GETTING PERSONAL: “Million Dollar Shoppers,” a new reality show from “Project Runway” producer The Weinstein Co. and True Entertainment, will premiere on Oct. 10 at 10:30 p.m. on Lifetime, immediately following “Project Runway,” before moving to its regular time slot at 10 p.m. on Oct. 24.
The show pairs personal shoppers with ultrademanding and wealthy clients who are looking for wardrobes for specific high-profile events or to give themselves a new signature look or wardrobe makeover. In the unscripted series, there’s bickering and tension between the client and the personal shopper as they attempt to find the perfect wardrobe. “Helen Keller could have picked a better gown,” said one client’s friend when reviewing the personal shopper’s selections.
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The personal shoppers include Barbet Smith, a hockey mom from Long Island who mostly dresses her “friends”; thirtysomething couple Gregg Asher and Tayler Carson Sandvick, who met at the Christian Dior grand opening party and went into business together, serving clients in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas; Amy Salinger, who calls herself “The Garment Whisperer” and previously did makeovers on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and Derek Roche, who hails from North Carolina and is now a celebrity stylist whose clients include Sean “Diddy” Combs, Nicki Minaj, Ne-Yo, Kobe Bryant and Jason Derulo.
“It’s different to be on the other side of the camera,” said Roche at a screening Thursday. In the episode shown, Roche advises a 67-year-old client in the Hamptons who needs a dress for a big fund-raiser she’s chairing in a week’s time. She appears to be color blind (she can’t distinguish between pink and red), and puts on a bikini in their first meeting to show him what great shape she’s in.
Empowered with the customers’ credit cards, the personal shoppers execute their fashion connections — shopping at Scoop, Bergdorf Goodman, designer showrooms, etc. — to purchase what they hope will satisfy their demanding clients. Will they complete the task? Each week, viewers will follow the personal shoppers to see who rakes in the most commissions and accomplishes their mission. Lifetime has ordered six hour-long episodes of the series.