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Prominent fashion journalist #TeriAgins signing my copy of “Hijacking the Runway.” She also chose to answer my question during her talk! #geekingout #theendoffashion #92Y #wallstreetjournal

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by Adelle McElveen

This post originally appeared on fashionistalab.com, a fashion blog ran by MAFS student, Adelle McElveen. 

A few days ago I indulged in some fashion nerdery and went to a launch event of Teri Agins’ new book, Hijacking the Runway: How Celebrities Are Stealing the Spotlight from Fashion Designers. Teri Agins is an award-winning journalist who established theWall Street Journal‘s fashion coverage in 1989. Her first book is The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever. Here are some highlights:

• Fun fact: Teri Agins got her start as a freshman in high school, with a fashion column titled “Terri’s Tips for Fashion Flair”.
• On maintaing good relationships with her sources: “People will respect you and come back to you if you give them a chance to comment.”
• On the appeal of celebrity designers: “It’s not just a price thing, there’s an emotional connection. And it forces designers to be more responsive.”
• Her biggest surprise researching the book: “How everything is for sale, and even if the celebrity isn’t getting paid, somebody else in the food chain is!”

You can get her new book on Amazon. For those of you who are New Yorkers or planning a trip to New York – the next 92Y Fashion Icons talk is with Valentino!