Introducing my friend - "M A S"

I would like to use today’s post to introduce you all to a woman that I absolutely adore.

Mary Alice Stephenson

For many years I have secretly admired stylist and fashion guru Mary Alice Stephenson from a distance. I would often see her front row and/or backstage at fashion shows or commenting on various designers on Fashion Television or Fashion File. I would also have “MAS” sightings as she slid in and out of black Towncars in the garment district or occasionally huddled in the corner of one New York’s hot spots or swank restaurants. But for some reason I was always afraid to introduce myself, smile in her direction and/or simply say hello…

Approximately six months ago I found myself in need of assistance in recruiting top international designers to participate in Designers For Darfur. I immediately knew that I would need to gain the support of a top celebrity stylist /personality in order to engage certain unapproachable designers. Therefore, I decided to start at the very top. Fortunately, I didn’t need to go any further than the first telephone call I placed to Mary Alice Stephenson. Let me tell you all something now – most people in this industry are divided by less than two to three degrees of separation.

Mary Alice Stephenson on the Red Carpet

During our conversation, I was extremely flattered to know that not only had Mary Alice been following my career, but she was also a huge supporter of the efforts of Designers For Darfur. My first telephone conversation with Mary Alice lasted almost two and half hours and this has now become our custom whenever we play “catch-up and chat”.

Recently, I walked into Bungalow 8 after the CFDA Vogue Fund Awards presentation and immediately felt uncomfortable as I passed through the velvet curtains covering the entrance. As most of you perhaps know I have a bit of a reputation for flipping my middle finger to the folks at Vogue as well as the CFDA (but that is a blog of a different color); therefore, when I usually enter a room filled with these “types” you can almost hear a pin drop. As my friends and I walked through and the parting of the Red Sea began, all of a sudden the sound tracked of this moment came to a screeching halt… All I could hear was “Maaaallllccccoooollllmmmm!!!!” There she stood – Mary Alice Stephenson. Mary Alice was wearing a magnificent long pearl toned slinky gown and leaving a booth that included Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Anne Hatheway, and the dashing Mr. Sean Penn. But Mary Alice was making her way towards me with her arms extended and forming a hug made just for me. There was something so wonderful, warm and brilliant in her hug that I almost didn’t want to let her go… There we stood in the middle of the small room which is Bungalow and played “catch-up and chat”. Then MAS suddenly leaned in and whispered, “I believe it’s time for me to make my way back to Brooklyn.” We both giggled and laughed at our inside joke. You see Mary Alice is very much like me in the sense that we both lead dual, almost pscyzophrenic lives - - - we both possess a real world perspective of our position in this fantastical and celebrity driven world of fashion. We are both fashion tourists…

Normal night at Bungalow sans the Egos

As Mary Alice glided out of the door with the train of her gown swaying at least three feet behind her (wrapped in a magnificent tan woodsman shearling – this is what makes her so absolutely brilliant), I knew for a fact that the universe had placed MAS in Bungalow at that particular moment for a reason. Just to give you an idea of how people in this industry tick and behave, editors, designers and fashionistas whom had never spoken to or acknowledge me before all started trying to get my attention and/or chat me up. I immediately knew this had nothing to do with me - - - all of this had to do with the fact that they now knew that Mary Alice and I were friends… In the past, I would have lingered around and sopped up every bit of this momentary infatuation… However, the more enlightened Malcolm Harris was out of the door in less than 5 minutes leaving the fashion fray craving for their pound of Mal Sirrah flesh.


p.s. Mary Alice Stephenson is now hosting a show on VH1 – “America’s Most Smartest Model”. When I first watched this show it left me scratching my head as to why MAS would agree to do this… But now that I have been watching AMSM as my guilty pleasure, I completely understand why!!! She is absolutely brilliant… Just hang-on folks and all will be revealed.