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The Price of Beauty: TV preview

Next year a new show will debut entitled The Price of Beauty. The pop star Jessica Simpson will star and co-produce this project exploring the concept of true beauty. Ms. Simpson is currently shooting the first season, traveling around the world to talk to women about their feelings about beauty.

This sounds to me like it will be a casual but very interesting examination of a topic always relevant to me as an image consultant and as a woman. I hope to see candid moments with women discussing beauty from their point of view based on cultural traditions and social considerations.

I rather like Jessica Simpson because she works hard and doesn’t seem to take herself too seriously. She has been scrutinized in the press for her appearance just as most pop stars have at one time or another (most recently for wearing a pair of high-waisted jeans…it probably wasn’t even a slow news day which is the sad part) and handled herself with grace and humour.

From a limited fashion line a full lifestyle brand called the Jessica Simpson Collection has grown. I have not seen too many of the items in person so cannot attest to quality but many of the pieces look quite versatile and appealing. The brand features everything from sunglasses and scarves to coats and shoes. In terms of promotion, This venture will surely tie in perfectly with the beauty based tv show.

Simpson had this to say is an LA Times article published this past June: "I have always believed that beauty comes from within and confidence will always make a woman beautiful, but I know how much pressure some women put on themselves to look perfect." Hopefully this attitude will help her to deliver intriguing stories of real beauty so that the awareness level of viewers can at very least be slightly heightened.

Here’s hoping that this reality show is a little more real than the rest. No date has been set by the VH1 network. Look for The Price of Beauty to air sometime in 2010.

LA Times show tracker

The Jessica Simpson Collection

America's Best Dressed Mayor

This week at the Toronto Fashion Incubator (my office place) we were visited by Mayor Francis Slay of St. Louis Missouri. I am told that the city of St. Louis is considering starting a fashion incubator of their own. (TFI has served as a model for fashion incubators around the world.)

It was a pleasure to meet Mayor Slay and his team as they were lovely and very interested in hearing what we had to say about our businesses and about being a part of the incubator.

During the meet and greet I was informed by TFI director Susan Langdon that Mayor Slay was voted the best dressed mayor in America. He was also featured in Esquire Magazine

I found it very cool and unexpected that the best dressed mayor is not from one of the cities considered American fashion centers.

Look out for St. Louis!

Style Gone Mad

I began contemplating the cultural significance of the television show Mad Men while reading the following paragraph from an article entitled Drama Confronts a Dramatic Decade by Fred Kaplan in the New York Times this past weekend.

“We live in a culture where people can transform themselves,” Mr. Weiner said. “We have a phrase: ‘Find a job, then become the person who does it.’ Don is one of those people. It’s a hard thing to swallow, because you’re never really secure about yourself. For our hero that insecurity makes him especially good at understanding what people want and why they want it.” And that makes him a perfect ad man.

Due to the nature of my work, interesting or unexpected notes about self-transformation tend to catch my attention. The above description of the Don Draper character reminds me of those I have known and worked with who created new lives for themselves when given the opportunity to do so in times of major transition - albeit under less dramatic circumstances than this character. (If you have not seen the show, Don returns from war mistaken for another man who has passed away. He then creates a new life for himself under his adopted identity.)

The above quote from the show’s creator Matthew Weiner may cite Don’s insecurity but it is the character’s confidence (authentic or not) that strikes me most. Part of this is exuded through sheer style of dress and movement. Just as one’s body language can influence what we think of how they look, the way the show is shot (cinematography) helps us to feel the mood of the Mad Men world while we watch the accompanying visuals. Watching this show is like being a fly on the wall in early 60’s New York.

A fashion industry influence

The clothing seen in Mad Men hardly represents fashion fiction as the costume design is well researched and carefully crafted. As the show became a part of pop culture, its style began to infiltrate runways and retail. Michael Kors for instance put out a fall 2008 line inspired by the show.

In a BBC article entitled The Look of Mad Men, Jeremy Langmead, the editor of Esquire Magazine says of his experience this past winter, “And having just been to the latest round of fashion shows, the Mad Men's influence can be seen in the domination of the suit. But more significant is the influence at the other end of the market, where High Street and Main Street traders brand their suiting as "Mad Men".

I recently passed a retail window display here in Toronto endorsing fashion ideas taken from the show. The stores have clearly partnered with the network (since they are using the show’s official branding) and are timing their promotions to profit while promotion is at a high for the new season of the show.

What is Mad Men style?

For the men, it is a statement of suit. The elevated level of style is achieved through the details such as tie widths and knots, collar points and pins, pocket squares and pattern mixing. Today this meticulous attention to detail is simply not as common as it once was. If you have this today you really stand out.

The Mad Men women also make a style statement. They wear well put together looks that have a sophisticated sense of colour. Luxurious accessories are a focus and fabrics and textures are important. The female characters and their clothing range from the demure to the ultra-confident and curvy. No matter the personality of the women, elegance is always well communicated. Although the women do not wear formal suits as he men do in the show and as women do today, the sense described can be translated to corporate attire.

Why is the style so appealing?

In today’s world when we seem to repeatedly bring back the 80’ Mad Men style translates to the young and the mature. It represents a time when polish was critical and natural.
"We have all got scruffier and dressed down over recent years," says Langmead. Suddenly seeing a TV series where everybody is smart is a reminder of how good we do look in a suit. There is a return to it. The power of what a suit can do for you. Smarter, healthier, younger."

The Emmy award winning and critically acclaimed show returns to our television sets this weekend with the third season. The viewership may be small for TV land but the show has clearly made an impact. Due to the clever plot lines, sets, characters and of course their fashions, it gives viewers a dose of mystery and old school glamour that can be readily translated for today’s modern men and women.


References

Mad Men official show page

Drama Confronts a Dramatic Decade, New York Times

The Look of Mad Men, BBC News Magazine

It’s a Mad Mad World, Style.com

photo: Jon Hamm and January Jones as Don and Betty Draper, credit unknown

The Next Star

Today I visited the set of the television show The Next Star which is in its second season. It is produced by Tricon Films and Television and airs on YTV. Since the main audience for the show is kids, it was a fun and relaxed trip to the set.

The show’s concept is similar to that of the Idol franchise as a cross-country talent search is held. The 3 judges give golden tickets to those who give the best singing auditions and demonstrate star potential.

I went to the studio in Toronto to coach the finalists on having powerful presence on stage and off. I also gave them tips to help hem prepare for the spotlight and their careers as artists. It was part of an episode in which the young singers are given tips by various experts on the tricks of the trade.

I advised the finalists in a group setting in their rock and roll themed lounge. They were wonderful, personable and it was a pleasure to meet and work with them. Adamo, the host is hilarious and sweet. He helped to make the experience a fun one!

We discussed many topics but I gave them my top 3 keys for making fabulous first impressions and achieving star caliber style. Without elaborating here (more to come in a future article), these can apply to anyone:

1. Always be professional - set goals & hone your communications skills, etiquette

2. Show us your personality – show congruency between on-stage and off-stage messages

3. Have confidence in yourself & be able to communicate this to your audience

The purpose of this is of course to execute your branding well so you can build strong rapport with your audiences.

The Next Star Host: Adamo Ruggeiro
Judges: Steve Cranwell, Suzie McNeil, Christopher Ward

Radio Interview with Image Industry Leader Karen Brunger

Karen Brunger recently concluded her term as International President of AICI (Association of Image Consultants International). She is a true industry innovator and will continue to lead in other capacities.

I conducted her exit interview yesterday on the AICI Live show on Blog Talk Radio. We reviewed highlights of the past few years and Karen shared insights on the state of the image industry today.

LISTEN to the interview online or download it here: AICI Live show page

If you are curious about the industry and the image consulting profession this interview will benefit you.

Karen recently celebrated her 25th year in business. It was a pleasure and privilege to interview her at this time. In my opinion she is one of the very top consultants in the world.

More information on Karen Brunger can be found on her website www.imageinstitute.com