Princess Luna
Serene Highness
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2005
- Messages
- 1,167
- City
- London
- Country
- United Kingdom
I love Mary`s outfit and hair in the picture They also look so much in love
I think it´s a nice change to look beyond the styling aspect of this trip. And I think it´s nice to broaden the horizon and look how things can be done too. I think one can compare this trip with others that have been done before by CP Philippe or CP Haakon for example as they are in the same position and do similar trips (not sure about Felipe&Letizia or Victoria and Willem Alexander and Maxima don´t focus on economy).
One could look at the recent trip of Philippe and Mathilde to China for example. In Hong Kong a charity gala was organized with tickets up to 1.900 $ per seat. And the people who gathered at the ball room of the Four Seasons Hotel belonged to the top ten of the Hong Kong society (e.g Stanley Ho who was seated next to Mathilde) respectively to the Belgian business delegation and even the British consul general came along. So there actually was the chance for networking and promoting Belgian products (food, diamonds, jewellery, fashion which have been on display that evening) to potential clients. Philippe also met with mayors, trade ministers, governors etc. to open doors for “his” businessmen. There have been workshops with both Chinese and Belgian participants and work visit to Belgian plants in China. This promotion trips are quite controversial in Belgium and the trip did not get much attention here (and there is nothing wrong about this), but it sure had an impact on the Belgian-Chinese business cooperation and it was reported in several Chinese newspapers etc.
I don´t know but to me this New York promotion trip was not so convincing. Why did Frederik show up at the New York Coast Guard for example? And why didn´t he meet political or economic keyplayers in New York? Why did they not use the gala as opportunity to bring important investors together with Danish businessmen? Frederik did visit Arla and so on and was surrounded by Danish journalists, but what does this mean for the market chances of Danish products in New York? Just my three cents to add to an open discussion, which does not only focus on fashion and style.
- No visiting of any American companies with a team of Danish business men/women for some high level talks.
The trip seemed to go exactly as planned by DI and to fulfil whatever goals DI and the trade delegations had set.
Thank you, Johann. This is exactly what I've been wondering. The Philippe and Mathilde's trip was exactly what I imagine a trade mission should be. I don't know who's at the gala F&M attended but I so far haven't heard of any movers and shakers of NYC. These are things I didn't see:
- No meeting with any American political leaders, not even NYC mayor
- No meeting with NYC leading business leaders
- No visiting of any American companies with a team of Danish business men/women for some high level talks
The only people they met seem to be Danes and the only media covered them was Danish press. I don't see how the trip promoted Danish interests in the US.
As for other royals, Felipe and Letizia's oversea trips usually focus more on diplomatic and cultural exchange rather than solely commerce. Felipe almost always meets the political leaders, from the head of state down to the mayor of the city they visit. He seems to be the leading Spanish diplomat on Latin American relationships. He opens all the Cervante Institute abroad. He sometime was accompanied by Spanish business men for trade talks or attended business conferences.
I remember Victoria did some trips for commerce or cultral exchange. She went to Australia to promote Swedish products about three years ago. I remember she got on Australian TV for an interview. I remember she visited Los Angeles a couple years ago and LA Times ran an article on her visit of Getty Center and Rodeo Drive.
SOrry, but as a Dane I must say that I find this very condescending. By stating that the goals of the visits lacked seriousness and importance of activities, you basically claim that for example the cultural activities (mostly design and architecture) which are important to Denmark are not deemed noticeable. I cannot imagine saying that about another country.as another poster said, it was a nice display of amazing outfits but quite poor in seriousness and importance of the activities.
But I take it that we should bow our heads in humble gratitude that the activities were deemed serious and important enough for the US energy department and the governor of Pennsylvania
LOL - they should! From the program though I don't think they attended these particular meetings; it says that the Danish sustainable energy delegation had this meeting as well as a meeting with the World Bank which was also about energy supply and efficiency, solar power, wind power and renewable energy fuel cells.It's Frederiks and Marys fault. They should have begged for a picture oportunity together with the US energy department and the governor of Pennsylvania.
Fact is : from the PR point of view this trip wasn't a success at all .The public interest has been tiny. If it pays financially or economically time will tell. People who like looking at clothes seem to have had something to enjoy. These 5 persons made their opinions about that very clear.
SOrry, but as a Dane I must say that I find this very condescending. By stating that the goals of the visits lacked seriousness and importance of activities, you basically claim that for example the cultural activities (mostly design and architecture) which are important to Denmark are not deemed noticeable. I cannot imagine saying that about another country.
And surely Denmark is not the only country where sustainability and enviromental-friendly energy sources are considered immensely important? It is a huge business in DK - not least thanks to our windmill industry.
But I take it that we should bow our heads in humble gratitude that the activities were deemed serious and important enough for the US energy department and the governor of Pennsylvania
Re: Carlota, I think the focus on Mary's clothes was mainly something that happened here on the internet, and on other royalty forums, blogs, boulevard magazines etc. I would be surprised if the serious Danish press wouldn't have focussed on something different too and I am sure the people that they met had more interest then in a skirt and a blouse. Nothing wrong with the fous on clothes of course, as it happens with most topics online (state visits, openings of parliament etc) but luckily these visits are more then a fashion parade .
Too bad the meeting mentioned in the Creative Nation programme between the Danish sustainable energy delegation and the Department of Energy and U.S. energy sector key players doesn't qualify as high level talks. - or the Pennsylvania Governor for that matter. The visit to to NY Times HQ which focused on the enviromentally an sustainable aspect of the building was very much in line with one of the important themes of the trade delegation - sustainability.
In Denmark paintings, architecture and design happen to be regarded as culture and will you please respect that in your comments. Karen Salicath who was part of the programme also goes by the description artist.
Your comments to the agenda of the visits are marked by an deplorable lack of even basic knowledge about what really took place. You would definitely benefit from reading the official program which is found here Program for Creative Nation - Dansk Industri, Press before commenting further.
in any case, i truly appreciate their efforts to support alternative energies. it really is important. now, i just hope it actually does make a difference. don't be offended, but perhaps the governor of pennsylvania should focus in getting windmills produced or speak with their danish counterpart on how to do it, rather than speaking about it with fred and mary that won't know about it and if they do, they won't know as much as the scientists, engineers and ministers in charge of it.
Speaking of NYC,danish design and beauty: if you really want to see a beautiful woman in NYC that is into danish design and fashion you have to go to Helena Christensens shop " Butik" . I think that it would have been a great idea to let Mary visit Helena in her shop, because the model is a great ambassador for danish fashion worldwide.That would of course have created lots of PR....
But..oops: in this case Mary would not have been the most beautiful woman in the room. I guess thats why it did not happen..)
But the Department of energy and the governor of Pennsylvania did have meetings with the sustainable energy delegations from Denmark - not directly with F&M - who as you rightly point out - can not be as knowledgeable about this as the experts they are travelling with. F&M attended the sustainability conference later on at alternating times.in any case, i truly appreciate their efforts to support alternative energies. it really is important. now, i just hope it actually does make a difference. don't be offended, but perhaps the governor of pennsylvania should focus in getting windmills produced or speak with their danish counterpart on how to do it, rather than speaking about it with fred and mary that won't know about it and if they do, they won't know as much as the scientists, engineers and ministers in charge of it.
sincerely, i believe promoting the fashion industry or the furniture industry or the cutlery industry, as big as they can be in denmark or in any other country, can be considered rather "poor" in aims. of course sustainability is a big thing though and denmark is a pioneer in the field and have it very much integrated into their cultures, but don't you think promoting things such as furniture and clothes as well with architechture and windmills is rather disorganized at least?
One country in particular comes to mind, France. The french are known worldwide for high fashion, cusine, the arts etc. I love swedish furniture design, some call the workmanship art. How do we equate importance? I'm sure there are a milion answers to this question.Some countries excel at internet technology, which gives us the opportunity to be here, whilst others excel at fashion, design, agriculture, music, shipping, transportation, oil, etc.
But that's the agenda of Creativenation, not F&M's, is it? F&M didn't visit the Department of Energy or the governor of PA, did they? They didn't set up these meetings, did they? So things happened DESPITE of F&M's visit, NOT because of them.
We're not talking about whether the Creative Nation was successful or not. We're talking about whether F&M's visit added any value to it.
The majority of Frederik & Mary's events are listed at the link UserDane provided. Some of them (the visit to the theatre performance for example), are not. Alternatively, to see all their events, see post 8 on page 1 But you're right, other events and meetings took place without Frederik & Mary, because they were not the main focus of the event