The Real Life Devil Wears Prada with Cynthia Smith

30:36And it was the year that it was Justin Termalik, Kate Moss, and Marc Jacobs. And it was the zebra carpet, which I really didn't like. But, you know, she was wearing the gold turban. And at this point, the... I loved when she wore that gold turban. It was so cool. She's quite short. I didn't realize, like, now you know she's only 5 '7". But they were greeting people at the bottom of the stairs. And basically, it was like that receiving line. And so I would stand behind Anna, and there was, like, this high top of their beverages. And, you know, everybody was staggered coming in. So, like, a lot of the important people would come in.

31:16and then before it got kind of crowded. And so Anna always like wanted a Pellegrino on hand. And when she wanted it, she would just like stick her hand back towards me. And I kind of knew like, okay, here you go. And so I give her what I think is her sparkling water. And she turns to me and like takes a huge sip and like her eyes go wide. I'm like, oh God, you know, like what's going on? And Kate Moss looks at me and I kind of put it together that that is not sparkling water. It is Kate Moss's vodka. And I'm like, oh, well, here we go. I'm fired before I even like get through the first two hours of my first Met Gala.

31:57Because does she drink? Not really. No, she would like sip on a glass of wine. She's so - Of course, in control. Exactly. So I'm mortified. And thankfully, like Kate Moss starts laughing and she's got this very high pitched laugh. And then Marc Jacobs kind of laughs. And so like everybody starts laughing and then they turn around and like greet Oprah. And I was like, oh, my God. Did you ever hear that? Like, did she bring that up later? No, she never brought it up again. She was just like. There was another fire to put out. Yeah, of course. Two minutes later. And so that was probably like the scariest moment because I also felt like that's an awe.

32:32I've done that before. Like you think you're taking a sip of something else. Of course. Vodka or whatever.

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36:09Someone did an interview. Gosh, I can't remember who it was. I saw it on TikTok, obviously, but it was someone said that the most fun part of the Met Gala was that there was essentially like a second party that was happening for like assistants and like all the people who worked in fashion. And so while I also think I know this may sound odd, I actually think that a lot of people don't understand that the Met Gala is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And I'll like see all these commentators online being like, what is it? And I'm like, nobody has any fucking clue that this is actually like a very real.

36:40And so I understand. And I think a lot of the conversation this year was obviously around like the Bezos involvement, right? So So which, you know, I've when you get money like that involved in charities, it's like you work so hard to raise as much money as possible for these causes. And so, you know, Chloe made like a comment about it that was really elegant. And I think people take these things the wrong way, but they don't understand that like so much money goes into these things. To preserve art. To preserve art, which is like, you know, what arguably one of the most important museums on the planet.

37:11Yes. But so as like the gala is actually happening, people are sitting down to dinner and the program is going that there essentially was this like other really fun party happening. Were you able to like partake in any like at any point in the night? Were you like off or you were on the whole night? Well, as Anna's assistant, I was on the whole night because you're just like hovering by. Until she's done. Yeah. You're not done until she's at home. Correct. Which, again, was so cool. But so the truth with the party is that that party then was switched to the bathrooms of like bathroom people. Like they're all smoking cigarettes and like drinking and having fun.

37:52And that was like where, you know, if you got stopped a couple of years ago, right? Because people were complaining that like the cigarettes were like hurting the art. I'm sure that still kind of goes on. But like, again, I don't think people are as cool as they used to be anymore. I think everything's like seems really uptight. Like I saw a bathroom photo this year and I was like, no, because that's not fun. And past Bird used to also take those photos in the bathroom, which were so cool. Well, you know, like Lauren Santidomingo was still so much fun. And like she's it's probably just a little bit more private now.

38:19Yeah. But so those fun parties were. Social media wasn't the same as it is now. Oh, my gosh. We can get into that. But that's like, you know, kind of what ruined everything. But so those parties happen like even pre me where the tickets, I guess, were like$200 open to, you know, like, had we been there 20 years before, we would have gone. Yeah. And it was like all the cool young people in the front. And then as the esteemed people were leaving, like a Marc Jacobs would stay and dance. Yeah, that's what he said. I think it was him, like at this interview, he was like, that was the most fun. And I'd go to that party afterwards.

38:55Exactly. So I think that's, you know, it just goes to show of how it used to be. And I mean, amazing that I wish that's kind of and then like I think after parties started to be like that a little bit more but to that point like I think I was the last assistant that was like the fat a fashion assistant because afterwards for instance like Kate Young was spoke at the assistant premiere they did a couple of weeks ago which really is like what got all these memories to start like replaying in my head. And she was one of like, she was in the height of like, you know, late 1990s, early 2000s of when it was the parties in the front went on.

39:39So cool. And you know, you're there because you love fashion and somebody starts talking about shoes and you're like, yes. And it's not, you're not like looking, looked at like you're a freak. After, you know, as time went by and everything got like a little bit more political she needed ivy league assistance because they were doing all her correspondence and you know somebody like me then after we just go straight to the fashion department because i can tell you my most embarrassing moment was like and i'm admittedly like can be ditzy and like you know it was charming when we were younger and you know no whatever like it can happen where it's like it's you know it's like yeah you know you're like exactly and it's like I'm confident enough like I have my I'm very intelligent in other ways but like for sure sometimes yeah and especially when you're like nervous in a new environment like common sense goes out the window so I think it was my first Saturday alone in the office and she would call and you had to work on Saturdays a lot of the times as the third assistant and she had me I was writing correspondence and it was like to this mayor or senator in Texas.

40:51And she's like, dear Senator White, like very thrilled at the prospect of working together on a near and dear cause, et cetera, et cetera. And we're excited that we'll be coming to Texas and do the Texas full stop. And she goes on and on. It's probably like two more pages of, you know, transcribing. So I would fax it to her. and then like too soon she called me and I was like oh god she has not even like read the whole thing yet and she's like Cynthia like yes she's like do you know what full stop means and I'm like oh like I look back and I'm like oh the Texas full stop and she's like do you know what full stop means and I'm like is that like a dance or like what are we talking about a saying a Texas saying Texans do that.

41:42She's like, it means period. And I typed out Texas full stop because I had no idea. It's not like I were writing telegrams. Do you know what full stop means? Yeah, no, I would have got over my head a little bit. And I mean, it was like, you know, mortifying. But again, she didn't call me back. But like, that is so it makes sense. I was the last one where it's like, you just get to the close, Missy. Yeah. Yeah. She's like, just bring that girl to the fashion closet. Correct. Oh my God. That's so funny. What were you wearing to work every day? And you brought an example. Yeah, no, like truly a Manolo's and usually like a skin because that's like how I was trained.

42:22And I wore like silk dresses like this every day because she liked color and she liked to be inspired by everything around her. You know, if you're Grace Coddington, you could wear like black or Tawny would wear white jeans and a cashmere top but for the young you know fashion assistants and market editors like he wanted to dress up so it was hence like why I still have these clothes how would you get like were you just like sourcing things because I mean how are you well first of all you got to wear the samples which is amazing and I would remember especially as it got later so after you know I was an assistant went into the market department and was the mayor's assistant and Virginia's assistant.

43:07So you get to wear all these clothes and they're all teeny tiny, like runway, even runway models then were like half the size. And I can remember a handful of times where Kate and Farrell wouldn't be there at the end of the night and I couldn't get the zipper down in the back and I would just sleep in whatever cocktail dress, which was like one of the more like uncomfortable things, but they were so small. Thank God you're so petite. I mean, you're not like a... How tall are you? 5 '4". Yeah. So this is how you're able to like... You weren't like an eating disorder. By the way, you've eaten normal food our entire life.

43:42Yeah, exactly. No, it's to a fault. But you thank God that you're petite as you are to be able to fit into things. No, and like it's 37. So that was so much fun with just the closet in general. Because it was like exactly what you would think of. Manoles, every type of shoe you could ever imagine. And dress and shirt. And like I have like 10 silk camisoles that I like from Dior and that I still have. Well, I remember also from the time we were in high school, we were like sourcing. We were like going to Wasteland and like finding vintage. We were going to. What was that? You ended up getting so much stuff that one time at a outlet in Florida.

44:26Like I remember it being like you were like, I scored because it was just. Obviously, all this stuff was like so expensive. And so we were constantly trying. I mean, I bought my first pair of Manolos. They were pink from Wasteland. And I think they were like$60. Yes. You know, so it was like, which was because Manolos used to be$300. Yeah. No. They weren't$800 or$1 ,000 like they are now. So if you could get them secondhand and you, you know, had, you know, were working or whatever, you could afford to have these little moments. But I'll never forget. And by the way, Cynthia is, you're like one of those driven people.

45:00What you're not going to say about yourself is how nice. Well, no, but you have always been like, whatever you want to do is going to happen. You are like one of the most driven people that anyone has met you has ever met truly. And I will never forget. It was so funny to me. This was like such we were with your dad and your uncle. And because you were with your dad and every kid does this, you had like needed dry cleaning done. So you had just put your dry cleaning in with his dry cleaning. and he was like oh yeah I remember this it's just dry cleaning it was so expensive and you were like dad I work at Vogue okay and like you were like these pieces that I've been able to collect this is my collection and I have to wear them again and I have to show up at work looking a certain way so it's not just an expense like that this is a work expense and it's an investment in my future and I'm gonna have daughters one day and I remember I remember this we were in Nantucket your dad was like he called her chopper he was like choppy and like he looked at his what was your uncle's name uncle boo-boo yeah he looked at uncle boo-boo and uncle boo-boo was like so not like a fashion guy no but he looked at your father and was like she could have been a lawyer yeah and i'm just dying because i'm like this is so like oh but you were like what you were saying was so right but you I understood because your and it was crazy you even got to be in Nantucket like it was like rare that you got to be on vacation yes but the it was like this panic of like I just need to get like this is like one aspect of so many things that just operate in your system in your world completely yeah it was just like take it where you can get it exactly it was really really really funny I'm pretty sure it was like a thousand dollars or something like It was$1 ,000, which was insane and so not funny.

46:51We still have the same conversation. If it's not that now, it's like the Bartlett. It never changes. And you have two boys, which I think is funny because the whole thing was like, I want to be for my daughters one day, but now you have nieces. Exactly. So you're fine. You have beautiful, darling nieces. Okay. Want to know about the Karl Lagerfeld letters? Oh, my gosh. That was so, like, probably the most magical part of being third assistant was that Carl and Anna would only handwrite letters to each other. I don't think either of them, Anna at this point had an email address, but like for her close people, it was either, you know, on the phone, in person or handwriting letters.

47:30Wow. And same with Carl. and basically they would write these letters and then each assistant would fax them back and forth. Obviously you're reading these letters. Well, yeah. What are they saying to each other? Well, because first of all, her handwriting was illegible and so was his. So there's a, you know, an assistant on the other side of this doing the exact, like getting it and then transcribing Anna's letters because hers like is probably even more difficult to read. But so the letters would come in and they'd be like 15 pages long. No. Yes. And it's like literal, like the two most important people in fashion that like developed the visual language of that whole fashion in general at that time.

48:15And I would have to kind of work backwards in terms of like, okay, what show could he be talking about? Who's his new girl? Because he was always obsessed with like - He's assuming everyone's understanding what he's saying. Of course. And they understood each other. But for me, you know, it's like this whole new. Oh, my God. It would be like looking at one of his sketches and be like, oh, yeah, this means like red fur or what have you. So it was so cool because I got to kind of like puzzle piece it together. And I'd be like, oh, Keira Knightley's coming out in that movie. He's got to be talking about her.

48:45That kind of looks like Keira. And that probably happened once a month. Wow. And so then I would type up the letter, fax it to her. And it was so cool. That's so cool. Yeah, those kind of things just like, you know, will be in my heart forever. I want to talk about also the Paris Nina Ricci story. Oh my gosh. So this is another, you know, huge part of, you know, thank you for saying I'm ambitious. I always, yeah, if I put my mind to something, it's going to happen. And at this point, she didn't have her New York assistants go to Paris because she has, there's a whole Paris office there and there's Fiona who kind of runs it and then four other assistants.

49:29And so when the editors go, like they're in charge or what have you. But I was like, this is, I want to go to Paris. Like we're making this happen. And, you know, luckily like our good friend Vickers mother had an apartment there. And so I told, and I was like, oh I I can be in Paris like I have a place to stay I'll be there and I don't even think she was listening but you know for travel the travel people I was like yep this is what I'm doing and so I went and just showed up at the office like hi Fiona I'm Cynthia like I want to be your right-hand person right now and she was like well wonderful great and so I sat behind her in her office and stayed there for two weeks because you know before Paris they were already in Europe and it was nice to be on the same time zone.

50:15And so everybody just kind of like, oh yeah, Cynthia's here and everything resumed. So I would be in Anna's car with her. I'd go with her to all the shows. And so like, I just remember Nina Ricci so vividly because it was Peter Coping at the time, who's like one of my favorite designers of all time. And it was my first like fashion show in Paris and I'm sitting behind Anna and Virginia and Tani and Hamish and like you know the lights go dark and like it's pure silence all of a sudden yeah it's like the music comes on and it's vibrating it's so loud so it's like automatically kind of just like draws you in and you get like chills to begin with and there's something about Paris Fashion Week where it's like so emotional these artists are like their heart and soul of going into each garment and you can tell like it starts off and it's moody and it's emotional and it's like you know the models are very like serious and as the show continues it gets like light and springy and I think this was 2012 where it got like very cheery in the middle and then it went to these gowns and I just was like I think I started crying I was so like overwhelmed with emotions I cried at my first it was Aaron Wass and Alexander Wynn yeah I know and yeah when your heart's in it it's like you could just imagine everybody's lives going into this and it's such like a personal expression and when you're seeing it in that manner it's just like it's so overwhelming and immediately afterwards I went to Nina Ricci and bought two dresses in Paris and I still have them and now I use them for my own you know design, you know, inspiration.

52:04And, you know, I was like, I just pinched myself that that was like, I'll never forget it. Those types of moments are so it's so thank God for social media, but it just flattens everything so much, especially because it just lacks so much context, you know? So when you get these like quick clips of things and there's just so much going on and And I get it. But like, I don't think people really understand like what really goes into a fashion show and how important it is and the emotion behind the whole thing. And then when you sit and watch a show in real life, like Virgil was always so would let me go to all, you know, he would always be like, come to all my shows.

52:43And so every time I would be there for work stuff, we would and he would just be like, squeeze in with your minute. It's just like and then you see it happening and you're just like, oh, like the music and the lighting and the thing. And you'll think this is what bothers me so much. Oftentimes I'll see people will, you know, we also had like style.com growing up and we had style TV. And so you'd get these really contextualized, really special, beautiful breakdowns of the show and the context of this and that. And now it's like we listen, it is just what it is. But I don't want to be one of those people that's like I'm getting older and being negative.

53:17But it does just flatten the emotional experience of the whole thing. And it kind of just belittles what the entire event really is. And it breaks my heart a little bit. No, and that's when I started to become kind of disillusioned with the magazine in general. Kim Kardashian was on the cover. And the coolest thing about Anna is that she's always looking forward. And that's why she's the cultural icon that she is. And like she's been able to make everything relevant. And to your point about like getting older, I'm sure when like Edie Sedgwick was on the cover of British Vogue, people were like, I'm never reading it again.

53:58But when Kim was on the cover, I was it was the first time where I was like, really? I know that was intense for everybody. Yeah. And like, I get it. But at the same time, that was the beginning of the end in terms of it wasn't just like certain celebrities on the cover. it was like Kim. And that was when all of a sudden social media started. It became more about, there weren't as many editors in the front row. It was like influencers and it became about streets out, which is super cool. I think it also became about pleasing the masses. Exactly. Because all of a sudden something that was so exclusive was being fueled by you know how many likes it could get or you know that all went viral and for me that's just like what it it didn't resonate in the same sense and again like I think it really took away this like when you were in New York and like all of that Alexander Wang like Derek Lamb to Coon that kind of last crew of designers who we could support young designers at that point and after this it It was like it all went stopped because it became too expensive.

55:10And the fast fashion, the way it had to keep up with pleasing the masses, like it was no longer realistic for those kind of designers to thrive.

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59:18I was working at People's Revolution while you were working at folks, so I had a different experience. We worked obviously with brands, right? And so you'd see these brands were spending so much money on PR every month to like, and my whole job was to pitch to editors. And so I had to like memorize the editors and know all, you know, and they were like gods. I mean, every editor in New York City was a fucking god because it was like, if you're one article of clothing that you have spent your life savings and your investors and your this and your that, like it's into vogue and you're in what's it called at the bottom where they put all the um credits all the credit yeah like when you if you had like got a credit in Vogue your life is changed your trajectory of your career has changed it was all worth it and so it was definitely yeah like the you know and a lot of editors stopped being editors so they could do influencer stuff and like it just all shifted and it is what it is but it was just very interesting to be like we were there for like the do you remember when I went to visit you at Vogue oh my gosh yeah that was so much fun you don't Do you remember that I cried in the lobby because I didn't bring enough of the collection?

1:00:22My God. Do you remember that? That's crazy. Because I remember because I worked for Robin Berkeley and she was like, I can't even remember what brand it was, which is so crazy that I blacked that out. But she was like, bring the top styles from the like, bring that, you know, every season, every collection has like the top styles that the designer wants to really like. And she and I remember it on the one sheet. It was like these were the top styles, but I didn't fill it in. I didn't merchandise the top style so when she opened and she was on her phone the whole time having a meeting so all the way uptown we got a cab we're like I put the collection in the cab and then when we opened she's on the phone and when she opened the trunk of the cab and there was only like one bag in there she was like where the fuck are the clothes and I was like these are the top styles that you want to be and she goes oh my fucking god and she was like all the way she goes pia fucked up let me call you back and then she was like I can't remember who Oh, we were meeting with Meredith.

1:01:14Yeah. And she was like, you're for this fucking brand of Vegas, all this fucking money. And you brought six pieces to fucking Vogue. It was my birthday, too. And I cried in the lobby of Vogue on my birthday. And then I remember, by the way, too, like we were like down. Huge mistake. And we were downtown and like our office had like, you know, we would like smoke in the office. We were bad and we had like a different culture. And I dressed like way more funky. And I remember being like, I'm going to Vogue. and like one of the gays styled me because I was like I felt so like I'm not chic enough to be going to Vogue.

1:01:47It was so intimidating. And my outfit was like and I wasn't sample size and I was like squeezing so hard into samples. But like being able to be up there and like being around and thank God you were there because I was like, oh my God, Sydney. And you were like so. But it was I can't tell you guys enough. Like the, you feel it when you enter the building that like Vogue is upstairs. It's still like, yeah. And it's like, you see, you know, the elevator opens and you see the letters on the wall. And it's just a truly, it feels like the movies. It's just an unbelievable feeling to be in that world.

1:02:25And so to be like living in it for as long as you did was really wild. Because what was your, what did you transition into after you were her assistant? I went to be Meredith Melling-Burke's assistant, which was so much fun because she's wonderful. And again, she had such, she still does have such cool style, but she made, she's such a point of view. And I learned so much from her as well in terms of just like how to put things together and like chunky shoe with a long bow dress and then a military jacket. Like she's just super cool. That was probably two years. And she did the fashion fund at the time in Index.

1:03:01So it was great because, again, it was with all those new designers. And then Virginia's assistant, which was more working with Grace and Tawny and Camilla and Phyllis about calling in the clothes for all of their shoots, which they all secretly kind of like fought over clothes. I'm sure. Because you could only shoot it once and whatever else. Yeah, what was that process like? You just have to call it in first? Well, Grace had kind of first pick. And we should watch the September issue together tonight. I know. I haven't seen it in so long. Oh, my God. I rewatched it because, again, I think what happens, it's kind of like having young kids where it's like you black out.

1:03:40It's like, it wasn't that bad. It surely wasn't that bad. And our parents would be like, you guys were not this. You did not behave like this. And I'm like, I'm sure we did because there are offspring. And it's kind of how it works. but similar situation of where I've kind of like romanticized it in my head and I've watched the movie now and it's like oh I'm so thankful they helped me you know develop my discerning eye and how I can edit now and my whole career now and but going back to watch the September issue I was like oh my gosh like you know Anna really leaned into just like being very transparent about how things worked.

1:04:17And it gives you this great glimpse into how things worked, especially between her and Grace, because there's this dichotomy of Grace is this like very playful storyteller and she's romantic and nostalgic and she kind of lives and breathes of like the John Galliano's and her heart goes into everything. And then Anna's this, you know, very forward thinking and knows how to edit the magazine so that it's going to be most impactful. But what would happen is that, you know, Grace would do one of the fashion stories. And this happens to be for that September. She was the largest that they had ever had.

1:04:58And so Grace did this color blocking story at the beginning. And again, you think about what goes into one of these photo shoots is Grace goes to a fashion show and then a hundred more and she picks out her 10 favorite designers and then she pull extracts what she think is one of the biggest themes and comes up with a story like color blocking. Picks the model and the photographer then you know runs it through this story the sittings editor all these assistants call in the clothes for probably two weeks they edit six racks down to three they do a run through with Anna and she kind of picks it apart and they have this like funny banter.

1:05:41Would she have feedback about models and photographers too? I'm sure. Oh yeah. Obviously, right? Oh my gosh. And this, she like twos my artistino out in this. Oh yeah, I forgot about that. It's so funny. So there's tension between the two of them. Oh my God. Every day I'll do it. Yes. And so basically, you know, all that work gets put into it. The pictures come in, they get set out in the art department. Anna goes in and she's like, you know, rolling her eyes and just like that's not color blocking and grace is like yes it is like and they get into it and you know you can tell grace's heart like and it keeps like killing pages and it like a 12 page goes down to six and you can just tell she's like thickening and she's you know then recounting this to like Bob, the film guy or whatever, cameraman.

1:06:33And he kind of like, you hear him talk like here and there. And as the documentary like proceeds, they end up killing the story. And it's like Sienna Miller's cover story is going in and Grace is all upset because that's kind of like taking away all the attention. And she is doing her other couture stories, but she's like obviously like saddened by this. and at the end and is like i'm killing that story completely you need to shoot a new a new fashion story and it needs to be finished by thursday oh my god so then we have to call back in all these different clothes she has to come up with a new concept and this is why grace is like such a genius and she still is obvious she's still there she was at the premiere which is so cute and like gave me a big hug and i was like oh i can die now and so she comes up with this concept of like okay Anna wants energy.

1:07:25So she gets Carolyn Chinchini. And in all of the images, it's color blocking, but she's jumping in all of them. And then Grace has like this idea to put Bob, the cameraman, in the shoot, jumping with his camera. So it's Patrick de Marchier and Grace. And they go to Bob and they're like, can you jump? He's like, I can try. And so he's jumping with his camera. and then Caroline's jumping. And so they're like, she's looking directly into the camera. I remember that. I forgot about that. It's such an iconic, you know, picture. And so the photos come back. Anna's thrilled. It's exactly what she wanted.

1:08:06And like, she was right. Like it gave that part of the, you know, center more energy. And Bob is there and Anna looks at Bob and she's like, gonna need a bit of retouching there. and like it's kind of like crickets and she's like holding her stomach like this and she's like time to go to the gym Bob and then she leaves and Grace walks in and you know she's like did she like them and he's like yes but you know she said there needs to be a bit of retouching and you just see Grace's eyes go wide she's like no no and like kind of is chuckling at the same time and she calls like the main art director and she's like don't you dare we touch Bob's stomach he is not a male model this is meant to be real oh my god dare not touch those photos and like it's just it's so charming it's like really like paints the picture of how it went every day and you know that was just for one issue but you know it's like it's a beautiful story and the fact that you know they're all still working together it's like just you know I think that's fashion in a nutshell in general that can be applied to like any moment because there's always going to be tension between the creative and you know the editor or the buyer or whatever right and that's you know the talent of the editor is being like the people who are going to want this but then you know people who are creative directors and like really like someone like grace who's just like unbelievable romantic so romantic and thinking up in the clouds and like you really just need the combination of those two people always but that there's always going to be tension and that tension which is like really beautiful you know i think that's important people have but that's how like businesses operate you know there always needs to be somebody who thinks up in the clouds and then somebody who's going to be like we need to really really exactly and completely and that's the beautiful thing about you know what But to be able to be Anna's assistant and then watch all these people for so long, it's like you learn.

1:10:10It's not about what you add. It's what you take away. And that's what editing is. And distilling things until they get to their most beautiful, you know, point is like what it's all about. And then it ends up being more authentic and what its truest version of itself. And that can be applied to whether you're like editing a closet, if I'm wardrobe styling or consulting on a collection of, you know. Because this is what you're doing now. Yes. Yeah, exactly. And that's where it all comes from. And it kind of, you know, it being able to be decisive and follow your guts feeling because when it comes down to it, it's intuition that's telling you like, okay, wait, this is going to make sense.

1:10:54It's going to be more strong and to the point this way. and when somebody looks at a piece of clothing you don't want them to sit there and be like wait what is this doing or what have you it's like it's you I'm sure you apply this to your brides oh completely and it either works well if somebody wants to hear what I have to say or does not yeah and that's been a little tricky to navigate where it's like I probably have you started your career working with a lot of big personalities completely no and it's so it's Translated perfectly into being like a bridal stylist because you're dealing with women at like the most emotional moment of their life.

1:11:29Yes. And how that all went down. And mother-in-laws and mothers. Exactly. How did you look into bridal styling? Well, it was Sarah was getting married and she's obviously like 25 year old stunning. She's still one of the most stunning people in the world. Child bride. Child bride. And Patrick's like they're both. It's like you think Caroline and Bessette and John. Like, no, no, no. No, Sarah's been our Caroline Bessette since high school. So Cynthia and Sarah, you're what? Like not even. 14 months apart. 14 months apart. So we've all been, you know, if you're best friends with Cynthia, you're best friends with Sarah.

1:12:00Exactly. We've come as a package. Our whole life. And so Sarah was getting married and basically, you know, I started going to her bridal appointments with her. And I realized like, OK, this woman Doris over here is lovely. She's been in Burgdorf for like 50 years. But like she's not helping us pick out the largest expense ever that you're ever going to use. And it's arguably the most important day of your life. And same with an Oscar where it's like you're working with these store managers and they're wonderful. But they don't have a fresh perspective. They're not coming from a background of current fashion.

1:12:37There's no objectivity there either. Yeah, exactly. They're trying to sell as much as possible. They have a commission. and so I kind of and I was also like with Sarah you don't need to wear white at every event like let's think about the pictures at the end of this you want to tell a story so you're in Italy you're wearing this red alaya and then you should have this cardigan with over your shoulders when you're getting ready and like no your hair shouldn't be up in a sleek bun you're 25 it should be down and like you don't want to wear anything that's is too antique. Again, we want to keep it fresh and current and thought of it like a Vogue shoot.

1:13:16And then a couple other friends started to get married and I would go with them to all their appointments and just notice there was this huge hole. I wore my pink Manolos because of you on my wedding day. Yes, exactly. No. And that's like what it all comes down to. Which was like such, I would. Nobody would ever have done that. No. And because, especially because my dress was high low and you were like, do pink. And I was like, oh my God. Yeah. Why do I have a white shoe? And I just bought them right away. As soon as you said it, there was no thought. And I love seeing my little, I love my ankles.

1:13:50I have like Megan Marks little ankles. And so to see that little ankle with the pink at the bottom. And I remember everybody being like, oh my God, the shoes are pink and I was like yes and the other like you don't have to like you can do it any break the we can have fun with this yeah no and so what happened with Sarah's wedding is that it was right when Vogue.com was like being born and to bring Kim Kardashian full circle Sarah's wedding got more clicks than Kim Kardashian's cover and the Vogue.com team kept coming over and being like oh my god like this is the photos of Sarah's wedding yeah you did such a good job and the photos were insane yes no it's nothing to do with Sarah they're just gorgeous and back shop yeah but you obviously elevated it yeah the clothes were amazing really good even with your own wedding being like these are what the photos need to look like yeah and so they I kind of said to Anna like okay I think I'm ready to move on I want to move back to the west coast and I've noticed that the bridal industry needs like actual fashion stylists.

1:15:01So I want to be a wedding stylist. And she was like, it's a great idea. You know, we now are having a whole section on Vogue.com for real weddings. And so she was incredibly supportive and she said she would miss me. I was like, huh. You're like, I needed that. Yeah, I needed that. Well, speaking of that warmth, you also talk often about what a good mother she was. And I'd love for you to touch on that to like close everything out because I think obviously we all have this like and by the way the duality of all of this and what I'm realizing as I approach 40 which you're going to be tomorrow is that and I talked about this in something I wrote last week which is like it many things can exist at once completely I think we all think that like you know this one thing is true then but I think you can be a you know tough short uh like not not short physically but like, you know, a quick witted, intense, decisive, decisive woman who comes off, you know, cold or bitch like or whatever, and still be like a warm, caring mother.

1:16:06Completely. No. And just to your point, it's become so relevant with like, you're so hard working. I'm so hard working. It's very hard to leave the boys. And you could feel like so alienated sometimes because it's just it's not the norm and and seeing it now even just portrayed in devil wears prada too uh you know miranda priestly has this kind of little part where she's like it comes at a toll and because she's missed something with her kids or what have you and that was the one part where i was like sure anna you know was going to all these different things but B came to everything. And she's, we saw all of her emails, texts all day.

1:16:52She's our age, right? Yes. And she's big into the theater and whatnot. But she was such a wonderful mother, super present. You could tell, you can tell when kids are like bonded and like connected. 100%. Yeah. They completely were. By the way, we know, I know a lot of women who don't work that are not that bonded with their children. Exactly. No. And so it was, I cannot speak highly enough of what a wonderful mother Anna is and same with her son Charlie and his wife Liz like they were all connected she's you know all going to the theater all the time and so you know it's heartwarming and uh I have to say the only other time she's super warm that is gonna make you laugh was if Roger Federer was around oh that was like the one thing we didn't talk about yeah because that's like if Roger was like Like the first time I saw it, I was like, oh, my God, I've never seen.

1:17:44Kind of got like flushed and like she was smiling with her eyes. And I was like, oh, OK. It's funny when you see that in anybody. You're like, hold on a second, you little sneaky. That is so funny. She's obviously like a huge tennis fan. And he was like at the top of the world at that point. And, you know, U.S. Open was during New York Fashion Week. And if he was in the finals, like anybody that was showing that Monday, sorry, she's not coming. Oh, wow. She would pick the finals over a show? Yes. Wow. Incredible. Like that's how. That's crazy. Yeah. And one of my, and I love tennis. Like, you know, we all, anybody like that too, you want to watch his matches.

1:18:26And when I was her assistant for his 30th birthday at the Beatrice, like, you know, I was always there. And she was like, go get his, you know, his birthday cake. And so I got to bring him his birthday cake. And he's like, sing happy birthday. I forgot about that. Yeah. Aren't there like photos of you holding that cake? Yes. And it was like, of course it was like. And then it was like dance and start, get the party started. And I was like, so awkward. Like, okay. Beatrice is the best. I miss it so much. Harry Richardson used to always be. Remember there was like a kitchen? Yes. He's like smoking smoke in the kitchen.

1:18:59He'd always be back there. So random. All those things. We have so many New York. So many fun New York moments. I know. And again, not to be like ageist, but like it was just so much more fun before everything was on fucking social media. No, exactly. Because you could just rip and it was cool. And like phones weren't out. I mean, I'm addicted to my phone, so I'm a victim of the whole thing, too. Like, I get it. But it was really and I talk about this a lot when I have like Yolanda from Yolo Journal on the podcast. Like, I'm always like we are age group or we are the last magazine people. You know, I didn't work in magazine, but as a consumer.

1:19:34No, you were, and we were all part of it. Like, late night. I mean, I think that's like my favorite New York photo is I'm riding a skateboard at Brinkley's. And I'm sure it's like two in the morning at Bangs. I'm in like a short Dionne Van Furstenberg skirt, leopard Christian Louboutins that were like six inches at least. Riding a skateboard and like duck down. And like, those are the times. I mean, we worked hard and we partied hard. It was just the best. Well, thank you so much, Sydney. Of course. This is so much fun. I'm so happy we get to reminisce about our 20s. I know. We'll have to go watch it and like have a glass of champagne and look through all my Juicy Couture and True Religion, Chrome Hearts, all of it.

1:20:16Thank you so much for coming. Thank you for having me.

1:20:23And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes this week's episode of Everything is the Best. I hope you enjoyed it. Please rate, review, subscribe, all that stuff. Maybe leave a comment. Go ahead and follow me on Instagram at Pia Barancini, and I hope you have a fabulous, fabulous rest of your day. Love you. Ciao.

1:20:50Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.