At Fashion Week parties, a new method of courting has been catching on among the social set: Cheek’d.
A phenomenon that The New York Times called the “next generation of online dating,” Cheek’d is a service that gives its users black business cards that each have a personalized code on them that can be given out at parties. Cheek’d users slip this card into the pocket of a person they find particularly arresting, and when that person types the code on the card at Cheekd.com, he or she can find out the identity of the partygoer who crushed them. It was founded by Lori Cheek, an architect who also works part-time in sales for a furniture company, and every Cheek’d card — they cost $25 for a pack of 50 — comes with a witty line that attempts to grab the recipient’s attention.
And last night, at the very well-attended opening of the Chanel boutique in Soho, The Observer was present when Russell Simmons discovered that he had been Cheek’d.
“What the hell is that?” Mr. Simmons said as he pulled the black Cheek’d card out of his jacket pocket.
“Oh, shit, you got Cheek’d!” said Kevin Leong, the creative director for Mr. Simmons’ Phat Farm. “You gotta put in that code. Apparently someone got you.”
“If it’s, like, a girl, would she even check?” Simmons said.
“Imagine if, like, a dude just Cheek’d you? That’s not cheeky at all,” Mr. Leong said.
“You just Cheek’d me!” Simmons said to Leong, accusing him to be the Cheeker.
“Nah, I didn’t Cheek you!”
“You just Cheek’d me!”
“I didn’t Cheek you!”
“He just put it in my pocket!” Simmons exclaimed. “He just did!”
“I didn’t put that in your pocket,” Leong said. “It was sticking out of your pocket, dude.”
“Well, if someone Cheeks you, you don’t have to sleep with them,” Simmons said. “And if you do, it’s OK, too.”
“But what do you do with a Cheek if she Cheeks you?” Leong said.
“If she Cheeks and she’s hot, then you’re good,” Simmons said.
“Then you’re in them Cheeks, yo!”
