The 5X5 Interview: Kelly Cutrone, People's Revolution
Normally we try to keep a fair distance between ourselves and PR types. We like when they invite us to parties with free booze, but not so much when it turns out to be an intimate dinner at a midtown restaurant with 10 people you
ve never heard of and you're allowed only one complimentary drink
but where was I? Oh, PR and our love of necessary evils. There are exceptions and Kelly Cutrone of People
s Revolution is one of them. She
s the straight-talking sweetie of fashion/lifestyle PR and she gives us the goods (an 88 year-old woman in 4 inch heels), the bad manners (Hamish Bowles imposters), and the ugh (show-crashing goons) of Fashion Week.
Age: 37
Occupation: Founder of People's Revolution - PR, Sales, Branding, Production
Location: New York & L.A.
1. When Fashion Week is in full swing and bling, I'm wondering how a fashion PR maven such as yourself spends it. Runway show pit-stopping, party-hopping and pill-popping?
Let's be honest, Fashion Week is Fashion Month. We started producing shows August 1st. During the actual week I spend it in my office from 8:00am - 4:00am. I can turn out a show on an hour of sleep. Sick but true.
2. Your company is called People's Revolution, not exactly an apolitical choice, and several of the designers you represent had their shows on 9/11 which can't be an easy thing to pull off. How did this impact the planning and ultimately how did it all turn out?
People's Revolution was based on a belief that the world will change when we change ourselves. That being said it is not a wise choice for the name of a company as we have our own People's Revolution's internally quite often! As an agency we wanted to do something positive and strong on that day. It was brilliant, we spent the day delivering beauty and strong conceptual messages. Fear is the worst drug of all and we will not buy into it.
As for the shows, we went to Fern Mallis and told her that all of our designers used their work as expressing a message greater than just clothing - clients like Jeremy Scott, Alexandre Herchcovitch, As Four, Rachel Comey, Atil Kutoglu - we broke a Tents record - five shows in one day - which I do not recommend doing! It turned out great - for a moment in the early hours of September 11th at about 5am I was sitting at my desk thinking - what was I thinking? This is either going to put us all in a whole new place or we will be out of business! The clients turned it out and we delivered.
3. Please share some examples of what or who has genuinely impressed you this week.
Anyone who smiled in the face of people with low self esteem and big attitudes. All of my clients. MY NANNY. Everyone on my team from the interns to the senior team - amazing feats of courage, bravery and dedication. Beyond human - beyond fashion. Amazing.
I also met a woman named Zelda who was 88 years old and dressed to the nines, she went down stairs like a twenty year old in 4 inch heels - she was amazing. She said to me, "Honey, I hope you look and feel as good at my age as I do." I said, "Honey, I wished I looked and felt as good as you do now!"
Any moments of complete disgust?
Sopranoesque crashers at Jennifer Nicholson
s Show. WWD said Victoria Gotti was at her show, it was not Victoria Gotti! Chris the Marketing Director for the W Lounge at the tents- we had to remove Jack Nicholson as Chris thought Jack's presence there to support his daughter was actually an invite for his own private party for his friends.
Last Season was the topper - when the CEO of Alvin Valley kicked my 2 year old daughter and nanny out of his fashion show - a venue which I secured for free.
Seeing standing people in the front row of my show telling me their name was Hamish Bowles.
4. How do you entertain clients and party guests? Offer them $5000 bottles of Courvoisier Napoleon Cognac I presume?
We throw private dinner parties in hotel penthouses. The best way to entertain party guests is not to talk about anything real, deep or that matters!
5. What kind of people does the fashion biz chew up and spit out like a bad piece of duck confit?
People with Panic Disorder.
Kelly Cutrone
s Top Five
My Daughter Ava
The Life Divine - by Sri Aurobindo
Pondicherry, India
Matagri
My Bed