Joe Zee’s Fashion Media Awards Recap
Last year, for the first annual Fashion Media Awards from The Daily Front Row, I was honored as the Creative Director of the Year. This year, I got a promotion: I got to cohost the festivities with model Gigi Hadid, and there were plenty of fun surprises. Here’s how it went down:
3:20 pm Rushing to rehearsal from Bloomingdale’s, where I just filmed a segment for Nightline. I’m in an Uber, wearing a suit, and carrying a plastic bag full of paperwork, plus a laptop. Stomach is starting to growl. Rehearsal started at 3. Whoops.
3:50 pm Arrived. No one seemed to miss me, so they didn’t notice I was late. But why didn’t they miss me?
4:00 pm Onstage reading the script for the first time. Feeling good, but then I think about how every fashion A-lister will be in the room from Tom Ford and Carine Roitfeld to André Leon Talley and Marc Jacobs. And KENDALL JENNER!!! (Fan girl moment!)
4:20 pm Rehearsal wrapped. I’m still starving.
5:00 pm Setting up at “Joe’s Cocktail Corner,” where I will be doing interviews with some of the honorees and guests tonight over drinks. Preferred cocktail: tequila on the rocks with lime.
5:15 pm Do the red carpet quickly and give a few quick interviews. Many ask me about the passing of Joan Rivers (I’m still sad), but one person wanted to know if I would ever consider plastic surgery. (Maybe one day?)
5:40 pm Ready to go in my cocktail corner with tequila in hand. First victim: Graydon Carter, Editor in Chief of Vanity Fair. He is being honored for “Best September Issue of the Year” and he gave all the credit to his style department. I asked him if there was anyone he’s ever wanted on his cover that he hasn’t had yet and he said no, he’s had them all. But there are some repeats that he would love and we toast to that!
5:55 pm Stefano Tonchi, W’s Editor in Chief, honored for Magazine of the Year, swings by and he tells me about the first time he met his presenter, Claire Danes (it was when he was the The New York Times). He also gives me a very poignant quote from Joan Rivers, where she gave her final interview to W for their October issue.
6:05 pm Took a quick break to say hello to photographers Inez and Vinoodh and their son, Charles Star (who’s a personal celeb to me from their Instagram account). We talk about dog trainers and I get a great recommendation from them.
6:10 pm Tom Ford is escorted to “Joe’s Cocktail Corner” looking as sharp as ever (and he smells real nice too). First question: “Has he ever seen Carine just lounging around in sweatpants and flats? He says, “yes,” but guess where? (Hint: watch the video above to find out!)
6:15 pm It’s Carine’s turn to speak to me now, and she’s with one of her muses and my cohost for the evening, model Gigi Hadid. She calls Gigi “her Marilyn,” and I ask her about those sweatpants and flats. She says, “yes, Tom is right. He has seen it all.” What else has he seen I wonder? Hmm.
6:18 pm Quick chat with Dakota Fanning; I styled her when she was 12. Does she remember what I dressed her in? (Answer: A Chanel couture dress that I had to cut in half!) I ask her if she still has it.
6:22 pm Show starts in 10 minutes, but still waiting for Kate Upton, Naomi Campbell, Laverne Cox, Christy Turlington, and Claire Danes to pass by. I hear they’re on the red carpet so I’m waiting.
6:25 pm Kate Upton whizzes by. No interviews for her but she’s off for a drink. Smart girl.
6:28 pm They’re telling me to get inside because the show is starting. I’m eager for my last few interviews. I’m waiting and thinking, how fast can I talk and sprint?
6:29 pm Grab Christy Turlington as she’s rushing in and we chat like old friends. She one of my favorite original supermodels. We reminisce about the times that we’ve worked together and discuss her organization, Every Mother Counts. She dashes in.
6:35 pm I hear over the loudspeaker that the show is starting and they are REALLY coming to grab me now. I rush in, sad about not getting Naomi or Laverne. Next year?
6:40 pm The Fashion Media Awards officially starts!
6:45 pm Gigi and I take the stage and introduce the first presenter, the legend André Leon Talley.
6:46-7:45 pm The talented honorees and charismatic presenters take the stage, revealing fun and inspiring stories. Highlights include: Tom Ford admitting that he flew in for two hours just for Carine; Naomi in her vintage Alaia and new short ’do; Kendall Jenner saying how she was very nervous the first time she went to meet stylist Katie Grand during the casting of the Marc Jacobs show.
7:50 pm Show wraps. Gigi and I say good night and she takes the ultimate selfie with the crowd (check our Instagram accounts). We even got Claire involved in the pic.
7:55 pm Grab a post-show interview with Laverne Cox. I wanted to interview Naomi with Laverne, but alas. So I make Laverne reenact that now-famous GIF of her dancing to Beyonc é at the VMA’s. We single-lady-it together for a minute. She tells me she’s back to jail in a few days, but first fashion shows. Priorities people!
8:02 pm Naomi arrives! An old friend, we reunite for my last interview in “Joe’s Cocktail Corner.” We laugh about her now-famous quips, and the new projects that she has in the pipeline. She tells me that she’s getting ready to make a big announcement about another TV project and we will know all the details next week. And what about The Face? It’s literally going to a dozen countries! Lucky them! I tell her I’m going to text her this week. She’s off and I’m wrapped. Still starving!
8:05 pm Rushing to dinner and then the Harper’s Bazaar party where Lady Gaga is performing. Happy Fashion Week folks.
*Special thanks to Paul Turquette, President & Publisher at The Daily Front Row Inc., and Brandusa Niro, Editor in Chief, for having Gigi and I host this year!
