GEORGE V

george

spring 2023

SHOWCASE YOUR

INDIVIDUALITY Balletcore: Fashion or Fraud?

Thin is In? : The Death of Body Positivity

Peter Do: Reinventing Tailoring

Brand Color Identity

issue no. 5

1

Letter from the President When coming to GW, I always dreamed of finding my place on campus where creativity meets business. Especially considering how rough 2020 was, I could have never imagined a zoom link could change my life. Through weekly talks of fashion news, hearing guest speakers, and talking with GWFBA leadership, I knew this was the place for me. Never would I have imagined being selected as President my senior year. It seems bittersweet writing this letter with Roi, but I could not have been more grateful for the memories and the opportunity! This magazine encompasses so much work and without the written, visual, and events team, the success of GEORGE would not have been possible.

Throughout this year, we’ve had behind-the-scenes looks at businesses such as Glossier, hosted an alumni panel with co-founder Carolina Garcia and our first EIC Alex Lange, and produced two magazines: After Hours (vol. 2) and George (the fifth edition). Roi and I have learned so much throughout this year and we are so excited for you to see the final product!

We truly appreciate everyone that has contributed to GWFBA and made it what it is today. We could have not done it without everyone’s support. We will never forget the experience and memories this organization has given us. We are sad to leave GWFBA, but we are excited to see its continued growth under the new Executive Board that will accomplish incredible things in the future. We can’t wait to see what’s next…

Love, Adamaris Santoyo President

3

Letter from the VP My dream is to be in the fashion business industry. While GW does not provide a lot of connections and studies in fashion, GWFBA has given me so many great connections and opportunities. I joined GWFBA my sophomore year as a member, and as Director of Business Outreach, to VP of Visual Content & Marketing, and finishing off as Vice President. These last 3 years in GWFBA have been such a pleasure and made me grow significantly as a person professionally and socially. Thank you to everyone in GWFBA, and could not be more excited to have the last issue printed as part of GWFBA. We truly appreciate everyone that has contributed to GWFBA and making GWFBA where we are today. We could have not done it without everyone’s support. We will never forget the experience and memories GWFBA has given us. We are sad to graduate and leave, but we are excited to see GWFBA keep growing under the new Executive Board Members that will do an awesome job.

Sincerely, Roi Hayashi Vice President

5

Letter from the Editor Hi everyone and welcome to the fifth issue of GEORGE Magazine!

Thinking back on my two years in GWFBA, I am so proud of how everyone has come together yet again to produce this magazine. It’s incredible to see how everyone’s hard work has come to fruition.

I first joined FBA during my freshman year of college as a general member and now I am so happy to have worked my way up to being in the position to write this letter. It truly brings me so much joy to contribute to this magazine and work with all of its talented members.

In this issue, you will read articles about designer profiles, trends, individuality, authenticity and everything in between. Identity and originality are the highlights of this year’s magazine and the articles inside aim to represent that. In a time where the fashion industry feels over-saturated with fleeting trend cycles and a lack of original style, these articles bring to light these topics and also highlight trailblazers who push against the crowd.

Thank you to everyone who has a hand in GEORGE this year.

I hope you enjoy this issue!

Sincerely, Nneoma Iloeje Editor-in-Chief

7

Please enjoy our art.

Love, The Visual Team Brooklyn, David, and Emma 9

Editor-in-Chief Nneoma Iloeje Graphic Desingers Adis Santoyo Brooklyn Ramos Emily Morris Emma Duffy President Adis Santoyo Vice President Roi Hayashi Visual and Graphics Team Brooklyn Ramos David Ruff Emma Duffy Events Jack Couser Drew Barker Ana D’Agostini Business Outreach Ava Zohn Secretary Amelia Shaw Treasurer Emily Morris George Theme Curator Alex Marootian

Members Rianna Advani Ayaan Ahmed Gabriela Aizenman Sundhya Alter Dorothy Annicelli Lindsay Armstrong Ariela Asllani Joey Behr Sloane Bernstein Eva Bizzarri Eleanor Carey Cam Cayer Asad Cheema Troi Davis Anika Dilawri Shelby Downey Kater Eastman Keja Ferguson Ethan Fernandes Mia Fishman Shamira Guel Caitlin Guerin Ashley Ho Sydney Horowitz Harper Huck Nitya Jaisinghani Ayla Karimova Keegan O’Neal Hannah Kimble Rachel Kimmel Lucia Krekorian Grace Labarbiera

Ornella Libi Lydia Liu Polina Malinovskaya Aidan McAndrew Kylie McCarthy Lauren McNealy Alden Mulroy Madeline Ng Denise Ozkok Penelope Pavlounis Stephanie Pineda Thea Porter Liv Pressman Samantha Sandow Anastasya Shpakova Grace Siehler Hania Sindhu Jacob Solomon Sage Streeter Shayda Vandyoussefi Ethan Valliath Monica Vasquez Caroline White Ennosen Yen Kate Young Sissi Yu Aurora Zaytoun Norhan Zouk Togzhan Serikova Declan Kelly Fayre Li

11

18

THIN IS IN? THE DEATH OF BODY POSITIVITY

28

BALLETCORE FASHION OR FRAUD?

14

INDIVIDUALITY

36

DISTRESSED

16

TASTE

46

TASTEMAKERS

22

CLEAN GIRL

48

AMERICAN IN PARIS

32

WHIMSIGOTH 101

54

DISSOCIATION

34

LOLLAPALOOZA

62

ZON

40

BRAND COLOR IDENTITY

56

PETER DO REINVENTING TAILORING

66

MIDDLE EASTERN

86

HIP HOP

70

CHER

90

AMBASSADORS

74

RISE AND FALL

92

LOEWE AND JW

80

SHEIN ADDICTION

94

PHARRELL AND LV

84

THRIFTING

98

EVENTS 13

INDIVIDUALITY How can we express unique aspects of ourselves through fashion? Is it through subcultures, ethnic identities, or simply through individual artistic expressions? Through the individual in fashion, the opportunities for creative expression widen and develop conversations at the fast pace of the industry.

Through fashion consumption and visualization, we can express ourselves and celebrate diversity in fashion.

We define ourselves in fashion through individuality.

15

TASTE REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL’S PERSONAL PREFERENCES, OPINIONS, AND CHOICES WHEN IT COMES TO CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, AND OVERALL STYLISTIC CHOICES. ONE’S TASTE IS INFLUENCED BY MANY FACTORS LIKE CULTURE, SOCIAL MEDIA, PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, LOCATION, GEOGRAPHY, PERSONALITY TRAITS, THE LIST GOES ON. TASTE IS A PALETTE OF FLAVORS. THE RANGE OF FLAVORS THAT FASHION HAS TO OFFER CAN BE MIXED AND MATCHED TO APPEAL TO THE CONSUMER. THERE IS SURELY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

TASTE 17

Thin Is In?

The Death of Body Positivity

Anya Wareck Photos by David Ruff and Emma Duffy

Written by: Nneoma Iloeje

The 2000s: the era of toxic diet culture, ultra low rise bottoms, and what was known as “heroin chic thin” or “cocaine skinny”.

A time when body diversity was hardly acknowledged or prioritized and every model wanted to emulate a Kate Moss look alike. An era of fashion that most certainly do not miss nor care to remember.

Post 2000s came the 2010s, and with that, fourth wave feminism.

Women were becoming fed up with the one track narrative of how a woman’s body was supposed to look like. Body positivity and diversity on the runway started to become the baseline for designers everywhere. Brands like Brandy Melville started getting heat for their items being “one size only” and the public began demanding more from the fashion industry in the way of inclusivity. Plus size models like Paloma Elsesser, Ashley Graham, and Precious Lee became regulars on the runway and diet culture was being rejected.

However, this time was not without its flaws. Although being thin was “out”, being curvy was “in”. Women’s gazes veered from Kate Moss to people like Kim Kardashian and Instagram models, who were rising in popularity during this time period. BBLs were popping up everywhere, waist trainers became accessories, and a new type of diet culture emerged where things like detox tummy tea were all over the internet. The top desirable body type had shifted to that of the “hourglass” shape: a thin waist, a big bum, and thick thighs.

19

It begs the question: why are women’s bodies still being treated as trends?

More recently in the 2020s, the tides have shifted again. Rumors of the Kardashians dissolving their BBLs took the internet by storm and “buccal fat removal surgery” became trending searches on both Twitter and TikTok. Following the Miu Miu SS22 collection’s revealing of the ultra low rise mini skirt, the low rise trend came back in full force, but this time with even lower waistlines.

Celebs like Amelia Gray, Bella Hadid, and Julia Fox became coveted for their gaunt facial structures and their flat tummies, bringing back the desired body type of the 2000s.

Kim Kardashian was also put on the hot seat for losing weight rapidly in order to fit into the famous Marilyn Monroe dress for the 2022 Met Gala, a move that sparked outrage across the internet. Although, in all fairness, losing 16 pounds in two weeks is more likely than completely unhealthy and dangerous for anybody to go through.

“To openly admit to starving yourself for the sake of the Met Gala [when] you know very well that millions of young men and women are looking up to you and are listening to your every word … [the] ignorance is otherworldly disgusting.” Actress Lili Reinhart posted on social media back in May in response to Kim Kardashian’s actions.

The Marilyn Monroe dress debacle on top of the return of low rise bottoms have all served to be a foreshadowing of a returning body trend: thin is in.

This is not only being seen on social media but on the runway as well as it can be seen firsthand the embarrassing lack of body diversity that was especially felt in the European shows. Besides the very few regular plus size models — Paloma Elsesser and Precious Lee come to mind — the runways lately have been feeling way too similar to those of the early 2000s. Narrow waists, thigh

gaps, and flat stomachs are slowly but surely becoming the trend as of late. Brands like Old Navy have ditched their plus size lines because they weren’t instant cash cows and many other brands who market themselves as being plus size friendly don’t reflect that in their instore options. It seems as though the world is regressing and all the progress that has been made on the body positivity front is slowly unraveling.

During a usual TikTok doom scroll, there are a multitude of women donning the lowest of the low rise pants and the comments are filled with phrases like, “thank you for reminding me not to eat” and, “I just picked up a salad”. Terrifying. To have young girls feeling the need to comment these things and perpetuate eating disorders online only to reach an unattainable body type is dangerous and very concerning. It almost seemed like society had progressed past the “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” era that plagued many women. It’s become clear now that society’s love affair with thinness is far from being over

to change their bodies according to what body type is currently “trending”. Additionally, while there is nothing wrong with Y2k fashion making a comeback, accompanying that comeback should not be the mindset that came with it back in the early 2000s. Women do not need to feel like they have to be a size 0 in order to wear low rise jeans, ultra mini skirts, or baby tees. Bigger bodies should feel just as comfy wearing those things as someone in a smaller body would.

As writer Yomi Adegoke stated in her Vogue article, “When women’s bodies are perceived as trends and given the same treatment as clothes, there are no winners, except dieticians and plastic surgeons.”

Courtesy of Vogue, Nylon, Complex

It begs the question: why are women’s bodies still being treated as trends? The shape and size of a woman’s body should not be included in the trend cycle, not now and not ever. Not only is it harmful for women in general, it is specifically harmful to Black and Brown women as well.

“I’ve definitely noticed recently that there has been a shift in white woman influencers and celebrities moving away from the past few years of Blackfishing and appropriating specific phenotypes of Black/Brown people and instead embracing thinness,” says model and human rights activist Maya Finoh. “I see it—and others have voiced similar sentiments—as a moving back toward white womanhood.”

The idea of the “BBL era” being over and the declaration that thickness is allegedly “out” can be interpreted as saying that using Blackness and the naturally curvy bodies of Black and Brown women as an aesthetic is no longer deemed desirable.

There is no right and wrong way for a body to look and women should not have to feel the need

21

clean girl aesthetic Written By: Adis Santoyo

Shayda Vandyoussefi Photos by David Ruff and Emma Duffy

23

With the amount of media that we consume daily, it’s easy to find a new trend to want to participate in.

Whether that be turning jeans into denim skirts, singing along to a song about corn, or buying every product on the market to achieve glazed donut skin. However, some of these trends are not as harmless as they seem.

When it comes to trends in the fashion and beauty space, BIPOC continues to be profited off of, exploited, and forced to live with the repercussions of cultural appropriation in their daily lives.

The Clean Girl aesthetic is a perfect example of relabelling aspects of ethnically tied history and not acknowledging it. With respect to this trend, the Clean Girl is identifiable by the styling of hair, the “effortless” makeup, and the posh look of simplicity in style.

The Sleek Bun Although the style is by no means considered “new”, this new generation of Gen Zers has made it a social media phenomenon. The hairstyle alone brings notes of elegance and goes back to the Hepburn 60s era. However, the look originated from Black and Brown communities. The style has now been noted as a staple in the clean girl aesthetic, donned by, notably and not surprisingly, majority white content creators who gain their followings from participating in trends that Black and Brown content creators create and get no attention for.

“No Makeup” Makeup The next step to the most effortless look is the aspiring Clean Girl makeup. The key components to the look are highlighting the center of the face with light concealer touch-ups, a tinted sunscreen or skin tint, and a naturally flushed color blush. For the lips, typically a brown liner is favored with a light coat of gloss. The term “brownie glazed lips” may ring a bell, a phrase coined

by Hailey Beiber after she did a similar lip combo on her TikTok account. The less detectable the makeup, the better.

Simplicity in Outfits The Clean Girl is a minimalist. Evident in the execution of hair and makeup, the simplicity in appearance and style encapsulates the idea. The look is polished and has that “model-off-duty” look that only an effortless would be able to pull off. Think a white tee, baggy jeans, pointy-toe heels just peeking out under the hem of your pants legs, and an oversized blazer. A lot of the popularity stems from public figures such as Matilda Djerf, Bella Hadid, and Hailey Bieber. Not only is it cute and stylish, but it’s quite easy to pull off as the outfits are comprised of basic closet staples that most people own.

The Unattainable Hierarchy: Race, Body Type, and Social Class While the Clean Girl aesthetic is seen on the outside as an innocent styling of simple and sleek looks, its history and significance is being ignored, contributing to the larger systemic problem of the exploitation of BIPOC, the exclusion of mid to plus size bodies. The trend can be exclusionary and unattainable for those who do not fit the mold, whether that be through bodytype, social class, or race. While intersections can occur, these three components are being ignored in the conversation. Oftentimes on TikTok and Instagram, the only creators being promoted for doing these trends are white. Rather than boost the platforms of the minorities who had a hand in the creation of the trend or pushing creators with different body types, the videos under the hashtag “Clean Girl Aesthetic” are primarily white. This reinforcement of Eurocentric beauty standards only prioritizes harmful beauty standards that the fashion and beauty community should be trying to move away from.

At the end of the day, what is most important is recognizing the privilege trends have and the intrinsic divides they can create. While the Clean Girl aesthetic may appear harmless, it contributes to the popularity of Eurocentric standards and harms the cultures in which these trends are rooted from. Trends should not be undervaluing BIPOC and limiting who can participate.

Instead they should be acknowledging the history and using it to do better.

Courtesy of Byrdie, InStyle, Vice, The Phoenix

25

27

Balletcore Fashion or Fraud?

Written by: Amelia Shaw

S

ocial media has revolutionized the fashion industry in many ways, and the new methods for introducing trends are altering how we interact with fashion. Significant platforms for fashion inspiration, such as Tik Tok, Instagram and Pinterest, are molding how people curate their tastes in clothing, influencing collections and ultimately shaping wardrobes. An interesting phenomenon that is occurring as a result of social media’s influence on fashion is the concept of “aesthetics”. While choosing to dress like a certain aesthetic is nothing new, there is a drastic increase in choosing to not only dress like a specific aesthetic, but to elevate it into more of a lifestyle. This becomes particularly interesting when someone pursues an aesthetic that does not correspond with their lifestyle.

This can be seen in the balletcore aesthetic, where people are dressing in ballet-inspired pieces:

wrap-tops, leg warmers, skirts, bodysuits, ballet flats, and uggs while sporting hues of black, white, and, of course, pastel pink. In combination with the practice of layering and getting decked out in tulle, ribbons, and bows, it doesn’t end there. People are listening to classical music that ballerinas traditionally perform to, doing barre workouts, and doing their makeup akin to those of ballerinas. They have even gone so far as to live the ballerina lifestyle, all while not actually practicing the art of ballet. Therein lies the question:, Is there such a thing as being a “poser” in fashion?

What is the purpose of fashion? Is it more practical or superficial? People have been dressing in clothes made for practical purposes while not wearing it for its intended purpose or crowd for decades. Whether it’s wearing sneakers meant for skating, bikinis made for surfing, or boots built for hiking, it’s not uncommon to wear pieces for

29

aesthetic purposes in lieu of their practical purposes. So is there any harm in wearing a cardigan meant to keep a dancer warm if it’s only keeping you warm on your walk to class? However, instead of wearing a few pieces impractically, it is becoming more common to curate pieces that ignore their intended purposes and are prioritized instead for their aesthetic purposes.

This can be disputed with one item that carries much controversy: pointe shoes. Wearing or posing in pointe shoes is a sensitive topic to many dancers, as they have worked tirelessly to dance in them. There have been many models who have posed in pointe shoes without any pointe experience or even a background in dance, which often results in uproar from the ballet community. In 2016, Vogue Espana had a campaign that featured a video of Kendall Jenner dancing around in pointe shoes and ballet-inspired attire, sending the dance community into a frenzy.

Pointe shoes, while aesthetically pleasing, are incredibly painful to dance, let alone walk in, serving no purpose for people to wear when they are not dancing since casual wear of the shoe is extremely uncomfortable. There is the aspect that dancers spend years working in barre to get to the point of earning their pointe shoes, and that it is a privilege to own and dance in a pair. So is dressing in something to look good only acceptable when the items are not honorable pieces that carry much significance?

The love for balletcore is only spreading.

Urban Outfitters released a line of ballet-inspired casual wear for Spring 2023 simply titled “Balletcore’’, exhibiting that balletcore has reached the level of fascination to comprise a whole line of a popular brand’s spring collection. Designer Miu Miu devotes their brand to the balletcore lifestyle.

Their distinct style flaunts the balletcore color palette, ballet-inspired shoes, plenty of layers, and baggy, comfy clothing. More and more pieces that are modeled after the artform are popping up on runways and in shopping malls across the country. The frenzy is also dominating pop culture, with balletcore images popping up all over social media, television shows, and films. Stars like Sydney Sweeney are selling the soft, balletcore aesthetic, while influencer Luna Montana is promoting the balletcore aesthetic from a lifelong ballerina’s perspective. These two sources offer very similar vibes, showing us that being a ballerina is not as vital to pulling off this aesthetic as some people think.

Courtesy of Hypebae, The Cut, InStyle, Refinery29

Amelia Shaw and Brooklyn Ramos Photos by Emma Duffy

31

Whimsigoth 101

The Aesthetic You Couldn’t Quite Name Until Now

Written by Emily Morris

You’ve definitely seen “whimsigoth” on your TikTok feed, in movies like The Craft, or on your favorite celebrities. It’s the aesthetic you love, but the name you couldn’t quite pinpoint until recently. “Whimsigoth” is just what it sounds like — an aesthetic combining “whimsical” and “gothic.” It’s a style inspired by the gothic and bohemian styles of the 70s and 80s, but has definitely seen a resurgence with the rise of Gen Z and rehabilitation of 90s trends. So let’s breakdown whimsigoth in fashion: what it looks like and feels like, as well as the whimsigoth icons that will inspire your Pinterst boards.

See and Feel the Magic The key words to whimsigoth are: “romance,” “renaissance,” and “victorian.” Whimsigoth colors are usually darker, think deep-colored gemstones (rubies, emeralds, sapphires, etc.), deep earthy neutrals, classic black and gray, and add a hint of silver and gold tarnished metals. Along with gems and metals, one can also find astrological symbols of the sun, moon, and stars in an outfit. Whimsigoth outfits have layers, statement pieces, bold shoes, and a lot of movement especially if you’re wearing a printed maxi-length skirt. Whimsigoth can also be defined with a variety of textures and fabrics that vary quite drastically in look and opacity: velvet, silk, satin, wool, jersey, a loose crochet, or a sheer cotton. The possibilities are endless, and the different fabrics and textures only enhance the visual appeal of layering that is so essential to the aesthetic. Overall, whimsigoth is the perfect style if you want to showcase and embrace your individuality.

Emily Morris Photos by Adamaris Santoyo

Icons and Inspiration Even though whimsigoth is heavily tied to fall and the season of the witch, I think these movies and celebrities prove that the aesthetic is a year-round affair. Many of Hollywood’s “witches” like Steve Nicks and Florence Welch epitomize this aesthetic, especially when they’re on stage performing. Lisa Bonet mastered whimsigoth in the late 80s and early 90s on the red carpet with impeccable layering and her choice of accessories, but she still continues to showcase a whimsigoth look on the red carpet today.

Helena Bonham Carter also takes whimsigoth inspiration with her messy updos and highly structured jackets and dresses. At the moment, my favorite whimsigoth wearer is FKA Twigs. Her eclectic style is mesmerizing, and she enhances a Vivienne Westwood corset by adding a scarf, multi-colored fur-trimmed coat, and multiple gold necklaces with large gemstones.

In television, Sabrina the Teenage Witch showcases a brighter and equally-playful side of whimsigoth in Sabrina’s bedroom and with Sabrina’s fashion. Practical Magic takes place in a perfect whimsigoth Victorian home. Gillian Owen’s, portrayed by Nicole Kidman, exhibits essential whimsigoth pieces like her velvet green dress, small sunglasses, and her solid-colored tank top and skirt combinations. And even without the highschool coven and magic, no movie does whimsigoth better than The Craft. Where each character is dressed individually in their personal style, whimsigoth is alive and breathing in The Craft. The movie features cardigans over slip dresses, lace-up black boots, the various lengths and layers of black coats, and the many stacks of metallic necklaces and earrings. If you’re looking for a place to start on your whimsigoth journey, I cannot recommend these shows and movies enough.

Courtesy of Glamour

33

CHICAGO 2022

TREND WATCH Written By: Emily Morris

Large American music festivals are usually characterized by a certain type of style. Notably, a festival like Coachella sees a multitude of trends both new and old, like two-piece sets, cowboy boots and hats, crochet tops, and jeweled makeup. However, I’ve found that Lollapalooza in Chicago is harder to decipher.

In 2021, I attended the festival for the weekend with FBA’s president Adis Santoyo.

I went to the festival in 2021 on Saturday and Sunday, and I attended last year with Adis, FBA’s President, for the whole four days. I think the majority of my inability to understand trends is because of the high schoolaged crowds, but observing the fashion at the huge gathering has still been fun. Here are a few items I noticed that were popular at Lollapalooza in 2022.

Athleisure

The amount of biker shorts and exercise dresses I saw at Lolla surprised me. My first thought was, “What happened to jean shorts or cute two-piece sets?”

To me, concerts have always been an excuse to curate a plethora of outfits for the length of the festival weekend. But upon further reflection I realized that if someone was going to go for four days, athleisure seemed almost practical. It’s a lot more comfortable to run and sweat in biker shorts than cargo pants, even if my cargo pants have more pockets. The athleisure trend made me think – should we be dressing for photos or practicality?

Hydration Packs

Lollapalooza’s hottest item is hydration packs. In 2021, hydration packs did not look like they fit the festival. I only thought the tubes and backpacks were for the guys at Perry’s Stage all four days. I was so wrong, and I was stupid for not buying one with Adis. The amount of people who had hydration packs at Lolla last year had quadrupled, and for good reason. Hydration packs hold a lot of water, which is essential if you’re going to be in the sun for hours. The packs also have a pocket or two that you can use to hold your phone, keys, and other small items.

They may not come in the cutest of colors, but at Lollapalooza 2023 you will see me with a hydration pack.

Bucket Hats

Both fun and functional, were a popular item at the festival. Not only was Adis donning her white Prada bucket hat, but artists like Tinashe and most of Goth Babe also followed suit. It’s the perfect wearable accessory and sun shield. If you’re going to Lolla all four days, a bucket hat should be included in one of your outfits.

35

Distressed Fashion and Double Standards

Written By: Norhan Zouk 37

In the last few years, the industry has witnessed an emergence of faux-distressed fashion. While garments like ripped jeans have been ubiquitous for decades, the extent to which fashion is being deliberately tattered has gone too far.

Fashion seemingly starts from the top; it has always been that way. New styles debut at high fashion runway shows and, from there, gradually trickle down to retailers. At first, fashion was exclusive, but with time, it has become largely accessible. With the omnipresence of the internet and social media, new styles reach millions of people instantaneously. What is worn by fashion mavens and celebrities on the red carpet or on the street may be found online and in fast fashion retailers in a matter of weeks.

In reality, many of these trends do not actually originate from high fashion.

Streetwear is the most prominent example of this. Originating from the 1980s hip-hop culture of New York City, streetwear has since been emulated by the largest names in the industry, among them being Nike, Gucci, Adidas, and Louis Vuitton. There are a myriad of trends that originated among lower classes that high fashion brands mimic and rebrand. But some of these trends have gone too far. Instead, what we see is essentially a glorification of poverty.

In May, Balenciaga released a new collection of severely distressed sneakers, with prices starting at $495 and running to $1,850—the more destroyed the shoe, the higher the price. But Balenciaga is just one of many perpetrators.

Kanye West’s brand Yeezy notoriously produces severely tattered garments, from denim jackets to pullover sweaters.

The luxury denim brand PRPS released a pair of jeans (and eventually an entire line) tarnished with mud in 2017.

In a blog post about the $425 jeans, Mike Rowe, host of the show “Dirty Jobs” wrote, “Finally, a pair of jeans that look like they have been worn by someone with a dirty job…made for people who don’t”. To add insult to injury, in 2013,

Urban Outfitters CEO Richard Hayne called their typical customer the “upscale homeless person.”

A year later, a pair of Golden Goose sneakers sold for $530 at Nordstroms created a Twitter frenzy as users criticized the dirtied, taped-up shoe for being “awful” and “insensitive” and “mocking poverty.”

Distressed fashion differs from streetwear in the sense that it does not mimic the fashion; rather, it makes a mockery of the hardship faced by marginalized and disadvantaged groups. Fashion involves a component of expressiveness, but torn and dirtied garments are not stylistic choices for many. Designer brands capitalize on these elements and place exorbitant price tags on such items. The people buying these tattered clothes, for the sake of fashion, are typically those privileged enough to replace clothes once they become worn out. Poverty is not an aesthetic, a trend, or an artistic expression. Poverty is not a choice.

Furthemore, the fashion industry is infamously environmentally-hazardous and unethical, being the second largest industrial polluter globally. Achieving that perfect distressed look, while maintaining the quality and endurance of the garment, requires the use of many harsh chemicals that are harmful to the health of factory workers. Furthermore, these chemicals are disposed into bodies of water that pose detrimental threats to aquatic ecosystems and the communities reliant on these waterways.

Apart from distressed fashion, the double standard in fashion among rich and poor are plentiful. Even though thrift stores are intended to cater to those with clothing insecurity, there remains the stigma and shame of shopping second-hand for lower class persons. Yet in recent years, thrifting has become abundant and trendy among affluent shoppers. Younger generations shop and sell on the secondhand markets more than any other age group. This allows for older styles to reemerge on the fashion scene, whereas if only poorer people wore them, they would

continue to be considered outdated.

Consequently, the gentrification of thrift stores has made it harder for those who rely on secondhand shops, as it creates a shortage of the inventory whilst raising the prices of the garments. Similarly, revealing attire, such as styles that are cropped, body-shaping, cut-out, sheer, and so on—are negatively perceived on lower class and marginalized people. It is seen as gross or promiscuous, but when people of higher status adorn these garments, it is regarded as fashionable and desirable.

The glorification of poverty is not new in fashion; not only does it appear in distressed garments, but in many other spheres as well. The fashion industry is egregiously reliant on disadvantaged people—from inspiration, to production, to dissemination—but brands rarely take accountability for their contributions to this ceaseless cycle.

Courtesy of CNN and Forbes

39

BRAND COLOR IDENTITY 41

LETS PLAY A MATCHING GAME All of these brands have staple color palettes that have been ingrained in our minds. However, is it intentional or just a game of luck?

HERMÈS DEISEL TIFFANY Color branding is the first thing that comes to mind when shopping because it is consistently noticed in campaigns and plays with personal psychology. Our brains identify colors with our emotions, which can make or break a sale in many different environments. Playing with color, whether bright or dull, allows your brand’s story to identify itself in larger spaces. In a hyper active space, such as high fashion, having individuality in design and color creates reactions that lure potential customers to buy into the brand’s world. Colors have the ability to either be an eyesore or eye candy, so deciding on what is right for your brand is critcal. It is one of the most important aspects to branding.

Choosing a color because of personal preference is not the way to go about identifying yourself in a commercial space. What are your values? What do you want to perceive about the world? What can identify you in a huge sector that is fashion?

After discussing color identities in a general sense, it is important to see how this is implemented and what is working in the space now. Brands that are killing it right now are Diesel, Tiffany, and Hermes. Whether historically known or recently brand relevant, these three fashion houses have been able to create identifiable campaigns and worldwide recognition from three bold colors: red, blue, and orange.

Tiffany Blue The famously trademarked and Pantone official color “Tiffany Blue” is quoted to not have been a researched choice, however, it is reflective of the time the company began. In 1837, Tiffany’s boutique opened, yet the color was not referenced.

However, as the popularity for blue rose, the brand rose to fame with their tone of the color. Popular for Victorian brides, who gifted brooches with the color to guests and hence was eventually adopted to the jewelry brand. With all of the packaging and branding, the color and boxes allude to luxury and exclusivity. No matter the hue of the color used, the brand is instantly recognized and goes hand in hand with the magic and joy a little Tiffany box can bring.

Hermes Orange Last, but not least, the iconic Hermes orange. No matter what your personal opinion is of the brand, that color alone stands out amongst the rest. Whether digitally viewing Hermes Birkin unboxings or noticing little glances of the citrus hued color on a walk, the color sparks curiosity, interest, and anxiety over the. Each emotion is completely valid for the experiences people have as either prospective clients or engaged customers. However, the history behind the color is very fascinating as it details history and scarcity of raw materials. The brand originally held boxes of cream and gold stampings, yet when World War II began, shortages became extensive and the availability of Hermes packaging became obsolete. A switch from faux pigskin to paper boxes occurred, however, the only color available was the bold orange we see today. While the color was born from hardship and lack of accessible materials, the color is now a symbol of ultra-luxury worldwide. As the theory holds, the color combines optimism and strength. In some cultures, the color also symbolizes royalty and prosperity. The rich history holds true in the color. Hence the decision to switch back to the original color was never a question. Hermes’s brand color remains orange as a nod to emerging optimism during a difficult period.

Diesel Red Diesel started as a fashion casual label focusing on Italian denim. Established in 1976, Enzo Rosso elevated the brand due to the unique styling, but also highlighting their bold colors presented on campaigns internationally. At the core of the brand is the exhibition of passion, individuality, and freedom of expression. With Diesel’s rich history, its logo and color branding have been able to symbolize progress within the brand, while also making space for authority and a bold sense of energy. As seen through fresh takes of innovative ready to wear and haute couture, the brand continues to modernize just as the color was envisioned to do.

Brand identity is at the heart of customers’ connection with a company. The color has power, prestige, and opens connections to a wealthier community. Whether purchasing a smaller keychain or larger handbag, the buy into the brand is a way to fit in. With this, brands know the power they hold and are able to strategically implement plans that will create more success for these houses. While it may appear as all a game of luck, the consequences of said luck is so much more!

Courtesy of Branding Strategy Insider, Madison Avenue Couture, Tiffany & Co. website, La Réserve Magazine

43

ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR READ?

45

TASTEMAKERS ARE THE ONES WHO INFLUENCE THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND ITS CONSUMERS. THEY ARE THE CULTURE SHAKERS AND THE TRENDSETTERS, THE ICONS AND THE ROLE MODELS. FROM FASHION DESIGNERS, TO CELEBRITIES, TO INFLUENCERS, TASTEMAKERS ARE NOT AFRAID TO SET THEMSELVES APART FROM THE CROWD. INSTEAD OF BLENDING IN WITH THE BACKGROUND, THEY STAND OUT, AND PURPOSEFULLY SO. ALL EYES ARE ALWAYS ON THEM.

TASTE MAKERS

47

An American in Paris:

Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli

49

D

aniel Roseberry is the man behind the madness of Schiaparelli, the esteemed fashion house known for its avant-garde designs and devil-maycare attitude. As the creative director, Roseberry brings his own unique blend of playfulness and sophistication to the brand, infusing it with a revived energy that both pays homage to the past and looks towards the future. Roseberry is the first—and only—American to lead a French couture house. With his penchant for unexpected materials, surreal motifs, and impeccable craftsmanship, Roseberry proves time and time again that he is a master of the unexpected and a true iconoclast in the world of fashion.

Leading a French couture house as an American might seem like an impossible task, but Roseberry has accomplished winning over even the most skeptical of critics with his opulent taste and innovative designs. Roseberry delightfully resembles a young Tom Ford at the helm of the Italian fashion house Gucci in the 1990s. Ford’s designs were renowned for their erotic nature, with slinky silhouettes and barely-there fabrics that left little to the imagination. He challenged the notion that women had to dress a certain way to be taken seriously, and instead celebrated their sexuality in all its forms. Beyond hailing from Texas, the designers share much in common.

Perhaps most importantly, both Ford and Roseberry understand the strength of seduction in fashion. Roseberry has breathed new life into Schiaparelli and made the brand distinctly his own.

Roseberry’s perspective as an outsider has allowed him to approach the Schiaparelli brand with fresh eyes.

His designs are daring and boundarypushing, yet still maintain the intricate craftsmanship and attention to detail that

is the hallmark of haute couture. Daniel Roseberry’s designs at Schiaparelli are nothing short of subversive either. They are the embodiment of the “je ne sais quoi” that has made French fashion so legendary, while also managing to flip it on its head in the most captivating of ways.

His designs are like a wink in a crowded room, daring you to join in on the fun.

Take, for example, the “Couch Dress” from Schiaparelli’s Fall 2021 collection. This gown, which is made entirely of upholstery fabric, is a nod to the surrealist art movement that inspired the founder Elsa Schiaparelli herself.

It’s a dress that is both daring and humorous, redefining what is considered “appropriate” in haute couture.

But it’s not just the construction of materials that make Roseberry’s designs so subversive. It’s the way he plays with traditional feminine motifs and reclaims them for the modern woman. His designs are for women who are not afraid to be both delicate and daring, feminine and fierce.

For instance, the “Lips Jacket” from Schiaparelli’s Spring 2021 collection takes a traditional feminine motif—the lips—and puts them front and center on a menswear-inspired jacket. It’s a design that gives women a chance to embrace their femininity while also subverting traditional gender norms.

And then there’s the “Skeletal Gown” from the same collection, a dress that features a trompe l’oeil rib cage made entirely of Swarovski crystals. It’s a design that is both macabre and beautiful, a testament to Roseberry’s ability to blend uncommon elements in a way that is equally whimsical and thought-provoking.

The latest collection by Daniel Roseberry is a triumph of artistry and imagination. In an interview with Vogue, Roseberry mentioned that he drew inspiration from the book “The Sight of the Stars” by Belgian author Karel Capek. The book, published in 1936, is a collection of essays that explores various aspects of the natural world, including animals, plants, and the cosmos. Roseberry has once again outdone himself with a collection featuring animal heads as a central motif. The runway was transformed into a veritable menagerie, with models

striding down the catwalk adorned with the heads of lions, tigers, bears, and even birds of prey.

The animal heads, crafted from a variety of materials including leather, faux fur, and feathers, were striking in their realism and attention to detail.

Each head was paired with an outfit that complemented its characteristics, with the ferocity of the lions and tigers offset by flowing, feminine dresses and gowns.

But this collection was about more than just animal imagery. It was a celebration of the beauty and presence of the natural world, and a call to protect and preserve it. Roseberry’s use of animal heads as a design element was a bold statement on the importance of conservation and animal welfare, urging us to recognize the majesty of these creatures. Despite the controversy that brewed online regarding faux-taxidermy––even PETA lauded Roseberry.

Schiaparelli’s Spring 2023 collection was a tour de force of creativity and modernization, blending animal imagery with haute couture to create a collection that was both visually stunning and intellectually provocative. It was a celebration of the natural world and a call to action—a siren song for those who love beauty and want to safeguard it.

Daniel Roseberry’s designs at Schiaparelli are an enchanting rebellion against the status quo. They are the personification of the house’s unorthodox essence, while also managing to push it even further into the future. They are designs for women who are unafraid to be both beautiful and bold, feminine and fierce, and they are a true testament to the power of individuality and innovation in the fashion universe.

Courtesy of Vogue and Schiaparelli website

Note: Necklace is a Schiaparelli Recreation

51

golden hour

53

The Great Dissociation Written by: Jack Couser

The return of another looming economic crisis and feelings surrounding it have made way for anti-influence, more money conscious TikTok trends, and staple shopping at Aritzia (see their recent collaboration with Emma Chamberlain), generally more popular with swaths of younger consumers. Yet, something about this newer attitude towards shopping seems… mature?

Almost harkening back to our parent’s generation of more frugal shopping, out of necessity. Mature-core maybe? It seems incongruent with what has been the standard for the past 5 years, let alone 20. How, though, can this new school of shopping thought push itself through all the “buy, buy, buy, new essential piece of the week” mindset all of social media has subscribed to for so long? Yet also survive with the way we’ve been influenced for years? It feels almost hypocritical that we are being influenced to purchase staple pieces, while also being influenced to continue purchasing more…? We’re expected to find our own unique style by looking towards (and copying) others who already have their own.

This conflict of motivations is hard to follow, yet it plays out in so many of our heads. Whether we realize or not, we are struggling for individual influence over a mass of other, very loud external influences. Some people associate closely with certain aesthetics that aid them in guiding their spending habits and lifestyle choices: a newer form of subculture. Some people gravitate towards aesthetics guided simply by other-ness (like the weird-girl aesthetic, which seemingly delivers the natural essence of a person’s style that would otherwise look abnormal if it didn’t somehow, kind-of work). Regardless, each genre of trend hopping carries its own sphere of influence.

Tastes are changing to accommodate our more disheveled and confused generation, unsure of whether they should consume as they are programmed to, or buckle down and prepare for the worst, but still look somewhat good in the process sporting staple trench coats and cable-knit sweaters. What used to belong to discernible subcultures, trends and aesthetic dressing take the place of identity searching, but in the process this expression emphasizes the disposability of trend and something-core (e.g. normcore, cottagecore) aesthetics making fashion and identity

effectively more disposable. Beyond this search for identity being trashed, consumers are having to face discourse about real and perceived authenticity between their real and online personalities in order to reconcile the difference between their ideal and actual selves, who today can live together. Does our bracing for a negative economic outlook somehow allow us to give into our worst selves? To continue to consume, in the face of pure economic bleakness and a sore and unsure sense of authentic self, it feels like the only thing to do is lean into the fantasy of our inauthentic-authentic selves to put some light at the end of the tunnel.

By trying to take full ownership of one’s identity though, to escape trends, one charts the course of “deinfluence,” which has started to gain traction as its own trend. In other words, regardless of whether you stop following trends or not, you would still be following a trend. Everything is trendy. Whether you show your authentic self, or inauthentic self, you would still be authentic. Everything can be perceived as authentic. With the current approach to identity attributed style, trend followers are left to adjust fragmented pieces of their identities online, working a balancing act between real and augmented self. If not to be perceived by other people, we dress in person to meet some criteria of the community we associate with, but online we associate more with that community? We live in a moment in time where our actual reality and ideal can exist at the same time, in person and online.

Are we okay with this though? That in the face of what is coming we are growing more comfortable living in our extended persona, not entirely based in reality? Maybe the disillusionment will be what encourages a new wave of designers to give meaning to subcultural style again. Or at least, maybe, it will be what brings us out of the harder times to come.

Courtesy The Business of Fashion, BRICKS Magazine, Vox

55

PETER DO

Brooklyn Ramos Photos by David Ruff and Emma Duffy

Reinventing Tailoring

W rit

ten

By

:A

lex

Ma

ro

o ti

an

57

In the world of modern luxury fashion, it can feel like the individual designer is given less power than ever. Multi-house conglomerates like LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), Kering and many others hold almost all the cards in the luxury space. They monopolize an industry that, while advertising creativity and individuality, increasingly feel like those two ideas are the last thing on the mind of the creative director of these houses. It is then easy to feel some type of nostalgia or yearning for the 80s and 90s. This was a time when iconic independent designers like Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang and many more were first coming onto the scene. They represented a shift in the fashion space, championing a unique creative vision that was not regulated by pure profit margins.

Many of these houses have aged into institutions of the independent and avant garde fashion space, but the ability for new talent to show collections and enter the fashion conversation has become an increased rarity. If a new independent designer isn’t immediately gobbled up by a major luxury house to work on copy paste collections, then the ability to get one’s collection noticed in the sea of social media, viral moments and superficial consumption might feel impossible. Yet, Peter Do has done exactly that. Coming out of FIT and off a formative first job at Celine under Phoebe Philo, Do has been able to capture the energy of these 80s and 90s creatives, championing design and vision over pure product.

Peter Do was born in Vietnam and moved to America when he was 14.

His interest in fashion started first in high school, when he started participating in his high school art club and created clothing out of items such as trash bags and cardboard boxes. Do then went on to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) where he received the LVMH graduate prize in 2014. As part of this prize, Do was given the opportunity to work at one LVMH-owned brand, and he chose Celine. Do did not choose Celine at random, as he was a great admirer of the creative director, Phoebe Philo. Any fashion nerd knows how iconic Philo’s Celine was, how her minimalist design with an attention to detail was center stage collection after collection This aesthetic fit right in with Do’s burgeoning aesthetic of clean lines, suiting and an intelligent simplicity.

Do worked at Celine for a few years in Paris, returning to the US to work briefly under Derek Lam before starting his namesake brand in 2018. Do’s first show was at New York Fashion Week in 2021, and from that point on his popularity has risen exponentially. In just a few short years, Do has become a mainstay at luxury destinations such as Bergdorf Goodman and SSENSE and his designs have been worn by the likes of Zendaya and Beyoncé. But what makes Do’s clothes so good, and what about them communicates his unique vision and individuality?

It is important to first understand Do’s primary influences and role models, learning how their work and artistic identity ties into Do’s work. Do cited his early influences in fashion to be Alexander McQueen and John Galliano.

These two designers have become icons in fashion history for fusing concepts with design. While both designer’s shows were often grandiose and bombastic, the core of the clothing was always rooted in serious dedication to craftsmanship. McQueen specifically started his fashion career not at school but working for a tailor on Savile Row, a street in London known for its abundance of world class tailors. Even when McQueen was creative director at Givenchy, he always collaborated closely with the atelier team that would actually be constructing his garments, a rarity then and especially now among creative directors at big fashion houses.

Do further sights Martin Margiela and Phoebe Philo as his biggest fashion inspirations during college and when he was working. In the 90s, Margiela started a fashion revolution by combining deconstruction and avant-garde upcycling with, just like McQueen and Galiano, a dedication to his craft and to his atelier. Even Margiela’s brand is synonymous with the color white, not just as a metaphor for stripping back things to their most simplistic, but because white is the color of the atelier staffs’ work clothes. Margiela also famously has remained anonymous, almost never giving interviews and hiding his face (an affection Do had started doing as well, many pictures of Do show his hand obscuring his

59

face). And, as mentioned before, Phoebe Philo’s dedication to minimalism, and like all other Do role models, craft and skill, made her work specifically at Celine an instant success. All of these influences, both historical and contemporary, are evident in Do’s clothes, but reinterpreted with his own vision and design language.

Do’s minimalist color palette, sharp tailoring and attention to detail combine to make him a natural extension of work pioneered by his fashion influences. In each Peter Do collection their is bound to be, for example, his take on a suit. Be it traditional tailoring with a cut-out in the back and legs, super oversized blazers with contrast needle thread along sewing lines (a personal favorite and perpetual thing that I will one day own and wear forever) or a super cropped blazer with wide leg pants and a deconstructed take on a cummerbund. All of these pieces, either done in white, black or some type of earth tone, strike that perfect balance of wearability and innovative design.

A Peter Do suit is one that would make up the ideal workplace, wearing the conventional suit, with a tailor’s eye, is deconstructed and reconstructed to be a whole lot more interesting. Do takes this same eye to more casual items, shirts and sweaters featuring extended sleeves and dropped shoulders. His newer accessories fully round out his subversive aesthetic. Heeled boots have exaggerated proportions and a chunk silhouette, and oversized shoulder bags feel like the perfect bag for a futuristic wall street banker. Do is also notable for his approach to androgynous design. Much of Do’s clothes could be worn by any gender, and his clean minimalist design does not imply any binary

gender role. Even the clothes measurements are often relatively oversized, with square shoulders and wide chests that will conform to any body type.

Do’s approach to design has become the very antithesis to the current corporate-controlled luxury fashion space.

Do doesn’t need to have viral instagram moments. He doesn’t stack his runways with celebrities and influencers. He doesn’t even try to create an over-the-top media friendly persona, looking to make himself anonymous to push his work to the forefront. In the world of fast fashion, 1 week of Tik Tok trends and overconsumption, Do speaks to an audience that wants to cherish their clothes. Do urges us to look at fashion not as a media stunt or as a form of social acceptance, but practical clothes with the unique vision of a skilled creative. Do epitomizes the golden age of independent designers in the 80s and 90s, and hopefully can help bring the fashion industry back to skill, originality and individuality.

Courtesy of Dazed Magazine, The Business of Fashion, The StyleZeitgeist Podcast, W Magazine, British Vogue

61

Z O N

by Ben Whitt & Gabriel Jauny I’m Ben Witt, currently a sophomore at George Washington University studying Economics and Data Science but looking to branch those skills into the creative world. I’m Gabriel Jauny, also a sophomore at George Washington University. I major in Psychology, but design has always been a part of my life. We started ZON because we wanted to have a creative outlet, and starting a brand would allow us to profit and therefore work on it long-term. This is something we see growing far past our time at college, and we are very excited to share it with the world.

Q: What inspired you to start a business?

Ben: I’ve always had the desire to be an entrepreneur, from selling drawings to neighbors to trying to sell computers. I always sought opportunities to run my own business .

Gabe: Being the son of an entrepreneur, I’ve always admired the idea of creating. As it turned out, creating a company satisfied that ideal.

Q: What inspired you to go on a creative path?

Ben: After being inspired by my stepmom in third grade, I had been honing my photoshop knowledge for almost a decade. I love messing around and seeing what I can create, and it feels exciting to find a way to monetize this passion.

Gabe: From my youngest age, my mom has always encouraged me to draw while my dad encouraged me to play music. As it turned out, I’ve dedicated myself more to drawing, and ever since then it’s never really left me.

Q: What led the two of you to work together?

Ben: I had known since I met Gabe that he had a talent for art, first evident when I saw him randomly sketching dope designs on wet floor and traffic signs that I had laying around my dorm. Since then, he has come up with countless cool ideas for ZON that have been extremely exciting to work with.

Gabe: After I watched my sketched design of a custom baseball cap come to life through Ben’s use of photoshop, I noticed we were perfect complements. I am far more proficient with a pencil and paper than I am on a computer, and Ben is able to pick up on that shortcoming.

We have no linear or defined formula for our creative process. Rather, there tends to be certain patterns of actions A first step we use in starting a creative endeavor with each other is finding a shared vision. Our earliest brainstorming sessions saw us spending hours on instagram, finding niche fashion accounts from which we drew inspiration. We discussed cuts, color palettes, and designs and compiled the elements that we thought were the strongest and most effective.

During our many instagram brainstorming sessions, we talked about anything and everything, constantly exchanging our unique aspirations. It is very common for one of us to share an idea, have Gabe sketch it out, and then go back and forth exchanging tweaks to the design we would like to see made. Many sketches are produced and when lucky, we land a design that we know has potential. Currently, Ben has a slight obsession with space travel, which we decided we could use as a creative basis. For Gabe, as a person who’s skilled in drawing but lacked a clear vision, it was kumbaya! To us, space was clearly a dope source of inspiration. From space travel derived fashion, to the stellar bodies of universe, and to the fact that we love the photography in Sci-Fi space movies, it was a no brainer. We also enjoy the minimalist streetwear aesthetic focused on simple color palettes rather than graphic designs or obsessive branding, and a large part of our efforts have been focused on merging these elements.

We don’t limit ourselves in the possibilities that we see for ZON, we believe our brand should have the potential to delve into any industry that it wishes to. We are seeking to build a brand that we can evolve into new spaces for years to come, not just make a few bucks with some clothing items. ZON has become more than a project or a creative outlet for us; it has become part of our purpose. And we are extremely excited to see where we take it, and where it takes us.

63

keep flippin’ pages

65

Breaking Walls: From the Middle East Onwards

T

he region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) boasts a diverse and colorful fashion history from Palestine’s thobes and Armenia’s taraz, all the way to Egypt’s kaftan. The modest dresses with rich and deep colors of golds, reds, blues, greens, textured fabrics, and important motifs like the Hamsa are hard to miss when paired with gold bracelets, rings, and/or necklaces.

Nowadays, the evil eye, which is worn as jewelry or hung up in homes throughout MENA to protect against hostile forces and bring good luck, has gained immense popularity in the West. Its influence has taken over TikTok and Gen Z, and companies have produced evil eye accessories such as necklaces and rings. Many people have also painted the evil eye on canvas tote bags or their nails, or they have taped up art prints of the symbol on their bedroom walls. However, in an era of fast fashion and a lack of knowledge about the history and importance of these motifs that are a part of MENA culture, there needs to be an uplift of MENA fashion designers and creators who are working hard to break through the fashion and business industry.

For example, one of my favorite designers is Zuhair Murad who has marked his presence internationally with his haute couture and ethereal bridal dresses and accessories. Many of his designs are loved by top Hollywood celebrities and royals like Blake Lively, Sandra Bullock, and Princess Sofia, a member of the Swedish royal family. Zuhair Murad, born in 1971 in Ras Baalbek, Lebanon, had a visible interest in fashion from an early age. At ten-years-old, he drew and sketched dresses while his friends played with toy cars and planes. When he was fourteen-years-old, Murad won a TV contest with three outfits that defined his personal style. After completing high school, he moved to Paris to develop his skills and obtain a fashion degree. When Murad returned to Lebanon in 1997, he opened his first atelier in Beirut, and three years later, he debuted with his couture collection during Haute Couture Week in Paris, gaining global attention. In 2005, he launched his first ready-to-wear collection, reflecting the brand’s image of sensuality and beauty. Since then, Murad’s company has expanded to include more than 100 showrooms, boutiques, etc. in cities like Shanghai, Paris, and London.

67

What makes Zuhair Murad so unique? Well, it has to do with the sensuality and femininity of his wedding dresses and the fact that he cuts and designs the clothes to frame and highlight a woman’s natural body shape. Not to mention the lace, embroidery, rubies, and diamonds that adorn his pieces catch many eyes on and off the runway.

Murad’s creations have long-dominated the red carpets of the Oscars, Met Gala, and Golden Globes with celebrities like Marion Cotillard and Priyanka Chopra wearing his dresses. In 2019, Adele went viral for wearing one of his dresses to her concert, which took more than 500 hours to make with 10,000 hand-sewn Swarovski crystals. Murad also designed the bridal gown of Sofia Vergara, which took 1,657 hours to make with 350 hand beaded crystals and hundreds of pearls. Just from this information alone, it is no surprise that Zuhair Murad is now one of the greats of haute couture.

Zuhair Murad’s Spring/Summer 2023 couture collection during Paris Fashion Week did not disappoint as his popularity continues to soar. He stated that inspiration for the collection was from the Belle Époque period, specifically the French Riviera (1970). He channeled the romantic and sexy vibe of airy materials like tulle, chiffon, and draped jersey with beaded fringe and pearl-studded interpretations of macramé. His collection was also reminiscent of Hollywood’s golden era with crystals, tonal embroideries, and feathers. Even though Murad’s bridal gowns were made with macramé embroidery, different from the past, it still caught the eyes of those sitting in the front row.

Another fashion designer to keep a lookout for is Paria Farzaneh, an Iranian London-based menswear designer. Farzaneh has made a name for herself as she focuses on showcasing her history and culture beyond the negative portrayals in the media about Iran and the MENA. Thus, her collections are composed of traditional Iranian prints, calligraphy, detailed embroidery, and colors like reds and beiges in the form of casual tracksuit-inspired jackets and cargo pants. She combines her Western upbringing with her Iranian roots to create urban aesthetic pieces.

model for her brand’s looks. She also sources many of her signature patterned textiles from Isfahan, Iran, the city known for its textiles and rugs. The florals, paisleys, and motifs are done by hand using the ancient tradition of Ghalamkar, in which hand-carved wood blocks are used to stamp patterns onto cloth one color at a time.

The dyes are plant-based and include saffron, turmeric, and pomegranate, and the pieces are washed in a river and dried under the sun. Greens, whites, and reds representing Iran’s national colors (as well as khaki colors) are the most prominent throughout Farzaneh’s clothes. It is no surprise then that Iran is one of the biggest inspirations for her as she frequently visits there. She wants to tell the world about the colors, rugs, textures, and beauty of Iran through fashion so people can appreciate it and change their narrative in more positive ways than what the media puts out. She conveys individuality in her pieces and attempts to push those who wear them to embrace openness since masculinity is still a touchy subject in the West.

Farzaneh’s works have also reached audiences like Frank Ocean and BTS. Frank Ocean was seen wearing one of her T-shirts onstage at London’s Lovebox Festival in 2018. BTS, a Korean boy band, wore FW 2018 customized menswear which earned Farzaneh attention from their fan base over her unique printed hoodies and embroidered pants that the members wore.

In the end, why does all of this matter? As someone who is of Iranian and Armenian origin and is interested in expressing myself with the clothes and accessories I wear every day, I want my identity and the beauty and culture of the Middle East and North Africa to be known. It is important to look beyond the harmful information that the media puts out about MENA and to instead, amplify the voices of those who are from the region. In this case, fashion designers like Zuhair Murad and Paria Farzaneh whose brands are inspired by their Lebanese and Iranian roots. For them, clothing and fashion is a way to convey who they are as individuals.

Courtesy of Vogue, Fashion Encyclopedia, Fashion Elite, The National, Hypebeast, Dazed, Blanc, Orley Shabahang, Kayhan Life

For a little background information, Paria Farzaneh was born into an Iranian family who immigrated to the United Kingdom before she was born. She grew up in Yorkshire, and a year after she earned her fashion design degree from Ravensbourne University, she launched her label. Her love for making clothes runs in her family. Her grandfather was a tailor who made suits and this skill was passed onto her grandmother, her mother, and eventually herself. As a result, her childhood years were the basis of her wanting to become a fashion designer.

The Farzaneh family continues to impact Farzaneh’s career as she sometimes has her father

Written By: Shayda Vandyoussefi

Shayda Vandyoussefi, Sophie Behzadi, and Bettina Saraydaroglu Photos by Emma Duffy

69

CHER’S C

CLOSET

THE RICH MAN’S CLOSET: HOW CHER HAS (AD)DRESSED MODERN FEMINISM WRITTEN BY: AVA ZOHN

Ava Zohn 71 Photos by Caroline Mrdeljia

Fashion is a powerful tool for self expression.

It also plays a part in asserting our basic human rights, especially in the feminist movements throughout the last hundred years. Whether it was with the invention of bloomers in the late 1800s, or crop tops almost a century later, fashion has provided women with a creative outlet for a task as mundane as clothing yourself. This is part of what feminism and women’s empowerment is all about: providing all female-presenting people the right to recognize their self-worth and the ability to make their own choices. Beloved actress and singer, Cher, has especially been an advocate of this, dressing in what allows her to confidently express herself. Cher has been, and continues to be, an unapologetic feminist throughout her fifty-plus years in the industry.

In a recent interview with Vogue, the 76 year old star recalled some of her most iconic looks, saying, “My style was pretty much what I was wearing at the moment, no matter what anyone else was doing.”

Cher’s vast career sparked in 1965 after marrying her musical partner, Sonny Bono, and releasing their hit single “I Got You Babe.” From then on, the duo’s careers skyrocketed as they released more music and eventually sang their way to host their own TV show titled The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour in the early ‘70s. Cher’s style on the program notably caught the public’s eye due to her contentious outfits. Controversy ignited, however, as she started taking more and more fashion risks; even going so far as to being the first woman to show her navel on American television. This was an especially radical achievement given the cultural zeitgeist of the time.

The mastermind working behind the scenes to create these daring looks was maximalist fashion designer, Bob Mackie. Mackie and Cher worked together synergistically, and their desire to step outside of the box was definitely acknowledged. Whether Cher ended up on the best dressed list or the worst, they created several iconic looks together for her various award shows (including the Emmys, Golden Globes, Grammys and the Kennedy Center Honors to name a few).

“Cher never wanted to be like the lady next door and she never cared if people didn’t approve,” Mackie says in a 2017 interview with Billboard. “Her approach to red carpets was always ‘Let’s give them something to look at.’ It was about fun.”

In regards to his personal inspiration for Cher’s looks, Mackie says he took much inspiration from his old-school Hollywood training, including style icons Marlene Dietrich and Josephine Baker. The two women

were known for their glamorously adorned feathers and shimmer, much like the lavish scenes of the 1920s.

Decades later, even if the trend wasn’t “in” anymore, Cher still made it her own.

Recent celebrities and designers have even taken inspiration from Cher’s looks, including Kim Kardashian, Emily Ratajkowski, and Zendaya. You can see them in Cher-esque attire in social media photoshoots or on the red carpet. Most outfits are filled with her signatures, like sequins and fun textures.

You can also see Cher-isms in collections like Jeremy Scott for Moschino’s new 2023 resort collection which he describes as “Cher 1976 on holiday.” His designs feature the whimsy of the ‘60s and ‘70s, embellished with effervescent colors and innovative crochet designs.

Some of the models are even posed with the famed long, black hair, as well.

Not only has Cher immortalized herself as a fashion and cultural icon, but she did it on her own terms. Her individual style and outward confidence speak loudly.

In a 2019 interview with Forbes she says, “I’ve never compromised who I am, not ever. If I’ve gotten anywhere in my life it has been on my own merits.”

Feminism and empowerment, in this case, are all about respecting the benign choices people make as truly their own. While some may not agree with them, it doesn’t make the opinion less valid. Cher has managed to convey this phenomenon with her own unique style and charisma. She epitomizes the joy of using fashion to celebrate femininity and the power of creative expression.

Courtesy of Vogue, Forbes, Time, Billboard, World Vision, YouTube, StyleCaster

73

American Apparel

A Look at the Controversial Clothing Brand’s Legacy Written by Brooklyn Ramos.

Photos by Emma Duffy.

Starring Bella Kelly, Jack Couser, Taiwo Oseni, Lucia Krekorian, Troi Leigh, and Eve Harclerode.

The Rise and Fall

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, American Apparel was one of the most discussed clothing brands in the world.

Known for its simple and classic designs and basic color palette, the brand had a distinctive aesthetic that appealed to a wide range of consumers. Its advertising campaigns were equally distinctive, featuring provocative images of models in various states of undress and slogans that celebrated individuality and selfexpression. However, behind the scenes, American Apparel was a company in turmoil.

Dov Charney, American Apparel’s founder, was known for his controversial management style and was the subject of numerous allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct even settling five major sexual harrassment lawsuits by 2017. In addition, the brand was accused of labor violations, including failing to pay workers overtime and requiring them to work in unsafe conditions.

The provocative nature of the brand’s advertising campaigns has been criticized for objectifying women and reinforcing harmful stereotypes as well. Many advertisements focused on porn-like scenes of nude women in bed and did not even show the brand’s clothing, but rather sold sex to promote the brand.

75

Despite these controversies, American Apparel continued to thrive. American Apparel was popular for its vertically integrated production model, allowing it to manufacture its own garments in the United States. This was seen as a large step in the right direction for fashion sustainability, which was an important aspect of the brand and was also influential in the purchasing decisions of the brand’s young target market. American Apparel targets men and women from the ages of 18-34; this includes young Millennial and Gen Z customers who care about the future of the Earth and want to reduce pollution while still enjoying the fashion that they love.

The brand’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity also won it many fans, particularly among younger consumers who valued individuality and authenticity.

American Apparel has hired models of many races and ethnicities, but it truly stands out from other brands when it comes to the styling choices of their clothing and the ability for their consumers to do so as well.

The brand is known for its basics, offered in many colors and patterns, allowing consumers to mix and match pieces according to their own aesthetics and personal styles. The basics of American Apparel allow consumers to pick what shirt they want to go with their skirt, and

what they want to layer over their pieces to make them really stand out amongst the crowd, making sure to never be caught in the same outfit as someone else. However, as the years went on, the controversies surrounding American Apparel began to take a toll on the company.

In 2015, the company filed for bankruptcy, citing declining sales and mounting debt. It was eventually sold to Canadian company Gildan Activewear, marking the end of an era for the brand.

The legacy of American Apparel is complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, the brand’s commitment to individuality and inclusivity was ahead of its time, and its advertising campaigns helped to challenge traditional gender roles and beauty standards. American Apparel was one of the first brands to not edit out pubic hair or nipples from their female models, something real-life that was constantly hidden by other fashion brands and created a false standard for their young consumers.

They also ran ads that featured androgynous dressing as well as unisex clothing that were featured on both male and female models on their website. For many consumers, American Apparel represented a more ethical and sustainable alternative to fast fashion brands that relied on sweatshop labor and environmentally damaging production methods.

The End of an Era.

On the other hand, the controversies that plagued the brand can be seen as undermining its commitment to individuality and inclusivity. The allegations of sexual harassment and labor violations suggest that the brand’s values were not fully realized in its day-to-day operations, and, inappropriately, the dishonest branding may have been used as a ploy to garner customers. While the brand’s aesthetic and marketing strategies were undeniably effective in capturing the attention of consumers, they were not enough to sustain the brand in the long term. In the end, the controversies that surrounded American Apparel overshadowed its achievements and contributed to its demise.

Courtesy of The Guardian, The Fashion Law, Vox, Harvard Business School

77

R

RIBBO

VINTAGE

RIBBON VINTAGE

RIB

CURRENT OBSESSION

VINT

R

RIBBONS AND

VINTAGE CHARMS

ONS AND RIBBO

GE CHARMS VINTAG go find a good antique store

or your mom’s button box or jewels

NS AND RIBBON

CHARMS VINTAGE

BBONS AND RIB save a ribbon from a present

or head to the craft store for one

TAGE CHARMS VINT

RIBBONS AND

VINTAGE CHARMS loop it through and wrap it twice

tie a bow and you have a necklace

79

Ava Zohn Photos and Written by Emma Duffy

Shein, the largest e-commerce clothing brand in the world, is pronounced “Shang-yin” in Chinese, which translates to “addiction.” The brand has preyed on Gen Z’s trend obsession to become the most popular fashion brand in the world despite its adverse effects on its employees and the environment. Its business model consists of stealing viral clothing designs, remaking the items for low prices, and having influencers sell the products with TikTok hauls.

Then, in a few weeks, when the trend is over, the clothing item is deemed “canceled,” thrown out of closets, and taken off of Shein’s site.

Shein, valued at $100 billion, is also the world’s most searched fashion brand of 2022, topping searches in 113 countries. In 2020, fast fashion company Zara was the world’s top search with first place in 37 countries while Shein, however, did not make it onto that list.

“No one knows Shein’s secret formula,” said the Observer about the successful start-up founded by private Chinese entrepreneur Chris Xu. “And no one truly knows how bad it is behind the scenes.” Shein is “the least transparent of the fast fashion companies we evaluate,” Remake quotes, a company that grades other companies’ ethical practices.

The fashion industry relies on supply chain transparency to hold each other accountable, and for Shein, only 700 of their 6,000 factories are traceable.

Remake gave Shein a 0 out of 150, stating its business model is a “recipe for human rights and labor rights violations.” Their cotton comes from Xinjiang, where genocide and forced labor occur. Most clothing brands have cut ties with that Chinese territory, except Shein. The factories employ migrant workers without employment contracts and break Chinese labor law by working for 12 hours daily.

Shein promotes long hours by paying employees per item.

“These workers are cooped up in a dangerous factory with no windows all day just so some teenage girl can get a cheap trendy dress to wear to a party,” Colette Momartin, a GW student who limits her fashion purchases by using a capsule wardrobe, said. Shein prides itself on efficiency, and customers boast about low prices. However, are maximized revenue and minimized costs worth it when it’s on the backs of the underpaid migrant workers?

Not only does Shein put their employees in danger, but the clothing’s materials also harm the environment and customers. For example, a Canadian watchdog found a Shein’s children’s jacket had 20 times the amount of lead safe for children, according to Health Canada. Also, Shein’s clothing leaks microplastics and pollutants for up to 200 years after it’s left in a landfill, according to Stacker.

“I stopped buying from Shein because the clothing falls apart after one wash,” Katarina Hamady, a GW student, who used to love Shein’s cheap and trendy clothing, said.

Shein’s clothing is known to be worn once and thrown out, which endangers the world’s fashion waste crisis. However, if your Shein shirt stays intact in the first wash, it’s likely to be deemed “out of style” by your next wear.

Shein’s fast production follows today’s trend cycles. Social media has influenced microtrends that only last for days to months, whereas trends used to last around 20 years.

Shein uses an algorithm to track social media trends and replicate these styles in a few days.

According to Wired, Shein releases 1.3 million new styles annually, averaging 6,000 styles daily. In comparison, other fast fashion beasts like Zara list 35,000 styles annually.

Shein matches the timing of quick trend cycles, so only 6% of Shein’s styles are offered for more than 90 days, BBC news reported.

Shein has risen with TikTok, which churns trends faster than any platform we’ve seen before. Clothing items trend just as fast as songs or filters on TikTok. Since Shein already has designs of so many styles, “if an item goes viral online (likely via TikTok), the retailer can quickly ramp up the volume of orders in stock to accommodate the load,” Matthew Brennan, an analyst in Beijing, said.

The hashtag “#shein” has 46 billion views on TikTok and works with influencers to spread the word about their dupes and new styles. Shein appeals to influencers with deals other fashion brands can’t compete with: free items, higher-than-average commission on sales, and a flat rate per video with no “exclusivity” contract.

TikTok glorifies fashion styles to influence shoppers to make a new purchase. “Do I actually like the dress, or have I just seen it 40 times on my Tiktok “For You” page, and now I think I need it?” Hamady asks herself before making a purchase. Gen Z’s obsession with social media causes them to alter their opinions based on what they see. Therefore, they will likely agree if they see your favorite influencer approving a style. However, once opinions become negative, they want to take that item out of their closet and throw it in the trash to save themselves from being off-trend.

Shein has capitalized on these trend-addicted social media users, becoming the world’s most popular clothing brand.

Social media users are so obsessed with fitting in that they blatantly ignore dangerous labor practices, environmental damage, and design stealing to have an on-trend outfit.

81

Let’s put Shein’s production and marketing schemes into perspective with an example: House of Sunny’s “Hockney Dress,” or as Shein called it, “Wave Pattern Sweater Dress.” House of Sunny is an independent fashion brand that prides itself on its slow fashion and ethically made products. The brand had a moment of virality in July 2020 when model Kendall Jenner posted on Instagram wearing their green “Hockney dress.”

According to what we know of their private business model, we can imagine how Shein’s dupe came to be. First, Shein’s algorithm, which tracks social media posts, found the dress, and the brand’s in-house designers quickly replicated the design. Next, Shein factories produce the dress in a micro-batch of 50-100 pieces. Quickly, the “Wave Pattern Sweater Dress” was released three days after Kendall Jenner’s Instagram post on Shein’s site.

In those three days, the dress gained more popularity on TikTok. Immediately, influencers promoted the $19 copy of the $128 dress, bragging that they “found a dupe for Kendall Jenner’s viral dress!” After that, orders start piling in, and workers spend 12-hour days fulfilling them.

Suddenly, the narrative of the dress changed. Hamady remembers thinking, “I’m so tired of seeing this dress, everyone has it, and it’s overdone at this point,” about the 2020 trend. The dress was “canceled.” TikTok deemed it uncool, and those who bought the dress threw it away so that people’s perception of them didn’t follow the dress’s narrative. Until some form of action is taken against the fast fashion company, this never-ending cycle will only continue to repeat itself at the expense of employees and social media users alike.

Courtesy of BBC, Stacker, Remake, Money.co.uk, Wired

83

INCLUSIVE TURNED EXCLUSIVE Photos by Emma Duffy Written by Amelia Shaw

Has the evolution of secondhand shopping made it impractical?

The fashion industry faced an onset of problems at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. A crippling recession plagued the country, and the environmental costs of the fashion industry were gradually exposed.

With this exposure came a demand for a more feasible way to engage with fashion under these circumstances. In the last decade, secondhand shopping or “thrifting” has become increasingly popular. Fighting the rooted taboos of “Goodwill” and “Used Clothes”, now thrifting is not only socially acceptable, but a craze in fashion. With models, actors, and influencers flaunting their thrifted vintage goods and sharing their thrifting experiences on social media, fashion’s direction is becoming more affordable and sustainable. However, what started as a movement

to access cheap clothes in an environmentally conscious manner, is now heading in a new direction.

The rise of secondhand shopping was swift, starting with social media destigmatizing the practice of this habit. Starting on Tumblr, Instagram, and YouTube, where “alternative” or “grunge” influencers began to reveal that their clothes were thrifted and showing how and where they shop for their unique clothes. This began to rapidly spread, and soon teens and young adults were flocking to their nearby thrift stores to buy affordable clothing. The craze led to the rise of various platforms like Poshmark, FaceBook Marketplace, Depop, and ThredUp making it more convenient to shop second hand. Simultaneously, curated consignment stores rose in popularity, popping up more rapidly.

Thrifting is now a common practice, especially among Gen Zers. However, with a rise in demand comes an uptick in prices. On many online secondhand platforms, prices have drastically increased, most notably on Depop, where previously unwanted clothes gathering dust in the back of closets are now being sold for $100 a piece simply because they’re deemed “vintage”. This phenomenon is not limited to online purchases, with curated vintage stores overpricing vintage pieces because of the high demand for vintage and unique clothing.

Thrifting has been displaying many inequities within society, the most obvious being class. Before social media, thrifting was a way for low income households to purchase clothes at an affordable price. They were able to get a reliable selection of clothing that may not be the most trendy, but offered choices sufficient to be stylish on a budget. Thrifting is the only way some low income families can afford clothing, and that is now being threatened by people in search of a distinct style.

Size inclusivity is another hindrance to thrifting equity as well. With the whole clothing supply being dependent on what people want to get rid of, when predominantly tall and slim people donate clothing, this puts anyone who does not adhere to certain measurements to a disadvantage. In addition, people with small frames have the advantage of being able to shop in a variety of departments, crossing gender and age gaps, shopping in both the men’s, women’s, and kid’s departments.

With this flexibility, they buy the most desirable pieces, leaving little to nothing for everyone else.

The direction of secondhand shopping is contrary to the original purpose of thrifting.

Thrifting is primarily about searching for fun pieces that are affordable, but if they are no longer cheap, and items are hard to find, then the perks of firsthand shopping will drive consumers back to shopping malls, compromising the lower class. This is a shame because thrifting has revolutionized fashion by recycling vintage trends and diversifying outfits. However, if thrifting becomes too expensive and people start to shop at the same stores again, then we revert back to a monolithic look as people once again dress alike.

85

Written By: Sundhya Alter

THE EVOLUTION OF HIP HOP AND FASHION

In February of 2023, Pharrell Williams was appointed creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton, succeeding the brand’s previous director, Virgil Abloh. As a creative visionary, for both the fashion and the music world, the decision to welcome Pharrell made two significant suggestions. One, that hip hops role in luxury fashion was evolving from provoking inspiration, to stylistically foundational.

Second, the announcement spoke to the long and inextricable relationship between hip-hop and mainstream fashion, one that wasn’t always embraced by designer brands, but simultaneously one that, today, we can’t imagine our culture without.

When hip-hop was emerging, its signature style emerged simultaneously as a tool of cultural production. In other words, clothing became the facilitating identifier of a subversive culture that had yet to be defined, however with the evolution of its visual component, it grew into a culture that would become recognized as one of the most elusive sites of creative innovation and reinterpretation.

If we trace hip hop’s counter-cultural roots we witness its evolution into the commercialized industry that it is today. As styles of production changed, MC’ing transformed into rapping, and breakbeats grew into trap beats, the one thing that stayed the same was that you could distinguish hip hop through its investment in a style that would remain just as pervasive as its sound.

In its earliest stages, the clothes that MCs and DJs wore weren’t defined as that of hip-hop, but naturally, the style that had permeated urban neighborhoods and communities for decades. The Kangol hats, pumas, and BBD tank came from street gangs and families, most commonly referred to as B-boy style, an originator of hip hops sound. Groups like Run DMC were one of the first to mark a shift in both hip hop’s sound and look, taking B-Boy style and incorporating it into their image. The group ushered in a new moment and aesthetic for hip-hop. Their ascension to the forefront of the music scene was accompanied by a discarding of the flashy, rockinspired, outfits that earlier old-school artists had adorned. Instead, they embodied a “street” sense of style, capitalizing on Adidas tracksuits, unlaced shoes, chains, and Kangol hats.

When the music started to accumulate commercial attention in the late 90s, record producers found a way to sell the sound to mainstream America, however, its look was slower to be recognized by the broader industry. Fashion creators such as Karl Kani and Cross Colors who emerged in the late 1980s looked to distinguish themselves based on what they saw from B-boy style and the early hip-hop crowds. Perhaps the look most refashioned during this time, was the vibrant chromatic colors, baggy jeans, oversized jerseys, and graphic tees. Artists like LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and 50 Cent took these styles onto magazine covers and music videos, but when it came to recognizing designers responsible for these looks, creatives were forced to confront the racial barriers that framed the fashion industry.

At the time, hip-hop was still considered a trend for the streets, meaning urban brands and labels were not given the space at larger department stores. The stigma around consumers of color, even as hip hop was celebrated as a mainstream genre for broader consumers, proved that creators of color would still hesitancy to recognize their designs as legitimate and timeless. Cross Colors, Karl Kani, and FUBU were all black-owned brands that emerged with high demand yet lacked staying power due to their inability to institutionalize themselves as labels. styles from more well-known fashion houses. “For a long time department stores were fighting what at the time we called urban

Sundhya Alter Photos by Brittany Pickering

87

Maurice Malone, the designer of the label Maurice Malone, grew up during this time witnessing the hesitancy to embrace “street” from more well-known fashion houses.

“For a long time department stores were fighting what at the time we called urban designers or hip hop designers,” he says. “They couldn’t break into department stores with Tommy Hilfiger, Polo, all the big names. The music industry is making those names big and bigger by constantly talking about them.

But when we get our own brands we’re not being let on the floor to even compete with them…they didn’t really know how to identify it, so they considered it gang wear, it wasn’t until later that they called it streetwear, and then it became urban (Fresh Dressed)”

fashion styling artists to reflect the cultures time and legacy.

Being unable to compete with the mainstream fashion industry, one man took it upon himself to go underground, a tactic that would revolutionize urban fashion and give hip-hop fashion a space to grow without being diluted by broader society and its limits. Dapper Dan, born in 1944, became the most popular designer in Harlem in the 1990s. His boutique catered to the Harlem community staying open 24/7 and creating his business based on a made-to-order model. What appealed to consumers were the luxury labels that the Harlem designer was able to refashion. In recognizing the allure of fashion as way of procuring status, he made previously inaccessible garments now available in their own community.

The tailor and couturier remarks in an interview with Vogue, “I saw the relationship between fur, diamonds and The justification for this fashion symbols. Black people on the reluctance relied on the idea that rise wanted furs and diamonds. Then hip hop was a trend, discouraging when I saw people’s attachment to artists within the hip hop community fashion symbols” from wearing their brands and refusing to lend their clothes to Recognizing key to reaching magazine editorials, was a marketing Harlem consumers, Harlem designer strategy undergirded by the fear of brought high fashion to the urban a subcultural tainting. While fashion communities, restyling them in ways brands eventually came around to hip- that responded to the culture of the hop as a salient cultural agent within the street. Dapper Dan taught himself fashion industry, black-owned brands textile printing, taking monogram and continued to grow on the streets and wholesale pieces and deconstructing make names for themselves by putting them, and twisting them into pieces that them on the backs of hip-hop artists revolutionized urban wear. By screen without the corporate commodity of printing on leather and taking labels and larger fashion names. Being left to create fabrics from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and their own looks eventually transpired into Fendi, he would redesign pieces into a style that would come to define hip hop avant-garde leather coats, bright bomber as its own unique genre, as a subdivision jackets, and accessories that gave the that would soon become larger and pieces material value. By customizing more mainstream than high-end fashion clothes for hip-hop artists by using names. Three individual forces influential high fashion logos to create urban to this process are Dapper Dan, Misa wear, he slowly blurred the boundary Hylton, and April Walker. While brands between urban and luxury. Soon he like Karl Kani, Fubu, and Cross Colors was dressing artists like LL Cool J, Big created the foundation for the look Daddy Kane, and Fat Boys in oversized that hip hop artists adapted as their silhouettes and logo-branded garments. own—taking urban styles and Hip-hop artists that wore Dapper Dan’s labeling it as hip hops veil— designs ironized the same labels that it was these three had disregarded them. In doing so, it individuals that created a culture that would become arguably radical, iconic, and, most importantly, gave a appreciated. voice to hip-hop

Dapper Dan quickly revolutionized the access that hip hop had to high fashion, by obtaining a voice in luxury spaces hip hop soon transcended mainstream culture by advocating for personal and political freedom to exercise creativity in the same spaces they had been excluded from.

Although Dapper Dan’s boutique was forced to close in 1992, he took his clients and his designs underground until he remerged in 2010 ultimately partnering with Gucci spurring lines and collaborations between the two.

Around the same time that Dapper Dan was dressing the Harlem community in highly appraised logos and names, Misa Hylton was creating her own iconic taste that would inform hip-hop fashion and push back against norms at the time, dressing the subculture’s most notable artists in what came to be revered as “ghetto fabulous.”

Designer and stylist Misa Hylton notes “When people hear ‘ghetto,’ they think derogatory.

I want people to understand it as a movement where things can be equally aspirational, unique, attainable, and powerful. It’s not taking off the earrings when you’re asked to.”

Hylton’s story reflects her own words and her insistence on pushing back against normative looks in order to make way for what would become a stylistic genre seen by artists to this day. Upon meeting Sean Combs at a concert at the Apollo in 1991, Hylton helped Combs pitch a look for one of his first independent artists at Uptown Records, Jodeci. Combs had an idea to dress them in combat boots, hoodies, baseball caps, and oversized denim, a look that countered the traditional R&B look that had been polished by suits and dress shoes. In the aftermath of the Jodeci project, other artists began to call upon Hylton to adapt her streetcentered style on them. Misa Hylton was able to project her understanding of the street and make it commercialized so it spoke to a greater audience. According to Dapper Dan, “Misa was a great interpreter for what the subculture really wants, she understood the street.” She pulled upon the edgy side of urban wear to make it flashy, playing an instrumental part in transforming hip-hop artists into superstars. Maybe most notable was the way she approached femininity and sexuality through clothing. Instead of dressing women to fit the male stereotypes of females in hip-hop, Hylton saw the chance to give in to the allure of overt sexuality. Arguably the most memorable way she did this was Lil Kim’s 1999 VMA’s look: an asymmetric lavender bodysuit with a matching lavender wig and a singular pasty.

It was provocative and unapologetic and most remarkably, it got the attention of high fashion houses that suddenly looked up to hip-hop with a newfound gaze. Looks like these that Misa Mylton pioneered helped bridge the gap between hip-hop and high fashion. Lil Kim, with the help of Misa Hylton, helped embrace the two worlds that previously were reluctant to acknowledge one

another. It was Misa Hylton’s “ghetto fabulous” look that designers interpreted as high glam.

While Misa Hylton and Dapper Dan found success at the forefront of the hip-hop scene, there was one designer that chose to remain behind the scenes yet broke barriers equally as significant as the rest. April Walker, a stylist and designer from Brooklyn, New York emerged during hip-hop’s golden era and became the first woman of color to create a hip-hop clothing line. When she opened her first shop “Fashion in Effect” it became the watering hole for break dancers, hip-hop dancers, and graffiti artists within Brooklyn, giving the borough its own claim to hip-hop fashion. Walker responded directly to what her consumers asked for - deeper pockets, lower crotch, and wide-legged jeans so they could fit inside or outside their Timbs. Soon, “Fashion in Effect” had curated their first collection, including the ‘rough and rugged suit’ that became endorsed by hip-hop artists from the west to east coast.

Among the many were Biggie, NWA, and Tupac.

While Misa Mylton and Dapper Dan tended to reinterpret urban style in their own ways, April Walker responded directly to the origins of hiphop and kept it reminiscent of its early roots.

The oversized silhouettes that we so commonly associate with early hip-hop were revolutionized

by Walker and turned into something that could flourish even today as these looks make a return.

In the 90s, hip-hop culture was evolving into something that the rest of the nation wasn’t prepared for.

The clothes of the genre’s subcultural roots emerged to challenge the boundaries of what was considered ‘cool’ and ‘trendy.’ In its own communities, fashion became a symbol of success, first came the beats, then came the drip then came the money. Now, rather than challenging cultural aesthetics of style, hip-hop dictates it. Whether it’s on the front cover of magazines, played during fashion shows, or walking down the runway, hip hop today has a front-row seat to shaping culture from every point of view.

But it wouldn’t be the same if we continued to gloss over the individuality and identity that sought to define itself through its fabric.

Courtesy of Vogue, The New York Times, GQ, The Cut, CFDA, Fresh Dressed, The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion

89

BRAND

AMBASSADORS

STRATEGY TRAGEDY OR SUCCESS? David Ruff Photo by Jessica Medwin

Brand ambassadors are one of fashion’s most powerful marketing tools today. With big brands and fashion houses, brand ambassadors have usually been high profile celebrities that embody the brand’s identity. Now, with the rise of social media platforms like Tiktok and the ever growing (purchasing) power of Gen Z, young influencers are becoming the faces of fashion.

At the basic level, brand ambassadors are people, usually public figures, that are paid to represent and endorse a brand. Sometimes, the ambassador is promoting one good or service in a season, and in other cases brand ambassadors can have long tenures of endorsement. By embodying a company or brand’s identity, a brand ambassador is supposed to represent it in a positive light while increasing sales. Additionally, brand ambassadors are great marketing tools for targeting and bringing in a new audience, creating more brand awareness with their platforms and adding a personal touch to campaigns. Moreover, brand ambassadors can strengthen the relationship between a brand and its customers while influencing customers to buy more.

Chanel has notably championed this marketing strategy. The high fashion brand embodies timelessness, chicness, and elegance and their choice in brand ambassadors appropriately reflects this. K-pop singer Jennie (from BLACKPINK), and actresses Kiera Knightly, Marion Cotillard, and Lily Rose-Depp, three of their most well known ambassadors can be seen in perfume ads, campaign and in person fashion shows, bringing in their respective audiences and enhancing the brand on an international level.

A brand ambassador that made headlines was Colin Kapernick for Nike during their “Dream Crazy campaign. The advertisement won an Emmy Award its uploads on YouTube have garnered millions of views. This contributed to a sharp increase in Nike’s stock price, bringing in much more business for the company.

The “Dream Crazy’’ campaign also featured other celebrities that advocated for social issues like Serena Williams and Lebron James. Although Nike endured a lot of blowback for this collaboration with Kapernick, their choice to partner with him emphasized the fact that Nike supports their athletes and stands for the same values that Kapernick does: equality, authenticity, courage, and leadership. Much like Chanel, Nike used brand ambassadors that highlighted their brand image to connect with customers that identified with it.

influencers. With millions of followers and younger fan bases, popular brands have started to partner with these influencers in their brand ambassadorship programs. Emma Chamberlain, who got her start on YouTube, was one of the first Gen Z influencers to promote big names in fashion and beauty like Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Lancôme. More recently, TikTok star Addison Rae launched a new collection for Pandora and other popular TikToker Charli D’Amelio is now a brand ambassador for Prada. Social media influencers are slowly taking over brand ambassadorships from celebrities. So why is this the case? Fresh younger faces make brands look a lot more appealing to their future customers, aka Gen Z. This is essential for the survival of fashion as many older fashion brands struggle to connect with Gen Z in an authentic and lasting way. Celebrities that have long established careers or are only seen on the red carpet, in movies, performing on stage, or in a rare Instagram post, are viewed as “untouchable.” The brand ambassadorship strategy relies on someone having and cultivating a personal relationship with customers for the brand. TikTok influencers are perfect for brand ambassador roles because their relationship with their fans is different. TikTok influencers can be perceived to be more personal and connected with their fans because they post daily, they consistently switch up their content style, and they interact directly with their followers. Therefore, this leaves tremendous opportunity for brands, as younger audiences will be much more easily convinced to purchase a product or service when they see their favorite influencer promoting it.

With the success of influencer brand ambassadors, there is also a possibility of severe consequences. Like with celebrities, an influencer may get into a scandal or something from their past may emerge. Although celebrities can have their image hurt by these things, celebrities are immune to some of the extreme consequences that internet “cancel culture” has. When a TikTok influencer gets canceled, they are not protected from criticism and hateful comments flood their direct messages. People even go so far as to tag their handles and make reaction videos to their scandal. Influencers have become irrelevant overnight because of the platform that they work from and the nature of the bidirectional interactions they create and utilize. Moreover, how long are influencers relevant for? Will TikTok be a long standing career?

It is too early in the app’s life to tell. With changing brand faces and as influencers cycle in and out of the app and into other opportunities, it may be challenging for brands to find solid ambassadors. Additionally, with younger people, often in their teens and early twenties, representing these famous fashion brands, it ultimately adds to societies’ longstanding and harmful views on body image. These campaigns inherently reinforce to everyone, and especially an influencer’s young fans, that the ideal and desirable body is young, good looking, and thin or “in shape.”

Success stories aside, the brand ambassadorship program can be criticized. Firstly, it is risky for a company to invest a significant amount of money into someone when, as we’ve all seen in the cases of Kanye West or Olivia Jade, people are unpredictable. If a celebrity does something negative, past or present, it ultimately reflects badly on that brand. In more serious cases, brands can even face damage to their image and reputation or take a hard hit finacially if they do not drop that person from their So, what is the future of brand ambassadors? More influencers payroll. Secondly, it has become apparent that some compawill certainly get high profile offers, and celebrity brand ambassanies are signing too many brand ambassadors. By having too dors will never disappear from seasonal campaigns. In the future, many people representing one brand, a brand’s image and target artificial intelligence will get integrated into the brand ambassador market becomes too large and a marketing strategy’s success strategy. Maybe, companies will create their own set of AI influultimately dissolves. A brand that arguably showcases a tragedy encers for their certain target demographics, or perhaps fashion in ambassador strategy is Tiffany & Co. Just to name a few of the companies will have interactive in-store shopping experiences brands representatives, since 2021 the luxury jeweler has partwith celebrities that are created and run by AI. Until then, we will nered not only with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, but with Kim Kardashian, all be scrolling on our social media for fashion’s next big brand K-pop Rosé (from BLACKPINK), actresses Tracee Ellis Ros and ambassador.

Anya Taylor Joy, and influencers like Blake Gray and Amelie Zilber. The sheer number of brand ambassadors makes Tiffany & Co. look disjointed, unorganized, and desperate. It also makes it impossible for the consumer to tell what Tiffany & Co. is in terms Courtesy of The Guardian and YouTube Written by Emily Morris of values and which audience the brand is for.

The rise of social media has created numerous popular Gen Z

91

LOEWE AND J.W. ANDERSON

Written By: Drew Barker

At the age of 38, Jonathan Anderson has created a household name within the fashion industry.

With achievements ranging from starting his own label to becoming the creative director of the luxury Spanish brand Loewe, to designing an outfit for Rihanna during the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, he continues to pave the way for fashion with his unique passion for design and innovation.

Growing up, Anderson spent most of his childhood days in the town of Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, where he was born and raised. At 18, he moved to the neighborhood of Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. where he lived with friends as he pursued the beginning of his professional career. Prior to having any real interest in the fashion world, he attempted to study acting at the Washington D.C. Studio Theater but quickly realized that it was the career he envisioned for himself.

Subsequently, he moved back home and became a salesman at an Irish department store called Brown Thomas. Working as a salesman on the retail floor sparked his craving to become more involved in the fashion industry. After countless rejections, he was eventually accepted into the London College of Fashion where he studied menswear. His journey of pioneering the fashion industry had officially started.

By 2008, he had started his own clothing line and gained acclamation from the British Fashion Council, leading him to his first fashion week appearance in London in 2010. From then on, he became more immersed in

the industry, working as a visual merchandiser for Prada as well as collaborating with brands such as Topshop and Versace.

He also aided in the curation of various collections and clothing lines. Currently, he is serving as the creative director of Loewe, where he’s been since 2013.

Since his appointment, he has single-handedly transformed the brand’s name in fashion. Prior to his direction, Loewe was known as a smaller, classic household luxury brand. The brand, founded in 1846, is one of the oldest housed brands under LVMH in the luxury retail space.

When Anderson stepped into the

picture, he successfully converted the classic, smaller luxury brand into a contemporary and highly sought-after fashion giant.

Loewe’s audience gradually progressed from an older and more conservative crowd to a much younger generation, all while simultaneously holding true to the brand’s highly rated craftsmanship and newfound mission to sustainability. With a more current design aesthetic and an interest in leaning toward nonbinary fashion, Loewe has produced a mainstream line of success through strategic styling. Additionally, Anderson

has continued to value the artistry of an idea rather than only mass production and creating an easy profit. This can be viewed through the countless innovative collections produced at Loewe.

In their latest spring 2023 campaign, the brand recently named actress Taylor Russell as a Global Brand Ambassador.

This announcement came as a shock, as the brand had never worked with a Brand Ambassador based in the United States.

Taylor Russell, known for her role opposite Timothee Chalamet in Bones & All, opened for their SS23 ready-to-wear runway show and appeared in all of the pre-collection campaigns for the brand. The distinctive choice to work with a US-based Brand Ambassador displays the expansion at which Loewe has grown in popularity from a new-found customer base.

Taylor Russell is a perfect face for the brand due to her upcoming success as a critically acclaimed actress and the excitement surrounding her in the fashion space, thanks to her stylist Ryan Hastings.

As the fashion industry progresses, Jonathan Anderson and Loewe will continue to be at the forefront of the fashion industry. Anderson’s ability to understand the importance of pop culture while holding true to the foundation of the brand mission has ultimately transcended Loewe to a new level of success.

Courtesy of The New York Times, The Cut, WWD, Fashinnovation

Photos by Drew Barker

93

95

97

Events 2023

GW Delicatessen is our on-campus local business that has been open since 1945. Located on the corner of 22nd and G, the Deli has always prided itself on providing Washington residents with daily fresh deli offerings.

However, it means so much more to those on campus. It is a quick bite to eat, a cure for a morning hangover, and the place where stories spark. As the students in GWFBA began to discuss locations on campus where stories can be expressed through fashion, GW Delicatessen was the establishment brought up the most. The family-owned business holds so much history and what makes it the best is the casual and fast-paced environment. As customers pass through every five minutes, the store clientele changes instantaneously. Thus, curiosity arose about the different styles of fashion and we wanted to explore this as a photo concept. GWFBA could not be more thankful to have the opportunity to showcase this and are grateful to the current owner John Ambrogi!

On July 29th, Glossier made its way to Georgetown. Our goal this year was not only to produce content but also to get hands-on experience and learn strategies in the fashion and beauty industry. With the help of our Director of Events, Drew Barker, Glossier hosted GWFBA at an after-hours shopping and learning experience. As we congregated on the first floor of the store, the members were given individualized bags of Balm Dot Coms, Glossier’s newly released lip balm, and small drinks to enjoy while we were introduced to Glossier’s marketing strategy and customer experience operations. Exploring the different sides of the store allowed members to not only see the consumer experience, but also the day-to-day operations. Running through the store model and the types of products created a deeper appreciation for the attention to detail. With Glossier opening operations again post-heightened era of the pandemic, the emphasis on individuality was at the forefront and left consumers anticipating their arrival when the D.C. location announced its airport theme. GWFBA took away so much from this learning experience and loved seeing the care and precision the company prioritizes for its customers.

With the experiences we learned as an organization within beauty businesses, we wanted to explore more strategies in the fashion accessory space. Hence, working with Kendra Scott was a great opportunity we had arranged courtesy of our event’s team member Madeline Ng. In February, the Kendra Scott store in Georgetown welcomed GWFBA to learn more about in-store sale strategies, national marketing campaigns for each season, and how product inventory gets moved on a weekly basis. The hands-on experience we witnessed allowed our members to explore opportunities in sales and marketing. As we had an open dialogue with the store manager, members were given valuable tips and tricks about the industry and left with so many goodies, the profits of which partially supported GWFBA’s magazine printing.

GW DELI

GLOSSIER

KENDRA SCOTT Written By: Adis Santoyo99

thanks for reading.

visual team is taking a break now.

101

gwfba