Behind the paywall in today’s issue:
Screaming, long hours, and no bathroom breaks: an assistant to a VIC personal shopper reveals what the job is really like.
Unfiltered thoughts on John Galliano’s expensive plastic Zara line.
A Gwyneth Paltrow Substack update.
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Loose Threads
I’m moderating the “Gwyneth’s Kitchen” panel at the Tasteful summit in New York on October 15, organized by friend of Back Row Ana Andjelic, the sociologist and branding expert behind the Sociology of Business newsletter. Get tickets here.
The closing dresses at the Anrealage show were made with thousands of scales containing E-ink (kind of like a Kindle) that changed color. The video is well worth watching if you haven’t yet:
Athleta’s friends and family sale includes an additional 30 percent off items like leggings already marked down to $54 and waffle sweats already reduced to $45.
It’s always a good day when you get a new Rick Owens show.
While her mom works on her Substack, Apple Martin walked the Chloé show in Paris.
The Cut interviewed a podiatrist who says going from flip-flops to rigid loafers or boots in the fall may be too jarring for many of us. He then besmirched ballet flats, which “frequently provide very little arch support, cushioning, or stability.” Take that as your excuse to get those jazz shoes you’ve been thinking about.
Ahead, today’s big story…
Retail Confessions: The Assistant Who Lived 'The Devil Wears Prada'
Over the course of “Retail Confessions,” the misbehavior of the very wealthy has been well documented. We’ve heard about the woman who “cried her eyes out” because she couldn’t buy a Constance at Hermes in Paris, the billionaire’s son who had sex in a fitting room, and so many sugar daddies. If you are not a paid subscriber, you know what to do so you can read all of those:
Today’s column is a bit different. We have the misbehavior of the very wealthy, but mostly, today’s interview illustrates the assistant mistreatment that’s been one of the modern fashion industry’s defining features. We often think of it in relation to ’90s fashion magazines, but particular bosses, high stress, and low pay are all things assistants at high-end stores have to manage as well.
Today, we’re hearing from someone who worked at a luxury department store in North America in the last few years as one of a handful of assistants to the personal shoppers who dressed VICs. “You handle their calendars, you do a million different things,” this person said. “I went through three interviews for it, which is crazy because it pays so little.”
Ahead, the rules around lunch breaks, the dress code, and more.
Tell me about your interviews for the job.
The group sales manager interviewed me first. I sat down, and he was like, “Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada?” And I’m like, “Yeah, of course.” And he was like, “It’s exactly like that. Be prepared for people to scream at you.”
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