The reality of fashion
When did fashion stylists become part of the daily lexicon?
I had never heard of the concept until entering the PR world, and it wasn't until my last job working in fashion that I fully grasped the scope of their responsibilities. Of course, that was 2004 - the year Star went glossy, spawned numerous copycats, and tabloid photographers multiplied like wet Gremlins. With celebrities seemingly never safe from sartorial judgement, the need for stylists grew beyond fashion shoots and awards shows to being kept on retainer for the occasional stroll down Robertson Blvd. So, that, I get. But does mainstream America? And do they care?
Someone must think that they do because I've read more about stylists in the last few days than I've ever read outside of the daily trades. Reese Witherspoon fired hers after the Golden Globes for dressing her in the exact Chanel dress that Kirsten Dunst wore to the same show three years ago. And passing it off as vintage. This is national news? Personally, I would be more upset at Chanel than the stylist, but I guess only one of those is replaceable. And it's not Chanel.
Then I see that Rachel Hunter has a new reality show coming out called Style Me, which has a group of Apprentice-like, Project Runway rejects clamoring to get Rachel on whatever best-dressed list will have her. This could end up being a decent show, who knows, but if nothing else, will officially introduce the flyover states to the concept of stylists the way Queer Eye did for the concept of gays.
On a side note, I actually met Rachel once - when she wasn't best-dressed, and was, in fact wearing little more than a hospital gown and a smile. Make that a frown.
For years my old company represented a hospital whose one of many claims to fame was their offering of designer hospital gowns. Each year the hospital would commission a famed designer to create a gown line that would help patients feel more comfortable both physically and emotionally during their stay. It was a wonderful premise and we got a lot of publicity in the first year. By the second or third year, we had to up the ante (because do-gooding, don't you know, isn't newsworthy) so we held a hospital gown fashion show headlining Rachel Hunter.
I didn't work on the account and only had to attend the show and drink free champagne which wasn't a bad deal in my book. But the girl who did claimed that the former Mrs. Stewart was a bit of a diva and wasn't exactly thrilled about modeling in a hospital gown at a second rate club for second rate news outlets. Maybe she thought it was a low point in her career. Thank goodness she has since appeared on Dancing with the Stars, and now, Style Me, to save face.
Snark aside, Rachel was hot as ever, and I'm sure she wouldn't be hosting her new show if anyone had ever thought she needed a stylist in the first place. Get someone who needs one (or at least a better one) to host - Mariah Carey, Bai Ling, BRITNEY! - and then we might really get an understanding at the magic a stylist can achieve.
I had never heard of the concept until entering the PR world, and it wasn't until my last job working in fashion that I fully grasped the scope of their responsibilities. Of course, that was 2004 - the year Star went glossy, spawned numerous copycats, and tabloid photographers multiplied like wet Gremlins. With celebrities seemingly never safe from sartorial judgement, the need for stylists grew beyond fashion shoots and awards shows to being kept on retainer for the occasional stroll down Robertson Blvd. So, that, I get. But does mainstream America? And do they care?
Someone must think that they do because I've read more about stylists in the last few days than I've ever read outside of the daily trades. Reese Witherspoon fired hers after the Golden Globes for dressing her in the exact Chanel dress that Kirsten Dunst wore to the same show three years ago. And passing it off as vintage. This is national news? Personally, I would be more upset at Chanel than the stylist, but I guess only one of those is replaceable. And it's not Chanel.
Then I see that Rachel Hunter has a new reality show coming out called Style Me, which has a group of Apprentice-like, Project Runway rejects clamoring to get Rachel on whatever best-dressed list will have her. This could end up being a decent show, who knows, but if nothing else, will officially introduce the flyover states to the concept of stylists the way Queer Eye did for the concept of gays.
On a side note, I actually met Rachel once - when she wasn't best-dressed, and was, in fact wearing little more than a hospital gown and a smile. Make that a frown.
For years my old company represented a hospital whose one of many claims to fame was their offering of designer hospital gowns. Each year the hospital would commission a famed designer to create a gown line that would help patients feel more comfortable both physically and emotionally during their stay. It was a wonderful premise and we got a lot of publicity in the first year. By the second or third year, we had to up the ante (because do-gooding, don't you know, isn't newsworthy) so we held a hospital gown fashion show headlining Rachel Hunter.
I didn't work on the account and only had to attend the show and drink free champagne which wasn't a bad deal in my book. But the girl who did claimed that the former Mrs. Stewart was a bit of a diva and wasn't exactly thrilled about modeling in a hospital gown at a second rate club for second rate news outlets. Maybe she thought it was a low point in her career. Thank goodness she has since appeared on Dancing with the Stars, and now, Style Me, to save face.
Snark aside, Rachel was hot as ever, and I'm sure she wouldn't be hosting her new show if anyone had ever thought she needed a stylist in the first place. Get someone who needs one (or at least a better one) to host - Mariah Carey, Bai Ling, BRITNEY! - and then we might really get an understanding at the magic a stylist can achieve.
Labels: celeb sightings
posted by Lori @ 8:09 PM
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