Editor Behavior

welcome to part two, again you will find me to be a tad displeased about a certain issue i have faced while living in Nicaragua. in short, fashion ignorance.

STORY TWO : EDITORS
 
again, i will remind you that moving back to Nicaragua has been a tough experience but one i try to make the most out of. therefore, right before i moved back i started emailing print media (newspapers and magazines) my resume and cover letter in order to perhaps snatch or propose a fashion critique, street style columnist or blogger position ala Bill Cunningham or Cathy Horyn.

to quickly give you an idea of (fashion o non-fashion) print media in nicaragua, it consists of 2 mass newspapers, 4 secured magazines, and 3 new magazines. right off, the back, LET ME WARN YOU RIGHT NOW, this will offend you....THE WORST nicaraguan magazines are 2 new ones, Stilo and JetSet. What a ripoff! I think we can all collect our favorite pieces from Net-A-Porter and fashion week, looks from the Oscars, interview our cool friends, and google our horoscope,  put them together in powerpoint, add fun font, click print and BOOM i got a magazine! One editor is a tomboy and another just shops online - just because you can put words and pictures together does not make you a fashion editor.

anyways, i tried and tried to reach out to the other print media but was left unheard. the one editor that interviewed me, wanted me as their magazine blogger which was a great idea but unfortunately magazines here sell at $3-$5 and i was at least asking for $250 (yep! $250. nothing!) i eventually received an email stating "we have no budget". oh well. on to the next.

i may have not snagged a cute a little column but i'm sure i have more readers on this blog (+15,000 visitors, +124 countries worldwide) (wassssssup?) than these other media outlets. oh! and i can use foul language!! yeahhh man! always a plus!

DEAR FASHION WRITERS :
What bothers me about not being considered for a writing position at these newspapers or magazines is the fact that their fashion writers AREN'T even living in nicaragua! one guy is a has-been designer, another is a former miss nicaragua, and other people with no fashion knowledge at all! and don't even get me started on how most magazines just splash the pages with high society pictures of the same people! hellooooooooooo, 1% 'rich' 99% poverty level!

for example, yesterday an editor ended an article on a charity event on a sour note because she was bored of the same collection pieces from 2 distinguished Nicaraguan designers.

"Otras de las colecciones que se presentaron en el evento no aportaron estilos novedosos. Fue más de lo que ya habíamos apreciado en otras pasarelas, nos quedaron a deber ingenio y creatividad." ---> (translation) "while the other collections presented at the event lacked new styles. it's best to even say, we have already seen these pieces at other shows, owing us ingenuity and creativity."

why does this bother me? because i can't stand fashion ignorance and i will explain it as simple as possible.

HOMEWORK
DESIGNER: An amazing struggling fashion designer doesn't have a fancy lifestyle and lives at poverty line for the beginning of their career. It's a career made up of tears, sweat, impatience, stress, and tons of fabric. It's a career that takes time, dedication, hard work and above all passion. As this person grows at some financial point, they are given a chance to dream up a harmonious collection which can consist of 15 - 50 pieces.

COLLECTIONS: The collections are broken down by season and debuted on certain dates.
- Fall / Winter
- Spring / Summer
- Resort
- Cruise
- Haute-Couture

SALES / PRESS : Once the collections are exhibited, they are pitched for press and eventually sold on certain dates.

therefore, dear editor, why must you critique these talented emerging designers and their collections? if you wanted to see something new, head on over to forever 21, h&m or zara - fast fashion. Fast Fashion is a term given to brands who deliver different pieces each week, month and do not work on specific inspiration or look but are driven by sales and trends; while real designers SET trends and are DRIVEN by the love of what they do best, DESIGN.

for real fashion news, please read: http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/

#justsaying

Model Behavior

working in fashion pr you find yourself working with the créme de la créme of bitch - from assistants, tv personalities, other pr, celebrities, socialites, fashion stalkers, designers, editors, producers, models, etc...

however, the most gracious people i have been able to work with have been bloggers, photographers, and tv hosts. they are always so eager to help boost your career, offer criticism and advice and are always smiling. 

when i moved back to Nicaragua, i had no choice but to network and get to know the Nicaraguan fashion circle. and i've done it all through this blog. i've met most of them, been gifted their designs, been invited to their events, and have sat them with them for drinks n giggles.

knowing who i am and knowing who i represent i try to maintain a boundary and keep calm.

STORY ONE : MODELS

for example, the models here, i've probably met three that are model material with a fierce backbone and walk for the business. i seriously can not handle socialites and misses being models because every time i have a casting or fitting, they are too damn diva to even show up or put the clothes on because its sheer or not to their liking. first of all missy, if you were hand picked for my show, you were lucky and all u gotta do is put on the damn outfit and fuckin walk down the runway. i seriously don't give a shit if you don't like the dress cause it's "ugly" "too naked" "makes you look fat" or "not your style". if you don't wanna wear what i am telling you to wear , then please walk out the fuckin door , cause i seriously don't have time for your lame ass shit. knowing the designer you are being casted or fitted for you should be prepared to do what you are told. if i say no bra, what do you think that means? if i say don't smile down the runway cause it's not the victoria secret fashion show, then get online, google fashion tv, catch a show and see what a REAL model looks like and walks, cause you my dear are not one.

this is the reason, this past season, i told my boss we should have an open casting to check out perspective girls who might be involved or wanted to be involved in the modeling world. well, this open up another gate from hell. while we did find new talent, we also found fashion stalkers. girls, who now send me life story emails each week, with blurry blackberry pictures of them with their dog, pictures of them with every type of hair color, closeups, and very awkward 'sexy' pictures of them at the beach in a teeny weeny bikini. sweety, no! again, please google "model comp cards" - i understand you aren't a model and probably don't want to spend on professional comp photos but at least try to make them look professional. sending these pictures is just as sending your resume for that dream job...you need to take your time to edit. i also ask, the Nicaraguan 'model agencies' do this! i wish, i could show you the photos i've received from girls and agencies ... terrible, terrible, TERRIBLE!

DEAR MODELS :

dear models, i have NOT selected for fashion shows. if i haven't emailed you immediately it's probably because you aren't model or potential model material! so please stop trying, please stop sending me angry emails or putting down the models i have chosen. you weren't selected because you're not even 5'8 feet and you're not sample size. we love diversity but sometimes during castings you can't even walk in heels or flats!! how do you think that's going to look down a very long runway?

DEAR MODEL CRITICS :

if you have never interned or worked in a real fashion show please do not judge me or my models. we always try to look for the very best but unfortunately in nicaragua we only have prunes, former misses and divas that think they got it. it's time for new young models who are still learning, listening, and humble.

(photo below) up and coming model, Emilia, discovered by Shantall at a graduation party has now modeled for Shantall and Vicente Castellon's SS12 and lookbook.

 

 (photos below) here are some examples off google, search word : "model comp cards" YOU SHOULD TRY!

If you know how to use Photoshop or Powerpoint, you can do this!

just for kicks , here's a "What You Think Models Do "