Sonja: They Are Just Plain Jealous
Sonja discusses how disappointed she is in the ladies' reaction to her magazine cover event.
I must say that the relationships we saw in this episode seemed very forced! I feel like the girls are trying out some new friendships this season, and I don’t know that they are going to work out. Just look at Ramona and Luann! They tried to establish a friendship this year, and it completely blew up tonight (and at the fabulous Pettrosian of all places). But I must say that Ramona and Dorinda’s new friendship does seem to be genuine. Dorinda is right to advise Ramona to go out and meet new men, especially if Ramona doesn’t know where she stands with her “Mario Situation.” I am also not surprised that Mario wants to get back together with Ramona. Who wouldn’t want to stay with Ramona? She’s a fox, fun, and keeps you on your toes (even if an apology comes soon thereafter)! Ramona is going to have a rough road ahead deciding where she would like her relationship with Mario to go. Ramona needs to decide what position she would like Mario to fill in her life and what positive things he brings to the relationship, and that decision can only be made after much introspective work is done. I know a key factor is the fact he is her daughter's father. That was a tough decision I had to make long ago. I do wish that Ramona felt comfortable sharing these moments with me, but I need to respect her decisions during this difficult time. Like Bethenny says, sometimes its easier to open up to someone you hardly know. As is the case when Bethenny herself lets her hair down, and the tears flow with Carole, who doesn't even have children.
Now here we are at my dear friend Vanessa Noel's beautiful townhouse. She's been an international luxury brand for decades. She knows ME for decades and is hosting my Sonja In The City event at her stunning townhome and atélier. I just debuted one of my beautiful gowns from my collection on the cover of an international luxury magazine and all my so-called friends have is criticism. All the while they have a tequila cocktail in one hand and a lobster roll in the other. What kind of monsters are these people? Who does that?
Who laughs out loud at an independent woman building her businesses to support her child? Who laughs at a woman who's living out her dreams and passionately loves what she's doing? Exercising her creative side?
I have yet to see one of the ladies tweet a compliment about my collection or post a photo from my fashion show at Fashion Week 2015 as I have done from the joy in my heart for them, their wine, their books, their songs, their jewelry, their fashions. I provided many of the girls with beautiful photos from both Latino Show Magazine and the fashion show, both Sonja In The City events by professional photographers (including shots from the darling society photograoher Andrew Werner, who photographs all my charities). I have been nothing but nice and supportive of these girls and their aspirations. That's what I do for decades as a luxury brand consultant. It's in my DNA. I went to college for marketing (and merchandising).
These women act like they haven't heard me for the last few years going through the trials and tribulations of coming out beneath my Chapter 11 reorganization and the process of putting together my business plan with the RIGHT team and RIGHT investors that understand my business vision so that my daughter and I may have something to have and hold that's ours. Not me putting my name on someone else's product and grabbing for the brass ring right out of the box as if I don't have a long-term future. I am designing and redesigning every piece I put my name on. Exactly the way I see my collection unfolding. Of course it isn't easy, and there are growing pains. But it's my baby, and I love what I do and who I'm working with.
If these women really thought I had a problem, they wouldn't be attacking like they are all over town and in public. They are just plain jealous that I am strong enough to get through my divorce, the business lawsuit, and build my own businesses from scratch while living in the moment and enjoying myself. It's terrible they cannot wish well on others who are doing well.
Confident women support other women. If you ask me, Heather is upset with herself and is taking it out on me. Otherwise, why would she be so unfeeling and unsupportive? She would roll her sleeves up and spend the time with me. She doesn't. She washed her hands of me over the photoshoot I organized with her photographer. We never did the brand identification. We never changed the logo to match my brand ID. We had a difference of opinion over what my brand was. I certainly didn't think it was a shirtless man on my box, but she was so overbearing I just said yes to printing both pictures (one without the guy and one with the guy) and put the guy on the box. And when I got to the department stores, they said the toaster would sell based on its features and the fact that I endorsed it as a lifestyle expert, dressed head to toe in fashion and bling! They said look at your image on the box. You are an international fashion lifestyle brand, and therefore you are making a mistake to sequence your brand with toaster ovens first. So my business plan is based on that, and I'm starting with my designer collection that is pure luxury and yet accessible. My pieces are not priced so far out there that one cannot invest in qaulity--and all the fine trims and details.
Heather's comment about Kmart's was a pure dig, because she knows that Kmart does not sell $800-$1200 gowns made from Italian crepe silk and silk charmeuse linings. Kmart is a very important retail outlet offering quality at a different price. She knew very well what the gown was made of and made in NYC and that it would not retail at Kmart, but at a better bridge level. We discussed that. Several times. We discussed the bumps in the road I had to succumb to get here.
Hopefully someday I will have another collection selling at Kmart's to reach everyone out there who wishes to own a little Sonja style, but this is my top of the line. This is where I decided to express myself first. I'm very proud of it. Even the models from Major Model Management loved it. That means so much to me. Since they were the first to actually wear it and see how it felt and to dress the part they dream of. I chose models that I thought embodied Sonja Morgan New York. Pure luxury--but accessible!
I'm so excited to have received so many compliments from professional buyers, stylists, socialites, jetsetters, and also the television viewers on my social media saying that they love my designs. They are classic with a sexy twist, timeless, ageless, and seasonless. This is a collection one can just throw in a suitcase and travel the world! With a few baubles that ring classic like a heritage piece you have had all your life and can pass on. At assessible prices.
Can you imagine if I acted like these girlfriends with my interns, who are excited about their futures and fulfilling their dreams? Finding their career path? Like a recent divorce can do to someone starting over or perhaps setting out again.
It makes me so proud to see my interns and volunteers on my team who now style, work with my patternmakers and designers, learn how to do storyboards, and produce a Sonja In The City fashion show or magazine cover launch, how to work with a caterer ( like the wonderful Meridith Coyle of Aneu Catering and special events), shadowing me as I build a business from the bottom up. Yes, indeed. They are the stars. They are the ones who will learn from my mistakes and go even further and faster. It is a very fulfilling experience for me to be able to create and work with such a talented team of people.
Yes! I like to promote people. I've been in PR my whole life. As Bethenny said, I am the repeater, the repeater of positive things.
Follow me on
My Personal Website: www.sonjamorganonline.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonjatmorgan
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sonjatmorgan
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sonjatmorgan
YouTube: www.youtube.com/sonjamorganonline
Tumblr: www.sonjamorganonline.tumblr.com
Listen to my Podcast: http://www1.play.it/audio/sonja-in-the-city-with-sonja-morgan/
My Fashion/Jewelry Website: www.sonjamorgannewyork.com
