Scheduling my schedule

For those of you who have known me since I was 17, you’re aware that I’m never really 100% when I say I’ll be someplace and you know that when I commit to a vacation, it’s always contingent.  It’s contingent on my schedule “options”.  This is not me being a brat or waiting for something better to come along, it’s simply my fortunate (or un-fortunate, depending on how you look at it) reality.  Like everyone else in this world, work (after family) comes first.  It just happens to be that I never really know when I’m going to be working or not going to be traveling to some obscure and nonsensical destination.  Not my fault, really.

In Bali during Easter. British Vogue by Tom Munro.

At Versailles during summer vacation. Not on the beach with my friends. By, Craig McDean for American Vogue.

In a studio in London over Thanksgiving, 2002 I think. Shot by Nick Knight.

We had pumpkin pie for lunch in my honor (there's no Thanksgiving in London). British Vogue.

The issue these days is that, I have apparently grown up.  This means that when I may or may not be going to NY this weekend (3 days from now) and when I may or may not be going to London next Friday and may or may not be continuing on to Milan from there and may or may not be returning to London just after Easter, really messes with other people’s schedules.  What I am saying is that despite my having no control over my schedule, not knowing my schedule is childish and effects others negatively.  Again, not too much I can do about it.  That probably comes across childishly as well.

It’s a tough concept for people to grasp who haven’t been living this way the majority of their life.  Let’s be honest, most people plan vacations months in advance.  This is something I can do, assuming I can back out at the last-minute.  At times it gets annoying to me as well but, to be completely fair it keeps things interesting.

The back story here is that there are a lot of ducks that need to line up before a job in fashion can be “confirmed”.  The rates have to be agreed on, model chosen, schedules can’t conflict for either the client or “talent” (yes, that is what I’m called in contracts) side, terms must be agreed on (hours, how many shots (photographs) hair and makeup) exposure of the images (will it be used in magazines, billboards, internet, etc?) and minutia such as that. At the end of the day, when you get off the plane after flying half way around the world, only to go directly to set and fly home that night, you’re grateful for all of the leg work that went into putting the job together.  Trust me, I’ve been there when it wasn’t.

In some random town in northern Sweden over the 4th of July. My friends had a big BBQ at home that weekend that I was supposed to be hosting. Mikael Jansson for Dutch.

This week, I’m inconveniencing quite a number of people.  Between my sister who has her weekend plans on hold, my husband who has his week on hold, my father in law who has his Giant’s ticket on hold, and United Airlines, who I need to call to put a flight on hold.  Everyone is getting irritated with me and I haven’t even touched on how three dogs put a wrench in things.

Saint Barths, over my birthday. Patrick Demarchelier shooting Celine.

Although I don’t know exactly where I will be and or when,  I do know that I have some fun traveling coming up and some pretty exciting jobs over the next few months!  I have one very “ROYAL” project in the works which I definitely will be asking for all of your help on!

In the mean time, wherever you are in the world, I hope you’re making the most of it and more importantly – enjoying yourself!

Maggie