Kim Hastreiter Would Like To Thank Independent Thinkers

by Megan Baldwin | 5:12 pm, June 10th, 2010

If there was one reason we wished we could have been at the CFDA’s–besides maybe witnessing Marc Jacobs prance up to the podium to Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” it was to hear Paper editor Kim Hastreiter accept her Eugenia Sheppard Award. We’ve said it before, she’s a favorite of ours (and many for that matter) described by Guy Trebay as, “the coolest person in New York.”

Well, from what we’ve gleaned from the printed version of her speech, Kim more than lived up to her billing, using her ceremonial pulpit to re-iterate her credo (in a room of fashion’s most cute, connected, rich and famous–no less) that “just because you’re cute, connected, rich, or famous, doesn’t necessarily mean you design great stuff.” Gwyneth Paltrow called it “Punk Rock.” We just think that like the lady herself, it was pretty rad.

Here are a few bon mots:

I’ve always been an outsider not only to the fashion industry, but in the other worlds I inhabit, from art to design to magazines. My passion is culture creation and this is what we do at PAPER, which we started 26 years ago at my kitchen table…

I share this award with — independent thinkers who inspire me and are not the usual suspects either. Because they are the catalysts for breaking new ground in the inseparable culture of where design, art, fashion, and style come from, and come together….

I hope the fashion world continues to look beyond the usual suspects. Just because you’re cute, connected, rich, or famous, doesn’t necessarily mean you design great stuff. I also wouldn’t put too much stock into this “one day your in- the next day you’re out” business. How you can be a genius today but next year you’re not because you’re “off trend?…

That said, I may continue to be a slightly thorny guest in this industry, but I’ll always adore and celebrate great fashion and the tidal waves that precede and follow it, so thank you again for honoring me and inviting me to such a fun party.

CFDA Awards CFDA speech Editor In Chief Kim Hastreiter Paper Magazine

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