Kathy Ireland Interview By SkyFashion5 | A Role Model Supermodel

Kathy Ireland Interview

A Role Model Supermodel

July/August 2012 Issue

If Kathy Ireland chose to be the most intimidating person on the planet, much like everything else she's mustered to master over the past three decades or so in the public eye, I think she'd be pretty successful at it. Simply put, it's doubtful we've ever witnessed a more stunning combination of natural beauty, charisma, business instincts, work ethic and humility wrapped up into a one woman wrecking crew of commercial success.
From her days of appearing in 13 consecutive issues of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, to current Kathy, who's the globally-respected CEO and lead visionary for her brand product marketing company, kathy ireland Worldwide, that grossed just south of two billion last year, the world has seen her morph spectacularly from supermodel to super mogul. It's an astonishing transformation, and her life story has been an incredible journey. And if you're looking for a real challenge, try to find a single instant where there's been a shred of evidence that any of her success has gone to her head.
As we found out in our exclusive Jetset interview, for a busy executive and inspirational icon who spends a good deal of her time in the air, globetrotting the world running her business and overseeing her empire, Kathy Ireland is an unbelievably grounded superstar who knows fate has played as big a role in her success as her focus.
"Yes. Thank you for realizing that. My priorities are faith, family and being of service through our work. My first and last meetings every day are with God. It is my greatest desire that I live a life that follows the plan that God has for me. It isn't always easy to surrender myself to His will . . . I'm a control freak and when I try to be in control, I make big mistakes and messes."
The messes and mistakes are miniscule compared to the massive amount of successes. It's easy for someone famous to simply attach their name to a business, or an idea, or a book or a video. It happens all the time, and it's basically a license to print money. It's also the opposite of how Kathy crafted her brand with a big-picture vision of where she wanted to eventually be. "Modeling was never my career plan. I entered the fashion industry as a businessperson. My design career began at the age of four, selling painted rocks from my little red wagon.
These were beautiful works of art that fascinated my customers. I knew at the age of four that fashion would be one of my great passions. Modeling was educational. Fulfilling? Not so much. The responsibilities I enjoy in my career today are gratifying, humbling and exhilarating. kathy ireland Worldwide is a design and marketing company which brings exquisite fashion to everything we touch. It's exciting and it gives our company the opportunity to give back in powerful ways."
Kathy's success in modeling happened fast. She was in an initial wave of glamour gals that found themselves constantly on magazine covers and flying all over the world on photo shoots. It's a world that's easy to get sucked into if you allow it. It's also a world that you can use as springboard to a whole new world of success if you leverage it like it tries to use you. "I never felt like a supermodel during my on camera fashion work in the last century. I was ok. The supermodels are Cindy (Crawford), Cheryl (Tiegs), Heidi (Klum) and Tyra (Banks), the first-name wonders. I worked for magazines and brands that were truly super. I was ok. I'm grateful for the education in fashion and business that gave to me. I always fell more comfortable behind the camera, instead of in front of it," she explains to Jetset.
Her comfort level has only increased in the boardroom. And the corner office. That's where the decisions are made at kathy ireland Worldwide, and she has a hand in all the big ones. "I am so hands-on that it drives some people crazy. Color palettes, fabrics, CAD renderings and everything else in our collections must begin with a theme or sketch that has entered my heart. I have to fall in love with a design before bringing a product to market. I work with an extraordinary creative director, Jon Carrasco. He's like a brother to me and we've been together now over 20 years. Jon is a genius!"
That's another true sign of a celebrity that gets it — someone that surrounds themselves with smart people. The ones that don't end up on a trash heap of bad publicity, bad investments and bad news. Which leads us to another element of Kathy's incredible success. She thoroughly knows her limitations. Even though she was in dozens of successful films and television shows during her modeling days, she never considered herself an actress.
Despite being a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition legend, she doesn't have a single framed copy hanging on any of her walls. Her satisfaction doesn't come from people who recognize her and want an autograph. It comes from people who stop her asking for help. "People will stop me in the airport and say, 'I just purchased this item, what would complement it?' People want information from me . . . not autographs. I have the toughest boss in the world — women and their families who require design solutions for everything from weddings to home to jewels and more than 15,000 products that our company is responsible for."
Kathy's life is as busy and marvelously chaotic as you would imagine it would be for a wife and mother of three who runs a multi-billion dollar company. "There is no such thing as a 'typical' month for me. There are weeks that I live on airplanes. Flying to a meeting, working with retailers, supervising a photo shoot. Flying home to spend time with my husband and our children. I'll fly back to California from the East Coast just to spend a single night in our bed and then one of our team members will pick me up and we're up up and away again.

My life is many things . . . typical and predictable are not in the lexicon of our lives right now. Maybe, when I get much older there will be some time to slow it down a bit . . . but, I'm not sure I want to ever slow down. I want to be surfing and flying with my husband, our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren when I'm one hundred and ten years old. That's an honest goal," she explains to Jetset.
We also asked Kathy how much of her time in the air is spent on private planes. "I don't remember ever flying private as a model . . . there were a few times as an actor, but flying private did not happen with any regularity until our children were born and scheduling made it a luxurious way to save precious time. People are shocked to learn that I always want the most efficient and appropriate way to get from point A to point Z. It depends on where I'm going and where we have to be next. Sometimes our company has to charter and people are shocked to learn that sometimes we fly coach. If there is a seat on a flight that I need, I don't worry about where it is. I'm grateful for safe travels and soft landings. That being said, private jets offer the epitome of luxury and freedom."

The epitome of grace, beauty and business sense should have it no other way. With a future as bright and limitless as her hall of fame past has already been, it's going to be fun being a witness to what's coming next in the glamorous and grounded world of a bona fide American superstar and role model supermodel. "There are so many wonderful plans for our company today.
Our luxury estates in Palm Springs, Hawaii, Santa Barbara and the Hollywood Hills are becoming known around the world as sites for vacations and destination weddings. Conde Nast selected one of our properties as one of the top ten villas in the world. Famous people turn to us for so much advice.
Family business owners seek ways to move forward. The dream and the goal are to build a company that incorporates fashion, real estate, investment, publishing, media, entertainment, and financial services, and, one day, perhaps even a private airline. Since I painted that first rock at the age of four, I've always had big dreams. I realized that a dream without a plan and a timetable is a dilution. Imagination without implementation is a hallucination. kathy ireland Worldwide is not about me. It's about the people that we serve. Obviously we have a very long road to travel. With our amazing team, I feel we're just getting started."

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The House of Eres Paris

The House of Eres Paris
The Bedroom and The Beach

Slavica Monczka

The House of Eres Paris always has two of the best destinations in mind when designing: the bedroom and the beach. One, a destination for dreams, the other a dream destination. Authentic and original, Eres is a brand synonymous with luxury swimwear and lingerie. Why and what is it that sets them apart, you ask? "The woman is the center of our attention," answers Valérie Delafosse, artistic director at Eres since 2007. "Confidence is key and I design each piece with that in mind." The focus of the House, or "Eres aesthetic," has always been this confidence, and Delafosse shared with me why, wherever my destination is, Eres should be my confidant.

The House of Eres Paris Slavica Monczka

"I believe that people lose sight of how important fit is, and focus on what they think will look 'sexy,'" Delafosse explains when asked about the minimalistic embellishments of Eres swimwear. This is not a critique. It is a compliment when compared to others overly ornamented with hardware and print, skimping on the fabric (quantity and quality). Sometimes I am not sure if the design is supposed to draw attention to me, or divert it. "We do not follow trends," Delafosse admits, "Pattern and embellishment will not make a woman feel sexy. It's the fit and confidence she carries when she puts on the pieces that make her feel sexy."

Slavica Monczka

It was very appropriate and an innovative concept when Eres began offering swimwear year round to cater to the jet setting clientele of Paris from its inception in 1968. Their style has consistently been subdued elegance with the upmost quality. "Eres suits are always described as clean and modern. My standards are to design pieces that combine luxury with understated sophistication."
The inspiration for the stunning 2012 swim collection "was Egypt, Syria and Morocco," which Delafosse clarifies are reflected in the colors and design in the Babylon, Sultan and Hammam swim suits. I'm in love with the color combos in the Bazaar line, the button details on the Sultanes, and spearhead-like peepholes seen throughout the Perseé. Their exclusivity is also partially due to their fabric. Delafosse justifies, "The fabrics Eres uses in their swimwear and lingerie are special patented fabrics that only Eres uses."
As for feminine foundations, the House stays true to itself with attention to quality, design and the feminine form. "The Galatée collection from the Spring/Summer 2012 is my favorite," says Delafosse. "The colors are bright and bold while the lace trims are delicate and feminine." It's interesting how the designer has to design one line of garments that will not be seen by (almost) anyone but you (God forbid), and another line intended to be viewed by all (God help us). "Our pieces are designed to give the best fit possible, designed for a woman's body and shape," reassures the designer. Personally, my favorite is the lovely Ondée in the Venin color.

Slavica Monczka

Comfort is still an important element for Eres lingerie. Comfortable lingerie? This may conjure up unfavorable mental images: visions of your mom in a fat terry robe. But wrong you are, and let me erase that thought for you. Think sexy, soft, sheer and elegant. Now, that's better.
New this year to the company is nail lacquer to compliment the bold colors in the swim collection. In addition, "We are working on extending our product line and to expand the Eres lifestyle." Keep an eye out for more Eres boutiques popping up all over the world. "We opened our first store in Toronto, Canada," Delafosse states. Locations in Moscow and San Francisco are also in the works.

"I think being comfortable and sexy are one in the same. You can't feel sexy if you don't feel comfortable."
–Valérie Delafosse

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Clive Christian | World's Most Expensive Perfume

Clive Christian
The World's Most Expensive Perfume
'C' The New Perfume Creation From Clive Christian
www.clive.com

Clive Christian
The World's Most Expensive Perfume

Celebrating ten years at the top of the luxury perfume industry, British Luxury Designer Clive Christian is delighted to release a new perfume creation from his private collection. Long anticipated by perfume aficionados around the world, 'C', the sensual and seductive complementing perfumes for a man and for a woman, celebrate the first new perfume release by Clive Christian in ten years.

Clive Christian
The World's Most Expensive Perfume

 Responsible for reviving the luxury perfume industry with the release of No.1 in 1999, the World's Most Expensive Perfume, Clive has carefully deliberated and selected the finest ingredients for pure perfume creation 'C', and is now ready to share these perfumes, favorites from his personal collection, with loyal clients and perfume devotees around the world.
Dominant and seductive 'C' for Men, and voluptuous and flirty 'C' for Women, embrace the charming character of the Clive Christian Perfume definitive collection of 1872, X and No.1. Ensuring subtlety and longevity on the skin, 'C', like all Clive Christian perfumes, is perfume concentration. Presented in a beautiful amber bottle, 'C' pays tribute to the origins of the Crown Perfumery, where all perfumes created under Queen Victoria's royal crown in the late 1800's were colored amber or green.

Clive Christian
The World's Most Expensive Perfume

 'C' FOR WOMEN Embracing the Clive Christian Perfume House accord of Rose and Jasmine Absolute, and pushing it to crescendo in union with Violet and Tuberose, 'C' reveals a sensual perfume for women brimming with voluptuousness and dangerous pleasure. Violet, the 'flower of modesty', lies at the heart, exhaling a sweet, flirty scent, as the iodine present in violet flowers turns off the ability for humans to smell the scent for moments at a time.
As a symbol of ceaseless romantic devotion, Napoleon sent violet bouquets to Josephine Bonaparte on each anniversary and after her death kept violets and a lock of her hair in a locket which he wore to the end of his life, symbolizing his undying love. Tuberose, signifying dangerous pleasure and voluptuousness in the Victorian language, brings a sensual and heady fragrance to the heart of the perfume, and requiring 3600 pounds of blossoms to produce one pound of the absolute, tuberose oil is one of the most expensive and luxurious perfume ingredients in the world.
'C' FOR MEN 'C' for Men maintains the complex character of the Clive Christian Perfume House, and enhances it with reassured Saffron spice and rare Snow Lotus, bringing a dominant spirit and seductive strength throughout the perfume. Saffron, at the heart, is the most expensive spice in the world and worth its weight in gold. Historically held in the highest regard as a seductive essence by Henry 8th, it takes up to 250,000 saffron crocus flowers to create one pound of this seductive spice.
Extremely rare Snow Lotus, a known aphrodisiac that lies in 'C' for Men, displays strength through adversity by growing only in the rocky mountains and glaciers near the snowline in Western China. With a legendary ability to prolong life, the inhabitants of Xinjiang, where Snow Lotus grows, have some of the longest lifespans in China and the province is home to about four thousand centenarians, attributed to drinking a tea made from this charming, powerful ingredient.

Clive Christian
World's Most Expensive Perfume

'C' Perfume, 50ml, costs $375.00 and is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue stores.
Traveller Sets By Clive ChristianCreators of the World's Most Expensive PerfumeIn 1872, Queen Victoria granted the use of the royal crown to a celebrated British perfume house as a mark of its quality and excellence. That perfume house, the Crown Perfumery, was acquired 125 years later by Clive Christian. Inspired by its history and tradition, Clive created a set of perfumes that embrace both tradition and modernity. Now available in a trio of travel friendly 10mL bottles, you can make sure that you always have your favorite Clive Christian perfume with you on your journey – wherever it may take you.
Unconventional and unusual, the exotic 'X' Perfumes were created with some of the most powerful aphrodisiacs known to mankind. 'X' for Women is soft and sensual with a core of Egyptian jasmine. Cleopatra soaked the sails of her ship in Egyptian jasmine to capture Antony's heart; legend has it that he fell in love with her as the aroma reached him on the winds, without ever having seen her. 'X' for Men centers on the root of the Iris flower - Orris. In ancient times, it was placed on the scepters of kings and used to permeate their throne rooms.
Inspired by the rich history and high quality of the original perfumery, Clive Christian set out to create a perfume with no reference to the cost. No. 1 simply contains some of the most rare and precious ingredients in the world. Due to the highest quality and concentration possible, this perfume can only be produced in very small quantities: only 1000 bottles of 'No.1' for Men and 1000 bottles of 'No.1' for Women are released to the world each year.
Fresh and enchanting, '1872' Perfumes were created to honor the year that Queen Victoria granted the use of her crown to the Crown Perfumery. At the heart of '1872' for Women is Rose De Mai, which is so rare that it blooms for just three weeks each year, and 170 rose heads are required for every single drop. Throughout '1872' for Men is Clary Sage - considered a sacred herb by the Roman Empire and prized for its invigorating and energizing properties. Emperor Nero dispersed drops through his troops to focus their minds before they rode into battle.
Clive Christian Traveler Sets are available for $310 at Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores nationwide, as well as:
www.bergdorfgoodman.com
www.saksfifthavenue.com
www.neimanmarcus.com and
www.clive.com

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