Fashion blog gossip is fun to read about, except when it concerns someone who has done so much for our community. In one colossal dick move, Erin Kleinberg and Stephanie Mark managed to raise the ire of a large portion of the fashion blogging community. Kleinberg and Mark launched a website called The Coveted (I'm not linking to it because I don't want to give them traffic). The site's function is interesting: they look into the closets of people in the fashion industry, and publish the photos. Nice concept, but they could have executed without stepping on everyone's toes. Their website uses the same name as one of the most well respected fashion blogs in the industry, The Coveted maintained and managed by Jennine Jacob.
Now, most fashion bloggers know who Jennine is. She's a celebrity in our part of the world, along with people like Susie Bubble, Jane Aldridge, and Tavi Gevinson. Yet, in many ways, Jennine is far more important than the Tavis and Jane Aldridges of the fashion blogging world. Jennine created Independent Fashion Bloggers. IFB is the community for fashion bloggers. They host a huge conference at fashion week every year and they support and aid fashion bloggers in a myriad of ways. IFB wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Jennine. What she has done for our community is immeasurable.
Jennine and I started our blogs around the same time. I've had many opportunities to talk to her, and I consider her a fashion blogging friend and ally. Sure, I don't know her in person, but she's the type of blogger I'd feel comfortable asking to dinner if we were ever in the same city. Though I know her only through the veil of the internet, it is clear to me that she is a wonderful person who has worked hard for what she has. She is one of the rare bloggers that became popular and did not become stuck-up. Instead, she created a beautiful, close knit community for fashion bloggers around the globe. She cares, and we care about her.
What Kleinberg and Mark have done by using the name of her website is incomprehensibly discourteous. They just launched their website, and already are ranked #4 in Google searches for "The Coveted" - a feat that would have taken them nearly 6 months to accomplish under another name, no matter the influence they might have had to encourage their page rank.
Using the name of Jennine's site was the same as stepping on her shoulders to rise above her. It's so goddamn opportunistic. I don't buy the argument that they haven't heard of Jennine's site before. If they ever searched the word "coveted" her site comes up fourth. You mean to tell me they haven't tried googling themselves since launch?
I also thought it was super lame that Refinery29 covered the launch of Kleinberg's and Mark's website without a single mention of the fact that they had the same name as a well-established and highly respected blogger in the fashion community (a fact they already know). Their head-in-the-sand approach caused me to lose a lot of respect for them
Racked tried to reach Kleinberg and Mark for comment, but they didn't respond. They know full well what they've done.
On Twitter, I suggested that someone create a TEAM JENNINE widget for our blogs so that we can post them to show our loyalty. I'm not looking to start a flame war, but I think Kleinberg and Mark should show some respect and change their name. For the sake of common decency, they should, at the very least, apologize.
Now, most fashion bloggers know who Jennine is. She's a celebrity in our part of the world, along with people like Susie Bubble, Jane Aldridge, and Tavi Gevinson. Yet, in many ways, Jennine is far more important than the Tavis and Jane Aldridges of the fashion blogging world. Jennine created Independent Fashion Bloggers. IFB is the community for fashion bloggers. They host a huge conference at fashion week every year and they support and aid fashion bloggers in a myriad of ways. IFB wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Jennine. What she has done for our community is immeasurable.
Jennine and I started our blogs around the same time. I've had many opportunities to talk to her, and I consider her a fashion blogging friend and ally. Sure, I don't know her in person, but she's the type of blogger I'd feel comfortable asking to dinner if we were ever in the same city. Though I know her only through the veil of the internet, it is clear to me that she is a wonderful person who has worked hard for what she has. She is one of the rare bloggers that became popular and did not become stuck-up. Instead, she created a beautiful, close knit community for fashion bloggers around the globe. She cares, and we care about her.
What Kleinberg and Mark have done by using the name of her website is incomprehensibly discourteous. They just launched their website, and already are ranked #4 in Google searches for "The Coveted" - a feat that would have taken them nearly 6 months to accomplish under another name, no matter the influence they might have had to encourage their page rank.
Using the name of Jennine's site was the same as stepping on her shoulders to rise above her. It's so goddamn opportunistic. I don't buy the argument that they haven't heard of Jennine's site before. If they ever searched the word "coveted" her site comes up fourth. You mean to tell me they haven't tried googling themselves since launch?
I also thought it was super lame that Refinery29 covered the launch of Kleinberg's and Mark's website without a single mention of the fact that they had the same name as a well-established and highly respected blogger in the fashion community (a fact they already know). Their head-in-the-sand approach caused me to lose a lot of respect for them
Racked tried to reach Kleinberg and Mark for comment, but they didn't respond. They know full well what they've done.
On Twitter, I suggested that someone create a TEAM JENNINE widget for our blogs so that we can post them to show our loyalty. I'm not looking to start a flame war, but I think Kleinberg and Mark should show some respect and change their name. For the sake of common decency, they should, at the very least, apologize.
TEAM JENNINE!
4 comments:
I am just astounded at the audacity of these people. You can be sure I will not be going to their website EVER. I adore Jennine's blog and am also in IFB. Go Team Jennine!
When the widget is available I am sooo in!
Yeah, it's a war out there! I don't understand how they can steal a site url that already exists though? Jennine should have some power (leverage) to get it back? They probably did not intend to hurt anyone and could be talked out of it... Yet everybody has to keep in mind that there are indeed people out there that resent your success, so beware and watch out for those that seek to destroy you and make sure you are ready to fight for your right!
Yay! Team Jennine!
@IdilVice - I believe her blog is located at the-coveted.com, not thecoveted.com. I think she has been waiting to secure the new domain name (the one Kleinberg and Mark are now using) for a long time, but it has been owned by someone else. I may be wrong about that, but it seemed that way from some comments of hers that I read.
-Grace
I somehow got an email announcement of their new site the other day and was like WTF? and forwarded it immediately to Jennine to make sure she knew. Hoping all the while that it was some innocent mistake, even though that seemed unlikely. WTF indeed.
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