Simon Huck

Simon Huck (born November 5, 1983) is the principal owner of the public relations firm Command Entertainment Group and a marketing executive who launched the sci-fi A. Human exhibition in 2018.[1][2]

He is also known for his association with celebrities, specifically Kim Kardashian, and his appearance in her reality shows, as well as starring in his own reality series called The Spin Crowd, which covered Command PR and was executive produced by Kardashian.

Early life and public relations career

Huck was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. During his teenage years, he studied acting at Canterbury High School in their specialized arts program. He moved to New York City in 2005 to begin working for high-profile publicist Lizzie Grubman. One of Huck's first projects was Sean Comb's White Party in the Hamptons.[3] Huck joined Command PR in 2006 and became partner in 2010, which was shown on an episode of The Spin Crowd.[4] In 2013, Huck bought Jonathan Cheban’s share of Command PR and became the Principal.[5]

Under Huck’s leadership, Command PR continued to expand its presence in the influencer marketing industry while developing some of the most successful celebrity campaigns for global brands. In 2017 the company was relaunched as Command Entertainment Group in recognition of its multidimensional service offerings within the entertainment and PR landscapes.

As an established industry expert, Huck has offered his expertise to brands looking to align with talent who can authentically strengthen campaign messaging, which he spoke about extensively in a September 2017 Hypebeast interview.[6] He has also been featured in publications including DuJour [7] and Coveteur.[8]

In January 2018, The New York Times Style published a feature story describing Huck's rise in the entertainment industry and close friendship with the Kardashians. According to the article, Command Entertainment Group serves over 100 brands annually.[3] Kardashian told The New York Times, "He's the definition of loyal. I feel like you need to surround yourself with people who make you laugh and keep your spirit alive as you grow and evolve."

Reality television

Huck and then-business partner Cheban have appeared on reality television shows, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, and Kourtney and Kim Take New York.

In 2010, Huck and Cheban starred in their own reality series, The Spin Crowd, which was produced by Kim Kardashian and aired on E!. The show took viewers inside Huck's agency and focused on his unorthodox approach to their businesses as they worked with A-list celebrities, designers, and big-time clients.[9] The Spin Crowd debuted to 2.53 million viewers, making it one of the most watched premieres in its time slot.[10]

Huck continues to be a fan-favorite 'supporting cast member' on 'KUWTK.[11]' On a Reddit discussion, fans were asked who they thought was the best “supporting cast member,” several names were mentioned, but none more so than the creative entrepreneur, Huck.[12]

A. Human

In September 2018, Huck launched an immersive live storytelling brand called Society of Spectacle,[13] designed to excite, provoke, and entertain audiences around the world. SOS's first exhibition, A. Human, an immersive theatrical experience showcasing body modifications from the future launched on September 4, 2018 to critical acclaim. Huck told Vogue, "We wanted to use the future of fashion and the future of self-expression as a way to look at the future. That is how the ethos of A. Human formed."[14] The exhibition generated worldwide publicity and, according to Vogue, was the most talked-about thing at New York Fashion Week.[15]

As part of the PR campaign for the installation, Huck enlisted Kim Kardashian West, Andreja Pejic, Chrissy Teigen, and Tan France,[16] to sport some of the far-out fashions in the A. Human line on social media. Kim Kardashian, for example, posted a video on Instagram with an "implanted" necklace (actually a prosthetic makeup appliance) that synched to the beat of her heart, while Teigen wore skin sculpted feathers, blurring the line between what's real and fake in the world of A. Human.[17]

The A. Human exhibition included work by two key contributors, The Pinnacle, an exclusive avant-garde design by former Lady Gaga creative director Nicola Formichetti, and visionary makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench.[18]

A. Human debuted a day before the start of New York Fashion Week. While the show raises questions around biology and technology, it is more about re-imagining the future of fashion, Huck tells CNN, "If you could change your body as easily as you would (change) your clothing, would you?"[18]

Judy

In January 2020, Huck co-founded emergency prepardness brand Judy. "Millions of people are vulnerable to emergencies big and small, and no one is prepared. We’re going to change that," said Huck.[19] After Huck spent a year learning from leading preparedness experts and first responders, JUDY was born with a simple yet powerful mission — empower families with the knowledge and tools to be prepared for the unexpected.[20]

Huck found out that in many disaster situations, people are not prepared, and said that more than 60% of Americans have no disaster plan or supplies on hand in the event of an emergency situation. “From floods in Florida, to storm surges along the coast, to fires destroying years of memories, the resulting anguish, anxiety and vulnerability are a shared traumatic experience—and we wanted to find a way to help. Judy is the first digitally-connected emergency kit, supported by the tools and resources to use the supplies effectively,” Huck said. “We also have a text-based program to get your questions answered by emergency experts and a series of animated videos on over 100 topics of high consequence events and domestic emergencies.” [21]

Personal life

In 2014, Huck purchased a house in Montauk, Long Island.[22] The beachfront property underwent extensive renovation in 2016 and was featured in Hamptons Magazine that year.[23]

In 2016, Architectural Digest published an exclusive featuring Huck's residence in Greenwich Village, New York City.[24]

In January 2020, Huck proposed to Phil Riportella, a finance executive in Montauk, NY. For the beachside proposal, Huck got down on one knee in front of a message that read, "You better say yes," which he had spelled out in large stones.[25]

gollark: This is bridged to, for example, IRC.
gollark: [REDACTED]
gollark: So are you enjoying APIONET?
gollark: Where are you anyway?
gollark: It's heavserver.

References
  1. Robertson, Adi. “A. Human Is A Sci-Fi Fashion Show About Changing Your Body Instead Of Your Clothes” The Verge. September 13, 2018
  2. Kirkpatrick, Emily. “Meet the man behind Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen's bizarre fashion 'implants'” Page Six. September 20, 2018
  3. Keating, Caitlin. "Kardashian Bestie Simon Huck is Selling You Beer and Shampoo" The New York Times. Jan. 12, 2018
  4. Deeken, Amy. “Spin Crowd Staffer Quits, Then is Made Partner.” Huffpost TV. Oct. 11, 2010
  5. “Spin Team Splits.” NY Post. Page Six. Mar. 9, 2013
  6. Dike, Jason. "Do Lifestyle Ambassador Deals Really Mean Anything?" Hypebeast. September 7, 2017
  7. Caminiti, Kasey. "24 Hours With Simon Huck" DuJour. September 2, 2017
  8. Lehava, Noah. "Meet Simon Huck, The High-Profile Celebrity Marketing Exec and the Kardashian Best Friend" Coveteur. August 17, 2017
  9. Garron, Barry. "The Spin Crowd - TV Review" True Hollywood Reporter. October 10, 2010
  10. "Kim Kardashian-produced TV special grabs more viewers than Kelly Cutrone's show". Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  11. Wells, Lizzie. "Simon Huck is Still a Fan-Favorite 'Supporting Cast Member' on 'KUWTK'". Cheat Sheet. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  12. "Who is your favorite "supporting cast member"?". Reddit. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  13. Estiler, Keith. "Simon Huck's A. Human Exhibition Spotlights Otherworldly Body Modifications" Hypbeast. September 5, 2018
  14. Yotka, Steff. "Would You Get High Heels Implanted Into Your Feet? This Exhibit Wants You to Consider It" Vogue. August 27, 2018
  15. Barsamian, Edward. "Simon Huck's A. Human Line Is Going to Be the Most Talked-About Thing At Fashion Week" Vogue. September 5, 2018
  16. Munzenrieder, Kyle. "Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen, and Tan France Temporarily Mutate Themselves for Fashion" W. August 27, 2018
  17. Cascone, Sarah. "Is Body Modification the Future of Fashion? This New Pop-Up Museum Envisions A Creepy Craze" artnet news. September 5, 2018
  18. Lastoe, Stacey. "Are these unnerving body modifications the future of fashion?" CNN. September 17, 2018
  19. Coleman, Oli. "Kim Kardashian BFF Simon Huck launching preparedness company Judy". New York Post. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  20. Chen, Connie. "While no ready-made emergency preparedness kit is perfect, experts say Judy's is a good starting point". Business Insider.
  21. Decker, Vivienne. "Are You Prepared For An Emergency? Meet Judy". Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  22. Kell, Jennifer Gould. "Kim Kardashian’s PR pal buys $2M Long Island home" New York Post. Nov. 26, 2014
  23. Sieracki, Jill. "How Simon Huck Created a Peaceful Montauk Home for Guests" Hamptons Magazine. May 26, 2016
  24. Fernandez, Jennifer. "A Stylish New York Apartment for a Kardashian PR Powerhouse" Architectural Digest. July 6, 2016
  25. Gawley, Paige. "Kardashian Family Friend Simon Huck Gets Engaged". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
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