Right down to the “I am a fashion editor” wardrobe selection and attitude, everything comes off as contrived.  A look at Slowey on Elle’s website shows a smiling woman in a low-cut dress and tasteful accessories, yet in Stylista she combines a power suit with an oversized Yves Saint Laurent necklace, a wide belt, a wrist full of bracelets, a large gold handbag, and heels so high that she apparently has trouble walking in them.  The Devil, in this instance, doesn’t wear Prada; although I’m sure she will in a future episode.

Which brings me to the conclusion that, sadly, this show is merely a pastiche.  Just another outlet to reinforce the stereotypes that abound surrounding the fashion and publishing world.  One more “reality” show where the participants allow themselves to be yelled at and bullied so that they can ‘follow their dream’.  Yet one has to assume that the winner of this show will follow in the footsteps of the winners of Banks’ other show, America’s Next Top Model.  Brief notoriety will be followed by little or no work in the industry that they wanted to break into.  Admittedly we live in a voyeuristic society but at what point do these shows lose their entertainment value and become a depressing look at what our culture prizes?  What is more depressing...for people’s dreams to be broken apart and their sense of self-worth deflated in front of millions of viewers...or for us to gleefully tune in and watch?