We'll Always Have Paris Fashion Week

I went to Paris Fashion Week for the first time ever. Paris is the final bi-annual stop on the Fashion Weeks that begin with New York, then London, Milan and Paris. Four to five weeks of nothing but show after show after party, after after party, cocktails, dinners, clubs and this year a trip to Disneyland - in Paris (not Orlando) - bien sur. I lost count of all the shows and events listed on the various cities Fashion Week Calendars. And they don’t include the super chic and discrete “by invitation only” events.?

Most surprising to this rookie attendee is that it turns out those fashionable Front-Row-Istas aren’t?all?as bad or mean as I thought or read about.

They’re just exhausted.

I only attended Paris Fashion Week (not NYC, London or Milan) - ?and I went to less than a quarter of the shows and plus one events that most do. While sipping amazing C?te de Rh?ne and really good Profiteroles is not something to complain about - ?but it’s no wonder they’re all so tired.?

Unless you look closely, however, it’s hard to tell. Here’s why. They arrive to all the shows or parties, in a huge, for Paris, black fancy car service, (read - today's new limo) and quickly dash into what’s usually a super dark and mysterious “experiential space” while PR guest-listers with mini-flashlights seat them. Then “wammo" the lights and Honey Dijon-esq music comes on full throttle - which means if you’re among the Front-Row-Istas you’re lit perfectly and very few people notice those clear rubber ear plugs. No sign or sound whatsoever of fatigue. When I think about it - you almost never see any of them, well, sweat, ever. Even at the Maxim's Ball at 3:30am. WTF?!

Side note - until two weeks ago - the only Dijon with honey I ever heard of went on a pastrami sandwich. Now I know better.

For anyone who still believes/prays in the meaningful sustainability - try tagging along with any of the Front-Row-Istas and you will see an entire flock of fashionable people who provide a whole new and reimagined meaning to “sustainability.”?

However, in this milieu - sustainability of one’s relevancy (their jobs) is where it’s at - and not so much on saving dolphins, whales and plankton from too many fast and non-fast fashionista companies like...well you all know who you are.?But don't give up Julie, Tonne, Sue R, et al.

My reason for being in Paris during Fashion Week was only because I launched a book, called “The Battle of Versailles: The Fashion Showdown of 1973”. I discovered that if you do a fancy book published by Rizzoli and have a book-signing event at the book-store in Paris called Librarie Galignani, and your book is about fashion and fighting, etc. it’s an excellent ticket inside if you gift that book to certain designers and their colleagues. It’s definitely cool to sign a book to them. “Dear Yohji - keii - ?xMark”?

Some rookie advice - don't expect everyone to come back to you about your book. It's not at all what matters. Don't ever dare ask, "What did you think of my book"? Then you're wide open for subjectivity, unanswered texts, a tad bit of envy, and worst of all - critique.

Except if you happen to be, ironically speaking, a French chef who cooks by The Seaport.

“Keii” according to Siri - means respect in Japanese.

Word.

It’s the kind of quid pro quo that would never have worked when I was CEO of the Home Shopping Network. “Sacre bleu (holy bleu) - is he kidding with wanting a ticket?” or “I don’t give a “merde” if Bradley Cooper played him in the movie, “JOY”. He’s not getting a seat.”?

One digression is required here. As designer Willi Smith used to say all the time - "let's get real". Because no less than three of the fashionistas that were involved in or partook in the famous Battle of Versailles in 1973 (and Joy Mangano, Joan Rivers nor Richard Simmons were not one of them) actually launched products on HSN (or QVC). They are/were:

Lou Lou de la Falaise (Jewelry) Marisa Berenson (Jewelry) and C.Z. Guest (Garden) But please keep this information to yourself.?No pictures either.

Thankfully I did not have to vertically shoot every single runway outfit on my iPhone and post them ASAP on IG or TikTok or What’s App or Telegram or God forbid, LinkedIn - writing witty critiques, praise or both - like Diet Prada. I tried shooting that way and it made me dizzy from looking down and up - down and up - at my mobile.?

Besides - I wouldn’t have a clue what to say or post. When I did post one or two of the more “advanced” designs, some of the 75% of the people that follow me, sent texts.

“Who the fuck would wear that shit?”?

It was accompanied by the below pic. I still don't know if the person who sent the text and pic, notably a banker, was referring to the white outfit on the runway, or the Front-Row-Ista dude with the matching white knit beanie hat, sweater, skirt and grandpa socks.

It’s a non-answerable question. Though after eight days in Paris - one could easily reply to that same “Who the fuck…” question with: "People who go to fashion shows in Paris wear that shit". And we're not talking about on the runway, we’re talking on the streets, in the elevators, in the toilettes, the metro, past the doormen. It’s/they're everywhere.?

So therefore I’m totally fine that just 25% “get it”.?

Suffice to say with so much fashionism happening in Paris the relentless blatant gossip rises to an entirely new level. In the movie "Spinal Tap" it was referred to as "this one goes to eleven". But still, it struck me as very cool and mysterious. Which made for the passing of time while waiting a minimum of thirty minutes for the each of shows to start late, easier.

It’s no wonder Naomi, Kate and Axl Rose are always so tardy.

From my POV - the "being late trend" clearly started decades ago at Paris Fashion Week.

In fact, in the interview I did with Bill Cunningham in 1994, (that eventually became the documentary, “The Times of Bill Cunningham”) he talked humorously about NY Times war correspondent Gloria Emerson. She was so feared in Paris, that whilst visiting the élysée Palace (France's White House)during the de Gaulle era, all the ambassadors hid in the bushes. Once, while impatiently waiting for the Christian Dior Couture show to start, circa early sixties, she stood up and shouted, from the front row (or couch in those days) ?

“WHERE’S THE MERCHANDISE?"

You can bet that when the tall and foreboding Gloria Emerson stood and shouted that, that the Dior show started less than one-minute later. It’s akin to Vanessa Friedman of The New York Times doing something similar. ?OMG.

“WHERE’S THE FASHION? I’M ON A DEADLINE. HELLOOO” one can almost hear Vanessa shout.

It should be noted that one detected a certain, highly respectful, deference to what’s become(ing) a legend most - in Jordan Roth. One could sense the KCD’s and Lucien Pages of the PR world, breathing a sigh of relief or a discrete big suck on a Vape - that used to be solely reserved for Anna Wintour or Edward Enninful - when Jordan Roth arrived. "La Jordanie est-elle déjà là?" (Has Jordan arrived yet?) And then...

Something like, “Whew - she’s here! Let's begin”.

Or in French, “Mon dieu, il arrives. Commen?on.”?

There is one person, however, who might actually make such a bold statement today. And talking about sustainability - her name is Suzy Menkes. She has to be, at eighty years old, the hardest working person in show business, er fashion. ?After hanging or bumping into Suzy a few times in Paris I can confirm that if she let rip with some of her subtle and very British side-quips OUT LOUD, it would be sick and epic. Two words that are now synonymous.?For example - when Tommy & Dee Hilfiger text:

When Tommy Hilfiger texts you minutes after his NYC runway show that my book is "sick", if you know - you know. Who am I to disagree? (the book is available wherever fine books are sold) BTW - Dara Khosrowshahi, did your wife enjoy it?

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/dara-khosrowshahi-70949862/

In case not - I left a copy for you in the back of my Uber in Paris. Bon chance.

On the plane ride back to NYC, in Delta "Comfort" the flight attendant spilled some red wine on my black-sweats wearing left knee. She was super apologetic. I was like, "Ghislaine, it's 9am and you're serving dinner - just pour me another". I then whispered to her that the black-sweats were actually $4000 Dolce & Gabbana's from K-Mart. Not!

Then, I swear, she went to her knees from laughing so much and so long. Two hours later, she gifted me 4000 Delta Sky Miles while 30,000 feet in the air on her Delta Employee App. Cool.

Finally, in my quest for someone who’s a really good editor that’s awake at 5am on a Saturday morning, I end this missive with a poem:

Roses are red.

Violets are blue.?

If you do good in Paris

LVMH may even buy you.

If you do bad - you’re just fucked. Period.?

End of story.?

===

MB

P.S.

Please, if you do have an Instagram account - follow more there and DM me what you think. https://www.instagram.com/bcunninghamfilm/

But for the following people and brands (not in alphabetical order) the above would not be possible. And way more than could be written on LinkedIn. And forgive this author but some serious name dropping below - not all pictured or remembered.

Everyone at Rizzoli International Publications , Librarie Galignani, Jean-Luce & Barbara Huré, Pat Cleveland, Carol Dietz, Liza Minnelli, Diet Prada, Peter Orlowsky - Getty Images Amedeo Scognamiglio, Sarah Andelman, Lucien Pages, Marisa Berenson, Anna VR Cleveland Hack, Jefferson Hack, Moby (!), Hotel Duminy-Vendome, Roger Vivier, Suzy Menkes, Stephane Marsil et Family, Marianne Marsil, Leo Belhassen, Ines de las Fressange, Lyssa Horn, Delta Airlines, Creative Artists Agency and special thanks to Anna Wintour at Condé Nast for the best "no" one could ask for. There's more I'm sure I've left out.

Credits: Bill Cunningham inspired blue jacket and hoodie by sacai, beret by Stephen Jones Millinery, hair by Super Cuts, black jacket by COMME des GAR?ON, knit zipper thing by Lionel Messi, blue "Man from Willi" tie by Willi Smith/WilliWear, Serious Camera Necklace by Amedeo Scognamiglio red sneakers by FRESHY World Skincare by Beekman 1802 belt by TELFAR , glasses Warby Parker Wrapping Paper by Ruben Toledo Movie Posters. Pharmaceuticals by Value Drugs.

#fashion #frenchfashion

Seize The Day. (and excuse the typos et al - still in search of that editor)