FOREWORD
Mohamed Sylla
How would you feel if I told you that little ol’ Texas Tech University is one of the top-ranked universities for fashion design in the Southwest? I know right? When you think of Lubbock and Texas Tech, tumbleweeds and wild west shootouts (including but not limited to: season opener football games against Abilene Christian) are probably what come to mind rather than a fashion designer’s dreamscape.
But as you already know, Hamy’s House is all about shining light on the things that would normally go unnoticed Let’s turn the clock back to 1946 An entrepreneur by the name of Margaret Talkington opened a store called Margaret’s (selftitleds were all the rage back then) which exploded into a must-shop destination for women throughout the country.
Margaret continued her work in fashion by helping organize various fashion shows, as well as non profit organizations aimed towards uplifting local residents and businesses It’s in these humble beginnings that the presently acclaimed fashion design program took root. Now, Texas Tech has generated some amazing talent in the world of fashion From being featured in Texas Fashion Week to designing a dress for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, TTU has produced many accomplished graduates in the realm of fashion
With that being said, allow me to introduce the next generation of trailblazers and trendsetters People who will buy any jeans necessary to make sure their dreams come to reality.
ABIGAIL ULUM.
A fashion designer...that wanted to be a nurse? Maybe I’m uncultured but I didn’t really understand the overlap here at first, so of course we sat down with the lovely lady herself to find out more. Against the orange and blue backdrop of a gorgeous West Texas sunset, I learned some very interesting things about the CEO of Immuno5, Abigail Ulum!
WHAT BROUGHT ABBY INTO THE FASHION WORLD?
Everyone’s journey into the fashion world is different Some people start early, some people don’t discover their own style until later in life, and some people go their entire life not quite getting “it”. For Abby, it was a bit of a tug of war You see, on one hand, she enjoyed fashion and the boundless self expression that it brought into her life.
On the other hand, Abigail had already committed herself to Texas Tech’s nursing program. So, having taken all the prerequisite classes and still not being able to shake a designer’s calling, she decided to take a page from the book of that one guy from Atlanta. Why not do them both at the same damn time?
A BEAUTIFUL IMMUNITY.
That duality was tough (or as Abby would put it “F%$*!@ exhausting”), but in some ways it was inspiring. “The name Immuno5 came from when I was in a pathophysiology class, and when the professor discussed immunology, the meaning behind it stuck with me ” Abby stated To wear Immuno5 is to be immune from obstacles, ready and willing to overcome the difficulties in day-today life and look good the whole time.
I know what you’re thinking: “Well, what does that immunity look like when I wear it?” Well, my dear reader, it all starts with a little bit of denim! Abby loves denim, and as such it finds it’s way into a lot of her designs. This combines with her love for metalwork to result in a sort of avant-garde streetwear, chic outfits tied together by oppressive industrial overtones.
This can be seen in Abby’s first (and what she call her most rewarding) collection: “STELLAR 5".
Pictured to the right, STELLAR 5 was Abby’s first official venture in the world of fashion collection wise The collection featured a heavy focus on the aforementioned fabric, denim designs laced with intricate sewing patterns that would leave a passerby starstruck
And starstruck they were, as Abby would describe the feedback she received as “overwhelmingly positive and encouraging.” It was there a star was born...and also sewed into several items of clothing.
Balancing the technicalities of fashion with the creative process is an interesting challenge
For Abby, it’s more of a ”go with the flow” kind of thing “If I put too much prior planning into a piece it becomes almost uninspiring.” she stated, “the creative process for Immuno5 is free flowing.”
The evolution of a piece during its conception and development is something Abby enjoys. “Part of the reason I enjoy fashion design is the ability to kind of freestyle; I’m not stuck to any set of rules or anything, I can just do what I want ”
With fashion as a whole, Abby regards the future as bright, saying that “more and more people are getting involved in it and becoming aware of it, especially becasue of social media.” And that’s true, CivicScience data shows that the amount of people actively following fashion trends is at 37% of the general population of America, and that number leaps to 68% when looking at just Gen Z. So it’s safe to say the kids will be just fine
Concluding our talk, I asked Abby where she sees herself 5 years from now in regards to the fashion industry and her answer was chockful of ambition: “I want to climb the ladder even further, I’m already a CEO but there’s always room for growth Starting stores in different cities, being able to do pop up shops or collaborations with artists, the sky is the limit!”
AYE SAY GANG!
PRINCE LANDELLS.
Legacy is such a funny thing. There’s people in all of our lives we want to emulate, represent, and impress. For some it’s people at school or work, for others it could be celebrities or the faceless masses of the internet. For Prince, it was the man that brought him into the whole idea of fashion itself: his father. I wanted to explore this further, so I sat down with Prince to learn more about his journey.
WHAT BROUGHT PRINCE INTO THE FASHION WORLD?
Prince’s introduction to the world of fashion was through his father, Andrew Landells. Andrew was incarcerated in 2012, but before that, he had developed a passion for fashion design after taking design classes in the UK. This of course trickled down into his children’s lives, as fashion was “implemented in every part” of Prince’s childhood.
Sadly in 2012 Andrew would be incarcerated on marijuana charges, separating a father from his son. This wouldn’t stop Andrew from creating however, only serving to give him more time to work on his designs With his father’s mind flourishing behind those four walls, Prince decided to take up his legacy and continue the work. So of course when I asked what brought Prince into the fashion world, he answered with...
“FAMILY TIES.”
The pain of losing a family member can result in many things, for Prince it brought out an unbreakable work ethic. “Since 2021, I’ve spent sleepless nights coming up with designs, learning the business, and making the connections needed so that when he gets out, we’ll be on top ” Prince stated No matter the challenge, be it manufacturing or balancing the life of a college student with designing, creating, and selling the actual items, Prince is ready to stand tall in the face of adversity.
Knowing the inspiration behind the designs, it’s time to talk about the pieces themselves Prince would say his designs draw from a variety of sources, stating that “it’s a lot of high fashion mixed with modern streetwear.”
This can be seen in the pieces pictured on the right, a brash showcase of pompous flair outlined by a rebellious edge This mixture serves to create timeless works, things that can fit in any era. The spikey backpack is also just RIDICUOUSLY tough...objectively speaking of course.
Do people still say cowabunga?
While Texas Tech might not have been the most inspiring place for Prince at first, it has certainly helped him and his growth as a designer. “Being at Texas Tech taught me discipline. The importance of starting and finishing something can not be understated, and my time here has definitely helped me understand that and implement it into my mindset ”
In addition to this, he’s found the fashion community at Texas Tech to be “inspiring and motivating”. With the amount of resources given to students and help from faculty, the motto ‘From Here, It’s Possible” rings truer than ever for Prince and many others seeking to make a lasting impact in their field.
Didn’t Gucci make a song about this?
Speaking to those who are looking to enter the field of fashion design, or are maybe too scared to lean into it fully, Prince takes the position of “get it done.” “Don’t wait for anything or anyone to get things done for you, go out and get it done yourself and you will be 10x happier with the results ”
Prince is no stranger to this philosophy, as during his time in the fashion world he’s learned that no matter the stress, no matter the difficulty, “it’s all worth it at the end.”
The future for Prince and Andrew Landells is as as bright as the Jones Stadium during a night game. “My father will be released in January of 2025, and we have some big things planned to celebrate ” Prince tells me While he wasn’t able to go too into detail due to NDAs, he was able to share that they will be participating in Miami Art Basel’s Fashion Show in December I, for one, cannot wait to see what the father-son duo has in store, and I know they can’t wait to share it with you too!
ALAYSIA DANAE.
I think we all have one activity we still love that we can trace back to some part of our youths. For me it’s the magazine you’re reading right now. For Ms. Alaysia, it’s designing some of the clothes you’ll see in this very magazine! To understand her journey in fashion, I met with Alaysia in the Fashion Lab on campus. In solitude of the lab, amongst an army of mannequins branded by her designs, I learned a lot about Alaysia Danae and her own wonderful world of fashion.
WHAT BROUGHT ALAYSIA INTO THE FASHION WORLD?
Let’s turn the clock back In the early years of Alaysia’s life, she received a gift You might think: “So what? I got gifts when I was a kid too!” Well, the difference is that monster truck you got for Christmas didn’t lead you to 1st place in El Toro Loco Alaysia, on the other hand, got a sewing machine and boy-oh-boy did that machine make an impact.
What followed was years of “dillydallying” with the machine, which lead to choosing the fashion design track through high school, which then lead to her coming to the esteemed Texas Tech University! Now of course, there were detractors, people that told her she’d be better off choosing a more stable path To those that doubted her, all she has to say is
“IBELONGHERE.”
And belong she does! Alaysia hit the ground running here at Texas Tech, having arrived at school already running a business selling clothes she embroidered. With that under her belt she already held some of the skills needed to be successful, but she knew if she wanted to reach the highest levels she would have to put in even more work. “I kept telling myself: we all already know how to sew I need to add other elements if I’m going to stand out ”
Standing out can mean a great many things, all depending on who you ask. In Alaysia’s case, her style is still developing and as such carry with them the vibe of experimental femininity. “Understanding your inner child while also connecting it to your early 20s” is how Alaysia would describe it. And if descriptions aren’t your speed, go ahead and take a look at the FGI Director’s Choice Award winning dress to your right.
While being able to accentuate the figure of a grown adult is important, the somewhat childish vibes of streetwear and modern fashion are also something she has been interested in exploring Funnily enough, a little birdie told me her next collection might be more along those lines
The face of victory.
Understanding the technicalities behind fashion design is imperative to implementing the creative process, or in simpler words: “You learn the rules so you can break the rules.” That mentality resulted in the magnificent piece you see pictured above.
In April 2024, Alaysia entered the Fashion Group International Scholarship Competition, a fashion design competition that awards a pretty hefty scholarship amount as well as the chance to showcase overall skill in designing Here, Alaysia decided she would start to bend the rules a bit, they do say fashion is an art and a science after all.
“I really wanted to do something with machine embroidery here...instead of a sweatshirt, what can I do to bring it into an Avant-Garde design?” With that in mind, Alaysia looked for inspiration and found it from an unlikely source : a lampshade.
The experiment was a successful one; a wondrous symbiosis of embroidery and high end fashion with an earthy elegance Her efforts did not go unnoticed, as she was awarded a scholarship and the acclaimed Director’s Choice award “It was honestly a leap of faith, and I’m glad it paid off.”
At the end of our talk, I asked Alaysia what the future holds for her in regards to the fashion industry, and her answer made me crack a smile “I just want to be happy ” Having experienced the depths of burnout, Alaysia’s answer is about as real as one can get With her track record though, I think she’ll find herself more than content with what her talent brings Devil in a new dress.
OPINIONS OPINIONS...
written by: Rishel Marshall
Theendof smartphone supremacy?
With notifications pinging around the clock and the expectation of being perpetually available, many members of Gen Z, a generation defined by technology and access to the internet, are feeling increasingly overwhelmed. The unspoken pressure to maintain a well-curated online presence weighs on young adults and teens and is pushing Gen Z toward a digital detox: a collective desire to unplug and seek simpler, more meaningful interactions. Now, Gen Z is actively searching for ways to reclaim time and mental well-being in a digitally saturated world. Being hailed as the first generation born in the digital age, many of us have grown up with access to technology at our fingertips. Throughout our lifetime, technology, namely social media, has evolved several times over into its current state of hyperconnectivity. What started as a convenient way to stay in touch with distant friends and family has transformed into something completely different. Social media spaces have become a hotbed of divisive issues and highly curated personal pages with a thin veneer of authenticity interspersed with cute animal videos. Constantly being immersed in such a hostile digital landscape causes some users to become burnt out with little incentive to keep up with the status quo. With technology and social media so tightly woven into our lives, many Gen Zers are seeking ways to remain connected while rewriting the rules of the game.
The return of point-and-shoot style digital cameras of the late 2000s and early 2010s signal the arrival of Gen Z’s digital detox. In the last few months, many young Americans have put down their ever-present smartphone cameras in favor of less advanced and equally portable digital cameras. Spurred on by the generational adoption of Y2K and other early 2000s aesthetics, these digital cameras provide users with a trendy photo experience authentic to their era. Not only can these cameras capture candid moments, but also serve as a means of escape from the addictive qualities of using a smartphone for photography. Pictures from a digital camera bring the raw, untouched quality that is the hallmark of Y2K photography, an era that many Gen Zers seek to emulate. Simply extracting the photos from the night and uploading them to Instagram without tweaking them allows users to remain connected with friends and family without the inauthenticity of editing. Additionally, instead of digital cameras, some members of Gen Z are even bringing Nintendo DSi’s to the club. The 15-year-old portable gaming device boasts a simple camera perfect for spur-of-the-moment flicks combined with on-the-go entertainment more socially acceptable than pulling out your phone Instead of being shot a dirty look for scrolling through TikTok or Instagram on your phone, you may get a friendly and inquisitive question for playing a game of Super Mario Bros. on your DSi instead. As Gen Z becomes a larger contributing force in consumer attitudes, a shift in the technological landscape is expected.
"The point-and-shoot style digital cameras of the late 2000s and early 2010s are the harbingers of Gen Z’s digital detox."
Tech companies will aim to capitalize on Gen Z’s wish for less advanced technology and desire for meaningful communication. Some smartphone manufacturers have even begun releasing stripped-back versions of their flagship products with rudimentary features and less overt advancements. There may even be a resurgence of older phone silhouettes, with classics like the humble flip phone or the revolutionary sidekick making comebacks. Some members of Gen Z aren’t waiting for a shift in tech and have taken matters into their own hands, resorting to using old flip phones and other “dumb” phones in place of the newest iteration of smartphones out on the market. The barebones nature of these phones only allows users to call and send messages (in the most inconvenient manner possible), curbing interaction with social media and the digital world. In an even further shift away from smartphone supremacy, manufacturers may figure out a way to marry older music-listening devices with the current streaming model of music. Walkmans, cassette and CD players, iPods, and other MP3 players may end up being more than a niche collector’s item and could be seen entertaining many Gen Zers in the near future.
