We had a full day in New York before flying back to London on Thursday night. Mr Bell required photos of the collection, clear and unfussed, to show his colleagues with responsibility for the Third Floor. Our fab mates Redboy and Miss Jaffe once again devoted their time and talents to helping us out. We had with us one of the (three!) Stars & Stripes I bought at the Goodwood vintage fair last summer. Evidence of its antiquity is the mere forty something stars it bears. I think Mr Wesley assumes a real vintage dignity in this portrait:
Talking in depth to Mr Bell of Barneys, I unveiled our suggestion of the padded podium, and proposed it might go in that nice space to the left of the elevators. He laughed so hard it made his tummy hurt.
"No my dear Lady C, you are not going in front of Lanvin, who turn over ten trillion dollars a day, and who expect us to keep clear access to their section."
Oh. OK. Well, how about by the changing rooms at the back??
"This is more realistic."
He also regretted that while a year ago the padded podium and bars would have been installed without a murmur, now Mark is rethinking the presentation of the whole store... "YOU'RE LETTING MARK RETHINK THE WHOLE STORE??!!"
"No darling, Mark Lee, ex-Gucci, our new CEO" (an appointment announced last August) things have to be... the way Mr Lee wants them to be. So I regrouped my brain cells and said sure, and seeing as our collection is concise, with no shoes or belts and bits as yet, a couple of mannequins would present it AND we could pull in bits from the other designers on the floor to demonstrate our "integratability". We exchanged fond goodbyes and then he said the most extraordinary thing, that he feared he had not lived up to our expectations. While we wait for the final word on how this will conclude, I can only say, as I wrote to him, that if these postings were the Chronicles of Narnia, then Mr Bell would be Aslan. We started writing them in October and I boldly sold the premise as the journey from sketch pad to carrier bag, with Barneys as the pinnacle of commercial endorsement. Whatever next transpires, he made magic by inviting us to meet him and in the way he reacted to what he saw. Discretion stays my hand as much as I would love you to see the exchanges between us. So no matter what happens henceforth on, the satisfaction in meeting such a same-styled spirit will be its own reward. And we left with the double delight of having achieved our first piece stocked, thanks to Mr Andrew Clancey, down at Any Old Iron. Above and beyond the mechanics of commerce we hope we forged another enduring friendship on his rusty anvil. From the Lower East Side to the elevation of Mount Madison we believe the Earl has proven his appeal across society, "Class united in style".
To conclude this epic week, we wolfed my favourite sushi and then made for JFK. During last night's shenanigans, Mr Clancey snapped this sign:
 |
| Mark Wesley by Redboy (www.streetandstage.com) |
Talking in depth to Mr Bell of Barneys, I unveiled our suggestion of the padded podium, and proposed it might go in that nice space to the left of the elevators. He laughed so hard it made his tummy hurt.
"No my dear Lady C, you are not going in front of Lanvin, who turn over ten trillion dollars a day, and who expect us to keep clear access to their section."
Oh. OK. Well, how about by the changing rooms at the back??
"This is more realistic."
He also regretted that while a year ago the padded podium and bars would have been installed without a murmur, now Mark is rethinking the presentation of the whole store... "YOU'RE LETTING MARK RETHINK THE WHOLE STORE??!!"
"No darling, Mark Lee, ex-Gucci, our new CEO" (an appointment announced last August) things have to be... the way Mr Lee wants them to be. So I regrouped my brain cells and said sure, and seeing as our collection is concise, with no shoes or belts and bits as yet, a couple of mannequins would present it AND we could pull in bits from the other designers on the floor to demonstrate our "integratability". We exchanged fond goodbyes and then he said the most extraordinary thing, that he feared he had not lived up to our expectations. While we wait for the final word on how this will conclude, I can only say, as I wrote to him, that if these postings were the Chronicles of Narnia, then Mr Bell would be Aslan. We started writing them in October and I boldly sold the premise as the journey from sketch pad to carrier bag, with Barneys as the pinnacle of commercial endorsement. Whatever next transpires, he made magic by inviting us to meet him and in the way he reacted to what he saw. Discretion stays my hand as much as I would love you to see the exchanges between us. So no matter what happens henceforth on, the satisfaction in meeting such a same-styled spirit will be its own reward. And we left with the double delight of having achieved our first piece stocked, thanks to Mr Andrew Clancey, down at Any Old Iron. Above and beyond the mechanics of commerce we hope we forged another enduring friendship on his rusty anvil. From the Lower East Side to the elevation of Mount Madison we believe the Earl has proven his appeal across society, "Class united in style".
To conclude this epic week, we wolfed my favourite sushi and then made for JFK. During last night's shenanigans, Mr Clancey snapped this sign:
 |
| You bet your bottom dollar we is |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.