LupRocks Gossip

A Little Kindness

Since my last post was a bit of a rant, I figured I'd off-set it today with more of a saccharine sentiment.  Maybe it's the feeling of Spring in the air, or maybe it's the fact that I'm leaving on a trip to France on Monday, but more likely it is this sweet email that I just got from a client that's putting me in this mood:

Michelle,
Thank you for all of this. I have to tell you how nice it is working with you. Everything just goes so smoothly and you are so on top of things.
We got so much positive feedback internally...People love what you wrote.
I am so happy this worked out this year.
Have a great weekend!

In addition to putting a big fat smile on my face, her email brought to mind a phrase from German poet Richard Dehmel that my dad had on the back of t-shirts promoting his store when I was a kid:  "A little kindness from person to person is better than a vast love for all human kind."  One might ask what this has to do with selling furniture, but it's a phrase that has stuck with me throughout my life and one that I've always tried to live by. 

So this is your invitation to be nice.  Say "thank you," compliment somebody's jewelry, tell someone when they've done a good job, show a little appreciation when somebody does you a favor instead of acting like they owe it to you.  Those little acts of kindness will go a lot further than any overt claim you can make about what a nice person you are....besides, as one of my favorite bumper stickers so eloquently pointed out, "Mean People Suck." 

And in an effort to add even more spring cheer to your day, check out these hot and very of-the-moment belts from LupRocks.com designer Leatherrock. 

Dos and Don'ts of Product Placement

LupRocks HQ has been all abuzz lately with all kinds of amazing product placement activities!  We're currently working with a world renown costume designer on a pilot for NBC, we're about to send out a call for product for Entourage (one of our fav shows!), we've got a new television series for USA Network in the works, and we're prepping to work on a new movie starring the always gorgeous Jennifer Lopez. 

In addition to all of this, we're also working with the property departments for yet another NBC pilot, and for "The Best Show Ever" Gossip Girl.  Typically, when we work with the property department of a production it's for the type of featured placement that designers dream of--the girl searching through her closet to select the perfect bag, the insert shot of the ring box for the wedding proposal, Cindarella's shoe...because these placements are so important to the plot line, they are decided upon by a number of people--the prop master, the director, the art director, the producers, you name it!  So when you, the designer, submit something for consideration for these placements, it is crucial that you are actually able to provide the product in the timeline that is given.  Don't submit a picture of something in platinum if you really only have it in gold, don't submit a brown leather bag when you only have it in red (unless you disclose this information), because nobody is going to be able to wait for the extra two weeks or even two days for you to produce what they're asking for!   What's worse, since the decision has been agreed upon by all of those players, you've put the entire production, our contacts, in a compromising position and they now have to either a) go back to the drawing board (and in film and television, time is definitely money), or b) scramble to find an alternative that closely resembles your original submission.  Neither is a desirable outcome, neither fosters good will and healthy working relationships and neither is going to put you at the top of the list for the next opportunity.  In fact, you might just go all the way to the bottom. 

Yes, this scolding tirade is coming from a particular situation but I'm not going to name names.  The problem has been solved after several mini-heart attacks and the loss of quite a bit of sleep, so all is right in the LupRocks world again, but we just thought it was valuable information for you to have.  Maybe it's our fault because we try to make everything look so easy, but the designers we work with have a job to do too, and doing this job successfuly means being honest about what you're capable of delivering.  Nobody is going to be mad if you can't provide something, but many people will be mad if you say you can and you can't. 

Safe is the New Cool

The death of Natasha Richardson was extremely tragic news.  Not only was she a gifted and provocative actress, she was also (personal sources confirm) simply a lovely and gracious person, an adoring wife and a loving and devoted mother.  Our hearts go out to her family and friends as they try to cope with what must seem like a senseless and cruel loss. 

Every report since her accident mentions the fact that she was not wearing a helmet at the time of her spill on the bunny hill.  While it remains to be seen whether wearing a helmet could have saved her or not, it certainly couldn't have hurt.  This has prompted several conversations among my friends about the necessity of wearing helmets.  All of us are at an age where we did not wear helmets growing up, so it's understandable that wearing a helmet while skiing, snowboarding or riding a bike might not feel altogether "cool."  How cool or not cool helmets look really isn't the point though.  Being smart is cool.  Being safe is cool.  Staying alive is really friggin' cool, especially when it's your friends or family in question.  That said, I'm going to argue that helmets nowadays really CAN look cool.  Check out the below examples of various people rockin' helmets with style: 

Here are Natalie Portman (in a helmet by Lacoste) and Zach Braff looking especially cool in the movie Garden State.



My sister Lisa in Utah yesterday (my sister with the stuff...):

 

My niece and nephew coming in after an afternoon of sledding with their dad during the last surprise snow day we had a couple of weeks ago (come on, who's cooler than these kids?!):

Check out this good looking, obviously cool, skiing/snowboarding crew:

 

So you see?  It can be done.  In 1959, legendary hockey great Jacques Plante was the first NHL goalie to wear a mask regularly during games.  Controversial and "silly" at first, eventually the entire league followed suit and the new trend saved God only knows how many lost teeth, broken noses and eye balls.  So come on, start a trend....safe is the new cool! 

Marc Jacobs Feeling Francais

It's true I don't always "get" Marc Jacobs.  In fact, at times I think he's down right crazy and the people who flock to him need to get their prescription lenses checked.  The collection he showed in Paris for Louis Vuitton however, has made a believer out of me!  Fun, fabulous, frivolous and tres Francais, Mr. Jacobs made me forget we are living in a down-turn economy.  "I'm sure the economic advisers are not worrying about what colors to make sweaters," the designer told WWD, "Yes, there's a crisis, but one can carry on and contribute to beauty and optimisim and gorgeousness....you can't sacrifice the beauty of the clothes."  Indeed. As you can see in the below images from Style.com, Marc Jacobs sacrificed nothing in the order of beauty, and he'll have you feeling tres bien in no time, D.T.E.! 

Channeling Your Inner Muppet

One of the many fun things about having kids in your life (in my case, other people's kids!) is having a first look at the best of the best in toys and silly entertainment.  We definitely didn't need any more time-wasters, Facebook and our favorite blogs and youtube videos take care of that just fine, but toy giant FAO Schwarz brings us one of the most fun time-wasters we've ever encountered and we just can't help ourselves!  So go ahead, take a few minutes out of your day and channel your own inner muppet!

Blogger's Block

I'm sure some of you have noticed that I've had a pretty bad case of Blogger's Block lately.  I've got a lot going through my mind, but I don't have the wherewithal to translate my thoughts to words.  So I'm going to keep things simple today and, since it is Fashion Week in Paris, keep up with the French theme by digging into the archives of Modes de Paris, an old school French fashion publication that I'm currently obsessed with. 

I love this picture of these women in their "dressing gowns."  Can you imagine, having a seperate "gown" to put on while you're going through the process of getting dressed?  Just tack on one more costume change to the night, I'm in heaven!   

 

And check out all of these women looking like they're ready to go kick some corporate butt, French style. 

Now I'm going to follow the advice in the above linked to blog and hopefully come up with something relevant to say tomorrow. 

Huh Huh Huh, Tres Bien!

It's a favorite day at work when we actually get to see and touch the beautiful wares of our talented designers.  Today was one of those days, when a big box of hats from Hats by Tanya arrived!  Fortunately for me, I've discovered that I can actually pull off a beret, and nothing reinforces this knowledge like trying on 20 different versions.  This will be quite useful for my upcoming trip to France, where I'm determined to rock a beret.  I know in wearing a beret in France I risk coming across like Clark W. Griswald, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.  As it turns out, I end up channeling "Sparky" pretty often in my life, so why not keep it going?  I will try my hardest not to offend by completely destroying the language, I won't act like a loud obnoxious American, and maybe if I keep my mouth shut, everyone will just think I'm French in my very convincing hat.  Huh huh huh, how tres bien would THAT be?!    

 
c'est moi! 

Women in the Know

I apologize for being so negligent in my blog posts this week.  The crazy snow storm on Monday coupled with last minute prep for the Women's Jewelry Association (WJA) Women in the Know Conference (WITK) has kept me pretty hectic.  I'm not suggesting for a minute that I've had anything to do with planning the conference, that's been undertaken by a few highly dedicated women who've done an amazing job, I've just helped out where I can because I really believe in WJA and this conference in particular.

The annual WJA WITK conference is held each year at FIT and I alwasy walk away having learned at least one new thing (usually many new things, but I keep my expectations managable).  This year I'm most looking forward to seeing Jane Seymour, even though I know I'll have a difficult time refraining from calling her "Kitty Kat."  I'm also excited to hear Nina DiSesa, author of "Seducing the Boys Club: Uncensored Tactics from a Woman at the Top" give us some tips on how to succeed in what is still, admittedly, a man's world.  And I'm sure my heart will be warmed when I meet the women from the book, "The Necklace:  Thirteen Women and the Experiment that Transformed their Lives"  who have taken a piece of jewelry and literally, improved the world. 

Even though I will report here on some of the things I learned, if you want a first-hand look, it's not too late to register!