Smartphone Wars: The Fashion Industry's Case for the Blackberry

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Sure, Apple's iPhone is sleek and charming, but does it pass muster with folks in the fashion industry? The New York Observer says no—and found a crew of Blackberry die-hards to tell them why:

· Mordechai Rubenstein, Mister Mort: "The iPhone is just too cute. It’s similar to the way menswear is going: precious. Touching the button-less buttons and sliding the imaginary slide? I just think BlackBerries are for handling business. Maybe it doesn’t have the best camera and maybe it doesn’t play the harmonica, but it has actual buttons."

· Michael Williams, A Continuous Lean: "I feel like the best way to get laid with a girl you know is to have her on BBM. You know, you’re out and you’re chatting—there’s no way to replicate that with an iPhone. When it first came out it was something definitely appealing. Now if someone takes it out I just think ‘unemployed graphic designer.'"

· Steven Rojas, Archetype Showroom: "I feel like everything a fashion person does is very text-based. If I’m emailing back and forth with editors all day, I can’t be sitting there with my pointer finger gingerly tapping at my screen."

· The Fashion Pack's iPhone Aversion [NY Observer]
· iPhones are for Moms and Poseurs [NY Observer]