Women’s Wear Daily Turns 100: Designers for WWD@100 project

Readers, do you ever check out the bible of the fashion industry? It’s called Women’s Wear Daily.   When you open the cover, you expect to hearing a voice crying out, ” A reading from the book of fashion.  And it came to pass that in 1943, God  whispered to  Eleanor Lambert  that she needed to go forth and create New York Fashion Week.” Way, way before Twitter and the Blogs, the fashion feet on the street, and the voice heard around the world was Women’s Wear Daily. WWD’s reporters were assigned to the back row of couture shows just like some of the Bloggers are today. Except the Bloggers get what they call “standing tickets.”  Same as sitting in the back row used to be in my opinion.

So, the venerable WWD is turning 100 years old.  I think they are aging like fine wine.  I’ve been following their Tweets from New York Fashion Week all week.  They really have the birdeyes view of the runway proceedings. So how should we celebrate this landmark birthday.  By shopping! 🙂 Of course.

Gilt Groupe and WWD, (Women’s Wear Daily and WWD.com ) the media of record for the fashion and retail industries, have joined forces to present the Designers for WWD@100 project, which includes a sale of limited-edition pieces by 11 designers who have re-imagined iconic looks from the last century of fashion to celebrate WWD’s 100th anniversary.

“The elements of this program – collaboration with talented designers, partnership with a pioneer in online retailing, and use of social media to reward our most influential ambassador – demonstrate the incredible vitality of WWD’s 100-year-old brand,” said Melissa Brecher, Associate Publisher, Marketing for the Fairchild Fashion Group. “We hope this partnership builds on the authority WWD is known for and expands our relationships with the design and retail communities as an innovator.”

The Designers for WWD@100 sale will offer these limited-edition apparel and accessory pieces for purchase exclusively on Gilt.com from September 15 – 17, 2010 (sales starts tomorrow at 12pm EST).  If you are not already a member of Gilt, please join using my invitation to check out this shopping event.

The selected designers are:
ADAM, ALEXANDRE BIRMAN, DANA LORENZ FOR FENTON/FALLON, DOO.RI, JASON WU, KIMBERLY OVITZ, LYN DEVON, MARCHESA, PRABAL GURUNG, PROENZA SCHOULER and THAKOON.

Be sure to click on each image during the sale to see the designer’s original sketches. But wait….there is more than shopping.  There is a contest.  You know how I love me some FREE!  In addition to the sale, WWD and Gilt Groupe will award their most influential ambassador with a shopping spree. Participants will be encouraged to use social media to spread the word about the project. The person who generates the most awareness by rallying entries on WWDGiltPromo.com  will win $1,000 credit on Gilt.com .  Guess who already entered? 🙂 Your favorite blogger, The Recessionista!