When I walked into the SoHo Grand last night for the Fashion 2.0 awards ceremony I had several ideas of what I thought was going to happen. Almost none of them came true. As I arrived to check in there were servers handing out a signature drink for the night called “The Find & Seek”. It was basically a Cranberry Vodka with a splash of Sprite and a lime. Nothing that I hadn’t had before, but being the event was sponsored in part by TheFind.com it was perfectly understandable and quite tasty. I found a table and sat with my drink and watched. I started tweeting and facebooking and even did a bit of foursquaring,(Are these even words?) Regardless of the grammar I was doing them. I was getting into the mood of the room and the event. Being very 2.0. All of a sudden as if magic gates had opened up the room started to fill. Cameras began flashing and film began rolling. I sat and watched sipping my drink and taking it in. This was what I loved most about parties, the beginnings. When people arrive and start getting into their grooves. I wasn’t quite in mine yet, but I was getting there. Finished with the first Find & Seek I started chatting with the other guests. One was nominated that evening for best app. I then had my first photo taken of the evening and then gave an interview (to be posted later). This room wasn’t filled with the known people in the industry, the usual suspects. It was filled with new designers, new bloggers, new stylists and new entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs like me. It was new because Fashion 2.0 is about the newness of the fashion industry. Not what you see on the runway at any of the numerous shows running this week, but fashion and technology merging to become this whole other animal. Agile and fresh. Responsive to its fans of twitterers, facebookers and foursquarers (Again with the new words). People playing with the “Idea” of fashion and remaking it in their own image. How can you not love that!
The ceremony itself was ok. Not the Oscars, but interesting. Honestly I’m not judging I had a great time. DKNY stole the show. Not for their fashion mind you, but for all things Social Media. That’s what impressed me the most about the evening. Social media and what it’s doing to the world at large. From world events (Egypt) to fashion (FashionGPS) and really almost everything in between Social Media is playing a part. A huge part. After the show I met up with a very nice gentleman from earlier, Donn Sterling designer of Menswear. I first approached Donn at the beginning of the evening because he was wearing this bright red blazer with peak lapels which naturally piqued my interest. As I got closer and introduced myself I noticed the shirt and a gorgeous, what looked like velvet, tie. I wasn’t surprised to find out he designed and built the entire ensemble himself. Not surprised in the least. Look where I was after all. We talked for a while about what he did and what I did. Found out we knew a few of the same people and then a beautiful girl named Jessica Kelly joined us. Jessica is a blogger (The Embellished Life) who writes about all things fashion with a bent towards fashion history. What a wonderful juxtaposition of fashion history and fashion future. I wasn’t there as Ben Wolff Fashion Stylist for Business Professionals as many of you know me I was there as Ben Wolff Entrepreneur. I was there to talk about my own contribution to Fashion 2.0, my company Faster Pants and the styling algorithm I created. It was the perfect venue.
After the awards many people started to leave. I stayed around to talk some more and meet new people. I saw a friend of mine Kyle Wilkinson founder of UrbanBloke.com (a favorite site of mine). We chatted for a moment then he went off to do his thing. I found Donn again, but must have missed Jessica. I mentioned to Donn that I was hoping to meet J.Alexander Martin. J. friended me on facebook a few days back and after reading his bio, Founder and Co-Owner of FUBU and a men’s wear designer with a new line of men’s business attire coming out in 2013, I had to meet him. Well of course it’s six degrees of separation because once I said this to Donn he immediately pops up with “He’s a friend… and there he is.” Donn waived him over. He came along with a friend of his Arthur Alston, (choke no joke) producer/director for BET I soon found out. In case you’re wondering I’m not trying to name drop. Well maybe a little.
The conversation turned from usual polite meet and greets to why we were all there. This hugely misunderstood world of Social Media and how to use it to our advantage. It felt like we were old friends taking about age old problems over a beer not the world of Social Media and the future of technology. I couldn’t help at this point to think of my clients and what we work on when we’re together. The idea of creating a cohesive image that’s reflects your Social Media presence and how that directly affects your wardrobe. Listening to J. talk about his working with one of the largest and most successful brands in recent memory and yet nobody knowing his name was shocking, but understandable. We were all in a similar boat. Most of you reading this are as well. How do we bridge the chasm? How do we get our “2.0” on? These are question we need to ask ourselves, our friends, our colleagues and possibly outside professionals who specialize in Social Media.
As the evening drew to a close I felt great about everything. Better than I expected. I met great people. Networked a bit and came home to write this to share with you. We are all in such a process right now. Some have a great handle on Social Media and some are still working on it. If things keep going the way they are for Faster Pants maybe I’ll be up for an award next year.
o: 646.504.1861 c: 917.627.0745 ben@re-dress.com www.re-dress.com
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Ben Wolff
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