Last night, I went to the 92Y for an onstage interview between Fern Mallis and Teri Agins. Fern famously situated Fashion Week at the Bryant Park tents. (She was also the subject of this must-watch documentary.) Teri is an enormously influential fashion journalist, whose 1999 book, The End of Fashion, was my primer during my first journalism job. (Like Teri, I covered fashion and retail — albeit, on a much smaller scale.)
The interview highlighted Teri’s latest book, Hijacking the Runway, which explores the evolving power struggle between celebrities, designers and brands. The book was just released this week, and it promises plenty of juicy stories about the financial engine behind celebrity designers.
If the book is half as illuminating as the interview, it will be one of the best reads of 2014. Here are five key takeaways from the interview. (Catalog Police will return next week)
1. Salespeople are treasure troves of information. Many of Teri’s story tips stemmed from things she learned from salespeople. When she noticed that a rack of Kardashian-branded clothes at Sears looked barely touched, the salespeople told her it was “always” marked down, giving Teri a clue that something was wrong with the collaboration. That kick-started a series of questions into the performance of the collaboration and the brand. (Sears is currently on “life support,” according to Teri)
2. Sean Combs hosted one of the greatest fashion shows ever. Both Fern and Teri fondly remembered Sean John’s elaborate runway shows, which featured the “hottest” models dripping in fur and diamonds. Puffy may seem passé now — but in the aughts, he bottled the hip hop zeitgeist and turned it into gold. His brand also spelled big bucks for his retail and beauty partners, including Bloomingdale’s executive Kal Ruttenstein, (who practically lived in his Sean John tracksuit) and Estee Lauder, who licensed his fragrance (and paid for a celebratory party in St. Tropez).
3. Beyonce is just too perfect. While Posh Spice and the Olsen Twins have made a killing in fashion, Beyonce has long abandoned her own fashion line. (Remember the House of Deréon?) Teri opined that shoppers can relate to celebrity messiness, like J.Lo’s tumultuous romantic travails and Jessica Simpson’s ditziness. But so far, Beyonce’s personal brand is a little TOO aspirational and other-worldly for shoppers.
4. Kmart has a surprising fashion connection. Selena Gomez’s Dream Out Loud fashion line for Kmart was masterminded by a former designer for Carolina Hererra. (Let that sink in for a moment.) And many of the pieces were reinterpreted from Selena’s actual designer wardrobe. Teri says the clothes are “adorable” — and a big home run for Kmart.
5. Teri’s dream celebrity designer would never do a fashion line. Teri’s pick for her dream celebrity fashion designer? The woman least likely to ever do one: Kate Middleton. Teri points to Kate’s ladylike silhouettes and propensity for nude hosiery and covered shoulders as hallmarks of a professional style that still retains a fetching youthfulness. Brands should be particularly embracing Kate’s style for a fashion-forward 50+ demographic — it’s an untapped goldmine, according to Teri.
