Lipstick Jungle Episode 1.01 Pilot

New York Fashion Week is in full swing. Victory Ford is ready to reclaim her title as the 'It" designer. Her best friends, Wendy Healy and Nico Rielly are front and center to support their friend. However, when all was said and done the critics said "out with the old, in with the ew" for Victory's show and line. In a postmortem at Victory's apartment, Nico encourages Victory to faces her critics.

Hector Mattrick calls Wendy, Head of Padador Pictures, worried that Dreamworks is greenlighting a Gallieo project, the exact project Wendy is working on. Wendy, Shane, her husband, and their kids Mattie and Taylor are getting through their morning routine. Wendy and Shane deal with scheduling conflicts to make an appointment at the school they are trying to get Taylor into, which seems to create a bit of a rough patch between the two.

Nico is talking to her husband Charles, a professor, about the web launch party for Bonfire Magazine set for later that night. She has asked Charles to attend with her, but he declines to prepare work for his upcoming classes. Although Charles and Nico share a moment before their day starts, Nico appears distant, disappointed by the mounting distance between them.

Calling Nico, Victory heads down the streets of New York with confidence, ready to face her public. As she enters her office and design studio, the entire staff is waiting and greets her with a gloomy 'good morning.' Over at Parador Pictures, Wendy arrives at work, meets with her assistant and heads directly to a screening room to watch dailies for a project in production. Nico arrives at the Bonfire offices, immediately asks an assistant to get Hector Mattrick, owner of Bonfire Magazine and Parador Pictures, so she may brief him on the event that evening. However, it appears Hector has already been briefed, by Mike Harness.

Victory remains upbeat despite the reviews, until her assistant lets her know that their major distributor in Asia is not happy with the new look and wants a meeting to discuss the future. Victory then receives a call from Joe Bennet, a billionaire. Actually the call is from his assistant who asks Victory out on a date on Joe's behalf. Wendy meets her Business Affairs Lawyer in the screening room to discuss Leo's deal for their Gallileo project. Apparently he is holding out for final cut and that's why his deal isn't closed. But if Hector is right, Dreamworks has already locked Leo in for their movie and Wendy needs to prove him wrong. In the meantime, Wendy is not happy with the dailies for the new Parador Pictures romantic comedy.

Nico welcomes the attendees and announces Bonfire's Web Launch. Nico lets Mike know that it was inappropriate to brief Hector behind her back, and that when a woman expresses her concern she does so in an appropriate manner. It is apparent that Mike handles his business through powerplays and sexism, which Nico quickly calls him on. At home, Victory is ready for her date with Joe Bennet, but is caught off guard when a car picks her up and she has to be delivered to him. Back at the launch party for Bonfire, Nico meets a younger guy named Kirby Atwood who shows interest in her. Back at Parador, Wendy fires her director on the romantic comedy, hugs him, and calls it a night.

Nico and Kirby are kissing in the bathroom; she stops it, despite her strong desire to continue, telling Kirby she is married. Kirby pulls up her skirt and writes his number on her leg in case she changes her mind. On her date with Joe Bennet, Victory tries to not like him, but finds his arrogance a bit enticing. After the launch party, Nico is home in the bathroom trying to wipe off the number on her leg. Her husband Charles walks in carrying on a conversation with her, but doesn't seem to really notice her. Despite her efforts and exposed leg, he doesn't see the number written on her leg.

Wendy notices active production reports on the romantic comedy that was to stop production because she fired the director. Nico walks in on a lunch between Hector and Mike. Hector asks Mike to gather some reports from his office, leaving him alone with Nico. Hector explains that he sees Nico as a woman of a certain age who will want to start a family. He doesn't see her future as Creative Director of Bonfire, but that she could prove him wrong.

Nico, Wendy and Victory walk through the park discussing Hector and his sexist remarks. Wendy then mentions that she fired her director and then hugged him. Nico pointed out that a male studio executive wouldn't have fired and hugged. Victory said she picked up the bill at dinner with Joe Bennet and that it didn't sit well with him. The women sense a little stress from Nico about her relationship with Charles. She tells the women it had been quite a while since the two of them had been intimate. Victory suggests they use a little massage oil to spice things up.

Nico calls Kirby once she is back in the car and decides to stop by his apartment. There is a palpable sense of attraction and lust between the two. Nico is trying to keep preoccupied with casual conversation, but Kirby manages to give Nico an afternoon to remember, one with little casual conversation. Back at Parador Pictures the staff is a flurry trying to find out if Hector's intel about Leo getting on a Dreamworks plane to star in their movie is in fact true. Finally, after getting him on the line directly, Wendy manages to salvage her movie and signs Leo herself.

Joe Bennet sent Victory flowers worth one thousand dollars, the amount she spent on dinner. She is off to Tokyo to meet with her Asian distributor. Wendy meets with the headmaster at the school she wants Taylor to gain admittance. Shane, who didn't make the meeting, shows up as Wendy is leaving. They have an exchange on the street showcasing the issues between a successful woman who is known as the breadwinner, and a husband who feels like he doesn't contribute. They leave the conversation heated and continue about their day.

In Japan, Victory meets with her distributor who suggests a designer that will design clothes to look like the old Victory Ford Fashion Line. Upset, Victory walks out of the meeting. Back in NY, Nico is in her car, post her affair with Kirby, crying as the reality of what just happened sinks in. Back at home, Wendy and Shane apologize for their exchange earlier in the day. Shane lets Wendy know that when he's home with his family he doesn't feel like a failure, but when they go outside, into the world, it's different and that she will be the one that will continue to rise and rise while he deals with the dirty dishes and laundry at home.

Joe Bennet calls Victory in Japan who is upset after her meeting. Joe suggests that she be ready in 10 minutes and someone will come to pick her up, Joe sent his jet and a cupcake! Victory and Joe share a moment on the tarmac upon her arrival back in NY, and despite her resistance to being rescued, she allows it to happen, just this one time.

Wendy, Nico and Victory share a glass of champagne as Wendy discusses her fears and disappointment in her relationship with Shane. Her friends reassure her that it will be ok! On top of the building, on top of NY, they stand by each other, with each other, no matter what.