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Our happiness is something that we as individuals should strive for. Throughout our lives we should focus on the things that bring us happiness and discard all the things that bring us negativity. Happiness can come from to different places, happiness that comes from within ourselves, and happiness that comes from external forces. Happiness that comes within us is a different level of happiness than that brought from external forces. Happiness that comes within is harder to achieve, but it should be something we pursue. When we think about how we get happiness from external forces, we should take a look at the fashion industry and everyone in it. We get a clear and very informative picture of the fashion industry in the movie Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s. We hear from many people in the industry and and how they feel about the high fashion store Bergdorf’s. It makes us question are these people really happy? What is it that brings them happiness? Can material things bring true happiness? Is it really possible that a clothing store can bring so much happiness?

To be truly happy is to enjoy living you best life and loving yourself. This doesn’t happen over night. It takes time and effort to be achieved. It might require doing things that make your happy or obtain certain items that bring you joy. Everyone is different in terms of what brings them happiness but true happiness can only be achieved if you truly enjoy your life and the people who are part of it. I think these people being interviewed in this documentary are truly happy because they are a part of something they love. They aren’t doing it for the money or for something to keep them occupied. They are doing it because they truly love and enjoy it. That much is clear while watching this. The way they talk about the industry and the store Bergdof’s shows how much this really means to them. There are some people that see it as a necessary stepping stone if you want to make it in the industry. Isaac Mizrahi, a fashion designer, said “If your clothes are not at that place [Bergdof’s] then they have no future.” There are some designers who yearn to be part of Bergdof’s not because it would make them happy, but because they see it necessary to advance their career. They may get their happiness out of advancing their careers, not necessarily from the store. Bergdof’s may not be the reason someone in the industry is happy, but it certainly does help bring happiness to them. It helps them achieve a dream or take steps towards achieving their dream.

Everybody has their own view one happiness. We all have different things that brings us happiness. It can vary from spending time with loved ones to getting the latest electronic device. In Scatter my ashes at Bergdof’s, we see how being featured in the store or even stepping into the famous fashion store brought them happiness. The famous fashion designer Micheal Kors described how he was discovered while cleaning windows. He described how excited he was about being featured in the store and how he wished he was able to be in the store when they use to make the clothing in store. Throughout his interview you can see the happiness that he received from being in the store. Another fashion designer, Catherine Malandrino, said “Being in Bergdof’s is being part of the American history.” She views Bergdof’s as a staple in American history. The store has a special meaning to fashion designers. They define their happiness with having clothing lines in the store or even having an opportunity to be screened to potentially be featured.

In Scatter My Ashes inn Bergdof’s, we saw someone who didn’t see the fashion world as glamorous as the rest of the people who were interviewed. Joan Rivers, a famous comedienne, said “people who take fashion seriously are idiots.” When she goes shopping at Bergdof’s, she sees it as an experience. She sees Bergdof’s as the epitome of New York. It defines New York to her. She describes going to shop at Bergdof’s with her grandchildren and how she always has to tell the story of her mother taking her there, and her grandmother taking her mother there, despite the eyeballs from her grandchildren. Even though she doesn’t take fashion seriously as others, she finds happiness in going with her family there because it has become a tradition for her. Members of the fashion industry may not receive happiness the same way, but they still receive their version of happiness from the fashion industry.

The fashion industry can bring happiness, but that happiness may be temporary. In order to have long lasting happiness one must find that happiness from within. The happiness that comes from material items doesn’t last forever. Its short lived until the next latest item is available. In regards to clothing, the happiness last until the clothes last or until the next style comes out. I believe that external factors such as what we wear and the things we have can bring true happiness to someone. However, if one only relies on material things for happiness, they are going to be on a continuous journey to find happiness. If we can learn to love ourselves then we can achieve true long lasting happiness. It comes from within us. The happiness that material things bring us can come from within as well. That feeling of accomplishment of having obtained an item comes from within. We are happy with ourselves for reaching what we wanted. Many religions and spiritual guides tell us that true happiness comes from within because that happiness is on a different level, a sort of spiritual level. There is no doubt in my mind that Bergdof’s can truly make someone happy. Its because of the rich history that it has, how it is scene as an icon of the fashion industry all around the world, and because of the memory that it has brought countless people who have worked there or shopped there.