what i'm up to: mon premier byline!

This, everybody, is an image of my first OFFICIAL, PROFESSIONAL, PRINTED byline. In Women's Wear Daily, nonetheless. I couldn't even believe that they would send me out on an assignment on my second week on the job! But let me back up a little...

Wednesday at work, one of the writers handed me a flyer torn out from a newspaper bearing the details of an exhibit at the Institut du Monde Arabe of Hermès display windows that evoked scenes of world travel and luxury. With that, she sent me to go check out the exhibit and come back and tell her about it, not knowing whether or not I would get to write a story. So I happily left the office with my 10 euros in ticket money for the exhibit and went off on my first assignment. First of all, the exhibit was stunning. Eight rooms decorated with beautiful scenes of middle eastern palaces and jungles and ancient cities all mixed with Hermès goods, Tunisian artisans on site practicing their crafts and a "sprawling Moroccan tea room." <- Quote from the story, haha. Needless to say I was a happy camper just for going. THEN, to my wonderful, blessed luck, Hermès' window designer Leïla Menchari, who put the whole shebang together, WAS THERE! I recognized her from my research and the video playing at the exhibit. Knowing full well that I was there as a reporter and not just a spectator, I knew that I'd have to gather my guts and talk to her. In French, bien sûr. So I did! I was nervous of course, but she was sweet and patient and answered the few questions that I asked her and I got a better feel for the concept of the exhibit. I swear, when I left that exhibit, I felt like such a success and truly proud of what I was about to tell my editor, that I had fortuitously encountered the designer and gotten real live quotes directly from her mouth! I was smiling so wide all the way to the metro station. I couldn't even calm down enough to sample the Moroccan pastries I purchased from the exhibit's tea room. Anyway, so when I got back to the office, I told the writer that sent me on the mission as well as my editor about the exhibit and about my having spoken to Madame Menchari. Their decision after hearing this: write a short story, 150-200 words. YOU GOT IT, DUDES! So that's what I did. And that's what was printed today. On the second page of the paper. With four color pictures (that I called in, thank you very much) and MY BYLINE. I don't even care that the story was heavily edited by my editor. My ideas, thoughts and even some of my own words are in there. [Entrance to the exhibit]

Below, you'll find the text from my story. MY story. My FIRST, REAL story. Yay!


Exhibit Spotlights Hermès Windows
by Marisa Morrison <-- THAT'S ME!!
Posted FRIDAY MARCH 26, 2010
From WWD ISSUE 03/26/2010

PARIS — Are designer window displays worthy of a museum exhibit?

The Jean Nouvel-designed Institut du Monde Arabe, or Arab World Institute, here thinks so and recently opened an exhibition called “Orient-Hermès: Voyages de Leïla Menchari.”

The show re-creates eight elaborate displays Tunisia-born Menchari, the longtime window designer at Hermès, had envisioned for the firm’s flagship on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

Juxtaposing Hermès clothing and accessories with elaborate props — from taxidermy animals and miniature monuments to elaborate mosaics and tile work — the windows variously evoke an Indian palace, an African savannah and even Menchari’s adopted home of Paris.

Running through June 6, the exhibit also features Tunisian artisans producing and selling their crafts between the vibrant showcases, as well as a sprawling Moroccan tearoom.

“I couldn’t have created this without the artisans, whose work comes from their hands, their spirits,” said Menchari, who has worked for the French luxury goods house since 1977. “I chose the ones [who are] best at what they do.”

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So that's that. So thrilled! Hoping to write some more. Other than that, the past two weeks I have mostly been doing research for the writers and gathering past WWD article on John Galliano in preparation for his impending obituary. Morbid, huh? But I really like working there. For once, I feel that I am doing jobs that matter and am being taken seriously as someone working for and serving the company. I sit at my own desk, always have something to do, and am approached with important jobs. And I think I do a pretty nice job of taking care of everything that I'm asked to do. Like calling the European high court in Luxembourg to make sure a press release is sent to us first thing the next day, after having received very minimal instructions nonetheless.

In other good news (man I feel like I'm just chalk full of good news this semester), while I did not get the internship at Teen Vogue that I had applied for, I have been offered the opportunity to intern with Ralph Lauren Collection in August through the show in September to lend a helping hand with any and all preparation. How cool!! My mom's wonderful friend Janet is high up at Ralph Lauren Collection and so generously extended the invitation to me. Can't wait! And what am I going to do in June and July, you ask? Work on LOTS of projects and hopefully make some money to make up for much of the damage done this semester. I'm hoping that Free People will hire me or that I can go back to assist Sabina Schreder and Natasha again, but this time for money. Wish me luck!

Paix, Amour et Néon,
Marisa