Flipping the Industries

I've been exposed to the retail clothing industry pretty heavily in the last couple weeks. Last night, for example, my friends who run Poppy clothing store in Soho (at Mott and Houston, and yes, you really should go check it out), had this party/promotion thing with one of their primary lines, called Mint.

Anyway, Leslie (who runs the place) had asked her hubby and I to serve champagne at the event. So I'm at this woman's clothing event surrounded by dozens of women. Designers, shoppers, interns, etc etc.

I'm off the market, so no big deal either way. But I got to thinking -- why is it that so many straight men go into telecom instead of fashion? And why is it that there is a higher percentage of gay men who go into women's clothing than go into telecom?

I mean, I've been to dozens of telecom conferences over the years and they are dominated by men -- men, men, men ... most of whom are presumably straight, granted. But if I were a gay man, wouldn't it make more sense to get into an industry where I'd be surrounded by men? And as a straight man, shouldn't I have jumped into an industry where I'd be surrounded by fashionable women?

Talk about a classic "flip it" scenario!

In the meantime, let me finish up this Wall Street & Technology magazine on my desk.