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The FUTURE FASHION GROUP presents The FUTURE FASHION ZINE The Future Fashion Group is a student-founded and student-run organization operating at New York University. We unite students across disciplines at the NYU schools to work together toward a common goal: to innovate the fashion industry. The fashion industry has historically been exploitative of its workers, wasteful in its production, and harmful to the earth. The Future Fashion Group believes that we are everything the fashion industry so desperately needs. Founded in 2018, FFG is an authority on campus in relation to the subjects of fashion and sustainable development. Our executive board organizes programming with leaders throughout the fashion industry to foster impactful education, meaningful conversation, and networking with individuals who are making a positive impact. With the launch of our in-house digital magazine, the Future Fashion Zine, we offer a creative platform where students who are passionate about the art of fashion and the practice of sustainable living can create collaborative works in a variety of mediums and showcase their intellects and talents to the global NYU community, and to the world.
Meet the Staff
Olajide Adeleke Editor in Chief Valentina Ruiz Co-Editor in Chief Writers Paige Ganim Isha Mogul Caroline Souroujon Nicoleta Krenteras Jaden Galvan Sarah Yang Lucy Tuttle Pearl Marden Editors Olajide Adeleke Valentina Ruiz Sarah Liao Nicoleta Krenteras Digital Designers Brianna Pham Ellie Attisani Eve Eismann Mateo Rodriguez Olajide Adeleke
On the Fall/Winter theme: New York, New York The theme New York, New York speaks to the essence of what the city stands for: classic, yet ever-evolving and fresh. It is also the fashion capital of the world. Being as it is the capital, brands based in New York City have promoted and included sustainability in their newer collections. Because the fashion industry is taking on a new perspective with environmentally friendly materials and ethically made clothing, the theme for this year’s Zine will capture that fresh outlook, specifically in New York City based brands. New York City has propelled other global brands and well established fashion houses to transform and evolve to include environmental efforts. The city also has a huge thrifting culture in all boroughs. Brooklyn, being the city’s thrift and vintage shopping hotspot, has led the way for the rest of the city, and the country, to follow suit and promote a more friendly way of shopping. In this issue you will find various writings, essays and opinions on how New York City has tackled sustainability in the world of fashion, while also paying homage to the city in which our alma mater lives. From, Valentina Ruiz
the table of contents 1. Building Communication with Thrifting Popups by Caroline Souroujon 2. Sustainable NY-Based Brand Highlight: The Series NY by Lucy Tuttle 3. ECONYL by Sarah Yang 4. BOBBLEHAUS’ Futuristic Insight (Interview) by Nicoleta Krenteras 5. Heterogeneity in Sustainability by Jaden Galvan 6. Favorite NYFW Looks (Illustrations) by Brianna Pham 6. 5 Woman-Owned Brands Changing the Face of Sustainable Fashion in NYC by Isha Mogul 7. Conquering the Mountain of Trash by Pearl Marden
BUILDING COMMUNITY WORDS AND PHOTOS BY
WITH
THRIFTING POP-UPS Online thrifting and clothing resale saw a huge boom during the pandemic. Platforms like Depop and Poshmark grew immensely as people finally had the time to look through their closets. It was also a time for people to really learn about the importance of sustainability within fashion and how clothing reselling can be a powerful tool in reducing textile waste. With NYC reopening post-pandemic, the resale boom has remained, this time taking on in-person elements. The idea of the closet sale, where individuals create in-person shopping events with items in their own closets, is gaining traction not only as an opportunity to resell their clothes but also as a community gathering activity. Walking through Washington Square Park, you’ll find racks filled with second-hand clothing, surrounded by young people gathering and mingling. With social media, influencers have taken these closet sales to another level by hosting them at pop-up shops and using these sales to not only resell their own clothes but to connect with their followers. These spaces take the transactional nature of buying pre-owned clothing and instead offer mutual and personal connections. Shopping at in-person events, owners are able to share the stories of the pieces they sell and feel satisfied that someone will cherish their items. As a consumer, we tend to value the pieces that have meaning to us or a memory associated with them more than those that do not. Making thrifting and reselling clothes a social event allows for these small moments of connection that are rare on online platforms. These events offer a way for people to meet, connect and mingle with others in their community and others with similar interests in sustainability and fashion.
CAROLINE SOUROUJOUN
To get a better idea of how these in-person events are building community, I stopped by a holiday pop-up event hosted by Thrift2Death at Bedford Vintage. I spoke with Treysaun McGeachy who runs Thrift2Death, a series of pop-up events with the goal of connecting the next generation of buyers and sellers. He came up with the idea this summer while working at Slope Vintage to create pop-up events that give young creatives a platform to connect with customers and other similar creators. These events have been great for online sellers to shift to in-person selling, without high upfront costs. Olivia Wolk, founder of Bedford Vintage, used to sell her vintage clothing entirely online. Ever since opening her in-person shop in Williamsburg, she found that products that would sit online have been flying off the shelves. She mentions items like silk dresses would sit online since you can’t feel the fabric and quality (it’s hard to picture 100% silk through a screen), and how easy it is to connect and interact with buyers to convey each piece’s unique qualities. Both Treysaun and Emily highlighted how in-person events are great for connecting with others in the vintage space and making friends with similar interests and goals. Treysaun and Emily actually met at a pop-up event similar to this, and have since been able to collaborate on a series of successful holiday pop-ups to give promising young vendors exposure while building a supportive community of like-minded creatives. Check out @thrift2death and @bedford.vintage for information on upcoming events!
Sustainable NY-Based Brand Highlight: The Series NY Words by Lucy Tuttle
“Seasonless, genderless, for all beings” is the ideology behind the NY based brand, The Series. Boasting a wide repertoire of products from puffer jackets, to knit tops, patchwork jumpsuits, upcycled denim and more, The Series creates all of their colorful and quirky garments from entirely repurposed materials. Each of the pieces in The Series’ collection are designed and handmade in-house by Ella Wiznia and her team out of entirely pre-existing materials, making each garment completely one of a kind. Ella Wiznia founded The Series in 2016 during her college years at NYU, while in recovery from an eating disorder. Wiznia found herself in awe of the profound impact that unhealthy body imagery in media had on her, and realized she wanted to make a positive change. As a result, The Series emerged as a protest to damaging displays of unrealistic beauty standards, in addition to combatting the wasteful and environmentally
degrading practices of the fashion industry. The Series was born out of Wiznia’s love for vintage denim, and in recovery from her eating disorder, Wiznia felt most comfortable in oversized Levis jeans. While in treatment for her eating disorder, Wiznia learned to embroider, and used embroidery as a tool of personalization in order to customize clothing to fit her style rather than attempting to change her body to fit clothing. She began to add on patches and applique from pre-existing quilts onto pairs of jeans, creating a range of fun and eclectic vintage denim garments. Wiznia’s embroidery of the phrase “Just Dump Him” on a pair of vintage jeans partnered with the Nike swoosh, as a play on the iconic “Just Do It”, caught attention across social media, and was featured in Teen Vogue.
In an interview with Teen Vogue in 2019, Wiznia stated she interprets the phrase “Just Dump Him” as a reference to self worth and knowing your own value. This message of self confidence and individuality is prominent through all of Wiznia’s art, as her work emphasizes standing out rather than fitting in.
puffers (in addition to other popular products by The Series), are now available to order through a variety of online retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Lisa Says Gah, and Fred Segal, hopefully indicating a shift in the availability of sustainable clothing in mainstream fashion retailers.
Another turning point for The Series occurred when their Granny Tank, a tank top made of granny squares from deconstructed vintage quilts, went viral during the crochet craze this past spring and summer. Knitwear re-emerged as an extremely popular trend for both high fashion and street style during the pandemic, as many people turned to crochet and knitting as a form of entertainment while in lockdown. The trend of knit and crocheted pieces as seasonless garments is also representative of the fundamental shift in fashion to emphasize comfort and coziness that people are seeking out as a result of spending a lot of time at home during the pandemic. It is also valuable to note that crocheted designs must be done by hand, as they are extremely complicated to replicate by machine. Therefore fast fashion crocheted tops that are being sold for extremely low prices typically through online retailers, are being made by hand, and the people making these crocheted pieces are being paid next to nothing for their artistry. The Series’ knit tops are sourced from vintage crocheted quilts Wiznia finds at flea markets, thrift stores, and estate sales, all places she has attended since she was a kid. Many of The Series’ iconic crochet pieces such as the citrus tanks, daisy tanks, and daisy dresses are hand crocheted in-house using vintage yarn, emphasizing the label’s commitment to pre-existing materials, and the long-lasting quality of these garments. The label also has initiated a direct opportunity for individuals to repurpose their own materials into a brand new garment. Custom puffers made from sleeping bags are available for purchase, including an option for customers to send in their own sleeping bags or comforters to be turned into their own personalized puffer jacket. The Series provides a fresh take on the puffer jacket, taking a winter staple in NYC, and transforming the item into a meaningful, unique outerwear garment that is completely one of a kind for each wearer. Many
Photos from The Series’ site and Instagram profile.
E C O N Y L
Words by Sarah Yang
In February 2021, I first encountered the word ECONYL in a seminar held by Prada and UNESCO-IOC. This seminar primarily introduced how fast fashion is polluting the ocean environment. Throughout the whole seminar, a newly introduced ECONYL material attracted my attention. I deeply looked into the production of the material, the company that invents it, and brands that use and support the material. I hope I can seize every opportunity to introduce the material to more people and raise awareness on sustainability in daily life. Normal nylon used in clothing is detrimental to the environment. The attention on pollution from synthetic fibers in the clothing industry leads to the development of a new material: ECONYL, a type of regenerated nylon. ECONYL is a product created and brought into market by the company Aquafil. Giulio Bonazzi, the president and CEO of Aquafil, discovered treasure from trash and innovated this brand-new material through countless researches and developments. According to projects launched by Aquafil, ECONYL is mainly provided as yarn for carpets and garments. Clothes, which are closely related to people’s daily uses, should be a main focus on its relationship with sustainable materials. ECONYL has almost the same chemical structure as normal Nylon 6, so it has appropriate characteristics for making clothes. Also, original materials of ECONYL are 100% recyclable because they all come from wastes, like fishing nets, fabric scraps, old carpet, and pre-consumer wastes. In this sense, ECONYL achieves its goal of being recyclable and regenerable. As a new and sustainable product in the market, the cost of ECONYL is definitely not low. In the market, the rule for every company is to be profitable. In this way, they can achieve their goal of showing their products in front of the public. Driving
To learn more about processes of producing ECONYL, there are several steps:
down the cost of ECONYL is always a main goal for Aquafil. It’s certainly believable that as ECONYL becomes more popular, the price of it will normalize as today’s nylon material. Malaika New York is a minimalistic and futuristic Scandinavian apparel brand with focus on sustainable and high-quality clothing. On Earth Day 2016, the company was launched in New York with a goal of zero-waste fashion. To achieve zero-waste garments, there are two main approaches: zero-waste design and zero-waste production. Zero-waste design means that designers can use unique cutting techniques to avoid excessive use of textile. Malaika Boysen Hanning, designer of Malaika New York, uses innovative sewing techniques and strategically drapes the fabric to minimize textile waste. Zero-waste production means designers can recycle and reuse fabric from garments to produce new garments or accessories. By using regenerable materials such as ECONYL yarn and bike tubes, Malaika New York can recollect their products and remake new garments based on this regenerable material. In addition, Malaika New York has many more ways and actions to convey their concept of sustainable fashion. They have “The Canopy Project”, which means for every purchase made by a customer, they will plant a tree to reforest East Africa. They
also have all their sources and productions locally-based, which reduces carbon footprint on transportation and other possibilities. ECONYL, as an innovative material, has a high cost. The use of this new regenerable material explains the high price of the brand. In the market, normally, garments produced from ECONYL are more expensive than regular nylon material. However, with more understanding and support to those sustainable fashion brands, it’s possible and prospective to achieve sustainability in the fashion industry. For the future, the brand Malaika New York will still strive for their goal of zero-waste and lead in spreading the idea of sustainable fashion.
I N T E R V I E W By Nicoleta Krenteras and Olajide Adeleke
BOBBLEHAUS’ Futuristic Insight
From a consumer standpoint, shopping and the search to find sustainable brands that fit your identity and style can be anxiety inducing. BOBBLEHAUS, and international, sustainable, and genderless fashion brand, is paving a new path by normalizing sustainable practice in fashion. Since 2019, co-founders Abi Lieheimer and Ophelia Chen have challenged the status quo through their vibrant design as well as innovative production methods. Now, the founders of BOBBLEHAUS give Future Fashion Zine some insight into their brand with a fresh interview from Shanghai, China.
Images courtesy of bobblehaus.com
Heterogeneity in Sustainability Words and art by Jaden Galvan
The world of sustainable fashion continues to evolve with various innovations like 3D printing, plant based dyes, and decomposable materials. However, a question that often arises is what can non-fashionistas do to contribute to this eco-friendly lifestyle? Not everyone desires to upcycle old clothes into new ones, which is why there’s a number of low maintenance tactics that can be implemented for everyday use. These strategies include shopping locally, turning old clothes into cleaning materials, and my favorite, turning trash into art. Shopping locally supports small businesses, families, and passions. This can aid in stimulating the local economy by keeping the businesses booming in your general area. When consumers throw away clothing, not only does it waste money and resources, but it can take up to 200 years for the materials to decompose in a landfill. During this process, textiles produce: greenhouse methane gas, leach toxic chemicals, and dyes that are soaked into the groundwater and soil of that surrounding region.
a new life and that is exactly what this column suggests. I visited a number of locations such as, Cure Thrift, The Sharing Place, The Thrifty Hog, and Hamlet’s Vintage. I made it a point to steer clear from chain thrifts like Beacons Closet, Goodwill and L-train, due to their high status in NYC. Because old local gems like Cure Thrift rely on the income of native regulars, it is important during this time to support small businesses and keep the classical essence of NewYork alive. My goal while shopping was to search for the most affordable and eccentric fabrics I could find. Since I pieced the articles apart, size and style were not in question. After finding a number of blouses and accessories, I began to cut. My final project resulted in a cityscape collage made out of all the scraps of fabric I collected from each shop. I truly believe that my work reflects on the environmental evolution of the city, as I encourage others to rethink what sustainable fashion means to them.
By upcycling unwanted clothing into cleaning rags and other necessities, you are decreasing the number of discarded textiles that end up in landfills burned across the globe. Another way to implement sustainability that does not involve fashion is by cutting up scraps of clothing and creating a collage, vision board, or art piece of choice. This stress free activity can promote self-reflection and bonding amongst loved ones, while simultaneously raising awareness on environmental issues. As a way to pay homage to my community and honor the arts of New York, I have taken on a mission to visit a handful of mom and pop thrift shops in the area to see what I can get my hands on. The motive behind this project was to prove that sustainable fashion doesn’t always involve style; there are a variety of ways that second hand clothes can be given
Photos by Jaden Galvan
SKRAPS by Jaden Galvan
Favorite NYFW Looks by Brianna Pham
I’m Brianna Pham, a freshman studying Business & Political Economy. I love to draw and have a small platform to share my work on Instagram (@blackteajournals). I’m really passionate about uplifting small designers and sustainable fashion. I chose Videmus Omnia because I’m involved in NYU’s Luxury and Retail Association, and they invited the designer, Yun Qu, to speak with us. Her story resonated with me, as she’s not afraid to go against trends and make her visions into reality. She told us about how she had to go against her family’s expectations to do what she loves. I love how she incorporates so many different styles and colors into her designs, but they all radiate confidence and creative boldness. I also chose to draw a look from C’EST D, a smaller brand by Korean designer Doyeon Yu. Her brand’s slogan is “not just a label”, because she strives to make an item’s worth go past its size. For that reason, she’s extremely size-inclusive! Doyeon unapologetically takes ownership of her art and is striving to make fashion her full-time job. I wanted to celebrate her journey as a designer, as I believe she is really talented!
5 WOMEN-OWNED BRANDS CHANGING THE FACE OF SUSTAINABLE FASHION IN NYC By Isha Mogul
W
hen individuals talk about fashion in a fastpaced city like New York today, the instant thought that comes to their mind is sustainability. Thanks to the ever-growing impact of social media and awareness around sustainability campaigns, the fashion-conscious consumer has prioritized ethical and responsible buying over the unfavorable practices by fast-fashion companies. New York has seen a rise in the number of sustainable fashion brands over the last 5 years as companies are incorporating eco-friendly and socially responsible practices into their brand ethos. With the growth of sustainable brands, New York has also seen a rise in the dominance of women initiating path breaking conversations to drive the city towards a more responsible production and consumption pattern. Being the city of possibilities, New York has paved the way and given opportunities for these women-owned brands to lead the path of sustainability, being a source of inspiration to many in this culturally diverse hub.
This shows how Taymour is trying to change the idea of sustainability as she insists that recyclable clothing doesn’t necessarily have to be monotonous, it can be coruscating and vibrant, just like the moods of the city of New York. Check it out : https://collinastrada.com
2. EDAS
1. COLLINA STRADA
Designer Hillary Taymour is one of the most talked about women in the NYC fashion world as she redefines the meaning of sustainability through Strada’s functioning. When asked about the brand’s aesthetic in an interview with SSENSE, Taymour states that “I’m trying to make it fun, party, loud, but still having a care for the environment”.
Sade Mims, the founder of Edas merges the realities of the past and present through her designs to show passion for the embracement of global cultures and sustainability. Her Brooklyn–based design studio serves as a strong foundation for the creation of eclectic and classical designs. In an interview with Hypebae, Mims states how her personal consumption patterns influence her brand’s aesthetic as she frequently purchases used garments from eBay and Etsy, a concrete example of how her personal as well as business mission centers around sustainability Check it out : https://edas.store
3. ADAY
responsible practices practices this this women-owned women-owned brand brand follows. follows. responsible Check it it out out :: https://www.337brand.com https://www.337brand.com Check
5. STUDY NY
This brand brand thrives thrives on on the the idea idea of of minimalism minimalism as as it it This creates pieces that can be worn repeatedly, in innovative creates pieces that can be worn repeatedly, in innovative ways whilst whilst still still strongly strongly centering centering its its roots roots around around ways environmentally friendly practices. 70% of their fabrics are environmentally friendly practices. 70% of their fabrics are made with regenerative or recycled fibers and around 82% made with regenerative or recycled fibers and around 82% of their their mills mills have have embedded embedded water water recycling recycling systems. systems. These These of statistics speak volumes for the way this brand by Meg and statistics speak volumes for the way this brand by Meg and Nina prioritizes the environment above everything. Nina prioritizes the environment above everything. Check it it out out :: https://www.thisisaday.com https://www.thisisaday.com Check
4. 337 BRAND
With its its tagline, tagline, “Kindness “Kindness is is sexy”, sexy”, this this brand brand With proves how how its its earth-friendly earth-friendly leisurewear leisurewear is is aa step step towards towards proves positive contribution contribution to to the the planet. planet. The The ethically ethically and and locally locally positive produced goods goods help help support support the the working working industry industry of of the the produced city. With With their their collaboration collaboration with with One One Tree Tree Planted, Planted, the the city. brand works works towards towards providing providing donations donations to to areas areas impacted impacted brand by deforestation. deforestation. These These are are just just aa few few of of the the many many socially socially by
Founder and and designer, designer, Tara Tara St St James James has has lectured lectured Founder at the famous New York fashion schools like Parsons, FIT at the famous New York fashion schools like Parsons, FIT and Pratt. Her strong background in sustainable fashion and Pratt. Her strong background in sustainable fashion paved the the way way for for her her to to create create aa transparent transparent and and responsible responsible paved supply chain for Study NY that uses responsible fabrics and and supply chain for Study NY that uses responsible fabrics operates on a zero waste policy. operates on a zero waste policy. Check it it out out :: http://study-ny.com http://study-ny.com Check
Words and illustrations by Pearl Marden
CONQUERING THE MOUNTAIN OF TRASH
A particular sweet-musty scent of vintage clothing fills the air: a pungent perfume of old tobacco, memory, and history. A second-hand clothing store is one of my favorite places to be. My home away from home. When I wear a piece of vintage clothing, I am giving it a new life, a new journey, a new collection of secrets and stories to carry. I started frequenting thrift and vintage stores six years ago as a way to save money while fueling my love of shopping. Since learning about the detrimental environmental impact of fast fashion manufacturing, and the environmental destruction caused by textile waste, I now try to buy clothes exclusively second hand. In addition to the numerous benefits from shopping second hand, a fun aspect for me is “up-cycling:” creating something new out of an older piece of clothing. When I first started up-cycling, I would make small changes by hand. I eventually moved to a sewing machine and was able to make more substantial alterations. I would change the neckline, or transform a dress into a two-piece set. From there on out, I went to thrift stores not only to look at the clothing, but specifically the fabric –thinking about what I could transform it into. While searching for sustainable ways to source fabric, I stumbled upon a company called FabScrap. FabScrap is a non-profit organization started in Brooklyn, NY, that picks up unused fabric from New York City residents as well as large commercial corporations, like Marc Jacobs, then donates, repurposes, or resells the fabric at a price to cover their operational costs. According to FabScrap, “New York City residents throw out 200,000 tons of clothing, shoes, accessories, and linens every year. Textiles comprise 6% of the City’s total waste stream.”(FabScrap, 2021) .The company sorts the fabric into usable and unusable scraps and then customers can purchase the fabric. They offer more sustainable and environmentally responsible ways to get fabric that don’t directly feed into the cycle of excess production and consumption that perpetuate the fast fashion industry. After becoming enthralled by the possible al-
ternatives that FabScrap revealed, once in New York, I checked the website again. In large, dark font, the site beckons: “GET FREE FABRIC.” I instantly clicked the button,– who wouldn’t want to get fabric for free? Shortly after, I was directed to a page that offered an exchange of three volunteer hours for five pounds of free fabric. This sounded like a bargain, so without hesitation I signed up for the closest available volunteer slot. Fast forward two days... and I found myself at the Brooklyn Army Terminal roaming a cement building, looking for unit 5H-4. The building itself felt post-apocalyptic; however, this seemed fitting in the context of fabric waste and the looming environmental crisis. To make the scene even more bizarre, there was a train track running through the center of the building and long, concrete walkways on either side of the tracks. Everything felt abandoned and overgrown, moss and greenery had taken over the thick gray walls and train track. After what seemed like an eternity I finally made it to the end of the walkway to find a single elevator. I got in and took it to the 4th floor. As soon as the elevator door opened, a large sign with the name, “FABSCRAP” in an alluring font appeared in front of me– I was here at last! Upon entering the door, aside from the cheery pop music, the first thing you will see is a massive, floor-to-ceiling pile of trash bags stacked on top of one another that take up at least half of the room. I had never seen so much textile waste, staring at it felt overwhelming and frightening, it was hard to think that there was any way to conquer the waste. We started out with brief introductions as to how we found FabScrap and why we chose to volunteer. There were only six of us, but each volunteer had a lovely reason as to why they were volunteering. Most individuals were there for the purpose of getting free fabric while playing a small role in helping the environment. For example, one woman chose to volunteer because she runs an Etsy shop and is always looking for new fabric, another said she has her own clothing business and tries to source her fabric as sustainably as possible. Upon further investigation, I discovered how one gentleman worked for a menswear company and volunteers at FabScrap so he can
promote the concept to new companies as a sustainable way to source fabric. As a new volunteer, unlike the veteran “FabScrapers” that I have only begun to meet, I quickly learned that each volunteer starts out with a massive trash bag full of pieces of fabric to sort at their individual station. After you finish sorting your first trash bag, another is taken from the enormous pile and given to you. The pile of trash bags is so daunting that even as I was watching the trashbags being taken out of the pile – it never seemed to be getting any smaller. After my time at FabScrap that day, I left feeling a mix of emotions. I was inspired having met others that day who were on the same path towards conscious consumption and practices in sustainable fashion. However, I was also a bit hopeless after gaining a more tangible sense of the immense waste that this industry, my field of study, produces. Although the amount of work that needs to be done to make change can feel overwhelming at times, one can’t let the anxiety lead them to do nothing. I realize that I can do my own small part in reducing the waste created by my chosen field, such as volunteer ing at and purchasing from organizations like FabScrap, as well as mindfully buying secondhand clothing. Upon reflection of our societies’ unsustainable lifestyles as a whole, I realize the fashion industry is merely one aspect within this expansive topic. Nonetheless, I will never forget the massive pile of endless fabric waste I saw that day, which I view as a metaphor for the great challenges that we have to face moving forward as our species’ only hope for survival is doing honest work to mitigate the damage we have done to this planet.
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