NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 40, No. 29
WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2012
nyunews.com
Stern to add new marketing program
Golden David leaves NoLita
By Michelle Lee
By Emily Yang
A naked, 30-foot long golden replica of the Statue of David lay on its back atop a flatbed truck in NoLiTa. Moved in front of the Storefront for Art and Architecture on Kenmare Street yesterday, David (Inspired by Michelangelo) was created in 2005 by Serkan Ozkaya, a Turkish conceptual artist and Bard College graduate. Using a 3-D rendering program to recreate the foam statue, the project took six months for six people to construct. After its brief appearance in the city, the statue will be transported to its new home at the 21c Museum in Louisville, Ky., which collects and displays 21st century art. Alice Gray Stites, chief curator of 21c Museum, said that Ozkaya’s first David was originally sculpted for exhibition at the 9th InternaJames Kelleher/WSN
R DAVD continued on PG. 3
A Turkish artist’s golden rendition of the Statue of David captured the attention of passersby.
In late February of this year, the Stern School of Business announced that it will welcome a new Master of Business Administration program in digital marketing starting in the fall of 2012. The specialized program consists of courses related to information systems and marketing, with a curriculum pertinent to today’s developing digital marketing field. The program will offer courses from several Stern departments, including information, operations and management sciences and marketing. Students specializing in digital marketing will be able to take up to six credits in approved Stern departments. In addition, some classes offered through the program — including Social Media for Brand Management, New Media in Marketing and Information Privacy Law — will be based in the NYU School of Law.
R DIGITAL continued on PG. 3
RIFF is fashion boutique by day, concert venue by night By Hilary Presley
With Justin Bieber and pop music dominating the airwaves and popular culture leaning more and more towards synthetic music, RIFF boutique is keeping the ’70s rockand-roll vibe alive and thriving. By day, the store is a small boutique offering perfect skinny jeans and vintage concert T-shirts. But every Saturday night, it transforms into a cool concert venue for rockaholics both young and old. Andy Hilfiger, Tommy Hilfiger’s brother, opened the store last October in the space that used to be the CBGB galleries. A rock musician himself, Hilfiger wanted to create an authentic hot spot inspired by rock-and-roll. The store prides itself on its authenticity — there are no iPods or digital DJs here. Vintage vinyl is spun all day on a record play-
er, and musicians pound out riffs on drums and guitars. It’s like stepping into 1977. According to Vicky Vale, a store representative, RIFF aims to keep the spirit of the building alive by creating a unique scene that can’t be found anywhere else. The famous rock club’s vibe lives on in the store through the unique combination of fashion, art and music. Searching high and low for the perfect pair of black jeans? Look no further than RIFF. Simple, superskinny and high quality, their pants for both men and women are perfect for wearing both on-stage and in the Village. For the more adventurous, try a pair of snakeskin, leopard- or zebra-print pants. Patterned pants are a huge trend for spring and summer, but instead of girly floral, RIFF gives the trend an edgy twist. At around $90 a pair, they will
surely become a wardrobe staple. RIFF’s vintage rocker T-shirts with cool, faded graphic designs are another stand-out. “[They are] band tees done cooler and more fashion forward,” Vale said. And at $25, you can stock up on a few. The store predominately features clothes by Hilfiger’s brand Andrew Charles, where the goal is to create authentic rockand-roll apparel. Photographs line the walls, notably featuring work by Steven Tyler’s daughter, Mia. Her rough-aroundthe-edges photography encapsulates the vibe of the place and plays off of the clothes nicely. Rotating art exhibits keep the store fresh and make for a unique shopping experience, combining fashion and photography beautifully. Beginning in February, RIFF be-
gan hosting WTF Saturday night concerts in the store to stay in touch with the store’s rock-and-roll roots and highlight local New York talent. This month, the store will feature The Cynz, Love Crushed Velvet (March 10) and The Nuclears (March 24) at 4 p.m. The blaring music makes for an authentic ’70s vibe but is ultimately far too headache-inducing for the casual shopper. While certainly authentic, the middle-aged band members also face the challenge of appealing to a younger audience. But with no cost for admission, the WTF shows are definitely worth checking out. RIFF is also offering a 10 percent discount to all NYU students with a valid ID. “It’s you guys we want wearing our clothes,” Vale said. “It’s at the right price point and is something unique you won’t find anywhere else.”
Courtesy of RIFF
Conjuring its rock-and-roll roots, RIFF hosts weekly concerts. RIFF is located at 313 Bowery (at Bleecker) and is open from 12 to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Hilary Presley is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.