The Chasm

I've been musing for a little while over this notion of "The Chasm". Over the past month I was let go from my job at a traditional glossy--a job I adored, mind you. I was quickly replaced with a lovely girl who is all of TWENTY-FIVE years old, and while she is highly educated and gorgeous (naturally) and is most likely paid a fraction of what I was paid, she lacks what we have worked for all these years--experience. During college we slaved at internships that paid nothing but were full of learning and laughing with fellow clueless interns. Once we had our degrees in hand we marched into the world, still clueless, hoping an editor would take pity and hire us. Once hired, we continued to slave in offices and on photo shoots for next to nothing (I'll never forget when I was hired at one of my first jobs. The conversation went something like this: Fancy fashion editor: "We can pay you $20." Me: "$20 an hour?". FFE: "No, $20 thousand a year.") Long hours, abusive bosses, but unbelievable experience. In my time I have worked on endless cover shoots (Mariah Carey only wants straws from McDonalds on set? Umm, ok. Janet Jackson MUST have all white flowers and candles in her dressing room. Not a problem.), I've worked on TV commercials, I've helped dress Cate Blanchett for the Oscars, I've worked on shoots for Inez and Vinoodh, Solve Sundsbo and Patrick Demarchelier and with stylists like Katie Grand, Brana Wolf and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele to name a few. I've been inside countless designer studios, I've interviewed Karl Lagerfeld and I've written for Conde Nast.

Some of the world's most legendary stylists, shot by Steven Meisel for W. Anna Dello Russo, Marie-Amelie Sauve, Brana Wolf, Lori Goldstein, Polly Mellen and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele.

But, here's the catch--I'm not done learning and I would never presume to be an expert. What happens when those of us who aren't legends, but are well-trained and have the experience and consequently, demand a proper salary, are replaced with 25-year-olds who have never worked for the best of the best? Whose writing is terrible, who don't know how to conduct themselves on set and who are anything but humble and respectful? They teach the next generation, that's what. And the art of fashion wanes.

I'm not saying today's youth isn't valuable--they absolutely are. Their grasp on social media and willingness to put themselves out there (sometimes too far out there, but that's another post) and to manipulate the tools available to them is incredibly savvy and we could all stand to learn from them. They are their own editor-in-chief, publisher, and publicist. They are innovative and embrace new technology with aplomb.

Tavi Gevinson, 15-years-old, author of Rookie.com and style darling (who sits front row at shows and often blocks the views of editors behind her due to her ridiculous headwear). 

I am aware that my grumblings sound bitter and curmudgeonly, but that's ok because this is my blog. But what about you? Which side of the chasm do you live on? Or, like me, are you looking up from the depths of the chasm and trying to claw your way out? Well, get in line because while I may be humble, respectful and trained by the best, I am still ambitious as hell and I won't apologize for my age because to quote the late great Aaliyah, "Age ain't nothing but a number."