Behind the Scenes of a Henri Bendel Trunk Show
Edited by Kristen Anastacia
Hey indies,
I’m going to give you the scoop on what goes on at a designer trunk show at Henri Bendel so that next year when they are looking for new talent you’re ready to make it past their judges on on to their selling floor.
Twice a year designers line up around the block to show their creations to the buyers at this high-end department store. If you have something that sparks their interest they let you show in their store. If all goes well from there you can keep showing on a regular basis. Hopefully one day you can prove yourself worthy and they will just be able to buy your line.
Above is my little headband line. I would like to introduce all you Fashion Indie connoisseurs to the other talent that was sharing the spotlight with me this weekend. Should you get picked it is a very good idea to bring help along. My publicist Mylan Bui and Jowita Kurowski helped me, bringing over a good three bags full of head candy goodies!!! Bui-Lavry PR Rocks!!!
In the front of the store there is currently a designer cupcake maker/celebrity birthday cake baker showing. I promised not to tell who they are designing a birthday cake for next week. If I leaked this bit of information their Lower East Side bakery would be paparazzi mayhem!!! Let’s just say John Mayer was the last rock star they designed for. Strictly A-list.
Check out their work www.howsweetitispastry.com!!!
Indie Jewelry designer Mindy Lam was in Henri’s on Sunday but has been showing near the entrance all week long. Her jewelry is nothing less than a work of genius. I say it like this because all her jewelry is couture and can only be produced by her personally, her designs are a hand-crafted skill that can not be taught. She is beyond indie, Mindy’s gems are in a whole other category of independent design.
One of my most favorite designer’s was a Chocolatier named Confuzzled , these intense chocolate toffee cookies are making an appearance on the View this Tuesday (Be sure to notice her pretty little girl who will be wearing an Angel Lust bow). Confuzzled is proof that The Daily Candy is God!!! Confuzzled started out doing monthly trunk shows at Henri Bendel, during which an article in The Daily Candy featured her. Eventually Bendel’s bought her stuff in bulk and placed it permanently in their high-end chocolate bar in the penthouse!!!
So here are three quick tips for making it on the Henri Bendel buyers short list.
- Get to the Henri Bendel casting calls early.
- Have professional help from a PR agency.
- Get mentioned in Daily Candy or any other noted press and be sure that your first collection sells out, quickly. Call friends, put in favors, do whatever you have to do, just make sure that when you hit the selling floor of Bendel’s you’re selling.
The list goes on with all the fantastic talent you will find here. I look forward to bringing you updated indies in progress.
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So twice a year NYC’s famous Henri Bendel’s holds a search for new indie designers looking for an in to the industry. Designers will start to line up outside starting at 2am in the morning. I was not going to get up that early, however I did get there at 7:30am and at that time was still 2 city blocks away from the entrance. While about a thousand people continued to add on with every hour or so.My time paid off thanks to the hands of the fashion gods and my brilliant reps at