Calvin Klein was funny, Donna Karan charming: Fern Mallis

New York: Fern Mallis is a familiar face at Fashion Weeks around the world, India included, and is now, a true legend in the business of fashion. But there’s more to her than just being a fashion visionary and front liner. Fern has taken Off Broadway by storm by joining the cast of the 2009 play Love, Loss and What I Wore, an intimate collection of stories written by Nora and Delia Ephron, based on the book by Ilene Beckerman and directed by Karen Carpenter.

The play featuring Mallis in the accomplished rotating cast opened on 13 January at the Westside Theatre in New York and goes on till 29 January. Mallis spoke to Rubina A Khan over Vanilla Macchiatos at the Nespresso on Madison Avenue, discussing her new roles as an actor and radio host on SiriusXM and Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis, which she hosts at New York City’s 92Y.

You are a New York icon in fashion, having started the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks in NY and subsequently, in India. How do you look back at the days then and today, in the fashion industry?

I look back with great pride. It’s quite special to be associated with something that became a “game changer”. Fashion weeks are now all over the world — all saw what we did in New York City. I know Paris, Milan and London were doing them already…but New York took on this initiative and brought corporate sponsors to assist in mounting the shows (which had never been done before in the fashion industry). Other cities saw what this was doing for the economy and that it was great PR for their cities, as well as for the careers of their local fashion designers. To know that I had something to do with this, and assisting the careers of so many talented designers in the USA, India and elsewhere makes me feel great!

You have started your own fashion consulting firm now. What kind of work do you do today?

I’ve consulted with a TV/Production company on an upcoming reality TV show, I am chairing and advising the “International Lifestyle Studio” on an upcoming designer collaboration with Scotland; I’m on the board of Tara Jewels in Mumbai - and am helping bring some interesting opportunities and collaborations to them. I’m also in discussions with several companies about their boards, and providing advice. In addition I host Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis a series of one-on-one interviews with major designers at New York City’s 92Y, I’ve already interviewed Norma Kamali, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan;  next up is Tommy Hilfiger, Tom Ford and Michael Kors; I host a monthly radio show on SiriusXM Fashion Insiders with Fern Mallis and I have of course this month made my broadway debut in Love, Loss and What I Wore, written by Delia and Nora Ephron.

How did you diversify into hosting your own radio show on SiriusXM to acting on Broadway in Love, Loss and What I Wore?

All of this has been very organic, and has basically come to me through relationships and friendships I have developed in my career. SiriusXM president Scott Greenstein has been after me for years to bring “Fashion” to radio, as they have a very upscale audience of listeners (42 million) and when he read that I was hosting the 92Y series he called me in and said “OK - lets make this happen now!” The producer and general manager of Love, Loss and What I Wore called me to suggest a fashion person they could add to the January cast, as the play has been running for over 2 years and has a revolving cast of extraordinary women (prior casts have included: Kristin Chenowith, Fran Drescher; Brooke Shields, Rita Wilson, Rosie O’Donnell, Doris Roberts, Rhea Perlman, Joanna Gleason and many many more). I was brainstorming with them and making suggestions, then I just blurted out…“What about me?”…I can’t believe I said it. The answer was “OMG - Would you even consider it?” and I said YES.

I came in (as everyone does- for a reading and the director said she was a big fan of mine. I read several stories in the play and now I’m in it with four great women, who have won Tony Awards, Emmy’s, Obies–real seasoned actresses! And I am having a ball! It’s a great experience, it is outside my “comfort zone” and everyone is loving it!

What is the role that you enact in Love, Loss and What I Wore and how much of it is you in terms of character definition, given its got fashion as a character?

The play consists of an intimate collection of stories, and uses clothes as a metaphor for all the important things that happen in our lives- our losses and our loves. Each of us read several different characters.

The format of the play is five women on the stage, sitting in high chairs with a music stand in front of us, and a script in a loose-leaf binder. At stage right is an actress who throughout plays “Gingy” based on Ilene Beckerman who wrote the book. She has a rolling rack next to her with some very cheerful sketches of clothes attached to hangers. The character explains her life and family through the clothes that marked each of these passages. The other four of us, then interact with one another on various sayings that everyone’s mother has said to them at some point in their life…like “WHY ARE YOU WEARING THAT?” “STAND UP STRAIGHT” " COMB YOUR HAIR", and things we all say In the dressing room: “ARE THESE MIRRORS DISTORTED?” and so on. Then we  read different passages that are all true stories about how certain items of clothes, shoes, jewelry etc played a part in some important stages of a woman’s life.

Cont_inues on the next page_

The Calvin Klein show was a big hit. He has not given an interview for over a decade and did it especially for you. How do you feel?

I was thrilled with the Calvin Klein interview. He was great, very honest and forthcoming, and wanted to talk about the global brand that he created and was at the helm of for 40 years. My first question to him was “Why are you here talking to me?” and he replied “because you asked me. I’m doing it for you”…which made me very happy. He was funny, smart, and as far as I’m concerned is one of the best known designer name brands in the world, and has been for all almost all of those 40 + years. We had a great time talking about his marketing, ads, models, graphics, collections, and his personal life. The audience love it, and it got unbelievable press and pick up all over the world.

Who are the next big icons you are interviewing at the Y after Donna Karan?

Donna actually called Calvin from her car on the way to my interview and said “Alright, What is this all about?” and he replied " Oh it’s really amazing, you’re going to love it"

The Donna interview was also funny,  very personal, and truly gave the audience an inside view of what makes Donna tick, her passions, her love, her losses, her creativity, and her great sense of style. She was candid and honest and very amusing. She believes in dressing the woman on the inside as well as the outside and she’s all about re-building Haiti. We talked about her friendships with Barbara Streisand and President Bill Clinton and dressing him for his inauguration. My next designers are, Tommy Hilfiger (March 8th), Tom Ford (May 8th) and Michael Kors (June 6th).

Do you plan to make this a television series with all the big names that are in the pipeline?

It’s being discussed.

What do you make of the fashion scene in India right now? Where is it headed?

I’m sorry I haven’t been to Fashion Week in Mumbai in well over a year now and its been too many years since I’ve been to Delhi’s Fashion Week.  But I’ve always been a huge fan of the fashion scene in India-at least the one designed by the Indian designers. I always fear for this scene as the International Brands make more and more headway in India. Now with the new laws in India allowing foreign ownership the landscape will change pretty quickly…and I hope the home grown talent doesn’t get completely eclipsed. I also wish they really wanted to be players on the International scene and were really willing to do the hard work it takes to be part of the world scene, because there is talent in India. Not everyone can translate and be successful in the International fashion arena but many are doing the clothes that would be relevant and saleable!!!

India to you is?

A very special place, with many friends and special times, and is an important part of my life. I’ve loved every minute of the almost 30 trips I’ve made over the past 11 years and have witnessed many of the changes which are transforming the country.

And New York to you is?

Home, and it’s the most extraordinary city in the world. It is the headquarters for so many types of business…from finance to food, culture to commerce, broadway to banking, fashion and art, publishing and tech, design and architecture…and in each case - the people who work here are “At the top of their game”. This makes for a very competitive, but compelling and exciting city to live and work in.

What do you reckon are the key similarities between Bombay and New York?

There is a creative similarity between the cities…perhaps not in as many categories as above. We both are on waters edge, although I have to say Bombay takes better advantage of it. Traffic is horrible in both - maybe worse in Bombay. Both are late night cities…but we still wake up earlier in New York, and yes, both cities have lots of billionaires.