PHOTO // RHYAN REYES
Maurice: What exactly are the duties of producers? Erik is the designer and producer of this bunch, yes?
Erin: Sarah handles things that I am not good at and I handle things she is not good at . Sarah and I work really well together. Sarah handles all of the logistics –A to Z– and is in contact with the designers non stop. Right?”
Sarah: “Yes I would say so”
Erin: I handle things that are more of PR and the media. So together it really forms this good foundation that we are able to build on. We spend time with each designer and we really make sure that we are able to answer all of their questions because all new designers have questions about their guest list or their models. so we take those questions and make them feel secure and we are ALWAYS available. If they call one of us then they can talk to both of us. We are probably always together. If there’s something they need, or unsure, something they want to bring up or do something totally new we’re able to answer those questions and help them. We are really open to them being open and creative and then we let them know we are there and we know why they are there–to make their show successful and comfortable and there’s a point to all of this.
Maurice: Do you produce shows in Milan, and other countries as well?
Erin: Well, we are working up to London, and as you know we just wrapped up the final week of The New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center. So, we got to close the tents. Our models took the final runway at this momentous occasion. Yeah!! We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to close that show of The Mercedes-Benz fashion Week.
PHOTO // JEFF LINETT
Maurice: This may seem like a crazy question, but why is it closing. why can’t it keep going on and continue to perpetuate?
Erin: Well it is going on but not in New York, Mercedes-Benz is no longer the sponsor. Mercedes-Benz made that decision to pull out after 5 years.
Maurice: Are you going to do your own thing too?
Erin: Long, long ago, we stared volunteering with a passion to produce shows and building knowledge and last May -June 2014, we launched our own brand. We are doing the same thing we were doing before but now we can structure it the way we want and work with companies we want to work with.
Sarah: We have been able to branch out. We do film premieres. We launched our own nail polish line. Lots of fun things now.
Maurice: Diversification, right?
Sarah: Exactly!
Maurice: Are you leaning to do what Erik does on a full-time basis. It sounds like it?
Sarah: We do it with Erik on a full-time basis. We worked on this show — The W Hollywood — and but in between seasons we work on other things such as fundraisers, what ever it is. We’ve done some Lions Gate premieres as well.
Erin: We are diversifying!
Marina BerBeryan: (to Sarah & Erin) Please do keep up the fantastic work that you’ve been doing because you make us very happy!
Sarah & Erin: Thank you . We do it for you guys.
Erin: It’s about the community. It’s about Los Angeles. It’s about building this city into the next fashion mecca, because the talent is here and you need a platform and we are that platform.
Marina BerBeryan: “What do you think of Tom Ford coming to LA?”
Erin: It’s a huge, huge step!
Sarah: We are making strides in the right direction him coming here is amazing. It sets the tone.
Maurice: How did you meet Marina BerBeryan?
Sarah: How did we meet Marina? She was attending all of the shows of fashion week, and we started talking and we loved what she was doing and we just kind of formed this relationship.
PHOTO // VINCENT CHAVEZ
To learn more about Parker Whitaker Productions visit www.pw.cmorra.com
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