Glambition [Episode #3]: The Business of Fashion

I'm two weeks late on this review so I'll try to make it short and sweet. It helps that most of the focus this week on was the professional pursuits of the women, rather than on interpersonal drama. Thank God for small mercies. Let's get down to business.

Isoke is still trying to position herself as a worthy successor to her father's business, and it seems as though she's getting considerable pushback from father's girlfriend. I appreciate that she's trying to step up. I don't know the history of her familial relations or the business' history, so I can't comment on whether or not she makes a good fit as a business leader, but she seems very determined to elevate the company from local parlour to international brand. That's exactly the kind of vision and forethought that you need in business, and it certainly tilts the scales in her favour. Isoke seems determined and driven, and that alone bodes well for her.


In other news, it was nice to finally be reminded that for all her ole talk and flapping gums, Bianca is actually a pretty talented model. She has it all physically in my opinion, and there's no real reason she shouldn't rise to the top of the pack. I mean... except for that sharp tongue of hers. This week Bianca went of a go-see with Babatu Sparrow of 6 Carlos fame, hoping to book a job. If I was paying attention, she does get the gig, but... I don't know if 6 Carlos is a magazine to hitch one's wagon to. Don't get me wrong, it's a great publication, and it's fashion spreads are top notch, but that's generally where the excellence ends. Photographers like Laura Ferreira have done fantastic work defining the look and feel of the magazine and with Meiling's name behind it, you'd think it was a home run. But for everything 6 Carlos has in its beautiful photography, it lacks in editorial direction. It is... painful to read. I found a typo in Sparrow's letter from the editor. Almost every article was a tiresome collection of run-on sentences. They got their attributions wrong...

At first glance, I can see why Bianca might gravitate towards the publication, especially as it is so heavily endorsed by the local "creative elite" and I can respect that hustle. But on an international scale? 6 Carlos isn't cutting it. Either way, I'm glad to see Bianca finally doing something to show us that she isn't all talk. That short glimpse at her model book is a nice refresher as to why she made it to ANTM in the first place, and why she's able to continue to work steadily today. She's good at this, even if she's not quite as good as she thinks.

Sarah Jane still seems to be blowing wherever the wind takes her, but at least the wind seems to be pushing her in the direction of an actual business deal. Unfortunately, lady SJ seems to be off kicking and screaming in the other direction. It's... tiresome. SJ seems to take pride in being a party girl and socialite, which while not great, isn't necessarily terrible. There are ways to turn that social standing into a business opportunity, and the Fantasy Carnival Band seems to understand that. By offering her a position as the "face of their band" they're allowing her an opportunity to leverage her visibility into tangible returns. Look at Paris Hilton. Love her or loathe her, she's made an independent fortune just by knowing how to position herself in the market. There's not reason Sarah Jane can't do the same. Especially since she doesn't seem to have any other discernible plans on the horizon.

Caution is good, and Sarah Jane's hesitancy to accept the offer isn't necessarily a sign that she's foolhardy, but realistically speaking, she's been offered a golden goose on a silver platter (yes, I just mixed metaphors) and other than prior commitments, (of which she seems to have none) there's no reason not to jump at this opportunity. This would be a brilliant strategic move in trying to forge a career out of her existing lifestyle. I do wish she's stop with the meaningless buzzwords though. "Take it to the next level"? What even...?

As to SJ and Bianca's brief tiff at ZEN? I won't speak of it except to say that Bianca's assessment of Sarah Jane seems pretty on point. SJ is constantly in pageant mode. It reads as false and insincere. People can sense when you're actively trying to impress them and it turns them off. No one likes a try-hard.

Lori's appearance was brief this week, but she continues to be exactly the kind of person that I want to be friends with! There's really nothing to say about her that I haven't already said. Lori doesn't care, and she doesn't mind letting you know that she doesn't care. Lori is about her own time and her own money and her own creative pursuits. Everything else is just an unnecessary distraction.

And lastly, we have Leah, who as usual, is all about the hustle. This week we saw her contemplating whether or not she should give up the Ms. Barbados World franchise in order to focus on her own business. Big people ting, but also more of the same. I love that since we've met her, Leah's storyline has stuck closest to the show's mission statement: to show women making their way through the fashion industry in Trinidad and the Caribbean. She's always about her business, and is consistently working towards her professional aspirations. Its' refreshing.

Next episode gives us more of Lori's work towards Style Spirit, some business with TrinidadLookbook for Leah, and a guest appearance from Editor-in-Chief, Mel Gabriel! Should be fun.


Previously on Glambition:
Glambition [Episode #1]: Introdctions, Shit Talk, and First Impressions
Glambition [Episode #2]: Girl, Bye. Go Find Some Real Problems