How Luxury Lost Its Luster

This weekend, I learned a lot about the fashion industry. I spent my day off finding a coat for my CIO - turns out he wants something warmer so I found an 850 fill down coat with Gore-Tex that didn't look too puffy. M wanted a new snowboarding jacket and I'm torn between finding something with a bit of insulation versus just a shell that she can layer under. Thinking that I've hit the big time as a stylist, I watched a marathon of the Rachel Zoe Project and my god, she is fer realz.

She is a big deal. There's a whole chapter on her in my Deluxe book. She knows EVERYONE. I mean, she pours her heart out to Marc Jacobs. It is really great to see her work - I'm really impressed at her ethic, the business she has built and how she manages. What's also illustrative is how addictive the industry is. You always want more and more and more. I thought I was a shopaholic. I really worry about her retirement. Then again, she could live on the revenue from one of her gowns for a year.

I also finished the Deluxe book and it was so good. I now have an understanding of where all these brands started from and how they have changed over the years. I also realized the extent that counterfeit goods are entwined with terrorism, human trafficking, pollution, and gangs. You think heading to Chinatown is all fun and games until you realize that some poor kid locked up somewhere made that item. I was CRUSHED and cried a bit on the train. But, how are we supposed to know which goods use slave labor or sweat shops? Prada, Burberry, Coach are all made in China. What's the difference between the real thing and the fake thing? I MIGHT AS WELL NOT BUY ANYTHING AT ALL. I am very depressed. Why does it feel like someone is always exploited when it comes to the fashion supply chain?

M cheers me up. I think about her recent conversation with her boss. She has to test this website they've been working on so she made dummy users like bunnieb (for bugs bunny) and donaldd (for donald duck).

Boss: So...
M: yes?
Boss: There's a user named Turd Ferguson. Is this yours?
M: yes...
Boss: Very funny.