The evening began with excitement; you could feel the anticipation filling the large auditorium. The 92 street Y was packed with women of all ages. Well dressed seniors, chic women in their 30’s and 40’s, and my hip looking peers. And to make the night even better a lovely woman was wearing the GORGEOUS Balmain crystal embellished jacket, which glittered under the lights. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, so breathtaking.
Then she appeared: signature pageboy bob, no sunglasses. Wearing a demur floral shift dress, a canary yellow cardigan, nude sling backs, and a single stand of pearls.
Jonathan Tisch began with the question “What is Fashion to you?” and after a loud interruption from PETA protesters in the balcony she resumed with a smirk “As I was saying, fashion means different things to different people.” Completely unscathed by the verbal attack, she continued with “..as long as fur is a part of fashion we [Vogue] will continue to report on it.”
She went on to speak about her background growing up in London and her support of Michelle Obama. She said in the past Washington had been frightened of the fashion industry, looked down on it even, but now there is finally a mutual understanding/respect since Michelle Obama enjoys fashion and embraces it.
Lovely things were said about New Yorkers and their strong sense of individual style. As well as the Met Costume Ball and the CDFA/Vogue Fashion Fund that she created to help young designers and raise money.
She mentioned her first cover as her favorite cover and that she doesn’t think of herself as a brand. (yeah right, the iconic bob, sunglasses, and aloof demeanor - that’s called branding.) There was a lot of discussion about the changes Vogue has gone through since the recession and she mentioned the strong attention that’s being paid: The under $500 sections and her close eye on the prices of clothes going in the publication like the “little sequin dress from a designer who will remain un-named which costs $25,000” will not pass go.
The highlights were hearing her speak about how she lives and breaths fashion, how she loves every individual character that she works with at Vogue, how she doesn’t like Yes people. I liked hearing how perfect her answers were, genuine and polite, yet she could not mask the undercurrent of her Bitchness. It resonated through in not only her tone about certain subjects but her word choices and how she phrased her answers. I really feel she truly lives up to her portrayal.
So, good. Because she does a darn good job at bringing readers a sense of style and beauty that to most of us is a fantasy, a dream of a lifestyle, and a lovely escape. It’s also a hobby and fine art, which she facilitates to the finest extent. She put it best when saying she is so lucky and has the best job in the world, because she does.
When asked about the possibility of her two decade reign ending and what would she like to do, she simply answered no about leaving and “I’m not sure I would be good at anything else.”
Go barefoot
Each year I buy a new white dress to begin my summer. It's a four year old tradition; here is 2009.
Dress: Tracy Feith for Target, Gladiators: Steve Madden, Jewelry: Vintage
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