June 19, 2007, 11:03 am What Do Socialites Do All Day? Socialites used to be just socialites.
They lunched. They threw parties. They shopped. And they kept lists — A-lists and B-lists, and lists of people who could never make the lists.
But in today’s new-money world, with millions of freshly minted, constantly striving millionaires, socialites want more. They’re no longer content with being ladies of leisure — they have to be hyperachieving ladies of leisure.
Perhaps it’s the Paris Hilton effect, with more and more people trying to turn the business of being an heiress (or heir) into a business. Or maybe it’s an attempt to stay relevant in a world where the idle rich are being replaced by the workaholic wealthy and everyone has to have their own company — or at least their own business card. (Even if it says Mrs. Mary Smith — Philanthropist, Birkin Bag expert.)
In the Old Money days, socialites introduced themselves quietly, as “Mrs. Astor” or “Ms. Dupont” and left it at that. Today, when you meet a young socialite, they inevitably start pitching their latest book, jewelry, fragrance, interior-design business or new line of imported 800-thread-count, French linen baby bibs.
To prove just how busy they are, some socialites have even started publishing their busy schedules in the media. I found this fascinating example in Gotham magazine. It’s an hour-by hour schedule for Fabiola Beracasa, daughter of banking magnate Alfredo Beracasa and Veronica Hearst. (Her late stepfather was Randolph A. Hearst.)
Fabiola, the article seeks to prove, doesn’t just host charity events, pose for society pictures and “dance atop the occasional banquette.” She also works hard at running her own companies — like the one that buys jewelry from down-on-their-luck socialites.
So after waking up at 7:30, Fabiola works out with her personal trainer. Then she does two and a half hours of work, which seems to involve talking to people about jewelry. It’s then off to lunch at Le Bernadin — for two hours (since she decided to “splurge” and have dessert).
More work follows, which includes doing an interview for Vogue and picking out a set of diamond earrings to donate to New Yorkers for Children. Finally, at 6:15, it’s off to the hair stylist and out to dinner and the bar.
Who says today’s socialites don’t work hard?