CREATE & CULTIVATE 2015

Finally got the chance to write about the Create&Cultivate conference I attended a few weeks ago.

I had a good time, though I did prefer the boutique and curated nature of last year’s event. Because it was cohosted with “Darling” magazine last year, we had DIY workshops, slideshow presentations, and even an artisanal dinner to mingle with new friends. During this version, we were “thrown in” to a huge warehouse with huge sponsors and had to literally navigate the sea of people to get anything out of it or meet anyone. The intimacy was gone. The curated, specifically designed seminars were gone. It was a pretty shell with sponsors, and drinks, and coolness. All the ingredients for the party without the heart.

I did meet some interesting entrepreneurs (with a fashion bent), photograph some pretty displays, and nibble on some delicious snacks. Kept filling up on the Blue Bottle New Orleans coffee samples and my free green juices. All the things I love were there, but it was somehow not fulfilling. Might have been that Darling was no longer a cohost (Now, Allure brought out the big guns) and it was their loyal followers were that created a unique, and authentic presence in the typically superficial industry of beauty. Whatever the difference - the size, the cohosting, the nature of growing and evolving - it was not as special as last time. Would I go again and pay $350 for a ticket? Probably not. But, it’s always interesting to rub shoulders with high profile "influencers" and participate in such a "designed" event.  And, at least I had learned about a new app to upload inspiring quotes onto Instagram!