Dogs in a Buggy
Friday evening we headed up to Barneys New York for a cocktail celebration in honor of Balenciaga designer Nicolas Ghesquiere. It was the first opportunity to catch up with folks from the fashion herd after the summer. We were sipping a glass of champagne and nibbling on a tasty bit of caviar when we took a step back and nearly stumbled over a stroller. The first thought, of course, was who on earth is hauling a baby around to cocktail parties. Goodness knows that we shouldn't have been surprised to see a baby since editors bounce babies on their laps all the time at shows. (We just hope that they've got some baby earplugs to dampen some of the deafening music.) It's not our favorite thing because we're sort of old school and believe that there are some places where children belong and other places where they simply should not be. We don't want to hear the titter-titter of toddler giggles when we're drowning our fashion sorrows at a bar, for instance.
Ghesquiere design(Maria Valentino for The Washington Post)
But we digress. Back to Barneys and the baby carriage, which turned out not to have a baby at all but rather a Maltese. Now who would bring a dog to a cocktail party? Who would bring a dog to a cocktail party in a stroller? Crazy fashion people.
We made a brief stop at the Nicole Miller show and said a big hello to company president Bud Konheim who just might be the only executive on Seventh Avenue who actually speaks the unvarnished truth in the sort of exceptional sound bites that make a reporter's heart go pitter-patter. Truth is a beautiful thing and is far more impressive than the umptee-umth trapeze dresses we have already seen on the runway.
The evening ended at the Museum of the City of New York for the party in celebration of the exhibition "Black Fashion Now." There was a crowd of people outside the museum when we arrived and following the first rule of fashion -- never wait in the line -- we immediately went in search of someone with a headset or a clipboard. Yay! The velvet rope is drawn back and we are in.
The museum was packed with people and was mighty steamy inside. After an almost two-hour hunt, we still never managed to actually lay eyes on the bars. They were buried behind crowds at least 10 people deep.
Essence's Susan Taylor and popular culture's Sean "Diddy" Combs were two of the hosts for the evening. Taylor, with her signature braids, was wearing a long white strapless gown and seemed to have her own makeup artist trailing her around who gave her a little powder touch-up right there in the middle of the crowded cocktail party. Couldn't they have taken that to the bathroom? We had our own personal hanky which we used to dab our brow.
Diddy arrived sometime around 9:30. In preparation for his arrival, a museum security guard went around to guests standing by the door asking them to clear the way because "a Puffy Dad" was coming through. Apparently "Puffy Dad" required a good 20 feet of clearance before he could enter the room.
We enjoyed the part of the exhibit that we saw, although it was disappointing that it was so heavily focused on hip- hop, giving the impression that all modern black style somehow emanates from that aesthetic. More of the nitty-gritty of the exhibit later.
To conclude the glamorous evening, we taxied home, walked the dog and had a slice of pizza.
By Robin Givhan |
September 11, 2006; 3:00 AM ET
New York
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Posted by: Ritamae | September 11, 2006 4:40 PM
1) Dogs in a buggy: is that like Snakes on a Plane?
2) When you walked _your_ dog, did he/she have ambulatory use of his/her legs, or did you opt for the carraige rout as well?
Posted by: Akmitc | September 11, 2006 6:04 PM
"a Puff Dad"!!!! That's hysterical.
Posted by: Little Red | September 11, 2006 6:56 PM
Robin - I love your writing and have the utmost respect for your work and while this has nothing to do with either, maybe you can shed some light on it. If there were to be an event called "White Fashion Now" or "Caucasian Fashion Now," there'd be outrage and appropriately so. So, why the double standard?
Posted by: Donna L. Cole | September 11, 2006 7:38 PM
In a small town in rural Southern Indiana - where the fashions may be crazy but crazy fashion people are seldom seen - I saw three different dogs riding in strollers at a Labor Day weekend flea market. I also saw two small children being walked on leashes.
Posted by: Three Seas | September 11, 2006 7:45 PM
A 'White' Fashion show would not offend. However a "Caucasian" fashion show would! Puffy does have a 'white party' every year! There's the Black & White Ball!
Small children need leashes & yes, the dogs love riding in the strollers!!
ROTFLOL!!
Posted by: Apres Ski | September 12, 2006 12:00 AM
The difference behind the idea of "black fashion now" and "white fashion now" lies in the different experiences of black and white people in this country. White people are not only the majority but politically dominant, and have been for the last few hundred years. White exclusion of black people is historically rooted in racism (and, unfortunately, racism is not so historical). The sociological definition of racism is seeing a group of people as inferior because of their race. There is no legacy of racism among black people, who, if they don't like white people, don't tend to think them inherently inferior, but rather are angry because of the treatment black people have been receiving at the hands of white people since the 1500s. It is related to the Native American word for white people, "wasitchu," which means "the people who have all the stuff." Black Fashion Now, like BET, aren't an attempt to say "black fashion/television/whatever is better than anything white people can produce," but a statement about the celebration of a distinctly Afro-American culture that has formed in the environment designated by white people. I hope this clears it up, but I can elaborate more if anyone cares.
Posted by: Floridian | September 12, 2006 9:29 AM
One point of clarification: When I said "the environment designated by white people," I did not mean that Afro-Americans have been completely victimized and have no autonomy. I just meant that the politically powerful white people have set the tone for race relations in America effectively since the 1630s, and in saying this I do not mean to discredit black people, or anyone, who have worked for civil equality. I only mean to say that black Americans have had to deal with racialization and racism, and that this has informed an evolving discourse on black culture. Sorry to get all academic.
Posted by: Floridian again | September 12, 2006 9:32 AM
No need to get into any deep discussion about race and history. It's very simple. Black Fashion --that is fashion as designed and worn and accessorized by black - and Black Music, have had major impacts on American culture at various times -- from the jazz influence on style, radical chic style in the 70s, Soul train style, hip hop style, whatever. Blacks have been associated with - fairly and unfairly -- a particular sense of style that is unique to American culture.
Yes, White Style Now would offend because it would be a premise without subtext. But British Style, Italian Style, Canadian Style (well maybe not Canadian) would all be appropriate. The context is not race but culture as it influences design.
Posted by: Rick | September 12, 2006 10:36 AM
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what kind of dog do you have and does he/she enjoy fashion?