celebrities

Yes, that's right ladies and gents...according to PopEater some celebs including Britney Spears and P. Diddy are getting paid upwards of $20,000 PER TWEET!!

As a company who uses social media daily to not only promote our business but our clients as well, does this really come as a shock to anyone? I feel it's a genius idea....we all know that in today's society celebrity influence is HUGE with consumers...but I can’t help but wonder, do these celebrities really need this money?? Wouldn't it be great if instead of taking the money for themselves they were obligated to donate it to a charity of their choice?? That would be a win win for all! Who’s with me?!

Source: forbes.com

So InStyle Magazine is opting for a 3-D approach to make the magazine more, hmmm... I don’t know, more accessible? More high touch, more “out of this world?” There is a lot of research right now that suggests that showing clothing in video can really help sell fashion. Maybe they are going the 3-D route to make what they’re doing even more real... 

Anyway, I remember when the magazine launched. It was a wonder in the industry because it could SELL your clothes. It not only showcased fashion in a great, “easy to connect with“ way it featured CELEBRITIES! And we know how INFATUATED America is (and the world, for that matter) with FAMOUS PEOPLE. It just did it right. There was even talk in the industry that the magazine wasn’t a consumer pub, it was a TRADE pub because it could SELL clothes. If your brand was included in its editorial pages you were sure to sell. Just like being one of Oprah’s very favorite things.

So, 3-D. Hey look, publishing is in a bit of a pickle, and it remains to be seen who is going to make it. Historically, some of the biggest, brightest brands have gone away because there was a sea change. It happens, it’s part of life. InStyle, I’m voting “yes” for your future! I think you’ve got what it takes to make it, 3-D or no 3-D. LOL!

eBay

And now for the finale! Everyone knows I am an eBay lover. I’ve been a proud member since 2001 and nearly every fashion favorite in my closet is from eBay—silver tweed Couture Couture winter coat, black patent Furla bag, vintage rhinestone collar, 80s enamel Hermes cuff—the list goes on…and on.  The good news is that I save an average of $200 to $300 off of retail prices when I shop eBay. And I’ve come back to my Mecca this year full force. So to satisfy the multitudes of you people who ask me to share my sellers, here all of my secrets (well, some of them :) )

http://stores.ebay.com/Celebrity-Owned?_rdc=1

• Straight from the wardrobes of some of your favorite TV and film sets. Get the white cashmere shawl Gwyneth wore for ¾ of the price.

http://stores.ebay.com/DOLLFACE-VINTAGE-clothing?_rdc=1

• Actual super cool vintage finds that look modern and well kept at super low prices. Your friends will think Pat Field is hiding in your closet.

http://stores.ebay.com/thepaisleypetunia

• I love J. Crew. So sue me, I’m from Connecticut. But I’m not so jazzed at the fact that their price points now hit the $1000 mark. Thanks to The Paisley Petunia, I can load up on all my J. Crew wish list items for at least $100 below the original retail price. And the merch is literally only a catalogue behind if that.

Now, go forth and save. But don’t you dare look any less cute, people!

You can now own a legendary piece of Hollywood glam that nobody else will have. Film Biz Recycling opened PROPS to the public as a means of recycling TV, film and commercial props. PROPS is a not-for-profit boutique and the entire inventory is donated. Most of what you will find is brand new and has been worn or used by celebrities on set. Rare gems include a collection of mirrors, lamps, clothing, jewelry, etc.  VIP status is not needed to shop. Everything in the house of PROPS is negotiable, no price tags included. New pieces are donated and delivered twice a week. At this rate, you can decorate your home or apartment in half the time at half the price.

Location: 43-26 12th St, second floor, Long Island City, Queens.

Everyone talks about the next Twitter. Not sure what that is going to look like, but of course things do change. For now, though, Twitter is the go-to medium for sending out mini missives about you, your life and what you think. I have to be honest, I'd tweet more if I wasn't in so many meetings. Well, maybe that's not exactly true, and it's not as if I don't have things to say, but tweeting isn't always top of mind.

One of the fun things about Twitter is following celebs, you feel like you're getting the inside scoop, silly ideas, misspelled words and all. Celebs, they're human! But, apparently, some celebs are calling it quits. Let's consider why...

Tweeting, too difficult in between make-up artist sessions and fittings (plus lunch with high roller agents).

Tweeting, gosh what the heck to say?

Tweeting, yikes, now they know what I'm REALLY thinking, will this be bad for my image?

Tweeting, I'm not really doing it myself anyway, so who cares?

Tweeting? Hey, I forgot, why am I doing this again?

And that brings up the point. Why do we tweet? Because we CAN! Rock on Twitter. Give us that place to talk it out. Celebs, do what you do, be famous. Twitter will live, with or without you. Ah, the world is right again.

Source: alloy.com
 

So, apparently, Lindsay Lohan's fashion collection was panned, pretty hard core. Not sure why she went down this path. Just because you're a muse and can afford Rachel Zoe doesn't necessarily mean you can pull off what is ultimately a darned hard thing to do—design fashion apparel. People do go to school for this stuff after all. Other celebs have met similar fates, Jennifer Lopez comes to mind. And for all their fashion legacy I'm not so sure Tina and Beyonce Knowles should be designing (what works on the stage may not translate, even in a diffused way).

I'll tell you who I think is an amazing designer, Rachel Roy. We had the pleasure of working with her a few years back and she is just TALENTED. She was an intern at Rocawear and started moving up the ranks. She married Damon Dash, started designing for herself and has accomplished the near impossible: success! People love her clothes, the stores love her clothes - I LOVE her clothes! Plus, she's a classy lady. Now, she's not famous like the other girls mentioned above, but she was married to the infamous, and that has to count for something. She could have gone the cheesy, obvious route, but she didn't. She did it her way, with her vision and her way of managing her image and it WORKED, She has garnered respect in the industry, and given her humble beginnings (in fashion) that is no easy thing to do.

My recco Lindsay, call Rachel for advice. She's a winner.
 

Source: stylenews.com

No one likes to be embarrassed in public, that's just the facts. Not only does a public spectacle bring you down, if you have a family it can bring them down along with you. Some of the biggest public spectacles have happened around political figures. Of course, they are public people, after all. Clinton, Spitzer. Not good for them. Not good for the family, and not so good for us on the sidelines watching. Just an overall bummer.

I wasn't up on the Letterman thing when it broke. I had my head in a cloud of another sort that will remain nameless, but when I found out, honestly, I was like, who cares? Sorry. He isn't running the country, he's not a spiritual leader, he's not a teacher. The guy is a performer, a comedian. Yes, he does appear on our TV screens most nights, but again, so what? If he wants to wreck his own marriage and image, that's his business. Of course, it's also the business of the network who could see advertisers bolt.

I don't hold celebrities as examples and/or holders of a specific moral code. Their foibles and failings are their own. They are "artists" and interpreters and just people. Would I like to be married to someone like Dave? No. Would I like him to be a friend I can rely on? No. Doesn't seem to be the trustworthy type. Am I going to spend anymore time considering his silliness? No. He's got his wife and the network to answer to. Oh, and himself. That little voice inside that might want to rethink some life strategies. In the end, that's the toughest critic of all.

Source: mediabistro.com
 

Our agency reps jewelry and fashion brands that year on year vie for red carpet exposure. And year on year we show up, thanks to the tireless efforts of our team. It's always a bit of a struggle as you wrangle temperamental stylists (they are artists after all) and compete against the BIG brands with BIG budgets who PAY for their spot on the carpet. It's all a white knuckle experience as the E! pre-show airs and the team scans the celebs, especially the ones they've been negotiating with. Will they or won't they???

We've been doing this for years, and the anticipation and general freak out never gets that much better. But a little better, with a long line of success in your wake (January Jones, Jessica Lange, Olivia Wilde, Natalie Portman) does make it a less painful experience. So, as we move past Emmy and toward Oscar (not to mention our golden friend) I started wondering, will Emmy ever catch up to Oscar in terms of desire and panache? What separates them? TV vs. Film. Is film really that much more glamorous? Maybe. But maybe it's also the crush of award shows and all the build up that makes Oscar so exciting.

Oscar has been getting a bit tarnished these last few years, mainly in the ratings game. They've tried to spice up the proceedings, and last year was a great new step forward, but not sure if things will continue to slip. I sure hope not, that red carpet has spelled gold for several of our clients. But back to Emmy vs. Oscar. Here's what I think: Emmy has been gaining over the years and I think our golden boy may need to watch his back. It will be interesting to see how things shape up. I'm watching. Are you?

Source: thewrap.com
 

I find myself working out of our scrumptious little LA office every couple of months. What I lose in the time difference between here and New York, I gain back in the sunshine, shopping and plethora of In-N-Out Burgers (about 10 pounds to be specific in this case). And while I like LA a lot, it is certainly a different playing field than New York City.

For one, publicists rather than PR firms rule Los Angeles. We just took a meeting with a young eco-conscious accessories designer who is looking to take her business to the next level. She seemed incredulous when I explained that as her PR firm we would not only develop meaningful stories around her brand, but also help her form strategic brand alliances and secure editorial product placement in fashion magazines and on celebrities. We’re a full service PR firm; it’s what we do. The concept seemed foreign to this young native Californian who admitted that she had never been to the Big Apple. She explained that she had only ever worked with a single publicist before who essentially slotted her in when opportunities came her way. By comparison, I think our team seemed like a pack of hungry bulldogs. Let’s hope in the best way possible.

Another point of difference is the workday structure. In our field, there are an awful lot of after work drinks that happen—and after work usually means 8 or 9 pm EST.  A New Yorker’s working lunch is usually shoveling tossed salad into one’s mouth with one hand as we type with the other and the phone dangles precariously from the crook of one’s neck—chic visual I know. However in LA, the working lunch takes on a whole new meaning. We met a client at Craft in Century City for a “working lunch” and were surrounded by agent and publicist types that seemed to be doing the same. Even more amazingly, we actually got a lot of work done AND I was able to eat an amazing meal of Hawaiian Blue Prawns. Magical.

So while I think it’s great that we bring that good old New York up an' at 'em sensibility to a market that may be lacking a certain degree of gumption, I also think Lala Land can teach us New Yorkers a thing or two about the whole work-life balance.

Source: images.businessweek.com, dailypress.com

Though I am sporting flip-flops today in my office, I am not an advocate of flats, flip-flops or sneakers.  I can barely walk in flat shoes, and took a massive (and embarrassing) spill on 5^th avenue a few weeks back in flats and I am now forced to wear flip flops while waiting for my knee to recover!  Barring extreme injuries, my mantra is high heels at all times –snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night will prevent me from wearing my skyscrapers.  It might be my California upbringing (spending half my day in a car, and parking directly in front of my destination) that has made me such a fan of stilettos, not to mention those fantastic 80’s music videos glamorizing beautiful models in sky high pumps—think Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love.  Nothing can dress up a t-shirt dress, or jeans and a t-shirt like heels and bold lipcolor!

Today, sneakers are THE  look to go for in Hollywood as well as in Washington.  From Michelle Obama, to Cameron Diaz, even Gossip Girl Leighton Meester has signed on as the new face of a sneaker line.  Generic Surplus, Supra and DC Admiral collaborations now rival Alexander McQueen and Miu Miu in price and fan following.  Full sites are dedicated to the most underground and hard to acquire kicks.  Even I, the queen of stilettos, have a pair of solid gold snakeskin tennis shoes designed by Patricia Fields (which I will probably never wear but will definitely admire)!

Which do you prefer—comfort or the challenge of a 5” heel?

Source: www.whowhatwear.com, www.thestilettoeffect.blogspot.com