Addendum
I attended the last show by SImone at the OnRez Island and distributed this note and stood by the runway. I said nothing. I was waiting for the show to end to speak to her. Suddenly I was unceremoniously ejected and banned from the sim.
[19:02] You are no longer allowed here and have been ejected.
[19:02] Simone Stern: be a bitch on your own dime toots. I dont come to your job and tell you when the fries are done, do I?
[19:03] Simone Stern: You have been ejected from 'Simone Design Group' by Simone Stern.
[19:04] Mairead Fitzgerald: lol afraid?
[19:04] Simone Stern: No, just not going to deal with your childishness.
[19:05] Mairead Fitzgerald: pay up simone
[19:05] Mairead Fitzgerald: if ya got a copy of my notecard it is going to everyone
[19:05] Simone Stern: Fuck you, laze as. If you'd kept your end of the deal, the geroup would still stand.
[19:05] Simone Stern: *mute*
My end of the deal. Hmmm... model? I did that. Come up with events? I did that. Attend events? I did that? DO graphic work? I did that. Donate web space for Virtual Angels? I did that. Teach modeling classes for SImone's models? I did that.
Did I recieve anything for the past 6 weeks of doing that? No.
Did any of us? No.
[19:15] Simone Stern: Ignore MAiread. She's mad she got fired for doing nothing, and now wants to try to rip at me through the charity.
[19:15] Simone Stern: Just ignore it.
[19:15] Mairead Fitzgerald: BS Simone
[19:15] Brace Coral: wow thats pretty low.
[19:15] Bradford Blanco: definitely
[19:15] Avalon Birke: {{{Simone}}}
[19:15] Bradford Blanco: how childish
[19:15] Mairead Fitzgerald: I was always at the ready for you so were lots of ladies. But you want something for nothing
[19:15] Beverly Montgomery: :( what happened
[19:16] Mairead Fitzgerald: read the blog
[19:16] Mairead Fitzgerald: ask the models
[19:16] Bradford Blanco: {{{ Simone }}}
[19:16] Simone Stern: People asked me to fire her months ago, but I stuck up for her, and now she's taking this all out on me. *shrug* Guess that's what happens when you're in the kead.
[19:16] Mairead Fitzgerald: fire me? must be why my pic is all over your store Simone
[19:17] Haroldthe Burrel: Whatever went on is between you and Simone. The charity group is NOT the place for this
[19:17] Mairead Fitzgerald: http://morefrommairead.blogspot.com/
[19:18] Simone Stern: Yep. SOme peoples' kids.
[19:18] Mairead Fitzgerald: it's on the blog
[19:18] Simone Stern: SHe was at the modeling show a moment ago spamming people here with her little grief cards. Not once did she ever try talking to me about it. Ya think she's got an agenda? :O)
[19:19] Simone Stern: I muted her :) Cant hear a thing :D
[19:19] Simone Stern: AR her too. :)
Of course I have an agenda. The entire modeling staff of Simone! Design has an agenda. I just happen to have, as Simone once told me, a thicker skin than most, and don't tremble at the sound of pixel drop from Simone's mouse. My agenda is being used as slave labor, being unpaid and not given more than a blink of an eye's notice of the disolution of the modeling group.
It wasn't just me let go, it was everyone. All the models who pu tin months of hard work, some harder than others, we know who they are. And none of them being paid their due.
SHAME ON YOU SIMONE!
And she just can't stop ---
[19:26] Simone Stern: Sad sad little persom who gtiefs a charity group that is set up to help sick people, over a pixel job she wouldnt even work at. :) Sorry, all.
[19:27] Simone Stern: and they wonder why I canned the group? =/
[19:28] Simone Stern: it wasn't. whatever she said, it was directed at defaming my character.
[19:30] Simone Stern: Well if she was about problem solving, it never woud have come to me ending the group?
[19:30] Simone Stern: Instead I found myself chasing down full grown women to accomplish tasks. *shrug*
[19:30] Simone Stern: SO I quit chasing.
Odd. I just talked to Simone not 48 hours before and she raved about my idea for a show and asked me to pass it along to Calamity.
[19:30] Bradford Blanco: Simone, your reputation speaks for itself, the only person who came off looking bad was her, imho
[19:30] Simone Stern: Instead I found myself chasing down full grown women to accomplish tasks. *shrug*
[19:30] Simone Stern: SO I quit chasing.
[19:31] Simone Stern: Now a few of them have the audacity to be pissed off. :)
[19:31] Bradford Blanco: LoL
[19:32] Simone Stern: Granted, some of them worked their ASSES off, but in the end, even they couldnt pick all of the work up and do it. So, it was just time to end.
[19:34] Bradford Blanco: well, i dont really know, so i cant speak to it, but calling you a b**** in a group forum, YOUR group forum is inapropos to say the least, again, imho
[19:42] Simone Stern: *shrug* Well, I called her a laze ass, so I guess we're even.
[19:43] Simone Stern: Sides, I am a bitch. Ask Harold.
I never swore at Simone. OK I said "BS Simone". But never called her a bitch. Shoulda. Coulda. But I pride myself on now having to use profanity as a rule to get my point across.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Starting Off With A Rant
Yesterday, Simone Stern, one of the more notable clothing designers in SecondLife, dissolved the "Super Role Models" group, unceremoniously and without any prior inklings of this being in the works, stating she "no longer had the time to devote to this project".
A little background, for those not in the loop...
Last May of this year a modeling competition was formed by a triad of three of Secondlife's fashion divas. This included the design houses of Simone! Design, Calico Creations and silentsparrow. Thirty models were to be selected as finalists and the rewards were
1) Modeling for a year for the designers
2) All new creations from the three designers be given to the 30 finalists for the next year.
3) 12 of the finalists were to be featured in a hard copy fashion calendar, one per month of the year.
The competition lasted a month and involved over 200 models. The first round was a face to face with the designers and their assistants, with a short interview. Those selected moved to Round two, another face to face with more in depth questions asked by each of the designers. Round three was a mystery round. The official presentation stated we would be asked to perform something.
Round three is where the real chaos began.
As this was a modeling competition most of us "ass"umed it would be an ability to modify our shapes on demand, demonstrate our ability to perform a quick change, something along those lines. We all waited, wondering what we would be asked to do. When at last the time came, the ones remaining in round three were gathered and told they were to form groups of 5 and that each group was responsible for developing and holding an event representing either one or all three designers.
The FIRST question on everyones mind involved in this was how were we being judged in this round? As a group instead of individually? Groups formed, fell apart, some participants barely participated, in fact I know of one who never did a thing, was removed from a group, but was still a "winner". Go figure. Of course, the fact that she was a noted "fashion blogger" is probably what kept her ass from being dumped.
For a month the groups planned then ran their events, all of us of course attending each others functions, some dazzling, some too complicated for words, some boring, it ran the gamut. But, in all we brought our friends and promoted the designers grid wide, seeking out the SecondLife paparazzi to cover these venues.
Then at last at the end of June we were told the designers were gathering and making their decisions, we waited.
An announcement came to the group that the decisions were made. To watch our group tags to see if were in that top 30. Low and behold, yours truly was graced with the "Super Role Model" tag. As time went by we soon discovered we ALL were given the tag, no one was eliminated. 62 models.
More confusion ensued, the Simone Stern announced that we were all so lovely and capable she could not make a decision to eliminate any of us. She said she knew that there were a lot of us and assured us that she would keep us all working.
Working. The KEY word here. Remember it.
Classes were formed to teach shape modification for photo shoot and catwalk modeling as well as catwalk classes. Classes were referred to as "boot camps".
Photo shoots began as well as preparing for the first catwalk show. All was right with the world of the Super Role Models.
Then one day an annoucement comes forth, that teams are being organized. These were an assortment of marketing teams which included art, media, web (blog/site), Virtual Angels (Simone Stern's developed charity), coordinators of the models, events, etc. We were once again told to group, apply to TWO of the above assortment of groups. Once done, we were asked to develop "in store" events for the designers.
The nightmare begins. Within two weeks the groups were dropped and reformed. A number of the models who were team leaders became disgruntled and left the SRM group when they found their teams had been eliminated without so much as a word to them about this beforehand.
Fashion shows and events were being coordinated constantly. There would be as many as 10 events during any given week. And we were all EXPECTED to attend them all.
But all was not well in the land of smoke and mirrors. One day an annoucements lands that the houses of Calico Creations and silentsparrow are no longer involved in the great modeling adventure. We were all taken aback by this announcement.
Simone Stern quickly announced it was business as usual but now we would only be concentrating on her line and that of her charity, Virtual Angels. She said she would make sure we were all kept *working* even if she had to farm us out to "lesser" designers. By the way, this did not happen, in fact, during one of her many tirades Simone informed us she did not want to see any of us walking the catwalk wearing another designers clothing or our pictures gracing any photo shoots of clothing that was not hers. Another note here, no where in the rules or guidelines for the competition did we agree to "exclusivity" to these designers.
We were also informed we were not allowed to wear the designs of Calico Creations and silentsparrow when particpating in any Simone Stern events or within her store.
Everyone wondered what was going to happen with perks - the new creations to be given to the models over the next year. I decided to approach Simone on the subject and she said yes, the other designers were obligated to fulfill their commitment to the finalists, but she could not control that. I asked if it was alright to speak to them about it and she was okay with that. So I approached both and both said they would of course fulfill their commitment to the models.
Calico Creations and silentsparrow organized a joint group for the models for easy distribution of the new releases as they came out and made good on their promise. I helped them get the models listed into the group and as a result I was removed from my role as modeling instructor by another Simone coordinator. Simone did not inform me of this herself. I thought, fine, that is 20 hours of gaming time I can once again use for "playing the game".
More focus began to be put on establishing regular weekly venues to be held within the confines of the Simone! Design store which ran the gamut from the game Deal or Dare to various dance venues such as "Under the Sea", Salasa Night, Furry dances, etc., etc. All designed to draw people to the store as well as the models. Driving up the traffic numbers for the store.
Unfortunately, the models were the only ones attending these events, for the most part. Occassionaly a shopper would straggle by and get caught up in the beckoning web of welcomes from the models and linger for awhile. Usually though, it was the models, grinding away on a dance ball. Over time, it ended up being roughly the same 5 or 6 models in attendance, the rest not bothering to attend or popping in for 2 minutes before "real life" called them away.
Simone had to turned us into unpaid campers. In fact worse, it was the time and effort put into each event PLUS the event itself for the models. Simone found camp chairs beneath the dignaity of her store, but obviously slave labor was okay. Warnings , threats and tantrums spewed forth from Simone on a regular basis, usually formulated in the wee hours of the morning, assaulting the group as they stumbled into the game bleary eyed in the morning. Everyone "hopping to" to at least give the appearance of being busy or some attempting to keep below the radar and never being seen.
One notable occurrance during this shake up time, a model approached her team and then Simone, informing each that she would be unavailable for the next couple of weeks because of RL family obligations related to business AND her distraction and worry over a friend recently diagnosed with cancer who was going into surgery.
Result, dropped from the group. After a few days of thinking about it, she approached Simone one night on the floor of the store, asking her why she would do such a thing. Simone, being true to form, called her a "Stupid TWAT", told her to "Shut the fuck up" and booted her from the sim, banned her from the sim, and removed her from the Virtual Angels group as well as her own group for announcing her designs.
Eventually the modeling calls ceased, the designs kept coming, we were not getting them from Simone anymore, but Calico Creations and silentsparrow were good to their word and distributing theirs to the group.
All activity ceased for 2 weeks as Simone held her quarterly super yard sale. People got to enjoy playing the game again during this time. After the sale, Simone issued warnings and threats about the group getting back into their activities or they would be booted.
Low and behold, suddenly the Virtual Angels group takes a hit, Simone demanding that more time be spent on this, so a bustle of activity begins planning an auction, and weekly dances, raking in some big Linden dollars for this "undeclared" charity. I offer free site hosting for the charity as well as assist on graphic design work for the events. All of us on the VA team are told we must EACH come up with THREE MAJOR events and ONE WEEKLY event and issued a notecard detailing everything we are responsible for from inception, holding, accounting, publicity and the way we are to report on it prior to and after the functions.
Six weeks has gone by, none of the new designs from Simone! Design have been distributed to the group even though the core group was still working on projects for her. In fact, the show before last that we did, we had to BUY the clothing we were assigned to wear for the runway. Simone as it turned out was unavailable that day due to an illness, but like troopers, we managed to pull off the show without more than a slight time delay. Eventually, we all got reimbursed for the items, but really... this is NOT how it works for ANY modeling service.
In all, the past 4 or so months involved with the Super Role Model group, has been a trying experience for all involved. Sure there were the good times when there were photo shoots and fashion shows. The things models DO and do well. But there was also the back biting, the rumors that ran rampant, the forced labor, the disorganized way things were handled 90% of the time, the nearly daily wee hour of the night rantings of Simone, the onus of ejection lingering over the heads of all.
I got involved with this because I wanted to model, to learn, to enhance my gaming experience. I warrant that if you ask any other of the group they will tell you pretty much the same thing.
Simone wanted people to promote her store 24/7 without regard for any other in game or real life activity these models might have. If that real life or gaming experience interfered with your time able to be spent on the promotion of Simone! Design or Virtual Angels, you were history.
Simone exploited 62 models.
Simone has not lived up to her commitment of the competition.
Simone kept 62 models from actively *working* in their field.
Simone turned her models into unpaid store campers.
Simone used the models for store promotion ideas, web work, writing, photography and more without payment.
Simone is raising $L to convert to real cash to open a real life design house and store, with the labor of all these unpaid models that she just threw "out of work".
At the beginning of the competition, those 200+ models BOUGHT clothing, usually 3 or more outfits each, for their participation in the competition since we were informed "off the cuff" by Simone, that anyone trying for one of the coveted spots had better not being wearing someone else's designs.
For 4+ months 62 models worked, some more than others, at promoting the store. For almost half of that they have seen no perks from Simone.
Read above, do the math.
I have left out a LOT of details, the friendships lost, the arguments with RL loved ones over time committed to these projects, the list goes on and on, but this was meant to be a book, merely an expose' on how a top designer managed to dupe the fashion world for self promotion.
Make of it what you will. Many are actually relieved it is finally over, others are dazed and confused, and even a few are still managing to remain loyal.
It's your game time. Enjoy it!
After this show, Model group is hereby disssolved. Calamity, Alex, those of you who have given so much, Talena, Jojo and Tsu, the others I am forgetting to mention here, thank you. However, this group cannot be sustained on the work of a few. I simply haven't the strength to keep begging, or to keep picking up after you when you decide (for example!) your virtual prostitution is more important than the role you play here, or you leave more work for me as a result of apathy.
A little background, for those not in the loop...
Last May of this year a modeling competition was formed by a triad of three of Secondlife's fashion divas. This included the design houses of Simone! Design, Calico Creations and silentsparrow. Thirty models were to be selected as finalists and the rewards were
1) Modeling for a year for the designers
2) All new creations from the three designers be given to the 30 finalists for the next year.
3) 12 of the finalists were to be featured in a hard copy fashion calendar, one per month of the year.
The competition lasted a month and involved over 200 models. The first round was a face to face with the designers and their assistants, with a short interview. Those selected moved to Round two, another face to face with more in depth questions asked by each of the designers. Round three was a mystery round. The official presentation stated we would be asked to perform something.
Round three is where the real chaos began.
As this was a modeling competition most of us "ass"umed it would be an ability to modify our shapes on demand, demonstrate our ability to perform a quick change, something along those lines. We all waited, wondering what we would be asked to do. When at last the time came, the ones remaining in round three were gathered and told they were to form groups of 5 and that each group was responsible for developing and holding an event representing either one or all three designers.
The FIRST question on everyones mind involved in this was how were we being judged in this round? As a group instead of individually? Groups formed, fell apart, some participants barely participated, in fact I know of one who never did a thing, was removed from a group, but was still a "winner". Go figure. Of course, the fact that she was a noted "fashion blogger" is probably what kept her ass from being dumped.
For a month the groups planned then ran their events, all of us of course attending each others functions, some dazzling, some too complicated for words, some boring, it ran the gamut. But, in all we brought our friends and promoted the designers grid wide, seeking out the SecondLife paparazzi to cover these venues.
Then at last at the end of June we were told the designers were gathering and making their decisions, we waited.
An announcement came to the group that the decisions were made. To watch our group tags to see if were in that top 30. Low and behold, yours truly was graced with the "Super Role Model" tag. As time went by we soon discovered we ALL were given the tag, no one was eliminated. 62 models.
More confusion ensued, the Simone Stern announced that we were all so lovely and capable she could not make a decision to eliminate any of us. She said she knew that there were a lot of us and assured us that she would keep us all working.
Working. The KEY word here. Remember it.
Classes were formed to teach shape modification for photo shoot and catwalk modeling as well as catwalk classes. Classes were referred to as "boot camps".
Photo shoots began as well as preparing for the first catwalk show. All was right with the world of the Super Role Models.
Then one day an annoucement comes forth, that teams are being organized. These were an assortment of marketing teams which included art, media, web (blog/site), Virtual Angels (Simone Stern's developed charity), coordinators of the models, events, etc. We were once again told to group, apply to TWO of the above assortment of groups. Once done, we were asked to develop "in store" events for the designers.
The nightmare begins. Within two weeks the groups were dropped and reformed. A number of the models who were team leaders became disgruntled and left the SRM group when they found their teams had been eliminated without so much as a word to them about this beforehand.
Fashion shows and events were being coordinated constantly. There would be as many as 10 events during any given week. And we were all EXPECTED to attend them all.
But all was not well in the land of smoke and mirrors. One day an annoucements lands that the houses of Calico Creations and silentsparrow are no longer involved in the great modeling adventure. We were all taken aback by this announcement.
Simone Stern quickly announced it was business as usual but now we would only be concentrating on her line and that of her charity, Virtual Angels. She said she would make sure we were all kept *working* even if she had to farm us out to "lesser" designers. By the way, this did not happen, in fact, during one of her many tirades Simone informed us she did not want to see any of us walking the catwalk wearing another designers clothing or our pictures gracing any photo shoots of clothing that was not hers. Another note here, no where in the rules or guidelines for the competition did we agree to "exclusivity" to these designers.
We were also informed we were not allowed to wear the designs of Calico Creations and silentsparrow when particpating in any Simone Stern events or within her store.
Everyone wondered what was going to happen with perks - the new creations to be given to the models over the next year. I decided to approach Simone on the subject and she said yes, the other designers were obligated to fulfill their commitment to the finalists, but she could not control that. I asked if it was alright to speak to them about it and she was okay with that. So I approached both and both said they would of course fulfill their commitment to the models.
Calico Creations and silentsparrow organized a joint group for the models for easy distribution of the new releases as they came out and made good on their promise. I helped them get the models listed into the group and as a result I was removed from my role as modeling instructor by another Simone coordinator. Simone did not inform me of this herself. I thought, fine, that is 20 hours of gaming time I can once again use for "playing the game".
More focus began to be put on establishing regular weekly venues to be held within the confines of the Simone! Design store which ran the gamut from the game Deal or Dare to various dance venues such as "Under the Sea", Salasa Night, Furry dances, etc., etc. All designed to draw people to the store as well as the models. Driving up the traffic numbers for the store.
Unfortunately, the models were the only ones attending these events, for the most part. Occassionaly a shopper would straggle by and get caught up in the beckoning web of welcomes from the models and linger for awhile. Usually though, it was the models, grinding away on a dance ball. Over time, it ended up being roughly the same 5 or 6 models in attendance, the rest not bothering to attend or popping in for 2 minutes before "real life" called them away.
Simone had to turned us into unpaid campers. In fact worse, it was the time and effort put into each event PLUS the event itself for the models. Simone found camp chairs beneath the dignaity of her store, but obviously slave labor was okay. Warnings , threats and tantrums spewed forth from Simone on a regular basis, usually formulated in the wee hours of the morning, assaulting the group as they stumbled into the game bleary eyed in the morning. Everyone "hopping to" to at least give the appearance of being busy or some attempting to keep below the radar and never being seen.
One notable occurrance during this shake up time, a model approached her team and then Simone, informing each that she would be unavailable for the next couple of weeks because of RL family obligations related to business AND her distraction and worry over a friend recently diagnosed with cancer who was going into surgery.
Result, dropped from the group. After a few days of thinking about it, she approached Simone one night on the floor of the store, asking her why she would do such a thing. Simone, being true to form, called her a "Stupid TWAT", told her to "Shut the fuck up" and booted her from the sim, banned her from the sim, and removed her from the Virtual Angels group as well as her own group for announcing her designs.
Eventually the modeling calls ceased, the designs kept coming, we were not getting them from Simone anymore, but Calico Creations and silentsparrow were good to their word and distributing theirs to the group.
All activity ceased for 2 weeks as Simone held her quarterly super yard sale. People got to enjoy playing the game again during this time. After the sale, Simone issued warnings and threats about the group getting back into their activities or they would be booted.
Low and behold, suddenly the Virtual Angels group takes a hit, Simone demanding that more time be spent on this, so a bustle of activity begins planning an auction, and weekly dances, raking in some big Linden dollars for this "undeclared" charity. I offer free site hosting for the charity as well as assist on graphic design work for the events. All of us on the VA team are told we must EACH come up with THREE MAJOR events and ONE WEEKLY event and issued a notecard detailing everything we are responsible for from inception, holding, accounting, publicity and the way we are to report on it prior to and after the functions.
Six weeks has gone by, none of the new designs from Simone! Design have been distributed to the group even though the core group was still working on projects for her. In fact, the show before last that we did, we had to BUY the clothing we were assigned to wear for the runway. Simone as it turned out was unavailable that day due to an illness, but like troopers, we managed to pull off the show without more than a slight time delay. Eventually, we all got reimbursed for the items, but really... this is NOT how it works for ANY modeling service.
In all, the past 4 or so months involved with the Super Role Model group, has been a trying experience for all involved. Sure there were the good times when there were photo shoots and fashion shows. The things models DO and do well. But there was also the back biting, the rumors that ran rampant, the forced labor, the disorganized way things were handled 90% of the time, the nearly daily wee hour of the night rantings of Simone, the onus of ejection lingering over the heads of all.
I got involved with this because I wanted to model, to learn, to enhance my gaming experience. I warrant that if you ask any other of the group they will tell you pretty much the same thing.
Simone wanted people to promote her store 24/7 without regard for any other in game or real life activity these models might have. If that real life or gaming experience interfered with your time able to be spent on the promotion of Simone! Design or Virtual Angels, you were history.
Simone exploited 62 models.
Simone has not lived up to her commitment of the competition.
Simone kept 62 models from actively *working* in their field.
Simone turned her models into unpaid store campers.
Simone used the models for store promotion ideas, web work, writing, photography and more without payment.
Simone is raising $L to convert to real cash to open a real life design house and store, with the labor of all these unpaid models that she just threw "out of work".
At the beginning of the competition, those 200+ models BOUGHT clothing, usually 3 or more outfits each, for their participation in the competition since we were informed "off the cuff" by Simone, that anyone trying for one of the coveted spots had better not being wearing someone else's designs.
For 4+ months 62 models worked, some more than others, at promoting the store. For almost half of that they have seen no perks from Simone.
Read above, do the math.
I have left out a LOT of details, the friendships lost, the arguments with RL loved ones over time committed to these projects, the list goes on and on, but this was meant to be a book, merely an expose' on how a top designer managed to dupe the fashion world for self promotion.
Make of it what you will. Many are actually relieved it is finally over, others are dazed and confused, and even a few are still managing to remain loyal.
It's your game time. Enjoy it!
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