Ukusukela ngo-Okthobha ka-1996, xa iSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, inkampani yamagqwetha enexabiso eliphezulu elizweni, yabhengeza ukuba bazakushiya ikomkhulu labo leNdawo yeThathu kwiifashoni bayohlala e-4 Times Square kunye nemagazini ecwebezelayo. Ubukhosi bobukumkani uCondé Nast, amaqabane asebenza ngokuqinileyo asebenza ngokuqinileyo kunye namaqabane asebenzise ixesha elininzi becinga ngomcimbi ophantse watya njengomsebenzi wabo kuhlanganiso lwe-RJ ka-1989. UReynolds kunye noNabisco. Ke, badibanise, ngaba siza kwabelana ngokuzivocavoca nabo bafazi baseCondé Nast?
Ubuncinci loo magqwetha awayesazi ukuba yintoni uCondé Nast awayezibuza loo mbuzo. Andikho phezulu kwinkcubeko ye-pop ngokweemodeli kunye nokuba yintoni, omnye umlingane weSkadden uxelele uMbonisi. Ukunyaniseka, andizange ndive ngeCondé Nast de ndive malunga nokuhamba. Ndive ngenene amabali aphikisanayo. Abanye abantu bandixelele ukuba yi-arhente yokumodareyitha kwaye iimodeli ziya phaya. Abanye abantu bandixelele ukuba ziiarhente ezininzi eziya phaya kuneemodeli. Andikayazi nangoku, ukunyaniseka.
Sele eza kufumanisa. Baza kuba nolwimi lwabo luxhomekeke, utshilo uDouglas Durst, ogama lakhe linguDurst Organ 4 Times Square, yamadoda aseSkadden.
Okwangoku, kuyinyani ukuchwetheza, abafazi baseCondé Nast bayayidlala ipholile. Skadden ngubani? ubuze umhleli wefashoni waseCondé Nast ocele ukungaziwa. Iintlobo zebhanki kuphela endizaziyo nguMorgan Stanley kunye noGoldman Sachs.
Umama usenokuba uchulumancile kakhulu ngamagqwetha afudukela kwisakhiwo kunam, utshilo uJoey Bartolomeo, umbhali wabasebenzi oneminyaka engama-25 kwi-Sports and Fitness yabaseTyhini.
URochelle Udell, umhleli we-Self, wayichitha ingcamango yabasetyhini baseCondé Nast abafuna emva kweenkozi zomthetho. Ngoku utshata usomashishini osebenza ngekhompyutha, utshilo. Okanye loo nto, uba ngusomashishini on-on.
Ngelixa kuninzi okubhaliweyo malunga nenqaba entsha kaCondé Nast yeTimes Square- ingakumbi xa, ngexesha lokwakha, ubude bentsimbi bawa, bagqobhozela eluphahleni lwehotele ekufuphi babulala ixhegwazana- bekungekho nto ingako ithethwayo Abasetyhini baseCondé Nast bazokwabelana ngesakhiwo malunga nama-600 amagqwetha esixeko ahlasela kakhulu. Kwaye abafana baya kuba phezulu: I-Skadden izakuhlala kumgangatho wama-24 nakwimigangatho engama-27 ukuya kuma-48. UCondé Nast kufuneka bonke bangeniswe phakathi ku-Agasti. ISkadden iya kuhlawulwa malunga noJanuwari 2000.
Ekuqalekeni kokuqala, kubonakala ngathi kukho ubuqhetseba bearhente yokuthengisa izindlu nomhlaba emva kokuhlanganisa le mibutho mibini phantsi kophahla olunye olunemigangatho engama-48. Kwiphepha, i-4 Times Square yindawo efanelekileyo yokutshatisa. Amashumi amathandathu anesihlanu eepesenti zamagqwetha aseSkadden angamadoda; Iipesenti ezingama-80 zabasebenzi baseCondé Nast ngabasetyhini abangaphantsi kweminyaka engama-35. I-avareji yeqabane laseSkadden ligoduka ne-1.3 yezigidi zeedola ngonyaka; Abasetyhini baseCondé Nast abaziwa ngokungahambelani nokuhlawula amatyala kwaye, ngaphandle kwabahleli abakwinqanaba eliphezulu, abayidingi ncam ibhegi yeLouis Vuitton duffel ukukhwelisa ekhaya umvuzo wabo. Isakhiwo se-Millennium, njengoko besibizwa ngokuba sisoyikisayo, sinokuba sisitya sepetri kolunye lolona vavanyo lukhulu lwemfuza olwenziweyo. Inzala (i-Condé Skads? I-Skadden Nasties?) Inokuba luhlanga lwabantwana abanee-cheekbones eziphakamileyo kunye neempundu eziqinileyo ezinamagama okuqala ziiyure ezinokuhlawulwa kwaye ngubani oza kuthi kungekudala afunde isifundo sobomi obungunaphakade: Isikhumba somntu ozisebenzelayo akufuneki, nanini, sisetyenziswe ebusweni .
Owu, ulonwabo abanokuba nalo kunye! Kukho igqwetha le-M & A u-Evan Stone ebuza ukuba angakwazi na ukuphatha iibhokisi ze-Vanity Fair umlawuli wefashoni uElizabeth Saltzman iibhokisi ezivela eSpoop. Kukho uMorris Kramer, iqabane likaSkadden ukusukela ngo1975, ezama owakhe oyena mntu ukhunjulwayo ukuba akhumbule ukuba ngoobani na koodade baseBritane baseSykes, uLucy noPlum, ibhulukhwe enye, ibrunette enye, evela kuAllure naseVogue ngokwahlukeneyo. Hee, yayingenguye u-Attila Bodi, oyintloko entlanganisweni yokudibana kweCiticorp kunye neTravellers Group Inc., ekwabelana ngemoto kanomathotholo kunye nomlawuli wefashoni weVogue uWendy Hirschberg?
Kodwa ngaba iya kusebenza? Okanye kuya kufana nokuphosa iipanda ezimbini kunye kwaye ngokuthe ngcembe ziye ekuqondeni ukuba ngekhe, kwisigidi seminyaka, iqabane?
Umbono wokuzivocavoca ekwabelwana ngawo uye weza. Kodwa, yeha, uSkadden uyixelile: Ifemu ichaze izizathu zokhuseleko, ibanga ukuba amaqabane ayo ahlala exoxa ngeentengiselwano kwi-Stairmaster, njengoko bexhuzula iihempe zabo ezimfutshane ze-Skadden Arps kunye neebhulukhwe ezimfutshane. Iiklasi zeepilates nge, yithi, umlawuli wokuhlela weCondé Nast uJames Truman angadala ukuvuza okuninzi kakhulu. Abanye abancinci abancinci beSkadden bayazibuza ngasese ukuba ngaba isigqibo besinento yokwenza nokungafuni ukuba abasetyhini baseCondé Nast bafumane ukugxadazela kwimizimba yabalupheleyo yamaqatha eSkadden. Ke isakhiwo esinye sokuzivocavoca siza kuba yindawo yaseSkadden.
Kwaye abantu abancinci abafanelekileyo akufuneki ukuba balindele ukuchitha kunye kunye: Usuku uCondé Nast abelana ngalo ngokugqibeleleyo kodwa okwangoku uza kugqitywa uFrank O. Indawo yokutya eyenzelwe nguGehry iya kuba lusuku lomhleli weVogue u-Anna Wintour enxibe ijini ye-asidi yokuhlamba . I-Skadden iya kuba negumbi lokudlela labucala, kumgangatho we-37, kodwa iya kuba ligqwetha elinesibindi eliqala ukubonakalisa isidlo sasemini kunye no-willowy, uJimmy Choo-shod umhleli wobuhle engalweni yakhe.
Ayisiyo yokuba abafazi baya kube bekhwaza isimemo. Kwaye kukho ubunyani obunzulu, inyani emnyama nokuba, malunga nalo mtshato: Abafazi baseCondé Nast kungenzeka ukuba bababambe abo bahlala nabo ngesikrakra esibuhlungu abasigcinele abazalwana abancinci, abalindi abacothayo kunye nabahleli be-Hearst. Ngokukodwa xa beqonda ukuba iikhabhathi zabo zeradiyo ezithandekayo kuya kufuneka babelane ngendawo encinci yokuthintela iinqwelo zeSkadden.
Mhlawumbi abantu bajonge ukusebenza nabantu besini esahlukileyo, utshilo umlawuli wefashoni uMademoiselle u-Evyan Metzner, andazi ngenene. Kodwa abafazi endisebenza nabo eMademoiselle batshatile okanye banamakhwenkwe, kunye nolunye uhlobo lokuphila okunempilo. Ayisiyo nyani ukukhangela. Andicingi ngokudibana nendoda yekamva lam izokusebenza ekuseni. Ngaba ucinga ukuba ndiza kuqala ukunxiba izihlangu eziphakamileyo kakhulu eofisini?
UBruce Fowle, inqununu kwiFox & Fowle Architects, ifemu eyile i-4 Times Square, yema kwigumbi lokungenisa elikhulu kwiintsuku ezine ngaphambi kokuba kufike abantu bokuqala beCondé Nast. Wema kumgangatho wegranite okhazimliswe ngombala phantsi kwesilingi yokuhambisa amaza ealuminium. Sasazi malunga nabafazi abahle eCondé Nast, utshilo uMnu Fowle. Ndiyacinga, ngokungazi, siyigcine engqondweni. Iikhetshi zelifti zide kwaye zibhityile, kwaye azidangali kakhulu ekubonakaliseni kwabo. Zilula kwaye zithotyelwe ukuze loo misebenzi yobugcisa ibonakale.
I-Condé Nast kunye ne-Skadden Arps ngekhe zabelane ngazo naziphi na iimoto zelifti, nangona ibhanki esembindini yeelifti –eziphakathi eziphakathi- ziya kuba neemoto zeCondé Nast kanye ecaleni kweemoto zaseSkadden. Ukukhanya kwilifti kuya kuseta imo eyahluke kakhulu, utshilo uMnu Fowle. Kuya kukuthatha kule ndawo inkulu ibalaseleyo ukuya kwinto egxile ekukhanyeni, engenalo inqanaba elifanayo lokuqaqamba njengaphandle apha.
Kula maxesha angathandekiyo okuphembelela, nali iphepha lokukhohlisa kula manenekazi aseCondé Nast acinga ukuba iSkadden yibhanki, kwaye abo bafo baseSkadden bacinga ukuba uCondé Nast yiarhente yokumodareyitha:
Iipleyiti zeBony zeCondé Nast, ziqokelelene, kwaye udibane namagqwetha amancinci e-barracuda eSkadden Arps. Amakhwenkwe anokuncitshiswa, kuba awazange azive elingana ngokulinganayo kunye neenkampani zehlabathi ezindala ezinomqolo ezinje ngeCravath, Swaine & Moore kunye neSullivan kunye neCromwell. Kwiminyaka engama-50, uSkadden ubenayo le chip inkulu egxalabeni malunga nobume besibini obugqwesileyo bamagqwetha akhe asezantsi kwibhari ephezulu, utshilo uLincoln Caplan, umbhali uSkadden: Amandla, iMali kunye nokuPhuma koBukhosi boMthetho. Kwangelo xesha linye kuphuhlisiwe oku kungabambeki uphawu lophawu lokudibana, kulambele ukwamkelwa nokwamkeleka. I-Skadden yinkampani yezomthetho oyiqeshileyo xa ufuna ukoyikisa i-bejesus emntwini, nto leyo ngokungathandabuzekiyo eyenziwe ngu-Bill Clinton xa waqesha igqwetha lase-Skadden u-Bob Bennett ukuba aziphendulele kwi-Paula Jones. Ukuba uthatha isigqibo sokuba ufuna usuku kunye negqwetha laseSkadden, manenekazi, uya kuphucula isidlo esivela eDallas BBQ esiya kuDaniel ukuba ukhankanya igama elithi Joe Flom. Umnumzana Flom uliqabane laseSkadden bonke abantu abancinci beSkaddy bafuna ukuba njalo. Unyana okhuliswe eBrooklyn wabaphambukeli abangamaRashiya abangamahlwempu, uMnumzana Flom wanceda uSkadden ukuba abenendawo yokuhlala phantse kuzo zonke izinto ezenziwayo zokudibanisa kunye nokufumana kwi-go's go's go's, kubandakanya no-R.J. Ukuthengwa kukaReynolds kwamagqwetha aseNabisco-Skadden waxhoma i-25 yezigidi zeedola kwinkampani kweso sivumelwano. Ukuba kufuneka wenze ubudlelwane kunye nendoda yaseSkadden, uCondé gals, cwaka uqale ukumtyibilika kwiXanax yakho. Imisebenzi yabo ikholisa ukuba… noxinzelelo. Uxinzelelo? Omnye wabahlobo beSkadden watsho. Isihogo, ewe, uxinzelelo. Ukuba ubaleka nokuba neveki yonke ngaphandle kokukrazula iinwele zakho, unethamsanqa! Iiveki ezilikhulu leeyure aziqhelekanga. Ngamanye amaxesha abahlobo balala kwiiofisi zabo. Lumka: Nangona bekwazi ukuyifumana, bambalwa abahlobo bakaSkadden abazikhathaza ngokufumana izabelo zasehlotyeni kwiiHamptons, beqonda ukuba kunqabile ukuba baphume baye phaya.
Kwaye musa ukulindela ukuba bakukhaphe ukuya kumboniso weDamien Hirst edolophini. Basemhlabeni ngendlela abaselula C.I.A. iiarhente zehlabathi, utshilo uMnu Caplan. Banolwazi olunzulu malunga nento entsonkothileyo nefihlakeleyo, ekunzima ukuba bathethe ngayo, kodwa ebunjiweyo njengeendaba kwiThe Wall Street Journal kunye namaphepha ezemali amaphephandaba kwihlabathi liphela. Bayayazi indlela eliza kuphinda limiswe kwakhona ngaphambi kokuba nabani na enze njalo.
Unokufuna ukuya ngokulula kumahlaya egqwetha, ubuncinci kude kube ngumhla wesithathu okanye wesine. Kukho ingqondo ye-Green Beret apho, wachaza omnye owayesakuba lilungu le-Skadden. Kukuqonda ukuba umthetho uyimfazwe kwaye uziva eofisini ngokungathi ndicinga ukuba umkhosi wase-Israeli uziva njani ngaphambi kokuba baye edabini.
Kulungile, ngoku, bafana, khupheni iipads zenu zomthetho. UCondé Nast ngumbuso wamaphephancwadi ophethwe yi-S.I. (Si) Newhouse Jr. Unodumo oluhlala luhleli njengesikolo sokugqiba abafazi abancinci beklasi lokuzonwabisa. Ummeli uClare Boothe Luce kunye noMmeli kaMillicent Fenwick, amaRiphabhlikhi aseNew Jersey, babengabahleli bokuqala beCondé Nast. Ukukunika umbono wendlela umfazi waseCondé Nast alindele ukuba aphathwe ngayo: Umagazini omkhulu wamaphepha-ndaba uSam Newhouse, utata kaSi, wafaka i-15 yezigidi zeedola ku-Condé Nast ngo-1959 emva kokuba umfazi wakhe uMitzi emxelele ukuba yonke into ayifunayo kumsitho womtshato wabo wama-35 Iphephancwadi leVogue.
Kule mihla, irejimeni yomhleli wefashoni weCondé Nast ihlala ibandakanya ukuzilolonga kwangaphambili e-Equinox, ukunqunyulwa iinwele nguJohn Sahag (isitayile sikaGwyneth Paltrow), ukubethwa ngumoya kwabafazi baseBrazil kuMbala kunye nokusikwa, ii-facials zeedola ezingama-205 ezivela kuLonwabo, iwotshi yeTanki laseCartier, izihlangu zikaManolo Blahnik (izithende kuphela eVogue, dearie!), I-Prada encinci okanye i-Gucci, kwaye ehlotyeni, yagqitywa nge-wax ye-bikini yaseBrazil ngoncedo loosisi bakaJ. Kwaye emva kwawo wonke loo msebenzi-wancedwa kunye nomkhombe bawufumana ngekhefu lasebusika ngelixa baseSmith – bajonge ukufela! Ukutya ngecephe! Ibiza kakhulu!
Kodwa Skadden iiponi, lumka! Amaninzi, amadoda amaninzi ebebhonsa i-Condé Nast iminyaka, ngelixa iintloko zenu bezingcwatyiwe kulungiso olubi. Umhleli ovela kwiphephancwadi lefashoni i-Condé Nast wathi ngenye imini xa wayephuma kwesi sakhiwo, wabona umhlobo oyindoda enomtsalane esenza iJeep yakhe phambi kwesakhiwo saseCondé Nast. Wamxelela ukuba ubrawuza nje. Umncedisi wokuhlela uthe uyamazi umyili wemizobo oza kungena ngaphakathi kwesi sakhiwo aze akhwele iilifti yonke imva kwemini. Kwaye aba asingobantu abangafundanga! watsho umhleli. Aba banomdla, banomdla, bayonwabile abafana- uhlobo onokuya kulo ukuze uhlangane nengxowa-mali.
Kodwa ungaziva ungonwabanga ukuba abafazi baseCondé Nast bayakugatya, Skaddies, awuwedwa. Ngokomhleli weCondé Nast, bambalwa abantu abangatshatanga abasebenza apho bakwakhona neqela elinengxaki. Baziva besebenza nabo bonke aba bafazi bahle bagqibela ngokuhamba naba Wall Streeters, utshilo.
Ke, ungasebenza lo mtshato? UDavid Marglin, owayesakuba ngumhlobo kaSkadden oqala eyakhe inkampani yeWebhu eBoston, ucinga ukuba kunokuba njalo. Imali yecachet, yindlela awachaza ngayo ukuthandana okunokwenzeka kweCondé-Arps. Ndiqinisekile ukuba kukho abantu ababhinqileyo abangazizo ii-heiresses ezisebenza kula maphephancwadi angahlawulwanga konke oko, ngokuthelekisa, ke kuyakubakho abantu abaninzi abahlawulwa kakuhle baseSkadden abangenabomi bentlalo kunye nabantu abaphantsi kweCondé Nast ubomi bokuhlala. Urhwebo luzakuba yimali yecachet.
Amadoda angamaGay eCondé Nast nawo aye acinga ngabamelwane bawo abatsha. Kukho uluvo ngokubanzi lokuba eli liqela elibi kakhulu lamagqwetha, hayi elibi ngokwasemzimbeni, kodwa luhlobo lokugaya, umatshini wemali enkulu, utshilo umncedisi wokuhlela osisitabane kwiminyaka yakhe yama-20, owathi unomhlobo oyisitabane osebenza Skadden. Abantu abaninzi bathi baninzi abameli bamafanasini apho, kodwa umhlobo wam uthi Hayi, luhlobo lwendawo engonwabisiyo ukuba li-gay. Uthe uziva enethamsanqa ukuba abe luhlobo lomntu odlula ngokungagungqiyo.
Uthe kuyakuba mnandi ukufumana igazi elitsha, nangona amagqwetha aseSkadden enedumela lokuba ngabanxibi abanobuhlobo. Ndiyazi ukuba abahlobo bam be-Condé Nast abahlobo bam bafumanisa ukuba umntu oqhelekileyo uCondé Nast uyinto ecekisekayo, kuba bonke banxibe izihlangu ezifanayo zemidlalo yePrada, ibhulukhwe efanayo kaHelmut Lang, utshilo. Andizukuphazamiseka tu xa ndibona amadoda aseSkadden engena, iisuti zawo ezingafanelekanga. Uthe inkcubeko yesini kwiifemu zomthetho kunye neebhanki zahlukile kunesimo sengqondo esivulekileyo eCondé Nast. Ndiyazi kubahlobo bam abasebenza ezibhankini nakwiifemu zomthetho, kukho iseti engaqhelekanga yezithethe zesondo ezenzeka eofisini. Abantu banomnqweno wokuphulula amaphambili kwidesika zabo emva kokuba wonke umntu emkile, okanye umnqweno wokungena kwigumbi lokuhlambela kakhulu ukuze uqonde buthule kwaye uqonde amasiko abanye abantu okuhlamba. Konke kuyothusa kakhulu, kodwa akunakuphikwa kuyinyani ngendawo ochitha kuyo iiyure ezili-12 zosuku lwakho uzama ukuzenza ngathi awusiso isilwanyana somntu esineemfuno zenyama.
Mhlawumbi eyona nto yomeleleyo isebenza ngokuchasene namadoda aseSkadden kukuba nabafazi baseSkadden abafuni. Kwaye kubafazi abaninzi beCondé Nast, ukuba awuzange ube isoka lakho komnye umntu, akafanelekanga ukuba nalo.
Ewe, kuqala kwiinto zonke, zonke zimfutshane, utshilo unyaka wesibini uSkadden ongumfazi obambisene naye ukuba sele ekwiminyaka engama-20, ngoogxa bakhe abangamadoda. Andazi kutheni. Kufuneka ibe yinto yegqwetha. Uthe wayenzima ukubiza indoda yaseSkadden awayecinga ukuba inomdla. Babini kuphela ababalekayo eSkadden ukuze bajoyine iibhanki zotyalo-mali. Ndicinga ukuba siqinile nje, utshilo ekhefuzela, esongeza ukuba uninzi lwamadoda lubonakala lunengxaki ekufumaneni iihempe zabo, kwaye badlala into awayeyibiza ngokuba sisuti yeselesi, ukubonakala komileyo.
Kubafazi baseCondé Nast, wathi, Bathabathe. Bhala imihla. Asikhathali.… Ukuba ungayithoba imilinganiselo yakho, uya kuba ulungile.
UJoey Bartolomeo, umbhali wezemidlalo yabasetyhini kunye noFitnes, uthe akazi okuninzi ngendlela ekhethekileyo ngamagqwetha, nanjengoko yena nomama wakhe bebethetha ngawo. Ngaba abo bantu abafani namagqwetha amahle? Andiqondi ukuba bangabagxothwa zii-ambulensi, utshilo. Ndilindele ukuba bonke babe banxibe iisuti. Ndicinga ukuba yile ndlela esiya kuthi sikwazi ngayo ngaphandle kwabantu abasebenza apha. Kwaye baya kuba neebhegi, izinto ezinjalo.
UNks Bartolomeo, onobude obuziimitha ezintlanu ezi-intshi ezimbini, wabuzwa ukuba uziva njani ngokuthandana namadoda amafutshane. Ngoba? Ngaba zonke zifutshane? Ubuzile. Bendingayi kufuna umfana omfutshane ngokukodwa. Intoni? Ngaba kukho imfuneko ethile yokuphakama kokusebenza apho? Kuya kufuneka ubephantsi kolu ukuphakama ukuze usebenze apha?
Umphathi oyindoda kwiphephancwadi lefashoni i-Condé Nast ucinga ukuba amagqwetha amakhulu aya kugoduka ubusuku ngabunye engenanto. Ngaba izinto ezinje nge-Intanethi bezingenzeki ngoku, ndingathi, Ewe zinokwenzeka. Kodwa inyani kukuba, aba bantu benza amandongomane xa kuthelekiswa neentsha kwiSilicon Alley. Ukuba ngenene imali yeyona aphrodisiac iphambili, ndingatsho ukuba aba bantu bazakuphuma ngaphandle kwethamsanqa, kuba abanamali nje. Ndiyaqonda ukuba aba bantu bakwi-Intanethi zizinto ezinobungozi ezikhuselekileyo ezipokothweni. Kodwa kufana nokwenziwa kwabafazi, yiyo loo nto abahleli behlawulwa ukuba bayenze. Into endinokuyibona mna nawe njenge-geek enamehlo amane, bayayibona njengeprojekthi yokulungisa kunye neendawo ezininzi eziqhotyoshelwe kuye.
Yiyiphi ephakamisa umbuzo: Ngaba i-Skadden ngokungazi ilungiselele ukuwa kwayo ekugqibeleni ngokuhlala neCondé Nast? Ziza kuba yintoni iimpembelelo zokurhangqwa ziinzwakazi ezibude buziimitha ezi-6 ezizigatyayo ezinokuzithemba kwamagqwetha aseSkadden? Ngaba i-Skadden izakuqala ukuphulukana nenkundla yamatyala, ngaba ukudityaniswa kwayo kungadibani, njengoko amagqwetha ayo ehamba nomyalezo omkhulu wokungazithembi?
Njengomlingani oyindoda kwenye inkampani enkulu eyibeka, ndicinga ukuba amagqwetha eefemu ezinje ngeSkadden azibuze imibuzo enje, 'Ngaba sikhona isizathu sokuba ndingakwazi ukunxibelelana ngokwasentlalweni naba bantu, ukuthandana nabo, okanye ukubenza umdla kubo?' ndiyeke. Bebengashiya ifemu, okanye bashiye umthetho ngokupheleleyo. Ndicinga ukuba bayakuqonda ukuba babephila ubomi bokuziphatha kakubi.
