DALLAS, Sep 4, 2010 / FW/ — During the Fall 2010 season, which also happened to be the final season at Bryant Park, AOL debuted as the host of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Press Lounge, which was officially called AOL Press Lounge for obvious reasons.
When it was announced that there was finally going to be a sponsor for the ever popular press lounge, journalists and photographers alike had high hopes that it would be so much better than past seasons.
It was better alright… at least we had chairs. But, that was the only difference. The press lounge was still TOO SMALL and could barely accommodate even a fraction of the journalists who were attending. Granted, space is at a premium at the Tents in Bryant Park but the final verdict among journalists and photographers – it was better than nothing.
I am unsure whether the powers that be at AOL had even made a research on how press lounges in London, Milan and Paris are during the season because if they did then they would have realized how inadequate the “press lounge” at the Tents was.
First, in London, Milan and Paris, there is actually a place to work! In Milan, there are TWO press loungers – one for photographers which is designed like a bull pen, with plenty of room to work and the journalist area which is designed like an office with cubicles, where you can write in peace.
In Paris, there are also two press lounges. One is the “gathering place” where people hang out, talk and visit in between shows. Coffee, juice and champagne are served.
The other one is a press lounge where there is ample place to work. Photographers and writers have their own spaces and you get a feeling when you are there that you are working for a publication.
With AOL returning as the press lounge sponsor, it promises “a full-service working media space in the center of the action, the AOL Press Lounge will provide a unique environment for press attendees covering Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.”
There is also going to be a live video blogging platform that will be available to attending press, enabling them to capture their real-time perspectives on the trends, craftsmanship and all the glamour of the week.
The editors of AOL’s StyleList.com will be covering Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in a number of exciting ways, including Backstage Beauty, Real time videos in the life of the people who make the event happen, Video interviews with designers and models in AOL/StyleList’s backstage studio and hosting Lifestream parties with fashion industry influencers.
These are all well and good, even sounds exciting. But at the end of the day, as a journalist, I just want a place wherein I can sit down and type out my report and file them while waiting for my next show.
[MARI DAVIS]
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