Despite her role on 'Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model', it wouldn't be too harsh to say that Whitney Port's career hasn't ever shone quite as brightly as it did during her time on 'The City'. While she continues to design for her brand, Whitney Eve, it hasn't been doing too well and now she's asking her fans to pay for her New York show.
In the short video appeal the fund raising campaign is framed as an innovative way to allow her fans to be part of the creation of her show when in actual fact, it seems like nothing more than a way of finding money to fund the show. 'Oftentimes, I have fans asking me how they can break into the fashion business or how they can learn more about runway show production,' she said in a statement. 'I think this campaign is a great way to provide my fans a behind-the-scenes experience on how a large show is designed.' Depending on how much you donate you can get everything from a shout out on Facebook to being able to sit front row at the show.
Not matter how much she tries to spin this, it all feels a bit disingenuous to me. What do you think?
We recently posed the question whether we should still be interested in Olivia Palermo and many of you responded in the negative. Now, just to make sure that everyone doesn't move that way, Palermo is working on the next thing to keep her on the front rows. Since 'The City' wrapped she's made no secret that a foray into design is definitely in her future but now it looks like those plans are officially underway.
Over the weekend Fashionista discovered that the former reality star trademarked her name back in January to cover a variety of goods ranging from pet clothes and animal accessories to travel bags, luggage and jewelry organisers. Rather than simply going down the fashion route, then, it seems like she's panning to do a Tory Burch and tap into lifestyle.
Would you buy something designed by Olivia Palermo?
Unlike many of her 'The City' co-stars, Olivia Palermo is still having traction in the industry. Designers still clamour to get her on the front row of their shows, high street stores like Topshop continue to want to be associated with her and street style bloggers and paps alike go crazy when she arrives at the shows. The big question is why? Palermo's continuing popularity has continued to raise questions in my mind but the issue was brought to my attention again last week in Annabelle Rivkin's piece on her for ES magazine.
‘I want to concentrate on my current projects because that’s what my readers are interested in.’ But this seems more about what Olivia Palermo is interested in: namely, building a brand; a process that begins with whitewashing, personality bypassing and exceedingly, almost oppressively, good manners,' Rivkin wrote. ‘I think that the British Fashion Council has done a really nice job and there is so much young talent. When Erdem first showed his collection, you can see how well he’s done and the inspiring women who wear his clothes...’ she tails off, having lost her way in the quagmire of her own press release...she doesn’t talk about British designers she likes so much as those she ‘supports’.'
When she decided to launch her online magazine many thought things would change but besides a stream of show reviews, the site doesn't seem to extend further than promoting her latest magazine shoots or recent press. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of her style as much as the next person but her prominence in the industry makes you question whether she goes beyond being just another closehorse. Like the Kardashians, is she yet another person making a brand out of her reality TV-induced fame?
Since 'The City' was dropped from MTV, we haven't seen much of Whitney Port on the small screen but that's all about to change. This week Port confirmed that she will join Elle Macpherson and Julien Macdonald on the judging panel of Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model.
"I'm thrilled about this new opportunity in my career and I am honored to have been asked to work alongside industry icons who I truly respect and admire," she wrote on her blog on Monday. But she isn't the only American joining the panel this year as Tyson Beckford has also been brought on board as the two replace Grace Woodward and Charley Speed who were on the panel last year.
Despite being portrayed in a not so favourable way on 'The City', Olivia Palermo isn't doing too badly. While other cast members have fizzled away - minus Jessica Hart, of course - Palermo's star power seems to be going from strength-to-strength. When she arrives at London Fashion Week each season she causes a frenzy and during the show period, our Twitter is full of people asking what she's wearing on the front row at a given show. So with that in mind, it's hardly surprising that she's using her new status to help launch a new blog, OliviaPalermo.com.
Today Fashionista caught up with her to find out a bit more about the project as the site prepares to go live next week.
Back in August WWD reported that Olivia Palermo was launching a blog in August but it's September now and there's been no sign of a launch from the former 'The City' star. But Fashionista caught up with her this week at the Rachel Roy show where she confirmed that her blog is about to launch.
"I pushed it back a little to make sure it's perfect; so it will launch at the end of this month for sure," she revealed. "We're just working out the dates right now but I'm really excited." Content-wise, you can expect a mixture of fashion week content, style tips and images of whats inspiring her from her international travels.
Although 'The City' was a firm favourite on our TV schedule over the show's one year life, its stars are largely struggling to make a statement in the industry since it was dropped by MTV late last year with Olivia Palermo being the biggest exception.
But it looks like Palermo isn't the only exception to the rule. Despite having a small role on the show, Jessica Hart's modelling career has catapulted since appearing on the show. Last season she walked in numerous shows in London and New York and has just bagged a ELLE Spain cover shot by Santiago Esteban, as well as an editorial in the latest issue of US ELLE.
Olivia Palermo has been quiet since promoting her Mango campaign but the former 'The City' star made an appearance at the Giambattista Valli couture show in Paris yesterday and confirmed that she's been working on a new project.
Talking to WWD at the show, she revealed that she is launching a fashion blog set to launch this summer, which will feature personal style advice from Palermo. Whatever you think about Palermo, as Fashionista point out, she does know how to put a look together so this could be a good move for her after the reality show.
We couldn't get enough of Joe Zee 'The City' and even more so on his new TV show 'All on the Line'. If you enjoyed Zee's role supporting young designers to take their businesses to the next level, we come baring good news. The hour-long show has been picked up for another season which is set to air in November.
Recent reports alleged that Vogue editor André Leon Talley was following suit in the reality show stakes as a team of cameras were following him at his recent appearance at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Despite the rumours, via email Talley emphatically denied the reports explaining that "there is no truth to this rumor about a reality television pilot."
Erin Kaplan is leaving Elle and moving to Teen Vogue she announced yesterday. As our favourite character of 'The City' we would have been a lot more disappointed with the news had the show not been cancelled earlier on in the year.
Kaplan starts at the magazine as senior director of PR on Tuesday after spending five years at Elle. Many are putting the move down to Teen Vogue wanting to take advantage of Kaplan's TV experience on 'The City'. After all, Amy Astley did reveal that the magazine is in the process of developing a show.
