WWD

I can’t help but open my big fat mouth today about WWD’s blatantly irresponsible content decisions in running a story entitled “Blood and Guts in the Hamptons.”

The fashion industry’s trade publication—the bible of all things retail, fashion and design that can affect how investors feel about the sector and what foreigners read to keep on top of the U.S. retail market—reported on ROADKILL today. That’s right. Is this roadkill preventing textiles mills from producing fabrics for the upcoming collections? No. Is this roadkill the latest accoutrement to Jeremy Scott’s next collection? No. The big story that deserves a quarter of page four in today’s edition is about how socialites and various notable media personas are noting an increased number of dead animals—aka, roadkill—on the byways of the Hamptons.

Former New York Times Style writer Alex Kuczynski, astutely observes about Southampton: “I’ve seen two dead squirrels on South Main Street this summer, and I’ve never seen two dead squirrels on South Main Street before.”

Are you kidding me? I’m mortified that Kuczynski (whose writing I don’t actually admire) agreed to lend a quote IN PRINT. It’s not even a story about the media—for which a quote from a member of the media would be apropos. Why in the world is a former NYT style writer an appropriate source for a story on roadkill? Of course, let’s not forget the fact that the story is ludicrous in the first place. So my question is akin to asking why J. Edgar Hoover chose to wear tan stockings and not nude when he dressed in drag.

I get it that in the past year WWD has ramped up its celebrity and pop culture reporting—people care. It keeps eyeballs on the page. But roadkill? Unless it’s Lindsay Lohan’s carcass on Montauk Highway (at least she has a leggings line), I don’t want to read about it in WWD. K?

Source: eskimo.com, wwd.com
 

And that’s what today is. So, this blog will be short and sweet. I thought I’d go back to the thankful theme and make a list. I am thankful for:

1.  Florida (I forgot how beautiful it is)
2. WWD (what would we do without our fashion and beauty trade?)
3. Golf (I’m still not sure why I love the game so much, but I do)
4. My 99 year old, amazing grandfather
5. Snow (I’ll never stop loving it, that white stuff changes everything)
6. Glenn Ford (he was a real man)
7. Good dreams (they keep you going the next day)
8. My church (because the people are incredible)
9. COOOOFFFFEEEEE!!!!!
10. Sexy, high-heeled shoes (what’s not to love)
11. Olives (black, green, I don’t care)
12. My 3 fabulous goddaughters
13. The Bentley Coupe (nope, I don’t have one, yet)

And SOOOO much more. LOL (that’s lots of love)

I love to vote. I once paid nearly $200 in text messages to vote more times than I like to admit for Kelly Clarkson to win American Idol—for which I take complete credit and once told her in person. Suffice to say, I was thrilled when I saw on my Google Reader that the Council of Fashion Designers of America is giving out a Popular Vote Award this year!  The only thing that could make this news better is if each of the nominees was forced to run a campaign: “Republicans for Rodarte!” “Yes Wu Can!”

I was speaking with a colleague recently about WWD and he/she (gender has been disguised to protect the innocent!) made a disparaging comment about the paper. We were ranking the power of various media outlets. Now, we have (as I have said before) a wide range of clients in both the mass and luxury sectors. For some, WWD is the ultimate media destination. A good story in that publication can really put one of our fashion clients on the map, or at the very least validate their existence. It’s a POWERFUL platform. I get daily media alerts on the state of the industry and I can tell you understanding where a particular brand stands on 4^th quarter earnings can say a lot about the state of the union.

I remember the day (many years ago) when we started considering WWD in the same league as bigger papers for exclusives—up against the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. With it’s significantly smaller circ you might think, “Hmmm.” But when your fashion brand needs recognition in the marketplace there really is no competition. We had an ex-WWD staffer work for us years ago and she said the paper would spend forever agonizing over it’s title for the front cover. (INSERT TITLE FROM DAY). They knew the power of their paper.

When I lived in Miami and worked in Bal Harbor shops during college I would buy WWD just to brush up on my industry news (not that I needed it then). I loved it. The paper seemed like this insider’s peek into a rarified world. Back then European fashion hit the states 6-months post runway. Nothing was instant then, there was no Internet. It definitely added to fashion’s mystique. And WWD was a way to access this fabulous world. 

So, after breezing by my colleague’s comment, I decided to address it later in the day. I explained that fashion was a multi-billion dollar industry that accounted for tons of jobs and all kinds of economic stimulus and that though you might not love the paper you can’t deny it’s importance. This person agreed (honestly, they made the comment in passing before thinking it through). So, all was well again—order restored. WWD, we love you.

Source: Cover page of today's WWD paper from www.wwd.com