From the PR Director of SF Fashion Week

the decision by sffw not to allow bloggers is very disappointing considering as you and tricia have pointed out, san francisco is a “hub” of technology and online development. i can’t imagine that sffw is overwhelmed with requests for press passes and that they would be able to accomodate a small number of bloggers that they can select based on page views and/or readership.

i had also considered applying for a press pass to sffw, and after hearing all of this, i am also debating whether or not i want to attend at all. i would also feel strange about supporting an event on my blog that has shunned me and others like me.

I think more than anything it is about logistics, there are so many fashion bloggers with literally almost no barriers to entry into the group. Parameters for determining bloggers who would be considered legitamate fashion press may not be so easy. Deciding yes to some and no to others could possibly create a backlash because bloggers are so influencial on their readership. It is imperative that they do establish some type of criterea to determine who would be a yes and who would be a no before they alienate a core group of “taste makers” and information filters in today’s society. Great blog. Thanks!

I just want to thank all of you for your support and well-thought comments.

When I first started The Coveted, I did so for my own personal enjoyment, since then it’s become a passion, and I can’t imagine life without it. The events surrounding SF Fashion Week have caused me to ask myself questions as to the importance blogging, and what is my responsibility as a blogger to the readers.

I do believe that it is my responsibility to post about SF Fashion Week’s decision not to grant press passes to bloggers, regardless of the blogs influence in the fashion world.

I am in no way saying that my blog should be granted a press pass on the basis that I asked for it.

All I am doing is asking at what point does one become an accredited member of the press?

The last thing I want to do is start a cat fight with the SF Fashion Community. As far as I’m concerned I am a member of it.

In a year she will be begging you come to her event. Come on, who does she think she is? Shouldn’t SF fashion week be begging for ANY sort of press coverage. So funny how people who work in the fashion world should be so old fashioned…

This is a fascinating post.

Dear Jennine,
As a designer who will be showing at San Francisco Fashion Week, I feel compelled to respond to your blog regarding SSFW’s refusal to issue press passes to bloggers.
I came upon your blog by doing a Google search for SFFW to see what sort of press, if any has come up pre-show. Surprisingly, I came across your blog as one of the first few entries. I’d like to set a few things straight, and perhaps you can edify me where my knowledge on the subject falls short. The fact of the matter is that SFFW is a show comprised of up-coming designers, not capitalist, corporate conglomerates. As you know, the fashion industry moves quickly, is costly and can be fickle. Staying afloat in the first few years is an iffy situation for many. That being said, raising the funds for a show, such as this, is a steep hill to climb for many, and perhaps one of a very few chances a designer will get to be exposed to the press. So the press that the designer is exposed to is crucial. It is not a question of whether or not a blog is a valid form of journalism, or even the amount of readers the articles are being exposed to. What it is about, is who is reading the articles. The kind of press a designer is most hopeful for is the kind that is being distributed among buyers, especially during selling season at tradeshows.

I, especially, can’t help but respond to Tricia’s naïve comment about journalists being paid to move product. For the record, NOBODY in the press is being paid to write a thing by those of us participating in or working with the show. We show are collections, if they see anything worth writing about, they do so. It is just as much, if not more, of a challenge for a budding designer to get the attention of the press as it is for a blogger to get a free pass to the show. A “divergent” voice can be just as easily a slanderous one. And just as a comedian would not in his right mind invite a heckler, with an all expense paid ticket to the front row of his show, so a designer would appreciate the same discernment. It’s not big business, it’s not a conspiracy, it’s just plain common sense.

And yes, there are those of us in Silicon Valley who are completely oblivious to the whole blogging world, myself included. Unfortunately Silicon Valley’s work habits, sometimes disallows many of us of the luxury of time to appreciate the more leisurely part of our technology here. Until I stumbled across your website, I hadn’t really sat down to read a blog before. I had often considered them more like diary entry pages with poor grammar, unchecked typos, and littered with derogatory comments. However, there are exceptions, which I feel yours is. You seem to have a wonderful collection of photography on there, your website is well-designed, and your comments are thoughtful, refreshing and well written. I think with your combined talent and persistence, things can and will change. Introducing something new, and proving its legitimacy to the public is never easy. In which case, I, as well as many designers throughout history, completely relate.

I, honestly, do hope you change your mind and attend the show. It would be a pleasure to see you there. There is a lot of talent in the Bay Area, especially showing at the SFFW. As far as showing the world our talents, we all (bloggers included) want the same thing—recognition. What better way than to do it together? And what better way to prove to the producers of any fashion show, especially after your tribulations of getting in, your professionally written blog after attending the show, as proof of your validity as a well-versed journalist? If you would be interested, I would like to invite you to be my guest at the show. In which case, I will provide you with a ticket. Just send me an email letting me know how to get it to you.

Sincerely,
Mary Elizabeth Primavera, CEO/Designer
Genevieve Primavera
info@genevieveprimavera.com