February 2008 NY Fashion Week (published 2.2008 by WTTG Fox 5)

Teri Agins Comments on Hervé Leger by Max Azria

Fashion Week-Bryant Park, New York City: On February 3, 2008 at 2:00 pm, exiting the Hervé Leger runway presentation, we spent a few minutes talking to Teri Agins, a Fashion Writer for the Wall Street Journal and Author of The End of Fashion.

Mariessa (M): It is so great to see you! What is the buzz about the Hervé Leger line?

Teri Agins (TA): Hervé Leroux was the original designer of the Hervé Leger brand. But, there was some dispute and he sold the trademark. Max Azria from BCBG bought it and has worked to revive the brand. There was a lot of excitement in the room today because people wanted to see the brand come back. Other than Dolce and Gabbana and maybe Roberto Cavalli, this kind of tight sexy look is virtually missing in stores. I thought it was cool…on the front row they had all of the girls lined up in their dresses. It was a nice photo opportunity. Azria definitely knows what he is doing with regard to the re-launch of this brand.

M: Which designer do you look forward to seeing every year?

TA: Tracy Reese (tracyreese.com) is one of the designers I look forward to each season. I have been wearing her designs for years. Tracy makes dresses and uses a lot of color; two things that I like. I also look forward to Oscar de la Renta because you know his shows are always going to be magnificent and well done. I enjoy Carolina Herrera, too. I also look for Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen, Derek Lam, Richard Chai & Philip Lim.

M: WDC recently introduced legislation to create a Fashion Commission. Do you think that fashion can spur economic development?

TA: I don’t know. But the thing is…I can understand why DC might want to get in on this. Fashion is a big part of pop culture and people are interested in following it. Dallas has a market week. Chicago and Los Angeles do, too. The stereotype of Washington is that the people are very staid. But, I do not think this is necessarily true. I think that Washington, DC has enthusiastic consumers. Why not? Especially, if you can get the retail community behind it! The one thing that I like about the DC Fashion Commission is the development of a Fashion Incubator. Today, schools are not teaching art and music. Therefore the kids do not get exposed to the design industry. I like the fact that you are making an education effort. That is really important. When people get exposed to fashion, then they become consumers with an interest in the industry, the clothes, design and creativity. This is all a part of the art world. That is great!

M: Thank you Ms. Agins!



FYI, darling: WHO IS HERVÈ LEGER? Leger is a Parisian designer who began his career in fashion as a hair dresser and milliner (www.herveleroux.com). After working as Karl Lagerfeld’s assistant at Fendi and Chanel, Léger opened up his own atelier in Paris in 1985. Léger perfected the bandage dress made of bands of stretch fabrics, wool, or silk woven with Lycra or Elastene, wound around the body for a tight fit. Max Azria bought the brand in 1998 and hired Jerome Dreyfuss to take over. Leger left the brand he created soon there after suing for breach of contract and trademark infringement among other things. Leger renamed his line Hervé L. Leroux (Hervé the Red). He continues to design elegant, body conscious gowns at his boutique located on 32 rue Jacob in Paris.

Interview with Paul Wharton (published 1.2008 by WTTG Fox 5)

PAUL WHARTON, WDC’S OWN FULL TIME FASHION CELEBRITY

It’s 3pm on a fashionable Tuesday in the District. Armed with Ruby Woo lipstick, metallic 4-inch steel gray boots a la Wild Women Wear Red and a hot pink Olympus digital recorder, we approach the door of Paul Wharton’s Capitol Hill loft. Within minutes we are ushered into an urbane, spacious studio where we are treated to champagne and freshly popped corn.

Enter Paul Wharton: Paul Wharton is the popular modeling and style coach from MTV’s hit model series MADE and VH1s hot new series The Agency. In November 2007, Washington Life magazine named him one of Washington, DC’s most fashionable celebrities. Paul has been training models in DC ever since he was 12 years old!

Mariessa (M): How did you break into the Fashion/Style Arena?

Paul Wharton (PW): My mother was a model. When I was a kid, I started to model for New Model Agency owned by Cynthia Wilson located in Crystal City, Virginia. I went on a lot of castings and I did well. When I was about 12 years old though, I decided that I needed to make more money so I could purchase a jaguar when I got a little older. I decided to offer workshops for other kids who wanted to model. We [my mom and I] put an ad in the Washington Post; added a business line in the house and hosted seminars for kids who wanted to model. I made up a three-fold brochure. My workshop cost $99 dollars for unlimited sessions. I worked all through my teenage years from aged 12 to 18. When I was 18 I moved to New York City.

M: What happened when you arrived in New York City (NYC)?

PW: My intent at first was to move to NYC to attend New York University (NYU). My uncle owned a great brownstone in Harlem. I spent a year in New York just exploring the city and learning about people. Harlem was a great experience. I loved it. A year later, I was accepted into NYU and got signed to Wilhelmina Models. I started meeting a lot of different people. I met the people at Elite [modeling agency] and Ford [modeling agency]. Soon thereafter, I started training their new models. A couple of years passed and I moved over to the television section of Wilhelmina.

I started booking television commercials then. One particular audition stands out in my mind. It was for a MTV show. I remember it because it was a turning point for me. I went on a casting and there was a long line of 300 people wrapped around the block. It was on 26th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. I saw the line and I told the cab driver to, “Drive!” We got to the corner and the light turns red and I start thinking, “What have I done in this city, really? Why shouldn’t I have to wait?” So, I got in line.

My mom always thought that I would be on television. She thought I would be doing something notable. I thought so too. Then I got to New York and realized that everyone that had that dream is converging in NYC. In NYC, there are so few opportunities for so many people. This sudden realization makes everyone nervous even desperate. I wasn’t desperate yet, because I had been able to land a few jobs soon after I got to NYC. But, it was an epiphany. This dream was not just mine but it was a dream for a lot of people.

NYC was a great. It was the place where I was able to get the experience and the visibility that I needed in order for people to take me seriously. But, I am glad to be back in Washington.

M: Well, WDC is glad to have you back! Tell me about your television projects.

PW: I was the first model coach on MTV’s highest rated original serious at the time, Made. It was aired in 2003. I produced and co-created the entire show. The show was in 38 countries. From that I moved on to become a makeup expert for Ricki Lake. Then I started doing VHI and E! Then I did Style Court for the Style Network. This year I did The Agency on VHI, which was a show about the inner workings of the modeling industry. It was aired in Europe first.
My new shows include, Top Model Make Over that will be shot in December 2007 and Make Over Manor that will be aired in the spring 2008. I just finished shooting a great new show on TV Land called, She’s Got the Look. I am the model coach and for the competition that will identify the best sophisticated models over 35.

M: You also founded a modeling agency called Evolution Look. What distinguishes your agency from others?

PW: We do informals and a new kind of promotional modeling. Historically, promotional modeling has involved passing out food samples. But, my agency takes a different approach. We typically partner with a boutique or designer who will in turn help us to promote our client’s goods and services at special events. We typically promote restaurant launches, clothing lines, store openings, new products, etc.

M: Do you think it is difficult to run a fashion business in Washington, DC?

PW: Actually running a fashion business in DC is difficult. In this town, people are not used to paying others for fashion, beauty or lifestyle advice. They say, “Let’s just pull together and do this thing.” But no one gets paid. In an effort to keep my business running and to keep myself running (which can be a job all its own), I have to be mindful of where the income stream is coming from. I am constantly reminding other people trying to create fashion initiatives in DC that fashion takes money. If you are saying that DC is a place where we can create a great fashion community, we have to keep that cycle going around. Otherwise, the message that we are sending is that fashion in the city is a “hobby.” I think everyone should be paid for what they do. I am hoping that the Fashion Commission will help.

M: Thank you for speaking with us today, Paul!

PW: Thank you!

ARE YOU MODELESQUE? CHECK OUT PAUL WHARTON’S BRAND NEW MODELING WEBSITE LAUNCHED IN DECEMBER 2007. www.evolutionlook.com

Interview with Councilmember Kwame Brown (published on 11.20.07 by WTTG Fox 5)

CAN FASHION REALLY JUMP START ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

Mariessa Terrell talks fashion with Council Member Kwame Brown, Chairman of Committee on Economic Development (www. kwamebrowndc.com). Interview conducted Nov. 19, 2007.

Mariessa (MRT): Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Council Member Kwame Brown, the Chairman of the Committee on Economic Development at the DC City Council. Good Morning, Council Member Brown

Council Member Brown (KB): Good Morning.

MRT: On June 15, 2007 you joined Council Member Harry Thomas, Jr. and Council Member Marion Barry to co-sponsor Bill 17-173 to create a Fashion Commission in Washington, DC.

MRT: Can you tell us about the Bill and why you think that it is important?

KB: When people think of Washington, DC they think of a stuffy place. They think of politics, museums, non-profits…not necessarily fashion. DC is a fashion town and [the Council Members who sponsored the Bill to create a Fashion Commission] sought to model [the District after] other cities like Chicago and New York that have created a way for fashion to thrive in the city.

MRT: Right now, the Bill is in your Committee and is on its way to mark up. What is the current status of the Bill?

KB: The Bill was introduced...and we had a hearing right away on the Bill. But, right now in the District, there are just so many different things going on [including issues dealing with] the CFO’s office and the schools that have taken precedence over the Fashion Bill. But we hope to get it marked up before year’s end.

MRT: What role do you think fashion retail development plays in Washington?

KB: To have a Fashion Corridor in the city, a place just for fashion where you can have local designers and local businesses partnering together to showcase the work of local designers would be phenomenal! We can’t just put franchises throughout the District of Columbia. Fashion should be a part of the culture and the diversity of the city. The Fashion Incubator will allow our young folks in High School or who have graduated from High School to pursue their dreams. Their dreams may not be a regular 9 to 5 [job] and may include fashion. You never know. We could have the next Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Phat Farm or Sean John right here in the District of Columbia. Would n’t that be a great thing? Hopefully they will open up a facility here. Vocational education is not just about the construction trade or sciences or the computer industry. Fashion is one of those areas that could thrive [here].

MRT: How do we ensure that our neighborhoods will benefit from the development taking place in Washington, DC?

KB: Clearly local residents and local business owners should be able to participate and that is why I have created an atmosphere that will allow for local ownership on development projects [and will] make sure that 50% of the projects will go towards local businesses. But more importantly we need to try to help define what should be [in the neighborhoods]. If we are going to build a new community, what will that new community look like? Clearly residents who don’t have sit down restaurants in [their neighborhoods] want [and deserve] those things. But, they also want [and deserve] to shop! You don’t want to have to go to Tyson’s Corner, Pentagon City or New York City to shop. You should be able to have some places [in the District] that you can go to and “buy local, stay local.”

MRT: I am so glad that you said that, because that is one thing that Simone’s Washington is very interested in -recapturing the millions of dollars that residents spend at shops located outside of the District. What are some of your favorite local boutiques? I don’t have time to shop…but….my wife loves to shop. [One of her favorite boutiques] is Wild Women Wear Red [located at 1512 U Street, NW- www.wildwomenwearred.com]. There is nothing like taking visitors from out of town to our local boutiques. When people come to Washington, they don’t want to see…franchises. They need to see some of the local flavor and local boutiques….That’s what it’s all about, showcasing our own talent. I do know a [designer] who is really wonderful…I met him at your fashion event, The Capital Catwalk (www.capitalcatwalk.com) put on by the High Tea Society (www.highteasociety.org). It was phenomenal! I would never even have thought that you could have an event like that in Washington, DC. When I walked into the [Andrew Mellon] Museum (www.mellonauditorium.com) I swore I was somewhere else, outside of Washington, DC. It just shows that if we think outside of the box, we can create something! There were some fabulous fashions showcased at the event. But you know some people may have to leave the city because we are not giving them the exposure that they need. My job is to figure out how we can do that.

MRT: Well thank you Council Member for speaking with us today.

KB: Thank you, and let me also thank you for all the time that you have spent…being an advisor to this Bill that was introduced…to create a Fashion Commission. It is your vision that has caused us to push the envelope and think differently.

Reminiscing about Fashion in Washington (published WTTG Fox 5 on 11.6.2007)

On Saturday, November 3, 2007, the Historical Society of Washington, DC held its 34th Annual Washington Studies Reception at the Carnegie Library. Session 33 entitled, DC Style: A Salute to the Reporters Who Chronicled Real Washington Society & Fashion featured panelists Roscoe Dellums, Eve Ferguson, Allie Latimer and Helen Moody who reminisenced about fashion and society in WDC from 1960-1990.

Attorney Roscoe Dellums, one of the original creators of the famed Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) fashion show recalled the glory days when the CBC Spouses produced elaborate fashion presentations during Caucus weekend that featured the top African American models of the day, including Naomi Sims, Beverly Johnson and Audrey Smaltz.

In the 1960’s, Washington was a very different city than it is today. Brown v. Board of Education had yet to be fully enforced so many African American women still lived and worked in two separated and segregated worlds: one white and one black. Fashion for these women was, according to Attorney Allie Latimer, dictated by occupation. Because black women were seen before they were heard, fashion and impeccable dressing, became the great equalizer. The right suit from Garkinkel’s, hair coiffure from the Cardozo Sisters and shoes from Landsburgh helped to level the playing field.

But, even after integration, blacks were not always welcome in the Washington area department stores. Helen Moody, personal shopper extraordinaire and former Saks Fifth Avenue model retold how Saks department store was duped into hosting a fashion show for black women featuring black models in 1973. It happened during a store transition. One manager who was leaving Saks Fifth Avenue signed off on the event without much scrutiny. The new manager decided to “make it work” and spent a considerable amount of money producing a spirited and energetic show that resonated with the black shoppers. After the event, Saks Fifth Avenue merchandise and charge cards flew out of the store making the black women a much sought after customer.

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s students at Howard University, aka Saw U continued to use fashion to signify a state of mind. Fashion Journalist Eve Ferguson recollected her time spent preparing to make a daily appearance on the Yard. Her attire, largely dictated by each day’s scheduled activities, consisted of either Sassoon or Guess jeans with sequined tube tops or Dashikis and kente cloth. Black power and disco fever each had a uniform that were unmistakable and rarely interchangeable.

But regardless of the era-from Black Broadway to the elegant parties held in private homes of the black bourgeoisie, “black folks know how to put it together” and continue to use fashion to make statements about their community and themselves.

DC To Create a Fashion Commission (published by WTTG Fox 5 in 10.2007)

The hallowed halls of the Wilson Building have been awash with more pink than grey with the arrival of over 500 beguiling fashion ambassadors who have descended on the DC City Council to show their support for the Commission on Fashion Arts and Events (COFAE) Establishment Act (Bill B17-173).


The movement known as “Fashion Freedom” was jump started on June 15, 2007 with Council Member Marion Barry introduced Bill 17-173 along with Co-Introducers Council Member Harry Thomas, Jr. and Council Member and Chair of the Economic Development Committee, Council Member Kwame Brown. Other co-sponsors of the bill include, Council Member Carol Schwartz, Council Member Tommy Wells and Council Chair Vincent Gray.

What will the COFAE do? This Office will not only recognize the achievements of DC’s burgeoning fashion community but will also be responsible for carving out a section of the city’s landscape for the singular purpose of showcasing international designers and specialty retailers inside the Beltway.

This Fashion Corridor akin to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile or Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive is only one of their four initiatives. Other action items include branding WDC as a fashion destination; and enhancing the economic development of the WDC fashion industry through targeted fashion marketing, workforce development, training and business development.

Think it would be positively posh to shop for luxe within the city limits? Don’t tell me, Call your Council Member! (202) 724-8000