I’ve been thinking lately of the future opportunities at this job. It seems as if there aren’t any. The two women I have grown closest to over these last 8 months have both been in the same position as shopgrils (brand reps) for 2 years. What made me think about my financial future even more was “The Rachel Zoe Project,” a reality television show on Bravo. Rachel Zoe, arguably the most notorious and highest paid stylist in America and Europe, is followed as she lives the life of luxury in the retail arena. A personal stylist demanded by the stars, Zoe has glamorized retail occupations, making it seem as the lifestyle of a personal shopper is one to be envied.
As a personal shopper in-store for a large chain, I find this problematic. What the show fails to do is highlight the long hours, temptation of being surrounded constantly by clothing and the mediocre paychecks; the program completely ignores the average female retail worker. Zoe’s life as high-paid retail goddess is a rarity but because it is placed prominently in the public eye, the truth of life in retail is ignored.
Even more troublesome was Zoe’s recent Harper’s Bazaar photo shoot. The reality tv star, who coined the term “I die” whenever she saw something she loved, is featured in a spread titled “Rachel Zoe – I Die.” The six photos featured in the article show Zoe being killed or attacked by prominent fashion designers such as Vera Wang and Marc Jacobs. Now not only has Zoe glamorized the grim life of a retail mistress, but has now glamorized violence against women. In one shot, Zoe is about to be hit in the face with a high-heel shoe and in another, she is about to be choked with a tape measurer.
I found a correlation between my job at Abercrombie and this shoot, as both demonstrate how fashion and the world of retail is being used as an outlet to oppress women. As accessories are used to threaten Zoe, clothing is used to threaten me in the work place. If I do not uphold the stylistic message that A&F wants to send, I will lose my job. Harper’s Bazaar has inadvertently called attention to this issue but has made it seem like a life to lust after. Many people will not get to Zoe’s fame and fortune through life as a brand rep or stylist.
In doing research, I found that internationally, women are a minority on the executive boards for retail companies. Even in middle management, women are outnumbered. This is frustrating for me. How am I supposed to stay in a job that makes it difficult to save for my future, even when working full time? I am paid minimum wage in Massachusetts, meaning $8 per hour and although I would like to dream big, I will most likely never have a fortune like Zoe's.
