posted by Carmen

Was it déjà vu or was I walking onto the set of “The Devil Wears Prada?” Hesitant to walk into this tall corporate building, filled with security and the constant bustling of the most fashionably dressed people walking through these large glass doors, I couldn’t help but to stare and look like the biggest tourist. Keeping my composure, I lifted my chin, checked my dress, and walked into the Condé Nast building as if I owned the place (or at least as if I worked there.) Home to many of the world’s celebrated publications, Condé Nast includes magazines like Vogue, Allure, Lucky, Glamour, and so much more; all of which are any girl’s dream bible. I know I grew up reading them, dreaming that someday I would appear on the cover, or realistically at least work for the magazine. Walking into the very familiar lobby gated with guards and crowds of employees, I knew I had seen this place before in movies. On a mission to wow Domino Magazine with our glamorous upcoming Fruits & Passion Green Tea-Thé Vert line, I, for the first time, accompanied Christine to observe her work her publicist magic on her deskside with the editor. Listening and absorbing all the details, I hope to someday be able to talk to editors with such ease and elegance. Stepping out of the office and getting a glimpse of this huge corporation was definitely the highlight of my day!

posted by Ellen

Who knew working at C.I. Visions would be this exciting? As a student in a rural college town, life can be pretty leisurely. But of course, nothing can be leisurely in the big city!

There are always plenty of tasks at the office: we are constantly writing, calling, clipping or scanning – sometimes at the same time! If that weren’t enough, days at the showrooms can be even more demanding. New sample requests are always pouring in, and all day you are on the search for the perfect samples to please your editors. Once a few items are packed and sent for approval, there is nothing you can do but wait until the issue hits stands… which, for a newcomer like me, can be a bit tense. But when you see your client’s items artfully arranged on those glossy pages, your busy day becomes so worthwhile. And here at C.I. Visions (don’t mean to brag) we feel that satisfaction quite often. This month our clients can be found in publications like Marie Claire, InStyle, Glamour and InTouch weekly. Pretty big deal! I, relaxing on the beach, felt compelled to excitedly tell my friends each time I spotted WD-NY in the Lucky I was reading.

I’m sure many more of those moments will come, and I’m sure I will be just as excited each time. It’s like buying a pair of summery sandals in the middle of the winter, forgetting about them because you’re so busy wearing wintery shoes and then finding your gorgeous sandals when summer rolls around. And who doesn’t love that feeling?

posted by Carmen

Growing up as a suburbanized Jersey Girl built up that curiosity inside of me, constantly wondering what life would be like to live in the city. Although I am not a resident (yet!), becoming an intern here at C.I. Visions has, in its own special way, shown me how fabulous city life could be! Just walking the streets to and from work, being constantly tempted to eat at fancy restaurants, and meeting the most odd and interesting people has proved that this city truly never sleeps, and that is awesome!

It has been my 5th week as an intern, and I have loved every minute of it! This past year, I have discovered that in the future I want to have some type of career in the media, but what a broad vision that is. C.I. Visions has given me the opportunity to open my eyes to the Public Relations aspect and it has truly taught and shown me the ins and outs of not only PR, but of marketing and the process of running a business. So this has been a great learning experience but that’s not even the best part. I get to work in a welcoming environment filled with the most generous and upbeat people, who have been nothing less than extraordinaire. I also get to step into an office filled with the most delicious scents that even the UPS guy continuously compliments on how great the smell is from the hallway outside every time he makes a delivery/pick up.

So I am interning for Christine, working with beauty products galore, and I have done a variety of things, from being on the phone all day calling magazines and newspapers to compiling press releases and media kits, to being surprised with bags of gigantic & poofy prom dresses that makes me want to play dress up or be back in high school and attend prom all over again! And how incredibly cool it is to flip though various magazines and see one of our clients’ products being featured. (Which of course makes me want to show all my friends and shout, “That’s one of our clients!!!”) Coming back home from the University of Michigan to spend quality time with family and friends, having this great opportunity at C.I. Visions, and constantly exploring the streets of NYC; this is definitely the way that I wanted to spend my summer, now if only I can find my own place in Manhattan that I can afford, then my life would be complete. <3

As manufacturers, service providers and retailers feel the pinch of an economic downturn, many must adjust or streamline their operations in order maintain their profitability. Hiring an outside consultant is one terrific way to ride the recession! For some companies, the process changes and new initiatives could prove the difference between survival and bankruptcy.
Using an outside Public Relations consultant can aggressively reduce company cost structure. Consultants can remove 20-30% of total operating costs while increasing efficiency. They accomplish this feat in a myriad of ways, including: decreasing labor costs, improving employee productivity, reducing outside contractor costs and reducing waste. Enterprise-wide cost reduction require both process and behavior modifications on the part of management and workers. Consulting firms not only have the expertise to install these modifications, but also the expertise to ensure the sustainability of these changes.
Carol A. Ientile

posted by Christine

Well, I already told you about what’s been going on with Fruits & Passion, so what about my other accounts? On the Camille La Vie front, it was prom season! Come January, we were sending out giant dresses in bright colors to all different magazines and TV shows. We even held a prom event at Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack, NY where 75+ girls lined up to walk a runway and be crowned prom queen, judged by a panel of local celebs… What fun it was to watch these girls shimmey, shake, strut and dance down the runway. The winner was the adorable Genti Betici from New City, NY! It definitely brought us back to our prom days… almost. It turns out, prom doesn’t look like it did when me and Nancy went to high school (more years ago than we’d like to mention!)! The dresses this year were bright, short, patterned, embellished, super sexy and GINORMOUS princess silhouettes!!! My fave? The “bohemian” blue number!

Its mere utterance can usher in an era of economic stagnation. But given the housing doldrums and challenging cost escalation of late, the recession buzzword is seen or heard seemingly once a minute on TV, radio newspapers and around company water coolers. Talking heads on the evening news exploit the word with their fear-based nightly routine alarming rants of impending doom. To many, the “R” word triggers conservative spending, holding off on big purchases as well as stashing away a few dollars for a rainy day.


To quote Dickens “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The best of times –to some companies, the “R” word is music to their ears. In fact, there are many counter-cyclical industries that are not only recession-proof, but actually thrive during an economic slowdown. Examples of one sector that historically enjoy success during an economic downturn discount clothiers and our client Camille La Vie is a perfect example of turning lemons in lemon aid.

Mixing quality value fashion right sportswear, bridal, prom and special occasion dressing all under one roof – the new jersey based retailer is posting profit surges and forging ahead with extensive expansion plans nationwide. With 26 stores spanning coast to coast and Puerto Rico – the exploding retailer operates under two company names: GROUP USA located in premiere outlet centers, and Camille La Vie located in regional malls and lifestyle shopping venues. For more visit camillelavie.com

Carol A. Ientile

posted by Ellen

I can’t believe I’ve already been with C.I. Visions for four weeks. Boy, does time fly when you’re having fun! The pace was set my first day. After a few hours in the office, Nancy and I headed uptown to Lord & Taylor’s flagship store, where the Women’s Leadership Exchange (WLE) was hosting an event with our client Donna Morgan LLC. All the girls looked fabulous in their Donna Morgan, Morgan McFeeters, and Ali Ro dresses. The Donna Morgan and Morgan McFeeters wrap dresses, in almost every color imaginable, were especially flattering. Once everything and everyone was in place and ready to go, the event kicked off with an inspiring speech by the President and CEO, Jane Elfers, of Lord & Taylor. To finish the evening, a relaxing hour of shopping – complete with makeup tips, sipping champagne, and white gloved passed hors d’oeuvres. There I was, mingling with established women business owners and editors in an adorable new Ali Ro frock.  Can life get any more glamorous?

posted by Nancy 

Summer lovin’ came with an Anorak? Yes, indeed! The season’s “must have”, “must wear now (or later)”, “must…must…must” item is Ali Ro’s Anorak. It’s on everyone’s “wish list”, that it is starting to remind me of the Hermes Birkin Bag wait list. Seriously…editors from all the top fashion magazines are requesting the jacket. Everyday people are stopping me on the street, asking who’s jacket I am wearing. I love it so much, that I am wearing it as I write. It’s Barney’s #1 seller and even they are overwhelmed by the response (they are on back order). So, if you don’t own one you simply, just “MUST”. Take a looky at the pics below:

Posted By Christine

Well, it’s been a little while since I last checked in here at blahblahblonde.com and so much has happened, I don’t know where to begin!!! So, here’s a little recap of what’s been going on with Fruits & Passion…

I started off the year by launching the sweetest new spring fragrance collection – BLUE PINK PURPLE. Each color represents a different scent and the bottles are shaded in their respective colors in a super-trendy ombre print – which the editors LOVED! So much so, the PINK Body Splash was featured in Teen Vogue and many other publications!! Then, at the beginning of spring, F&P launched a fabulous sun care line (just in time for summer issues!) based on the Tahitian Monoi flower. And, what do you know? There we were in the middle of winter, stuffing beach baskets with bright summer colors and talking about summer vacations, sunburn and the likes. It definitely made me start counting the days til Memorial Day! Well, as the summer clips start rolling in, it’s obvious all of that hard work and those summer dreams paid off! In between all the product launches, F&P also opened their fifth store in the U.S. in Thousand Oaks, CA this spring, however the grand opening event isn’t happening until September, so you’ll hear all about it then. And last month, F&P introduced another fragrance collection (and my absolute favorite to date!) named The Vert – Green Tea. I figured with its interesting backstory and unique scent that it deserved an extra special introduction with editors, so I went on a deskside (a one-on-one meeting with the editor in their office) frenzy. And for those who I didn’t meet with, the products were sent in clear plastic Chinese takeout containers with pink chopsticks and customized fortune cookies. Let’s just say, the collection was an absolute hit and I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot of it shortly. This month, I’m working on a men’s fragrance collection launch and next month, it’s already that time of year – CHRISTMAS!!! Can you believe it?

In other news, I have a new intern named Carmen who will check in here occasionally also. In the meantime, tune in to my Recap Part II, which I’ll post some time next week. xo