VOLUME 45 | ISSUE 8 | MAY 2013
#Summer2013
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Caroline Nelson Editor-in-Chief Fernanda DeSouza Sarah Dill Deputy Editors Megan Venere Executive Editor Richard Gilmartin Mia Lustig Dianna Mazzone Senior Editors Keely-Shea Smith Managing Editor Hermina Sobhraj Treasurer
w27newspaper.com Mollie Yarsike Community Manager ADVERTISING Kimberly Ferguson Advertising Promotions Manager
Mia Lustig, Dr. Joyce Brown and Caroline Nelson; Photography by Jacquelyn Clifford
ART Christina Garcia Art Director Kevin Braine Senior Designer
Letter from the Editor
Courtney Wall Junior Designer
When I stepped into the halls of FIT as a freshman in 2010, I never would have imagined spending a year as Editor-inChief of W27, let alone thinking back on how this publication has evolved since that time. I feel so blessed to have worked with such an exceptional group of writers and editors who worked tirelessly to bring exciting content that not only highlighted the work of FIT’s many talented students, but also showcased the success of this school’s alumni and inspirational industry greats in our pages month after month. Additionally, the encouragement and feedback I received from the student body and the faculty, especially W27 faculty advisor, Professor John Simone, has allowed me to grow professionally and creatively and to improve the paper with each issue.
Freddy Rodriguez Fashion Editor Jacquelyn Clifford Jessica Farkas Alex Papakonstadinou Photographers Amanda Baldwin Ryan Charchian Amelia Cheikhali Jonathan Guzi Dana Heyward Nicole Loher Christina Macaluso Marissa Mule Ashley Mungo Desiree Perez Raquel Rose Burger Emilie Schwenk Madeline Thompson Medinah Tiangco Contributors
For our final issue of the 2012-2013 academic year, W27 features many people
whose work has impacted FIT and the industry in a myriad of ways. FIT’s President Dr. Joyce Brown, is celebrating her 15th year as president of the college, and her legacy and new endeavors to advance the academic and community aspects of FIT are chronicled in our Faculty Spotlight on pages 4 and 5. An inspiration to FIT’s many aspiring entrepreneurs, Phillip Salem (Class of 2010) is enjoying the success of his Meatpacking boutique, Owen, and working towards expansion, while another alum, Titania Inglis, is making a name for herself in regards to sustainable fashion. Learn more about these former students and their burgeoning businesses on page 16. Of course, inspiration abounds inside the walls of FIT, especially at the Future of Fashion Graduates’ Collection, where the BFA Fashion Design students presented their best work in sportswear, knitwear,
John Simone Editorial Faculty Advisor Albert Romano Advertising Faculty Advisor
A FITSA PUBLICATION
ON THE COVER: W27 is PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY AFTER READING.
Freddy Rodriguez and Alex Papakonstadinou wrapped up this year’s May issue with a showcase of collegiate and graduate looks in honor of our graduating seniors.
children’s wear and intimate apparel. Take a look at their creations on page 17. I would like to personally thank our Art Director Christina, whose amazing work ethic and design skills lent so much to W27’s visual identity, and our Fashion Editor Freddy, whose fashion spreads have showcased fun collegiate style month after month. I am also happy to announce next year’s Editor-in-Chief Fernanda DeSouza, whose unique voice and keen eye for culture will definitely move W27 forward. Thank you to all who read and enjoyed W27 this year, and congratulations of all of our graduating students. To all who will be returning next year, I hope you will continue to enjoy W27 and help make it even better. Best,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS On the Block 4 6 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 12 13 13
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Joyce Brown Welcome to the Boardroom Future Mode: Patricia and Katie Hasler Fashion and Technology Symposium The Job Hunting Games: May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor What the Health? Beach Body Workout? College Fashionista X W27 Panel Rent the Runway: Be a Woman; Wear a Dress Buyers Beware—Financing Higher Education with Debt How to Survive Finals Stress Free Kohl’s Peggy Eskinasi Shares Insight at FMM Alumni Event Stellar Seniors
Feature 14 16 16 17
Fashion Editorial: The Graduates Owen: A Store is Born Titania Inglis Forming the Future of Fashion
Dear Industry 18 19 20 20 21
Beauty Buzz: Nomaterra Designer Spotlight: Giles & Brother Behind Pretty Little Liars with Mandi Line LinkedIn and Networking in the 21st Century Weigh In: Should There be Legal Limits Set on Photo “Enhancements”?
Haute Culture 22 22 23 24 25
Book Review: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia Film Review: Iron Man 3 Manhattan Vintage Show Month in Review Outside Your Borough: Ditmas Park
FIT Speaks 26 26 27
Jay Gatsby was Wrong About A Lot of Things Abstract Relationships in a Concrete Jungle The Other Side: Muslims in New York Post 9/11
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Letter from the Art Director I really hate goodbyes. Although this is my last issue as Art Director of W27, I will always remember this experience as one that taught me so many invaluable lessons and gave me the opportunity to work with such an amazing team. I am going to miss the rhythm of this office and the memories we've made while putting hours of work into the newspaper. I am so proud of all the work our staff has accomplished this year. I want to express my gratitude to former Art Director Kari Emil Helgeson for bringing me onto the team as a Senior Designer when I was a Communication Design sophomore and giving me this opportunity. I especially want to express my thanks to Caroline Nelson, our outgoing Editor-in-Chief, for being a wonderful partner in the creation of the newspaper.
I also want to thank the team that helped me throughout the process including Alyssa Kyle, Rich Gilmartin, Fernanda DeSouza, Sarah Dill, Dianna Mazzone, Jacquelyn Clifford and the rest of our contributors. I am happy to pass the torch to Kevin Braine, who joined our team this semester and has done exceptional work. I know he will continue to do an amazing job in the coming semester. If any students are interested in designing for the paper they should contact him at w27art@gmail.com. Have an awesome summer.
ON THE BLOCK Faculty Spotlight:
Dr. Joyce Brown by Mia Lustig and Caroline Nelson
Dr. Joyce Brown: We’ve really done a lot in the last 15 years, it’s a very exciting time at the college, I think we’ve embarked in whole new directions. When we talk about the academic and cultural, there really is a culture shift, and I think it really flows from a lot of the strategic planning that we’ve done, a lot of the college conversations that we’ve put in place. It gives people an opportunity to express the ways in which they think the college can actualize and be all that it can be. I think in the past people thought of FIT as turning out graduates who were going to go immediately into the industry and thus it developed the whole notion of a trade school mentality. When I came here, there was a whole conversation about whether or not the liberal arts were important if you can imagine, given where we are today, and that in fact the important thing was to prepare students to go out into the workforce. That changed, the students changed, students came with different kinds of expectations as we engaged faculty and dialogue, faculty aspirations for what their students could achieve. We developed the strategic plan, and had a series of goals and objectives. The chief among those goals has turned out to be the strengthening of the academic core and the development of the culture of student centeredness. As you strengthen the academic core, and talk to faculty about their research interest and involvement in preparing students for leadership, I think it naturally changes the mindset and the conversation. There’s more culture about what we can achieve and what our students can achieve as a result of it. Probably the most we can point to is over the last 10 years, we’ve really been engaged in a journey to get to where we are, and it’s not that the journey ends, it’s sort of organic. It keeps going because there’s always more to do, but it’s a good space be in. Mia Lustig: Speaking of preparing students for leadership roles, how do you ensure that each student is getting a good mix of business, design and liberal arts educations that will enable them to do these jobs well? JB: I think we still have some work to do. We listen carefully to what potential employers have to say. In interviews, students get asked about the books they are reading, and the challenges that they envision for themselves—they address both academics and looking forward at work. These are the kind of questions where you need a broader scope to consider. The liberal arts gives you more of a global perspective, it teaches you how to answer questions that no one’s
really asking yet. You problem solve, you address innovation and new ways of solving problems or new approaches to developing these products or solutions, whatever it is. That creates the basis for what you will confront when you go into the workforce. If all your employer needed was somebody who could do simple tasks, they wouldn’t come to you—students who had worked and really developed their abilities and these kind of communications skills. They would seek something else, they are looking for innovative breakthroughs, new ways of doing business, new ways solving problems. It’s our job to prepare students to do that. Now when you say have we created enough opportunities for the cross section, for that integration of business and the design areas, I don’t think we have done enough but I think we are getting there. That’s part of the conversation we’re having as we embark on the next stage of strategic planning. Traditionally, the curriculum at FIT has been pretty siloed. Students come in and they could spend their whole academic career with the same students in the same major, and I think that was done at a time when we were really convinced that [professors] wanted to give students as much as they could in their area of expertise. The
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You have to be open; you have to be willing to take advice. But, by the same token, you have to take risks.
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Caroline Nelson: How have you seen the cultural and academic landscape at FIT change in the 15 years you’ve been president of the college?
world is different now, and we need to figure out how we’re going to create more interdisciplinary kinds of opportunities so that the design students can understand the strategies and the planning that goes into the business side, or just the strategic plan for developing their own creative event and vice versa. No one’s coming here for an MBA, everyone here has a certain level of creativity, and an interest in the creative industries. There’s really no need to isolate the students one from the other. I think it will lead to a different kind of integration synthesis of the student experience and I think it’s going to be very exciting. We can’t do everything, but we certainly can expand the vista and create opportunities for students to explore and understand what other possibilities there are out there.
CN: There’s been a noticeably growing emphasis on the Liberal Arts here at FIT— the classes are becoming increasingly challenging and there’s now the option of pursuing academic minors. Why the focus on expanding Liberal Arts and how do you plan to expand this focus further? JB: First of all, it’s important that students express what they are interested in. We listen—it’s very important to listen to what the students want and [they] have made it clear that they enjoy and have enthusiasm for these minors. People discover that there are ways people can work together that apply to some of the majors. Just think of Asian Studies, for example, where we continue to talk about wanting to prepare students to work in a global marketplace. Who would have thought [those] preparing International Trade, for example, could combine and really provide the students with an opportunity to learn about a culture that they [may be] doing business in. How do we plan to expand more? By continuing the dialogues [to] see if there are more areas that make sense for the majors that we offer. As we work to implement the new strategic plan we will see more and more things develop. I think right now we have something like 17 minors...that happened pretty fast. As long as we can be flexible with the curriculum, students can really lead the way in terms of the kinds of [concentrations] they are interested in. I think there’s a lot of potential. CN: Do you think that eventually that could move into double-majoring? JB: Part of the debate that goes on is the concern that we not lose our unique nature, if you will. I don't think anyone wants FIT to turn into another liberal arts college, where we’ve lost sight of what was distinctive about the kinds of things students come here to study. Really honing your craft and your talent might be difficult in a double major. But it’s worth a conversation. We’re walking a fine line here. We want to hold on to what's good about what we have, and at the same time allow students to really find themselves and develop to their full potential, but not lose sight of what that real core of talent is that you come hoping to develop. I always say, if you don't ask, the answer is no. You have to ask the questions, explore the answers and figure out how to keep what's good and make it better. CN: We’ve been hearing a lot about a new strategic plan and rebranding of the school including initiatives such as the Innovation Center@FIT and greater flexibility between majors and schools. What has been the greatest challenge in the planning process and how will the college move forward to implement this strategy? JB: We are hoping to have the core of those activities centered in our graduate school. My vision is that FIT should be a destination for places that want to tap
into the expertise of problem solving and innovation, product development. Because we have a very rich resource in our faculty and we also have a very rich resource in our students, working with faculty and if in fact industry, researchers, governments or public entities come and say: “we would like you to help us solve this particular problem or help us create an innovative approach to some particular challenge,” that’s what I see happening in the Innovation Center. I see us dreaming on the rich resources that we have in being sort of a public face to the world. It’s where people recognize we can in fact have these separate sets of activities over here that are drawing on the expertise we bring to our everyday lives, but that are now addressing these kinds of challenges. I see it really as opening a door to the world from FIT and inviting people to come in and see what we can do and to engage us in ways that we haven’t been viewed in the world till now. When you ask what are the greatest challenges in achieving all that, I think it takes time. We have to figure out how to set it up in a way that is viable and sustainable. We’ve certainly had groups come to us to help solve either design issues related to fashion or to textiles or different solutions to...sort of experiments that people want to run. But it’s always been [somewhat] ad-hoc so we need to figure out how to create the mechanism and the fabric that will allow that to be a go-to place. We’re still talking about it and I’m hoping that this year, this academic year will allow us to move that ball forward. It’s going to be a work in progress. It’s not going to happen all at one time. You can’t just put a sign on the door and say “We’re an Innovation Center,” we’re going to have to build our credibility but I think when we do, there’ll be lots of opportunities. I think this coming year, we’re going to see some beginnings. ML: We have a considerable international student population here at FIT, which says something about our global reputation and standing. How do we maintain this image as an international leader in art, design and business? JB: We really are…it’s very interesting. I have been in many places in Europe and it’s just amazing—the draw, the attraction, the reputation [that FIT has]. I like to think we live up to that when students come here. How do we maintain it? We continue to be the best we can be. I think we deliver a good product without partners. We have our students that study abroad; we have international students that come here— either through those programs or on their own. We have a little work to do, it’s one of the things I want to focus on. Not that I’m concerned about our reputation—I think we do well, I think students have a good experience, I think we are good global partners. But we have some work to do in terms of services for the international students when they come here. And we are working on that.
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Photography by Jacquelyn Clifford
We’re thinking about [developing] some sort of international center, a place to help the international students acclimate more to the American culture. We talk a lot about our students being able to assimilate when they go to other cultures, but we don’t talk a lot about how difficult it is to assimilate into the American culture. For all the reasons we tell the students, when you travel you need to be cognizant of these various things, but I don’t know that we’re sensitized sufficiently for how we might seem when we have 10% of our student body coming here from another culture. We’re going to spend a little time focusing on trying to create opportunities for the international students to feel more nurtured and cared about. In terms of how we maintain: I think we continue doing the things we’re doing, try and develop good partnerships around the world. We certainly have many partnerships in Europe and in Asia right now. We are constantly being asked to develop new programs and I tend to be a little careful—I think you can dissipate your brand. I think you have to choose your partners wisely and we’ve done that ‘til now and we’ll continue to do that. CN: Is there an example of any new country that you see FIT, developing a partnership with soon for study abroad? JB: Our largest program is in Italy. And the Milan program, I think, offers a lot of possibility for expansion. Right now, we have the Art and Design students [in Milan and] our FMM students in Florence, but I think there is all kinds of possibility. I could see advertising, for example: why not know the approaches in another culture— what better way to really learn the nuance of how messages are communicated in another culture? We get many requests from institutions to partner with us in Asia. We just started a program this year where we have some students studying in Shanghai. It’s a combination program with the University of North Carolina—they have an incredible textile program and, of course, we have our textile program as well as our fashion design program, so I think that has real potential for growth. I’m very cautious
about new partners because I think we have to be very careful in how we select. We can spread ourselves too thin. We have to preserve our brand and I want to make sure that every FIT graduate had a good quality experience and if we try to do too many things in too many places, something gets sacrificed. As long as we really understand who our partners are and make sure we have common goals and equal standards, I think there’s a lot of potential. But I don’t really see us spreading all over the globe, or necessarily even having satellite campuses...maybe some day, but I don’t think right now. ML: Considering the economy: What are the employment rates and opportunities for FIT graduates across the board? What employment placement services does FIT offer alumni? JB: We have our Career and Internship Center. I always say that the businesses come and shop—they bring in the interns and then they train them and make an investment in them. And our students are competitive, smart and very well educated and that employers see that they’re a good bet, so that upon graduation, many of our students have jobs. The data shows—and you have to remember, these are data that are generated by the response rate, but of the students who respond, those graduating with an Associate degree, about 85 percent of them have jobs, and those with a Bachelors degree, about 90 percent of them report having jobs. A lot of those placements grow out of their internship experience. And we are continuing to do the research and the outreach to try and hear from our alumni and have a better handle on what their employment experiences have been since they left FIT. In terms of graduating students or alums, the Career and Internship Center offers lifetime services to alums. They can come in and they have a job board, and many times there are employers who are looking for students with some experience, which would be more fitting for alums than for current graduates. When they have job fairs, as long as the alums have IDs, they are welcome to come and pick up on interviews and more from the job fairs. So I think we try and make sure that the alumni or the graduates are taken care of and feel welcome. And,
most importantly, I think we keep a good roster of job opportunities, of jobs, employers who come here, who see what our students are able to do and what their work ethic and characteristics are like, and they continue to come back every year. It’s an important piece of what I think the FIT footprint really is like. CN: After winning City & State’s Above and Beyond Award—congratulations by the way, it was certainly well deserved!—you said in an interview for the magazine that educators, “…really have to work at keeping the student at the center of the universe.” How does FIT strive to implement and meet this standard? JB: I believe very strongly that this is the most pivotal, important time in your lives and it should be very special. I want all of you to graduate and really feel that all of us here were dedicated to making it the best experience for you. Not only in the academics, but in terms of student activities and feeling nurtured and taken care of and listened to. I think that’s very important—I don’t know when else in your lives that’s going to happen. I would like you to have that experience and I would like this institution to be known for that. How do you do it? I guess you model the behavior, for one thing. You do it a little bit at a time. You live it, you don’t just give it lip service. We’ve dedicated a lot of time and resources to building a culture of student centeredness. We’ve created lounge areas and areas where students can work together, [in order] to create a sense of community. It’s an important part of how we allocate the resources that we do have. I think students are appreciative of the inroads we’ve made and we’ll continue to do that. I’ll be very happy when we get the [proposed student center] built, I think that it will not only create spaces for students to socialize and to work together in groups, but it will also allow us to have all of the student service offices that students have to go to—the Bursars, Counseling, Health Services—in a corridor so that…I feel terrible sometimes what I see—the students, they go to this building, then they have to go to that building, then they have to go to another floor. We can make a real statement in how we can organize the outreach
to students once we have the appropriate space. In the meantime, we’re doing the best we can with it. ML: What advice would you give to this year’s graduating class? JB: I hope that we have prepared the students to have self-confidence and to believe that they have mastered the area sufficiently that they came here to study, that they can go out and make their mark on the world. The challenges they face when they start out…they come at you in different ways—they’re ethical challenges, they’re compromise kinds of challenges. Those are the kinds of things that you face that are really a test of character. Trust your instincts; continue to learn; continue to read. Find a good mentor—find somebody who really cares about you and your success that you can trust. This is sort of like a jumping off point. I mean everything changes so quickly that, while you might have learned the latest thing now, a year and half from now there’ll be another innovation, so it’s not like you should be so self-confident that you think you’ve mastered it all. You have to be open; you have to be willing to take advice. But, by the same token, you have to take risks. That comes from the confidence, but trust your instincts. You’re all smart, and you’re all talented, and you’ve all been well educated and you have to be strong. You have to be convinced and have good principles. You can take risks, but you can’t compromise your principles [by doing] something you think is not the right thing to do. Those are the sort of things that are going to stand you in good stead…Life intervenes—you see people that you know are not doing the right thing, but they get ahead in that moment. People get tempted to think that the easy way works, and it never does. We’re entrusting the world to you. We’re going to hand over the reigns of leadership to you, and those that come after you. Take the high road, always take the high road— do what you think is the right thing—and it’s never going to steer you in the wrong direction.
ON THE BLOCK
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Welcome to the Boardroom by Megan Venere
As the semester and academic year come to a close, we start to wrap up our FIT lives and prepare for a relaxing summer vacation. On April 25, FITSA hosted its inauguration ceremony to welcome the new 20132014 FITSA Executive and Programming Boards. Although the year is coming to an end, the FITSA Boards are still busy preparing for the new year ahead. Ana Swarup and new FITSA president David Hamilton sat down with W27 to discuss this past year and what we can look forward to next year. Megan Venere: You’ve officially been inaugurated: how does it feel to be FITSA President? How did it feel to pass on the torch to David, Ana? David Hamilton: I’m excited and nervous for my new role. My main focus right now and for next year is making sure I’m able to address the concerns of the student body and work with them to find a solution. I know time will fly, but I’m really excited to work with the new board. There’s a lot of new blood, which is great. Ana Swarup: Personally, I’m not nervous for David at all! I think he is going to do a great job. I’ve said this before, but I am really excited for the new board. After being on it for three years, I’m excited to move on and see what they will do. They have such a fantastic energy and enthusiasm, along with some really great ideas. I can’t wait to come back and visit next year to see what they have done. MV: Are there any final end of the semester events the students should know about? AS: We’ve just had Block Party, which was a great success! We also had Stress Relief Week; from what I heard all of the slots for free massages were booked. Grad Week is coming up for the seniors, which is also great event. Each year they build on it and create new activities and events. Breakfast for Dinner is another fun event, as it’s the first time the new and old Boards come together to host the event. And then Formal is on the 10th. MV: David, what do you hope to accomplish next year as President? What can the student body look forward to? DH: I have two main priorities for next year. My first one is to blur the lines between FITSA as an organization and the student body, making us all more connected and unified. The town halls that Ana started this year were great, and we are going to continue those next year.
We are also implementing “office hours,” where there will be a Board representative available to answer questions and help students. We want to get people more involved and make the information we have more accessible to them; I am currently working on a new design and layout for our old bulletin boards. Like I said in my speech, I want to “ignite and unite” FITSA and the student body. MV: Ana, reflecting back on this past year, do you feel that you accomplished everything you had originally set out to do? Is there anything you wished you had done? AS: When you come into this position, you realize that you won’t be able to accomplish everything you think you will. When you’re in the position, you see things in a new light and from a different angle. I do think we accomplished a lot though. We accomplished a lot with cleaning up our policies and streamlining our Boards and procedures. We wanted to redefine FITSA and make ourselves more transparent as an organization. This was something I really wanted to do, and we will know next year whether what we did this year has made a difference. I think this year we became more conscious of all the members of the Board uniting as one group and creating more of a presence and awareness on campus. MV: My final question: what message do you have for the FIT community to close the school year? AS: It’s been a fantastic year and I’ve really enjoyed it! We had a lot of fun this year, and I hope everyone else did as well. We’ve seen a lot of changes in FITSA, and I’ve seen a lot of changes in school that are being implemented. It has showed me that our concerns and ideas are being heard and that it may take some time, but changes are happening on campus that I am really excited about. DH: I want to let the students know that I am here to work for you and with you. We are only as good as the sum of our parts. I think I stole that from somewhere, but I’m not sure.
FIT
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Future Mode:
Patricia Loviglio and Katie Hasler by Marissa Mule
There’s a neon-colored face cream across from you on the shelf and you can’t help but pick it up. What was it that attracted you to this simple item? Was it the color? Did the text on the box tell a story? Or, was it the packaging as a whole—the shape and graphics of the product?
This month, I had the opportunity to interview two very talented, marketingminded design students in the Packaging Design major. Thinking “outside the box” to design “the box,” these students create innovative packaging for almost every kind of product you see sold on store shelves. Inspired by the evolving industry of product marketing and packaging, Patricia Loviglio and Katie Hasler both adapt to their major, showing their aesthetic through the dialogue between product and consumer. Packaging design highlights the development of design and an inexplicit relation to consumer culture. In packaging design, the ultimate goal for these students is to build a portfolio of work that shows a broad understanding of branding and marketing. Loviglio and Hasler use their knowledge to discuss the marketing strategies, projects, motivations and keys to success in Packaging Design.
a heavy workload. I can easily say one of my strengths is time management and being organized. It keeps my routine with finding files and my design process efficient and orderly. When it comes to a weakness, well, I do not come from a fine arts or a strong art background. However, with my prior majors being Fashion Merchandising and Visual Presentation & Exhibition, I know about retail environments and marketing techniques. So, when it comes to sketches and hand drawing, I may not be as strong as my classmates, but that does not interfere with my process. I find other ways to get my concepts across. MM: What is your dream job? PL: Packaging Design can go into either a corporate world, or a more creative firm. I enjoy structure, but also free range of creativity, so I am not sure exactly where I’ll fit in yet. But, wherever it may be I hope to work up to being an Art Director.
KH: My artistic style would consist of elements of being quirky, clean and simple. I am a humble, laid back person and it is reflected through my designs. MM: Why did you chose Packaging Design? PL: Packaging Design is the perfect way for me to use all of my skills and abilities. I am able to use my fine arts background, strength in math, design aesthetics and retail understanding to create successful branding and marketing strategies. KH: It really is a major that encompasses all of my interests and it is one of the only majors where I feel all of my past education can work smoothly into. It is not only a design major – we are all about business, marketing, retail presence and branding. Packaging Design makes you a well rounded designer and I do not regret making the plunge into this major. MM: Was FIT your first college choice?
KH: My dream job would be a company where I can combine all of the knowledge I have attained over the years from my three different majors into one position. I have a lot to offer and I want to share my experiences and be able to succeed in the design world. MM: Did you always grow up loving art? "Mrs Patmore's" is a line of baking ingredients inspired by the chef in TV show Downton Abbey.
Marissa Mule: Who/what are your inspirations? Patricia Loviglio: Most of my inspirations come from my environment – whether it be the city, the beach or even just experiences shopping. I try to pull inspiration from unexpected places to make my work stand out. Katie Hasler: Packaging design holds the power of the buying decision. The challenge to design a package conceptually, but still hold true to a brand personality inspires me. My go-to for inspiration can be found around Manhattan, in films or music. However, surprisingly, most of my concepts come from unexpected places at the most unexpected times. MM: What are your strengths/ weaknesses? PL: My strengths are probably my drawing abilities, my understanding of typography, and my “comping” skills, which, in packaging, is when we bring our designs from the computer screen to life. My weaknesses are mostly technical—I could definitely use some more time learning Photoshop. KH: Being a commuter from New Jersey, studying a demanding major and taking on 18 credits forces me to stay on top of
PL: Creativity is one of the attributes that run in my family. I grew up with my grandmother teaching me how to sew, how to paint with watercolors, etc. At seven years old, I could also do floral arrangements and make wreaths— skills every child should have right? My mother loved to paint and draw (mostly architecture) and looked into FIT when she was in high school. My sister was also skilled in fine arts. One of us was bound to have a career in art and design. KH: Growing up I was always into being hands on and was a visual learner. In elementary school, I remember always having the “best” science dioramas. In my earlier days, I was on a competitive gymnastics team. Therefore, I would always be the proud teammate after every gymnastics competition that would make an awesome poster with all of our scores and awards. When I was done, I made sure it was hung up high up in our gym. I believe that was one sign that set my path that led myself to be a Packaging Design major and being a student at FIT.
PL: It actually was not. I started out at School of Visual Arts in their Fine Arts program. I panicked because I could not see myself making a career out of it. I transferred to my community college to start a path towards being a math teacher. I missed creating way too much, and was working at a spa with a retail store, where they let me have many creative liberties in merchandising. I found FIT’s Visual Presentation & Exhibition Design program, which would have allowed me to become a retail space designer. While I enjoyed this program, I wasn’t in love with it. Intro to Packaging Design was a required class, and my professor, Barbara Wentz, encouraged me to apply to the Packaging Design BFA, which I’ve absolutely loved. KH: FIT was not my first choice. I am a transfer student. After graduating high school, I was confused on what I wanted for my life, as every college student first is. I first attended Brookdale Community College where I attained my first degree in Fashion Merchandising. When it came time to transfer, I applied to Marist College for Fashion Merchandising, LIM for Visual Merchandising and, lastly, FIT for Visual Presentation & Exhibition Design. I decided on FIT – the optimal choice that opens up many opportunities in the design world we all know and love.
MM: How would you classify your “artistic style?” PL: My style is usually evident in my work. I really love clean design and also type. It’s not uncommon for me to use saturated color in my designs as well. Hopefully my style is still developing though!
The "Tropics" is a line of homeopathic vitamins, all with natural beauty benefits. Photos courtesy of Patricia Loviglio
ON THE BLOCK
FIT
8
Fashion and Technology Symposium by Emilie Schwenk
Fashion and Technology, the latest exhibition at the Museum at FIT interprets the history in the advancements of engineered and technologically enhanced garments. Fashion and Technology explores the innovations in the tech and mechanics industries as they are applied to textiles and fashion, dating all the way back to the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century.
To explain the cross pollination of fashion and technology and how innovations are applied today, the Museum at FIT and the School of Graduate Studies held a panel discussion as part of their symposium series. The panel, moderated by fashion conceptualist, Bradley Quinn, included some ranking experts on the subject: Suzanne Lee, a London based fashion designer and author of Fashioning the Future: Tomorrow’s Wardrobe; Sabine Seymour, director of the Fashionable Technology Lab at Parsons The New School for Design; and Steve Zades, creator of the Odyssey Network on Imaginative Intelligence. You would never know that the panel members have a hand in the highly advanced, technological breakthroughs in the garment industry just by looking at them. The experts look ontrend in all black and tailored outfits with up-to-date hair and jewelry styles. They look like typical fashion cogs, however, they quote Steve Jobs, reference MIT Biochemistry Lab research and speak of the sciences with a well-versed and intelligent enthusiasm. The discussion is built around the questions: Is there a market for enhanced fabrics and garments, what does the future look like for the fashion industry and what can clothing do for us in the future? Steve Zades who is a creative strategy consultant, begins his presentation with
the similarities in the thinking of designers, scientists, architects, technologists, artists, consumers, and spiritual leaders, as people who break through the limitations of habitual ideas and over-connectivity. Zades explains the need to evolve into prolific thinkers to keep the industry growing. He encourages future innovators to complete the idea, “In the future, I want my clothing to…” Zades notes on the possibilities of that statement, “with the technology available today, innovations can change the world…there is potential to solve health and world problems with textiles by getting rid of things that cause sickness and pollution in the first place,” which he and his fellow freethinking panel members are aiming to do. Sabine Seymour is the founder of Moondial, a research, investment, forecasting and consulting firm that deals with the intersection of fashion, technology and science. Seymour presents the idea of the skin as a metaphor for the future of textiles. She relates human skin as a node in an organic networked system to the potential uses of materials like silicon and fiber optics as a node in a digital system of a garment. Fascinated by the changes the skin goes through, Seymour notes the skin changes color when tan, changes texture when producing sweat and changes shape when reacting to a shock like getting burned. She believes textiles can do the same and shows her concepts for a “second skin” that not only can change shape and react to temperature by
The Job Hunting Games: May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor by Megan Venere
Job-hunting post-Recession can be a terrifying and daunting experience, especially in New York City. Similar to apartment hunting, there are hundreds of people looking, and only a few spaces available. Although you may have done 10 internships during your time at FIT, the job market is so volatile that it appears nothing is certain. But fear not graduates! FIT reports a 90% job placement rate, with more than one-third of students who have interned in their college careers getting hired by former internship sponsors. With the following job-hunting tips, you’ll be one step closer to getting your dream job.
Do your research! We have all heard it a million and one times, but it’s the truth. Doing research on the industry you are going into, from journalism to fashion to art, will give you a leg up on the competition. Be familiar with some of the key players and be up to date on the current trends and happenings of your industry. When you land the interview, make sure that you research the company as well as the person who is interviewing you. Read recent articles in trade journals and newspapers. Also, a little Linkedin-stalking (i.e. research) on the interviewer wouldn’t
changing color, but can shield from pollution and other allergies. In addition to the research and development of this superhuman textile, Seymour has collaborated on products like Under Armour’s Armour E39 performance monitoring system that can measure distance and climb, heart rate and calories burned, as well as otherwise non-quantifiable indicators like willpower and total energy exertion. She is also currently working with The North Face to create a garment with a “gesture activated” iPhone compartment that lets you control your phone with unique movement. Deviating from the manmade inorganic technologies, Suzanne Lee is a fashion designer with the insight and consciousness of a biochemist. Lee’s research project, BioCouture, deals with ecological and sustainability issues in the fashion industry. Lee envisions the future of textiles where instead of growing plants to get fibers, we develop microbes to grow into something readily useable. In this case, they can grow further into pure, pesticide free matter that can be shaped and grown into useable material. Lee quite literally aims to grow a garment using film created during the fermentation of tea and a bacterial microbe. The resulting material is cellulose just as flax or cotton, however, instead of weaving or knitting, the material is already formed. Lee mentions that the new textile can take many forms, and that there is a possibility of creating a “victimless leather,” or leather that is grown using animal cells and a fermentation process rather than being harvested from an actual animal. Advancements in the technology of 3D printing uses a similar idea; Lee compares the accessibility of 3D printing to the ability to grow organic and living materials, such as biomedical technology fields growing skin grafts for burn victims. She asks the questions,
Photo courtesy of the Museum at FIT
“Someday when we can print garments, what qualities will we give it? Will it be manipulated by stress, is it therapeutic in some way?” Lee and BioCouture have aspirations of a sustainable and biodegradable future of fashion. While the majority of the panel discussion sounded more like sci-fi than the actual contrivance of modern textiles and technology, the future looks bright for innovative and conceptual designers. Today some of these advanced materials are used in athletic wear, but we could see ground broken with garments that incorporate wearable safety attributes like an air-bag style bicycle helmet that deploys on collision, fantasy pieces that change color and camouflage to your surroundings like an “invisibility cloak,” and textiles that can be manipulated by electrical currents. The Fashion and Technology exhibit is on display at the Museum at FIT through May 8.
hurt. You want to show you are serious and dedicated, and not simply interviewing because they are the only ones who responded to your application.
grammatical errors. Go to the Writing Studio, visit Career Services or ask a friend to help you out and look over your application to make sure it’s perfect.
Prep your materials
Networking
Having the perfect application is key to landing an interview and potential job. Make sure you have the right résumé and application materials for the jobs you are applying to. Every company is looking for something different, from just a résumé, to a résumé and a cover letter combo and some want a portfolio on top of all of that.
Although it’s a cliché and a bit awkward at times, networking can help you find the jobs that haven’t hit the job banks yet. Contact people with connections to the industry, from professors to internship sponsors, to see if they know anyone looking to hire. And if you have friends or family in the industry, ask them too. You never know where your future job will come from.
Also make sure you have the appropriate résumé for the particular job you are applying to. Having several different versions of your résumé is helpful in that you can tailor each one to the needs of each potential employer. It helps too to have a second pair of eyes look over these materials before you submit them. After hours of editing cover letters and résumés on top of working on finals, you can miss little but detrimental
Don’t do it all at once The key to successful job hunting is keeping a regular and timely system. Sending out 10 applications one weekend every month will not let you show your best work. Set aside some time each week to look at job postings, and try to send out around five neat and edited applications. This will help combat the stress of the job hunt and help you produce quality work.
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W27
MAY 2013
What the Health?:
Summer Health Mistakes to Break by Sarah Dill
Drop the candy, count the calories and start losing weight? Most think this is the easiest way to shed their winter pounds and put on their brand new bikini for the beach. However, making only minimal changes may not be the answer to your weight woes. Although the perfectly logical way to cut off inches is to exercise more, cut out some junk food and not eat after a certain time during the day, this won’t help in the long run and you may find yourself at a plateau. Sometimes the best way is drastically changing up your exercise routine and diet weekly, or even daily, to kick your body into gear. Graduation, job hunting or planning your summer internship may have your body in a lazy haze, but with the right planning, relaxation and school’s-out mentality, your healthy lifestyle will soon be in full swing once again. Count Calories Correctly There’s a real science to counting calories rather than just looking at the label of your Snickers bar and calculating your daily intake. Calculate your appropriate calorie count for a day depending on your weight, age and gender, and with that number, split up those calories more reasonably in your meals. Don’t get too tied up on eating like a king for breakfast and cutting back for dinner. Instead, equally portion what you want throughout the day. If you know your cravings happen during the day, split your snacks up as well to divide and ultimately conquer.
Active and Changing Staying active is a necessary ingredient in any healthy lifestyle, but it should change with every move you make. Incorporate more sudden and intense physical activities like sprinting up the stairs to class rather than walking, walking to work and sporadically picking up the pace every five minutes. Maybe try switching from yoga one week to trying out kickboxing the next. You’ll be happy with the results.
Take Note Portion control and knowing what you eat is only the foundation to actually changing your diet. Grab a pen and notepad or make a food diary on your Gmail account
and quickly update it with everything you put in your mouth. You’ll know exactly what you’re eating and where your problem areas are for future noshing. With portions as well, like using measuring cups, you can really get a ballpark estimate now of how much you used to eat in size and how much you’re actually supposed to eat.
Research and Order If you’re planning to eat out, especially since summer is the perfect time to head outdoors, research some restaurants and pre-plan what you’re going to eat. It may be hard since restaurants sometimes have daily menus and specials, but click and research some healthy options in advance (this is also an all-around good strategy if you’re the indecisive type.) If there’s no research or calorie data from a restaurant that you’re planning on trying, call up the restaurant before for an idea of a healthier options or possibly opt for a restaurant that’s organized like you should be.
Nothing brings in the summer heat more than a fresh and juicy popsicle. Those with lots of processed sugar and artificial sweeteners can really bulk up your beach ready figure but with these berry and honey yogurt popsicles, the weight is bound to melt right away. (recipe from cookieandkate.com)
Ingredients
the real good stuff will cure any sweet cravings and prevent food deprivation. Tap into your real dessert loves and treat yourself to it once in a while...it won’t kill you.
12 ounces (two small containers) small berries, like blueberries and raspberries 2 teaspoons sugar (preferably turbinado sugar) dash of sea salt 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup honey (to taste) 2 cups whole Greek yogurt (I used Fage) 1/2 small lemon, juiced
Craving Cures
Instructions
Stolen bites and constant snacking can really put a damper on your positive feelings regarding all the headway you’ve made in your diet. Avoid eating in distraction or out of boredom and find ways to fix unconscious noshing while preparing your dinner. Always snacking while cooking your pasta dish for dinner? Chew gum, have a bottle of water handy or talk with someone on the phone or nearby to make sure your hands are busy and not near any threatening snacks.
ΩΩ Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently toss berries with the sugar, a dash of sea salt and 2 tablespoons honey. Pour the berries onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange the berries in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, or long enough for the berry juices to thicken but not burn (watch the edges in particular). ΩΩ While the fruit is roasting, blend together the Greek yogurt and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Mix in honey to taste, until it is barely sweet enough for your liking (keep in mind that the berries will be very sweet). Add more lemon juice if you want tart popsicles. ΩΩ Let the berries cool for at least ten minutes, then scrape the berries and all of their juices into the bowl of yogurt. Use a big spoon to gently fold the mixture together (for a marbled effect, do not mix thoroughly).
Treats for Real Desserts aren’t always a diet killer and low calorie choices aren’t always the best options. If you’re really craving something sweet after a meal, opt for the real deal. Don’t be afraid to go for that ice cream, but get it in a smaller size and ditch the cone. Many low fat “diet” treats are still packed with calories or artificial sweeteners, but
Dorm Dish Recipe: Roasted Berry & Honey Yogurt Popsicles
Photo courtesy of cookieandkate.com
ΩΩ Use the spoon to transfer the yogurt blend into the popsicle mould and freeze for at least four hours. When you’re ready to pop out the popsicles, run warm water around the outsides of the moulds for about ten seconds and gently remove the popsicles. Enjoy immediately.
Beach Body Workout? by Jonathan Guzi
Summer is almost upon us! Can you feel it? The semester is winding down, the weather is still somewhat bipolar, but tolerable, and sooner or later, skimpy clothes will be all you can see. Some people wait until a month before bikini season to get in shape, but as you may be able to tell from my previous articles, I think that’s a horrible thing to do. If however, you’ve understandably been sidetracked until now with school, work, life and other stuff, there’s still hope for you. Most people try to achieve maximal weight loss and/or muscle gain in the least amount of time. It is possible to change your body with simply one month of hard work. It’s not easy though! First and foremost, the part that most people fail at is diet. What you eat probably has the most significant effect on your body composition, more than exercise. Most people don’t realize how often they “cheat” while still believing that they actually eat healthy. Eating a salad
for lunch doesn’t mean that you can eat everything else the rest of the day. When you combine nutrient lacking foods with a sedentary lifestyle, your body gets used to storing all those empty calories as fat. It’s not rocket science. One cheat day a week is fine, and even necessary, provided that you actually don’t cheat at all during those other six days of the week. The most effective workouts for quick results involve doing a mixture of cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. This is why fitness programs like Insanity and P90X are so popular and effective. They work because they burn the maximum amount of calories in the least amount of time, while strengthening muscle at the same time. For anyone who is just starting out, I would recommend three days a week of intense workout, at least. That should be enough for you to start seeing results in a month, IF your diet is exceptional.
Without further ado, here is an example of a workout that will jump start your summer.
Continue with alternating jumping lunges, explosively jumping up while switching legs in mid air.
This workout will be done as a circuit, meaning that you complete exercises one after the other with minimal rest. You will need a stopwatch to complete this workout efficiently, you can get an interval timer app for almost any phone these days for free.
Next are dumbbell rows. Grab a light pair of weights, hold your back straight and parallel to the ground, and row the weights by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Start off with stretching and warming up for two to five minutes. You will perform each exercise for as many reps as you can complete in one minute, then rest for 15 seconds and jump right into the next exercise. If one minute is too difficult for you, start off with 30–45 seconds per exercise. The first exercise is the basic squat. Put your hands behind your head, thrust your hips out and squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Remember to keep your back straight. Next is a plyometric pushup, which is performed by exploding off the ground with each rep. One minute of those.
Lastly, finish off with dumbbell presses. Using the same dumbbells, bend your knees slightly, tighten your abs and press the weights up. Remember to always keep your back straight and abs tight on all exercises. After you're done with these five exercises, rest for two minutes, and repeat the whole thing two to three times. These might not seem like much, but you'll be sweating like crazy, trust me. You can incorporate these into your normal workout, or just do this three times a week for a month, as consistency is key. Most of all though, have a great summer and play outside! Oh, and don't let finals get to you this month. Stay healthy, everyone.
ON THE BLOCK
FIT
10
CollegeFashionista
X W27 Panel: Fashion from Three Perspectives by Nicole Loher
It was an exciting night for the 100 students who managed to squeeze into the David Dubinksy Fifth Floor Student Lounge on April 9. Amy Levin, founder and creative director of CollegeFashionista, moderated a panel of three very successful individuals in the fashion industry: Mary Kate Steinmiller of Teen Vogue, self-proclaimed “PR risk taker,” Alle Fister of BOLLARE and fashion designer Nanette Lepore. From the hour-long panel we learned a bit more about how each got their start, the struggle each encountered, and they even took some time for a generous Q & A with the audience. Steinmiller had to beg her parents to let her come to the city at the start of her career. And unlike many “job-hoppers” today, she worked her way up the Teen Vogue ladder to get to the prestige position she holds today as Senior Fashion Market
Editor. She insisted, “you have to start at the bottom.” Fister had a more traditional start to her career at a small startup that is now the ultra-successful Shopbop. com. She, like many other recent college graduates, was beyond terrified showing up to her first day on the job. She always remembered the principle of her cover letter, though: you have to think about “the other” and how every decision you make should be made to work for your employer. And believe it or not, FIT alum Lepore got her start sketching for a designer in a small closet. Lepore joked that after about a month, the designer felt bad and let her go. The panel closed with Steinmiller and Fister giving advice on cover letters. Steinmiller had the audience laughing after she said seriously, “Do not say ‘I have a passion for fashion.’” But then added on a more serious note, “find your charm and skill.” Fister suggests you
All photos courtsey of CollegeFashionista
focus more on your cover letter than your résumé. “Include what intrigues you about the company and tie an aspect in of what you could do for them.” For those that could attend, the hour-long panel served up a lot of wisdom with a bit of wit, which W27 had the honor of sharing with you.
Rent the Runway Be a Woman; Wear a Dress
by Amelia Cheikhali
On the evening of April 9, many young men and women poured into the Katie Murphy Amphitheater chattering away, checking phones and even knitting. As soon as Jennifer Hyman, CEO of Rent the Runway and the evening’s speaker, stepped on stage with nude heels, wearing a leather and linen A-line dress, all went silent as she introduced herself as simply “Jen.” She exudes everything the woman CEO should.
“I see myself as someone who has a vision and someone who is very mission driven so my vision is transforming the retail industry,” Hyman said, “Democratizing it.” Hyman started off with a short presentation entitled, “Experimental Marketing: The New Frontier,” covering how we went from a material economy to an “experience economy.” Anyone who has been outside lately, especially those in AMC, should have noticed that stores and brands are going above and beyond to grab us and reel us in as consumers. Hyman attributes this to the “shift in ownership,” where we are so used to renting or gaining access illegally (books, music downloads, movies, etc.) that with her company she is just “legalizing the rental behavior”. Rent the Runway launched in 2009 with only 28 designers; now in 2013 the company has 200 designers and 3 million online members. And even with the huge leap in numbers in just a few years it was no easy task. Some opposition from the opposite sex and getting people to believe in her and work for her without having her “likability” reduced was difficult, but she equates her success to hard
work and being nimble within a changing environment. “I think that’s the great thing about being an entrepreneur, you believe so much in what you’re doing that sometimes, you don’t let distractions like how difficult this mountain is going to be to climb distract you,” she said. She also believes that the entrepreneur has three responsibilities: one, have a vision of your company; two, hire the right people to create a culture and lastly, set your priorities. To Hyman, there is a deeper meaning in her endeavor than to simply supply women with affordable fashions. It is about bringing younger women the awareness of designer names, of course not an issue here at FIT, but to many other girls in other states who are unfamiliar with any designer unless covered by Forever 21 and H&M. A new section of the company called “RTR on Campus” was created just for that reason. Representatives of the company would host events on their campus, but the process is very selective and potential representatives must go through a “boot camp” to learn all the ins and outs
of being their own entrepreneur. Besides giving access to college age girls, we should be seeing a new market segment for maternity and plus size women on Rent the Runway and Hyman even hinted at being able to rent accessories such as veils for weddings in the near future. Plus, she gave a heads-up during the Q&A session for all emerging designers to be on the lookout for a platform that will allow them to get involved in Rent the Runway. Social media has created a platform for the company to have an “honest” conversation with their customers and see these “Cinderella Moments” that are featured on the RTR site with the dresses they rented. “It’s more than just a job. It becomes something that, you know, I’m wholeheartedly committed to because I think that we’re changing peoples lives and we’re really helping people to develop these emotional connections,” explained Hyman, who left a final piece of advice for all the girls entering the business world: “We can have it all.”
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W27
MAY 2013
Buyers Beware— Financing Higher Education with Debt by Mia Lustig
America tends to be a country in which people prefer immediate gratification and delayed repayment. Unfortunately, what we often fail to consider at the time of transaction is that what we purchase on credit ultimately comes with a higher price tag in the long run. This buy-nowpay-later model is proving to be especially unsustainable, even detrimental, in terms of financing post-secondary education. More and more students are graduating burdened by an exponentially growing amount of debt. Increasingly, students are paying for their higher education with loans and calling it an “investment,” which education unquestionably is. A well-educated student is seen as one who is better equipped to deal with the demands of a career and more well-rounded in general. Overall, people with bachelor’s degrees have better job prospects and salaries than those without. Although education is the most direct route to a successful career and fulfilling life, it is anything but affordable. Higher education is first and foremost a business industry—a profitable one—one
with many subsidiary business offshoots, including textbook publishers and student loan organizations. When faced with increasing costs in tuition, supplies and living expenses, students have little option but to finance their education on credit. The consequences of assuming such staggering debt so early in life can remain with a college graduate for a long time. The majority of borrowers paying back their student debt are between the ages of 30 and 50. Unlike with other types of debt, declaring bankruptcy is not an option with student debt. In 2010, national student debt had surpassed credit card debt, making it the largest form of household debt behind home loans. Since then, student debt has only continued to climb and is now beyond the $1 trillion mark. In 2011, twothirds of college seniors graduated with student loans and the average amount owed per student was approximately $27,000, a 5% increase from 2010. In terms of repaying loans, the default rate among students within two years of leaving college also rose between 2010 and 2011 from 8.8% to 9.1% according
to the U.S. Department of Education. Of the total national student debt, approximately 10 percent, totaling $85 million is delinquent or past due. There are two likely reasons for this. First, students simply haven’t the money to repay their accumulated loans. Combine growing student debt with stubbornly high unemployment and stagnant wages, and students are left with a pretty grim reality. Second, the majority of students are generally ignorant when it comes to the terms and conditions that accompany assuming and repaying this sort of debt. According to one study conducted by Young Invincibles, approximately 65% of high-debt borrows “misunderstood or were surprised by aspects of their student loans or the student loan process.” Another study conducted by Accounting Principals indicated that a third of recent graduates said that, given an opportunity to do over, they would have (1) invested more time researching alternate financial aid options and scholarships, (2) selected a different major with a greater likelihood of higher salaried employment upon graduation and (3) worked through college in order to begin the repayment process earlier.
Some economic/financial analysts predict that college debt is the next “housing bubble,” in that nominal pricing has far outpaced real value. For now, however, students are left in an untenable position where they’re damned if they take on student debt, and damned all the same if they don’t. If you do end up assuming debt to help finance your education to whatever degree, it is important that you be a smart and responsible borrower. It is your responsibility to understand the nature of your debt and you will be penalized if you do not. To that end there are several very helpful resources you can use to help you stay ahead of your debt. The first is the Office of Financial Aid at FIT, located on the second floor of the Dubinsky Center [A-building]—drop by for helpful counseling and advice. There are also many web resources you can look at in order to become an educated borrower, including the federal source for financial aid (studentaid.ed.gov), the U.S. Department of Education (ed.gov) and American Student Assistance (asa.org).
ON THE BLOCK
FIT
12
How to Survive Finals Stress Free by Emilie Schwenk
Anxiety, panic attacks, sleepless nights and cold sweats—does any of this sound familiar? No, I’m not talking about your latest detox juice diet, I’m talking about finals. We all know the commonsense tips and tricks to avoid the apprehension that hell—week brings, but there are still plenty of college students who will inevitably wait until the week (or night) before the big exams to bother with studying. However tempting your normal caffeine—induced—energy—exhausting—all—night—partying, stress remedies may be, these distractions are counterproductive and incredibly damaging to your mental state and overall well—being. With summer just in reach, the last thing you want is to bomb your tests, fail your classes, and live with the ensuing anxiety for the next three months. To avoid the hysteria, take note of the best ways to stay healthy and stress free during your finals.
Study Tips From Students
Prioritize
1. Create study groups. You are more likely to stay motivated if your group is counting on you to participate. Peer groups can be supportive when dealing with similar stresses, and you can benefit from ensuring you understand the information correctly.
Make a schedule, create a list, make a plan, however you feel is the best way to organize your workload. Make sure you’re considering time for academics, activities and work for those of you with jobs. It’s important to let your bosses know that you will need fewer hours during finals to prevent any scheduling surprises. Give yourself plenty of time, this way you can figure out a schedule that works for you and easily transition from reviewing material to full—blown study mode and avoid cram sessions. Having a plan in place will help you hold yourself accountable and keep you on track.
2. Remember the material by rewriting your notes. Practice makes perfect and attentively rewriting your notes allows you to organize the main points and focus your attention on the key information. Carefully written notes are more likely to stick with you than disorganized information.
Get rid of distractions 3. Keep a “quality over quantity” attitude when looking over material. Ask your professor exactly which information you should expect to see on the exam to avoid unnecessary exertion. Remember, your professors want you to succeed. 4. Read your notes aloud. Just the same as reading an essay aloud lets you hear and correct mistakes, reading your notes gives you the opportunity to make connections and think deeper about the subject while refreshing your memory of dense information.
Stress Reducing Activities at FIT From May 13–16 The Center on the seventh floor of the Dubinsky Center [A-building] is hosting Study Week. Drop by The Center for snacks, tea and a quiet place to study from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. On Thursday May 9, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. you can stop by the game room on the seventh floor of Dubinsky and get a free massage to start finals season off right. When finals stress feels unbearable, get more tools for your metaphorical tool boxes at the counseling center on the second floor of Dubinsky. Walk-in hours are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2 p.m. You can also make an appointment by calling 212.217.4260. The fitness center in the basement of Dubinsky offers various recreation programs including Yoga on Monday and Wednesday at 7:45 p.m., and on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., as well as plenty of other exercise classes to induce the endorphin high you need leading up to finals.
Find a place where you can get down to business. It’s very easy to get sidetracked. If you are studying in your dorm or apartment, make your room a study sanctuary by turning off the TV and music, and using your computer only for notes. Better yet, print copies of your notes and shut down your computer as well. If indoor distractions are unavoidable, find sanctuary in a secluded section of the library or on a park bench on a nice day.
Give yourself a break You can’t spend hours on end in the fitness center, and you can’t expect your brain to do the same. Studying can be challenging and exhausting, make sure you allow yourself time for fun, whether it be a lunch date with friends or going
for a run. Taking frequent breaks will prevent sleepless, anxiety—ridden nights and aid in concentration. Exercise is also a common stress solution: A study by Dr. Paul Leavis, PhD, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine notes: “The increase of cortisol during exercise… makes glucose available to the brain increasing your awareness and ability to concentrate while studying.” As if the endorphins weren’t enough, the same study showed that students who regularly exercise have on average a .4 GPA point advantage over students who don’t.
Put good in, get good out. Healthy eating is key during a stressful time. You’re body is exerting more energy than usual, and it’s important to give your body the right kind of fuel to power through stressful study sessions and classes. Include nutrient dense foods like complex carbohydrates and proteins that give you slow—releasing energy stores. Focus on “brain foods” like oatmeal, nuts and fresh fruits in the morning to give you the energy to get through the day. Cut out foods with little nutritional value from your diet, like candies, potato chips, and soda that cause disrupting crashes. Also, try not to sabotage yourself by consuming excessive amounts of caffeine. While many students are truly dependent on coffee, breaking any addiction is no easy feat. And with little time to go through a detox period, try to keep in mind that caffeine is a stimulant and will intensify any anxiety, stress, and worry you may be feeling.
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W27
MAY 2013
Kohl’s Peggy Eskinasi’s Shares Insight at FMM Alumni Event by Desiree Perez
The Dubinsky Hall looked polished and elegant one April evening, with various Kohl's cups placed on the tables, waiting for FIT's alumni and professors to arrive at 6:30. They were gathering eagerly to listen to the night’s speaker, Peggy Eskinasi. Prior to becoming the executive vice president of Product Development at Kohl's, Eskinasi held a leadership position at Saks as the president of Private Label Brand Development. Her experience there taught her about managing different departments like sportswear, women’s wear, and children’s wear, which has helped her in her current position at Kohl's.
Photo courtesy of FIT
She acquired her position at Saks after working at retail buying and consulting firm Frederick Atkins Inc. for 16 years. It was a career move she enjoyed, especially as she got to travel. As she stated during her speech, working at Frederick Atkins kicked off her hunger to learn more.
Stellar Seniors by Medinah Tiangco
Medinah Tiangco: Do you have any jobs lined up after graduation? Sergio Guifarro Jr: None so far. I do have a couple of interviews pending. I am still waiting to see how those go. Christopher Jowett: I’m currently working as a manager in a vintage shop in SoHo. Smaranda Pirjol: Well I’m already working, so not at the moment. I’m not looking for anything new. Sarah Dill: I'm currently going to be freelancing full time with Better Homes and Gardens magazine until June after graduation but nothing permanent and set in stone so far. MT: What was your best experience at FIT? What was your favorite course? SG: There are quite a few for every semester. But the best experience was meeting people; I met a lot of friends. Also, the funnest was participating in the FITSA elections. I ran for VP of Communications. I lost that, but it was a good experience. Surprisingly, there are actually a lot of favorite courses. I can’t even describe one being more than the other. But I would say—if I had to—Product Development. It made me realize what I wanted to do.
Sergio Guifarro Jr.
CJ: I loved when they had the different speakers come in who were different wellknown designers. My favorite course was Intro to Fashion. SP: My best experience at FIT was being able to interact with people from all over the world and making connections with people I will probably get to work with in the future. I can’t think of one specific course because we had so many. I think just overall I learned a lot from all my classes and things that are going to help me out in the future. SD: My best experience at FIT was my club involvement with ED2010@FIT and W27 Newspaper. That was the point where I knew I should pursue my bachelor's degree in AMC rather than FMM. And also, I made so many good friends along the way. My favorite course had to be Creative Writing with Professor Tombro. Our class became really comfortable with critiquing everyones’ stories and we all became really close, I loved it. MT: If you had the opportunity to do it all over again, what would you do differently? SG: I would participate in more student clubs… I wish I had done that more. CJ: Looked for internships or summer jobs in the industry while getting my associates.
Christopher Jowett
Although Eskinasi doesn't consider herself someone who deliberately networks, she still believes it's a good thing to get oneself out there. If you're shy or intimidated about approaching new people, you should still work on pushing yourself, says Eskinasi: “There are many things that you don't want to do but you have to because it's good for you.” Besides networking, Eskinasi explains that it's what you do that gets you noticed. Your reputation for being a hard worker or a trustworthy individual will get noticed by people who may not know you personally. “Sometimes you don't have to be in that network to be known for having a good reputation,” said Eskinasi. She went on to speak about the importance of kindness and honesty, which she recalls her father teaching her. However, Eskinasi explained, being kind doesn't mean being unwilling to put people in their place if necessary, or being unable to make assertive decisions.
Making good decisions as a leader was what Eskinasi had planned to talk about that night. She focused on five leading innovation competencies: leading innovation and change, how to manage change, managing long term direction, driving profitability and controlling costs. Before Eskinasi took the podium, the alumni that arrived were mingling with other former FMM students. The seat I took at a table had four alumni talking about their current positions at MAC Viva Glam and their careers as buyers. Alumni events are some of the most important events to consider if you want to gain insight into a new company or a new career. All it takes is a little networking. “Events like this are great for networking. They're very informative and they bring alumni together,” said FIT alumna Lorraine Ramirez.
A student’s greatest victory is completing his or her education and walking the stage at graduation. After crucial years of studying, examinations and tough criticism, it is a bittersweet accomplishment to accept your diploma as your parents watch with glee. School has come to an end (unless you plan on attending grad school), and adult life has begun. Hang on to your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen! This ride will get bumpy. As the end of another school year approaches, four students awaiting graduation gave W27 the opportunity to sit down with them to discuss their experience at FIT, as well as their plans for the future.
SP: Because when I first came into the school I came for fashion design. I think I would have pursued some fashion design classes. SD: Uhhhh..maybe slept more? I really wouldn't change anything. MT: What are you looking forward to most? What will you miss? SG: I guess to start my career in fashion. To see how it goes and where it will take me. I will miss mostly meeting different types of people and different areas of the industry. Unlike work, in most cases you have the same routine…but I think here every semester brings something new. CJ: I guess just knowing that I don’t have school. It makes life easier. SP: Just being in school, I think. Just being here everyday. SD: I'm really looking forward to the unknown, having weeknights to relax and not having so much to do every day of the week. I will miss the winter and
Smaranda Pirjol
summer breaks along with study abroad opportunities. My favorite summers had to be when I was interning in New York and also when I studied in London through the AMC program last summer, I already miss those moments so much. MT: Do you have any interesting plans for the summer? SG: I still have an online class to take for graduation requirements. CJ: Not really. SP: Probably traveling to Europe, which is what I do every summer. SD: I’m working with my neighbors to create a full blown rooftop garden with strung lights and patio chairs. It's going to be our own little oasis in Brooklyn. Other than that I'll probably be doing a mix of stressing, hanging out with friends, eating amazing food and stepping into the real job world.
Photos courtesy of students
Sarah Dill
FEATURE
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It’s time to celebrate a successful school year with fun summer dresses, your sharpest suit and of course, that special cap and gown. So kick up your heels, toss your cap and toast to the class of 2013 in style. Photographer: Alex Papakonstadinou Photography Assistant: Kevin Buitrago Stylist: Freddy Rodriguez Models: Irma Elezović, Adrien Marchetti Makeup Artist: Kato DiGiovancarlo
the graduates
Look 1 Suit: ASOS Shirt: ASOS Tie: ASOS Shoes: florsheim by duckie brown
W27
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MAY 2013 On the cover: On him— Suit: ASOS Shirt: Buffalo David Bitton Tie; ASOS Shoes: Floreshiem On her— Dress: Addison Sweater: Addison Shoes: Cole Haan Bracelet: Stylist’s own
(Clockwise from top left) Look 2 On him— Bow tie: ASOS Blazer: Grayers Shirt: Grayers Pants: Grayers Look 3 On her— Dress: Krisa Jacket: Krisa Shoes: Cole haan On him— Blazer: ASOS Shirt: ASOS Pants: Gap Shoes : Florsheim by Duckie Brown Bow tie: ASOS Look 4 On her— Cole haan shoes On him— see look 2 Look 5 On him— see look 1 On her— Dress: Addison Shoes: Cole Haan
FEATURE
FIT
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Owen: A Store is Born Titania Inglis by Dana Heyward
by Raquel Rose Burger
“Everyone that walks into the door is treated like Beyonce.” That is the tagline and key to success for Phillip Salem’s one of a kind boutique, Owen, as it reaches its one year anniversary this May. Salem is a 2010 Fashion Merchandising Management graduate from FIT. From the beginning of his education at FIT, he knew he wanted to open a boutique upon graduation. Throughout school he based every project, presentation and extra curricular activity around opening Owen. Salem describes Owen as “a unique shopping experience where you can find great clothes, be surrounded by great people and great service.” Owen carries clothing, jewelry and accessories designed by 45 designers that all strongly exemplify the Owen brand. These are all based around Owen’s target customer who is a 28–35 year old fashion forward individual, seeking unique pieces that are timeless and of great quality.
Salem highly credits FIT for helping him get involved in this industry and pushing him to never give up, as he was originally wait-listed and accepted one month before school began. His dad was his investor, but treated him like every other person that he would want to invest in, warning Salem that if he didn’t believe in his product, didn’t see the numbers correctly or felt that he the lacked work ethic or dedication, he would be discouraged from investing; being his son wasn’t an advantage. To make sure Salem mastered this, he returned to FIT for a business writing class that assisted him in creating Owen’s business plan. “I really believed in this company, I really believed in myself and the beautiful thing is that my dad believed in me,” he said. Salem’s boutique actually pays homage to his mother as well, who always made her own clothes growing up; Owen was her maiden name and Salem’s middle name.
When Salem buys for his store he looks for originality, construction and detail that fit the Owen aesthetic of forward, classic and edgy. He touches every piece before it comes into the store and hand picks each item with the help of his staff. It is highly important to him that his staff has commitment, dedication, poise, originality and is all around genuine, making Owen’s customer service impeccable. Owen’s unique factor is filling a niche that is missing from the marketplace. Located in the Meatpacking District, Owen provides an outlet to showcase designers previously missing in this emerging marketplace. It took over a year to find the space and Salem finally found a raw and industrial location with exposed piping, cold, white walls and distressed flooring. “My architect and I transformed it into the look of a high end retail store,” said Salem. “Playing off the High Line, which is across the street, the ceiling showcases open paper bags in a curved shape which display a floral effect. It creates a magical and beautiful feeling when a customer sets foot into Owen.”
“The top aspect of Owen that I am most proud of is that we have been open a year. 99.99% of businesses fail in the first three months. It’s so rewarding when my customers come in for the fourth time in the same month. It goes beyond the clothes, it’s the feeling they get when they walk in,” added Salem. Owen has recently partnered with farfetch.com where you can purchase pieces from the boutique, directly from owennyc.com, and just opened an instagram shop, @owennyc. Phillip’s creative inspirations are Phillip Lim, Ralph Simmons and Beyoncé because “she doesn’t stop.” Looking ahead at Owen’s future, “We’ll be launching shoes in Fall 2013 and our second store in the first quarter of 2014. A private label line is in the works to open within the next two years and then after that, expand around the country and then around the world.” When the pressure gets crazy, Salem remembers his favorite Beyoncé quote: “Embrace your past but live in the now,” and becomes unstoppable.
Photos courtesy of titaniainglis.com
To Brooklyn-based fashion designer Titania Inglis, sustainable fashion is much more than being “eco-friendly.” It’s about social responsibility, ethics and leaving a positive impact on not only the planet, but fellow designers and artists. Her simple aesthetic and geometric designs have caught the eyes of many: just last year, Inglis received the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award for Sustainable Design. W27 caught up with Inglis to further understand her creative process and inspirations. Dana Heyward: You're an FIT alum! How would you describe your time and studies at FIT? Titania Inglis: Studying at FIT was a time of endless new discoveries for me, both at school and at my various internships. The teachers had so much industry experience to share, and many of them were wonderfully talented. Professors Steven Stipelman, Mark-Evan Blackman, Karen Rippy and Jose Madera were among the inspirational teachers whose lessons I still use in my daily work. DH: You've also studied in Denmark and the Netherlands. How would you say those experiences shape your work today?
Photography by Jessica Farkas
TI: Each place I’ve studied has had its own design philosophy, which has become a part of my own way of working. In Denmark, the heritage of warm modern design in natural materials really resonated with me while the Dutch way of looking at everything from new angles, and the emphasis on defining and developing one’s own individual style as a designer, became important.
DH: What motivates your work and how would you describe your creative process? TI: It sounds nerdy, but I design clothes because I’m fascinated by the nexus of culture, and anthropology, and textiles, and topology and human individuality that is fashion — and at the same time because I love to make beautiful things for people to wear. I’m thrilled each season to see the ideas from my head brought to life as samples, and then as they’re worn by real, live people. Creatively, I’m a bit of a magpie — ideas come from materials I’ve sourced, from new dye techniques I’ve just learned, from a style my friends have been pining for, from textured rocks seen in my travels or art exhibitions I’ve visited, and each season I pick a guiding concept to string all of that into one cohesive collection. I prefer to drape most pieces myself, and find that a lot of the design comes in the draping stage, as I guide the fabric around the form and discover new proportions or contours I hadn’t thought of while sketching. DH: Where do you see your brand in the next five years or so? TI: I’ve only been doing this for four years, so in five years, anything must be possible! As of now, I’m interested in adding menswear and accessories to the line, continuing to collaborate with artists and designers whose work I love and further exploring the possibilities of local textile sourcing, natural dyeing and new technologies such as laser cutting and 3D printing.
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MAY 2013
Below, Tae Kyung Kim’s winning design, courtesy of FIT. Rest of photography by Jacquelyn Clifford
Forming the Future of Fashion by Caroline Nelson
“This is by far one of the strongest classes I’ve seen,” said Kate Betts, author, contributing editor at Time and former editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, while judging student designs on April 17. This statement rang true as soon as the first garment went down the runway at FIT’s Future of Fashion Graduates Collection on May 1. From the cozy knitwear creations to the adorable children’s wear ensembles, the 91 looks presented showed the talent and dedication of the Fashion Design BFA class of 2013 in the concentrations of sportswear, knitwear, children’s wear, intimate apparel and special occasion. From the black leather and waxed cotton
jacket of Miguel Pena’s Critic Award winning look to the orange PVC accents of Critic Award winner Jae Lee’s charcoal wool skirt suit, the many sophisticated sportswear designs showed the individuality of this year’s students, a factor that stood out to many in the industry on judging day. “I look for a sense of the designers’ identity so that there are not just trying to tick off all the trend boxes, but that they know what they love, what they want to do,” said Kirsten Shirley, senior market editor at ELLE magazine. One concentration that truly showed the students’ originality was knitwear, which presented a bevy of knits in innovative constructions such as a red, turquoise and black long sleeved dress with tied cotton strand detail that won Tae Kyung Kim
both the $10,000 First Place prize for Best Use of Cotton by Cotton Incorporated and Siempre Mujer magazine’s first ever Best Use of Color Award.
all manner of lace, crystal accents, corsets and even gowns like Alina Kulik’s ivory silk bodysuit with long sheer lace gown featuring a tier of glistening silver beads.
Then came the kids, strutting (or nervously shuffling) down the runway in adorable children’s wear creations from party dresses to K-pop-inspired playwear. Critic award winner Thaiana Cruz’s tweed cashmere and leather cape worn over pleather leggings and a knit sweater looked sassy but sweet on the little model, who opened her cape to reveal the gold and black print on the red satin lining. “I literally teared when I saw my garment walk down, because I was just so honored,” said Cruz.
Closing the show was a spectacular array of special occasion gowns and dresses in satin, jersey, leather, lace and even organza flowers. Elle Loow’s take on evening captivated the critics with its sheer netting overlaid with strips of cream cotton and red beading. Its short skirt extended at the sides with long strips of netting that nearly brushed the floor. The show ended with Trung Vu’s sweeping, midnight blue point d’espirt strapless gown to the applause of industry greats including designers Dennis Basso and Rebecca Minkoff, but even though the show was over, the careers of these young designers had just begun.
The details were even more apparent in intimate apparel as models floated out in
DEAR INDUSTRY { BEAUTY BUZZ {
MAKING SCENTS: NOMATERRA by Dianna Mazzone
They say a picture is worth a thousand words... but what about a scent? According to Nomaterra CEO and founder Agnieska Burnett, a lifetime. Inspired by worldwide travels throughout her life, Burnett set about creating a line of mobile beauty (also called "mobo beau") fragrances in May 2012. Both influenced by and created for travel, Nomaterra currently boasts three unique scents: East Hampton, Washington, DC and Miami. Why this seemingly eclectic collection of cities? "My family and I escaped Poland when I was just one year old, " said Burnett. "These are the cities we first visited in the U.S."
certain products stand out to editors. From packaging to press releases, Burnett took it all in—in addition to conducting countless interviews, writing stories and crafting beauty content for glamour. com, of course. "I met so many perfumers, dermatologists—the people who were really creating these products. And I just thought to myself, I wanna do that. That's my calling." When she decided to take the plunge into the world of beauty entrepreneurship, Burnett was well armed with industry experience—and her subsequent studies at Columbia University didn't hurt, either. "At first I decided I would go back to school to do pre-med. My goal was to become a dermatologist, because I love skincare so much. But I realized after I finished my studies that instead of applying to medical school, I wanted to start something on my own."
If the start of Burnett's life sounds adventurous to you, stay tuned: it's just the beginning of a whirlwind journey from fashion closet intern to self-made beauty entrepreneur. As an undergrad at New York University, Burnett began interning at Glamour magazine. Initially a fashion closet intern, Burnett felt a kinship with the magazine's then beauty director, Felicia Milewicz. "I started reading articles about this Polish beauty director and then a funny thing happened... I walked into the elevator one day and she was there. I summoned up some courage and just went for it: I spoke to her in Polish and told her how nice it was nice to meet her, how interested I was in beauty. I told her I would love to help out." Shortly after, Burnett began assisting the beauty team during her lunch hour. When a one-day-a-week freelance position became available, Burnett was the perfect fit. Her freelance gig turned into a full time job when she became Glamour's beauty assistant months later. "I had a lot of responsibilities, I wrote tons of stories: the hair makeovers, I'd go behind the scenes. I got to do all of that.”
On a whim, Burnett ordered a small number of essential oils and mixing supplies ("just to play around with," she says) and began creating her own fragrances. "I didn't realize that I had a knack for it until I started showing them to family and friends," she said. And, much to their delight, Nomaterra was founded soon after. The idea of incorporating travel was a natural fit for the globe-trotting Burnett: "My family and I travelled a lot when I was growing up, because it was all really new to us." And as for translating those experiences into fragrance form? "We research each city and what grows there indigenously. We find out what's really unique to that area and we try to evoke that." Travel friendly to their core, Nomaterra fragrances are packaged in reusable aluminum bottles and feature an interchangeable (and recyclable) inner glass vial. Production takes place in the same Brooklyn apartment turned fragrance lab where Burnett first began experimenting with essential oils. "My favorite days are when I'm just in my apartment working
While there, Burnett also learned about the distinguishing qualities that make
All photos courtesy of nomaterra.com
on a fragrance, just mixing and playing," she said. But don't let the handmade nature of these scents fool you: the Nomaterra brand is well-versed in cutting edge technology. Their one-of-a-kind fragrance wipes, engineered by Burnett's biochemist husband, Benjamin, are an industry first. After over a year of experimentation, Burnett and her husband developed the ideal formula for the wipes, which enabled their eau de parfums to function optimally even in this unconventional form. Truly taking on-the-go beauty to the next level, Nomaterra's fragrance wipes are each equivalent to six spritzes of fragrance and allow for a more even, controlled distribution of scent. Customers and retailers alike have recognized the unique qualities of the Nomaterra brand. "We get into about one new store a week," said Burnett, who makes a special effort to visit each new outlet to education both sales associates and potential clients."We're finding people are really receptive and really excited about it," she said. And rightly so—with more travel-inspired launches on the horizon (get ready, Bostonites!) and stores throughout the world picking up Nomaterra weekly, we're detecting another fragrance all together: the sweet smell of success.
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Designer Spotlight:
Giles & Brother by Dianna Mazzone
From Orville and Wilbur Wright to Serena and Venus Williams, the world has seen its fair share of successful sibling partnerships. Cue Philip and Courtney Crangi, the brother/sister duo behind fashion’s favorite costume jewelry brand, Giles & Brother. Hot on the heels of a collaboration with subscription based e-tailer JewelMint, W27 sat down with Courtney Crangi, the Giles of Giles & Brother (“It was my childhood nickname,” she says with a laugh) to discuss staying true to your roots and the enduring value of good design. Dianna Mazzone: Giles & Brother is the end result of a dream to co-found an "accessory-empire." How did that goal first come to be? Was price point always a consideration in creating a true “empire” that appealed to the masses? Courtney Crangi: My brother and I started this about 12 years ago. And I think just doing it … it starts to grow. And then you look at the market and realize that it is a volume business and it’s about margins and reach. You can be in the same specialty stores, but it’s really difficult. Price point was always important to us. Starting out you have to decide who your customer is, but at the same time, for us, this is a design-based company. Philip is a designer; we are designers. And design is always first on our minds. Good design does not have to be expensive. But unfortunately when the volume is small, when you’re doing a small production, its more expensive. We’re always struggling in trying to find less expensive ways to make things but still be great quality. We never want to sacrifice design. A lot of times we’ll come down on the margin to get the piece out, which is not necessarily a sound business, but we like to tell our story. And we have done that for many years.
since we were kids, the stuff that he was doing even as a child is mind blowing. If you saw his drawings and his scissor cuttings, the costumes he used to make. He’s genius. DM: You design for the ultimate "cool girl." Has that girl evolved since Giles & Brother first launched? CC: No, I don’t think she’s changed. For example, we had a shop—which unfortunately we had to close because we lost our lease—and there we really had access to our customer. We realized that the pieces we design aren’t just for our girl, because she’s not just a girl, she’s a woman young and old. It’s moms and grandmothers. Sometimes a family
Railroad spike cuff, courtesy of gilesandbrother.com
that you can just tell that it’s a Giles piece. That’s something that I think we do really well and I think it’s the most important thing to us. Really being on-brand and consistent season after season. DM: Your railroad spike bracelet has been seen on some very famous (and influential!) wrists—would you say its one of the cornerstones of your line? What do you think makes it so appealing to so many? CC: It’s certainly the most iconic and the most important piece of the brand. I think it’s appealing because you can see the hand in the piece and you can personalize it. When we sell it on our website, if you place your order before 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, it’s free to have it stamped and we ship it the same day. If you’re in New York or New Jersey, you’ll literally get it the next day. And it’s truly personal—somebody here is stamping it. And for us, it’s not refined. There’s something about brass—I love it. DM: Is turn around that fast for all the pieces?
DM: We know Giles & Brother is a brother and sister effort with Philip overseeing design while you focus the business side—what was the transition like going from siblings to business partners? CC: It’s interesting, we get along incredibly well, but as a designer and an artist, one tends to want to just sort of design what’s comfortable. And the reality is that you have to make business decisions that can sort of hurt that artistic ego. I’m constantly trying to find that balance. Sometimes I need to do a better job at it, but I’m always trying to be sensitive to that. I think that every person that’s managing an artistic talent has to be sensitive to that. But for us, because we’re also related, since I’ve known this person my whole life—there’s a whole other element to that. I love [Philip] dearly and I never want to hurt him in any way. But of course I’m also a little biased because I think he’s the most talented artist. I don’t know of anybody that just across the board is so talented. His drawing is incredible, his sculpture. Ever
Cortina cuff, courtesy of gilesandbrother.com
Courtney and Philip Crangi, courtesy of Steve Eichner/WWD
would walk in and it would literally be a daughter and her mother and then her mother and they would come in and all leave with the same piece. It feels so deeply personal. What we like to do is design things you can’t necessarily place. Maybe it is on trend, but this is something that you’re going to collect over time. It makes you feel more like yourself. Maybe she’s just building this collection of jewelry, but because we are very specific about our aesthetic, I think that when you look at our pieces from now and maybe ten years ago, I think that there is something that goes back to the core of what Giles is. There’s something about it
CC: If it’s in stock, we ship it the same day. I hate ordering something and having to wait. That’s the great thing: we are in complete control. We’re really small; we’re here. We have everything in stock, we don’t have a warehouse. We’re a small business and I think customer service is really important. Its about people. It’s a personal experience and it’s a very personal product. DM: Are there any other pieces you're partial toward or that you feel especially embody the Giles & Brother customer? CC: Philip says that now he’s making the best work he ever made, but as far as core pieces, the Cortina cuff or the Hook with Leather Lashing… the core Giles pieces, I think that those are really amazing. We did a lot of stuff with African beads that I loved that were really difficult to make, just production wise. We actually had an African bead dealer that we sourced the beads from. In production, that doesn’t really work. But on small production runs, they’re really gorgeous. Our men’s jewelry is something that’s really unique. We don’t wholesale it so you can only get it through our website. And that’s super special—everything’s really limited. DM: Why collaborate with JewelMint, and why now?
CC: They approached us and it felt really good. It all goes back to the idea that good design doesn’t have too expensive. They do such incredible volume and their audience is much bigger, broader. We thought it was just such an interesting introduction for us. And they’re incredible to work with; their team is so buttoned up. Their whole business is E-Commerce and that was a good lesson for us, a good way to understand that world. They’re so enthusiastic. They love jewelry and they have such respect for what we do and we have such respect for what they do. DM: What qualities do you look for when considering working with a brand? CC: For us, a really great collaboration is for mutual growth, for both parties to really learn and grow and to introduce aspects of the other. There are so many brands that we have great respect for— we’re open to collaborations in the future. DM: Where do you see the Giles & Brother brand in a year? Five years? CC: Our plan is to certainly grow our men’s business. And grow our business in general, but I do want to grow the men’s in particular. I think that there’s a void in the marketplace and I think that we do men’s very well. We want to open up to other categories, what that is we’re not sure yet. DM: Any words of advice for budding entrepreneurs? CC: I didn’t go to school for this, I studied art history and historic preservation in college. Philip did study metalsmithing at RISD, but he wasn’t taught about the business around it. We sort of reinvented the wheel here, learning the business, not really knowing what we were doing in putting it together. And I think a lot of times, had we known all the things that we were supposed to do, like putting a business plan together and how you’re supposed to get investors and all of that, we probably wouldn’t have done it. We wouldn’t have ever been ready. We just sort of started working together, we never got money, we just did it. When people ask me how we started or if they should start, I always say to just start. Just do what you can do that no one else can do. Find that void and do that thing. To follow your dreams, just start.
DEAR INDUSTRY
FIT
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Behind Pretty Little Liars with Mandi Line by Ryan Charchian
LinkedIn and Networking in the 21st Century by: Richard Gilmartin
Beautiful, smart, witty, and totally fashion-forward are perfect adjectives to describe the characters of Pretty Little Liars. W27 chatted with Mandi Line, the show’s costume designer, to ask her a few questions about the wardrobes of each of the individual liars.
With graduation steadily approaching, the process of job hunting is riding right on its tail. Finding a job can be a daunting task, and the thought of having to go to networking events and deal with industry people can be even scarier at that. With the advent of social media however, it seems as though finding a job has never been simpler. LinkedIn, a social media platform created to network professionals, will help you connect to the individuals you need to know in order to find the right job.
Photo courtesy of girlalu.com
Ryan Charchain: Is there a specific style icon you have in mind when styling each of the liars? Mandi Line: Style icon.... I never think my girls are like anyone, I really don't. They are just them! RC: I’ve noticed a lack of seasonal attire on the show. It appears to be spring year round. Is this on purpose? ML: Spring attire.... Well if it was winter and they were covered up you wouldn't see the cute outfits! So we do "light layers" since it's always fall in Rosewood. RC: Which of the four girls do you see as fashion followers and which do you see as trendsetters? ML: I think as far as fashion followers and trendsetters, they are all a bit of both. I travel around the U.S. and see kids always dressing on purpose, dressing like the PLLs. I'm going to take credit for the feathered earring trend, yes I am! It was in Lucy Hale’s ear on the best show ever! Ha ha! I think all these girls inspire trends and followers. RC: Spencer seems to have a large collection of hats. Was this done by complete accident and did it sort of snowball after the fandom picked up on this? ML: It comes from the fact that I'm personally obsessed with hats and Troian can pull anything off! So why not? RC: What is the process of creating each look, from runway to set? ML: My process has nothing to do with runways... Ha ha! It comes from the scripts, the producers letting me be me... Fittings and alterations, and making it all
work at once! It all starts with the scripts then straight to my brain. I don't look at runways. I never have. Most costume designers don't, stylists do. We are hired for our crazy minds! RC: All of the girls are very fashion forward, but Hanna’s character is most openly concerned with fashion. How much of what she wears is high-end vs. mainstream designers and what drives that decision process of choosing a designer or brand? ML: Hanna is the most "on trend" but as far as designers, I choose the idea, then the clothes. Rebecca Taylor, Minkoff, Mink Pink, Royal Rabbit, DVF—I try to get it from them first! Because we love them! And high end versus mainstream—I do my best to stay with what I call "obtainable fashion". Girls want to be able to buy what these girls wear and I have a budget. It's all pretty realistic. It help keeps your following. RC: Do you rely on any inspiration stemming from the characters in the books? And if so, did you derive inspiration initially and then slowly move away from the books as the characters grew?
closet has changed and I have changed and found my inner Hanna or Aria or Emily or Spencer!” I am soo happy I have a voice now. They make me cry. So yes the combo of my taste, the actors amazing looks and talent definitely set trends. Not to mention these girls are fashion icons now! Anything they do (in real life) gets copied! RC: As a costume designer, how does styling for a show differ from styling from say, a movie? ML: There are so many differences. Main one is time frame. We do a mini movie every week! But when it comes down to it, you’re making a script come to life. You make or break a tone.Whether the audience feels that character or not. It's a hard job, not just buying pretty stuff. We have to please so, so, so many people and keep what we feel passionate about too, at the end of the day. Pretty Little Liars returns Tuesday, June 11th at 8/7c.
ML: Actually since the books were written a while ago and I know the viewers want what’s on trend... I chose not to. And Marlene King, our creator, was ok with that. And where I pull inspiration is so far deep in my wild brain.... Combined with trends I'm all over the place! RC: Do you see the show as a whole as a trendsetting show or does it tend to abide by current trends? ML: Not to brag, but I have to say, I tour for Macy's and talk all about trends and every girl I meet always says, "My whole
Photo courtesy of afterellen.com
With LinkedIn, the process of networking is about communication, but more importantly, it’s about reaching out to other industry professionals. LinkedIn, unlike other social media platforms, is not created for socializing but rather being able to keep in touch with as many people as possible, for you never know who will be able to help you out down the line. It’s ok to make more connections and have some connections that aren’t as deep as others, this isn’t Facebook. It’s also ok to make the first move and contact someone who you think can potentially help you out. That’s not to say that other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter should be overlooked when one is job searching, however. Casey Butler, a recent graduate of Bryant University and a current business solutions specialist at Roth Staffing Agencies in Boston, Ma., states that she uses all three when looking to fill a position. “I do use LinkedIn, but I also use Facebook and Twitter to reach people I know and then CareerBuilder to browse resumes. I typically would post about what I'm looking for, and wait for leads and inquiries to come through.” That’s not to say you should go without using traditional networking methods, however. Traditional networking can prove to be just as effective. “I would say it is a combination of both online and face to face,” States Butler, “The Internet (via LinkedIn, CareerBuilder) is a great way to establish contact with someone you don't know and expand your network.” Nothing beats some quality face to face interaction, however daunting it may seem. “I like to bring a friend or colleague along. It makes things a little easier. There are a lot of great groups on LinkedIn for young professionals looking to network, as well as postings for events in local magazines and newspapers.” What is most important is to keep in touch with potential employers once you have reached out and caught their attention. Keep up to date with your LinkedIn account, for others will be notified of when you do and they can see your latest work. Keeping your image fresh in their mind is as crucial as ever. “Don't freak out about your job search, but don't be lazy about it. Don't take the first job that comes up, makes sure to evaluate all your options,” states Butler. With a lot of hard work and a bit of luck, you too will soon be on the way to achieving the job of your dreams!
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Weigh In: Should There be Legal Limits Set on Photo “Enhancements?” by Mia Lustig
Although beauty can be hard to define, you know it when you see it. You are able to recognize and appreciate beauty because from a young age your aesthetic values have been culturally encoded, at least in part, by modern media. Often, however, the ideals that mass media engender are simply too unattainable, improbable and even unhealthy to live up to.
Photo courtesy of photobucket.com
A study has shown that “women are conditioned to make constant social comparisons between themselves and highly reinforced cultural models of ideal femininity.” This is becoming increasingly problematic as the contemporary examples of attractiveness in media and advertising become decreasingly representative. The gap between “normal” and “aspirational” only widens when Photoshop is added into the mix. What was once merely extremely difficult to attain now becomes impossible, thanks to the pervasiveness of digital airbrushing. This past year, Israel joined the ranks of countries that have set legislation regarding digital alterations used in media, such as England and France. “The Photoshop Law,” as it has been termed, primarily focuses on the models who pose for print ads and walk the fashion runways. This law requires that any retouched images used in advertisements must be accompanied by a disclaimer. Additionally the law sets a body mass index (BMI) minimum
of 18.5 that models must meet in order to lawfully work. Should the U.S. implement a similar system? Models used in advertisements, in addition to typically being very young, have gone from thin to emaciated in recent years—and that’s prior to retouching. Legislators might consider setting limits on digital alterations, especially those targeting adolescent consumers. Furthermore, models that have been retouched could be labeled as such, helping viewers develop a cognitive distance from the too-perfect, too-unattainable images. There are potential drawbacks, however. First, the media isn’t necessarily, or even primarily, just a selling vehicle, but art. Art is often aspirational and unrepresentative. Furthermore, there is often a “fantasy” component to art, including images used in advertising and other media, that relies on idealized perfection. Limiting this form of art may be difficult to reconcile with our First Amendment right to free expression. Especially since, as some critics might argue, advertisers have long been using retouching techniques in their messages. The majority of consumers should be able to recognize this. Why should advertisers be forced to state the obvious, thereby potentially compromising the element of fancy in their work? These counter-arguments, though compelling, do not negate the fact that the gravitation towards unhealthy extremes in America has become endemic. The U.S. has both the highest rates of both obesity (more than one-third of U.S. adults) and eating disorders (ten million Americans, majoritively female) in the world. Meanwhile, the media barrages us with an estimated 5,260 “attractiveness messages” per capita each year. These messages highly influence the contemporary lens of attractiveness, leaving men and women alike struggling to measure up. So where do you weigh in: should the U.S. legally limit digital manipulations or not? Have an art or design related legal question? Email it to W27newspaper@gmail.com with the word “legal” in the subject line, and it may become the topic of a future W27 legal column!
HAUTE CULTURE Book Review:
How To Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Amanda Baldwin
to select a novel based on the statement it conveys on its binding. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid, is a novel which will get you what you want most: wealth and success. But do not let this book fool you. The author has acknowledged this is a “self-help” piece, but it is a disguise for his deeper intentions of engaging the reader in a hypothetical narrative where “you” are wrapped up in a story of life and love.
Photo courtesy of npr.com
We all know the rule. You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But if you are looking for specific advice, it seems natural
It holds all the essential elements of a great story: the unrequited love of a girl, the hurdles of following your dreams and the woes of family life. Hamid paints a vivid, raw description of what life would typically hold for “you,” the protagonist, as you grow up in rising Asia. A sense of dissonance might seem plausible as “you” have never possibly experienced these situations but Hamid’s fluid, stark, realistic depictions lead the reader to root for “yourself” throughout this story.
The author still sticks to the quintessential format of a “self-help” novel as he begins each chapter with advice in the area of finding success that includes getting an education, moving to the city and strangely enough, “not falling in love.” Each opening of a chapter brings the reader back to the initial objective of getting “filthy rich,” but the story ultimately spirals back to the narrative of “you,” the reader, being put through a whirlwind of obstacles and lessons of life that should be learned by all. Discovering ways to get rich is appealing but this novel ultimately pushes you to learn how your life story could end.
Film Review:
Iron Man 3 by Fernanda DeSouza
Alas, another action blockbuster—and a rather loud one. Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) returns to save the world—again. This time against the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), a homegrown terrorist, who, with the help of Hollywood makeup artists, is the spitting image of Osama bin Laden. A rather fit Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts/the damsel in distress, who falls under the clutches of Guy Pearce’s character, Aldrich Killian. Killian is a long lost weirdo from Stark’s past, sulking in the past and seeking revenge in the form of an army of genetically altered ex-American soldiers. After one of countless climactic scenes in the film, Stark is stranded in the middle of nowhere Tennessee with a fatherless kid whose being bullied at school has lead him to become a high-tech genius. Match made in heaven, what a coincidence. Iron Man 3 is an overdose of high technology, loud booms and witty banters from Stark’s character, something we’ve grown accustomed to in the past two films, as well as Marvel’s The Avengers. Despite our attraction to a character we’ve grown
accustomed to and have learned to adore, Director Shane Black fails to give us that extra umph in Stark’s persona that we have been expecting. Although forcing a few giggles out of the audience, the script relies on Stark’s domineering and cocky personality to carry the weight of the movie. Needless to say, the world didn’t need a third installment of the Iron Man franchise. We get lost in the action, almost enthralled in this other realm of reality (“oohs” and “aahs” by the children present in the theater as confirmation). Iron Man 3 serves as a disguised escape mechanism for the audience. Behind the cool cars and the architecturally futuristic residence of Mr. Stark, and the action-packed-eyebrow-raising-million-dollar-price-tagged blockbuster, the director toys with darker elements and the linkings of national terrorism much reminiscent of the recent events that shook Boston. We forget the 3D because it was unnecessary and useless (although neat Iron Man eye-shaped glasses will win over the kids).
Photo courtesy of vvallpaper.com
The film was nothing short of entertaining but Iron man 3 just didn’t do it for me. Perhaps hero movies have been overdone in Hollywood in the past years and the reinvention of these comic book classics are usually doomed to fail each time. But thumbs up to Stan Lee’s cameo, a modern
Hitchcock (a director who always made a quick appearance in his films), who continues to rock that grandfather look. It would be great to see Mr. Lee in an Iron Man costume, but then again, he’s not Robert Downey Jr.
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Manhattan Vintage Show by Christina Macaluso
A small piece of vintage heaven made its way to Manhattan’s Chelsea district on April 19 and 20. The Manhattan Vintage show was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion and featured over 90 of New York and the surrounding area’s top vintage and textile collections from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
Photography by Christina Macaluso
For just $15 to $20 a ticket, vintage fans gained entrance to an event space packed wall to wall with unique booths. A comprehensive program contained a map of the space, listed each company and detailed their exact location within the space. Items at the booths included shoes, bathing suits, lingerie, gowns, jewelry, purses, blazers and much more—all ranging anywhere from $5 to well over $2,500. A popular booth at the show was the Eloisa Vintage Shoe Archive. This extensive collection includes shoes from any designer you could possibly imagine, from Prada to Rebecca Minkoff. Over 3,000 shoes were available for purchase or rental including vintage, non-vintage and high end footwear for stylists and designers to loan or purchase for shows and shoots. The Eloisa Vintage showroom is located on 14th street between 5th and 6th Avenue and is open by appointment only.
made their way to Manhattan to feature their premium vintage clothing rentals for film and theater purposes.
Other booths at the show included cultural pop up stands such as Miyamoto, a vintage archive of Japanese textiles. Fancy Bridal offered shoppers a wide selection of vintage wedding dresses dating back to the 18th century, many with the original lace still visible on these timeless, yet classic pieces. Daybreak Vintage rentals also
Whether looking for a particular article of clothing for a photoshoot, that last accessory for a runway show or simply just to expand your clothing collection, the Manhattan Vintage Show catered to all needs and brought together over 90 businesses and hundreds of people to celebrate the true art of vintage.
MAY 2013
HAUTE CULTURE
FIT
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month in review by Ashley Mungo
Boston Shocked by Bombings at Marathon At approximately 2:50 p.m. on April 15th, two bombs exploded near the finish line of the famous Boston Marathon. The high-spirited festivities quickly turned into a bloody scene of terror and destruction. As of today, more than 260 people were injured and four were killed, over the course of five days with one of those fatalities including the death of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer after being shot by one of the bombers. Initial reports of the bombing included no suspects, but after Boston police and the F.B.I. searched hundreds of videos and photos from people at the marathon, two suspects were discovered and their photos were released on April 18th. At around 10:00 P.M. on that date, a 7-Eleven convenience store near the MIT campus was robbed and the photos from the surveillance camera matched the suspects. Only minutes later, an MIT police officer was killed responding to a disturbance on campus and the suspects started engaging in a cross-fire exchange with the police. One of the suspects was killed while the other escaped, and they were identified as Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, respectively, brothers of Chechen origin. After the firefight, the younger brother who is 19 years old, was found at 9:03 p.m. on April 19 hiding in a boat in the town of Watertown, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. While the details of the bombing are starting to become clear, what is not is why these two brothers who have lived in United States for years decided to kill innocent Americans at a marathon.
Reports indicate that the older brother, Tamerlan, who was a semi-pro boxer before becoming serious about his religion, Islam, was the one who did most of the planning and that the younger brother, Dzhokhar (pronounced Jo-khar), was most likely influenced and got swept up in his brother’s scheme. Dzhokhar, while in the hospital being treated for multiple gunshot wounds, admitted to authorities that he played a role in the bombing and that he and his brother were motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs. While Dzhokhar stated that he and his brother worked alone when implementing the attacks, authorities are looking deeper to see if he is telling the truth to fully make sure they had no connections to any known terrorist organizations. These types of terrorists, young men who are usually self-trained and unaffiliated with terrorist organizations are just the type of people authorities have long feared. The fight against terrorism will never end, especially if more unaffiliated terrorists start attacking civilians. The use of the Internet and social media, while useful for many things, can have negative effects when used as a weapon for these people to find and gain information in planning future attacks, while also mobilizing and gaining inspiration from those who have succeeded before them. The next steps in this investigation will be to further question Dzhokhar and investigate further Tamerlan’s recent 2012 trip to Russia. Many questions still remain unanswered, but hopes are that authorities will be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together and better combating terrorism in the United States.
Timeline of Events April 15th ΩΩ 2:50PM Two Blasts Explode at Finish Line
washingtoncbslocal.com
ΩΩ 6:40AM Living suspect identified as Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev
ΩΩ 10:00PM A 7-Eleven near MIT is robbed
ibtimes.com businessinsider.com
ΩΩ 4:08 PM NBC News reports that a small homemade bomb caused the explosion ΩΩ 6:10PM Obama addresses the nation, “We’ll find out who did this; we’ll find out why.”
cbslocal.com
April 18th ΩΩ 5:24PM Photos of Suspects Released
hypervocal.com
ΩΩ 10:20PM A MIT police officer is shown responding to a disturbance
April 19th ΩΩ 1:30AM Gunfire is exchanged between the suspects and police ΩΩ 4:00AM Authorities announce that one of the suspects was killed and the other is still at large
ΩΩ 8:20AM Authorities reveal that the two suspects are brothers, and that the dead suspect is Tamerlan Tsarnaev ΩΩ 10:57AM Second suspect on foot ΩΩ 7:27PM Reports of shots fired in Watertown, MA ΩΩ 9:03PM Suspect is captured after being found hiding in a boat in Watertown
Margaret Thatcher, Controversial U.K. Prime Minister, Dies at 87
Photo courtesy of Chris Collins of the Margaret Thatcher Foundation
Margaret Thatcher, also known as the “Iron Lady” of British Politics, died on Monday, April 8 in London at 87 years of age. Thatcher was a controversial political figure in Britain, becoming the first female Prime Minister in 1979 and holding office for 11 years until November 1990. Her reign as Prime Minister, the longest of any British politician in the 20th century, focused on the rights of the individual versus those of the state. Her beliefs, known to some as Thatcherism, were based on the idea of economic freedom and individual liberty, and the idea that personal responsibility and hard work provide the only routes to national prosperity.
A sharp conservative and leader of the Conservative party, Thatcher reduced or eliminated many government subsidies to business during her first term, which had an adverse impact on the economy and led to a sharp rise in unemployment. Her policies, while controversial at first, helped revitalize British business and helped the middle class get back on its feet. However, during her third term, things began unraveling for Thatcher, politically, mainly due to her resistance to Britain’s expanding role in the European Union. This and her unpopular poll tax caused her to resign as Prime Minister and party leader in November 1990.
Ms. Thatcher’s legacy, one filled with controversy and strict beliefs, will hold strong with many people in Britain and around the world. While many disagreed with her policies, her popularity remained high, likely due to her relationship with U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the fact that she was the first woman to lead a major political party in the West. She evoked extreme feelings from those around her, as some thought she could do no right, and others thought she could do no wrong. Whatever legacy remains will be interpreted differently by all who remember her. It will be one, however, that consistently conveys Thatcher as a strong and active political leader.
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OUTSIDE YOUR BOROUGH:
Ditmas Park by Sarah Dill
Photo courtesy of picketfencebrooklyn.com
Brooklyn is my home. I never thought I would leave Kaufmann Hall but when the summer of my senior year came and I was on the hunt for apartments, I stumbled upon this lovely suburbia of Brooklyn called Ditmas Park. Afraid to look outside of Williamsburg or Greenpoint, which most know of as being the only places to go in Brooklyn, I was a bit skeptical until I found out that Ditmas Park was truly a hidden gem in the Brooklyn “hipster” rough. Ditmas Park, also referred to as Victorian Flatbush or Little Bangladesh, is full of upcoming restaurants, local vendors, perfect jogging neighborhoods and actual yards— yes yards. Nestled in between Prospect Park and Brighton Beach, this neighborhood has restaurant hot spots and commercial strips like Coney Island Avenue, Newkirk Avenue, Church Avenue and Cortelyou Road with historic French and Victorian style homes outlining most of the streets. After learning that there was amazing Indian food, I didn’t need any more of a push to start exploring the restaurant row of Ditmas Park. Those with an adventurous yearning for eating your way through Brooklyn should first stop at local coffee shops like Qatra or Café Madeline to get in your caffeine fix. Then walk down to the Picket Fence for Southern comfort food from chicken pot pie to smoked gouda macaroni and cheese. If you’re still hungry for dinner (which seems near to impossible after visiting Picket Fence) opt for traditional Filipino food at the Purple Yam for bibimbap and Kalamansi meringue pie with guava sorbet. If you’re still are on the hunt for more cultural cuisine look for Pablo’s to get a
Mexican kick to your meal or Don Burrito for a little slice of California style Mexican food. For your Indian food cravings, you can stop into many of the random Indian delis to get naan and chicken tikka masala buffet style, get a laddo at Kabir’s Bakery to satisfy your sweet tooth or opt for quick and cheap halal food for a late night at Gyro King to get a $5 meal of chickpeas, falafel or chicken shawarma smothered in hot sauce. Many people may think this suburban getaway doesn’t have much in the way of nightlife but those looking to grab a drink with friends or wind down from a long day at work can head over to Sycamore—flower shop by day, bar by night—to enjoy whiskey and beer tastings while listening to live bands every night.
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org
If wandering around on a weekend, Sundays hold the Cortelyou Greenmarket from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. where you can fill your tote bag with specialty Mexican produce and locally grown veggies and fruit along with GrowNYC recycling and compost collections. Although this gentrified neighborhood is expanding with more coffee shops opening along with young and hip bars, such as Bar Chord (opening in May), there are still cheap and local things to do for families and young 20 somethings. Next time you want to make plans, hop on the B or the Q train to walk through Prospect Park and then stroll with the Brooklyn locals down Cortelyou to really get a taste of good food and friendly Brooklyn old-timers. Exploring this part of Brooklyn and getting to know most of my cab driver neighbors, I don’t think I could ever stray away from this beautiful and cozy neighborhood full of local businesses and creative people. If you do head that way, tell Muhammad down the block that I sent you.
FIT SPEAKS Jay Gatsby was Wrong About A lot of Things. by Richard Gilmartin
It’s been a long, long three years since the first announcement of Baz Lurhmann’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary masterpiece The Great Gatsby. Anxiously I waited as the release of the movie got pushed further and further back; with it first being set to release in late 2012 and then pushed to May 2013. Thirsty for knowledge of what is sure to be a success, I found myself watching every single trailer over and over and over again taking in the imagery the classic one liners and Lurhmann’s adaptation of the book’s popular motifs. I had completely immersed myself into the world of Jay Gatz and Daisy Buchanan, a world that consisted of class and social norms. The Great Gatsby is considered to be the greatest American novel ever written. It captures the transition of Victorian social norms to post war consumerism and cynicism so perfectly and not only portrays the glamour of wealth but also the emptiness that comes along with living
such an unattainable life. It is a theme I often find myself applying to the fashion industry. Fashion houses and magazines such as Chanel and Vogue hold a certain image that they live inside a world that is impenetrable to outsiders and that those who hold a ticket to the inside spend their days going to fashion shows and drinking cocktails at elaborate parties while wearing fabulous clothes. It’s a life you basically have to be born into in order to fit in.
are all struggling young Gatsby’s before he became successful. We work and work and work to attain a position in a world that’s glamorous on the outside yet void of any personal fulfillment on the inside. We volunteer at fashion shows as freshman and do internship after internship so that hopefully one day we can gain a coveted position among the elite of the fashion industry. At the end of the day though, what does that mean?
Jay Gatsby however was able to burst that bubble. Stricken with grief from the unrequited love of Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby became determined to win her over. He lied, stole and cheated his way to the top but all he and Daisy cared about was that he was there and not in a class that was beneath her. In here is where Jay Gatsby’s thinking was flawed, for only loving someone for their money is not love at all but rather the complete opposite.
You can love fashion, but fashion can’t love you back. It’s a world that’s materialistic and will suck your soul dry. To have a career in fashion is one thing, to let it completely take over your life and live, eat and breathe only fashion is a completely different thing. We must learn from the mistakes of the late great Jay Gatz and recognize the fashion industry as vapid and shallow. We need balance. Perhaps you will find balance in a significant other, or yoga. Whatever it is, have a life outside of fashion that is fulfilling and feeds your soul.
One could argue that the students at FIT
Abstract Relationships in a Concrete Jungle by Fernanda DeSouza
This is the third time I’m writing my column about relationships. I try not to do it often but the FIT student body seems to enjoy it (even professors come cheering for me in my quest for love) so here it is. The first piece was a self-inflicted joke. Featured in the 2012 February issue, I challenged myself to go out on three dates with men from FIT, a challenge that is close to impossible at this school. A good friend agreed to take me out for dumplings in LES for the sake of filling the FIT quota. The other two included a rugby player from England I met on the train home from the Harvard vs. Yale football game and the other an Ivy Leaguefinancial guru who worked at Goldman Sachs, who also happened to be my neighbor. Not FIT, but I’m not complaining. My second article discussed why having a boyfriend during the holidays helped you save money (cuddling substituted paying the heating bill and so on). But here is my rant about finding love in New York City—or in general—for us 20
something-year-olds. It’s close to impossible. New Yorkers are busy. If they’re not busy, they’ll pretend to be busy and this makes it all the more difficult when we are on that quest for love. I applaud and bow down to you and your significant other for having lasted more than a casual hook up. No, seriously, that’s a feat and you should treat yourself to a nice, strong drink. I have been victim of what I’m calling “abstract relationships.” And I didn’t ask for it either, it just happened. I’ve had about zero boyfriends in my life and that, I’ll openly admit to a college publication and have no shame saying so whatsoever. My relationship resume consists a fling that lasted two months in high school, and presently with a man I’ve dealt with for over a year that I can’t shake off. This particular someone just so happens to have very little room for me in his schedule and it took me months to understand this. I didn’t accept it at first but it has been a long journey and my expectations have changed. And as much as I wish that we were a “thing” by now, sadly, we are not.
The real question is: should I be angered about this? The answer: no. Or maybe, just a little. Because it is nice to feel wanted, to have someone to turn to who is not your roommate or your parents, to make out with, to cuddle, to wake up with in the morning. But is it worse to have someone who’s half heartedly in a “relationship” or is it better to eliminate him or her from your life completely (that includes deleting their numbers and unfriending them on Facebook)? I can’t truly say because I’m a lingerer and that is my flaw. Yet months of hurting and months of healing and here I am, perfectly all right. Having acquired a new set of Facebook and Instagram stalking skills (because how could you not be curious), I have grown to accept that 20 something-yearolds don’t know what they want, at least not entirely. I know I want someone who’ll treat me great, someone I want to spend more than a week with, someone preferably blond but hey! Beggars can’t be choosers. In a city of 8 million, you wouldn’t think finding a girlfriend
or boyfriend would be such an arduous task. We are constantly meeting people, at parties, in the subway, at a concert, at a bar. We’ll come home never hearing back from them, as promised. Perhaps New York is testing us, much to our dismay. Maybe she’s teaching us a lesson, that is, the lesson of patience. As humans, we seek other human connections. We die for love and we’ll do anything to achieve that state of human emotion because it makes us all tingly inside and we like it. Being patient is one of the most difficult things you could ask a New Yorker to do (where’s the damn subway?). But New York’s waiting for the right moment and when you least expect it; she’ll throw you and that person together in the unlikeliest of places; at the corner bodega, at the laundromat, or even down West 27th. Don’t be on the lookout FIT. Go with the flow, live, have fun, have “abstract relationships,” don’t settle for someone unworthy of your time. Your Mr. Darcy (or Elizabeth Bennett) will come in time.
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The Other Side: Muslims in New York Post 9/11 by Ashley Mungo
Sunny
Fatima
Ever since September 11, 2001, I have been fascinated with Middle Eastern culture and the Muslim religion. I was 11 on the day the World Trade Center was attacked, and I, who grew up in a loose Christian household, couldn’t fully understand the convictions of the Muslim religion and how it truly affected the people who practice it. Many Muslim New Yorkers, some who were born here and some who had moved from other countries, have felt dogged by relentless discrimination since the attacks. The WTC collapse instantly redefined their religion as one that embraced terrorism and violence to achieve their ends. For my senior thesis at FIT, I decided to focus on studying the effects of Islamophobia (the prejudice, hatred or irrational fear of Muslims), and focus on how the lives of Muslims changed on the pivotal day, 9/11. While researching, the photographs, along with interviews I recorded allow me to give voice to the stories of the people I’ve met on this journey.
Saman
The main goal of my project is to bring awareness to the discrimination against a religion that is usually very misunderstood. While 9/11 shoved Middle Eastern culture into the forefront of the media, it also pushed Islam forward as well, associating it with terrorism and destruction. Ahmad, an accountant for the Mission of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations recalls one of his first
days in high school in the U.S., when a gym teacher asked him to “take off the bomb from his book bag.” These accusations, which are blatantly meant as insults, are commonly received. Saman, who works at the Institute of International Education, recalls a similar situation in which she was on campus wearing a sari and someone said, “Go back to Iraq.” Saman, who was born in the United States, is Pakistani. This further illustrates that a huge part of the problem is a lack of understanding about not only the religion, but the different countries and ethnicities in the region as well. Insults are something that Muslims in New York deal with on a regular basis. Occasionally this prejudice escalates to the point where individuals fear for their own personal safety. Hanadi, a park coordinator at Park51, the controversial organization dubbed the “Ground Zero Mosque,” went to a private Muslim school in New York City during 9/11. Her school was shut down for two months, during which time it was subjected to vandalism. She and her fellow students had to be escorted by police when the school reopened and deal with verbal assaults from people on the street. This treatment, while not as extreme and common today, pushes the idea that many Muslims in this country are not treated with the same rights and respect as others because of the religion they practice. Fatima, a senior at New York University, has been subjected to recent NYPD surveillance tactics, in which they investigated the mosque she attends back home on Long Island. They found nothing suspicious.
Hanadi
The idea of keeping an eye on Muslims, especially those involved with their college’s MSA (Muslim Student Association) raises larger questions on how active a role the government should play in combating terrorism—especially since many of their tactics seem to rely on racial profiling and methods that infringe on the First Amendment. Islam, to many who understand and study it, is a peaceful religion. Many people don’t realize that terrorists actually kill more Muslims in their own countries than they do Americans. Where does this fear and hatred stem from, then? Jennifer, a recent FIT graduate, believes it has to do with the media’s handling of 9/11, and how they portrayed Islam. She believes that before 9/11 everyone was living together and coexisting well. After 9/11 the media got involved and began spinning and feeding their viewers stereotypes that cast those from Muslim backgrounds negatively, in part by ignoring the fact that there are radicals in all religions. The truth that terrorism isn’t associated with religion needs to be spread further and understood by all, especially in regards to Muslims. The actions of a small group of people do not define these Americans who love their country. The negative Muslim stereotype needs to be crushed, and a more honest and positive one rebuilt, one focusing more on individual actions than the assumptions of a few radical extremists. Only then will Muslims, who like so many others in our nation’s history who have been subjected to prejudice, be one stop closer to equality. Photography by Ashley Mungo
Ahmad
Ra’anaa
Jennifer
Ashley Ladeler | FMM | 2nd year | Interning at Victoria’s Secret
Roxanne Correll | Illustration | 3rd year | Working and selling a line of t-shirts she designed
Lauren Vinciguerra | FMM | 1st year | Taking class and working in the city
style on 27 Photography by Jessica Farkas
In the famous words of Miss Rhode Island it’s a season where, “It’s not too cold, not too hot, all you need is a light jacket.” Students have been seen throwing lightweight jackets over layers of black and hints of color, in anticipation of the warm weather we have been day dreaming of that should be greeting us with open arms within the next few weeks. W27 asked students what their plans were for the upcoming Summer season. Klara Widing | AMC | 1st year | Interning and working
Veronika Vilim | AMC | 1st year | Taking classes
Natalia Barbera | FMM | 2nd year | Working as a hostess at a French restaurant in the city
Byron Greely | AMC | 1st year | Tanning
Olga Borodulina | Fashion Design | 1 year AAS | Interning at designer Yigal Azrouel