Thursday 17 November 2011

Editorial Integrity: Would you trust a BLOGGER?

Once the provenance of earnest fashion fans on the fringes of the industry, blogs have evolved into legitimate media sources and, more importantly, big moneymakers. Just had a look at yesterdays' post at Fashionista and WWD story highlighting 'Hot fashion bloggers' like Bryan Boy and Susie Bubble. I thought of our own bloggers right here in Africa OneNigerianBoy, LindaIkeji, BellaNaija to mention a few.. The feature goes on to detail how each page views their sites get, and present an important question: "Bloggers sitting front row have become a commonplace- as have partnerships with leading brands and fashion houses that often blur the nature of what they do
'Reportage and Criticism or Marketing and Promotion?"

Whether it's by partnering with brands, styling shoots, receiving payment for writing posts or getting commission on the sale of items they post about, some bloggers are seriously cashing in on their influence. Of course, there's nothing wrong with making money. These bloggers work hard, are dedicated to their readers and add a unique voice to the fashion dialogue.
"Bloggers produce original content; they have a unique talent (Be it photographing, styling, writing) and its obvious" You ask yourself, why would you, for instance, hire any stylist when you can hire just as talented a stylist but one that also has many followers/readers?

But i noticed that blogs have made the transition from personal style diaries to profit-turning businesses, some readers have begun to feel that original and unbiased content, once the keystone of what made blogs so relevant, has taken a hit

At the beginning of the fashion blog uprising I loved the rawness of it all but as times goes on.. I saw a post where an editor advised bloggers not to be 'shady'
Responsible and active readers have always had to keep in mind who owns, sponsor, advertises any print or TV Media. Now, you should keep that in mind with many blogs as well.

Andrea Stark Ratner, a Fashionista commenter agrees, writing "Now, for many of the top bloggers, they are sent clothing, shoes, accessories, etc, flown and sent to events all over the world, with everything paid for, and then there is a blog post about the gift or event and a link to where the reader can purchase the item or get in on what is happening.. this practice takes the 'pureness' out of blogging.. the blogger is no longer doing it for 'pure' love of fashion, but is now a shill for a brand"

Of course the practice of receiving free swag isnt exactly a secret; Most bloggers disclose what products they were gifted in their posts, but not all of them do. Moreover, some bloggers feel pressure to wear or write about a certain product in order to maintain a good relationship with a brand, in hopes that either more free product-or a paid gig- will come their way as a result.
A popular blogger told Fashionista: 'Right now, all brands are doing the same thing: They are sending free product to blogger or to online fashion publications and having them feature the product. It's a sligtly vicious cycle of bribery'

So another question is : when is writing about a product, received for free, a form of paid endorsement-or even an advertisement-and when is it merely a review?

For some bloggers the answer is fuzzy. Some bloggers maintained that they preserves their blog's editorial intergrity because whatever some of them are wearing would have been purchased by them and not a free gift.

Other maintained that they dont work without getting paid. One anonymously said: I feel like asking me to write something or style something without paying me is like asking an accoutant to file your taxes without paying them, but however she still makes sure she only partners with lables that jive with her brand saying i.e she doesnt work with designers if she dont like their brand. 'I tell anyone who is sending me clothing that I may or may not post it. I definately dont want to lose my credibility in that capacity'

I believe editorial intergrity should be rigidly maintained. It should be a strong hold when going into a brand relationship.
Kelie Framel recently walked away from a sizeable offer from a brand because they wanted to dictate what the verbage was and how she presented their product. 'They were assuming that we could have the same relationship as they would have with an advertorial'

While Framel passed on the dealm other, less scrupulous bloggers may not. And, as it turns out, such deals, if left undisclosed, are in direct violation of Federal Trade Commision's guidelines which state: 'A post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement, thus, bloggers who make an endorsemenr must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service'

However, the commission seems fuzzy on the issue, saying 'decisions will be reached on a case-to-case basis, It should be noted that these are just guidelines and not rules and regulations, so there are no monetary penalties, or penalties of any kind, associated with them.

In other words, there is not necessarily any incentive for bloggers to disclose whether they are receiving free product, commision on a sale or even payment for featuring a product. Keep in mind that unlike in the print and traditional media world, many of these bloggers did not study journalism, or have work experience and they dont have any corporate guidelines to follow.

Put penalties and rule-breaking aside, how has the monetization of blogs affected the quality of their editorial content? 'If it's done prpoerly, it wont ever impact editiorial intergrity', said Robinovitz, who rep Framel as well as Sea of Shoes

You cant rush into things, you have to be very careful. I think everyone can tell when something is inauthentic

There was one thing everyone agreed on: Blogs, once hailed as the democractic voice of fashion, have become brands themselves, questions about their authenticity and originalty have rightfully been asked. How these questions will be answered is, for now, up to bloggers. What sort of guidelines do you think they should follow?

Sunday 13 November 2011

STILL SUPER AT 80

Hmmmm.. Like my friends on twitter would always tweet like they passing by.. So was I, some 3days ago. It was a boring class and i thought of checking my mails. Then i came across this message from a fashion site i subscribed to some years ago. And this time, what really attracted me to this mail is HOW HOT IT IS IN SAO PAULO! So i was curious about this and wanted to know for real with one question on my mind.. CAN IT EVER BE HOTTER THAN IT IS DOWN HERE IN LAGOS?

While reading this, I came across another topic. and it is 'STILL SUPER AT 80!'
I have always followed the trend of this particular person, but i never knew she would be talked about so soon. She attended the Mecedes-Benz Fashion Week/New York Fashion Week 2011, and was stunning in her outfit.

Quickly, Allow me to run over her profile for you before i tell you what i love about this woman.
Born June 1931, A model, actress, born in New York. She is known within the fashion industry for being the world's oldest working model as of the S/S 2012 season! C'mon, she covered Vogue at an early age of 15, and has been on the runway ever since.

From Italian and Hungarian Parent, constantly breaking up and getting back together and this made her stay and grow up in foster homes and sometimes with relatives

Enrolled in a ballet class at 13, Her godfather introduced her to VOGUE where she got her first contract.

Met Bill Miles in the early 1950s, had a daughter, Laura and divorced soon after

Met Richard Heimann, in 1958 and married him 6 months later, she decided to retire and he left her

Her third marriage was to a young architect, Richard Kaplan in the mid 1960s, and the marriage lasted for 9 years. But this time she was desperate to return to modelling in 1978 and continue to work till this day

In the 1980s, She met David Susskind, He died before they were married.

June 2011, She celebrated her 80th Birthday, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the university of the arts London in recognition of her contribution to the fashion industry a month after her birthday.

In the 1980s and 1990s, She lost most of her money in the stock market, and was forced to auction off her famous modelling photographs from the 1940s-1980s through Sotheby's

Then the heaviest was when she was swindled by Bernard Madoff in 2008. She was interviewed , April 2009 by Vanity Fair Magazine's story 'Madoffs World'

There's no better person that i have been talking about than the Great Carmen Dell'Orefice.

One thing that really got to me was how supportive she has been to the career of her husbands. She was the one who kept telling her second husband that he should become a cinematographer, paid for him to get his director's card (SDC- FARABALE on my mind), and he went to film GODSPELL, paid for an apartment for her father, put her mother through college and later bought her a house upstate. She's currently helping Laura

To the young, Dell'Orefice is an awe-inspiring mould-breaker, everything a supermodel should be - imperious and fearless. But the idea of being princessy appalls her. She was brought up to be frugal, make her own clothes. Whenever she and Suzy Parker, the Fifties mannequin who was one of Coco Chanel's favourites, went to Europe, they always took a sewing machine with them, so they could make their own evening outfits as the invitations rolled in. She's not sewing so much anymore because her dining table is full of papers.

She's a great inspiration. I've never been so concerned about her story until i saw that mail.

If there's anything i could wish for, well my brithday is close.. 25th November, well i wish for a dinner with Carmen..

Below are some pictures from this great personality!

Dear Carmen, We at HaRKEN love u

Ciao!






Thursday 3 November 2011

7 Steps to Facials

As enjoyable as a spa day is for any woman who didn’t grow up under a rock, the costs and the time can be prohibitive. But when you’re too broke or busy to hire licensed aestheticians to coddle your complexion, your skin suffers—especially during the winter months, when the one-two punch of dryness and acne flare-ups often kicks in full-force. Fortunately, giving yourself an energizing, luxurious facial at home is easier than you think. Simply follow these seven steps to success—just don’t forget to leave the house afterward so you can show off the glowing results.

Step One: Set the Scene
Gather all your supplies together before you begin the process, to achieve maximum efficiency and relaxation. If you have long hair, pull it back into a braid or ponytail and use a headband to keep loose wisps off your face. Put on your favorite soothing music and adjust the lighting in your home to create a spalike ambience. Make sure your bed or couch is clear, so that you can lie down as needed.

Step Two: Cleanse
Wash your hands, then use warm (but never hot) water and a mild, milky cleanser, such as Cetaphil, to remove all traces of makeup and dirt from your face. If you’d prefer to create a moisturizing cleanser from scratch

Step Three: Exfoliate
When dead skin cells accumulate and block facial pores, they cause blackheads and dullness. Exfoliation is the key to removing those dead cells and liberating the skin underneath for a more luminous complexion, in addition to evening out skin tone and decreasing the appearance of wrinkles and sunspots. A number of granular substances found in your own pantry—namely, salt, sugar, and oatmeal—are ideal for achieving these results.

Step Four: Tone
Though it’s an oft-overlooked step in the facial-care regimen, toning is not only refreshing but also important for restoring skin’s optimal pH (5.5) after cleansing strips it of some of its essential acids. To mix up an invigorating toner, Carswell recommends combining one part witch hazel (a natural antiseptic that fights blemishes) with two parts rose water (which fosters circulation). Wet a 100 percent cotton pad with the liquid, then sweep it upward along your neck, jawline, and face and allow it to dry.

Step Five: Steam
During a professional facial, the aesthetician trains a small steam machine on the client’s face for five to ten minutes in order to open the pores for deep cleaning and extractions. You can achieve the same result at home by boiling one quart of distilled water in a saucepan on the stove top; if you’d like to infuse the water with your favorite soothing fragrances, bundle fresh lavender, chamomile, or eucalyptus in gauze and steep for five minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. At this point, Carswell advises coating your face in a thin layer of almond or sesame oil to protect your skin from excessive heat. Then, using a clean towel to cover your head and capture the steam rising from the water’s surface, lower your face over the steam (taking care not to get uncomfortably close) and remain in that position for five minutes, then pat skin dry.

Step Six: Apply a Mask
Whatever your skin type, a mask can work wonders at drawing out impurities, minimizing pores temporarily, sloughing off dead skin, and moisturizing. Select one of these custom concoctions, and while you wait for it to take effect, cover your eyes with thin slices of cucumber or freshly steeped chamomile tea bags and relax on your back on your bed or couch.

Step Seven: Moisturize
For this final, calming step, put a generous amount of your favorite moisturizer in your palms, then rub them together to warm it up. Then take your time massaging the cream into your face, focusing on your cheeks, your forehead, and around your eyes, until it’s absorbed enough that your fingertips encounter resistance.

All Done
How do you feel now? Relaxed and refreshed? A decade younger? Take a good, long look in the mirror and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Then put your best face forward and go out to celebrate.



Culled from Divinecaroline.com Skincare By Annie Tucker Morgan