CNN + The Launch of The Imelda Collection (I)


The CNN crew and I went to Mrs.M’s old house at 7:30am to set-up. Setting up was something I’m still quite familiar with, although of course I gasped when I saw how much equipment they had (we never had that much equipment– but then again, we were not CNN :D). Everything was ready to go by 9:45am (yes it took 2+ hours!), and that was also the time AR came. She looks real different now– more glammed up :). Back when we worked together, she was still a brunette. She is now almost a blonde 😀 We clowned around with the beautiful faux joallerie sets of Mrs.Mfor a bit before she went to see us. And that signaled the end of our short “happy hour.”

A few funny things happened while the interview was ongoing, but that would have to be another story (and it might just freak you out!! :D). There were quite a number of questions that were really uncalled for (and I would’ve slugged it out with the producer and AR for it because there are frankly better ways to ask it, but sigh, like me, everyone has to do their “job”, so I just shut my piehole *grumble* ), but again, Mrs.M rose above it all and answers them without batting an eyelash. She was really so dignified. It got to one point where the questions were downright offensive, but nope, while everyone else would’ve reacted to it (i.e. stood up and walked out– have seen it happen on interviews with other guests), there she was, still sitting, smiling, and answering the questions.

After what seemed like hours, the interview was finally over. The CNN people got their story, and Mrs.M finally gets the chance to rest. She didn’t sleep the night before because she had to cancel appointments around past midnight just so she could accommodate the CNN crew. Yes. You read that right. She did not sleep at all. She was busy moving her things from her current home since the shoot was to be done at her old house. The interview could not be postponed to the afternoon since it was a quick in-and-out scenario for the CNN peeps– one of the cameramen had to fly back to Beijing, while the others had to head back to HK. Sigh, what a tiring day that was! Perhaps two of the few good things that came out of the interview was that Mrs.M got to talk and show everyone how she can handle even the worst line of questioning, and well, that I got to see an old colleague again. 🙂

Fast forward to the launch day itself. November 18. While there may be people who would lash out in anger or disapproval about The Imelda Collection, it was still very well attended and was very, very successful. And the whole team breathed a sigh of relief, because it took all of 3.5 weeks to plan this event, and everything was executed flawlessly. Ms.Y, Ms.Z, and Ms.C were up in arms, trying to doll up each vignette (a LOT of work), but they pulled through effortlessly. The whole exhibit area looked amazing!

The Press Preview began at 3:15pm. It was Imee Marcos and her son Borgy Manotoc who came down to the room and answered questions from news agencies like Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Presse, Kyodo News, Spanish News Agency and about 30 other representatives from the media– both local and international. It was a very orderly question and answer conference. Preview over, the members of the press were ushered into Spiral, where snacks were provided. There was a cordoned (aka velvet rope) area for the paparazzi to wait on Mrs.M’s arrival.

Guests began pouring in around 4:15pm, and the original plan was to have Mrs.M come down around 5:30pm to meet the press and her guests. But by 5:00pm, the place was getting far too crowded that we had to call Borgy to escort his “Mama Meldyinto the Boracay Room. Within minutes of the call, they came down from the Imperial Suite of the hotel. Mrs.M was swarmed.

DaphP hosted the event with Borgy. I couldn’t even get into the Davao Room anymore so I just gave up on squeezing in *it was packed like a can of sardines :D*. I went back out to check on the other media folks who were just about to come in. I was like, *gulp* there’s more? How can they all fit in there? Good question. Something that I can’t answer. I guess they found a way. I’m just hoping the guests were alright– aka none of them got squeezed or pinched in the behind *wink! hehe*. Overall though, the sentiments of the guests were all good. There were some people who gatecrashed the event *ahem, I won’t list names hehe*, but it was alright in the end.

There were also a few glitches here and there– there were a handful that were caught attempting to “lift” pieces from the exhibit, and heavens, even shoes from the table centerpiece! The shoes on each centerpiece belonged to Mrs.M— she wore them in the past. There was even an Andrea Pfister for Saks Fifth Avenue shoe *droool* and a pair of pink Manolo Blahniks *double drool*, alongside her favorite Charles Jourdan, and local shoes as well. It was a madhouse, but hey, it was a fun madhouse 😀

More photos on who attended the event, plus some highlights of the collection. Let me now leave you with two of the fantastic Steve Tirona photos of Mrs.M. 🙂Remember it’s not meant to be taken seriously. We all need a good laugh and it’s laughter that also makes us beautiful 😀

Enough talk for now, this hag needs to get some shuteye. *yawn*

xo

P.S. Comment posters, please spare me from any political debate/ comments. Best not to leave political remarks because I won’t get it anyway 😀 *I’m soo not into politics* 😀

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  1. hi mrs. T!

    congratulations on a job well done! bravo! brava! hehehe… i was wondering if you saw the latest from prada..quilted nylon/leather satchel. i saw it in saks, vogue and i am loving it! in different colors too! but
    kinda expensive for a nylon bag…puhhleezze feature it and what can you say about the satchel.. thanks!

    hunnie_bunch

  2. I’m very glad the event was very successful and made news here and abroad. Whatever it is, Imelda Marcos is still very newsworthy! Congratulations to you also for a job well done.

    RR

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