What Jack Wore: Graduation

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Paul Smith Suit
Graduation is arguably one of the most important times of a young persons (read; teenagers) life. That, along with Prom, getting a driver’s license, the 18th birthday that turns a child into an adult, albeit an immature one, getting into College, or not, and, well, that’s pretty much all I can think of. Well, first boyfriend, first drink, and first bad drink experience also make their ways into memories, though some of those experiences are not ones I care to relive.
But back to Graduation and the amazing-ness of it all. The feeling of graduating high school is so liberating. While you feel accomplished and excited and all that, the most important thing everyone in those caps is thinking is “Yes! The days of my parent’s rules are over! I get to do whatever I want! College, here I come!” Though about six months into College, you realize you would trade your college-drinking-and-no-curfew-freedom for your mom to do your laundry and cook your food. Cereal and dirty underwear isn’t cutting it anymore. But graduation is, nevertheless, an important and exciting day. I was so glad to be able to watch my brother as he got his diploma, along with every other blue-robed kid in his class. Though he is giving me a run-for-my-fashion-money, especially in his pink Paul Smith suit and whale cufflinks.

One with the proverbial blue robe, of course.
Congratulations! 

FN Summit: Leandra Medine

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Photo Courtesy of WWD

If you don’t know who Leandra Medine, aka The Man Repeller, is, you must be living under a rock. This girl is a fashion phenom, women adore her, and contrary to the name, so do men, as her upcoming nuptials would imply. The Man Repeller was born only two years ago, and though still in its infancy, is one of the most popular blogs on the planet, garnering an astonishing 2 million views a month. One of Leandra’s good friends, Rachel S., told her, in her response to Leandra’s question of why, out of the three guys she was dating, not one would commit (Wait. Dating three guys at once? How’s that man-repelling?) Rachel simply said, “Leandra, you’re a man repeller”. And thus, the blog was born.
Photo Courtesy MR
 She received press very quickly due to her unique approach and point of view, but Leandra didn’t realize she was sitting on a real business until she was ranked the number 1, out of 25, top voice in fashion by Ad Magazine. So she got serious, set up a calendar, and started treating her blog “like a real editorial publication.” She has since collaborated with such brands like Dannijo (they are all best friends though), Del Toro, Rebecca Minkoff (another friend), Saks, Barneys, and has contributed to numerous magazines. Pretty impressive for someone who is just one year out of college.
Photo Courtesy MR
She credits social media for letting her market herself and build up her brand, to the point where people wanted, and still want, a part of it – she has a book coming out in September and wants to create a lifestyle brand to “celebrate women and female intellect, because that’s really what the blog is about.” She gets to learn about her readers, and how most sales she receives commission on happen between 1-5am, because of it. She also credits social media for getting her her engagement-party shoes, a pair of orange, lace up Alaia’s from 2008. She posted about it, a reader found them in a Barney’s Outlet in Honolulu, and they just happened to have her size. Seriously? It’s like she lives in a fairytale. Oh, she also got the shoes, originally $1500, or $176. “And that, is the power of social media”.
But what about her wedding shoes? “I’m wearing a pair of Superga sneakers….what, you all asked!”

FN Summit: Vince Camuto

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Photo Courtesy of WWD
Leah Robert, Senior VP of Liscensing and Marketing for the Camuto group, which represents such brands as Vince Camuto and Jessica Simpson, also talked about social media advertising during the FN Summit. The Camuto Group did one of their most recent campaigns through facebook, with a college program that featured ten colleges throughout the country, including UCLA, BU, and George Washington. Each college has a brand ambassador and two fashionistas to represent Vince Camuto. The brand wanted to reach the 20-29 age group, and this college campaign seemed perfect. The girls not only did charity projects like a closet cleanse, which raised almost 5,000 pairs of shoes across all ten campuses to donate, they also had trunk shows, contests like inviting girls to show off their closets and win a whole new wardrobe, and events like campus hunts, in which various Vince Camuto items were hidden around each campus, and hints given on the respective campuses facebook pages. One of their most successful activities was Interview Style 101, in which they taught girls how to dress for an interview or first job, and then had an accompanying contest that lasted 14 days and had an end total of 525,000 votes. Because of this campaign there is not only more brand awareness, but also a 3.5% increase in facebook likes.