Features

AAPRC Weekly: Constance White

Constance White
Fashion Spokesperson
eBay
NYC


Constance White admits that her high school classmates would be very surprised to know that she's become a leading fashionista. "When clothes became very interesting to me …my parents had divorced. We fell on financial hard times and that in a way made me more creative about how I dressed," White recalls. "I think I was more of an interesting dresser than a cutting edge dresser."

How things have changed. These days, the veteran fashion journalist has blazed a trail among the nation's top media outlets and, nearly two years ago, was tapped by Internet giant eBay––which marked nearly $2 billion in fashion sales in 2003––as their fashion expert. The former "interesting dresser" stands among the top echelon of fashion journalists and is the only African-American woman who has called the shots in fashion at a mainstream consumer magazine.

But for timing, her star turn in fashion journalism might not have happened. White received a Bachelor's degree in journalism from New York University (NYU). At graduation, though, she was still undecided on what type of journalism she wanted to pursue. "I had two loves-–music and fashion," White says. "I decided I'd apply to the top trade papers in each industry––music, Billboard, and fashion, Women's Wear Daily. Women's Wear Daily called me first. Billboard did call me after but by then it was too late."

And so it was fashion.

During college White had worked for Ms magazine, starting out as a summer intern. Because she was the only intern who lived in New York City, she was able to stay on year round. Her work for the feminist publication was seemingly a far cry from the fashion journalism that would become her passion. "The irony doesn't escape me," she says dryly. "I think that's why I always wanted to do stories like 'what's up with women fashion designers.'"

Before she'd get to write about the plight of women fashion designers––which she did, for the New York Times––White wrote about the fur industry, her first beat when she arrived at Women's Wear Daily (WWD) in 1988. The beat turned out to be much more "exciting" than she'd bargained. "Within six to 12 months the animal rights movement had really pushed itself forward in the public eye and become very aggressive," says White of the days when PETA activists made headlines for splattering fur-wearers with red paint and other unwelcome fluids. "It was actually a very interesting time. It was fashion and also the much broader picture of politics and personal liberties and all those things mixed up together––and crime."

Later during her five years at the top fashion trade, White moved to sportswear, which she covered for the rest of her tenure. During this first big break in fashion journalism, she learned how to cover a beat, how to stay on top of her corner of the industry, and that when it came to race, fashion was no different than any other field. "I was very lucky and in some sense was sheltered by having my first job in fashion be at WWD," White says. "When you walk into a showroom I was very aware of the fact that I was walking in with WWD stamped on my forehead and that it made a big difference…In terms of the competition and the African-American representation in the field in fashion, that kind of thing would never deter me. I was very aware of it and I made myself very aware of it. You address that kind of thing with the tried and true ways that some of our foremothers and forefathers would address it. Be strong. Look for role models. Look for support and press on toward your dreams."

In 1993, White pressed on, leaving WWD for a lofty spot at one of the top consumer fashion glossies––Elle. As executive fashion editor, White stayed in tune with the fashion industry's latest trends, and interpreted them for Elle readers. But she was there for only a year or so before she got an offer she couldn't refuse. "Being a style reporter at The New York Times was my dream," says White of her departure from Elle for the venerable daily.

In 1994, White was living her dream, but it wasn't easy. "The New York Times was a huge adjustment," she says of the transition from magazines. "I think I sweated bullets for like two months. We had a weekly fashion section that we had to get out. We had to make sure it was filled and filled in compelling ways. Even though you had a week to work on it, it's not much time really, to spend for a really good story. Even though you had a week to work on it, you also had to be prepared for breaking news."

Once again, as with her early days on the fur beat, White found herself covering the industry during interesting times. "Fashion had just hit the radar as this huge pop culture phenomenon," she remembers. "A lot of fashion companies had just recently gone public so they were now big businesses and attracting attention."

During her five years at the Times, White finally wrote that story on the plight of women designers and why there aren't more in the fashion industry. She also had a number of fashion stories make it to page one, including the demise of celebrity designer Isaac Mizrahi's line and the self-organizing of the American fashion designers––now known as Seventh on Sixth. White also teamed with another writer for a two-part series on the society shifts that led to women spending significantly less money on clothes. "It's a big achievement to get a story in the New York Times, but to get it on page one, and to also get a fashion story on page one, is a big deal," says White. "You have to have insight into the beat that you're on so that you can put the story in a larger context. So that it's compelling not just to people who follow that particular industry or community, but people on the peripheral."

As much as she loved her work for the Times, White had always known she wouldn't be a "lifer" at the "Gray Lady." When uber-editor Tina Brown, the brash Brit who'd retooled both Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, invited White to be the fashion director of a bold new multi-media enterprise, White made the leap.

Talk magazine was part of a venture among Brown and the Weinstein brothers of Miramax films, and White was intrigued by the possibilities. "I don't think I would have left for any other editor," White explains. "Number two, what she [Brown] was proposing was very exciting, which was this integrated…'we're going to do the Internet' and 'we're going to do a magazine' and 'we're going to do TV.' And the idea of working on a start up was very interesting."

Though White had a great relationship with Brown, Talk never quite found its footing and in 2002, in the wake of the drop in ad pages following the double whammy of the dot-com bust and the September 11 terrorist attacks, the magazine folded. White had left before then, though, to pursue a completely different sort of project––pregnancy and motherhood.

After taking a year's maternity leave, White eased back into the working world and began freelancing for publications such as ESSENCE and People magazines and covering the shows for The Chicago Tribune––which she's been doing for the past three years. In 2002, White began a stint as a correspondent and news anchor for the New York City cable channel, "Full Frontal Fashion TV." Then, in 2003, a most unexpected suitor entered the picture––eBay. The Internet shopping giant was taking its fashion section seriously and asked White to come aboard as their fashion spokesperson.

In addition to covering industry trends and offering style advice to eBay shoppers in the on-line magazine Personal Style, White represents eBay in the media. "Whenever anyone wants to talk to eBay about style, they speak to me," White explains. "That involves quite a bit of television appearances."

For now, White is pleased with the work at eBay and the opportunity to get her feet wet in Internet media. She also looks to the future with hopes of doing her own style television show and publishing more books. Her first book, Style Noir, was published in 1998. The effort is half how-to––a service book that gives tips on improving personal style, incorporating African influences and arranging your wardrobe for optimum use––and half history. During her travels in Africa and the European fashion capitols, White had long noticed the influences of African and African-American style. When the opportunity presented itself, she happily dug into writing a history of the relationship between Black culture and mainstream fashion.

During her downtime––what there is of it––White sees a few movies, does a little reading and tries to make regular visits to the gym. Mostly, she spends time with her family and does volunteer work with the organization BRAG (Black Retail Action Group), which helps minority youth navigate their way in the retail fashion industry.

What is a typical workday like for you?

A typical day for me begins with the morning paper. I turn on my cell phone and then head straight to my email (which I could be dealing with all day if I'm not careful!). If I'm working in my office that day, I'll make phone calls, do some writing, take care of issues that arise from email, work on eBay projects and respond to a media interview. If I'm in writing mode-–for eBay or The Chicago Tribune-–I'll spend the whole day writing except for must-answer calls and emails. At least once a week, I'll visit a designer to review a collection. See what's new out there.

As the eBay style director you're advising a really broad audience about fashion. What's been the greatest challenge?

Becoming somewhat of a techno-phile! Seriously, on the fashion front what we work hardest on making sure our vast audience knows there are fabulous fashions on eBay and helping them navigate how to find what they're looking for on the site.

For years you've covered the whirl of fashion weeks in America and abroad. Out of the hundreds of styles you see during the shows, how do you decide what's hot and deserves to be reported?

Some of it is instinct and some of it is learned. In terms of trends, I look at what important designers are doing and what's happening on the street. And important doesn't necessarily mean well-known. I look at the context-–what's happening in people's lives at that moment whether its soccer moms, celebrities or hip hop kids: Does this look like something that would connect with a certain group. If it's new and exciting, if it's credible-–I report on it. Sometimes it's not a trend but a new talent-–and he or she deserves to be watched.

Someone once said that we'll probably see an African-American President before we see an African-American at the helm of Vogue or Elle. Why is fashion media still largely unchartered country in terms of diversity?

Hmmm. Who said that? How profound! And frightening. Fashion more than even politics is so dictated by image and what we see. I love that Black girls have opted out of fashion magazines. It's protection because their images are not celebrated but often denigrated or obliterated. There may still be people who believe that the skills and aesthetics necessary to be a great fashion journalist cannot be learned. But that's not true. Anyone from any background can learn them. Of course to be really good at anything, I think you have to have a God-given knack for it, but to be good at it, you just need to have the desire, the break and half a brain. As we love to say in the world of style, fashion is not figuring out brain cancer. What's missing is, though it's improved, Blacks are not getting enough breaks. I guess Black politicians are getting more breaks?

What does it take to make it to the top as a mainstream fashion journalist? What's your best advice?

Get a degree. Intern somewhere fabulous––like WWD, Vogue, Elle etc. Start-ups are also good for learning a lot quickly. Network, network, network. Get to know people in positions of power––make sure they know you. One day they may have a job for you––and at the very least––any day of the week they can give you good advice.

Do you think that we'll see a Black designer at the helm of a major house anytime soon? Is there another Willi Smith on the horizon?

We've already seen this. Patrick Robinson has headed up two-–Anne Klein and now Perry Ellis. Kevan Hall headed up Halston. Tracy Reese is building her business––one day that girl is going to be a powerhouse. You have Daymond John and his team at FUBU, Damon Dash at Roca Wear, Puffy at Sean John. Are these people designers? Not in the pure sense, but they as much direct their lines as Martha Stewart oversaw her sheets.

As a journalist, you've worked in every available media-–newspapers, magazines, television and now the Internet. From your perspective, how has the proliferation of outlets and mediums impacted the fashion industry?

It's made fashion an irrefutable part of pop culture. One of the stories I was proudest of doing at the New York Times was a story that identified a phenomena that quietly unfolded–-right under our noses––hip hop had had a revolutionary effect on fashion. It's not high fashion but nonetheless, a wave of Black designers and executives has hit Seventh Avenue due to hip hop. This was quite unexpected.

What's your take on the way fashion––particularly when paired with celebrity––has become such an essential ingredient in pop culture?

Top celebrities all want to rub up against designers these days. They all want to be dressed by them, to be in their company. They all want perfume deals, lingerie deals. The housewife in Urbana, Illinois wants to know what Reese Witherspoon is wearing not what award she won.

What is the most sought after fashion item on eBay right now?

The live-strong bracelet, which for better or worse, became a fashion item, is hot. Tweed jackets and charms are hot. Designer handbags are on fire for women. And men can't get enough of sneakers––Nike, Puma.

Tell us one thing people might be surprised to know about you.

That I worked at Ms magazine.


AAPRC's Mission
The African-American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC) is an assemblage of professionals who provide communication conduits among clients, journalists, media and our communities. We come together as a collective because we recognize the importance of building those same conduits amongst ourselves.

A great deal of what we do is professional development––updating our skills, keeping pace with technology, refining and streamlining processes, providing a forum to tackle the issues that impact our work environment––but we believe our professional lives benefit most from the forging of effective alliances. Connected to one another, we possess the power of a nationwide body of committed, knowledgeable practitioners with an eye on the future.

As we move into the 21st century at lightning speed, mass media and its potent messages occupy an ever-larger part of our daily lives and our collective psyche. The AAPRC is focused on helping our members gain a deeper understanding of media's force and supporting their growth as powerful participants in the global communications network.

AAPRC's Contact
GQ Media & Public Relations
1650 Broadway Suite 1011
New York NY 10019
1212 765 7910
1212 765 7905
aapublicistcoll@aol.com

Message Constance White and the AAPRC and tell them what you think

Gwendolyn Quinn

« Survey Says #16  Perspective: Barry Cole »

The 2-Way

Replies: 0

Archives: