The Hard Sell

I went to Etam yesterday, which is basically just a middle-class chain store that sells t-shirts, lingerie, etc. They are obviously trying some American sales tactics handed down from upper management right now. In the States I think we're used to the rhetoric of optimism, like "it takes three 'no's to get a 'yes'!" (By the way, this is literally a rule at Victoria's Secret. You have to hear 'no' three times when selling the credit card before you're allowed to stop asking). Normally, these selling suggestions are taken with a grain of salt. It's understood, like "nothing's impossible", that you only have to be half-serious about it. These strategies, however, aren't ingrained in French culture like they are in our own. So when I went came out of the fitting rooms after trying on a t-shirt that didn't fit, the salesgirl started an argument with me concerning what I wanted from a t-shirt. Literally, we argued. It was crazy. It started out as a series of questions like "what don't you like about the product?" and showing me other t-shirts, which was such a practiced sales technique for such a socially inept girl that there's no way she came up with it by herself. This quickly degenerated into her raising her voice at me telling saying that the neckline is what I'm looking for, and me yelling back that it wasn't wide enough. The cash register girl decided to use flattery instead of intimidation. She practiced her "suggestive selling" by saying that the shirt that I found would look good with a necklace. "I know you like necklaces because you're wearing one!" When I said no, she kept sucking up to me. "I think you might have just the littlest bit of an accent, are you, possibly, not French?" Fuck off. I know I have the biggest accent ever. Seriously. Anyway, it was pretty unsettling to have such an American experience in a French store.

In job news, I've had two more interviews and another tomorrow. The first one was with Martin Margiela, who is known as the "JD Salinger of fashion" for being...not known. He refuses to speak to the press and doesn't come out after his shows. My job would be to talk to the English-speaking press for him. This is a big one, and paid. But I haven't heard back yet. The second one was with a guy who runs his own marketing firm; I'd be the right-hand girl. It's much less prestigious, but could be more learning. Tomorrow I'm going in for another interview with a bigger marketing firm.

I'm very tired of job interviews. And writing. I'm ready for vacation. Will write more once it commences.