Personal Stylist & Fashion Consultant | Sarah Sulzberger Perpich

Today I saw “The Social Network.”

Let me preface this by saying I work in fashion and have fashion’s attention span so I don’t go to many movies. I can watch old movies, that I call “Fashion Classics” two, 100, or a million times without even thinking about it but aside from those, I can barely get through a 30 minute TV show. The only reason I gave in and bought a ticket to the movie was because it was about MY Facebook: my savior that brought me into the Facebook friend/fashion world–and then into the real friend/colleague fashion world. I know I’m not the norm–maybe even a little too ADD or addicted to fashion, but I tell you this to help explain fashion’s force on me and how it’s similar to Facebook.

About the movie….

I am obviously not a movie expert, and I can’t give you a film critic review, but I can tell why for the first time in years, I actually sat through a two hour and one minute movie in a theater from start to finish. No leaving early, no checking my watch or phone every five minutes, no planning out how many times I can pee to make it go faster – NONE of IT! As a matter of fact, I was so distracted that I didn’t realize how badly I had to pee until the second the lights came on.

If you were to ask me, I would say “It’s the best movie! Love the main guy; love the obsessive stream of ideas that kept the movie moving at such a fast it keeps your attention. The writing was smart, funny, astoundingly interesting and fascinating, mind-boggling, and –to put it bluntly so cool”

However, the main reason why I liked it was because it’s SO SIMILAR to FASHION. What I mean by that is the ever-changing, 24/7 reinvention and rejuvenation that makes the fashion world go round is the same feeling and frame of mind that Mark Zuckerberg’s character had throughout the film. Clothing is essential and fashion never stops, is never the same and is always full speed ahead. Fashion lives in the future. Fashion today is made for tomorrow but by tomorrow we already saw, it, bought it, wore it, and we’re over it. Think first and execute first. Like the technology world, fashion designs are stolen, copied, and the industry is cut-throat.

After seeing the movie, I realize Facebook moves just as fast, never sleeps, is very addictive, and has feelers in every part of society: art, education, recreation, business, marketing, media communication and culture. This is true with fashion as well. It cross-pollinates to stay fresh and modern. As Aaron Sorkin wrote for Mark Zuckerberg’s character, “It’s doesn’t end. Facebook never finishes. It’s like Fashion!”

I know that this is a movie and the real Mark Zuckerberg probably didn’t even say this, but he should have!  And for me, it was the biggest take-away from the movie. You have to see it and really understand the pace of both Facebook and fashion to know that they really are unique and similar in their energy and ability to transform.

My Conclusion: Facebook + Fashion= Full-time, Fast Forces Forever.  Never ending –Never slowing down.

Are you ready for the ride?