A Pleasant Surprise

Ok, so I will admit it. While I am frolicking around my kitchen every Monday night in my monogrammed Anthropologie apron and chopping up my father's home-grown organic garlic in preparation for a fantastic feast (naturally complemented with a glass of good wine), in reality I am prepping for "date night." Yes, at 8 o'clock every Monday, I prepare a feast fit for kings (although I usually enjoy it alone) and spend time admiring the love of my life (and fictional character) from afar, Chuck Bass, while over-analyzing the wardrobe selection during each new Gossip Girl episode.

To be perfectly honest, I never thought anything could get much better than Sex & the City. While most women love SATC for the Mr. Big/Carrie romance or getting the opportunity to drool over Smith Jared's perfectly chiseled body, I love it for everything that most people don't: the underlying, subliminal themes carried throughout the episodes and movie that unite the characters and make everything fantastically consistent. Like the fact that Carrie always wore some stand-out piece for a season (the gold pretzel necklace or the wrist corsage) and how the girls' style reflected their personalities in every way. If you haven't got it by now, I tend/love to over-analyze. I think that Michael Patrick King and Patricia Field are a magical duo, and their vision for the scenes of SATC was almost always perfect.

Needless to say, I have high standards, and was pleasantly surprised to see consistent, yet subliminal themes laced throughout Gossip Girl, as well. Besides the fact that it is extremely witty and fast-paced (my roommate still has trouble following the action which I find highly entertaining), the fashion is consistent (i.e. outrageous headbands found in every episode, neck ties for Blair Waldorf, etc.) and reflects the scenes, characters, and dialogue. And how could this be? Well, after a considerable amount of research (okay, maybe just a couple of minutes), I discovered the man behind the fashion, Eric Daman, who has also worked with (drum roll)...SATC's Pat Field. Fantastic.

So kudos to Eric Daman. You have been taught well and are doing an excellent job. With that, I have a couple closing comments:

Chuck Bass is looking exquisite this season and sharper than ever. Keep the suits, bow ties, vests, and comb-overs coming.

Jenny made a really drastic transition to rebellious teen last Monday ("Pret-a-Poor-J" episode) as carried out in wardrobe and make up. I am not far from my teen years and have never experienced an overnight metamorphosis like Jenny Humphrey's, so it was not exactly realistic, although production may be to blame for that. Regardless, your "Betsey Johnson meets Madonna of the 80s" look worked out well, but I think it was maybe too much, too soon.

If one of your 25 assistant stylists don't see your vision, I'll be your lady-in-waiting. I love what you're doing.

I will be looking for a new recipe for next Monday. Until next time, Gossip Girl lovers.

Dressed for Success

My grandmother, Nella Rose Taylor, told and taught me how to “dress for success” since the day I was born. A fabulous lesson, indeed, and probably also the reason I have a small obsession with excessively gaudy jewelry, silk scarves and Italian leather. She adorned my small fingers and wrists when I was only a toddler, sending me off to pre-school to play in the sandbox with a couple of carats on my fingers and a delicate gold, chain-linked bracelet to match (one that was later 

snatched off my wrist by my “caregiver” during nap time, might I add). And although her taste (and now mine) may be considered a little “over-the-top,” I treasure the lesson she taught me at a very young age and how she instilled in me the desire and need to dress for success everyday.

With the presidential election only days away, I have been

rather entertained in recent weeks by the role fashion is playing in the political scene. From the hot debate over Sarah Palin’s $150,000 wardrobe to discussions over Cindy McCain’s possible $300,000 get-up for the Republican National Convention, our eyes and ears seem to be focused upon what the ladies of the political scene are wearing and less on the more pressing issues.

Michelle Obama seems to be “winning the race” with the American people because of her economical approach to dressing. Having made Vanity Fair’s International Best-Dressed List and thought of by some as the next Jacqueline Kennedy, Michelle Obama is praised for her classic, chic style with streamlined silhouettes and gumball-sized faux pearls. She can be spotted sporting everything from White House Black Market to H&M as she strives to connect with the everyday woman/wife/mother on the go. She also isn't afraid to mention, in a nonchalant manner, that she just happens to be wearing an affordable J. Crew ensemble when asked about Sarah Palin’s sizeable wardrobe allowance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

While I certainly do love Michelle Obama and respect her style choices, I feel that Cindy McCain stands a notch above the other ladies in the style department, and not just because her closet is filled with pricier designer goods. She is not afraid to make a bold statement, and her pieces are always fashion-forward, despite the times she may "push the envelope" to some.

I thought she looked very polished and exquisite at the Republican National Convention when she wowed the crowd with her bright, buttercup-yellow high-collared Oscar de la Renta dress. I certainly found it more aesthetically-pleasing than the white, drab suit that First Lady Laura Bush chose.  Despite her radiance, she was named as the woman with the $300,000 outfit.  The worst thing? Both McCain and Bush were sporting Oscar de la Renta pieces, at nearly the same price, but the criticism that Cindy McCain received comes into play because of her choice of accessories. For some reason, it is suddenly acceptable to wear Oscar de la Renta (as opposed to the pieces from Target that Michelle Obama supposedly wears), but when pairing a piece with perhaps a Chanel watch or her classic four-strand pearl necklace (that she is pictured in and wears quite often), one is suddenly deemed over-the-top? Unfair! 

How is Michelle Obama praised for her personal style, "affordable and fresh," and still named the next Jacqueline Kennedy? Have we suddenly forgotten that Jackie O. was not just chic and simple, or must I remind you of something such as the Hubert de Givenchy evening gown, embroidered with silk floss and bejeweled with seed pearls, that she wore to a dinner at the Palace of Versailles in 1961?  Must I remind you that most of Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe was designed specifically for her by Oleg Cassini?  Michelle Obama's wardrobe is no comparison to the custom-made and expensive pieces that filled Mrs. Kennedy's closet.  In fact, it was Mrs. Kennedy who wrote a friend in August of 1960 stating that she "must start to buy American clothes and have it known where she buys them from because of the controversies over her inclination to famous French fashion houses."  

Talk of politics and fashion can not go without mention of vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. And where to begin, as she must always be criticized for something. I will admit, her maverick comments and “don’t ya know” throw-ins are rather irritating, but it would be nice if the media could focus upon her stance on issues or her qualifications as vice president more than her wardrobe allowance. 

                                                           Ok, so she had a field day in Saks and Nieman

Marcus with a $150,000. So what? Yes, I realize that the money could be invested/donated/used elsewhere, but the bottom line is: if you were given $150K for campaign attire, don’t tell me you wouldn’t go shopping and have a little fun. Palin is criticized for her spending spree, but she would have been criticized more if she would have jumped on the campaign trail with all of her over-sized turtlenecks and fleeces from her Alaska days.  Criticism seems inevitable.  We should be happy that she is now representing our country with a little more class and style instead of looking like a woman that the ice hockey team ravaged on the way home from practice while carpooling.

The talk, hype and criticism will continue, but regardless of which party makes their way into the White House, it is refreshing to know that we will be continually greeted with trendy images and no longer slapped in the face with the brightly-colored pantsuits of Hillary Clinton or the dowdy frocks of Laura Bush.  And although no one knows the future of the next presidential term, we can count on one thing:  Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain and Sarah Palin will be dressing for success in the days to come.

Couture, Catwalks, Controversy & Counterfeits

In the world of public relations and fashion, image seems to be everything. Your reputation, who you know, and in some cases, what you’re wearing can make or break you. The all-important question seems to be: how important is image? In the world of fashion PR, designers, companies and customers are going to great lengths to not only enhance their image, but in some cases, to protect it, too.

In recent years, the desire for designer goods has reached epic proportions as consumers are constantly trying to re-create the latest runway looks. It certainly does not help that images of celebrities sporting these designer frocks surround us wherever we go. One can not hide from Hollywood stars, such as Cameron Diaz, gracing the covers and pages US magazine wearing those oh-so classic skinny jeans, but don’t forget the moss patent leather Gucci clutch in hand that retails for only $1,050. So what should one do when they crave the hottest fall trends straight from the fashion houses of Paris, the same looks they can not afford?

It’s quite easy, as consumers only have three options: find a realistic knockoff, go to a mass-market retailer that has teamed up with a world-renowned designer for low-cost looks (i.e. Vera Wang for Kohl’s), or refuse to pay rent for a few months all so you can rock the newest $945 Manolo Blahnik “Something Blue” satin pumps. Regardless of which option you choose, the current craze for haute couture has turned into a public relations nightmare for practitioners in the fashion world and it does not seem as if they will be waking up from this bad dream anytime soon.

As many shoppers crave clothes and accessories that are only in the price range of the wealthy and elite, they are finding alternatives that look the same, but are in no way made of authentic Italian leather or actual crocodile like the creations of top designers. Enter the counterfeiting industry. No one knows for sure, but the World Customs Organization estimates that the trade in counterfeit goods is valued at over $500 billion. Knockoffs resembling the creations from European fashion houses, such as those in Milan, are constantly in demand, and although Italy only contributes to 1.4 percent of the counterfeiting industry, the Italian Institute Against Counterfeit Goodsestimates that Italy has lost more than 40,000 jobs in the past decade because of lost sales attributed to replica goods.

So aside from writing news releases and planning fashion week, public relations practitioners are now left with the daunting task of trying to fight crime and defend brand image for designer clients, as well.

Because many people are unaware of the disturbing effects associated with the counterfeiting industry, Harper’s Bazaar, the world renowned fashion magazine, has developed a public relations campaign to create awareness about the illegal activities associated with imitation designer goods by establishing the Harper’s Bazaar Anticounterfeiting Alliance. Its “Fakes Are Never in Fashion” campaign educates shoppers on the negative aspects associated with counterfeiting industry and teaches buyers how to determine fakes versus authentic luxury goods.

The French holding company Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate, has also stepped up to combat counterfeiters head-on. As stated on the LVMH web site, the counterfeiting industry “unlawfully takes advantage of the prestige of its (luxury) brands and harms their tradition, identity and image.” In June, LVMH took legal action against eBay, a web site known for selling replica goods, resulting in a Paris court order requiring eBay to pay approximately $26 million in damages to Louis Vuitton and $30 million to Christian Dior.

This may be considered only a small victory for LVMH, as Louis Vuitton spends millions of dollars annually on a zero tolerance policy against counterfeiting. In 2004 alone, Louis Vuitton’s actions resulted in 947 arrests, more than 6,000 raids, over 13,000 legal actions, and the seizure of many fake printing cylinders.

Not only has this been an ongoing PR fiasco for LVMH, this ruling puteBay’s PR department into over-drive, too. According to Nichola Sharpe, the US spokesperson at eBay, she said the company developed a global crisis communication plan months in advance and worked with global PR teams to prepare for the ruling.

In the fashion war to combat counterfeiting, one might consider buying low-cost goods created by top designers at mass retail chains a solution. Think again. It may appear to be the perfect world, one where shoppers can have access to the affordable designs of Karl Lagerfeld and Isaac Mizrahi at places such as H&M and Target. Wrong. While many are praising top designers’ inexpensive creations, many of the “fashion elite” consider this a fashion faux pas.

“I think when the designers continue to have collections at the lower-priced line, it can be a detriment,” Heather White of W magazine said. “Honestly, Isaac Mizrahi…would you pay $10,000 for a couture multicolored knit sweater? Not after you associate him with producing clothes at Target.”

White is a prime example of those who believe that the overexposure of designers’ creations at mass retail chains could tarnish a luxurious brand’s image and identity. Why would one want to spend over $2,800 for a Stella McCartney dress at Nieman Marcus when people actually have the option of purchasing her clothes at (gasp!) H&M?! The nightmare continues.

So if fighting the counterfeiting industry is almost comparable to declaring war on a small country, and if large retail chains can tarnish a name and image, what is the solution? Perhaps the solution lies in educating the world about the counterfeiting industry. Maybe people would reconsider visiting Canal Street in Manhattan for a knockoff handbag if they knew that these same counterfeiting rackets also deal with narcotics, weapons and child prostitution. I bet my boyfriend’s mom would have taken that into consideration before she bought me the little replica Chanel diamond earrings as a stocking stuffer this past Christmas. Sadly, no one ever mentioned to her that the sale of counterfeit goods has also helped support a Shiite terrorist group. I know I took that into consideration as I was chased down the alleyways of Venice this summer, refusing to let vendors sell me poorly made “Prada” bags.

So instead of investing millions of dollars into combating counterfeiters directly, perhaps PR practitioners should focus their campaigns upon educating their prime target audience: shoppers. Instead of spending time debating whether or not Mossimo Giannulli ruined his career by designing for Target, people should be spreading the world about the negative aspects associated with counterfeiting. The reality is this: everyone knows that knockoffs exist, but many people don’t know the disturbing details associated with the industry.

For the time being, we can only hope that more PR practices begin anti-counterfeiting educational campaigns like that of Harper’s Bazaar and in the meantime, I will personally enjoy wearing my Isaac Mizrahi dress from the Target collection and only wishing that I had $495 for the Giuseppe Zanotti leopard-print ballerina flats to match. I’ll keep wishing and watching as this fashion PR nightmare continues to unfold.

Other Sources:
 

www.niemanmarcus.com


www.usmagazine.com

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