The Richard Spooner Column: Undie cover reporting�
An extraordinary missive arrives in my inbox from a lady called Helena, offering 'interview time' with a 'model and influencer' called India Reynolds, who is apparently something to do with a popular TV programme called Love Island.
The email is accompanied by a fetching photograph of India, promoting her fifth lingerie collection, 'India Loves' and suitably attired in exotic violet underwear.
Helena helpfully informs me that India is happy to discuss an eclectic range of topics, including her lingerie range, “what India is doing and how it empowers women, her mental health, advice to new Love Islanders about how to manage their careers and how Covid affected her career. ”
Rather more sternly, Helena tells me India WILL NOT (Helena's capitals) discuss her love life.
Helena goes on to point out that she requires certain “deliverables ” from me, including “interview to lead with India's new launch collection with Pour Moi."
“Official India Loves Pour Moi imagery to be used throughout the feature ” and “Official credit at end of feature to read India Loves Pour Moi collection is available exclusively online at pourmoi.co.uk. ”
It is difficult to decide how best to react to this. As a freelance journalist always keen to pursue potential stories, I am grateful - if a little puzzled - that Helena is offering me such an opportunity.
Entrepreneurialism is to be applauded, of course, and I would be delighted to hear that India's underwear range is selling like hot cakes (or hot pants).
On the other hand I do try, even in these difficult times, to cling on to certain old-fashioned notions of journalistic integrity and I have never previously, in approaching five decades of hackery, been ordered to write an introduction insisting that underwear is scattered all over the first paragraph.
I fear that readers may sadly miss out on the wise counsel of India. I suppose I could respond by imposing my own “deliverable ” and requesting free samples of Pour Moi lingerie.
On the other hand, it seems rather sad, and probably ill-advised at this advanced stage of my journalistic career to attempt to blag exotic female lingerie in return for publicity...
- JG