Well, I’d have loved to tell you what Bumble and bumble were up to backstage at Guy Laroche, but I can’t.

For some reason, they keep this show on lock down like it’s Marc Jacobs, or this season, Burberry. In March, Britt and I had valid backstage all-access passes with our names printed on them and the man in charge still kept trying to kick us out. Even when we sat down for the show - in our seats - he shot evil looks until the lights went down.

And I can’t, after all of that, even remember what last season’s collection looked like. But I do remember that someone from Vogue UK was in attendance. This time around, I was the only person from a big publication. And who the hell am I?

Super Models! Paris gets all Comic-Con with their show packages. Iselin, Vlade, Hanne Gaby, and Iris will save the world from evil henchmen! {Fashionologie}

Panty Raid: Eric Wilson’s number three trend of NYFW, Spanx. Well, really briefs, outside the clothes. Linda Wells finds it “perfectly insane”. We’ll respectfully agree to disagree. {NY Times}

To Milan They Go: Apparently it’s sweltering, but Mr. Armani really brought the goods to kick things off. Think flouncy dresses and lots of flats. And then came the D&G cowgirls. Yee-haw! {Joe Zee’s Twitter}

Hair God: Bumble’s Jimmy Paul is often the person behind the runway’s coolest hairstyles. You’ve probably copied something he created more than once. Here’s how he spent NYFW. {Vogue Daily}

So once I got over my line of Olsen questioning I finally got down to business.

If there’s a common thread among the people I’ve interviewed, it’s their nostalgia for a time when talent was enough, when you worked hard and made your way up the chain to the ridiculously successful place in which they all sit now instead of these days when everyone wants a piece of the industry and who you know becomes more important than what you know.

In Part II, we talk about how Rolando ended up at Bumble & bumble, Fashion Week work versus editorial work, being on a plane with Charlie’s Angels and his Madonna moment - because really, everyone has one.

Sorry for the minor Life With gap - we’ve been busy!

We’re getting back in the swing of things, so meet Rolando Beauchamp.

He’s a Bumble & bumble super stylist who does both editorial and runway work. And oh yeah, he styles Mary-Kate Olsen’s hair for most major events in New York.

I fell for him backstage at Vivienne Westwood’s AW09 Gold Label show in Paris this past March while we both kind of passed out from the joy of being in a basement with Dame Viv, Pam Anderson and a bunch of models for a few hours. He’s vivacious, friendly and so fun to talk to. So when I wanted a Life With a stylist, he was my first choice.

We sat down to talk hair (obviously), growing up on the Lower East Side in the 60’s, Olsens, divas and his dream gig (are you there Carine?).

You know the drill. Part II tomorrow!

Bea, Bumble & Bumble PR

Got Her: Backstage at Sharon Wauchob.

Stalked Her: Because she’s the perfect example of our, “You don’t have to wear heels to rock Paris Fashion Week” mantra.

Shot Her: Because she’s wearing an almost all-white outfit and that is very, very hard to pull off. Plus, she was Fashionista’s first ever streetwalker and we thought it was time for a sartorial update.

She Says: “One of my stylists looked at me this morning and said, ‘Bea, you’re so Buffy the Vampire Slayer! But not the show, the movie.’ So I guess that about sums it up, I think it’s all about the boots.”

We Say: Because you can’t kick fashion ass in 5” Louboutins like you can in Rag & Bone.

There was a little line tucked into WWD today:

Bumble & Bumble’s Meatpacking District location is not an option this season.

But, um, macaroons? Big windows? Amazing photo ops?

We got in touch with Bumble and apparently, after eights seasons of housing emerging designers they love - Cat Holstein, Ohne Titel, Victoria Bartlett, Liz McLean, Staerk - they feel like their Fashion Week role’s become a bit stale and they’re ready to try something new.

While they want to stay in the fashion game, they’re hoping to take on a more comprehensive role when it comes to sponsoring designers and think it’s important to take a short break from the fashion game to earn a clean slate.

We can’t wait to see what they come up with, but oh how they’ll be missed!