Her New York Times interview kinda shocked me.I mean,its one thing to talk about the type of clothes she has in her closet,but did she really need to mention all the labels-Gucci,Dolce & Gabbana,etc.-its was as if she was bragging.
Who cares?Who is she,Paris Hilton or somebody?
What difference does it make whose name is on the label?
And before anyone accuses me of being jealous,no,I don't care about collecting designer clothes & shoes,I'd rather have a 1000 CDs than a 1000 pairs of shoes.
Is she just a brainwashed person who feels like she has to impress people by wearing trendy,overpriced clothes?
And can she really afford this stuff on her own or did she get all this stuff while she was married to the rich rock star and is now bragging about it?
I'm sorry,but I think you have to be pretty shallow to go on &
on about all the designer names in your wardrobe.

Hater.

beret1022 said:

Oh here we go,can't have an opinion about someone without being a hater or jealous.
Which is why I made the comment "and before anyone accuses me of being jealous..

And why am I the only one who has a problem with a society that is obsessed with brand names,trendiness, and the keeping up the jones mentality?

Maybe she just likes fashion and is proud that she is able to afford these things. Some people are just into stuff like that. I really don't see anything wrong with it. I love fashion too but that doesn't mean that is all I like.

I actually think Mani is a cool person. Not that I've met her but I just think it's cool that she didn't spend her time married to Prince acting like a spoiled trophy wife. Look at all that has happened to her since she met him..she really has done so many cool things like her In a perfect world foundation, her rockin' altru line, her upcoming documentary....since being married to him. I mean how many athlete's or rock star wives do anything more than spend their husbands money and get their nails done?

Not that doing those things that alot of women like such as shopping and looking pretty is a bad thing..but she also had her own goals in mind and is her own person and has dreams she wants to accomplish. I'm VERY impressed with this woman.

This article was in the STYLE section of the newspaper, and the headline was something like "What Manuela Testolini Nelson is Wearing". So, it's meant to be about her fashion choices.

UCantHavaDaMango said:

I agree with you 100%. I do not think that she is that way at all.

I like Mani, and don't think it's a bad thing to like fashion....BUT, I did comment on how it is a bit contradictory to point out her "socially conscience" business and "in a perfect world" charity at the same time they point out her numerous Gucci suites and designer things.

One would think that people never heard of editing. For all we know that was an hour interview, as oppose to 5 minutes of chat.

Jiminy said:

me 2...who knew.

The more attention she gets for herself, the better for her charitable causes. She has the $$$ to afford the designers and many designers give celebrities free clothing due to the exposure and advertising. Prince wears Vesace and other designers. It could even be a result of her marriage to Prince she's doing endorsements?....more to meet the eye. When I 1st posted her being in the NYT I was surprised she wasn't divorced yet. Minnesota must have the "year wait" for divorce.
[Edited 1/30/07 20:58pm]
[Edited 1/30/07 21:01pm]

xplnyrslf said:

Good point. On her myspace blog she mentioned that while she was at the Sundance Film Festival she used her visits to the "gifting suites" (swag rooms) chat up IAPW and get those swag companies to 'give-back to the community'. A couple different companies pledged support to shelters that IAPW partners with and she said one company donated a bunch of organic baby clothing to women with children in domestic abuse shelters. I give her props for working the swag opportunity to her (foundation's) advantage.

Shorty, I totally see what you're saying and I kind of thought the same thing, but I guess maybe you gotta dress the part to get invited to these types of things and then you can get them to work with you? (I'm far from a fashionista/high roller so I have no idea how it works. lol.)

gypsyfire said:

No, I feel ya! I am also appaled that society has gone this route.I never remember it being this bad! I hate that my 12 year old niece is growing up like this, but she is really getting to be a snooty, stuck up brat. Not becuse the family is like that, but she sees it on MTV, the media and gets it from her friends. Its sad that people put such a high value on material things. A Incubus lyric says it best...."since when does the price we pay for colored cloth gauge our gravity?"

Mani though, I am not surpised (just one look at her face says it all, you can tell she is stuck up)...but I am surprised though that she claims to want to help children and the poor, but her attitude and the way she lives says otherwise. She could stop spending so much for clothes and give that to help people, that would help.

Heres the complete lyrics the the song.... very appropos....


Nice car
Where'd you get your ride?
A trophy? Badge of honor? Overcompensation?
Price tags advertise your pride
Since when did what we pay for colored cloth gauge our gravity?

Yeah you got your little world
Picture perfect, its a pearl
Now go and try and sleep in the bed you made

You should be careful what you wish for
Cause everyone of us has the devil inside
You should be careful what you wish for
Cause all of what amounts becomes you

Nice watch
Man, you got the time?
Theres never enough and it always goes too slow

Yeah you got your little world
Picture perfect, its a pearl
Now go and try and sleep in the bed you made

You should be careful what you wish for
Cause everyone of us have the devil inside
You should be careful what you wish for
Cause all of what amounts becomes you

Nice watch
Man, you got the time?
Theres never enough and it always goes too slow
Price tags advertise your pride
Since when did what we pay for colored cloth gauge our gravity?

You should be careful what you wish for
Cause everyone of us have the devil inside
You should be careful what you wish for
Cause all of what amounts, becomes you

jone70 said:

that is very cool of her to work with the swag companies to give back to the community.....
I'm not knocking the work she does for charity...I do indeed think that's great.
and I understand that this article was in the "style" section and therefore geared to that....I'm just saying it kind of weakens her I'm all about the community stance when she says she has that many Gucci Suits and what not.
and Jone70, nah...you ain't "gotta" dress the part....I'm sure she could look just as good in quality clothing that didn't have a famous designer name....hey, maybe even give some non-famous designers some help..right? but I do hear ya....Gucci has tons of cash...if she wears Gucci, maybe Gucci will donate or help her causes....

gypsyfire said:

I'm just curious as to why you thought she was different.

Whoever calls themself a follower of Jesus and spends frivilous amounts of money on brand names is a little fucked up

I don't get that Mani is a bad person, but I do want to say something about charities and rich folks because people get so easily impressed with this shit that it's unreal.

First of all, a lot of these people talk about what THEY are doing. It's easy to say hey, I'm making people contribute to my cause. Most celebs join causes because they need a tax write-off at the end of the year. With the money they are making, they NEED to support a charity. The public gets to go "ahhh, they're so nice" and by their music, see their movies and whatnot, and they get to smile somewhat after every April 15th. Don't get me wrong, there are some rich people who are in the trenches doing the work.

Second, you set up a charity, they can collect as much as they want and there is no law stating how much they have to give to that charity. For instance, there was a charity that was collecting for AIDS and got like a couple of million dollars in collections, but the AIDS foundation only saw $300,000 of that money. Hmmm. They claimed that it went to administrative costs. They operated out of a little shit office with only two people working, how much administrative cost can you have? My favorite are these charities that collect for the Police and Sheriffs. There are at least two different charities that call me for this. Well, the Policie & Sheriffs did see much of that money either. Nonprofit status doesn't mean crapola either. Because you are entitled to pay yourself a salary from that money which is how most of that money goes out.

I like to support people who I know are in the trenches doing the work. I know of two African charities where the people collecting the money are going over there and are involved with distributing the money.

All I can say is just beware and watch these people.

LQ

Janfriend said:

Damn I love you.

LadyQ said:

This is something really interesting. I only tend to watch what other people do because I cannot fathom why our country is so incredibly fucked up when people are supposedly giving so much to charity. Something ain't right.

I know nothing about Mani, I don't even believe the rumors about how she came to be in P's life so I can't really comment about what her charity does. But I will say, when I give, I don't take a tax write-off or deductions for it. What is the point in giving if someone is in it for what it can do for them?

Janfriend said:

There are a lot of people who do that (religion is full of hypocrisy)...and there are a lot of people who are "fucked up" who don't follow Jesus/Jehovah/Allah/etc and/or spend $$ on designer threads.

What about 'followers' who spend their money on electronics or eating out at the best restaurants? Are they "fucked up" too? Your statement is way overgeneralized, imho.


.
[Edited 2/1/07 8:05am]

jone70 said:

There are a lot of effed up people but, in my honest opinion, those who claim to follow God and then be selfish or spend extravagantly when people are in crisis are more effed up than everyone else.

The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has donated 29 billion dollars to charitable causes since 2000. He's not the "designer wear" type, although I'm sure he likes his gadgets.

Stymie said:

Fair enough...but is Mani (still) proclaiming to be all religious? I never read anything about her touting or even mentioning her religious beliefs.

jone70 said:

I wasn't really speaking to Mani's circumstances but in all honesty, I thought she was a JW.

Janfriend said:

****I agree with this....

LadyQ said:

**** I agree with u. Sometime more lil things 2gether do more than 1 big thing... I think its easy 4 a rich person saying: "hey, Im good bcuz im doing charity".... Whats about those ones who r common and who sacrifice something 4 helping ppl?

Just a reflection...

Stymie said:

Gotcha...since the thread is about Mani, I presumed that Janfriend's original comment implied her (Mani).

gypsyfire said:

I'm afraid I don't understand the projection here: the article is a feature in the STYLE SECTION of the NEW YORK TIMES, for goodness sakes. What did you think the focus of of the story was going to be; bird feed? And besides, she's not trying to re-invent the p.r wheel by being the ex-wife of a rock star turned fashion maven. There have been scores of others before her (who have legitimate iconclast status in the world of fashion) like Bianca Jagger, Alana Stewart, Yoko Ono, and the like. All in all, she is a cutie though who appears to have a lot of drive, progressive ideas and good business sense. Trust me, the latter will stand the test of time and command far more attention than the labels in her closet.

jone70 said:

I was speaking about anyone who is a follower of Christ. As far as I know, Mani was baptized a JW when Prince was and before that, I believe she was of a different Christian faith

It has nothing to do with how religious one is or isn't. If someone follows the teachings of Jesus and wants to be Christ-like, having a $2,000.00 outfit is seriously out of whack. Jesus was a poor ass peasant



I'm not talking about them



They're fucked up too

So by your definition, is Prince "fucked up" too? Just trying to clarify because he was (as you posted) baptised a JW and I think its fair to say we've seen him wear tailor made suits, Versace, and use expensive custom made guitars. Or is that part of what is required for his profession as musician and thus, not "fucked up"?

jone70 said:

You're getting way too into this.

In terms of custom made guitars, I don't see that as frivilous because he is , afterall, a phenomenal musician and should have the best quality equipment. I've never heard him go down a list of what makers of his equipment he uses. As a matter of fact, I have an issue of guitar player magazine with him on the cover. In the article he made it a point to say he didn't like to name what equipment he uses because he didn't want other musicians to feel they had to have the same thing. He felt whatever a musician is comfortable with and whatever works best for them is fine

You're misunderstanding me. There's nothing wrong with having nice things and being comfortable. It is my personal belief that there is a such thing as too much. I never heard of Prince, in an interview or article, listing all the name brands in his closest or on his back and list a price. I've always understood that his stuff was tailor made and he had stylists who also bring him clothes to wear

And really, who is she? How was she able to start this charity? With what, or whose money? What university degree does she have? I can only assume she "earned" her money by laying on her back and spreading her legs

It also is a twist of the knife that she runs a charity and yet spends ridiculously

I don't know if it's the media, or own messed up society, that has brainwashed us into big spending or our own flawed human nature to feel important. For some reason, designer labels make us feel special. It lets people know we have money or, at least, perpetrate having money

We humans have a disgusting need to rationalize out over-indulgence