As to your Qs (Part 2 of 8)
Friday, November 6, 2009 at 5:24 PM Dear All,
My apologies for the lag in responding to your questions. The week has gotten away from me and the questions have been a bit more time consuming to answer than expected! Please find my next 10 answers below. I will be going through the full list of submitted questions shortly and choosing three winners who will receive a signed copy of the Mrs. O book. In the weeks ahead, I'll continue to answer questions that were submitted.
Best,
Mrs. T
@ Jill Can you walk us through the development process? I saw you said your company has been behind the book from the beginning - did they approach you or vice versa? How did you go about finding an agent/publisher? How long did the whole project take start to finish?
The book development really began with this blog. The blog launched in September 2008, after I was inspired by Michelle Obama and her fabulous style during the Democratic National Convention (IMHO, still one of Mrs. O's most thoroughly well-styled efforts ever). I wanted to know more about the designers Mrs. O was wearing and what others thought as well. I went searching for a blog like Mrs-O.org and when it didn't turn up, I decided I wanted to start it. My employer, BBH, is very experienced in digital and design. There is also a division within the company, Zag, that supports employee-led ideas. So I took the idea to them, to see if they would help me build the blog. They agreed.
From there, things began to happen very quickly. The week after the election, I was contacted by an editor at a major publishing house, who was interested in turning the blog into a book. To find a literary agent, I inquired with colleagues and friends, and met with a range of contacts who were recommended (being located in New York probably made this part easier). I ended up working with Eileen Cope of Trident Media Group, who is fantastic. And in the end, we didn't move forward with the first opportunity, but instead, through Eileen, found a great partnership with Hachette / Center Street. Work on the book began in January and finished at the end of June. I was still checking proofs through July and August.
@ Antoinette D. It appears as though on one of the pages of the book, our nation's First Lady describes who she is - woman, wife, mother, first lady - in an order, I assume, of importance to her in her personal life - my question is does the Mrs. O book {I am tickled pink by the title :)} showcase her style in a balance of all four of the stellar roles she wonderfully exemplifies to the American people? Which of the First Lady's styles or outfits most empowered and/or positively impacted the creativity and mindset of the author, Ms. Tomer?
"Mrs. O: The Face of the Fashion Democracy" is certainly a fashion book, but in telling the story of Mrs. O's style, it was important to capture the context in what she was doing and the roles she was playing - certainly those things shape her style. But to answer your question, I would say there's more emphasis of Mrs. O's public role as first lady, and less so on her role as a wife and mother.
The ensemble that most impacted my creativity was the Thakoon dress and trio of Erickson Beamon brooches worn on the final night of the DNC. I thought the choice of Thakoon signaled Mrs. O was fashion forward and going to be a risk taker with her fashion choices. The placement of three brooches at the neckline in lieu of a necklace, which worked seamlessly with the rose print of the dress, struck me as genius. The ensemble was a creative inspiration then and continues to be.
@ Maria How has your understanding of fashion evolved due to this project?
I've always been someone who likes to look pulled together, and also someone who uses fashion to express my personality. With practical budget limitations, I tend to shop at more mainstream retailers and use my creativity to (hopefully) put things together in an unexpected way. I've always been a girl who delights in the glossy pages of Vogue and feels inspired by the fantasy of it all.
While working on this book, I gained a greater appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into high fashion. That's been the biggest revelation. To better understand the design process, the hundreds of hours of labor, the quality of fabrics - it's been eye opening.
@Katie I'm wondering what feedback you've gotten from Mrs. O, regarding the site and/or the book either directly or indirectly?
I haven't received any feedback from Mrs. O on either the site or book. Of course I hope she likes them both, but I also imagine she has bigger priorities. I will let you know if I do hear anything down the road.
@boazwife Did you ever dream, you would be a published author by the age of 28? Did you ever dream of being a published author? How do you think your successful Mrs. O blog aided you in garnering the interviews with such top designers as Isaac Mizrahi? What's next, Mrs T?
It's all been wonderfully unexpected. And in that it happened so quickly, fairly surreal. I can honestly say that I never dreamed of being a published author.
As the blog has grown over the past year, I've been able to establish contact with press representatives for various designers. That probably helped get my foot in the door for interviews, but there was still a lot of convincing to be done.
What's next? I'm getting married in June 2010, so that's my top priority at the moment.
@Robyn Do you find Mrs. O influencing your daily style choices?
I do. I am completely enchanted with vintage jewelry at the moment, particularly brooches - that's Mrs. O's influence, certainly. I've always been one to wear cardigans, belt and flats, but now I catch myself thinking, "that's very Mrs. O."
@ant5s It's not even a year into Mr O's term - what do you anticipate doing with the blog/book moving forward in the 3+ years to come?
I hope to bring in other people and voices to contribute to the blog. I did that early on, but it became difficult to manage - sorting that out is an immediate priority. I would also love to introduce a service initiative in the next few months. I wish I could answer more directly, but I truthfully don't have a 3 year road map that I'm working from. I would love to hear how others would like to see the site evolve. Stay tuned!
@Tsetse Johnson Being a published author is nice, and meeting famous designers, even your blog is hot, but given the opportunity to speak with Mrs.O one on one, no secret service, no photographers, Just you two what would be the one thing you'd ask her knowing she will answer you straight from her heart?
I really would love to ask Mrs. O about her decision to leave corporate law and enter public service. She was around my age when she made the change, and it just strikes me as so brave, given how much she had likely invested in her education and career at that point. So really, I would just love to hear more about that experience, to hear more of her story.
@Chandra Hollier First, I have to say that your website is amazing! Very soon after the election, I had just gotten into the concept of blogs and how interesting and informing they can be. I knew there had to be one about Mrs. Obama. I googled "Michelle Obama" and found you. The transformation of the site in such a short time has been phenomenal. I was not at all surprised when you announced that you were working on a book. I could not imagine anyone but you writing the "go to" book about Mrs. Obama as a fashion icon. It has been very clear to me since I started visiting the website that you have somehow known something for quite a while that most of us did not know about Mrs. Obama's sense of fashion and true appreciation of fashion/design. My question is: How did you know that there would be such an obsession over Michelle Obama's style and that she would have such an impact on fashion?
My mother had passed down a fascination with Jacqueline Kennedy's style, in the form of Jackie Kennedy style books and of a course a trip to see the special exhibition of Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe several years ago (I saw it at the Kennedy Library in Boston). Throughout 2008 there were parallels drawn been Mrs. O and Jacqueline Kennedy in the media. And while perhaps too literal at times, I did think they were on to something - a new generation, my generation, had found its Jackie O. It was really just a gut instinct that the public fascination with Mrs. O's style would only grow, and that she stood to have a profound, lasting influence on American fashion.
@casual reader How has Mrs. O's fashion shaped America's definition of femininity and feminism?
I think, as Americans, we often struggle with the notion that a focus on fashion is frivolous and superficial. (Even watching The September Issue, I thought there were undercurrents of this as Anna Wintour described how her siblings view her job. Perhaps it's not just an American trait...) To see a strong, highly educated woman like Mrs. O truly embrace fashion, it challenges our assumptions. I can't claim to be well versed in the latest schools of thought on feminism, but Mrs. O has shown us that both fashion and intellect, strength and femininity, they all can harmoniously co-exist - and perhaps that's something new.
Reader Comments (8)
I enjoy this website and I enjoy watching Michelle Obama's style. I admire that she highlights new designers on the scene and wears American clothing the most. I would disagree however that Mrs. Obama is the new generation of Jackie O. Even though she may wear sleeveless dresses and pose on coach similar to Jackie, I don't think she has the same style as her completely. If you really want to see what modern day woman depicts Jackie O's style the most it is the First Lady of France, Carla Bruni.
It's not the fact that Mrs. O dresses like Jackie O because we all know she does not. It is the fact that she is garnering the same kind of attention and admiration from our generation of women as Jackie O did from the generation of women back then. Mrs. O is inspiring us the same way Jackie Kennedy inspired women during Mr. Kennedy's presidency.
Mrs. T,
Shouldn't the heading here be As to your Qs? That would be answers to your questions. Just curious!
This is a great idea. It's always interesting to read your perspectives.
Yes, it should! Oh dear! Thank you BarbG for the much needed catch. :o)
Great questions and GREAT answers!
What nice answers, and questions! makes me want to see the book. I love the phrase "Fashion Democracy."
I can't find part 1!
Here you go:
http://mrs-o.org/newdata/2009/11/1/as-to-your-qs-part-1-of-8.html