B 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 des ...

1. B
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

2. 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

3. 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.
A
While spirituality teaches us that happiness is internal, the

4. world around us teaches us the contrary; that happiness is
achieved through external appearances. I feel that the emphasis
placed on external appearances shifts the way in which we value
our own internal happiness. The media and magazines focus on
the external appearances of celebrities. Celebrities are often
glorified for their expensive clothes, exotic cars, and
impeccable red carpet appearances. This instills an impression
among viewers that having these kinds of things will make each
one of us happy. However, this obsession with the external
disrupts the importance behind the true meaning of happiness.
This leads to us trying to conform in achieving external
happiness while neglecting internal happiness.
Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s is a documentary about
Bergdorf Goodman, an exceptional department store, in New
York City. Bergdorf’s is described as being elegant and
glamorous because it carries luxurious goods from high end
fashion designers such as Michael Kors, Prada, and Giorgi
Armani. Bergdorf Goodman is extravagant from both the inside
and outside. Bergdorf’s exterior has made it a great tourist
attraction because every window and every door has its own
personalized story or message in each changing season. Creative
designers spend countless efforts trying to perfect the holiday
windows for Bergdorf in order to flaunt to the public the
authenticity of the department store. Countless celebrities such
as Elizabeth Taylor and John Lennon have spent over two
hundred dollars’ worth of money on ear muffs and fur coats,
respectively. Because of this, luxurious Bergdorf’s is portrayed
as every fashion enthusiast’s destination site.
Film producer, Jean Doumanian, states, “ Everybody wants to
better themselves so they aspire…stores like this are necessary
to make people want to aspire to bigger and better things… you
need this for the American dream. For people to actually reach
it, they need to see it.” This statement reveals the direct
influence external appearances have on our perception of what

5. defines our success and happiness. This proves how individuals
set their aspirations to achieve things they can visually see.
While most fashion designers dream of one day being able to
have their line of work inside of Bergdorf’s, others dream of
simply being able to walk into Bergdorf’s and purchase
something. With only the rich being able to sustainably shop at
Bergdorf’s, it seems nearly impossible for an average middle
class family to be able to afford a single item within that
department store. Unfortunately, this type of socioeconomic
constraint can create problems as to who can attain this type of
happiness based on external appearances. Although not
everyone can graciously walk into Bergdorf’s and purchase a
two thousand dollar dress, actress, Nicole Richie, explains the
importance of self-expression through fashion and how clothes
has the power to make you feel like a different person. I believe
this is something each one of us can relate to at all
socioeconomic classes. When we put on a meaningful piece of
garment, regardless of the price tag, it can make us feel like a
million bucks. Indeed, clothes have the ability to showcase what
we like, who we are, and what we are about. What someone
wears can say a lot about the person such as their favorite color
or what kind of music they like.
The several different personas in the documentary appeared
happy externally through their success and passion for their line
of work but it is hard to say for certain whether they are truly
happy with themselves. One persona in particular, Linda Fargo,
appeared to be happy with her line of work and success. Fargo
is a woman of power within the fashion world and she
showcases this through her language and unwavering attitude.
She is Bergdorf’s fashion director which means that she decides
which fashion designers make it into the luxurious department
store and which fashion designers do not. She is described as
having an exultant attitude and even gives upcoming fashion
designers constructive criticism in order to help steer them in
the right direction within the industry. On the other hand,

6. famous personal shopper, Betty Halbreich, exhibited a very
blunt attitude and admits to not liking many people. Betty lacks
a filter when she speaks so she comes off as rude since is too
honest with her clients. Regardless of the fact, she is still
sought out by many celebrities to select their gowns for
weekend getaways. Her animosity towards others may make her
seem unhappy but her character doesn’t reflect whether she is
unhappy with herself. With the documentary reporting that sales
associates can make roughly five hundred thousand dollars a
year, one might find it hard to believe that such a person can be
unhappy. However, the truth is that money cannot buy
happiness. Although some celebrities are happy, some of them
may not be. We know this from mainstream media because few
celebrities have opened up on their struggles with battling
depression. This is because you can have all the fancy clothes
and money in the world, but if you believe that you are not
worthy then you cannot be happy.
Although the media focuses on external happiness achieved
through appearances, the meaning of true happiness should
bridge both external and internal happiness. We should find
happiness within us to love and value ourselves while also using
clothing, fashion, and physical appearance as a form of self-
expression which in integral part of cultural experience. In
order to be happy we should follow our heart and intuition
before we base our experiences and actions on the media’s
definition of happiness. We shouldn’t put our time and efforts
in focusing on getting the newest clothes in fashion which does
not define true happiness but embracing internal happiness.
Connecting with our spirituality can help teach us that we are
worthy while physical appearances tell others that we are
worthy. This is why it is first important to believe that you are
worthy before you try to convince others that you are worthy.
C
Happiness doesn’t have a true definition. What means happiness

7. for one, doesn’t necessary means happiness for others. There
are many ways we can feel happiness in our lives. We could
acquire happiness from both - internal and external factors. For
example, when it comes to internal factors; a smile, feeling
loved, reaching a career goal, becoming a parent, and being
healthy could bring happiness. When it comes to external
factors, buying our first car, or acquiring the financial status we
always wanted could make us happy. The truth is, happiness
isn’t forever. We are all surrounded by happy moments, some
last more than others, but they all fade eventually. Every day,
we try to accomplish goals that would make us happy, some are
more difficult than others and could bring a lot of frustration,
but ones we reach them, the satisfaction and happiness is more
significant.
Social media tends to portrait happiness based on material
objects and fame. It wants us to believe that in order to be
happy we should focus on the external - on our physical
appearance and materialistic things. Magazines, movies,
television, and clothing stores make us believe that physical
appearance and materialistic things would make us happy.
Although materialistic things could bring us happiness,
eventually it fades away leaving nothing else but emptiness.
Happiness tends to remain for a longer period when it comes
from the internal, such as an accomplishment, or the expression
of love of someone we care about.
In the documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf we can see
happiness reflected in different forms. For people who love
fashion, going to Bergdorf Goodman department store and
purchasing expensive garments make them very happy because
it provokes an “obsessional desire to create an emotional
experience through clothes.” For designers, having their clothes
at Bergdorf Goodman is considered the American dream. Many
fashion designers try hard to get their clothing line in there.
They know once they make it there, they will become successful

8. and well known.
Throughout the documentary, they are some of the top
designers sharing their experience and success. I can see how
happy they feel to accomplish the challenge of finally reaching
that goal of having their clothing line at Bergdorf Goodman
because as Isaac Mizrahi stated, “if your clothes are not in our
place, there is no future.” Fashion director Linda Fargo knows
this as well. She carefully chooses whose clothing line should
be brought to the store, and frequently turns down new fashion
designers in a “friendly tone” saying...maybe later. From my
personal view, it almost feels like she enjoys the power that she
posses, and somehow turning people down provokes happiness
for her.
For the employees, working at Bergdorf Goodman is a great
accomplishment. They feel happy to be surrounded by high
fashion designers, and glamorous people, to the point that they
feel part of it. Being surrounded by celebrities and important
people provides a sense of happiness to them. Betty Halbreich is
considered one of the top personal shoppers and shares her story
of some of the experiences she has gone through, such as
helping very sophisticated clients to choose their outfits. She
feels happy there and doesn’t see herself doing anything else.
She has devoted most of her life working at Bergdorf Goodman,
and she feels happy and proud of it
For me, David Hoey is the most interesting personality in
the documentary. He seems very passionate about what he does.
For him, the windows displays are the primary focus, because
they represent the department store as a whole. An external
factor that drags people inside. A provocative stimulation for
whoever walked by. He considers the window displays the eyes
of the Bergdorf Goodman. He states that more than a fashion
department store, Bergdorf Goodman is a Metropolitan Museum
of Art”. Hoey indicates that when he creates the window

9. displays, he keeps in mind all kinds of people. His goal is to
create pieces of art for people of all ages. He wants people to
see the window displays, and to stare at them again and again.
Although we can see in him a lot of stress and frustration
throughout the documentary; at the end, while he is outside
staring at one of the window’s display, we can see a sense of
calm, a sense of relief, a sense of happiness.
Happiness is acquired in different forms. For high fashion
designers, having their clothing line at Bergdorf Goodman is a
significant accomplishment - the American dream. For retail
associates, being part of the Bergdorf's community is also a
significant accomplishment and somehow it brings happiness
into their lives. For fashion director Linda Fargo, having the
power of welcoming and turning down new designers brings her
a sense of happiness. For costume designer David Hoey, having
thousands of people looking at the window displays bring lots
of satisfaction and happiness. For me, happiness is a feeling
that comes from within and can be acquired by either internal or
external factors. But I believe that the most meaningful
happiness is the one money can’t buy.