Re: the story: The women who patronize teleshopping channels save up for that $300 gold pleather jacket payable in 3 Easy-Pay installments because for them, it is their Christian Lacroix. Teleshopping carries everything from frumpy knits to "designer" goods, making the higher priced designer items the equivalent of a middle-America Chanel.

Fashion is subjective; your cool may not be my cool. Real women from Texas to Tuscany covet clothing that they can wear in their everyday lives, inspired by haute couture runways but made wearable by mass market designers. It's the trickle-down effect from runway to ready-to-wear to private label.

Re: the casting: I think Steven again makes a statement. Watching Joan Rivers on QVC, she overshadows her guests, the models and the merchandise. It's the Joan Show and the customers calling in talk as much about the merchandise as they do about being a Joan Groupie. The personalities of the tele-hosts are as important as, if not more important than, the models because they represent the lifestyle, they sell the lifestyle that the customer calling in wants to create. How else would a size XXXL polyester-blend blouse modeled by a size XXS model fly off the virtual shelves of the tv screen if not glammed up by an overly-sexified tele-hostess?

Even the runway models are a parody in this editorial, the type of model that would never be used wearing clothing that would never be sold to illustrate the point that teleshopping is about what customers PERCEIVE, not what they see. I think this irony will become clearer when we see the rest of the cast of characters on the inner pages of the editorial.

Re: the Lady in Red: I left Marilyn Agency in Paris early in my career to pursue a consumer-fashion path in NYC because those were the "cool brands" I related to, as do 90% of the women in the USA. I love fashion and I marvel at high fashion models like Daria Strokous and Caroline Trentini, at the heights of their editorial careers. I am the woman looking at the tv, in awe of the lifestyle those models are selling, ready to dial in and buy it - and therein lies the point of the story for me: I'm in awe of them, other women are in awe of me, and other women are in awe of those women... It's the ecosystem of fashion diversity, everybody is inspired by somebody. BTW: Red is my Aries color.

I find this editorial to be brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed. Working with Steven Meisel was an honor; I love that he allowed me to be myself without trying to "cool me up" and I am proud to have a role in the creation of his art.

~Paula Patrice/Ford NY commenting on Vogue Italia January 2012 photographed by Steven Meisel

 

View the entire editorial on the Vogue Italia website . 

Listen up model wannabes and parents of potential models:  If you want to understand the process that happens from the time you get approached in the mall with a scout's business card to going to NYC as a signed model, this show will give you a glimpse into the fast track. No, not all models have it this easy - most get rejected once they do that first test in NYC and they need to shoot more, practice more, attend open calls at agencies, send in polaroids, and work work work their way to getting signed. But in a perfect world, if a model truly has what it takes to become a Superstar, this is how it'd play out. Spend the $3, buy it on iTunes and take the time to really understand the process as well as enjoy the show. Below, my iTunes review.  

To me, what defines a successful Calvin Klein collection is whether Creative Director Francisco Costa manages to walk the fine line of strong versus ladylike fashion while maintaining his slant towards sensuality as opposed to sexuality. The Calvin Klein label has always been minimalist, but for a while I felt it was going too structured. Everything had a belted waistline, structured collar, A-line cut, or a combination of the three! I'm old-school Calvin, I don't want fussy, I'm looking for simple modernity, delicate fabrics, and flattering cuts that can cross over in my lifestyle between daytime casual and evening sexy.

The Calvin Klein Women's Spring 2012 Collection offers just the right balance for classy women who want a touch of feminine innocence but still desire strong shapes. I'm coveting the spaghetti-strap slip dresses that could be worn with sandals for a day in the sun, paired with a jacket for tailored evening, and even worn for bedtime lounging. From Hamptons to St. Barths, Miami to Santa Monica - these work. Reminiscent of the nightgown trend circa 1998, I'm back in love.

 

Congratulations to my model friends for putting together a press-filled & celebrity-studded launch for their new organization, Curves For Change ! You are all beautiful inside and out.

Founded by Supermodel/Supermom Kate Dillon and now helmed by Bernadett Vajda + Julie Henderson, these women use their beauty and visibility to make a positive impact on women's causes and represent positive role models.

And major props to whomever won those $25,000 Victoria's Secret Runway Show tickets at the auction- WOOT!
Looking forward to the next event...

 You can donate @ www.curvesforchange.com.  Get involved and make a difference!

 

For all of you who ask me how you can get a simple portfolio online, edit it yourself, and not have it cost a bundle: CARBONMADE .

There ya go!

i used the new Oprah + 10 other pics and added some fresh fierceness to my homepage. u like? the pics change every time u visit.

 

 

The United States grows more varieties of GM crops than any other country, including maize, soybeans, cotton, canola, sugarbeet, alfalfa, papaya and squash.

Global area planted with biotech crops increased by 10 percent last year to reach 148m hectares, making it the fastest adopted crop technology in the history of modern agriculture, according to a new analysis.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), a non-profit organization which promotes the adoption of biotech crops, said in its new report that the United States still uses more genetically modified (GM) seeds than any other country, but Brazil had the largest increase for the second year running, with area planted to biotech crops rising 19 percent in 2010.

Commercial planting of GM crops began in 1996, with 1.7m hectares planted that year, and over 15 years of cultivation, the total area devoted to GM crops increased 87-fold, to reach 148m hectares in 2010. ISAAA said that adoption rates in developing nations exceeded those in industrialized countries last year and it expects the trend to continue....

Click to read the entire article.

A true story of my search for an admin assistant. Luckily, I found a gem... NOT on Craigs List

 

Dear Craigs List Service Provider,

Your website portfolio is beautiful, your skills extensive, your resume impressive. I must hire you now!

Your resume has been posted religiously for weeks, and with every post it gets more impressive. 6 weeks ago you typed 40 WPM and this week you are up to 90 WPM. Kudos to you!
Not only do you type 90 WPM but you also do web design. And programming! Wow, do you know how great this is? I have a web development company, so now I can lay off everybody, kick back in my chair and just let you use Dreamweaver to achieve the impressive results in your portfolio. Wahoo!
You say you do Quickbooks too? And you organize? And you're available 24/7? Perfect- I happen to work 20/7/365!

So I drop you a line. Let's meet up? Sure ok let's do that, you want to come to my office? Oh you aren't available to walk the 2 blocks from the train? Hrmm well I'm not sure I can bring my office to you.
Oh look, another email from you, you need the exercise so you'll do it? Gee, I don't want you to go out of your way. I mean yeah I walk that route 2 or 3 times a day, but I completely understand that you need to save your energy to type those 90 WPM.

I suggest we do it at 9am Monday, start fresh. Oh, too early? Ok, email me a time that works for you.

Oh good, an email from you. Hi, yes, thanks for checking in, we spoke last week and I'm still waiting for you to get back to me with a time for us to meet. I appreciate the email, but could you write a day & time in it?

Oh good, another email from you. Hi, You say you're really busy with clientele right now and so you've been unable to get back to me? No problem... I see you've religiously posted your Craigs List ad every day at 2pm, I'm glad you can find the time between your client appointments that require no walking to get to.

No I'm sorry I can't do Friday @ 8pm, seeing as this is our first meeting I thought we could do it during daylight hours, so you could get a feeling for how you'd integrate into my workflow. Alright so just let me know when you can do it.

[insert 20 days here]

Oh hiiiiii nice to hear from you...  what was it we were discussing, some services you provide? Why don't you speak to my NEW ADMIN ASSISTANT and she can work in a meeting in between the WEB WORK i do for my BUSY CLIENTELE.

 

So I ask:  Why take the time to advertise to those of us seeking services if you do not want to provide those services? 

Read on to get the full scoop on Michael's cyber-bullying... The bookkeeper who first ignored my email, then pretended he didn't get it, then popped out of nowhere to email-bully me.

All you readers who are Googling "Michael Koutroupis  MDK Bookkeeping " from Craigs List, you'll want to read what follows...

 

well maybe not literally, but figuratively

I'm selling off all of the crazy fashion, couture and little "trucs" i've acquired during my globe-trotting modeling years.

It's a 300 square foot climate-controlled closetful so I've got my assistant Loni to help me, and it'll take a few months.

You can view the action as it goes down on my personal eBay page (click here) .

If you've got a size 10 / 41 shoe or wear a size 6, this may be your lucky season!!!

Galliano, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, oh my gosh the most gorgeous Gucci vintage stilettos... and hot pink stiletto patent leather Stuart Weitzman boots!

Check me out, please give my stuff a good home! xo 

at first glance, this is just another crazy japanese pop video... until you realize that it isn't pop, it's the 95lb pop "singer" HRP-4C !

The latest product released by my company, PPweb Technologies, is the NutriSleuth iPhone App. It is a life saver, literally.

Not only does it make Mom's life easier at the grocery store, but it has severity settings that no other product can offer. A Mild severity setting allows it to be used as a tool to "just eat healthy" while Anaphylactic settings account for cross-contamination, important for those who have extreme sensitivities, like kids with peanut and dairy super-severe food allergies.

This has been a work-in-progress for the past 16 months, and I am pleased as a gluten-free gummybear to share the App with a world of people who need it... myself included!

Look for NutriSleuth Android in 2011,  new Allergy and other Nutrition Criteria being added later this year, and me... behind my computer working, when I'm not in front of the camera. Ah, the dichotomy of it all.

Just found this on Life.com, LOVE HIM and his HEATHERETTE line. in the world of wacky fashion people, Richie is a genuine gem.
Heatherette was such a breath of fresh air, I'm sorry to see it close.

And so as Fashion Week moves to Lincoln Center, it is the beginning of Corporate Fashion 1.0

heheah oops! Tyra would never let this happen... then again, Tyra doesn't do Live TV does she?

NutriSleuth iPhone App brings together all of my passions- technology, health/wellness, and even beautiful design. This is the latest project by me and my PPweb Technologies Team, 1 year in the making! ps- do you think i look like a bobblehead in this interview? im so darn overanimated perky!
 

my new ad is out. it's cute, but it was shot last year with my shorter hair... i guess what's old is new!

side note: i cut my hair back to short like this again, i missed it!