WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
FRINGE P R E S E N T S
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 Vol. 42, No. 97
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ON THE COVER Model April Mueller wears a Christian Siriano coat.
ESSENCE OF GRAY A reduction of self to the uniform enhances a new mode of expression. April wears a Madewell flannel button-down, Organic by John Patrick pants and stylist’s own shoes.
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E d i t o r ’s L e t t e r
T
here comes a time when the mixture of hues and the sweep of a
rainbow palette become overpowering, and we lose ourselves altogether. Cocooned in color, fashion becomes a medium not of expression, but of expectations. These expectations, many of which are brought upon subconsciously through social media, are manifested in a chaotic and confusing ensemble of tints, prints and pigments. Fringe breaks this convention with a celebration of the monochrome. Yves Klein once said he first painted monochromes “just to ‘see,’ to ‘see’ with my own eyes what existential sensibility granted me; absolute freedom.” With a stark palette of single-toned pieces, this freedom is found and liberation is achieved. Beauty is elevated in our editorial as the details of each unique face blossoms against a unifying canvas of solid clothing. Through this utopian lens of chromatic simplicity, the power of the individual is our focus. This theme was especially influenced by renowned designer Oscar de la Renta, whose tragic death struck the world exactly one month ago. Reflecting on this, as students we are reminded of the potential we possess to change the world as de la Renta did. We look to our alumni and predecessors for advice on how to succeed in this bustling city. We pursue new media like the fashion film to explore the evolution of a changing industry. We celebrate ourselves through the uniting color of the monochrome. Thank you to all who contributed to this incredible issue. Special thanks to Dana Reszutek and Valentina Bojanini for guiding me through this entire process, to Gianna Collier-Pitts for rolling with every punch thrown at us during our shoot, to Maya Baroody, Nicky Ottav and Kaleel Munroe for producing exquisite images, and to you for choosing to follow the world of fashion through the starry eyes of a college sophomore.
David Bologna BEAUTY & STYLE EDITOR
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Remembering Oscar, One Month Later By SOPHIE LEWIS
The first word that came to Steinhardt freshman Cssidy Miller’s mind upon hearing the name Oscar de la Renta was “love.” It is love that truly encompasses what de la Renta stood for. His feminine designs have been worn by countless brides, editors and celebrities who left his runway shows a with genuine friendship with the man whose legacy is sure to never be forgotten. His designs were undeniably beautiful, but what de la Renta really epitomized was hard work, passion and respect. Before debuting his own brand, he worked under Cristobal Balenciaga, Lanvin, Elizabeth Arden, Jane Derby and Balmain. He had a natural talent and passion for designing and was eager to learn the necessary skills to become an expert couturier. Over the years, de la Renta dressed First Ladies Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. His dresses — worn at inaugurations, debates and more — made de la Renta a household name. Due to its business’ extravagance, however, his business was not always successful. Many industry professionals questioned his decision to resist selling his company to luxury conglomerates and instead keep his business within his family. But in the last eight years alone, while he was suffering from cancer and its complications, de la Renta’s company grew by 50 percent with $150 million in sales, and his dresses became red carpet staples worn by the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Cameron Diaz and Amy Adams.
Despite his collections being priced in the thousands, students like Steinhardt sophomore Marcia Hu instantly recognize his name and importance. “Something I really love about Oscar de la Renta’s designs is how their simplicity makes such bold statements,” Hu said. “Part of the fun of fashion week is seeing all the extravagant pieces made of metallic and satin, but de la Renta always captured the same attention by using simple colors and patterns. He always designed with a hint of irresistible elegance.” De la Renta’s designs serve as inspiration for how young women aspire to dress. He taught young women how to love themselves and how to be elegant and to exude confidence, famously saying “Walk like you have three men walking behind you.” He impacted all generations, even if only a select group people actually had the pleasure of wearing his designs. As for the future, it is still uncertain how the Oscar de la Renta brand will continue on without the man himself. The company recently appointed a new creative director, British designer Peter Copping, who was previously at Nina Ricci. While de la Renta often had close bonds with many of his clients as well as editors and models, Copping may have a hard time filling such big shoes while upholding the allure of the brand without the man behind it. But he has been widely regarded as a good fit for the company, and de la Renta himself appointed him a week before his death on Oct. 20. The passing of de la Renta will continue to weigh heavily on the fashion industry. Though it has been exactly one month since his passing, industry colleagues, friends and fashion fans alike continue to reminisce about his life.
ILLUSTRATION BY SONJA HAROLDSON
Some, such as Stern freshman Louise Lai are unsure if anyone will ever be able to epitomize love the way he did. “Young fashionistas aspired to dress the way he dressed others, and now there is a void that may never be able to be filled in quite the same
way,” Lai said. “To me, Oscar de la Renta was always a pioneer in romanticism. That’s what I know him for. No one will ever make red carpet dresses the same way. His name means a lot, and someone else will fill in for him of course, but no one will ever be quite like him.”
Fashion, Image: The Plight of the Selfie By GIANNA COLLIER-PITTS
Almost immediately upon arriving anywhere, the first matter of business is to take a picture. There is now an unspoken rule that if we do not have photographic proof of almost every second of our lives, we do not exist — our daily sense of reality rests on the ability for others to see us. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat make it easier than ever to document our daily interactions and style choices. As a student living in New York City, it is just as easy to see people walking around dressed in the latest looks, sporting some of the most coveted fashions. With the rise of fashion bloggers and street photographers, the pressure to look put-together at all times is now at an all-time high. Of course relishing in a fun or bold ensemble is not a bad thing, but when the only reason to dress up is to document it, some of the pleasure in the experience of
wearing the clothing itself is lost. Fashion should not only be about how many likes or retweets a look can generate. It should be a way of expressing oneself in the real world, regardless of whether we or someone else is capturing the moment. For the occasional formal outing or casual gettogether, dozens of style photos are the norm, but the average person does not need a daily digital record of his or her own closet. Validation from social media extends far past the realm of fashion as well. People also do not look nor need to look camera-ready every moment of their lives, and the craze surrounding selfies is most troubling when it promotes the illusion that the per-
ate specific features. The online world of photo sharing has created a virtual platform for people to judge and critique one another based on how well they can make themselves appear to be. The line between who a person is online and who he or she is off the screen is blurred, and sometimes not even that person can determine which is the truth anymore. Granted, active sharing on social media is not entirely negative. Plenty of successful people have expanded their STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK careers on photo platforms. Unlike a son in the photograph and the few years ago, the person in reality look the same. possibility of building a repuCelebrities and students alike table career on social media use filters and various editing is a reality, and more young tools to make themselves look people are taking advantage more appealing or to exagger- of this medium.
Social media mavens Chiara Ferragni and Leandra Medine boosted their fashion presence with photographs of fun outfits and daily postings on their blogs The Blond Salad and Man Repeller, respectively. Ferragni is now employed by prominent fashion brand Guess, and Medine boasts recognition from the highest of industry insiders along with a loyal fan base of readers. The dilemma with hyperactive social media accounts lies in the purpose — having a large collection of selfies simply to prop up self-worth will never be of benefit in the long run. Discretion is essential — no one is interested in seeing every second documented under three filters and 30 hashtags. Enjoy life, enjoy fashion and capture the moments in your own memory. After all, some things are just more beautiful off-camera. And for the especially good days, perhaps a quick selfie wouldn’t hurt.
Words of Wisdom from an
INDUSTRY INSIDER
Fashion Films Break Ground
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VIA YOUTUBE.COM
By GABRIELLA BOWER
Melissa Mash
FOUNDER & CEO | Interviewed by SAM DEL ROWE
As CEO of startup Dagne Dover, NYU alumna Melissa Mash is reorganizing lives by way of the handbag. If not for the multitude of opportunities that were made available to her at NYU, however, Mash might not have been able to achieve such success. Through her unique classes and jobs, Mash quickly gained the experience and connections she uses today. While studying in the College of Arts and Science, Mash — who graduated in 2006 with a bachelor’s in metropolitan studies — particularly enjoyed her classes that dealt with racial issues. The class Race, Immigration and Cities taught by adjunct professor Liz OuYang, was a personal favorite. OuYang’s position as the president of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates also struck a chord with Mash. “I think that seeing her example of how passionate she was about her cases and about impacting change, not only in America but around the world and in people’s minds, helped form me in terms of what type of a leader I wanted to be,” Mash said. Before making it on her own, Mash took advantage of the city’s offerings while at NYU and held a variety of internships, including a position at Coach. This soon became a full-time job where Mash gained invaluable experience. “These things weren’t handed to me … I sought them out, but that’s the beauty of living in the city,” Mash said. “You can make any opportunity and jumpstart your career ahead of anyone else who isn’t in New York City. It’s a huge advantage.”
COURTESY OF MELISSA MASH
Along with creative director Jessy Dover and COO Deepa Gandhi, Mash began Dagne Dover with the idea that handbags should embody both form and function. Mash realized how the insides of handbags looked the same today as they did 50 years ago. Seeing women struggling with multiple bags — and having experienced that herself — she was inspired to create a solution. “I didn’t sit around thinking about what problems people had that I could solve,” Mash said. “It was a problem I had.” The startup addresses consumer concerns about black-hole bags by championing organization, with compartments tailored for specific items including laptops, tablets, phones, wallets, keys, sunglasses and even water bottles. Mash made sure to create a bag with not only a smartly designed interior but also a stylish exterior. “You need a bag that you can rely on every day without thinking about it, where you know you can get caught in the rain, you may even get caught in the snow, and you know it’s still going to look good,” Mash said. For those seeking to break into the fashion industry, Mash noted the importance of work experience, especially in taking a number of different jobs in order to learn various skills. “It’s really important that you stay nimble and that you show you can do a variety of things,” Mash said. “I couldn’t have done what I’ve done in the past three years without taking my time to cultivate some skills and relationships and credibility.”
From Baz Luhrmann’s “Chanel No. 5: The One That I Want” to Vogue’s “Cover Girl,” which featured Lena Dunham, fashion films are a genre finally making their mark in cinematography, and they are here to stay. Fashion films have recently emerged as a means for high fashion to come alive to the masses. The films have a history that is both evolutionary and revolutionary, beginning in the 1980s with music videos. In 1981, MTV became the ultimate authority of youth culture. Pop stars like Madonna and Michael Jackson found new idolatry as style icons, and the intersection between fashion, performers and film continued through the following decades. Seeing a need for a new platform on which fashion films could take center stage, Nick Knight created SHOWstudio. Founded and directed in 2000, the project prides itself as the “Home of Fashion Film” and pushes the boundaries of communicating fashion using the Internet. With early collaborators like Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, the platform continues to be a leading producer of fashion films that blend conceptual aesthetics with the latest high fashion. With this addition to the industry, the Internet began to bring high fashion to a wider audience. Continuing this spread of fashion, the launch of YouTube in 2005 once again shook the world of youth culture as YouTube quickly surpassed MTV as the medium to watch music videos. In 2009, a crucial turning point arrived when Tom Ford made his directorial debut with the fashion film “A Single Man.” While Ford had a $7 million budget, many other designers could not follow suit in this pricey endeavor, thus making fashion films the greatest opportunity for up-and-coming filmmakers desiring the auteur lifestyle or complete creative control. Since then, there have been a variety fashion films. One can learn from the informational series “Inside Chanel” or laugh at the humorous shorts from
T by Alexander Wang. The power of femininity is displayed in Miu Miu’s female directorial showcases titled “Women’s Tales” and the joy of romance is experienced in L.A. label Wren’s video “First Kiss.” The film world itself has also grown with the addition of festivals specifically for fashion films. The New York Fashion Film Festival was started in 2010, and according to its website “seeks to investigate the evolving genre of fashion film and explore its influenc e and impact on the fashion industry.” According to Chris Labdza and Bon Duke’s T Magazine blog post, fashion films are gaining this attention because “there is an emerging generation of filmmakers turning their focus to fashion as a platform for social critique.” For instance, Lena Dunham in “Cover Girl” for Vogue humorously displayed her insecurities about being on the cover of the fashion bible that is Vogue magazine, showing the humanity of celebrities and high power insiders of the fashion industry. In addition to inciting social critique and breaking stereotypes about the industry, the films make high fashion available to the masses. This accessibility ultimately allows for something high fashion can lack — relatability. Collections can now be appreciated by anyone — a dad waiting for his kids to finish soccer practice, a highpower lawyer sitting at her desk or a high school girl stuck on her laptop in the suburbs. In a world where a majority of the masses owns an Apple product and is found on numerous social media platforms, it is no surprise that the industry is heavily investing in this new media that is revolutionizing modern society. Fashion films are here to stay, and they will continue to evolve and revolutionize how the world views readyto-wear and haute couture. Clothing comes alive when worn, and fashion films now allow the world to see these exquisite works of art live their lives to the fullest. After all, fashion is arguably something that should be viewed, rather than simply written about.
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a SINGLE HUE the many EXPRESSIONS of the monochrome Photographed by Maya Baroody Styled by David Bologna
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OH GREEN WORLD In a return to the monochrome, we also return to the natural. April wears a Christian Siriano coat and stylist’s own shoes.
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FADE TO BLACK In the absence of light, black reveals itself in its purest form. April wears a Nicholas K dress, asymmetrical bra top and stylist’s own shoes.
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BLANK SLATE The stark silence of white speaks louder than any other rich pigment. April wears an Organic by John Patrick cape coat, turtleneck blouse, pleated skirt and stylist’s own shoes.
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THE NEUTRAL ZONE Between black and white lies an area we strive to know but cannot — the gray area. April wears a Madewell turtleneck sweater, Nicholas K asymmetrical bra top and stylist’s own shoes.
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TOO COOL FOR COLOR Neither here nor there, gray lies between extremes, flaunting its disinterest. April wears an Organic by John Patrick vest, pencil skirt, cropped sweater vest and stylist’s own shoes.
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Creative Direction Kaleel Munroe Makeup by Nicky Ottaviano
BALANCING WHITE Beneath an unpigmented surface lies a perfect balance of every hue. April wears an Organic by John Patrick turtleneck blouse, pleated skirt and stylist’s own shoes.
@nyunews INFORMING YOU FIRST
THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, November 20, 2014
Crossword ACROSS 1 City with a view of the White Cliffs of Dover 7 “David,” e.g. 11 “L’Amore dei ___ Re” (Montemezzi opera) 14 Certain homecoming attendee 15 Some Michelin Guide readers 17 Bonkers 18 Cream-filled chocolate treats 19 Mark of dishonor 21 Place for a saint’s image, maybe 22 ___ Reville, Hitchcock’s wife and collaborator 23 “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” drug 25 Villainous Luthor 26 Defeat 29 Iraq war issue, for short 31 Fall guy’s partner? 33 Bustle 34 Walker alternative
36 Chilled coffee drink 39 “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” poet 42 Inspiration for Johann Strauss II 43 Deer John? 44 Great ___ 45 “Land of the sun” native 46 Science advocate with a bow tie 47 Tournament passes 48 Efron of “Neighbors” 50 What you get for bringing someone home 52 Edomite patriarch 55 One taking an unscheduled flight? 57 All-time scoring leader for the U.S. men’s soccer team 62 Official residence at the Vatican 64 The Ramblers of the N.C.A.A. 65 Dish often served au jus
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE S C H I R R A
T O U C H U P
A S C R I B E S
R A P I D S
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B O L E R O S
A N O D Y N E
66 R-rated movie attendees 67 Computer language named for Lord Byron’s daughter 68 Studies 69 What three-letter words do in five answers in this puzzle
Edited by Will Shortz 1
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29 34
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No. 1016
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64 66
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PUZZLE BY JOHN FARMER
28 Abundant supply 30 Convoluted 32 ___ d’Orcia (Tuscan region) 34 Relative of e35 Fiver 36 Govt. mortgage insurer 37 Penelope’s pursuer in Looney Tunes toons
38 Sightseers? 40 Share 41 Cavalry mount 46 Vitamin B3 47 Bolster 48 “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow” rocker 49 Hope for a nominee 51 Trumpet
53 Renewable option 54 Point of contact in the automotive industry? 56 Getaway 58 Bird bills 59 Burrowing rodent 60 Opposite of baja 61 Father of the American Cartoon 63 Had followers
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