Glamazons,
I'm calling in a S.O.S.! When I first heard She by Sheree was presenting at Fashion Week, I have to admit I was slightly perturbed. Fashion Week is notoriously elite and a drama-loving, reality star turned designer is as mainstream as it gets. Background info for the non-Bravo watcher: She by Sheree is the brain-child of reality diva, Sheree Whitfield, from Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta. The problem---besides her obvious lack of experience---is that her first foray into fashion went famously awry on Season 1. After receiving poorly-crafted samples from her seamstress days before the debut of "She by Sheree," Sheree was forced to hold a "fashion show with no fashions," just sketches. I'm hoping her Fashion Week presentation fares better.
But even She by Sheree's presentation is acceptable compared to Pamela Anderson's. Yes, people, Pamela Anderson is showing her new collection, "MUSE," during Fashion Week. It hurts to even type that. Seriously, what qualifies celebrities without an ounce of fashion work experience to design and show during Fashion Week? Especially when there are so many bright-eyed, hard-working FIT/Parsons students who would give their left lung for a chance to participate in Fashion Week.
Pamela Anderson's MUSE does have some redeeming qualities that should not go ignored. The most important factor is that MUSE is a collaboration with Richie Rich (formerly of Heatherette), who is, for all intents and purposes, the love of my life (see our pic below). Their fondness for each other was evident at his Spring 2009 show, which I had the pleasure of attending, where she worked the catwalk in a hot, gold one-piece number from his first solo collection. Richie Rich spoke to New York Times Fashion about their past collaborations: “A few years ago in Vegas, she had a T-shirt line, so I styled her show. She sent me to Michael’s, a craft store, in a limousine, and she was like, ‘Doll up my line!’ And I did. Glitter, pom-poms, you name it.” Well, there's nothing wrong with a little glitter. With Richie Rich on board, there's hope for Pamela Anderson's line.
The second factor that really sets her line apart is that it's an eco- and animal-friendly collection, which is an amazing, and commendable, feat. Not quite worthy of presenting at Fashion Week, but commendable nonetheless. What do you think? Are Pamela Anderson and Sheree qualified to design and present at NYFW? Is it unfair to other up-and-coming designers who have experience and education in the field? Is their participation in NYFW acceptable as long as they collaborate with established designers? Are you excited (for the right reasons) to see either of their shows? Discuss.
Check out She by Sheree's collection below:
Yawn.
Kisses,
Coutura
Photos: ybf.com. Starpulse.com.