thread Magazine KO - 2022 Issue

thread 2022

MUSE-IC Iconic records reimagined

MEET SAM RATELLE The Red Carpet's Leading Player

thread Kingswood Oxford's Student-Run Fashion Magazine

Editor-in-Chief Ava Cashman Faculty Advisor Catherine Schieffelin

Editorial Director Photography Director Photoshoot Director Events and Outreach Director Layout Editor Social Media

Editorial

Photo

Olivia Kittleman Abby Baier Avi Lohr Alyssa Temkin Regina Miller Ashley Neikrie, Bella Deurloo, Allie Arcaro, Quin Kearney, Lily Temkin Mackenzie Caruso, Kata Mesterházy, Regina Miller, Margaret Miller, Avi Lohr, Lily Temkin Erin Westfall, Piff LaBoy, Quin Kearney

Events and Outreach Maggie Poulin, Shoshana Levy Layout and Design Olivia Kittleman, Allie Arcaro, Mackenzie Caruso, Alyssa Temkin, Kata Mesterházy Contributors Camryn Weinstein, Macey Kotowitz, Aashni Patel, Olivia Stevens, Irene Fotache Featuring Kata Mesterházy, Victoria Tang, Chase Fountain, Rhandyn Bair, Gavin Griffiths, Esco Greene, Olivia Kittleman, Alex Segal, Kaiya Deurloo, Katharine Doar

Instagram - @threadmagazineko Tiktok - @threadmagazineko

A Letter from the Editor Welcome to thread, Kingswood Oxford’s first-ever student-run fashion magazine. Thread’s 2022 issue is about inspiration in all of its forms. At KO, my most powerful lesson on inspiration happened in the art room, where we learned how to “steal like an artist.” Take a work of art that inspires you, and reflect what you love about it in something new.

For our inaugural issue, we began by taking our favorite works of art – music albums – and reimagining them through fashion and photography. This culminated in our photoshoot series entitled “Muse-ic,” with images inspired by iconic records. In our editorials, we took note of our environment and reflected on society through the lens of fashion and pop culture. Clothing is a vessel for identity and change, and we harnessed its power through a Rainy Day Clothing Drive for Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford.

We influence our world, and, in return, it gives us the inspiration to make art and change.

Watching thread come to life was nothing short of incredible. I am so proud of and thankful for each person on our staff who brought their creativity to the table, and to our section directors who worked tirelessly to make thread happen.

Each of your talents and voices is indispensable, and I truly could not have asked for a more passionate and caring group of people. Thread is ours to celebrate.

And a special thanks to Ms. Schieffelin, our faculty advisor. I am grateful beyond words for her unwavering support for thread every step of the way.

Thank you for believing in my idea and vision, and for your continued guidance, trust, and care. Our inaugural issue could not have happened without you.

Thank you for picking up thread’s 2022 issue! I hope it inspires you.

AVA CASHMAN, Editor-in-Chief

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1 3 4

A Letter from the Editor

thread's 2022 Staff Playlist

Muse-ic

14 24

Sam Ratelle, The Red Carpet's Leading Player

A KO Student’s Guide to Sustainable Fashion

26 28

"Don't Call It a Comeback"

American Fashion Through the Lens of a European

29 32 The Fashion Business 2

For You Charity Clothing

Something

Abbey Road

Photoshoot

Octopus' Garden

Abbey Road

Layout

Here Comes The Sun

Abbey Road

Editorial

Come Together

Abbey Road

Photography

Time

The Dark Side of The Moon

Photoshoot

Money

The Dark Side of The Moon

Editor-in-Chief

Breathe (In the Air)

The Dark Side of The Moon

Events & Outreach

Brain Damage

The Dark Side of The Moon

Photography

Just the Way You Are

Doo Wops & Hooligans

Editorial

Count on Me

Doo Wops & Hooligans

Events & Outreach

Runaway Baby

Doo Wops & Hooligans

Editor-in-Chief

Midnight Sky

Plastic Hearts

Layout

Prisoner

Plastic Hearts

Editorial

Plastic Hearts

Plastic Hearts

Events & Outreach

High

Plastic Hearts

Editor-in-Chief

Heart of Glass

Plastic Hearts

Social Media

Peace

Folklore

August

Folklore

Editorial

Betty

Folklore

Social Media

My Tears Ricochet

Folklore

Editor-in-Chief

Scan this Spotify code to hear our picks!

Photography

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Abbey Road 1969

For this shoot, we brought the Beatles’ iconic London cover straight from Abbey Road to Kingswood Road. We wanted to put our own Wyvern spin on a classic record adored by many, so what better subject than KO’s fan favorite boys varsity basketball team? This spread was shot hours before the team headed off to the NEPSAC Quarterfinals, featuring four of the starters in their iconic red warmups posing just as John, Ringo, Paul, and George did on the album’s cover. "Come Together" was a great theme song for this day, as we brought fashion, music, basketball, and school spirit together all in one shoot.

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PI

NK

FL

YD O

1973

When reimagining Pink Floyd’s "The Dark Side of the Moon," we were inspired by euphoric color trends of both the 1970s and today. We wanted to make it look as if the rainbow light was emanating from the music itself. Alex Segal '25 was the perfect subject to bring this cover to life. The vinyl made an appearance in the shoot, and we used CDs of the album to reflect the rainbows, all while the record was playing on Spotify through a speaker. We also used both traditional and iPhone cameras to capture the moment, creating a look that transcended time and space (a nod to Pink Floyd’s themes of the album). An eclectic record, brought to life through many mediums, all culminating in one prismatic photoshoot.

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Doo

Wops

and

Hooligans

2 0 1 0 For this shoot, we were inspired by this playful Bruno Mars album and its cover, with swooping lines and bright colors. These photos were shot outside the KO middle school against a white backdrop wall. The morning of the shoot happened to be cloudy, but Kata Mesterházy '23 and her sunny dress certainly brought the sunshine. We had a lot of fun trying different poses and positions to match the swooping line on the album cover, and there were plenty of laughter outtakes.

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PLASTIC HEARTS HEARTS PLASTIC

2020

2020

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2 0 2 0

This shoot was done on one of the first perfect mornings of spring, with soft sunlight, dew, and birdsong to inspire us.

Paired with the gorgeous dresses worn by Kaiya Deurloo '22 and Katharine Doar '22, this created the perfect atmosphere for a shoot inspired by Taylor Swift’s peaceful, introspective album. This shoot was more nature-centric, with grass, pines, and sky as a backdrop instead of a traditional studio.

We hoped to embody that easy, free-spirit feeling with this shoot, and the models’ chemistry, along with the atmosphere, made that feeling come naturally in the photos.

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Sam Ratelle

THE RED CARPET'S LEADING PLAYER

By Ava Cashman '24 We are all storytellers, whether we like it or not. It may seem like just fabric, but our clothing is the silent author of our open letter to the world. With one glance, who we are, how we express our identity, and the image we want to present are put in the spotlight through our clothing.

Fashion has power, and creative director and costume designer Sam Ratelle is harnessing it to create social change at the highest level. “As an artist, my job is to change perception and to tell the tale of the times,” Ratelle said. Dubbed a “red carpet Svengali” by the New York Times, Sam Ratelle is leading the charge towards acceptance and liberation, one look at a time.

Some people are born with that uncanny, innate ability to create. Many have a passion for fashion, but very few had to hide it. “I grew up in a religious cult,” Ratelle said. “Our clothing was dictated by someone else who had power.”

The cult which Ratelle was raised in is commonly known as Branhamism, but followers and leaders refer to themselves as “The Message.” The cult is very repressive and Christianfocused and has many restrictions. Women aren’t allowed to wear makeup, pants, and jewelry, and nobody can listen to music or use the internet, to name a few. “Our only abilities were to wake up and praise Jesus,” Ratelle said.

Sam Ratelle by Matthew Holler

Ratelle's strict religious upbringing forced him to conceal his sexuality and true passions.

However, out of the rubble and ruin came a creative awakening that inspired Ratelle to break free from the shackles of his upbringing and seek solace in creative expression. “There is an aspect of having a platform and then being able to create representation for people who look like you or who are like you,” Ratelle reflected. “For me, that happens to be Latino people, Black and Brown people, and LGBTQ people. All of a sudden I had a really wonderful way of creating attention and showcasing this example.”

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While Ratelle’s upbringing was undoubtedly traumatic and tumultuous, it instilled in him a drive to create, entertain, and spread joy in the world through his work. At 19, that notion carried Ratelle to the heart of creativity, New York City. He originally aspired to be a performer but quickly realized that he had an undeniable knack for communication and creation that he could turn into a career. “I knew that I had an ability for talking to people and creating things,” Ratelle said, “being vivacious and connecting people, and going out and being free.” He then entered into his first official role in the fashion industry as a publicist for Club Monaco; in this role, he worked as both a fashion director and an event curator. “That was kind of my first mundane entryway into it, and I’m really grateful for those experiences,” he reflected.

Ratelle proudly attested that beginning his fashion journey in retail gave him a clear lens into the industry. “It was really instrumental for me to actually be in the actual last step of it before the fashion goes to a person,” Ratelle shared, “and it was fascinating to me to learn how people interacted, what made them happy, and all of the nuances.”

The role at Club Monaco was a catalyst for Ratelle’s career, introducing him to a celebrity

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE YOUR NETWORK. YOUR NET WORTH IS COMPLETELY AFFILIATED WITH YOUR NETWORK.

- Sam Ratelle stylist that helped him break into the Industry. After being trained with Club Monaco, he started working alongside a celebrity stylist who had a handle on every aspect of the industry: runway, editorial, celebrity, advertising, photography, you name it. “It was a really huge education for me on all of it because he had just started a startup company, so I ran the blog, took photos for the blog, directed the photoshoots, and was the publicist and the marketing person,” Ratelle said. “You learn so much when you have to take on all these different hats, and I’m very very grateful that that happened for me at a very early place in my life and that someone also was teaching me.”

Through this role, in addition to bolstering his skillset, Ratelle was introduced to people who would prove to be instrumental in his future work. The process of seeking out and nurturing these connections reigns as a key part of Ratelle’s work philosophy. “There’s nothing like your network,” Ratelle stated. “Your net worth is completely affiliated with your network. The number of people you know are the ones who are going to end up hiring you, supporting you, and introducing you to others who will make your dreams possible.”

Ratelle reflects positively on his work with the stylist and his startup. “I got to really help create this fashion company from the ground up,” Ratelle said, “and through that I realized that creating, making stories with fashion became my favorite thing.”

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Billy Porter at the 2019 Tony Awards - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

As almost a product of his religious upbringing, Ratelle adopted a unique style of gender-fluid designing and fashion direction. His work developed a powerful following among the LGBTQ community and has made waves in the fashion industry.

If you could summarize Ratelle’s core outlook on fashion in one phrase, both when dressing others, creating costumes, and forming his own style, it would be that clothing has no gender. That belief was shaped by the opinions and stories he witnessed in his religious childhood community.

“I think growing up in this religion and with a mother who was very feminine, these things kind of seeped into me…” Ratelle shared. “I’m here thinking, I want diamonds in my life, and rubies, and all of these fabulous things that ladies get to wear, and all of a sudden I’m not allowed to wear them just because I’m a man.”

Ratelle even cited the Bible itself just to reiterate how arbitrary society’s standards of gender and clothing are. “Jesus wore a dress! Period,” Ratelle said. “It’s fascinating for me how these things are forbidden and not seen in a positive light in our society, yet they are things that have been completely acceptable in a different time period.”

In his career, Ratelle aims to reflect these stories of past and present through costuming and fashion. “As I studied more and honed my craft, it became really integral for me to continue creating this narrative of the mere fact that it’s just clothing.” Ratelle added. “It’s just things that we put on our bodies, and the items themselves don’t have a gender.”

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And for Billy Porter, the muse that put Ratelle on the map, this statement is not only a belief but a way of life. The beloved and acclaimed actor, performer, and LGBTQ icon is most known for his roles as Pray Tell in “POSE” and Lola in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway. “I’ve worked with people such as Billy Porter who really want to go there with fashion because it’s a part of their expression,” Ratelle said. “It became something that was already in me and that I got to exercise publicly through this human being who really was a more extreme version of that.”

In an interview for a GQ article showcasing his work with Porter, Ratelle touched on their collaboration, saying, “When Billy and I came together, and we realized that this had a political angle to it, it became even more exciting to work on it, because we want to represent people who are nonconforming and gender-fluid.”

Ratelle’s work with Porter was written in the stars. Ratelle’s vision for Porter created an unstoppable force of fashion. Ratelle has dressed Porter for upwards of 150 red carpet masterpieces. When asked to state his favorite, Ratelle instantly cited his Pièce de résistance, Porter’s 2019 Met Gala marvel. Emulating an Ancient Egyptian Sun God, Porter entered on a litter carried by six men, donning 10-foot wings and a jaw-dropping 24-karat gold ensemble.

The feat of fashion had many moving parts, and Ratelle looks back on the collaboration with pride and gratitude. “It was just such a surreal experience to how it got created, how hard we worked, the amount of people working on it,” Ratelle said. “I’m so grateful to the The Blonds, and to Giuseppe Zanotti who did the shoes, to all of the jewelers who provided jewels, and to Julius Anthony Rubio who choreographed the movement.”

When bringing this elaborate display to life, Ratelle and Porter got to spread their wings both literally and figuratively. “I loved

"FASHION IS THEATER,THE RED CARPET IS SIMPLY A STAGE" - Sam Ratelle

it because I really got to exercise my abilities as a director, which is what I am first, in a public forum,” Ratelle told, “and in a way where people were able to understand the art that I can create.” In addition, Ratelle’s work received keen support from the high priestess of fashion, Anna Wintour, who is also the Gala’s curator.

Ratelle was grateful for the opportunity to showcase how fashion and theater are intertwined on the red carpet, fashion’s greatest stage. “It allowed me to play into the narrative that fashion is theater,” Ratelle said. “...The red carpet is simply a stage, and it was so special to me that we got to champion the theater community with that.”

With great art comes immense work and dedication, and Ratelle credits Billy Porter’s 2019 Tony Award look as the most challenging of his career. “It was really because of functionality,” Ratelle said. “We literally took the Kinky Boots curtain and made it into a dress, and we had limited time. So that was a little bit of a trickier one because of what the fabric was like, but still just as impactful and super super fun.”

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BILLY PORTER AT THE 2019 MET GALA Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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While Ratelle and I chatted about his remarkable portfolio, I couldn’t help but bring up Billy Porter’s blue sparkly getup at the 2020 Grammys, which is my all-time favorite look he has created. Porter donned a crystalized blue suit from Baja East embellished with silver fringe, and fully crystallized silver Coach boots. The most shocking aspect of the look was a blue and silver fringe hat that opened and closed mechanically, brought to life by Smooth Technology and hat couture mastermind Sara Sokol. Take one look at the getup and you will be completely stunned.

“My goal is to entertain and create shock value wherever I go,” Ratelle said, “whether it’s on the red carpet, on stage, in a music video. How can we retain your attention and allow you to have fun for a second?…I really really loved that moment. I did not expect it to go viral all over the world.” Ratelle touched on the importance of relationships in the fashion industry, and these connections drastically impacted the brands and designers he frequented.

When a pre-existing brand deal or ambassadorship is not a factor, Ratelle is fond of working with Coach, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Giles Deacon, and The Blonds. However, the complex landscape of fashion directing, specifically with a VIP whose body becomes advertising space, taught Ratelle where his career intentions lie. “Sometimes it’s not always your choice, and that’s part of the reason that I don’t do it anymore,” Ratelle said. “I’m at a point in my life where I don’t want to be half of something. I want it to be my choice. If you’re creating editorials for fashion magazines or costume design for film, you'll still have to answer to the director, but more so than anything you have your own section where you're able to play."

Taking the notion that "fashion is theater" to the big stage, Ratelle has directed his creative and fashion work towards theater and costume design.

When seeking inspiration, Ratelle takes a comprehensive approach, involving research, mood boards, consuming pop

Billy Porter at the 2020 Grammy Awards - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

culture and film, reading magazines, and more. He compared the process of drawing inspiration to that of composing on the piano. “Everybody gets to use the same set of keys, there’s only a few of them, and they recycle,” Ratelle said. “Your goal is to take all of these tools and resources that you have and make something new with it.”

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After learning about Ratelle’s career path, talent, and triumphs, you’re probably feeling just as I did: I wish I could be dressed by Sam! Well, while most of us don’t have red-carpet budgets, fear not, because we got the scoop from the icon himself on which trends to shop and which to drop. Ratelle’s first favorite is monochrome. “I think the monochromatic thing is absolutely amazing,” he said. In addition, Ratelle is a proud proponent of couture and smartly investing in quality pieces. “I think we’ve kind of exhausted fast fashion and people are really trying to get invested into custom work,” Ratelle said. “Couture is having a moment. I love to thrift shop, but I like to spend my money on things that are going to last me a long time: heirlooms, jewelry, accessories, and scarves.” However, that doesn’t mean expensive always equals high quality.

“Am I going to pay $700 for a pair of

Jenn Gambatese for W42ST Magazine Photography by Julio Gaggia

jeans?” Ratelle said, laughing. "No. I'll buy a pair of Levi Jeans somewhere for $45 and call it a day because they’re going to look just the same as an expensive pair.

In couture, Ratelle admires the wild spirit that couture houses are taking on, noting Jean Paul Gaultier and Balenciaga as favorites. “Other favorites of mine within the couture world are

Schiaparelli, Valentino, Guo Pei, Chanel, Iris Van Herpen, Giambatista Valli and Stéphane Rolland,” Ratelle shared.

To top it off, Ratelle added the denim trend and the resurgence of Western Wear to his list. “I really love the trend in menswear, where there’s definitely more sparkles, more color, more femininity in all of it,” Ratelle said. “I think that is something I was able to contribute to within the fashion world, which is to build those visual representations of more of the things that seem “feminine” in menswear.”

Reflecting on his constantly growing career filled with red carpet sensations, impeccable creative direction, and boundary-pushing work, Ratelle imparted his advice for anyone looking to dive into the vibrant world of fashion. “My advice would be to really spend time figuring out what exactly it is that you’re good at, and expand from there,” he said. “I always say to master one thing and then go to the next…You have to work hard. It is not an easy business.”

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Ratelle time and time again has highlighted the value of connections and finding any way to truly im

emphasized. “Learn as much as possible. Watch all of the fashion documentaries that you can. Know w

consistently have to be working at it. You have to be in the vicinity of the thing that you want to be. M you’re not in the stadium.”

Above all else, the concept that began his career, catapulted him to the top of the fashion world, and yourself,” Ratelle said. “There’s nothing more gratifying than that.”

Billy Porter at the 2019 Academy Awards - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

mmerse yourself in the fashion world. “Get a wonderful internship and be amazing at it,” he

who’s who. Find tutorials, find movies, just completely immerse yourself in the world. You

My biggest advice is to target that, and once you target that, get yourself in the room. You cannot win if

d continues to drive his work is authenticity and empowering self-expression through art. “Just be

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A KO Student's Guide to Sustainable Fashion

by Regina Miller '22 and Margaret Miller '25 Fast fashion: you’ve probably heard this buzzword before, but what does it mean?

Many of the styles seen in the student body are trendy and seem more popular in certain seasons than others. But where do these trends come from, and where do they go when they’re over? The fashion industry has evolved to a level of efficiency that can mass-produce new items every day, generating an endless algorithm of new trends. Producers know that many of their customers will only wear a certain item a few times before moving on to a new trend, so they often design their clothing to be of bad quality, making it cheaper to produce. For example, in 2019, H&M Sales reported that new clothes come in every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

But when one trend passes to a new one, many of the clothes end up deteriorating in landfills or sitting at the bottom of closets.

This is what environmentalists have come to call fast fashion: the pollution of the Earth from the generation of short-lived clothing trends.

In the recent decade, trends have been surfacing, circulating, and ending at rapid speeds. Many experts credit this to social media and the immediate spread of trends on platforms. When there is demand, supply is not short to follow, and with fashion inspiration becoming increasingly more widespread due to social media, it is only inevitable that mass production follows.

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Photo by Abby Baier '23

This has led the fashion industry to become the second-largest polluter in the world. By creating cheap synthetic fabrics, clothing companies keep production at full steam, leaving the environment in ruins. A new material called viscose is very harmful to the earth, 33% of it being made from ancient or threatened forests. 70% of the wood goes to waste while only 30% is used in the garments.

And that’s just the beginning; making the clothes is harmful enough, but throwing them out is even worse. The average American throws away 80 pounds of clothing a year. One Salvation Army center in New York creates 80 tons of unwanted clothes every three days. After that, they are sold to buyers, put in landfills, or burned.

Solution 1: Thrift.

When you want to buy new clothes, try thrifting, especially if you’re experimenting with new styles.

Thrifting is fun, sustainable, and affordable, and offers a unique selection of clothes no one else will be wearing.

This is why it’s great for trying out new fashions; it won’t break your piggy bank or the Earth! And, you can still find trends in a thrift store, because many vintage fashions resurface as modern trends. Thrifting itself is even a trend, as many influencers are sharing positive experiences of buying clothes secondhand. In addition, many of the clothes at thrift stores are of a higher quality than clothes circulating on social media platforms, because they were made in a time before fast fashion, so you can still get a lot of wear out of them.

Solution 2: Invest.

When not thrifting, invest in high-quality pieces that will last a long time. If there’s a piece of clothing you’re certain about, consider saving up to buy a version that will last a long time. Although it may be more expensive than the cheap alternatives on the market, it probably costs less than having to buy the same item three times from H&M. And having to produce it only once will save the environment a lot of pollution.

Solution 3: Spread the word!

Along with simple changes in your shopping habits, fast fashion can be shut down when we speak up. Whether it is one less tee shirt you buy or one conversation, it can make a difference.

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DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK

How Some of KO's Most Popular Trends Have Been Around Longer Than We Have

By Mackenzie Caruso '22

If you take a walk around Kingswood Oxford’s campus, you will find yourself surrounded by a menagerie of decade-old trends. I’m talking about baggy jeans, retro sneakers, and lots of claw clips. As chic and trendy as all of these pieces are, they are far from original to our high school experience. Our generation is putting our own spin on these styles from the decades, reclaiming them and making them stylish again. Why are we bringing back so many old fads, and which ones will we recover next?

During the sixties and seventies, flare pants had all the hype. People would wear crocheted tops to match their bell bottoms to go to discos, and in an uncanny way, this exact outfit could be worn out today without turning a single head. Aerie is becoming famous for their flare pants, which I have personally recommended to a large handful of our community. Their comfort along with cute look makes them irresistible, and can be seen more and more frequently around campus and the state. Similarly, loose “mom jeans” are replacing skinny jeans in closets around the world, another fad stolen from the past.

I believe that the comeback of these styles is simply a comeback of comfort.

Gen Z is figuring out how to be comfortable and fashionable at the same time — what could be better?

Perhaps my favorite “comeback trend” would have to be sneakers. Retro high tops were the go-to basketball shoe in the 80s, and now take the form of Nike Blazer Mid ‘77 Vintages and Air Jordan 1’s.

However, rather than being worn on the court, these kicks can be seen dressed up or down with almost anything around campus. Students are gravitating toward these shoes because they contain pops of color and can express originality.

Personally, I have customized a few of my own pairs of Air Force 1’s in order to make them more "me".

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Photo courtesy of Esquire

Air Force 1’s have also been around for a while, first produced in 1982 and gaining popularity in 1986.

From leggings to sweatpants to khakis, the neutrality of these “modern” sneakers make them a staple in any high schooler’s closet — a timeless quality.

It would be silly for me to write an article about current trends at KO without mentioning claw clips.

Inspired by the banana clip from the 80s, these accessories have made an exponential comeback since the Coronavirus lockdown during the spring of 2020. As society Photo by Abby Baier '23

began attending school from home, comfort was everyone’s top priority. Claw clips enable anyone with fairly long hair to keep it out of their face without leaving any indentations in the hair; additionally, face-framing pieces can even be kept out of the clip to create an even more fashionable look. This fad is far from gone, with countless claw clips attached to backpack straps on our very own campus.

Although it may come as a surprise to hear that your favorite looks are far from new, we all have the ability to put our own creative spin on anything we wear. Our outfits are an extension of our personality, and recovering these trends from the past enables us to have a wider variety of pieces to choose from. I wonder what fads we’ll salvage next, and if future generations will look back on our outfits and feel inspired to follow in our footsteps. So, next time you laugh at old photos of your parents with their leg warmers and pegged pants, just know that their questionable choices could be your next favorite thing.

Photo by Abby Baier '23

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AMERICAN FASHION THROUGH THE LENS OF A EUROPEAN

By Kata Mesterházy '23

Believe it or not, in my school in Hungary we don’t have a dress code, but everyone dresses the same way as we do at KO. All of these can be traced back to cultural differences.

People in the US like to put comfort first, while in Europe dressing up is more normal. You would never see anyone wear sweatpants at the mall or to the movies. Being overdressed is a more usual problem than being underdressed.

For example, we only wear leggings at home or when we are doing sports. If we go out to get lunch with our friends we at least put jeans and a cute top on. Since the market for activewear is not as big in Europe as it is in the US, we do not have stores like Lulu Lemon or Aerie either. I also have to mention the culture of the gray sweatpants. Everyone owns gray sweatpants, and this is something Europeans actually adapted from the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Kata Mesterházy '23

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The only difference is that we wouldn't wear gray sweatpants out on the streets. Europeans only dress for comfort when we are staying home. The moment we leave the house, the least is that we put on jeans. This is socially accepted behavior, and others find it weird when someone leaves the house without dressing up.

When I came to KO, it was very surprising to me how common wearing flannels over a hoodie is. In Europe you barely see guys wearing this outfit, but you can see them go to school in a shirt occasionally.

As for footwear, I have never heard of Golden Goose before. I just really liked the shoes with that “V” on the side, that everyone was wearing in KO. Golden Goose only has locations in the US, so I was happy to discover this new interesting brand.

Jordans are very popular on both continents, but most people don't know the history behind those sneakers. It is definitely more special to Americans since Michael Jordan is a national icon for the country.

Although the popularity of sneakers is similar, when it comes to Crocs we have huge differences. No one would go out on the streets wearing Crocs, but in the US people wear them to the mall, school, and other public places. In Hungary, my grandma wears Crocs when she goes out to the garden to water her plants.

There are many cultural differences that I recognize between Europeans and Americans, but clothing is definitely one of the biggest ones. Both cultures have their advantages, but it is very interesting that we are so connected in every aspect, yet we think so differently of fashion in different parts of the world. As a European, I prefer dressing up, but I would love to hear the experience of an American on European fashion too to discover the roots of these differences more.

10 Things You Didn't Know Happen Behind The Runway When you walk into a store, do you ever wonder about the process it took to get those clothes in that store? Or the planning required to have the right fashion merchandise, at the right time, in the right quantities, at the right prices, with the right sales promotion, for a specific target customer?

There are 1.8 million people in the United States who are employed in fashion-related businesses, which include those engaged in producing the materials used in the production of apparel and accessories. The fashion business is more than just designing clothes and putting them on the runway, it’s any business concerned with goods or services in which fashion is an element, including manufacturing, distribution, advertising, publishing, and consulting. There are 10 major aspects of the fashion business that go into producing and selling clothes and accessories.

1. Product development is the strategic, creative, technical, production, and distribution planning of goods having a perceived value for a well-defined consumer group A buyer/merchant will analyze sales and decide what needs to be developed, what the items will retail for, and how many units to purchase. As the designer, you have to shop the market, know the trends, design for the customer, and provide options for the merchant.

Bringing a 2D sketch into a 3D sample and ensuring the clothes fit humans of various sizes are the most crucial parts of product development in fashion.

Bringing a 2D sketch into a 3D sample and ensuring the clothes fit humans of various sizes are the most crucial parts of product development in fashion.

Another part of product development is sourcing, making sure to find a reliable factory to make each product, and negotiating costs with the vendors. The supply chain management plays an important role in synchronizing the flow of products, services, and information. This helps to reduce waste, inventory, and idle capacity, while also shortening order-to-delivery cycle times.

2. Target audience is one of the most important parts of having your own clothing company. The more you know about your customers, the better equipped you are to satisfy their needs and desires. Accurate facts about customers that are properly interpreted help fashion companies make decisions about their product offerings. Guesswork and misinterpreted facts regarding customers lead to failure in a business.

Photo courtesy of POPSUGAR

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There are four segments in a market to help target a customer that represents your brand.

These include geographics (climate, country, city, language, population, area), demographics (age, gender, income, social status, family, life stage, occupation, education), psychographics (lifestyle, interests, personality, values, and attitudes), and behavioral (intent, occasion, benefits sought, purchase, usage, buyer and user stage).

3. Ready-to-wear price point categories, which include better, moderate, budget, contemporary, and bridge.

A better price point includes medium to higherpriced merchandise where the fabrics, styling, and craftsmanship are of better quality than lowerpriced items. They also have slightly higher profile lines that are found in department stores such as Jones New York or Rachel Roy. This is the lowest price point category that a consumer would consider “designer” because the brands are not nationally advertised and have very low prices for the wealthy-living class.

Moderate lines of clothing are for middle-class consumers and the majority of the clothing falls into the price range of a $20 t-shirt to a $100 dress. These clothes are sold mostly in department stores like Dillards and chains such as Levis or Zara. A lot of sportswear will fall into this price-point The budget category that is the lowest price point is known as “mass market.”

These garments are typically made of fair to low quality and value and are intended for broad consumption. These are the derivative of popular styles and staples and include stores like Forever21, SHEIN, and H&M. Contemporary is similar and slightly higher than better in pricing. It consists of a more fashion-forward look rather than just one specific price point. Brands like ELIZABETH and JAMES, and T by ALEXANDER WANG use designer quality fabrics at lower prices.

Bridge is the price that ranges between designer and better.

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This is often for career separates and dresses in finer fabrics. Well-known bridge labels include Lauren by Ralph Lauren and DKNY

by Donna Karan. Knowing who your consumers are helps when picking a price point for ready-to-wear brands.

4. Style vs fashion vs taste are three keys to knowing which clothes you like and want to buy.

Fashion refers to a style that is accepted and used by the majority of a group at any given time and is a result of social acceptance.

Taste refers to the prevailing opinion of what is and what is not attractive and appropriate for a given occasion. Good taste means understanding not only what is artistically pleasing but also what is appropriate for a specific situation. For example, a white dress may be beautiful but is in poor taste if worn to a wedding by someone other than the bride. Present fashion may be ugly, but due to its common acceptance, it is in good taste.

A style is always a style. A style only becomes fashion once it gains popular acceptance and stays so for only as long as it is accepted. Style is the characteristic of the distinctive appearance of a garment, it exists in more than just clothing, and can refer to an overall aesthetic as well.

When you think of Ralph Lauren, what is the overall aesthetic that comes to mind? How does it differ from Nike?

5. Trend forecasting in the fashion industry is a widely used, but little understood skill. It aims to map a path between what consumers are doing and wearing now and what they might want to do and wear in the next few months and years. This is by far one of the hardest jobs in the fashion industry as there is a lot of pressure to know your customers and figure out what they might want in the future.

A trend forecaster needs to sense the moment when ideas from the fringes of culture are taken on by the mainstream consumer, then give an indication of where they think it will lead. Forecasters must watch constantly how the zeitgeist is changing and how this might affect their consumers and therefore the kind of products they will want.

6. The Design Cycle Idea

The Design Cycle Concept

Design

7. Fashion market weeks differ from international fashion weeks because these are where trends emerge as designers show their latest collections.

Some designers will have their summer and holiday collection's resort shows in June 2021 for the start of the 2022 fashion year which follows spring and fall respectively. This is when buyers will travel to a location to plan their purchases for the upcoming fashion season.

8. International fashion weeks take place for women’s ready-to-wear and men’s ready-towear, and twice a year the haute couture fashion weeks are held. The women’s ready-to-wear shows occur twice a year with fall collections shown in February and spring collections shown in September. These shows are organized by their respective trade organization. Each of the four major fashion capitals hosts fashion weeks in the following order: New York (5 days, CFDA), London (5 days, British Fashion Council), Milan (6 days, Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana), Paris (6 days, Federation De La Haute Couture Et De La Mode).

Men’s ready-to-wear fashion weeks are very similar to women’s, except they are shorter in days. The international haute couture fashion weeks, compared to ready-to-wear, are shown more in season, where the fall collections will be shown in July and the spring collections shown in January. These are only held in Paris and each line must be approved by the Chambre Syndicale de Couture to participate, as there are strict rules to qualify, and three levels of membership.

9. The fashion cycle refers to the rise, wide popularity, and then decline in acceptance of a style This is much like the business cycle in the economic world. All fashions move in cycles, but they are constantly moving. Whether it depends on an environment of social, political, or economic factors, both large and small movements have meaning and dictate the direction of fashion.

10. SWOT analysis is a part of brand image and positioning that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Every brand has its own retail strategy, and as a part of situational analysis, brands will use SWOT analysis as an honest assessment of the company. But, it can be very subjective, which is why the only way it can be realistic is if they are honest. The retailer needs to be able to distinguish between where they are today, and where they could be in the future.

The fashion industry is a complex business that many people do not know the “behind the scenes” of. Now that you know the top ten aspects of the industry, you will be able to understand the process next time you think about buying clothes.

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For You Charity Clothes

By Victoria Tang '22

For You For You Charity Clothes is one of the programs run by For You Charity Group, which is a platform and powerhouse for helping others. The concept of For You Charity is not only to maximize our practical positive influence on the people who need help but also to make helping others a lifestyle.

The Concept

Photo Courtesy of Victoria Tang '22

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For You Charity Clothes is a fashion clothing brand that For You started to differentiate us from other traditional Charity organizations in an innovative and sustainable way.

Designed by For You founder & president Victoria Tang, the profits of For You T-shirts will be directly donated to disabled elderly people in Luquan, China, where For You’s volunteering program took place.

The Story Why think of releasing a series of clothes instead of other items for sale? First, we think that young people are the future of the nonprofit industry, but most non-profits are still using the traditional ways to raise money and funds. For You wants to make fundraising a more engaging and fun experience so that different people will join. Second, in terms of long-term fundraising, we think that selling T-shirts has larger potential than the traditional individual donation which puts Photo Courtesy of Victoria Tang '22 much more dependence on donors’ generosity. Such a way of fundraising by selling our products delivers the key concept of For You, “We Gain by Helping”, rather than simply giving something to people. Third, T-shirts are widely accepted by all age groups, and they are especially popular among younger groups. Selling fashionable charity T-shirts not only attracts more followers to join For You but also removes the label that the non-profit industry is for a serious and traditional group.

The Design The T-shirts have two colors, white and black. The front four characters, “ “, are the Chinese translation of For You. means that the determination to help others stays the same from beginning to end.

It is very unfortunate that many non-profit organizations don’t last long or they fail to focus on the most important things. We use this name to remind ourselves that we have to stick to the most essential question that social workers should ask themselves all the time - how can they make the lives of others better?

The back of the T-shirts have a water lily and lotus. This kind of flower roots and grows in muddy ponds but has very beautiful blossoms in summer. The spirit of the water lily represents how many people might not have a decent past, but after efforts of growth, they can still have a bright future. The story of the water lily, as we hope, could be the story of the children that For You has been volunteering to help.

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一意

Photo Courtesy of Victoria Tang '22

益心一意 益心