December 2010 by Vivrant Magazine

W27

VO L 43 I SSUE 85 DEC 2010

OFFICIAL FIT NEWSPAPER

Exclusive Interviews: Nanette Lepore and Molly Sims Your Guide to Winter Break Fun in the Big Apple

UGGs: The Trend Turned Staple The Pros and Cons to a December Graduation

Heather Alina Viggiani

DEC

2010

W27

Editor-in-Chief

Patrick Greene

Dear W27,

Keely-Shea Smith

This last editor’s letter isn’t addressed to my readers, but instead, straight to you. You’ve been the biggest part of my FIT experience so it’s about time I spoke to you about it.

Deputy Editor

Managing Editor

Sarah Dill

Now, I haven’t always been appreciative of the number of emails you generate in my inbox, or the obsessive borderline-clinically-insane perfectionism that you stir up inside of me, but I must say, it has been a wonderful journey getting to know you.

Treasurer

Julie Daly Secretary

Adrienne Springer Copy Editor

Jaclyn Rubiella

You can be quite demanding – what other friend do I have that requires my complete, undivided attention for an average of 40 hours in a threeday span once a month? – but you can also be quite comforting as well. Nothing gives me more pleasure than when I peek at the first print preview of the layout each month, to see all of our ideas come to fruition right there on your pages.

Publicity Team Manager

Veronica Heras Danielle Pacelli Kevia Wright

Senior Section Editors

W27Newspaper.com Dorelle McPherson

Executive Website Manager

Nicole Tan

Content and Social Media Manager

Advertising Edgina Desormeau

Advertising Promotions Manager Ad Team:

Kevin Buitrago Olivia Grow Lauren LaDeau Art Zhang Qingyun Art Director

Jenny Djaafar Kári Emil Helgason Kimberlyn Bailey Designers

But beyond job readiness, you’ve provided me with a family that I know I will call close for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine my life at FIT without all of those whom I’ve come to know, thanks to you. From fellow editors to faculty advisors, to Joe T. (our angel of a printer), to celebrities and designers, to Dr. Joyce Brown herself and all of the sources in between, I have so many memories to reflect back on when I’m sitting pretty as an editor in a windowed office ten years from now. To think that without you, I wouldn’t have had an office to call home on the seventh floor, or gotten to know all of my loves in the student life office! Most of all, you taught me the power of positive thinking. You were The Little Engine That Could before we pushed you up that initial hill. A lot of people doubted you could rise to the occasion and become the popular kid on the block, but I think it is safe to say, with website hits in the thousands each month, a fancy new newsstand home from which you fly off in a matter of three days and 65

Kara Zisa William Chung

Illustrations Director

Illustrators Manying Yan (Cover) Ruodan Bai Ramon Campos Veronica Ettman Darshana Pathak Jaclyn Schauer Siva Jack Sernvongsat Venus Wong

Contributing Writers JoAnna Black Raquel Rose Burger Harlan Bontrager Patricia Braga Alexander Cavaluzzo Katherine Chaires Julie Daly Fernanda DeSouza Sarah Dill Georgeanna Dwiggins Sydney Edwards Ryann Foulke Kristina Gabler Laura Gabrielsen Meaghan Hartland Veronica Heras Alexandra Lippy

Sure, I’m appreciative of the way you fill out my résumé, giving me the opportunity to use a few coveted action verbs like “launched”,“ systematized”, “managed” and “built revenue streams.”

Davita Louie Dorelle McPherson Krystin Mertz Marissa Mule Virginia Peandro Danielle Plotkin Keely-Shea Smith Marisa Spano Nicole Tan Samantha Vance Megan Venere Taisa Veras Alaine Vescoro Heather Viggiani Venus Wong Jennifer Yeboah

Photo by Zhang Qingyun

staff members to call your own – we made it. I know that without you in my life, I will feel a strange void. I’m sure I will wake up in a panic next week thinking, “#$&*! I haven’t started to brainstorm for February!” only to realize I’ve passed on the torch to someone you already know so well. Patrick, please treat our good friend with all of the love he so needs, I know I can trust you. With that, I’m on my way, off into the sunset like some kind of corny drama. Please don’t forget me, W27; because I know I will never forget you. All my best,

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John Simone

Editorial Faculty Advisor

Albert Romano

Advertising Faculty Advisor

Want to be a published writer? Write for your school! Contact us at: w27newspaper@gmail.com W27 is the student newspaper of the State University of New York: Fashion Institute of Technology, published under the auspices of the FIT Student Association. We invite letters to the editors, which must be signed and typed. Names will gladly be withheld upon request. Letters to W27 or its editors are assumed to be intended for publication in whole or in part, and therefore may be used for such purposes. Opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect those of the FIT Editorial Board.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Here All The Time:

Welcome to the Boardroom by Alexandra Lippy pg 4

Faculty Spotlight by Samantha Vance pg 4 Calvin Williamson

Commuter’s Corner by Laura Gabrielsen pg 5

Briefcase pg 7 People Towels Winner Future Mode by Marissa Mule pg 9 Special Occasion Industry Profile by Taisa Veras pg 10 Molly Sims FITing in the Industry by Heather Viggiani pg 18 Nanette Lepore Restaurant Review by Julie Daly pg 20

Music Review by Danielle Plotkin pg 20

Book Review by Davita Louie pg 20 The Ask

TV/Movie Review by Patricia Braga pg 21

The Indie Girl by Fernanda DeSouza pg 21 Four Lions

Venue Review by Georgeanna Dwiggins pg 21

Month in Review by Alexander Cavaluzzo pg 23 Outside Your Borough pg 24-25 Best Ice Skating Rinks Campus Musings by Venus Wong and Samantha Vance pg 26

Comic by Siva Jack Sernvongsat pg 26

WTF pg 27

Hot This Month:

Feature:

pgs 12-17 HOLIDAY ISSUE Holiday Traditions Around FIT

Style on 27 by Harlan Bontrager and Nicole Tan pg 28

Perfect FIT pgs 4-9 By Jennifer Yeboah

Winter Skincare 411: Tips from an On-Campus Expert

By Virginia Peandro

Gift Guide: FIT’s Own Flea Market

By Ryann Foulke

Gift Guide: What You Could Have Made at The Center By Katherine Chaires Gift Guide: Gifts in an Unlikely Place, the FIT Bookstore By Sydney Edwards Winter Breakin’ in the Big City Keeping Off the Winter Pounds By Krystin Mertz Winner of W27’s Dorm Decorating Contest By Keely-Shea Smith W27 Salutes: Holiday Cards for Our Soliders The December Graduate By Sarah Dill Past the Glass: A Deeper Look inside Department Store Windows By JoAnna Black

Scrooged: The Ghosts of Majors Past, Present and to Come by Nicole Tan FIT Director Receives a Distinguished Award McQueen’s Death Sparks Inspiration FIT Cheerleaders Travel to Maritime by Julie Daly

Thread Account pg 10-11 UGG Boots: A Fashion Revolution? by Veronica Heras

Dear Industry pg 18-19 Grossman Offers Student Attendees Her “Twelve-Step” Program to success by Nicole Tan

Saving the Garment Industry by Dorelle McPherson

Haute Culture pg 20-22 His & Hers Exhibit at the FIT Museum by Marisa Spano Broomsticks and Bludgers: Muggle Quidditch Revealed by Megan Vernere

DEC

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W27

WELCOME TO THE BOARD ROOM

Alexandra Lippy

ver wonder where all that money goes for your student activities fee? Or maybe where the never-ending pot of gold is that feeds our many clubs each semester? Have no fear! The Executive Board is here! At the most recent Student Council meeting, held on Tuesday, November 9th, Student President Celeste Weins broke down the budget in order to explain to club representatives how each club benefits from the Executive Board’s funds, also detailing where the money comes from, and where it goes. As of the 11/9 meeting, the Treasurer’s Report indicated that the Board has $21,380.72. That figure is what’s left from the September 2nd budget meeting results, which started out at $830,000. More relevant to FIT’s student body, the $60 student

activities fee per semester generates the basis for the amount of money in the activities fund. The $120 from each of the 6,500 full time students makes up the total. This money is then distributed to clubs for various expenses, including costlier things like funding for club trips. FITSA will allocate $2,000 to all clubs who submit a yearly budget request. This year, clubs will be funded up to 60% of the total cost for an overnight trip. The amount of funding depends on how early the application is submitted, as well as how much fundraising the club has done. This year, the percent decrease (it used to be 100 percent) in funding overnight trips occurred due to the overwhelming number of trip requests that the Executive Board has received and the number that they anticipate they will receive in years to come.

The Executive Board requested that the students approve a $2,500 budget request to use for a city scavenger hunt. It will be used by 25 students on the Executive Board and Programming Board for bonding. As of today, the Board has given out $636,950 to clubs, events, and publications. Sixty-eight clubs have submitted budget requests and so far, 28 of those clubs have been approved and given funding. Further information regarding budget guidelines may be found online in the FITSA Policy Manual.The Board is trying to develop a fairer method in order to give an equal opportunity to the interests of each club. Whether or not the students and club members agree with The Board’s decisions is up for discussion.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: PROFESSOR CALVIN WILLIAMSON

Samantha Vance

ssistant Professor of Science and Math Calvin Williamson received his BA in Mathematics from the University of Florida and his PhD from the University of Michigan. His style of teaching is often full of excitement and hands-on. For example, he has let his students build a geodesic dome out of newspapers in the classroom. He believes that passionate professors motivate students and he makes sure to provide an enthusiastic classroom atmosphere. Professor Williamson has never owned a cell phone in his life, and when it comes to deleting emails, well he’s never done that either. SV: What do you like to do in your free time? CW: Computer programing and tending my lawn. SV: Do you speak any foreign languages? CW: German, because I lived there as a foreign exchange student. SV: What is your favorite movie? CW: Videodrome SV: What is the most interesting thing you did in college? CW: I started a collection of combs. I still collect, and have about 10,000 now.

SV: Do you have any pets? CW: No, not now. I had 12 cats at one time. SV: What is your favorite TV show? CW: I don’t have a TV, but I used to watch Lost. SV: What is the most interesting place you have visited? CW: The deserts in California. SV: What is your favorite color? CW: Violet, my daughter’s name. SV: What is your biggest fear? CW: I have a recurring nightmare that I am a short order cook and I have 20 or 30 orders that I will never complete. SV: What is your favorite band? CW: My Bloody Valentine SV: What is the strangest thing that has happened to you in NYC? CW: Three huge men on the Lower East Side mugged me at gunpoint. SV: What is your favorite food? CW: Indian flavored garden burgers.

Wholesale Copies, Inc.

Calvin Williamson; courtesy photo.

In order to find the best decorated door, W27 opened submissions to all the residence hall students. Behold, the winner of it all. Especially thanks to the inspiration statement accompanying their photo: “Here’s our Martha Stewart Collection-inspired door. Simple, chic and classic with silver tinsel, white lights and a wreath.” Congratulations to Patrick McGrath and Jonathan Borretti of Room 402 in Kaufman Hall! They are now the lucky recipients of two $50 gift cards of their choice.

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*Submissions were made annonymous to the review panel to avoid nepotism based on the contest being open to the Newspaper staff. It just so hapened that Patrick McGrath’s door was chosen, not in relation to his position on the paper.

PERFECT FIT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

COMMUTER’S CORNER: BEARING THE COLD WINTER MONTHS Laura Gabrielsen

raveling to and from Manhattan during the winter months can be rough. As if leaving early to avoid traffic and roaming the parking lot for ten minutes to find a spot isn’t enough, from now until March, I have to make additional time to warm up the car and scrape off ice and snow. In order to have a successful winter season commuting to and from the city, all commuters should have a few tricks up their sleeves. Here are a couple of mine I’d like to share. The moment I wake up and realize that it has snowed, I run over to my computer to check if school has been cancelled. Nobody wants to travel to school to realize that it is actually closed, so this is a good starting point. If that is not the case, I convince my parents to drive me to the station so I don’t have to worry about parking, and can sit in my parents’ car until the train arrives. I try to avoid driving myself to the station on snowy days if possible. The next obstacle commuters face in the midst of cold weather is getting dressed. Typically I will wear a pair of tights underneath my jeans. This keeps me very warm; the only problem is that some classrooms may be hot and it can be uncomfortable. Waterproof boots are a must; especially if it is snowing or has just recently snowed. It takes a day or so for the roads and sidewalks to be cleared completely and it can become somewhat of a safety hazard to walk around in other footwear. Plus, those new shoes are not worth ruining on such a nasty day. Oh, and if you text often, I’d wear gloves with finger holes for easier dexterity.

During last winter’s biggest snowstorm I had quite a trip to the train station; in fact I didn’t even make it to the city. Every school in my town was closed, but not FIT; of course. It had been snowing for almost two days straight and the semester had just begun, so I felt obligated to go. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. I checked the MTA website and there were no signs of delays and my mother didn’t have work, so she offered to drive me. We hit so much traffic on what should have been a ten-minute drive and when we finally arrived at the station, the trains were delayed. I waited for about thirty minutes before deciding to head home and give up on trying to get to class and of course, just as we crossed the railroad tracks I saw the train coming. By then, though, it was too late and all I wanted to do was go home.

Traditional Hot Yoga All Classes $8

New Studio Grand Opening 12/13/10! 250 W. 26th St, 3rd FL btw 7th & 8th Ave

Here is a “cheat-sheet” on simple ways to make your commute to FIT a bit more enjoyable: 1. Check the weather forecast before you go to bed and check for any delays in services. 2. Wake up at least 15 minutes earlier. 4. E-mail your professors if you know you may face delays or are simply not going to make it to class. 5. If possible, store your car in a sheltered place. This will save you time on scraping snow and ice. 6. Dress warm. 7. Listen to relaxing music and don’t stress.

Other Location 115 W. 27th St, 3rd FL btw 6th & 7th Ave Clss Schedules & Information: www.yogatothepeople.com Illustrated by Ramon Campos for W27

DEC

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W27

SCROOGED: THE GHOSTS OF MAJORS PAST, PRESENT AND TO COME

Nicole Tan Technical design requires a sense of precision, a design eye and good communication skills. One can go into technical design from any major, but students have to have taken the eight bridge courses needed.

Illustrated by Larry Torres for W27.

“O

ne of FIT’s great strengths is its capacity to reinvent itself – and it does,” observes FIT President Dr. Joyce F. Brown. “With a faculty deeply linked to industry and departmental advisory councils made up of industry representatives, we are intimately aware of changing needs and re-examining our curriculum to adapt appropriately.” Over the years, majors and/or courses have been taken out, replaced or created in response to the drastic changes in technology and demands of America’s fashion industry. The following is a brief history of what has been lost, modified, or created. The Ghosts of Courses Past: Fur Design: A class once taught in one of the first versions of BFA Fashion Design, it has been subsumed into the leather course today. The class was dropped due to the decline in demand for fur goods. Fur lost much of its cachet (thanks largely to the various animal rights awareness campaigns) and was no longer seen as a focus for the curriculum. Although there has since been a resurgence of fur, Colette Wong, Chairperson of Fashion Design, said it is unlikely the course would be revived. However, there are professors equipped with the knowledge, and would gladly teach the wonders of fur for senior capstones.

been removed. “We saw the opportunity to fix and edit the program, to go back to the basics of design, as good design is good design –technology will always change,” said Anoushian. The program changes will be effective starting in the fall of 2011, MFA Illustration: Implemented this fall, and as an with one of the major changes being the exposure outgrowth of the undergrad program, it is the first MFA to be offered at FIT. MFAs are the equivalent to of students to the four areas of upper division levels in their third semester of their AAS Degree, rather Doctorates in the business world; a terminal degree in which one can have a sense of closure and completion than their last semester. This enables students to make more informed decisions when applying to the to their art and design education. “It was something Bachelor’s Program. The I had been working on “Good design is good Advertising Design and since 2005, when I was the Graphic Design departments acting assistant dean in Art design – technology will are also undergoing a process and Design,” said Melanie always change . of updating their curriculums. Reim, the chairperson of – Suzanne Anoushian A transitional stage for both MFA Illustrations. “Upon the school and industry, the returning to faculty in 2008, department has chosen to we went full throttle to take a positive stance and embrace the embrace these get this program set up, and it took two years.” The adjustments of the curriculum to the ever changing to program focuses more on studio time, with longer the ever changing world of design and technology. The classes in painting, drawing, and digital skills, as well department also hopes to continue to develop elective as other specialty classes. Studio visits to the West and selective courses in areas of interest and new Coast are also done to observe behind-the-scenes technology in the near future. animated films. Candidates must have three to five years of earned work experience in order to be eligible to apply. “Grad school is a huge commitment. In having experienced candidates, it makes the learning experience richer and more rewarding for everybody. I have had students who I first taught [in the undergrad program] and went on to work and are now back in this program,” said Reim. While she feels that the degree isn’t exactly vital in the industry, it is important if the student wants to teach someday. She made certain to mention, however, that “The mission of the program is to create one’s own voice, a much more entrepreneurial approach where things are viewed in depth, which is what is needed in grad school.”

Entrepreneurship: Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Twitter. What’s next? Could you be the next Mark Zuckerberg? “The entrepreneurship program will help students determine when an idea is an opportunity; it will not only explore new ventures but also develop intrepreneurship (entrepreneurship within existing companies),” said Frank Koe, Acting Dean of B&T, adding that “America is going through a very difficult time and if young people can start to think in a Plus-sized Fashion Design: Once a required class, creative entrepreneurial way, perhaps entrepreneurship it was dropped due to the lack of enthusiasm from can help ramp up new businesses and employ people.” students. Today, it is incorporated into the lessons Courses in the program include business planning, within apparel classes in the study of proportions. finance, accounting and how to translate innovation Courses Present: into value. “Some class time will be spent addressing Technical Design: entrepreneurship within a “...we are intimately Implemented in 2009, the family business as well as major was created based on aware of changing needs social entrepreneurship. Think WWD’s employment listings Clara Barton, who started and re-examining our page, many for technical nursing education!” said Koe. curriculum to adapt designers. Its original With many schools offering incarnation here was called great entrepreneurial programs appropriately.” “Patternmaking.” The need for today, joint programs are being – Dr. Joyce Brown explored. Faculty members tech design has been on the rise over the last eight to 10 years due to the global teaching in the program will include William Lynch, nature of fashion now. Technical designers act as the Christine Pomeranz and Alvin Rogers. liaison between the manufacturers overseas and the Communication Design: For those unaware, buyers and fashion designers here. Courses in the Communication Design’s program has undergone a new major focus mainly on sizing and measurements major revamp, and will be now called Communication – from patternmaking, production and fittings, to Design Foundation. The major will prepare students developing overseas communication skills and knowin all of the design fundamentals needed to continue how. With every fashion company needing a technical their upper division BFA studies in Advertising designer, and FIT being the only school to have such Design, Graphic Design, Packaging Design, and the a major, there seems only one direction for graduates newly formed Visual Presentation and Exhibition in tech design to go in: up. “Once a fashion designer Design (no longer offered as an associates). myself, I do miss the creativity,” says Deborah Beard, According to Suzanne Anoushian, Chairperson of Chairperson of Technical Design. “Fashion design and Communication Design, the program would be “less technical design go hand in hand; without the balance, project-based and more learning-based.” Repetitive especially with many designers wanting their own assignments and smaller credit classes have also companies, one’s business can go under easily,” she adds.

Sustainable Interior Design: The sustainability effort has been gaining popularity, and looks as if it is here to stay. So much so that FIT will be starting its first Sustainable Interior Design Master’s Program in the fall of 2011. Headed by Grazyna Pilatowicz, the program aims to create a much-needed supply of both eco-designers and the faculty needed to impart such knowledge. Unlike New York Studio of Interior Design, the other school in New York to offer such a program, FIT’s course would be more seminarcentered, rather than studio-focused. “It is more research-oriented, ‘science-y.’ However, one can do their thesis as a project, or write a curriculum,” said Pilatowicz. Again, two to three years of practice in the industry is needed to apply for the program as it is a course meant for professionals. Classes are also offered in the evening so as not to interrupt work schedules. Due the fact that sustainability is much more a personal advocacy, Pilatowicz had mentioned that most of the faculty were derived their jobs from their passion. It is to no wonder that Pilatowicz is one of them, having written her thesis on Eco-friendly living for her final year at FIT in 1993, with a book that went on to be published. Majors of Tomorrow: Fashion Design: Having just restructured their curriculum five years ago (similar to the changes made within Communication Design), the Fashion Design department has not recently seen any major changes in their curriculum. However, Colette Wong had pointed out that corsetry has been a popular course, where students are taught structure and fit, and look at corsets from both a modern and historical perspective. Other courses that are “coming out the pipeline” are Sustainable Fashion Design, Deconstruction and 2-D Design classes.” In the decision to offer such courses, the students’ interest in the classes as well as the industry’s needs seem most important. “The faculty can only do so much. If [the changes are] initiated by students, even better,” said Politicawactz. With the demise of the garment district, much of the industry’s needs involve the evolution of technology and the challenge of sustainable design. Yet, as reiterated by Anoushian, the basic foundations still remain – good design is good design, and as for business students, good content is after all, good content.

PERFECT FIT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MUSEUM AT FIT: HIS AND HERS

Marisa Spano

n exhibition entitled His and Hers examines the long running relationship between gender and fashion. Visitors can experience a timeline of men’s and women’s clothing side by side that highlight their differences and similarities. For centuries clothing has served as a delineator of gender difference. Through the ages most people have dressed in ways that are appropriate for their gender. Women often borrow elements from men’s clothing, but men almost never borrow from the styles of women. Unisex dressing became popular in the 1960s and 70s and it was thought that unisex clothing would take over by the 1980s. But that never materialized as a cultural or fashion verity. The exhibition portrays men’s and women’s silhouettes side by side exploring preferences from different eras. The collection begins with 18th century styles and ends with pieces from modern day 2010. All the pieces in the exhibition show the changes of women’s and men’s fashion as they grew over time and show how much or how little influence they have on each other. Skirts and dresses have long been associated with female expression. In other countries the kilt, a knee-length pleated skirt and the sarong, a loose skirt consisting of brightly colored fabric wrapped around the body worn in the South Pacific, are designed for males as well as females. On display in the His and Hers exhibition is Jean Paul Gautier’s design of a man’s skirt made in France. The skirt incorporates male western styles to give it a masculine look, but the fashion never made it out of the showroom and into the streets. The late 1700s was a time when the Dandy reigned

not experience lasting popularity in fashion.” Why do you think in western culture skirts are not considered acceptable for men?

Photo courtsey of FIT Museum

supreme among men’s fashion, a somewhat feminine and fussy look typified by Beau Brummel, especially in the fashion capitals of London and Paris. The exhibit illustrates how upper-class men and women of the 18th century wore fashions that were quite similar in many respects. Even the fabrics had a crossover aspect. On display is a pair of men’s and women’s pieces from late 1700 France. Even though the silhouettes of the male and female garments are markedly different, the fabrics and styles of the garments are very much the same. You can see how much of an influence men’s wear and women’s wear had on each other. After looking around the museum and reading the information available, I asked museum curator Jennifer Farley a few questions: What was the purpose of unisex clothing and how did it come about? “‘Unisex’” clothing styles attempt to downplay gender differences,” said Farley. “Unisex clothing was a trend in fashion during the late 1960s and 1970s. Some designers, such as Rudi Gernreich, felt that unisex styles were the way of the future. He even predicted that all clothing would be unisex by the 1980s. However, these styles did

“In Western culture, skirts have a strong association with women’s clothing, seen as a ‘feminine’ garment. That association is very difficult to overcome, and is largely the reason that skirts for men have found little acceptance in mainstream menswear,” She responded. When did the phenomenon of woman adopting masculine silhouettes catch on? Did a specific designer start the trend? “In our exhibition, we discuss the fact that women were adopting elements of masculine tailoring during the 19th century. ‘Tailor made’ suits for women became popular by the late 19th century and were fairly standard in a woman’s wardrobe by the 1910s,” said Farley. “I don’t think that you could attribute menswear appropriations to any one designer. When you look at 20th century fashion, however, there are designers very much associated with certain styles. For instance, Yves Saint Laurent is famous for the ‘Le smoking suit,’ a women’s wear variation on a man’s tuxedo.” Visiting the exhibition will shed light on the gender boundaries of fashion. Boundaries can be redefined and pulled in other directions. Just looking around, you realize just how much the fashions between both genders influence each other. The exhibition teaches and inspires that there’s no one way to do anything. There is no straight path in the world of fashion. His and Hers is open now until May 10th, 2011.

FIT DIRECTOR RECEIVES A DISTINGUISHED AWARD

he Writing Studio at FIT may have been a lifesaver when it came to correcting grammar and structure on all those papers, but now it has one more incentive to add to its list: it now has an award-winning director. On November 27th, the annual National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing (NCPTW) was held in Baltimore, Maryland, where writing studio director Dr. Brian Fallon received the 2010 Ron Maxwell Award for Distinguished Leadership in Promoting the Collaborative Learning Practices of Peer Tutors in Writing. The NCPTW conference serves as a way for students and directors from writing centers around the country to network and listen to presentations on methods of tutoring created and given by the students themselves. The award serves to distinguish professionals of the NCPTW organization for leadership and excellence in

Georgeanna Dwiggins collaborative learning in writing centers, encouraging students to take on more responsibility, and promoting the concept of a “peer tutor.” The recipient of the award is someone whom the organization believes has contributed to the development of NCPTW, which Dr. Fallon has clearly done here at FIT. Having worked as a peer tutor himself as an undergraduate and having gone on to become the director of our Writing Studio here, Dr. Fallon is obviously dedicated to a belief in the ideals of peer tutoring and collaborative learning. As one of his nominators wrote, “He has been active in all three capacities we value—undergraduate, graduate, and director. He embodies our collaborative learning ideals and carries them forward. And what a model he is!” His commitment to the NCPTW organization is evident in that he initiated, constructed, and continues to manage the NCPTW website. He has also served several times

on the organization’s scholarship committee. Dr. Fallon was extremely humble about receiving such a distinctive award. This award is a tremendous honor for those who research and work with peer tutors in writing. “The Maxwell Award means so much because it is recognition from a committee of people who have dedicated their careers to collaborative learning and peer tutoring,” says Dr. Fallon. One of the planners for the Baltimore conference commented, “I have seen his peer tutors in action at both the Las Vegas and the Mount Holyoke conferences, and they are fully engaged. The proposals from his tutors for this year’s conference are outstanding and innovative, such as the rethinking of writing centers through the eyes of design students. Brian represents the best of the present that will help carry NCPTW into the future.”

THE BRIEFCASE

Google Trip: photo courtesy of Amanda Zyta & Laura Fishman.

FIT’s WICT chapter took a tour of Google’s Meatpacking District office last month. Google’s office is one of the best-kept secrets in the city, literally. Google doesn’t display its logo on the outside of the building or even inside the elevator. Once inside the company’s lair, students reported whimsical design elements including banners with the iconic Google logo and a huge Lego structure, created by Google’s former interns. They were also granted access to learning about the legendary employee benefits. As an employee, one receives access to a free café and food stations no more than 100 feet from any employees’ desk. There’s a library and even relaxation rooms complete with pool tables and Rock Band, the video game. FIT’s WICT (Woman In Cable Telecommunications) chapter aims to get students connected to the cable telecommunications industry. The club has taken three tours to date: Food Network, Time Warner, and now Google. Every week the club features a speaker who is currently working in the television industry. The club meets every Tuesday from 1-2pm in room B784. -Amanda Zyta & Laura Fishman.

FIT freshman Fabiana Zacarias took first place in PeopleTowels’ Big Green Dream Contest for her reusable towel design called “Love, Not Waste” (Pictured here). She won $500 in addition to her design being placed on PeopleTowels (reusable cloth towels to replace paper towels) available for purchase on their website. The company prides itself on saving the environment one PeopleTowel user at a time. Company spokespeople report that each user can save 23 lbs of landfill waste, ¼ of a tree, 250 gallons of water and carbon emission by 34 lbs all thanks to replacing paper towels with People Towels. The PaperTowels’ Design Contest was open to submissions from everyone across the country. The board narrowed the designs down to nine finalists who were then voted for by the public. -Shireen Musa

Towel Design by Fabiana Zacarias; courtesy photo.

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W27

MCQUEEN’S DEATH SPARKS INSPIRATION

Raquel Rose Burger

rom December 1-5, the Fashion Design AAS Exhibition inspired by Alexander McQueen, was on view at the John E. Reeves Great Hall. Walking into the room, a creepy yet exhilarating feeling befalls the exhibition-goer as dozens of garments are displayed with the accompaniment of eerie music being played, billowing throughout the large hall. A slide show highlighting the late McQueen’s work and accomplishments was projected and the room was decorated in an interesting manner. Two of the featured designers, Terese Brown and Jami Johnson, spoke on their creations and their thought processes behind them. Raquel Burger: What part of McQueen’s style inspired your design? Terese Brown: I was mostly inspired by his combination of hard vs. soft fabrics and structured vs. drapey silhouettes. I like using unconventional materials that can be used as fabric, and the illusion of a soft fabric appearing hard. Jami Johnson: In every article of clothing you can see his cultivated sensitivity to the feminine form that exudes a woman’s sexuality that captivates audiences. You can see the love in his product. He has the magic touch. RB: If you could describe your design in one sentence how would you do so? TB: My design is for a sophisticated woman who is feminine, modern, and not afraid of a little hardware! JJ: I wanted to create a reaction, some sort of presence that engages people’s emotions. In other words: sex sells. RB: How do you think McQueen’s death influenced this exhibit? TB: I knew little about Alexander McQueen before his death. Though a sad day for the industry and those closest to him, this tragedy prompted me to research why he was such an icon to many. Then when it was announced that our inspiration was him, I was excited because I knew that everyone would pay homage to his memory. We were all challenging ourselves to go beyond our individual styles and really design looks

that McQueen would be proud of if he were still here. I think this was accomplished in the Exhibition as a whole. JJ: His presence has been sorely missed in the industry due to his untimely death. He has created a rift, more like a wave or a calling to young designers everywhere. FIT paid homage by selecting him as Terese Brown designs; courtesy photos the designer of RB: What are your goals for the future? influence for this particular exhibition. TB: I graduate this month so I’m job hunting! I look forward to going back to work, and this time doing RB: I can tell from your designs that you put much what I truly love – design. I hope to get involved with effort and time into it. Explain the feeling you had the new initiatives Mayor Bloomberg and the CFDA once it was finally finished. have in store for emerging designers. Look out for TB: So much time, tears and love was put into Terese Sydonna to be continued. the construction of my dress. What an incredible JJ: Actually I’m glad you asked. I just put some studio journey of learning, problem solving and resiliency! space on lock down in the garment district. I am Yet I could not have done it without the support currently working on a business plan to build an “Ecoof my family and friends during this semester, and Conscious” luxury line. I will be perfecting my FIT throughout this one-year program. I couldn’t believe work in the upcoming months and launching my line it when I finished a day early; time went by so fast in the near future pending monetary support. constructing this dress, yet at times it felt like I would go on forever. I had a warm feeling inside knowing Hearing these young designers’ thoughts and their that I finished what I started, and that no matter what passion for what they do really gives us hope and the outcome of selection day or popular opinion, no reassurance that our future is bright and many one could take away the hard work that I put into it. extraordinary fashions are yet to be realized. As Freshman Caitlin Corcoran put it, “I was blown away JJ: Honestly? For the first time in my life I’m happy by the pieces I saw at the McQueen Exhibit. It’s so with my design. Of course, there is always room for improvement but this was a jumping off point for me. refreshing to see so many talented student designers. With design, it’s important to live in the moment, look I don’t always realize how many talented artists and designers are here! I hope there are more exhibits in at the past and see to the future. the future showing off student designer’s work.”

FIT CHEERLEADERS TRAVEL TO SUNY MARITIME

ith just the right touch of “rah rah” spirit, the FIT cheerleading squad kept a crowd of fans on their feet as the SUNY Maritime College football team played their way to a 20-2 victory on October 30th. This win earned Maritime’s Privateers the title of Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) champions. “It was a great win for the team and a great experience for our team to participate in,” says junior Jackie Solana, an FIT cheerleader. This past academic year, FIT’s men’s basketball team fell victim to program funding cuts, leaving the cheerleaders without many events to support. “I was very upset when I heard they were not going to have a team this year. Cheerleaders are supposed to cheer for sports like basketball and football, but with our school now having neither, it’s hard to have school spirit,” says Solana. Not all of the FIT Tigers’ spirit was lost along with the basketball team, however. The squad was able to make an appearance on our home court in late October for FIT’s Homecoming, which doubled as the women’s volleyball team’s senior night. It was only last year that FIT’s three-year old cheerleading club became an official competitive team with the acquisition of Coach Melissa Furdyn. Yet,

Julie Daly with the loss of the basketball team, something had to give. FIT’s Head of Athletics, Kerri-Ann McTiernan, as well as Dean of Student Development, Erik Kneubuehl (a previous Maritime College employee), worked with Coach Furdyn to make the cheerleaders’ presence at Maritime’s October 30th game possible. The connection between FIT and Maritime College worked out great, with senior Maritime College student Steve Craft offering that “It was pretty cool to have the cheerleaders at the game, because they got the crowd more involved in the game. I think it definitely helped with school spirit.” FIT freshman and cheerleader Kaylyn Cheek would agree that it was a great experience saying, “After the game, so many of the team members’ parents and the school’s faculty thanked us for being there to support their team.” Senior Deanna Gibaldi noted that during the game, “the crowd was responding back to our cheers and really getting involved with each chant.” The proof of success is in the fact that the team has been asked back for a December basketball event. In addition to the Maritime College sporting events at which the FIT cheerleaders will be chanting, jumping, and smiling, the squad is working hard to be able to attend NCA College Nationals in April. Cheerleaders at SUNY Maritime College; photo by Deanna Gibaldi.

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FUTURE MODE: SPECIAL OCCASION

Marissa Mule

hat better a concentration for Future Mode in this, The Holiday Issue of W27, than “Special Occasion”? With the winter holidays rapidly approaching, it’s your time to be bold, and bring out the sparkle in your wardrobe. You’ll want to look stunning at holiday parties in new dresses and skirts. If you were Tatiana Baibabeva, this month’s spotlighted Fashion Design student, you could simply whip up the perfect holiday confection to wear. When Tatiana isn’t busy excelling in her special occasion classes, she is blogging about her nature-inspired designs. Read on to find out more. Marissa Mule: Who/what is your inspiration? Tatiana Baibabaeva: I am very inspired by nature. For example, I am inspired by trees. When you look at them, there is no right or left side to them. You have to walk around to appreciate the beauty of it. It is the same with my creations. I design them from one side all the way around until I get to the point where I started. MM: What are your strengths/challenges? TB: I am very good with my hands. I love working with material, and sewing. As for challenges, my biggest is meeting deadlines. I always wish there was more time to complete an assignment. MM: What is your dream job? TB: My dream job is to work with talented people, and have fun in the industry.

reflect your design aesthetic? TB: I usually design things I would wear myself. This is something I try to reflect in my designs. My personal style reflects my creations for special occasion greatly. For my own wedding, for example, I would never wear a huge ball gown in which I cannot sit. MM: What are your favorite fabrics to work with? TB: I love working with textured fabrics. I also like to work with materials that are sheer and light. MM: Did you grow up loving fashion? At what age did you begin designing? TB: I always loved fashion. When I was younger I used to save all of my money to buy new shoes. I started designing, sewing, and using my hands when I was a very little girl. MM: Did you always carry a sketchbook around with you when you went out? TB: No, as a young designer I did not have a sketchbook. Rather, I did a lot of knitting and sewing. MM: Do you have a website where you show your designs? TB: Not right now, but over the holiday break or next semester I plan on doing a professional photo shoot of my designs.

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MM: Why did you choose the special occasion concentration? TB: It gives me the most freedom in terms of what I want to be working with. However, I am actually not into huge ball gowns and wedding dresses; I am the complete opposite. I like my dresses more casually cool, romanticized in beautiful delicate fabrics. I did not choose sportswear because it is too much about athletic wear and computerized design. If there was tailoring, I think I would have chosen that. Other concentrations are too specialized for me. MM: Do you like your classes? TB: Yes, I am very happy with my specialization. One thing that I struggle with is the lack of freedom in a classroom. I like experimenting and finding new ways of doing old things or using not traditional fabrics. I like to discover new possibilities. Fortunately, so far, most courses and professors were open to my ideas and designs. I am very happy.

Tatiana Baibabaeva dress; courtesy photo.

MM: Who is your style icon? TB: Really, I do not have one. I appreciate other people’s work, but I try to be original in the way I design and the way I dress. However, Oliver Theyskens is one of my favorite designers. I love the way he dresses and the way he works.

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MM: What is your favorite thing about FIT? TB: My favorite thing about FIT is learning how to construct. Like I said earlier, I love working with my hands, and draping. FIT teaches not only about the idea of creations, but also making it real starting with the very first draping class. MM: How much does your personal style Tatiana Baibabaeva; courtesy photo.

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W27

THE UGG BOOT: ARE WE WITNESSING THE BIRTH OF A NEW FOOTWEAR CATEGORY? Veronica Heras

n New York City and around the northern hemisphere, as the temperature drops, the coats, hats and UGGs come out. Forget Louboutins, the hottest shoes this season (and warmest too) are UGGs. In the past decade UGG Australia has proven to be a brand to be reckoned with. From Kate Hudson to Gwyneth Paltrow, UGGs are as popular in Hollywood as they are in the streets. It also looks like UGG is not only defeating the cold weather (Los Angeles’ temperatures bottom out at 68 on average) but also the recession. UGGs may be priced at over $100, but that has not decreased the demand for these trendy boots. According to the Wall Street Journal, last year alone, UGG made $712 million. Moving into this year, they made $100 million in the first quarter – strong retail numbers in an otherwise bleak market. But how exactly did a flat, wide, and unflattering Australian sheepskin-lined boot become so ubiquitous? Opinions on the boot are definitely divided. For every UGG lover there is an UGG hater. Colin Smith, a third semester FMM student says, “I personally do like the boots. They are comfortable and always keep my feet warm when I am walking the streets of NYC. With that being said I would never wear these shoes to work or on a date. They simply aren’t cute like that.”

ever.” Maybe Balagot’s sentiment can explain why there is more than one person claiming to have created the brand. However, Uggaustralia.com names Brian Smith, an Australian surfer as the creator. In 1978, Smith came to the U.S., and with an unlikely formula of sheepskin he brought from Australia plus a group of surfers, the UGG brand was born. The widespread popularity of UGGs, however, didn’t happen until access to bigger resources came about when a larger company bought them. In 1998, Deckers acquired UGG Australia and they repositioned it as a luxury brand and started selling it at high-end retailers like Nordstrom. Two boot styles, four slippers and a couple of other styles later, UGG Australia was ready to hit the stage. The brand shot to fashion stardom with paparazzi shots of A-list celebrities, UGG-ed up and popping up all over the place including on the feet of Sarah Jessica Parker’s character in Sex and the City 2. You know you’ve made it in the fashion world when you get the coveted Carrie Bradshaw treatment. UGG Australia was also lucky enough to get Oprah’s golden touch in 2000. Like many other products with Oprah approval, UGGs sold out across the country after she highlighted them on her show. The success exceeded the expectations of retailers who weren’t prepared for the high demand of the footwear. student

Becky Rejman, a seventh semester FMM student’s feels otherwise: “As a fashion student I probably “As a fashion should find something else I probably should find to wear, but I don’t hate something else to wear, them. I shockingly own a pair but I try never to wear but I don’t hate them.” them to school.”

So what is a fashionista to do when the must-have shoe is not available anywhere? In 2003, the same year that Footwear News named UGG Australia – Becky Rejman “Brand of the Year,” eBay bids Meanwhile, Kristin exceeded the $400 mark for Stepniewski, a fifth semester boots that sold at a quarter of that price at retailers when AMC student has very strong feelings against the the peak of their demand outweighing their supply. For footwear brand: “I don’t like them because they are those consumers who were not willing to pay a couple overpriced and ugly.” She adds, “I’ve heard stereotypes hundred dollars on the boots, the solution came in the for girls who are from Long Island. UGG boots, form of knock-offs and imitations. Coach bag, fake tan, too much make-up, poorly highlighted hair and a North Face jacket.” This Long Island-native acknowledged that stereotypes are wrong but still refuses to identify as part of this one. Catherine Balagot, a fifth semester AMC student believes “UGGs are simply the greatest invention

Ever wonder why the boot that is, well, ugly, sounds like this unflattering adjective? It is no coincidence. There has been a lot of controversy over the UGG name. According to the UGG Boot Footwear Association, a group of manufacturers in Australia,

different forms of the sheepskin-lined shoe were worn in Australia for decades before UGG shoes made its debut as a brand. Sheepskin-lined shoes in their variations were referred to as “UGG”, which is short for “ugly.” The footwear association claimed Deckers Outdoor Corporation couldn’t own the name “UGG” due to the fact that it was and is still a generic name. Deckers’ claim was that they owned all rights because “UGG” was a registered trademark. Ultimately both sides won; those same manufacturers were allowed to use the name “UGGS”and Deckers still owns the trademark in the U.S. and Europe. Just when one would think that the style factor would reach a plateau on the trend curve, the UGG and Jimmy Choo collaboration formed. Consisting of five styles from leopard print to star studs, the UGG now gets the ultimate luxury touch–with a luxury price tag to boot! Prices range from $495 to $795. It seems that the popularity of UGGs will not diminish in the near future. After all, UGGs were the subject of a 54-minute documentary called, “The Good, The Bad and the UGG Boot.” This documentary investigates the war between Deckers and the aforementioned UGG Boot Footwear Association. What’s more, Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots and husband to Gisele Bündchen, has just been named the spokesperson for the UGG men’s range. But there’s a dark cloud appearing in the UGG sky. Dr. Krista Ammirati Archer, a doctor of Podiatry Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, says the shoe may be hazardous to your foot health. According to Dr. Archer, the little-to-no arch and loose fit of the shoe can cause tendinitis and heel pain. There is a solution for all the UGG lovers out there; she is now selling arch inserts based on the patient’s foot type. While FM114 teaches that fashion can only be evolutionary at this point, many can argue that UGG has come out with an entirely new category of footwear. Will reaching for UGGs during the cold weather become as much of a no-brainer as reaching for flip flops in the summer? Only time will tell but if their impervious success is any indication, this is something we can only expect.

DESIGNER PROFILE: MOLLY SIMS OF GRAYCE Taisa Veras

Molly Sims wearing pieces from her Holiday 2010 collection. Photo: Aaron Eckhart.

aybe you know Molly Sims as an easy, breezy beautiful CoverGirl. Or you remember her from the cover of the famed Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. Or even still, you must know her from her numerous turns down the Victoria’s Secret runway as a legendary Angel. (She’s also been on the silver screen hosting her own show MTV’s House of Style as well as a longstanding role on the hit show Las Vegas.) But now, the stunning blond is taking on the role of jewelry designer. Sims’ passion for vintage jewelry has been eminent throughout her career so she decided to launch Grayce by Molly Sims a little over a year ago on HSN. It was such a hit that the collection is now carried in stores such as Henri Bendel, Scoop, Ron Herman, and Matches London.

Read on to find out Sim’s favorite piece from the collection, which place inspires her the most, what she suggests you to wear during the Holiday season, and where she’s spending New Year’s eve. Taisa Veras: Why did you decide to design jewelry? Molly Sims: The reason I decided to design my own jewelry line was because my mother collected jewelry for the past 30 years. When I first started modeling and acting, I kind of got known for wearing her vintage pieces on the red carpet, at shoots, and in everyday life, so it just seemed like the right thing to do. I love it and it’s a passion I have had for the past ten years. I feel that jewelry can change a look just as much as clothing can. I build looks around jewelry instead of clothing dictating the look.

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TV: What’s your favorite aspect of being a jewelry designer?

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the best resorts.

TV: What’s your favorite Grayce jewelry MS: The most fun aspect of being a jewelry piece at the moment and why? designer is putting MS: My Deco piece, “Paris has inspired me the which has two styles: together all of the different elements. the Deco Short most. I lived there for I am constantly Pendant in Black four years and it is such a and the Deco Long researching and looking at trends. It’s melting pot when it comes Pendant in Black. It always fun to look at is a beautiful piece to to fashion.” the vintage archives wear all year round of Van Cleef & but especially this – Molly Sims Arpels, Harry time of the year. It’s Winston and Cartier. classic with a “rocker” feel to it. TV: If you could collaborate with another designer on a capsule collection who would it be and why?

TV: Your jewelry line that has been on HSN before, are you going to be on there again anytime soon? MS: My one-year anniversary on HSN was on November 19th. I will be back on again in February 2011 with new Spring designs.

MS: It would definitely be Alber Elbaz of Lanvin. From accessories to ready-to-wear to jewelry, Lanvin is my all-time favorite. “If there is someone

who inspires you or that you look up to, get your foot in the door and be part of the pulse!”

TV: You have traveled the world as a model and actress, which place has inspired you the most? MS: Paris has inspired me the most. I lived there for four years and it is such a melting pot when it comes to fashion. You can be walking down the street and see an older British grandmother standing next to a “street smart” Camden flea market girl who is standing next to a punk rocker with spiked hair. They all own their own style. TV: It’s December and the holiday season is upon us – are you designing a jewelry piece that is inspired by or created for this time of the year? MS: I have an amazing Deco piece. It’s an ode to old Hollywood. It’s very Christmas and looks great with a little black dress or boyfriend blazer.

TV: What’s your advice to FIT students who want to start their own jewelry line? MS: INTERN, INTERN, INTERN. If there is someone who – MS inspires you or that you look up to, get your foot in the door and be part of the pulse! Learn every aspect of the business, from the front to the back.

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Shop Grayce by Molly Sims pieces online at www.GraycebyMollySims.com and check out more exclusive designer profile interviews by Taisa on her blog www.amahzingblog.com.

TV: Can you give FIT students ideas on how to accessorize an outfit for New Year’s? What would be the perfect Grayce piece to wear with the outfit? MS: It all depends where you are going. If you are going casual, the Grayce Multi Strand Stone Necklace in silver looks great paired with a tee shirt, boyfriend jacket and a pair of jeans. If you are going someplace a bit fancier, the Long Necklace with Fireball and Faceted Crystal Drop works with a V-neck Diane Von Furstenberg dress. TV: How do you plan to celebrate the Holidays and New Year’s? MS: I am going to Miami to see my nephew and family. I will definitely make time for Scarpetta at the Fountainbleu Hotel and Prime 112 for an amazing steak while I am in town. For New Year’s, I like to go to the El Dorado resort in Cabo San Lucas, [Mexico]. Mike Melman owns the properties and has

Other Location 115 W. 27th St, 3rd FL btw 6th & 7th Ave Molly Sim’s favorite piece, the Deco Short Pendant in Black. Photo: Courtesy of Molly Sims.

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Holiday Issue HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND FIT Jennifer Yeboah

oliday traditions are as diverse as the student body that practices them. Which is why it comes as no surprise that FIT has students celebrating a wide range of holidays with an even wider range of rituals. Each student below was asked what their holiday tradition was; their answers may surprise you. Olivia Greenberg Advertising and Marketing Communications Freshman Charleston, South Carolina My dad is Jewish and my mom is Catholic so we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. We celebrate the “eight crazy nights” of Hanukkah and open presents on Christmas day. O’Brian Shaw Illustration Freshman Bronx, New York I usually spend time with my family and go to the movies with my friends. We’re Jamaican so my aunt cooks brown stewed chicken with rice and peas.

Kayla Bonczek Fashion Merchandising Management Sophomore McKinney, Texas My family usually has a normal Christmas with presents and tree decorations but sometimes it varies. Last year I wanted to have a Mexican Christmas so we made enchiladas and daiquiris. Arly Nguyen Advertising and Marketing Communications Freshman Houston, Texas I put up the tree on Thanksgiving and it stays up until the end of January. My family always goes to church on Christmas day and we spend the rest of the day cooking. Shanice Howard Advertising and Marketing Communications Freshman Harlem, New York My mother makes us wait till morning to open our

presents on Christmas. Sadly we don’t do the whole Santa Claus thing anymore but the idea is still fun. Krystin Mertz Advertising and Marketing Communications Junior Howell, New Jersey Christmas morning it’s usually just my dad, mom, brother and me. We make coffee and breakfast, open up our gifts and stockings, and enjoy family time. Nan Wang Advertising and Marketing Communications Freshman Miami, Florida The Chinese New Year is like Christmas. At the end of February my family gets together around midnight. We cook dinner and put up red ornaments for luck.

All photos courtsey of respective students

WINTER SKINCARE 411: TIPS FROM AN ON-CAMPUS EXPERT Virginia Peandro often. Look for a balm that contains soothing and hydrating properties like vitamin E and Lanolin that will also protect your skin from the elements. An added bonus is a balm that contains hydroxy acids to aid in exfoliation. If you can’t find an exfoliating balm, simply brush your lips when you brush your teeth. That will give you adequate exfoliation. Follow immediately with lip balm. Now, if you’re not into sporting Pinot Noir as your lip shade for the evening, I have a few suggestions. Apply lip balm before wine consumption occurs and continue to reapply often, this will help to prevent initial stain. Once stain has occurred, it’s nothing that a cleansing wipe can’t get rid of – travel-sized wipes can be found at your local drug store – toss these in your purse and you are good to go. Most important, keep yourself hydrated. Drinking water will help prevent unsightly staining as well a hangover the next morning.

an, glowing skin; a dewy, moist complexion; plump, smooth lips – all gifts of the summer season. Now that winter is upon us, so is less than lustrous skin. Luckily, W27 tapped Cosmetic and Fragrance Marketing Association President and former Esthetician Gina Peandro to address all of your winter skincare problems. You posed the questions via W27newspaper.com and below, she answers! I’ve heard that if you lick your lips, they get more chapped. Is this true? What’s the best defense against chapped lips? And while I’m on the chapped lips topic, what about ridding “red wine lips?” Chapped lips and winter are practically synonymous; the air is dry and the cold plus blistering wind further dries out the lips. Licking one’s lips in order to relieve the dry feeling is a common “solution” but this only makes the problem worse. First, you must invest in a good lip balm (one without a delicious, lip licking flavor) and apply it

I have a cluster of whiteheads around my cheeks, what’s the best way to get rid of them?

Rather than give you the name of one “magic” cream to solve your winter skin issue, here are a few helpful tips to help you find it on your own.

In order to rid your skin of whiteheads you must first understand what causes them. Whiteheads, also known as milia, are caused by the skin’s inability to remove dead skin cells at the surface; oil then accumulates in the pores and hardens on the skin. They are different from regular breakouts and blackheads and should be removed carefully. Squeezing or picking could cause tearing of the skin or inflammation, which will worsen the problem.

• Start your search online; Nextag.com is a great site for comparison price shop. You can easily search by brand or price.

• Try using a cleanser that contains salicylic acid, which will exfoliate surface dead skin cells and help release the whitehead

• Once you have narrowed your search then look up each product on sites like Drugstore.com or Sephora. com to get user reviews.

• Be sure to follow with a toner twice a day to remove any excess dirt or oil left behind by cleansing

I have combination skin but tend to be drier in these colder months. I’m on a tight budget– can you recommend a moisturizer that won’t break the bank? Thanks! Illustrated by Jaclyn Schauer for W27

For oily skin in the winter you want to keep it light and multi-functional. Try to find a light, nighttime treatment that contains Alpha Hydroxy Acids. AHAs will exfoliate the skin, reduce oil congestion and remove dead skin, which can cause dryness in the winter. In the morning, simply cleanse skin with a gentle non-exfoliating cleanser and apply a light hydrator, one that contains hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid helps the skin to hold onto its natural moisture and will neither clog nor cause oil production. Follow with a natural SPF that contains zinc. This will protect your skin from winter’s harsh elements and the zinc will continue to absorb oil naturally throughout the day preventing break thought shine.

• Armed with this knowledge take to the street and visit your local cosmetic store, department store and/ or spa and ask for samples! They have tons – trust me, I’ve worked in retail, I know. This will give you a chance to try out your top picks and decide on your own which cream is best for your skin type. Drugstores don’t have samples, so you will have to rely on user reviews to guide you. Happy hunting! With the winter months drying out everyone’s skin, what’s the best moisturizer for someone who has oily skin and doesn’t wear lotion in the summer months?

• Finish with a light moisturizer, this will help to balance oil production on the surface of your skin and prevent whiteheads from reoccurring • Drink lots of water, this will help to flush out toxins that cause clogging • If the whiteheads persist, they should only be removed by an experienced esthetician or dermatologist (whichever fits your budget).

GIFT GUIDE:

FIT’S OWN FLEA MARKET Ryann Foulke

hy venture further than 27th and 7th to find the perfect gift, when we have FIT’s very own flea market in our midst? Though the variety of items to choose from may not be very large, (it consists mainly jewelry and other accessories), when you look close enough there truly are presents for every personality. The Hippie: I saw one woman selling jewelry with an ethnic feel, made of coral, stones and turquoise which would be sure to please that boho friend of yours. The prices were a bit heftier than the other stalls at the flea market (ranging from $40-$70), but the jewelry was handmade and everything had a very natural vibe. In this case, with a few extra dollars, you get a better quality piece. She also had nice long necklaces, some with carved wooden beads and amber stones, excellent for layering. The Ring Lover: We all have those friends who are obsessed with rings, hint: this columnist is one of those friends, and FIT’s flea market has a huge

selection of rings. They vary in price ($10-$40), but even the most expensive ones are still completely reasonable. There is everything from chunky stone pieces, which are reminiscent of Arizona and are perfect for a summer day, to huge cocktail rings with large yellow diamond-like jewels. But it’s the smaller, daintier rings that are my personal favorite. There were some wire ones with small and medium sized stones, that were a bit more sophisticated, and could be perfect for a mother. And for your best friend there were edgier gold chain rings, ones with bows, and some with quartz. The Charmer: Though we would love to be able to buy everyone on our lists a Tiffany charm bracelet, with our college budgets that might be difficult. Is there something for those friends or family members who love displaying charms around their necks and wrists? Luckily, there is a booth for that! I encountered one woman who made her own bracelets, and the charms ranged from wire hearts to fortune cookies

and handcuffs. Along with simple gold circles and cupcakes, that pretty much covers everyone. Expect to spend between $15 and $30. Vintage Lover: Last year I bought a vintage shirt and a sweater at the flea market for about $30 total, and I wear both of them (maybe too) often. Between the quirky vintage clothes and the mounds of fur coats, any vintage-phile would absolutely love anything picked out for them from one of the vendors here. The Men: Occasionally a vendor will come to the open-air market with vintage men’s clothing; that would definitely be the best bet for finding something for a father, brother, or boyfriend. I have seen Dior sweaters and Lacoste polos, as well as vintage concert Ts. Right there, that covers the bases: the label lover, the prep, and the hipster. Other than that, unless they are prone to wearing rhinestone necklaces and fur coats, there is not much else out there for those men in our lives. Most clothing ranges between $20-$30 at the market.

GIFTS IN AN UNLIKELY PLACE, THE FIT BOOKSTORE Sydney Edwards

he season of gift trading fast approacheth and the question on nearly everyone’s mind is, What should I get my friends and family? Though many people think that you have to go parsing through city stores on a lengthy trek to find the perfect gift, you don’t. FIT’s own Barnes and Noble offers limitless gift ideas. You just have to be a little innovative and creative. Below, each person on your list is taken care of...and for less than $50 each! Nowadays we’re all trying harder to keep in shape. So make the perfect fitness care package for your mom. A yoga mat and a water bottle are all you need to show her you really care. She will be losing weight while still quenching her thirst. This package will only cost you about 38 bucks but she’ll be sure to sweat with holiday joy. Every parent loves to talk about their kids’ accomplishments. Let your dad show pride in his kid’s school with a Fashion Institute of Technology license plate and a baseball cap. He will no longer have to

brag because the evidence will be on his car and on top of his head. These gifts cost about $45 total and can make the perfect stocking stuffers, or become the main event with some artful wrapping. Trying to figure out the perfect gift to give your “bestie” can be quite a challenge. But why not give them a memory they won’t forget? You can put some of your greatest memories in a Flexview 1”Presentation Binder with some sheet protectors, which will only cost you around $8, and make a personalized photo album. Decorate the cover of the binder to give it more of a photo album feel. Just use some sharpies, colored pencils or whatever you have at home and get as creative as you want. Your friend will love that fact that you’ve captured some of their favorite moments and took the time to decorate a personalized photo album. As the new year approaches calendars need to be replaced accordingly. Show your favorite teacher how

much you appreciate them by keeping them up-to-date with an F.I.T agenda. You can get them the Fashion Desk Planner that’s 6x8 for $14.99 or the Desk Weekly Professional Planner for $21.98. Either way, they will be thankful. Added bonus: you’re sure to get brownie points. Give grandma and grandpa the knitted scarf that will keep them warm. The bookstore has a variety of how-to books on knitting. Everything you need is right in the store, now all you need is a little motivation. Not only will you be giving your grandparents a new hand-made scarf but you’ll be gaining knitting knowledge for gifts to come. Although the great wide wonderful city is a great place to buy gifts, don’t overlook your own backyard. The bookstore is open on Monday-Thursday from 8:307:00, Friday from 9:00-4:00, and on Saturday from 10:00-2:00 and has tons of items to buy for all of your favorite people for the holidays.

photos courtesy of http://fashion.bncollege.com

WHAT YOU COULD HAVE MADE AT THE CENTER Katherine Chaires

ere’s one perennial challenge we can all identify with. What college student has the money to buy the latest and greatest gifts? Our solution: Make your own! We have the perfect place: The Center (located in A739). Every week, The Center hosts events for FIT students and faculty to come and create. The best part? It’s free! There you can find presents for everyone on your list: Mom, Dad, siblings, friends, and even those people you’re unsure if you should get anything for. My mom is always asking “Hey, can I borrow that necklace?” So I figured I’d solve both of our problems: Make her a beautiful necklace of her own! The Center provided me with all the tools, including the green beads of my choice, her favorite color. It was easy, fun, and cheap. If I bought her a necklace, of course she’d like it, but it’s the thought and time that I’ve taken that she’ll truly love.

Every December, my father tells me not to waste my money on him. This year, I found a way to listen to him but give him a gift I know he’ll love. Under that rough “dad” exterior is a man who loves his children; I wanted to show my appreciation by decorating a t-shirt with big letters spelling out “World’s Best Dad.” It may be a little corny and he may be a little embarrassed to wear it in public, but secretly, he’ll love the acknowledgement. Growing up, my brother and I were completely different, but that never stopped him from worrying about me. When I was a baby, he would scold my parents for allowing me to sit on a stranger’s lap – Santa’s. I usually wait until he tells me what to get him but this year, I took it upon myself. I went to The Center and got a photo portrait of me with Santa. I know it’ll make him laugh, and that’s what the holidays are about.

We all have that best friend from back home that we haven’t seen since August. I chose to make my best friend a stuffed animal. I know she’ll love it and she can take it back to school with her after winter break. Last but not least, well – sort of, are those people that you say hi to everyday on campus or your best friend’s friend that you hung out with a few times. I found the perfect idea at The Center: holiday greeting cards. I personalized each one and wrote a little note about my favorite thing about him or her. On my own, I bought a box of candy canes and taped one to each card. The Center is filled with incredible arts and crafts that can not only be used as holiday presents but birthdays, year round. Be sure to check it out. Just remember it’s the thought that counts.

Holiday Issue

WINTER BREAKIN’ IN THE BIG CITY

Serendipity 3

225 E 60th St (between 2nd & 3rd Ave)

Fernanda DeSouza, Georgeanna Dwiggins, Kristina Gabler, Meaghan Hartland and Venus Wong

Hours: Sun - Thurs, 11:30am - Midnight; Fri, 11:30am - 1am; Sat, 11:30am - 2am Cost: $$ (Frrrozen Hot Chocolate: $8.95)

Not only does New York City look and feel completely different in the winter thanks to the naked trees and dropping temps, it actually becomes a different city. Case in point: There are a whole new set of things to do when you aren’t being drawn to lie in a park on a beautiful day. Museums are warm and toasty, sledding is a possibility, and the Holidays themselves really do take over Manhattan in a snow swirl of spirit. So take a tour of the City (and its northern neighbor) to really appreciate what this season does for the Big Apple.

Time Warner Center Lights

Nearest Transit: 59th St--Lexington Ave stop off the 4/5/6/N/Q/R trains You haven’t experienced New York City unless you have gone to the delicious treat center that is Serendipity 3 in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate (no, the 3 Rs is not a typo) has become a NYC bucket list must.

10 Columbus Circle (58th St and 8th Ave) Hours: Now - Dec 23rd; Mon - Sat, 10am - 10pm; Sun, 10am - 8pm Dec 24th; Friday, 9am - 5pm Dec 25th; Saturday, Closed Dec 31st; Friday, 10am - 6pm Jan 1st; Saturday, 11am - 6pm Cost: FREE (Unless you plan on shopping) Nearest Transit: Columbus Circle stop on the 1 train Liven up your holiday shopping by stopping by the Shops at Columbus Circle and take in the wonder of the shimmering “stars” hung at the Time Warner Center.

Sledding in Central Park

Anywhere from 5th to 8th Ave and between 59th and 110th St Hours: Open 24 Hours. Anytime there’s snow. Cost: FREE Nearest Transit: Multiple stops dotted all alongside Central Park. We recommend starting at the Columbus Circle stop off the 1/2/A/B/C/D trains What says “holiday fun” better than sledding? And what says “New York” better than Central Park? Bring out your inner child, grab anything resembling a sled and find yourself a hill!

Train Show at the NY Botanical Garden

200th St and Kazimiroff Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458 Hours: Now - January 9th; Sun, 10am - 6pm; Tues - Sat, 10am - 6pm Cost: Peak Dates (December 21st- January 2nd): General $25, Student $22; Off Peak Dates: General $20, Student $18 Nearest Transit: Bedford Park Blvd stop off the B/D/4 trains Into architecture and historic New York City? Seeing the city’s most beloved landmarks made entirely of flora is beyond breathtaking. Catch the train show before it pulls out of the station in early 2011.

American Museum of Natural History – Origami Tree &Dinosaurs

Central Park West and 79th St Hours: Sun - Sat, 10am - 5:45pm (closed Christmas Day) Cost: Suggested Admission; Adults $16, Children (2-12) $9, Seniors/Students with ID $12 Nearest Transit: 81st St--Museum of Natural History stop off the A/B/C trains An annual tradition for the past 30 years, the Museum puts up its magical origami Holiday tree. Standing at 13 ft., this year’s theme, Discovery, features ornaments such as one evoking a dinosaur excavation site. Volunteers began folding in July and have finished with close to 500 decorations that are on display.

Bronx Zoo Tour

Fordham Rd and Bronx River Pkwy, Bronx, NY 10458 Hours: Now - April 1st; Sun - Sat, 10am 4:30pm (closed on Christmas Day) Cost: Adults $16, Children (3-12) $12, Seniors $14 (Tip: On Wednesdays admission is only suggested!) Nearest Transit: East Tremont Ave--West Farms Square stop off the 2/5 trains

1260 6th Ave (between 50th and 51st St) Hours: Now - December 30th; Varies, see schedule for specific show times Cost: $45 - $105 depending on seating

If you’re an animal lover and are in search of polar bears and sea lions this winter, look no further. The Bronx Zoo is filled to capacity with mammals, birds, insects and reptiles. Don’t forget to go online and check out the “Today at the Zoo” feature that allows you to see the zoo’s specific daily events.

Macy’s Santaland

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Nearest Transit: Rockefeller Center--50th St stop off the B/D/F trains What will always be a New York City tradition, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular really plays to all the senses. Make sure to catch a show this season. And don’t miss the titanic tree at Rockefeller Center. It’s just a half a block away!

151 W 34th St (between Broadway and 7th Avenue) Hours: Now - December 30th; Sun, 11am 8:30pm; Mon - Sat, 10am - 9:30pm Cost: FREE! Nearest Transit: Herald Square stop off the B/D/F/M/N/Q/R trains The world’s largest and oldest Macy’s with a Holiday bonus. Need I say more? There is a lot going on at Macy’s during this festive season, just walk in and experience the magic. Santaland is on nine.

5th Avenue Window Displays

5th Ave, especially from the upper 50s down to the 30s Hours: Whenever you feel like taking a stroll (late November until the beginning of January) Cost: FREE 7

Nearest Transit: 5th Ave--59th St stop off the N/Q/R trains

The Nutcracker at the NYC Ballet David H Koch Theater at Lincoln Center Plaza (66th St between Columbus and Amsterdam Ave) Hours: Now thru January 2nd; Varies, see schedule for specific show times Cost: $40 to $215 depending on seating Nearest Transit: 66th St–Broadway stop off the 1 train

The Nutcracker is simply an artistic feast. The costumes are meticulously fashioned and the People fly in from all over the country to see set is exquisitely detailed. The entire viewing these amazingly elaborate displays at world class experience is a fantasia, something to be stores. The windows are creative and different cherished for the rest of your life. each year, so why not take a quick walk that’s sure to put you in the holiday spirit!

Photos by Kristina Gabler

Holiday Issue

KEEPING OFF THE WINTER POUNDS Krystin Mertz

his holiday season the time has come to surround ourselves by what we love. Our friends, for example, and unfortunately, delicious foods. Although it’s time to pack on the winter clothes, it’s not a good idea to pack on the winter pounds. On average, people tend to gain seven to twelve pounds over the holiday season, finding it hard to resist all of the pies, cookies, turkey, mashed potatoes… the list goes on and on. Then, after all the stuffing is done (pun intended) they regret every ounce. When New Year’s comes along, the popular resolution tends to be “I will lose weight this year.” Lucky for us, Warren Smart, who teaches numerous fitness classes here at FIT, has useful tips on how to keep us “fashion savvy students” fitting into those fabulous skinny jeans. “Fitness is the fountain of youth,” explains Smart. “It

keeps your body young. Some people can barely move, others can barely walk up the stairs. That could be you. If you treat your body well, your body will treat you well.” The fitness maven likens this give-and-take to the upkeep of a motor vehicle. “Like a car, you want to put the best stuff in it. If you have a strong mind that’s focused on what you eat and the way you exercise, you’ll have a strong body,” says Smart. “The key to staying healthy is also a lot of water, at least 32 oz. of water a day, to stay hydrated.” If the thought of going to a gym is daunting and you’d rather exercise outside instead of being confined to a little square with a treadmill, there are lots of ways to stay fit in the city. Like Smart suggests, “Rollerblade along Chelsea piers, go for a run, and in between jogs do some ab exercises in the grass. There is also ice-skating at Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park. Going to the classes that I teach here at FIT is also another ways of staying fit; they will get

Illustrated by Darshana Pathak for W27.

you out of the gym, and we utilize the whole school as a fitness center.”

PAST THE GLASS: A DEEPER LOOK INSIDE DEPARTMENT STORE HOLIDAY WINDOWS JoAnna Black

holiday windows at Macy’s. They each have lighting, audio, video, scenery and automation that has to be precisely timed and executed. Everything is started from a lighting console that is controllable over wifi and can be run wirelessly from an iPhone on the sidewalk. Integrating all of these technologies in a space that is no larger than an SUV is a challenge in and of itself. The miles of electrical and signal cable all have to be carefully placed so as to not interfere with each other. The timing is so precise that we have to be worried about millionths of a second because over the course of 18 hours the 600 cycles would add up to seconds of lost timing.”

ven with the hectic end-of-semester frenzy every FIT student is going through, it’s hard to forget that the Holidays are right around the corner as one walks down Fifth Avenue in early December. Every year, New York City’s department stores install elaborate holiday windows, a tradition that dates back to the 1890s. The glitz, glamour, and excitement of these window vignettes draw crowds from around the world. The stores themselves refer to their holiday windows as their gifts to the city.

These depictions of holiday traditions and yuletide fantasies are so well-crafted that they might seem as though they were transported to store windows by the same magic that delivers gifts on Christmas morning. In reality, they require months of careful preparation. The process of creating a window involves various contractors, sub-contractors, electricians, technology experts, production companies and the coordination of various departments within a retailer. “We start planning our windows in February through meetings with our public relations and advertising departments,’ says Kate Zander, a 2007 graduate from FIT’s Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design (VPED) program, who is the Windows Production Manager for Lord &Taylor’s flagship store. “We want to coordinate our windows with the theme of our holiday advertisements. This year’s theme is ‘Share the Joy,’ which we decided to present as older generations handing down holiday traditions to younger ones. We asked our fans on Facebook to share with us their favorite holiday memories. When we looked at them, we realized that many people had very similar experiences around the holidays, regardless of their age. Our windows show traditions like watching Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer in the 1960s and the 1980s. It was important to us that we tell a story without using words,” explains Zander. Stores like Lord & Taylor and Macy’s essentially invented the tradition of holiday windows, so they tend to use familiar 20th century technologies like

Henri Bendel’s Nutcracker window display; photo by Anne Kong Macy’s window display; photo by Troy Atkinson Bloomingdales’ window display; photo by Anne Kong.

animatronics, while only slowly incorporating more recent 21st century technologies. Other retailers, who are not as wedded to the tradition, are taking an edgier approach this year. At Saks, you can see a virtual display that includes 3D screens that do not require glasses. The firm behind the technology in many of the displays around town is Spaeth Design. According to a recent article in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, their client list includes Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. But even the windows that are rooted in the traditional approach use sophisticated technology to achieve their end result. “Each of the NY windows is a fully thought out ‘mini scene,’almost equivalent to a Broadway show,” says Troy Atkinson, a Project Manager at PRG-Scenic Technologies, the scene shop that oversaw this year’s

The comparison of holiday windows to Broadway shows is crucial to would-be window designers. According to Zander, her education at FIT along with her internship with set designer Anne Koch prepared her for the challenges of window production. “Being well-rounded really helps me in my job at Lord & Taylor. I use the many skills that were emphasized in VPED: production, graphic design, lighting, and visual merchandising. Also, this industry is really fastpaced, so you have to know how to source materials quickly. If your usual contact for something can’t deliver within the time frame you need, you have to know how to find someone else who can get it to you in time. Theater production tends to be the same way,” she explains. Atkinson’s advice for young designers is to love the holidays, “Christmas is a 24/7/365 business. Just as the windows open in mid-November you are already starting to think about next year’s windows and how you will make them bigger and better! You have to want to eat, sleep and breathe Christmas! The thing that keeps you going in May is the thought of all the little children with their eyes opened wide and their runny noses pressed against the glass, just waiting to see what you’ve been conjuring up for them all year long. Just remember that they will never know who you are or what you do, as that would take away from the magic of the season.”

W27 Salutes our Troops with Holiday Cards Sometimes the holidays can cause people to focus on themselves but it should not be forgotten that it is the season of giving. Who better to give to than US troops stationed in the Middle East? Their sacrifices could not possibly be compensated in the form of small thank you cards, but the staff at W27 decided to create Holiday cards using our fabulous December cover art. The cards were sent as a part of the Holiday Mail for Heroes program organized by the American Red Cross. Each staffer that sent a card, tweeted a picture under the hashtag #w27salutessoldiers. Check it out and think of a way you can give back this season.

THE DECEMBER

GRADUATE Sarah Dill Illustrated by Ruodan Bai for W27.

is the season of excess: shopping, projects galore, caffeine overload and family gatherings, but for some FIT students December marks an even more momentous occasion– graduation. Job hunting is suddenly thrust upon graduates’ shoulders, and with the holidays right around the bend, December grads have both an edge and drawbacks to deal with when it comes to breaking into the professional world. The nagging questions, “find a job?” or “take a break?” are often agonized over, so we asked three FIT December grads to give us the scoop on their next move. Heather Viggiani, Editor in Chief of W27 and co-founder of FIT’s ED2010 On Campus chapter, is not only ready to graduate but also anxious to break into the magazine industry. Although Heather transferred to FIT from both James Madison and Winthrop University, her transfer credits helped her achieve both her one-year AAS and Bachelors degrees in Advertising and Marketing Communications within three semesters. With six internships under her belt, Heather has cultivated the necessary skills to take on any challenge thrown her way. Even though most employers might not be thinking of new hires, according to Heather graduates need to “hit the ground running, stand out from the rest and make employers remember [them].” Watching the Newspaper staff grow from 10 to 65 people, Heather was eager to point out that “No challenge is too big to achieve.” To others, graduating in December is a daunting task, but Heather can’t wait to finally grab on to what were once her long term goals.

December graduates can certainly model themselves after recent FIT alumna and former W27 editor, Alexandra Gonzalez. Less than a year after graduation, Alexandra is now the Beauty Assistant at RealSimple Magazine. During her time at FIT co-founding the ED2010 chapter with Heather and also participating in the London Summer Abroad Program, Alexandra grew more proficient with the magazine industry and found out that you can do anything you put your mind to. Alexandra transferred to FIT from Loyola College in New Orleans around the time when Hurricane Katrina hit. Determined to start fresh, she packed up her things to start anew in the Big Apple. Although finding a job in New York City was increasingly difficult during the recent economic slump, Alexandra felt that the pressure wasn’t as hard as it would’ve been if she graduated in May. “In December, you have more time to really get adjusted and create clear mental time lines,” she noted. Alex says the key to her success is attributed to her “never give up” momentum that she keeps with her throughout her career path.

Amanda Shay, an FMM student from Southington, Ohio, is fully prepared to graduate in December and has already landed a job as the Home Buying Merchandise Assistant for Anthropologie. When she first started at FIT, Amanda took the maximum allotted credits her first semester, a winterim course and then a credited summer internship, leaving her with the option to graduate early. After speaking with other alumni who took the challenge, Amanda rearranged her schedule to allow for early graduation and found that it was the best fit for her. “I felt that, yes, I was missing out on scholarship opportunities that are announced in the spring and I had to leave my friends behind at school, but all in all, looking for a job in the off-peak time of the year worked to my benefit,” she explained. Amanda can’t stress enough for all future December grads to “Do a summer internship right before your last semester to stay fresh in the employer’s mind.” Whether you have transferred into FIT or have attended for four (or more) years, FIT has given a strong background for prospective grads to take on the many obstacles to come throughout their careers. Although this holiday season is one of the craziest times for most FIT students, the FIT “Tigers” are on the prowl for jobs, ready to take over the concrete jungle. Congratulations graduates!

DEC

DEAR INDUSTRY

2010

W27

DEAN’S FORUM: MINDY GROSSMAN OFFERS STUDENT ATTENDEES HER “TWELVE-STEP PROGRAM” TO SUCCESS

Nicole Tan

“T

hose shoes...” murmured the crowd huddled at the entrance to Katie Murphy amphitheater in mid-November,waiting to share a word with featured speaker of the evening, Mindy Grossman. The sound of cocktail laughter rose as Grossman raised her pant leg slightly to reveal the purple suede heels she was wearing. A self-proclaimed “ force of nature in five-inch heels,” Grossman, today’s CEO of HSN, Inc, has served as President and Chief Executive Officer to Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. It’s no wonder students were so eager to see her power pumps. At 19, Grossman’s life took a pivotal turn when she broke off her engagement and moved to New York City. Even after majoring in English and Philosophy at both Manhattanville College and George Washington University, Grossman wanted to expand her product knowledge and took textile technology classes at FIT. Her career path has taken many twists and turns. Grossman served on the board of directors for the National Retail Federation as well as the Cosmetic Executive Women. Presently, she is the Chairperson for the FIT Executive Women in Fashion Advisory board as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the J. Baker School of Retail at the Wharton School of Business. “Nike made athletes perform better,” Grossman noted, “that alone is incredible.” A huge believer of immersing oneself in a brand, she told the crowd,

“When I worked for Nike, I took a trash bag and made my family toss all the other athletic clothing we had.” Grossman is also an advocate for women in the workplace. She believes there need to be more female leaders, especially in the retail sector. “Women make good leaders, we have more empathy and think differently about people,” she said. “There are not enough women CEOs [only 15% of CEOs are women]. There is a responsibility to create diversity.” As the woman who remodeled a faltering HSN for success, Grossman describes being successful by having a “north star vision.” This translates into not just taking tiny steps to obtain goals, but charting an entire course for change. Grossman crafted her presentation around twelve major “life lessons” she learned by experience. On life: “Lesson #1: Don’t be afraid to leave and make a change if it is holding you back from success.” On the choices you make in college: “My degrees in college helped me at cocktail parties but didn’t teach me how to take risks!” she said, smiling. Education helped in other respects. “Great communication is necessary today, in order to inspire people, articulate your vision and point-of-view,” she added. On time management: “ Oh dear, I’m still figuring that out. You can have it all, just not at the same time. There are trade-offs and I always tell myself, ‘Mindy, remember to breathe.’”

On paving a career path: “ My career path was not exactly mapped out. It was purpose, passion and risk-taking...which built a portfolio of knowledge and capabilities. Make decisions to your best ability and if it’s not right, make a change,” she advised. On networking: “ It is about developing long-term relationships that are powerful. It is not just stepping up vertically or horizontally, but to embrace the value you find at all levels. Also, keep up with relationships. I just had lunch with my first boss on Friday. I had worked for him only for 11 months, and he is now 82 years old.” On power: “ Power is a combination of relationships, reputation and integrity. I always hire people smarter than me, the best people make you better– because if they can do it, I can too.” Grossman had an appropriate send off for her audience of up-and-coming fashion aficionados, “Always celebrate success with a pair of five-inch heels.” Photo courtesy of Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology Dean’s Office.

FITting IN THE INDUSTRY: NANETTE LEPORE ‘83 Heather Viggiani How would you like to be on the same short list as Michael Kors and Calvin Klein? Well, one female designer doesn’t need to imagine this possibility. The list is “Notable FIT Alumni” and the designer is Nanette Lepore. Nanette sat down with W27’s editor in chief to talk about her days at FIT, the problem with the ‘democratization of fashion,’ and a cause that she urges all of us to get involved in: saving New York’s garment district.

opportunity for too long. She held three different jobs within the year after leaving FIT and it wasn’t until her third that she really started to utilize all that she learned. After a three-month stint working for an outsourcing fashion company and an even smaller one previous to that – just three weeks – as a sketching assistant, Nanette found herself begging for a design job at a boutique called Riding High. “I was so in love with that store. I would stop by all the time and stare at the clothes. She carried Azzedine Alaia and Jean Paul Gaultier, my heroes at the time.” Carol Rollo, owner of the boutique, hired the fledgling designer and tasked her to conjure up the store’s private label offerings.

ohemian chic: before Rachel Zoe, there was a pioneer, Nanette Lepore. And for Lepore, before contributing to the beginning of a design aesthetic that has become popular the world over, there was FIT.

It can be argued that when Lepore started designing in 1992, she was creating a sensibility now referred to as Bohemian chic. With her breezy shapes and cheeky prints, juxtaposed with tailored details and an expert eye for the right fit, she has created quite a successful business. With boutiques all around the world, her line is represented in most major department stores. This year, she launched a new fragrance and an accessories collection. One may wonder where Lepore gets all of the energy to run her company with her only partner, her husband (without any larger company affiliations). Before the days of running a small fashion empire, there was a time when Lepore was the typical FIT fashion design student, struggling to stay awake, sewing into all hours of the night on the floor of a “teeny” apartment shared with her sister. “I would work on the kitchen floor, oftentimes until two in the morning, sewing and making patterns. You are just so exhausted you want to cry and you are still up sewing,” reminisces the Ohio-native. Those memories, some of her only ones from her year of studies here at FIT, actually befog her enjoyment of a certain popular fashion design reality show. “Whenever I see Project Runway, I can’t stand it,” she says. But that’s not to say she has no fond memories of school. FIT set the designer up with

Photos montage of www.nanettelepore.com

some really useful skills that she draws on all the time. Most notably, she continues to use the same sketching techniques learned in her drawing classes (her favorite classes as compared to pattern-making and draping). “I liked when we worked on the big scroll of paper; I still work like that,” says Lepore. “I don’t like when I see a designer erase. I like when you just lift up your pencil and just move on to the next sketch. That was the technique that was taught so that you just keep your thoughts moving, not stuck on any one thing.” Applying this same mantra to her professional life, it seems, Nanette kept things moving right along after graduation, careful not to get stuck on a bad job

Lepore must have learned a lot from her FIT professors, who she remembers being “tough,” but within no time, she was promoted to buyer. This promotion entailed traveling to Europe to see all of the shows there. It is this very opportunity that Lepore draws on to explain how she was able to grow her own label to where it is today. “[Being a buyer] became a really invaluable experience, so I do advise everyone to work for someone first because you are going to learn.” She adds, “There were so many mistakes we made early on and because we were small we were able to absorb it, but if you start off in a hurry, and you shoot up too fast, you can lose everything in this business.” Along with a new fragrance, swimwear and accessories line added to her RTW lineup and an E-commerce launch, the designer tried out a new technique for her recent runway show that left her “wanting to do it all over again.” This is no small feat, as the designer compared putting a show together with torture. But along with the help of John Forté of The Fugees fame, an original score of music was created for the collection and performed live as the catwalk accompaniment at her Spring/Summer 2011 RTW collection. The decision to add this “level of sexiness,” as Lepore described it, was twofold: It added excitement

DEAR INDUSTRY

to the show while celebrating the show’s location at Lincoln Center. “We did the move to Lincoln Center where it is sort of the heart of culture and music in New York City, so I felt like this was a good time to try something like this.” A short film on the making of the music will be airing soon on nanettelepore.com for fashion followers to feast on. Nanette’s innovative brand management tactics do not stop there. She also played into the public’s newfound access to fashion in the same time frame as buyers and editors. To promote the launching of E-commerce on the website, the Spring/ Summer show was live-streamed on their dotcom for all to view. Then, to further upend the normal fashion cycle, she offered one piece from the spring collection to whomever wanted it—and right away. Normally they’d have to wait at least three months for this access. Part of the reason this offer was created was because Lepore feels there is a “philosophical problem to ponder for the future of fashion.” She elaborates, “People do have a short attention span and if they look at something in February but they can’t buy it

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

until August, it is a little strange. They are seeing it immediately, so that does have to be addressed.” On the other side of the coin, she worries that giving full access to fashion in the early stage of the cycle has the potential of promoting ripoffs from chain stores like H&M. She also cautions “We have to remember what shows were about in the first place. They are about commerce. Your buyers, the wholesale buyers.” Does she have a solution to this problem? “I don’t know whether we need to put a hold on fashion week and instead show lines in showrooms to just buyers and editors. Then Fashion Week moves out to June so consumers can see it just a week before it hits the stores.. I’m not sure, it is interesting how things are changing.” Now, besides planning her fall show for February’s Fashion Week, Lepore is busy touting a cause very close to her heart. “Save the Garment Center” is an awareness campaign that she has helped to spearhead–her company sponsored the last two rallies right in the heart of the center–and it is something she feels all FIT students should know about and take part in to combat the attrition of such a valuable resource from American fashion. To learn more, read

the side bar accompanying this article. Many current FIT students may wonder what it was that made Lapore pursue the designer’s life. The answer will delight you. After studying Spanish and Social Work at a traditional four-year institution, it occurred to her that she should be pursuing a career in something that she was always doing: shopping and sewing. “I thought about what I did all the time when I was at the crossroads of college and I realized that I was always sewing, so I realized, ‘This is it, I just have to go into fashion.’” Next time you feel like you’ve hit a wall, and you simply can’t push through anymore, take this FIT success story’s advice to heart: “Sometimes you have to approach college with the point of view of just having to get through it to get to the next step in life. Sometimes it’s not as enjoyable as you want it to be but sometimes it has to be done.” She insists, “Everything I learned I drew on later in life. Even though you just feel it’s hard and you are tired and you just want to get through it, there are valuable things that you learn and they will all come in handy.”

NANETTE LEPORE’S ROLE IN SAVING THE GARMENT CENTER Nanette Lepore has been a driving force in the Save the Garment Center campaign. Not only has her company co-sponsored both the yearly rallies, but she has brought her own fame and expertise to the cause in a big way. By speaking about the cause any chance she gets, she lets everyone know why it is important to rally against the disappearance of this city landmark. “Over the past 20 years, hundreds of factories have shut down or moved out or closed. I want to keep anymore attrition from happening,” she asserts. Nanette was careful to note that it isn’t her factory that she is defending, its the fifty or so factories left

that are family-owned and dear to her in many ways. “For me it was the American dream, I started with a $5,000 loan. From there I was able to work hand to mouth and cut and sew things on a weekly basis and take small manufacturing lots into these factories and they were willing to help me.” Some of those same manufacturers are still producing for Lepore and are proud of her success. “It was very much a community experience for me.” Above all, FIT students should hear the following loud and clear: “You can’t manufacture less than 300 of a style in China. So imagine if you are a young

kid and you want to make 10 styles. That means you have to make 3,000 units and then you have to know the factory in China, trust that they are going to do the right thing without being able to afford getting on a plane to go check on it. There’s just so much involved when you move your production [overseas] and you can’t get on a subway to look at it.” No one on FIT’s campus will argue with the designer when she opines, ““We need to be creative and find a way to make this a fashion center that embraces young designers, new talent and start-up businesses.”

SAVE THE GARMENT CENTER: KEEPING IT ALL IN NYC Dorelle McPherson costs and increase profits, you better believe upper management will jump at the chance. Partially, that’s why the Garment District is in such dire straights today. Cheaper labor and faster turn around time has siphoned business out of the United States to overseas megafactories in Hong Kong, Shanghai, India and Turkey. Over the past 20 years production in the garment center has downsized nearly 80% from the early 1990s. This drop has slashed jobs, diminished the presence of local skilled artisans and ruined many a designer’s ability to do hands-on work with their collections. In more current times, NYC’s new zoning laws plan to open the area up to residences. This would allow building owners to convert industrial space to highly coveted living space and thus force many local fashion auxiliary companies out of the area.

Photos by Dorelle McPherson

he garment center was abuzz on October 19th when droves of students, workers and prominent figureheads came out to support the “Save the Garment Center” rally spearheaded by Nanette Lepore and Anna Sui. Most are unaware, however, what exactly the garment center needs to be rescued from. In simple terms: extinction. Fashion as an industry in NYC started in the early 1800s and has been the livelihood of many new Americans. As a tribute to them, a small stretch of 7th Avenue from 42nd to 34th Street was aptly renamed “Fashion Avenue” in 1972. What encompasses eight city blocks and three avenues, the Garment District is a place for every design need. However, the bottom line drives everything else in any industry. When there’s an opportunity to cut

To counteract the erosion of one of fashion’s landmarks, many creative initiatives are being born. New Yorkers and other supporters alike praise Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “Made in NYC” garment tag effort as the way to stimulate change. The government gives incentives to companies and designer labels that support the garment center and produce locally. Brands such as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s new collection for JC Penney, Olsenboye, got their start here. Anna Sui and Nanette Lapore are proud supporters of the Made in NYC label and produce parts of their collections in NYC. To garner the attention of fashion’s new guard, Garment District supporters are hitting the streets and spreading the word on college campuses that cater to new and talented designers and other fashion industry entrepreneurs. Students at Pratt have developed a survey to get design students thinking about the viability and importance of the fashion industry for jobs and creativity. Other organizations like Made in Midtown (madeinmidtown.org) and American-

Made Heroes (americanmadeheroes.com) continue to educate people through video and advocacy for the Garment Center. Politicians on Capitol Hill’s Fashion Coalition and today’s fresh candidates like NY State Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are also taking a stand. “I want to see Made in America again, right here in New York state,” averred Gillibrand during her recent victory speech. In addition to his Made in NYC initiative, on Tuesday, November 2nd, Mayor Bloomberg introduced six additional initiatives to aid emerging and small designers. These include the NYC Fashion Fund, which will assist designers with access to starting capital; Project Pop-up, a competition where designers compete for temporary retail spots; NYC Fashion Draft, where fashion students from outside the NYC metro area area are able to convene in the Big Apple for a week of interviews at fashion businesses; Fashion Campus NYC, where up and comers get special internships; NYC Fashion Fellows, where 30 rising stars receive mentoring services with industry professionals; and Designer as Entrepreneur, a boot camp of fashion how-to workshops. Whether it be leather supplies or grommet placement, dress forms or sample making, the Garment District has every skill covered. This concentration of fashion skills in NYC has netted over $14 billion for the United States and accounts for more than 170,000 jobs in NYC, making it one of the city’s leading employers. In addition, major fashion labels such as Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Liz Claiborne and Nicole Miller have showrooms, production facilities, and support offices dotted throughout the Garment District. This is part of the reason why New York is a leading global fashion capital of the world, a title worth holding on to.

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W27

REVIEWS RESTAURANT: A TASTE OF THE CITY

Julie Daly Moonstruck Diner 400 West 23rd Street Chelsea, New York, NY Nearest Transit: C-E to 23rd Street (212) 924-3709 Hours: 24/7

Photo courtesy of Nymag.com

othing says comfort food during finals week quite like that which is served at Moonstruck Diner over on 9th Avenue. In fact, just thinking about the over-sized portions of (oftentimes

greasy) food is easing the pain of the Product Development project I currently have at hand. While solely thinking about the food may be a whole lot healthier than actually eating it, I’d fully recommend everyone take a break between essay writing and studying to grab a bite at this classic joint. I’m sure we’re all in agreement that after an allnighter or two, as well as numerous exams, everyone is deserving of some sort of indulgence. Whatever that guilty pleasure of yours may be when it comes to food, there’s a very good chance you’ll find something to satisfy your taste buds on Moonstruck Diner’s ever-extensive menu. Counting the options would take more time than writing this review, but some of the more intriguing categories include: Nacho Snackatizers, Continental Specialties, and Diet Delight Platters. Typical of all diners, there are pages upon pages of soups, salads, sandwiches, paninis, burgers, breakfast items, and more! I found it particularly precious how all of their children’s menu items were New York sports team themed (say that ten times fast).

tried their avocado and tomato omelet ($9.25), which came with a side of hash browns, and left feeling very satisfied. My guest ordered a monstrous Chicken Caesar Wrap ($9.50), which was definitely messy, but seemingly delicious. Another go-to menu item would be their milkshakes. I’ve heard that they’re to die for, but on this particular occasion, I couldn’t muster the desire to consume one more bite of anything after having eaten that omelet, so we’ll have to trust my source on that one. All in all, I give Moonstruck Diner a thumbs-up for catering well to the college crowd with its 24/7 service, affordable meals (approx. $10-20 with a drink + tip), and comfort food options. In 1987, the film Moonstruck, which seems to be the inspiration for this diner’s name and logo, Ronny Cammareri says, “They say bread is life.” Guess this means you should run to Moonstruck and get yourself a sandwich, so as to hold on to your vitality to get you through to the end of the semester!

If you like to break out of the status quo every now and then, definitely get breakfast for dinner. Is there ever a time of day when a huge Belgian waffle topped with whipped cream and fruit is a bad idea? I myself

MUSIC: BEATS BELOW THE STREET

Danielle Plotkin

o you hear what I hear? It’s new holiday music! As we’re all locked away in our dorm rooms, frantically cramming for finals, why not listen to some new holiday ditties? Everyone’s guilty holiday pleasure is boppin’ to Mariah Carey’s, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Let’s face it, every time it comes on in the car, or while waiting in line at Macy’s, we can not resist belting it out with Mariah. Well, we should thank the holiday gods this season, because Ms. Carey released her new single, “Oh Santa,” as well as featured on her Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You. The album has four original songs, including irresistible Christmas classics and a re-recorded version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Leave it to musical mastermind Paul Simon to beautifully craft a holiday track that not only evokes good cheer, but raises social awareness as well. His new song, “Getting Ready for Christmas Day” highlights Simon’s hand clapping percussion, foot stomping, and keenly-strummed acoustic guitar. The upbeat song mimics Simon’s artistry for integrating

South African inspiration, similar to his Graceland album. Despite the track’s cheeky beat, there still is a fresh political undertone. This is evident in the song’s lyrics, “I got a nephew in Iraq. It’s his third time back, but its ending up the way it began. With the luck of a beginner, he’ll be eating turkey dinner on some mountaintop in Pakistan.” I know, I know, it’s not exactly your typical Christmas ballad! This catchy single will be included on Simon’s upcoming album, So Beautiful Or So What which is expected to be released this May. For now, you can get it on iTunes. If you consider yourself a “gleek,” then update that wish list and rejoice! That’s right – the entire cast of Glee has unleashed a Christmas album entitled, Glee, The Music: The Christmas Album. It includes 12 sweetas-candy cane classics ranging from “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” to “Jingle Bells.” Had enough of holiday music already? Would you rather be dancing to some electro beats than hanging up the mistletoe while humming cliche holiday classics? Progressive/house producer, DeadMau5 has a

new album, entitled 4x4=12, which debuts December 7th. The mysterious man with the gargantuan neon mouse head caught everyone’s eye this September at the VMAs, as he mixed tech-trance dance beats from an eye-popping, strobe-lit cube. This album will entice our eardrums and tickle our electronic senses this holiday season. For those who prefer ethereal bedroom pop songs, with an airy nostalgic tone, Summer Camp is ideal. With a day-dreamy, hazy sound, Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey of the London duo fuse lyrics depicting experiences of – you guessed it – summer camp, while incorporating witty lines from their favorite movies such as Sixteen Candles. In their song, “Round the Moon,” you’ll hear Molly Ringwald’s, “I can’t believe I gave my panties to a geek.” Finally, as we anxiously await our glorious, impending December break, new music proves to be the ultimate remedy for our stress during Finals!

BOOK: THE ASK BY SAM LIPSYTE

Davita Louie

have a friend whose job is to ask the alumni of her college for donations. I like to refer to her as a “glorified telemarketer.” For my friend, this is her side job, for Milo Burke, in Sam Lipsyte’s The Ask, this was his life (take note of the past tense). Milo worked in fundraising for an arts college in New York which he cleverly nicknamed “Mediocre University.” His job was to ask and in return hope that people would “give.” As Milo put it, “People paid vast sums so their spawn could take hard drugs in suitable company, draw from life on their laptops, do

radical things with video cameras and caulk.” After being fired from his job, Milo must face his wife and three-year-old son as he scrambles, somewhat pathetically, to figure out what’s next. To his surprise, Milo gets a second chance at his job when his old college friend Purdy wants Milo’s involvement in his donation. This of course doesn’t come without a catch; Milo must keep tabs on Purdy’s illegitimate son who is a bitter Iraq war amputee. Milo is left with no choice but to be manipulated by Purdy all while his own marriage falls to shambles.

It is easy to empathize with Milo’s character. He is an extremely self aware protagonist which makes him and his situation all the more depressing. The Ask does make one wonder though, is there more to life than this? The winning feature of this novel is definitely Lipsyte’s ability to deliver stark humor with such ease. There is no doubt; Lipsyte has a way with words. Despite the story line being sort of depressing, Lipsyte’s usage of comedic literature throughout makes this book an amusing read.

HAUTE CULTURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MOVIES & TV

Patricia Braga While W27 can full take credit for nominating the Thanksgiving holiday as the best time to see a flick or catch a holiday special, we sort of want to take that back just a bit. After opening presents on Christmas day, or if you don’t celebrate Christmas at all, there really isn’t much to do on a day with nothing open. That’s where the movie theaters step in and offer a line of blockbuster hits that will keep the holiday buzz going. Oh, and with the new year comes a new television season, so read up about some old favorites making their comebacks and some newbies worth a watch. Meet the Parents: Little Fockers - This Christmas day, we will see the third installment of the hilarious series, now featuring mini Ben Stillers. This is sure to measure up to the hilarity of the first two movies (Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers). As per usual, we hope that the funniest jokes weren’t just the ones that we heard in the trailer. Black Swan - This twisted thriller gave us the chills. Natalie Portman stars as a ballet dancer who, while in a competition with another ballerina, soon finds the greatest struggle is with herself. We can’t help but envy the sure-to-be Oscar nominated actress’ killer body in her ballerina get-up. FIT student bonus: the costumes are designed by the Rodarte sisters. The Tourist- In the action-filled picture, The Tourist, Johnny Depp does more than sightseeing when the beautiful Angelina Jolie chooses him as bait. We are such suckers for the always-endearing Depp, that we are even willing to overlook the aggravation Jolie’s sexy voice and fake accent provokes. Somewhere- The life of the rich and famous Johnny Marco (Stepehn Dorff) is about to change after he is forced to take up the responsibility of looking after his 11-year old daughter (Elle Fanning). We are

definitely excited to see Dakota’s little sister in action. Country Strong -Gwenyth Paltrow plays a country singer who goes on tour, fresh out of rehab. Unfortunately our doubts about Paltrow’s ability to sing faded after watching Duets (Cruisin, anyone?). I wonder how many celebrities will take note on Paltrow’s character and learn a thing or two about a post-rehab come-back. Yes, Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton, we are talking to you. American Idol - With so many changes in this new season of the popular show- new judges (Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler), as well as the absence of clever and sometimes rude comments made by Simon Cowell, who knows? Maybe change is a good thing. Perhaps the biggest change of all will be that the winner actually becomes an American idol.

Greek- The Final Season - How strong is Cappie and Casey’s love for one another? Will they stay together after college? We will find out soon enough, as we get ready to say goodbye to the only source that provided us with a “real” glimpse of what college life is like outside the sorority-less Fashion Institute of Technology. Skins - American Version - After not being satisfied with providing us masterpieces like The Hills, MTV felt it necessary to make an American Version of the genius British series, Skins, about the everyday life of, now, American teenagers and their drug and alcohol -related experiences. It just makes us secretly hope that MTV goes back to making crappy Jersey Shore-like reality shows.

Pretty Little Liars Season 2- We have to confess that we are most excited about this one. I underestimated this show but it soon became a favorite guilty pleasure. In the new season we might finally find out who is sending the girls all the text messages about their secrets, then again, maybe not. Regardless, we will be watching this “chick series” every week!

Teen Wolf- You knew it was only a matter of time before MTV jumped on the werewolf/vampire bandwagon. The only thing that makes us happy is that the new take on the werewolves madness seem to actually portray them as dangerous and hideous creatures of the night as opposed to hairless, attractive boys who fight with vampires for the love of one irritating girl (you know who you are).

their idiotic-looking costumes. They are wild and ultimately quite foolish, strapping bombs to their stomachs and in the end hurt nobody but themselves.

and verbal jousts. Morris uncovers, after three years of extensive research, the anger and absurdity that goes into the plotting of a monstrous attack.

The film opens with the group filming the typical terrorist threat video, tripping over their messages and “cradling machine guns” that are too small. Omar later shows this tape to his wife and deems the footage as “outtakes…they’re all bloopers.”

What is really appealing about this film is its casualness and humor that belies the hole that each character digs themselves into. Morris does a brilliant job as a director and represents the war on terror, in a satirical way. On the down side, be prepared for very heavy accents. The mixture of a Pakistani accent with a northern British accent can make it quite hard to understand, but at the same time, adds to the flavor of their constant verbal fights.

INDIE FILM: FOUR LIONS

Fernanda DeSouza

he debut film from director Chris Morris, Four Lions, is a Jihad satire. It follows four Jihadi Islamist terroist (Omar [the leader], Waj, Faisal, Hassan, and Barry [a convert to Islam]) in Sheffield, England. These radicalized suicide bombers plan an attack during the Photo courtesy of Film4. London marathon dressed in clown costumes. Ironically, they fail to realize the parallel that holds true between them and

Perhaps the most memorable scene in the movie is of Omar in the Pakistani training camp. As he attempts to shoot an American drone with a bazooka, he accidentally holds it backwards and ends up killing Osama Bin Laden and the rest of the Al Qaeda group. Morris creates an irresistible comedy that follows these characters all the way to the end—literally. This edgy film has a rough plot line filled with testosterone

The characters’ cluelessness reveals human beings captured by radical war theories that hold true in today’s society. The film becomes a great eye-opener to the war on terror but nonetheless will keep you laughing and thinking: these guys are such idiots.

MUSICAL VENUE: BOWERY BALLROOM

Georgeanna Dwiggins (take the E or F to transfer to the D, get off on Stillwell Ave. stop, walk to venue)

o this month’s ticket to a venue ended up being a bit more than what some would say is “cheap”…but at the insistent urging of my best friend, who loves the band, I ended up shelling out $20 to see Delorean at the Bowery Ballroom. I’d gotten turned onto this Spanish alternative dance band, named after the iconic time machine from Back to the Future, a while ago (due to the same friend), so I will admit I was pretty excited to see them live as well. I decided to check out the Bowery Ballroom online before our outing. After looking the place up, I saw tons of positive reviews for the quality of

acoustics there. Sadly, however, even the awesome acoustics didn’t mask the fact that frankly, Delorean disappointed as a live act. Their computer-based compositions sounded awesome and still were trancelike and danceable, no one lied about the acoustics, but the live vocals sounded like strained shouting over the beats. The venue itself was pretty great though, somewhere I’d say is worth the money, if one of your favorite bands was playing. It’s located in Soho, right on the outskirts of Chinatown, so it’s a really fun area to go out to in the first place. There are plenty of late night Chinese “hole-in-the-wall” type places to grab a cheap bite after a show. You will be able to get really close to the stage without having to fight your way like a lot of

other places, so the whole setting feels really intimate. The crowd seemed a bit older than those in Brooklyn or Williamsburg, but maybe it was because it was a Sunday night or a relatively obscure band. The actual floor area is kind of small, but in a good and cozy way, not a crowded way. There’s a basement bar you can duck into, with plush couches everywhere, if standing room ends up not being your scene. Retreating to the upper balcony tier is also an option to stay seated, but still be able to watch and to enjoy the show. I will definitely be going back to Bowery, and here’s to hoping that my next act will be a better show! http://www.boweryballroom.com/

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HAUTE CULTURE

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W27

QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP Megan Venere

he excited crowd goes quiet as the referee moves to center field. The players line up at the goals and drop to one knee. They stand ready, eyes closed, waiting for the call. Four balls are centered on the field, one pure red one, three white-and-red ones. The referee checks her watch and waits. Minutes, which seem like hours, pass. As she checks her watch for the second time, she gives the call: “THREE! TWO! ONE! BROOMS UP!”

Calling All Fans: Harry Potter Trivia Night Report Fernanda De Souza & Megan Venere Harry Potter; a name so familiar that it is hard not to use it in our day-to-day jargon. He has been there for us since the minute we learned how to pronounce words like “Hermione” and “Gryffindor”. It was such a surprise to find out FIT was holding its own HP Trivia Night hosted by Residential Life in CoEd’s basement on November 10th. The winning duo received a sweet reward: free tickets to the midnight screening of the Deathly Hallows (every die-hard fan’s dream!).

Brooms up? What sport plays with brooms you might ask? For those die-hard Harry Potter fans, there is one sport known worldwide where players straddle a broom. Muggle Quidditch. Based on the game created by author J.K. Rowling of the Harry Potter series, Muggle Quidditchtakes the same form as the Quidditch played in the books and movies – minus the flying, of course. The sport was created at Middlebury College in Vermont in 2005. Bridget Hess-Mahan, the “Treasurer-in-training” on the Emerson College Quidditch team in Boston, MA, was kind enough to explain the game to me. There are chasers, who run up and down the field with one hand on their brooms, throwing the Quaffle (a volleyball) to their other teammates. They score by throwing the Quaffle through one of three hoops; each goal is awarded ten points. The Chasers can also tackle opposing Chasers for the Quaffle. Beaters can also tackle the Chasers, but their main goal is to lob “Bludgers” (or dodgeballs) at the opposing team. The Keeper is the goalkeeper and must be able to block the hoops from the Chasers trying to score. While acting as a goalie, they can act as a Chaser and run down the field to score. “Seekers” are quick as lightning and run everywhere and anywhere to catch the snitch. For those of you who have seen the movies or read the books, this probably isn’t too hard to understand. But what about the Snitch, a flying golden ball that whizzes around the field? The Snitch in MuggleQuidditch is not a ball, but a person. These Snitches wear all yellow or gold and have a tennis ball in a sock tucked into the bottom of their pants. They are free to run anywhere they chose and must be strong enough to defend themselves against the Seekers. “There are two different ways you can play Quidditch at Emerson,” Hess-Mahan explained. “The first is on a house team, where anyone who wants to play, can. These players can then try out for the World Cup team, which does have cuts and only takes the best.” Just like at Hogwarts, Emerson has five house teams, which can be compared to the fun, intramural leagues of any sport. These teams are the Boylston Berserkers, the Faneuil Falcons, the Park Street Pulverizers, the Old North Outlaws, and the Jamaica Plain Jaguars; HessMahan plays for the Jaguars. Anyone from any of these teams can try out for the Emerson World Cup team, which takes the creme-de-la-creme of Quidditch players. The house teams practice once a week and play matches on Sundays against the other house teams. The World Cup team is by far the most intense of all the teams, maintaining a strict workout regimen. The Jaguars are right behind them; most of the players on the Jaguars are also on the World Cup team. Hess-Mahan has had a great experience playing Quidditch. She says she has learned a lot about teamwork and good sportsmanship from playing on the Jaguars, as well as becoming more proficient in playing the sport. “I have come to look upon my fellow team members as my brothers and sisters and

Official Quidditch logo

have made some really long-lasting friendships. I cannot imagine my life without these guys.” The Quidditch World Cup, a tournament between college and high school teams nationally and internationally, was hosted for the first time in the Big Apple November 13th and 14th at DeWitt Clinton Park. Forty-six teams and 757 players participated that weekend with close to 20,000 spectators, gaining national media attention and a shout-out on Conan . The event was hosted by the International Quidditch Association, which recently became a non-profit organization. Alivans, a company that makes Harry Potter merchandise, sponsored the event, and provided brooms for all the players. On Saturday, all the teams played from eleven in the morning to eight at night, followed by a concert by Harry and the Potters. The competition and games were intense; one Chaser from Penn State was pummeled to the ground within the first few minutes. Both high school and college teams competed against each in four rounds, each two hours long with games being played each half hour. The Cup also hosted various performers from the Baby Soda Jazz Band to the Circus Group to Breakdance USA. Even the kids watching the games were allowed to have a go at Quidditch during the breaks. On Sunday, however, the real competition began as the teams were ranked and eliminated during each round. Middlebury came out on top and won for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Tufts University, Pittsburgh, and Vassar College. There are several teams right here in New York City. NYU recently created its team just before the start of the Quidditch World Cup and the School of Visual Arts is currently putting together its team. Another art school, Ringling College of Art and Design, competed for the Cup and Savannah College of Art and Design proudly hosts a team. So what say you, should FIT join them and create a team? Sarah Nagley, a Communication Design student, and Bonnie Wolf, an FMM students, think yes. “Yes, we would play Quidditch! Absolutely!” Wolf exclaimed. “It would definitely encourage people to get involved on campus and bring people together,” Nagley added. Most teams do not receive school funding and raise the money themselves for equipment; most teams see it as a sport but also a club. Bridget thinks it should stay this way, saying, “It adds to our street cred and coolness factor.”

RAs Lynn Ackermann, Taylor Ruckh, and Johanna Brozinsky began planning the trivia night about a month and a half before the 10th. “The night we decided to do it we sat down for about an hour and a half going over how we would do it, making categories, making questions, figuring out the answers to them and double checking the answers,” Taylor said of the initial prep work done for the event. “We’d text each other new questions seeing if the other could answer them.” The game was performed Jeopardy style, a board taped to the wall with different categories made of neon cards. The themes included Death Eaters, Quidditch, Magical Places, and Groupings, to name a few. As advertised on campus, fans flocked in teams of two. Instead of Daily Doubles, there were Daily OWLS and NEWTs, (teams are also called houses) which were each awarded a thousand points. The duos were then placed in one of the four Hogwarts houses. After each round a house was eliminated, and after two rounds the pairs competed in the final round against other groupings. Each house was given a sign displaying their crest which they were to raise to give their answer. Tensions ran high as answers were heatedly debated among houses and the RAs. But players were forewarned. “We were hoping not to be challenged, but we did have a warning at the table, saying that our answers were final,” said Lynn. “The things that came most unexpectedly to us were the pronunciation challenges- we never even thought about it,” Lynn added. As the number of players dwindled down and the questions became more difficult, several pairs awaited their final challenge: name as many Harry Potter characters as one can in five minutes. For those of you who lost early on and for those who could not attend, don’t fret. Another trivia night will be hosted in the Spring with more prizes and more questions, including a pop culture section featuring questions about everyone’s favorite, A Very Potter Musical. Until then, brush up on your wizardry knowledge!

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MONTH-IN-REVIEW THE NEW WORLD STAGE

Alexander Cavaluzzo

Restructuring Obama’s Economic Team World leaders at the G20 Summit in Seoul met US President Barack Obama with disdain and ridicule, despite his global popularity. These leaders–Hu Jintao of China and Christian Wulff of Germany especially–felt more at ease to criticize the US on global financial issues than ever before. Of course, the recent Republican victories compounded this willingness to stand up to Obama, but it’s the current condition and handling of the American economy that has lead to such dissension. On the heels of such criticism, the departure of two of President Obama’s closest political and economic advisors is giving him the opportunity to broaden the scope of his economic team. Assistant Treasury Secretary Michael S. Barr, who developed and passed a law advancing strict federal regulation on the financial industry and Diana Farrell, the deputy director of Mr. Obama’s National Economic Council, will be leaving by the end of the year. He has interviewed several potential replacements, many of which served in the Clinton administration, including investment banker Roger Altman and Gene Sperling, who is currently an advisor for the Treasury Department. But in the midst of the scramble to restructure Obama’s economic team, the Federal Reserve recently pumped $600 billion into the economy. Ostensibly done in an effort to stimulate the US’s economic growth, many outside observers see it as an attempt to devalue the dollar and make American products cheaper. The departure of Barr and Farrell should give Obama opportunity to address the US’s global standing in economic issues; how this will ultimately turn out remains to be seen. Extreme Security Measures Complicate Travel The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) frequently enacts new, reactive policies that prove to be ineffective in the protection of airline fliers; for example, when al-Qaeda member Richard Reid tried to ignite a bomb located in his shoe back in 2001, a security measure was put into effect that required all passengers to remove their shoes for inspection. It is these kinds of measures that have done little in preventing terrorist attacks while making travel increasingly strenuous and stressful. As we are painfully aware, especially after one of the busiest travel holidays in the US, the TSA has now implemented the use of full body scanners and pat-downs for every single passenger. The irony lies in the fact that by extreme measures to ensure the safety of every passenger, these new policies may very well jeopardize it. Putting humiliation aside (the x-ray vision scanners really do show all), the University of California and Johns Hopkins University conducted studies that see a potential link with the radiation used in full body scanners and an increased risk of skin cancer. Even the Allied Pilots Association has warned its members to refuse a full body scan because of the “ionizing radiation, which could be harmful to their health.” The TSA naturally denies this claims, regardless of the fact that they have not allowed any outside evaluation of the scanners. The pat-downs have been met with hesitation as well. While there are stories floating around of wheelchairbound octogenarians getting felt up and clever passengers arriving to the airport in their underwear, the violation of personal space not only brings up questions of civil liberties, but victimization of passengers. Melissa Gibbs, a spokesperson for a group called “We Won’t Fly,” has said that many sexual assault victims have had either flashbacks or panic attacks when an agent began touching her leg.

Another controversial consideration: the new measures do not seem to be a result of public safety, but rather pressure from Big Business. L-3 Communications has sold $39.7 million worth of scanners to the government after apportioning over $4.3 million in the first nine months of 2010 for lobbying purposes. They were active in their opposition to a bill proposed by Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz that would limit the use of body scanners in airports. Waging War Over WikiLeaks A veritable trove of unpublished, classified American A veritable trove of unpublished, classified American diplomatic cables were recently disseminated, offering the public firsthand information on surreptitious deals between embassies, blunt judgments on nuclear and terrorist threats, and general malicious gossip between foreign leaders.

ablaze. The attacks came on the heels of North

The cables were made available to the public and various mainstream media sources via the website WikiLeaks, a fledgling news site that has made a reputation for itself through publishing leaked confidential information. While they had reported the release of 250 thousand diplomatic cables, only 220 are floating around at the moment. And while none of the cables were marked with the highest security label (“Top Secret”), most are either “Secret” or “Noforn,” the latter meaning the information should not be shared with any foreign government. The information disclosed has been at best troubling and at worst calamitous: US plots to remove uranium from Pakistan, talks to reunify Korea between America and South Korea, the mistaken arrest and confinement of a German citizen who shared a name with a terrorist suspect, and discussions of emptying Guantanamo Bay prison are among the most high profile. So far, no reputable news source has printed the cables in full, omitting names and dates to protect the people involved, but the public knowledge of such information can strain ties between the US and other countries, as well as put a lot of people at risk. The situation, oddly enough, correlates with a plot point from the 2006 movie Mean Girls; basically, this accumulation of cables resembles the burn book, and essentially what WikiLeaks has done is the same as Regina George’s distribution of photocopies of said book. Of course, the ramifications of this information going public are a little direr than a bunch of high school students going crazy. This information has the potential to severely complicate US foreign policy, and put the jobs and lives of many people at risk. As of this writing, the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, is in hiding at an undisclosed location. A warrant has been issued for his arrest stemming from charges of rape and sexual harrassment. Ending the Year Not with a Whimper, but a Bang For over sixty years since the division of Korea, relations between the North and the South have been wrought with tension. In recent years, trouble has not subsided; while the results of the Second Summit in 2007, where leaders of the North and South met to discuss peace and reunification seemed promising, there have been alarming developments since then. Earlier this year a Northern torpedo sank the ROKS Cheonan, a Southern navy ship carrying 104 people, killing 46. Now, we have seen another large-scale North Korean attack on South Korea this year. Dozens of artillery shells were fired on the island of Yeonpyeong, killing two South Korean soldiers and two civilians, injuring several people and setting upwards of 60 houses

Korea’s escalation of their illegal nuclear proliferation programs, and exacerbate long-standing tension on the Korean peninsula. A few artillery shells from a South Korean drill landing in North Korean waters reportedly provoked the attack. The US has stepped up to the plate in an effort to mitigate escalating tensions. President Obama has reached out for aid to Chinese President Hu Jintao, as Hillary Clinton prepared to call Yang Jiechi, China’s foreign minister. China can be a key player in reining in North Korea, as the Sino-influenced Pyongyang may prove to be the only effective strategy. It’s questionable whether China will utilize its economic and military power to try and redirect North Korean aggression, but they have the potential to ease conflicts on the Korean peninsula. It has been reported that joint military exercises have begun off the coast of South Korea with American and South Korean troops. Though these drills were scheduled months ago, if this should become an extended military engagement, troops are preparing for the worst. G20 summit; courtesy of The Raw Story TSA body scan; courtesy of Dvorak Uncensored. Wikileaks; courtesy of Tech360. South Korea ablaze; courtesy of Jejaktrend! blog.

DEC

2010

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

W27

OUTSIDE YOUR BOROUGH:

ICE SKATING

This month, W27’s Outside Your Borough writers took to the ice rather than the streets to find winter’s favorite pastime in each of the boroughs. The concrete jungle has more ice skating rinks than you might have imagined. Whether you have never skated before and you want to give it a try, or you’ve got a few skills you are dying to show off, check out the following rinks.

STATEN ISLAND By Marissa Mule WWII VETERANS WAR MEMORIAL ICE SKATING RINK Clove Lakes Park Victory Boulevard, west of Clove Road (718) 720-1010 or (718) 720-1014 Hours: Fridays 4:00pm–10:00pm, Saturdays 1:00pm–10:00pm, Sundays Noon–4:00pm Rate: $8 Skate rental: $5 Nearest transit: Busses X13 or X14 to Clove Rd

WWII Veterans War Memorial Ice Skating Rink delivers a safe and fun way to celebrate the cold weather with family and friends. With Thanksgiving passing and Christmas coming, those looking to work off that extra slice of pumpkin pie finally can. The indoor Veterans War Memorial Ice Skating Rink offers public ice skating and ice skate rentals. This is also a hot spot for hockey players looking to freshen up on their skating. After skating, I highly recommend taking a walk in the park. In the winter, the scene is gorgeous. For those who live in Staten Island, this rink and park are closer than going to Central Park and less crowded. There is a food court at the rink that serves anything from chicken tenders to hot dogs, and is usually packed with skaters. Prices range depending on age: Adults: $8.00 Seniors (60 & older): $8.00 Children (12 & under): $8.00 and Skate Rental: $5.00. LONG ISLAND By Laura Gabrielson TANGER OUTLETS AT THE ARCHES Deer Park, NY Hours: Sun.–Fri. 3pm–8pm, Sat. 11am–2pm, 2:30pm–5:30 pm & 6pm–9pm (Open now until 3/13/2011) Admission: Weekdays $7, weekends. $10 Skate Rentals: Weekdays $3, weekends $4 Nearest transit: LIRR Ronkonoma line, get off at Deer Park station; a Tanger Outlets bus brings you to and fro

As soon as you step into the Tanger Outlets you will feel enthralled by holiday spirit. With the music playing in the background, the Christmas tree and all the decorations, Tanger Outlets Ice Rink will put you in a fabulous holiday mood within minutes. Between the skating and all of the shopping and eating just steps from the rink, one can easily spend almost an entire day there. After twirling and swirling on the ice, why not do a little holiday shopping? Great stores such as J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, Saks Fifth Avenue, Kate Spade, Betsey Johnson, and BCBG MaxAzria can be found in this shopping center. If you want to grab a bite, there are a lot of options. The restaurants include Johnny Rocket, Fratelli’s, China Max, Chipotle, Starbucks and more. Illustrated by Veronica Ettman for W27.

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MANHATTAN By Fernanda DeSouza

Brooklyn By Samantha Vance

WOLLMAN RINK Central Park near entrance at Central Park South (59th St.) and 6th Ave. Hours: Open October 5, 2010 through April 2011 during the following hours: Mon.–Tues. 10:00am–2:30pm, Wed.–Thur. 10:00am–10:00pm, Fri.–Sat. 10:00am–11:00pm, Sun. 10:00am–9:00pm Rates: Weekday $10.25, weekends $14.75 (cheaper for children and seniors) Skate rentals: $6.25 (tax incl.) Lock rentals: $4.50 (tax incl.) plus $6.00 deposit, refundable Spectator fee: $5.00 Nearest transit: Take the A, B, C, D, 1, 9 to 59th Street; Take the N, R to 5th Ave. or take the B, Q to 57th Street

ABE STARK RINK Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk Coney Island Boardwalk and West 19th Street (718) 946-6536

There is nothing more picturesque, romantic, or classic New York City than ice-skating in Central Park’s Wollman Rink. First opened in 1949, the Wollman Rink sits in the southern part of Central Park, adjacent to the Pond. The view is stunning: a breathless backdrop of midtown Manhattan, yet the surrounding trees transport you back to the very pure nature that is Central Park. Setting my foot on the ice for the first time in two years, all of my ice hockey memories came rushing back at me; the padding against my body, the stick gripped tightly in my hands, and the sweat dripping from my face, not to mention my inability to breathe. But there I was, unpadded, no stick, and taking a long, deep breath. The smell of fresh ice, the sounds not of a slapping puck but of children laughing, adults howling with enjoyment, and the sight of many couples holding hands. Wollman’s is truly magical. It is a familyfriendly environment and will become a memory you will cherish for a long time.

Hours: Sat. & Sun. 1:00pm–4:00pm Nearest transit: F to Coney Island-Stillwell Ave

This Ice rink was named after a brilliant businessman and a lover of the Brooklyn Borough. Abe Stark had a popular clothing store in Brownsville and became very well known in the political and philanthropic circuits of the neighborhood. The rink is now home to the New York Stars Ice Hockey team, so the only available time for public skating is on the weekends for a few hours in the afternoon. It is an indoor rink that includes locker rooms, skate rentals, and a first aid station but no snack bar. A snack bar and restaurant was included in the original plans for the center but they used the space for office rentals instead. Skate rentals are $4.50 and admission for adults and children is $8.00. All skaters must sign a Risk of Ice Skating/Hockey Activity Agreement, so just a heads up. The rink is typically very packed, so if you’re just trying to cruise around and practice some moves, you might want to steer clear of this one. However if you’re more experienced, this is definitely a great spot to show off a bit. The staff is very friendly and there are lessons offered; but let it be known, the space where you practice is quite small.

NEW JERSEY By Raquel Rose Burger OLD BRIDGE ICE SKATING RINK 1 Old Bridge Plaza Old Bridge, N.J. 08857 (732) 607-791 Hours:* Mon-Thurs. 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Sun. 1:00 pm–8:00 pm Sat- 1:00pam – 10:00 pm *open Monday-Thursday from 10pm-1pm for private lessons, the times listed here are for public skating Nearest Transit: NJ Transit to Matawan Stop on the Long Branch Line

Want to bring back memories of your childhood at an unbelievable price? Then you better check out Old Bridge Skating Rink. For only $5.00 for skate rentals and $8.00 for admission, this rink is worth your while. The rink is fairly big, holding about 100 people. When you step into the waiting area there are plenty of warm drinks to keep you shiver free, from hot chocolate, to coffee, to tea. There is even a little café where they serve hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, fries, pretzels – you name it, they got it. I went on Saturday and it was pretty crowded but I liked it because all the people kept me warm – literally. The rink has a roof but is open on the sides. The majority of the crowd were teenagers with a few little kids, which worked for me because I didn’t have to get stuck behind too many beginners. But if you’re a beginner no worries because every day they offer private lessons from 10 AM to 1 PM for new skaters. This magical place and crowd will surely put you in an amazing mood and will be a great kick off to the holiday season.

DEC

FIT SPEAKS

2010

LETTER TO SANTA (NO, NOT TO JULIET) Venus Wong Dear Santa: I have never believed that you exist. Granted, I have never believed in wizards, who can cast spells with a stick, nor immortal teenage vampires who glitter under the sun. To me, you have always seemed like a myth, rather than an actual person. Recently, however, I have changed my mind. There must be something about you that charms millions and millions of children to write to you every year, there must be something that makes you one of the most sung about figures in the universe, there MUST be something about you that inevitably adds a dose of joy to my heart when I see your belly jiggle and hear your inimitable laughter. So, I guess there is no harm in believing in you for once. Consider this my official letter to you. Forgive me if my writing sounds a bit incoherent and neurotic, because I have never written to you before. Have I been good this past year? Well, to be brutally honest, I would not be surprised to see my name on the “naughty” list. Being as I am a freshman in college in New York City, there have been a fair share of inappropriate, reckless, and sometimes rather foolish events (I’d hate to go into detail, but some of these unfortunate escapades involve being lost in the Bronx at two in the morning, and getting my wallet stolen during a Girls’ Night Out). However, the fact that I realize I still have a lot of growing up to do makes me deserving of your good graces, don’t you think?

almost an unspoken rule, I reckon that it would be a felony for me to abandon it. See, I am by no means a label slave, but JUST for once, I wish I could strut down Fifth Avenue and have the mannequins drooling over my outfit, instead of me lusting after theirs. Oh, while I am at it, it would also be an utter delight if I get to spend my Christmas with a debonair, witty, and caring beau. (By the way, I am requesting this for every girl at FIT who has the same secret wish, but might just be too shy to admit it!) One more thing: please make all those internships I am applying for happen. Hold on a second, did I even apply for any? Didn’t I waste half of my semester in a state of vegetation in my bed, watching 90s soap opera reruns whilst embracing a giant bag of Lays chips? What am I doing? Am I really going to mail this letter, and then sit in my room waiting for your “gifts” to fall from the sky? (Last time I checked, you are NOT a genie!) The real world DOES NOT work this way! Maybe I would not be in this wishful-thinking state of mind, were I gutsier, and less hesitant... That’s it. I am scratching off all the things I have written above: For this year’s Christmas, I want the gift of courage and determination: not to be confined by my own comfort zone, and to always be willing to go that extra mile for my dreams. Oh, and WORLD PEACE! (Really, my Hermès and Louboutins can wait. A little while, at least.)

Illustrated by Venus Wong for W27

After glancing at a few sample Santa letters on Macy’s web campaign, I noticed that materialistic requests seem to be a must when writing to you. Since this is

Santa Claus, I hope you will be proud of me when you read this letter. Yours truly, Venus (nicknamed Fishball)

HOLIDAY SPIRIT Samantha Vance How many exams do we have coming up? How many projects and papers still need to be completed? All of the magazines and morning shows are warning us about how to keep off the holiday pounds, how to create the greatest peppermint bark, and the best way to decorate your home, but my question is: How are we supposed to get into the holiday spirit at all? As students, we have about a million things on our plates and it doesn’t quit until the very day we’re supposed to be celebrating. We just work, work, work, and then look up and there are the holidays, and then they’re gone. It’s frustrating to say the least, but can we do anything about it? Attempting to overcome these unavoidable holiday obstacles require some creativity. Here are a few simple ways to get in the holiday spirit without overextending your tight budget regarding time or finances: The simplest one is just to watch your favorite holiday movies (White Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life) or play holiday music. It’s inexpensive and you can’t help but sing along. My personal favorite, Bing Crosby, always puts me in a good mood and reminds me of Christmastime at home. Maybe you have a movie or song that does the same thing. Another favorite of mine is scented candles. Christmas tree, cinnamon, gingerbread, apple, or pumpkin pie scents are all fantastic. Walking into your home and being surrounded by the smells of the holidays is more powerful than you might think. I personally recommend Anthropologie’s Balsam & Cedar scented candle, for it is a perfect, realistic Christmas tree scent. Another great activity is wishing people “Happy Holidays,” or “Merry Christmas.” It sounds odd, and you may feel weird doing it, but the responses are typically very warm. There is something about this time of year that connects us to others. Even in a sometimes impersonal city, like New York, the spirit is tangible. Try dropping spare change into the Salvation Army or donating gifts to a toy drive. There are plenty of them going on, and there are drop centers at several popular stores. The feeling you get when you give to someone in need is very special. I try to deny this every year because my personal wish list is so long, but the feeling you get from donating to a worthy cause or a needy child is 100 times better than buying a new dress for yourself. So give these a try during this stressful yet exciting portion of the year. These simple worry-free solutions to your holiday blues may be just what you need to pick yourself up. And if they don’t work, well at least the Christmas music will make your train ride more pleasant, and you might not glare at as many fellow commuters. Happy holidays everyone and good luck with finals and enjoy the much-needed winter break!

Illustrated by Kimberlyn Bailey.

W27

FIT SPEAKS

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

OP-ED

INTERNATIONAL ADMIN NEEDS TO CHANGE

Nicole Tan

The following is an opinion piece submitted by an FIT student on behalf of an organization. These views belong to said student and organization and do not represent the views and belief of the paper as a whole. Dear Departments at FIT, As an International student, one is already on foreign soil and at a disadvantage. We are unable to work, apply for jobs or internships (until a certain time in our degree), and in some cases, we are forced to overcome language and cultural barriers. Yet, we chose to come to New York, and particularly FIT in hopes of a bigger, better, and brighter future. Ever since I got here, however, there have been very few departments willing to aid one in their college and/or career track. Based on personal experience, I have concluded that departments here are fragmented, each dishing out various answers to a question, with phrases like, “don’t quote me” or “this has nothing to do with our department” at the end of each discussion. This is then proceeded by directing you to another office, which probably has a ‘better idea.’ Upon discussing one’s woes with a fellow international student, I discovered he was made to settle his bill over the summer, when calling overseas was expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. Made to dial between the registrar, financial aid and bursar’s office, a simple task was suddenly exhausting due to the lack of cooperation between each department.

On another occasion, armed with questions for the Office of International Advisers, regarding an interest in work programs, I was shunted away by “the meetings are on the dates in that leaflet [pointing to a stand], I can’t give you any more information.” The meeting turned out to be redundant, as it conflicted with my study abroad program, something I had highlighted as my biggest concern. This leads me to question the validity of an answer from an assistant at the front desk, for what answer is legitimate where no staff has the desire or willingness (some are seen with their earphones in the AMC office) to help students? As a whole, it shames me, an Advertising and Marketing Communications major, to say that there is certainly a kink in the public relations sector of FIT. Communication is lacking between each department, and among faculty and students. From technological fronts of blasted emails ignored by students, to meeting face-to-face with unpleasant assistants, who never seem to let you pass the line between office cubicles, there doesn’t seem to be much awareness on this issue. I would like to see a change or explanation, as this is an issue impacting every student’s life, particularly international students, who are already barred from enough opportunities.

“By that date they will probably have switched to robot interns.”

“Let’s say I actually wanted this random pile of broken glass, where do you suppose one submits payment?” “Free impregntions! Take one!”

“Holy flippin’ inflation!” “Plates are NO microwavable, people. Jeez!”

“Fresh bagels! Hot bagels! Flaming bagels! We’ve got it all...” “I’d like to see what their doughnuts of the future would look like.”

STYLE ON 27 By Nicole Tan and Photography by Harlan Bontrager Maybe these stylish students are just trying to get a break from the chilly air as it nips at their bare skin; regardless, they make covering up look tres chic. From chunky knits to playful scarves, woolly layers to knee-high socks and boots – less skin is exposed to the elements. The layers create a drama to be enjoyed during the colder season. Maybe we will start longing for the sun-kissed feeling on our skin in a month or so, but for now, we’ll relish in the joy of piling it on.

Alex Lamontagne, Junior, Fashion Design Describe your closet in one word: Eclectic. One fashion item you cannot live without? My high-waisted Victor and Rolf Magazines or blogs you read? Satorialist, Seaofshoes.com

Kelsey Panicco, Textile Development, Freshman Describe your closet in one word: Conglomeration. One fashion item you cannot live without? Button up collared shirt... classic. Magazines or blogs you read? Vogue.

Anastacia Arianas, Advertising and Marketing Communications, Senior Describe your closet in one word: Vintage not like old vintage though. One fashion item you cannot live without? My Lillian coat. Magazines or blogs you read? Nylon - Harpers Bazar, Nylon and Elle. Do you have a blog of your own? Not established yet.

Emilie Laperriere, Advertising and Marketing Communications, Junior Describe your closet in one word: A mess. One fashion item you cannot live without? These Opening Ceremony boots. Magazines or blogs you read? I don’t really read.

Michell Costa, Fashion Advertising and Marketing Communication, Sophmore Describe your closet in one word: Variety.

Michelle Yoon, Fashion Design, Junior Describe your closet in one word: Not trendy. One fashion item you cannot live without? Nice big scarf. Magazines or blogs you read? Fashion Business, The Cut magazine and blog.

One fashion item you cannot live without? Black blazer Magazines or blogs you read? V mag, Vogue, Nylon.

Josh Shwartz, Fashion Design, Junior Describe your closet in one word: Black. One fashion item you cannot live without? This t-shirt Magazines or blogs you read? Not really.

Mimi Prober, Fashion Design, Junior Describe your closet in one word: Artfocused. One fashion item you cannot live without? Skirts Magazines or blogs you read? Various ones occasionally. Tavi the 13 year old; she’s cute Do you have a blog of your own? Yes I do, but I’d rather not give it out.