MUSINGS FROM MIAMI - WHATEVER DO KIM KARDASHIAN AND KENDRA HAVE TO DO WITH FASHION? EVERYTHING.

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
An old friend asked me on Facebook, “WHY and are the Kardashian sisters STILL hot?” I didn’t have to reflect at all before answering; “Most definitely”, while narrowly avoiding crashing into a group of rappers headed the opposite way on Ocean Drive. The Kardashians, love them or hate them, are as necessary to what fashion’s become today as white blood cells are to your [blood] plasma. Over the past 10 + years, fashion has become a media circus. Initially, I was mildly disgusted, but now I’ve moved solidly into the acceptance stage. The bottom line here is that the Girls show up, the photographers show up, the public shows up. THEN, if all goes well, the public’s enthusiasm extends to popping into Macy’s and buying [in this case] a Beach Bunny Swimsuit.
Yesterday, I emerged from a daze after hours on my laptop in the blissful silence of my SHELBORNE hotel room to the madness at the HOTEL GANSVOORT, three blocks up Collins Avenue. I didn’t think being late would be a problem – since when are celebrities on time, anyhow? Apparently, these days they are extremely punctual, probably thanks to the many handlers, PA’s and PR’s who attend to them. KENDRA [Wilkinson] had come and gone by the time I arrived, but there was still a fair amount of activity in the plush ballroom, strangely located directly next to the David Barton Gym. Suites such as this are a good opportunity for small designers such as KRISTINA ASHLEY, who had a table with some of her cute ruffled bikinis, to get some media exposure without blowing her annual budget on a publicity outreach. Her strategy is working. The press handout was stuffed with edits in Lucky Mag, Ocean Drive, and WWD.
While I walked away minus a copy of SLIDING INTO HOME to review, I did walk away with samples of BOTRAN RESERVA RUM being repped by RCP Brand Market Specialists, which my husband pronounced "exceptionally smooth".
As far as Kendra, the PR organizing the event, Helena Goldglantz of Helena Renee PR, suggested that I “can go and buy the book at Borders”. After my initial shock [as press, I usually get the book in question, no problem], I reflected that making another sale at Borders or Barnes and Noble, etc., is really the point of the whole book signing exercise anyhow. What I regret though, is missing the opportunity to meet a girl who pulled herself away from the pack of pretty Hefner PlayBoy Bunny-dom and turned herself into a brand. Kendra, represents the thousands of pretty blonde girls who hit the streets of LA hoping to be discovered. It will be interesting to see how she continues to evolve. I guess I’ll be making a stop at Borders to see what Kendra, Phase II – the Mom – is all about. After browsing the inside jacket on www.amazon.com, I've put this book on my reading list. Kendra is a survivor. The big question is, ‘Will there be a Kendra, Phase III, what will it be, and will we still care?’
Note to self – take a page from the new celebs and be on time!