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22 September 2007

Charming Blogs: The Dream


So, I think I've waited long enough! Why has no one else blogged on the fabulousness of Chanel hosting over a dozen bloggers in Paris?? The only place I've seen this discussed is on the blogs of the lucky chosen ones. How much would an all expenses paid trip to Paris, hosted by Chanel ROCK! I know you've all read about it because any self respecting fashion blog addict reads Style Bubble with the same level of reverence with which he/she reads Vogue! Every magazine editor envies Anna's circulation and every fashion blogger wants thousands of hits a day like Susie Bubble.

I think this junket, taken with the increased access bloggers have been receiving to fashion week (Article found through Wendy B), shows that retailers are increasingly recognizing the power of the blogger. This raises a bit of a moral dilemma. Where does one draw the line for free stuff? Do you feel it is important to remain an impartial judge, with the journalistic integrity of a New York Times reporter? Or do you feel like you can maintaining your integrity while absorbing as much free stuff as humanly possible-like Andie in the Devil Wears Prada (well, does she actually maintain her integrity....hmmm)?

If Chanel came knocking you better believe I would pack my Mandarina Duck bags with my finest duds and say Bonjour Paris!! Sadly, I'm too unfocused and a bit more critical and sarcastic than the big guns, so it is probably not a decision I would ever have to make. Ultimately I see blogging as a fun hobby, something I'm not going to take too seriously. So, of course I'm going to take the freebies, but only with full disclosure...even if it is a hobby I still feel a duty to my readers!

Wondering what it takes to be noticed by the Chanel? Go checkout the chosen few:
  1. Fabsugar
  2. Blogdorf Goodman
  3. Cool Hunting
  4. Notcot
  5. Fashion Addict Diary
  6. The Clothes Project
  7. Fashion is Spinach
  8. Fashion Verbatim
  9. Cafe Mode
  10. Deedee Paris
  11. Blographic
  12. Eslux
  13. Stil in Berlin
  14. Style Bubble
I thought that this article written by Independant Fashion blogger and mentioned by Wendy B in the comments for this post was very relevant and deserved a direct link in the post (since you can't just click on links in comments). So, I'm adding it after the fact. Enjoy!

5 comments:

Ondo Lady said...

Aside from Susie Bubble's posting, I have come across a few mentions about Chanel's reach out to bloggers. I think it is great. As for freebies well as far as I am concerned bring em on. Journos have no qualms about pocketing freebies so who are we to turn our noses up at some freeness?

a. said...

I just read about this and was so jealous I had to stop reading. I swear, could it get any better than having Chanel read your blog and invite you to Paris??? I think not.

perfect bound said...

Agreed. it doesn't get much better than that. Although we're not on the invite list, how exciting is it that opportunities like this exist? One day it will be you!

WendyB said...

Good journalists DO have qualms about accepting freebies. And people's careers have most definitely been destroyed by a lapse in judgment in this matter. I realize there are publications where accepting valuable gifts is not a problem; I wouldn't call the people work there good journalists. Jennine from the Coveted did blog about this issue on her new blog at
http://ifbu.blogspot.com
/2007/09/schwag.html
Check it out!

Ondo Lady said...

I disagree totally, just because you recieve a freebie does not make you a bad journalist. However, if you were to write about how great the product is even if you didn't think it was good then that would be bad journalism. Being a good journalist is about being able to write in a factual way that presents both sides of the story.