gucci purses. Hopefully this new ad campaign and new store will bring the attention back to their runway style, not their commercialized, whored-out bags. But I dunno, their Resort 2008 hasn't fared as well as their Autumn/Winter 2007 line. While there are some darling pieces, the collection as a whole bores me. It reminds me way too much of last seasons resort wear. Uck.

Is the Strike Over?

Last week Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair, said the magazine was not going to hold the annual Oscar Party due to the writer's strike. This weekend members of the Writer's Guild of America voted on whether or not to accept a new offer to end the strike. Writer's will return back to work as early as Wednesday if the proposal passes. So if the strike is over, will the party go on?

Jezebel's New Model Scoop

Jezebel, Gawker's more juicy sister site, has added a new feature. Modelslip is by a model under the psuedoname "Tatiana". She talks about what it's like to serve as a supermodel's mere fitting model ($100 a day, not too bad), and which designers really do suck.... I dunno though... I think she's a lil flakey herself. Check it out - any news is good news for an intern.

New York Fashion Week

So I've been caught up with the Superbowl (Yeah Giants!) and life in Paris that I have failed to keep you updated about Olympus New York Fashion Week! For a quick overview and awesome videos of the crazy week, check out The Fashion Week Daily .

Is Agyness the new Kate?

Agyness Deyn has graced almost every major designer’s runway over the past 8 years. The 25-year-old British model changed her name from Laura Hollins in 1999 when she won the Face of Rossendale model contest.

Known for her pixie haircut, hipster-punk style, and good-girl persona, Deyn is one of the most sought-after models. Vogue describes her style as “Jackie O. crossed with Debbie Harry meets Stevie Nicks.”

Besides a modeling career, Deyn plays in a band called Lucky Knitwear and started her own jewelry line with longtime friend Henry Holland .
Deyn has opened various shows, including Anna Sui, Burberry Prorsum, Alice Temperley, Ruffian and Jean Paul Gaultier’s 30th anniversary show
She currently lives in New York City with boyfriend Josh Hubbard.

For more Agyness:
The New York Post
Style.com Photos
Is Agyness the new Kate?

*picture from Rolling Stones

The Importance of Being... Smart

You would not believe how many people there are who have awesome jobs and don't deserve them. It's not fair, but it's true... a lot of people get their jobs because of great family connections or lots of money. But with this luck you encounter one major probem: motivation. Many people don't get where they want to in their career because they don't understand that you have to work twice as hard once you get the job. You have to improve yourself and show you deserve a promotion.
If you truly want to excel in any industry you have to know what the hell you are talking about! Watch the news, read the classics, go to bars and make friends, and for God's sake... travel! There is nothing more appealing than a well-versed, well-read, worldly job applicant. So even if you don't have the money, get out there,meet people, travel... go to Europe! Use the sites to the left to get you started.
Have any good books to recommend? Travel advice? Comment below!