Sharon Socol Plus One

Photography by Ryan Troy on May 8th, 2013 in Fashion, Lifestyle

Sharon Socol

Bal Harbour, FL – May 8, 2013 – Sharon Socol, wife of the former Barneys New York CEO Howard Socol, celebrated the launch of her book Plus One: An Outsider’s Photographic Journey Into the World of Fashion at Books & Books Bal Harbour Shops on Wednesday. The renowned photographer was joined by her husband Howard, founder of Books & Books Mitch Kaplan, and book designer and author Petra Mason for the book signing and presentation. She and Kaplan sat and chatted with her fans and fashion devotees about the 120-page photographic compilation of 100 candid fashion moments captured behind-the-scenes at fashion shows and parties in New York and Paris from a nine-year time span. In addition to her priceless photos, World Red Eye got to talk with Socol first hand to get her take on the world of fashion after being at so many fabulous events and parties.

Sharon Socol

World Red Eye: What were your favorite parties to attend?

Sharon Socol: Most of the parties were hosted by Barneys. Being Barneys, the crowd, the food, and the ambiance always had taste, luxury, and humor. Of the Barneys parties, the best were at our loft. Several times Barneys took over our kitchen and Simon Doonan rearranged my bookshelves! We hosted Donatella Versace, Iman, Cindy Sherman, the Olsen twins, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Anna Wintour, Mario Testino, and Glenda Bailey, to name a few.

WRE: How do you view the fashion world differently after seeing it first hand?

SS: I love answering this question. I am still an outsider in terms of following fashion. But over the almost ten years I observed with camera in hand, I came to see the industry as a home to thousands of talented, passionate, smart, hard-working people. I learned human history resides in fashion, and that fashion ranks as art. I understood that through fashion, a person can be whoever he or she wishes each morning when they stand in front of their closet. I think that is powerful therapy.

WRE: What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about the industry?

SS: My favorite thing is observing how fashion reaches out to people everywhere, offering them the opportunity to feel good about themselves. I think my least favorite thing is not dedicated to this industry alone: people who take themselves too seriously.

Sharon Socol & Mitch Kaplan

WRE: Were there nights you preferred to stay in and have a quiet night or are you a social butterfly?

SS: We, my husband Howard and I, are not social butterflies! We were more like caterpillars in our cocoon. We didn’t go to all the invites we received. We mostly went to Barneys, hosted parties that were directly related to business, and other events that supported the industry’s initiatives like CFDA, Parson’s School of Fashion Design, or Fashion Group International. And of course there were the many after parties during New York Fashion Week.

WRE: Where do you love to shop? Any favorite things in your wardrobe at the moment?

SS: I am not a big shopper. Though I do love shoes and dresses. I like my kitten heels too. I can wear them comfortably, and they give me a little height- I’m short and getting shorter! High and higher heels I like to call the ‘destination shoes.’ I wear them to and from events, but do not walk in them. The right shoe makes the look rich and complete. I have recently fallen back in love with dresses, especially bright colors, and those that find my waist and stop at the top of my knees. I feel feminine and back in touch with my high school days of wearing sheaths. Rag and Bone does a great little sheath. Narciso Rodriguez and Alber Elbaz at Lanvin believe in waists. [Diane von Furstenberg] was always about the waist too. Since I keep my dresses for years, I also have some lovely ones by Balenciaga.