FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD: F/W 2021 by SEASON Magazine

Vol. 04 Issue 1

MAGAZINE

SEASON

F/W 2021

FORTUNE FAVORS THE

BO D

SZN MAGAZINE est. 2018

FORTUNE FAVORS THE

BO D EDITOR IN CHIEF: Jack Boardman

EDITORIAL Director: Varsha Anand Neha Afzalpurkar Salomé Cloteaux Piper Dafforn Mia Galante Sofia Goldstein Grace Leckey Mansi Mamidi Jack Paley Kayla Pallotto Nidhee Patel Nanna Perez Katherine Pietrangelo Bailey Roulo Natalie Scholz Erin Stafford Malachi Watson

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Director of Marketing: Connor Garcia Director of Communications Lily Friedrich Director of Finance: Hali Lucas PR MANAGERS Libby Kaibas Arianna Weisberg Nanette Zhang

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS Chloe Foster-Storch Lucille Pietri Claire Potter WEBSITE MANAGER Maeve Billings CONTENT CREATORS Ria Agarwal Caterina DeSantis Alanna Herrey

PHOTOGRAPHY Director: Lucas Bishop Kamryn Denney Chloe Eades Meredith Ho Aanya Jain Regan Jones Madi Kay Sarah Qu Klaire Rasche Courtney Schultz Alex Willoughby Ellie Woytek

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Anna Fucarino Clare Keller Lydia Yong EVENT PLANNERS Anika Narula Christina Van Buskirk PODCAST Samantha Berke Brooklynn Shively DATABASE MANAGER Mayson Reperowitz

special thanks to: Cherry Canary, Jooyoung Shin

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MERCH & STYLING Director: Varsha Anand David Baumann Mikaela Blackwell Autumn Brandt Neely Branham Zee Brown Isabella Conner Carley Divish Anna Gebhardt Yvonne Harmeyer Clara Lietzke Georgia Manges Ava Mikola Kate Mojica Sophia Newman Delaney Nidiffer Julia Rusyniak Sasha Sears Zoë Simmons Caitlyn Soegiantoro Calvin Sung Caroline Vegter

CREATIVE DESIGN Director: Kameryn Moore Olivia Childress Katelyn Clemow Eleni Haralabidis Jade Kern Chloe Lambert Skye McLaughlin Amanda Miller Cassie Reader Melanie Roberts

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 R!OT GRLZ 12 DOPAMINE DRESSING 20 OPEN INVITE 30 NEW AGE BIMBO

40 TAKING SEXY BACK 50 TAILOR MADE 58 SYNCHRONICITIES

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

ABOUT THE THEME

n discussions for this edition’s main theme, I noticed that many of the ideas being brought up by the SEASON members were very daring and exciting, but I was slightly doubtful if we would be able to pull them off. There were grandiose, beautiful concepts for photoshoots, sartorial concepts, and editorial pieces - but I am aware that within our current cultural climate, the inclination to fade into the background and quiet your voice is alluringly easy. However, as you will see in the following pages, we did exactly the opposite of that – and I couldn’t be prouder of my team for having the nerve and making those audacious choices. We usually gravitate towards those kinds of people who are decisive: risk-takers, decision-makers, those who will stand up for their beliefs. We look to them to lead us in times of crisis or moments of doubt and use their fearlessness as our inspiration. Despite the conflation of these traits, boldness isn’t just arrogance or impulsiveness. There is a sense of vulnerability that commonly accompanies bold choices; being brazen entails not being fearful in the face of rebuff. The treasure of boldness lies within that fear. Be bold, be audacious, be courageous. After all, fortune does indeed favor the bold.

oming out of a pandemic and emerging into “normal” life again has changed the way we view ourselves and others. Times of self-reflection and growth have never been so prevalent, and it is showing through our personalities, our style, and our bravery. Our generation has embodied an inclusive and accepting energy we haven’t experienced in years. We treasure those around us who stay true to themselves and flaunt it to the world. Life is too short to follow stereotypes and alter yourself to fit society’s ideals. We at SEASON admire the courageous - those who ignore labels and respect their own originality. We believe those who take risks often reap the greatest rewards; we believe fortune favors the bold.

Maeve Billings, website manager

Jack Boardman, editor in chief |3

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reinvention Female artists get stuck in a continuous cycle of reinvention and it’s time to address the music industry’s double standards.

ith girl groups practically being obsolete in 2021, it’s hard to believe girl groups once dominated the music industry. In the 90s, the Spice Girls, Salt N Pepa, En Vogue, TLC, Destiny’s Child etc, all defined a generation of teen and adolescent girls. Girl groups were an outlet for teen girls to find music they identified with and feel empowered. Additionally these groups represented unity among women and strong female friendships. Now, with there being more emphasis on standing out on your own rather than working with others, it’s clear that the dominance the girl groups once had in the music industry has faded away. Combined with the media’s obsession with pitting women against one another and the intense scrutiny female musicians are put under, the downfall of girl groups was inevitable. This intense scrutiny often begins with appearance, particularly criticism surrounding fashion and style. In seemingly all facets of entertainment, women are held to a much higher fashion standard than men. After every major red carpet event, women are judged by major media outlets and plastered on best and worst dressed lists, whereas men get away with wearing the same black tuxedo to every event and aren’t expected to do anything more. These same double standards are very present in the music industry, as personal style and image have become increasingly important for

artist success. Many of the most popular female artists in the world have had different “eras” throughout their career, which are characterized by different aesthetics and distinct styling choices. These eras are often to signal and promote an upcoming release of a song or album. When thinking of Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” album what often comes to mind is her iconic cone bra that she wore throughout her Blonde Ambition Tour as she adopted a more erotic persona. Similarly, with Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” her black jumpsuit with silver embellishments, black hat, and black gloves is a staple in pop culture that defined the album. Britney Spears was also no stranger to reinventiation with many distinct and legendary fashion moments throughout her career. When listening to songs like “Toxic,” “.... Baby One More Time,” or “Oops! I Did It Again,” the blue stewardess outfit, schoolgirl look, and red jumpsuit from those eras automatically comes to mind. While these eras or cycles of reinvention that female artists often went through for promotion was very common in the 90s, this concept is still extremely present today. Although these eras are iconic and loved by fans, it begs the question of why female artists are in a continuous cycle of reinvention. Each of these eras brings completely new hair, makeup, and clothing choices that are usually the polar opposite of what came before it. And with these constant drastic changes in personal style, it’s hard to know which fashion choices

BY MIA GALANTE

are actually authentic representations of who these women are and which are strategic business moves. On the contrary, male artists are often able to keep the same style and aesthetic throughout their careers and still maintain a large fan base. For women, it’s rare to see artists keep the same style for more than one musical era. A main reason for this is that female artists are often not taken as seriously in the industry as their male counterparts and these abrupt changes in style are needed to stay relevant. Taylor Swift called out this double standard in her documentary, Miss Americana, stating; “The female artists that I know have reinvented themselves 20 times more than male artists. You have to. Or else you’re out of a job. Constantly having to reinvent. Constantly finding new facets of yourself that people find shiny.” With the newest generation of female musicians rising to stardom, I hope to see a larger emphasis on embracing your authentic style rather than conforming to industry expectations. There’s no denying that the eras of Madonna, Janet, Britney, etc will always be iconic staples in pop culture but it’s important to recognize the double standards that influenced them and for the music industry to work to dismantle them. photographer: Kamryn Denney stylists: Bella Conner, Zee Brown, Georgia Manges, Caroline Vegter, Calvin Sung models: Lucy Harper, Lauren Johnson, Barbara Holsclaw layout: Chloe Lambert |7

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Color is the answer to everything and plays an important role in expressing one’s self. BY NATALIE SCHOLZ

arilyn Monroe’s hot pink dress In our lives, color is the source of in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes numerous unconscious associations. is perhaps one of the most referenced Color can take special prevalence in gowns in media history, appearing on culture--for example, politics. Since Madonna in “Material Girl” and Kylie 2000, red and blue have become Jenner at the red carpet. the binary colors of the GOP and While the dress’s silhouette is Democratic parties in the United recognizable, the color is the most States. These colors are used more valuable link back to Marilyn Monroe. as verbal shorthand than visual For Kylie Jenner, it is a meta-like connotations. (Note how in the first commentary on her image, linking its 2016 Presidential Debate, Hillary frivolity and display of wealth back to Clinton (Democrat) wears a red Monroe’s character in the movie. Even pantsuit, while Donald Trump the color pink, with its only century- (Republican) wears a blue tie.) Yet, in long association with femininity, other countries, color associations have reflects women’s utilization and others stronger implications. In India, the use exploitation of their sexuality. Most of a specific orange in a cricket uniform notably, the pink unconsciously draws sparked outrage with the Hindu comparisons between the interpreter nationalist party (BBC). In fashion, and Monroe’s iconic glamour and colors can have both specific brand sexuality. associations and legal repercussions

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for use. The association of Tiffany blue with luxury and class is also due to both its product and it’s exclusivity as a copyrighted color. These associations we form with colors are so important that consulting and forecasting firms like WGSN and Pantones make millions of dollars providing anyone from retailers, car manufacturers, and pet toy manufacturers with insight into color. Color is so important that 85% of the purchasing decision for a garment is based on color. In post-lockdown reality, “dopamine dressing” has developed as a form of bold, vibrant expressionism intended to boost mood. Prevalent colors have shifted from calming neutrals to at times avant-garde rainbow shades expressed in patterns and striking cuts. Retailers, recognizing the collective consciousness, have purchased up to 96% more neon garments this year compared to last year (Vogue Business). In the social media zeitgeist, aesthetics are integral to one’s online presence. The result: a pressure to form an aesthetic unique from over 3.6 billion users. However, fashion by nature is a reflection of every influence we experience in everyday life. We will inevitably like something someone else does, or express ourselves similarly to someone else. Choose colors that are meaningful to you, even if it’s a common hue. Whether drawing on the rich symbolism of pink or letting neon boost your mood, choose colors with intention.

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photographer: Klaire Rasche models: Calvin Sung, Sean Egli, Geneva Williams, Nadina Syifa stylists: Caitlyn Soegiantoro, Julia Rusyniak, Sophia Newman, Delaney Nidiffer layout: Katelyn Clemow, Melanie Roberts

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open invite

After time of isolation and uncertainty, Gen Z looks for much needed social interaction BY KAYLA PALLOTTO

en Zs are social gluttons. With our social interactions being centered around our online presences, the pandemic reminded us that at the end of the day, media is an accessory to our reality. We were left with our screens and nothing else, stuck with a world that only made sense when

supplemented with face-to-face interactions to ground ourselves. But that’s all over, right? Bars are open, as long as there is a vaccination card alongside an ID. Lecture halls are filled with antsy college students, as long as those students are wearing a mask. The world is said to be “open”, but with caveats that make it impossible to answer: are we back to normal? When the world decided they were tired of waiting, the pandemic transformed from an indefinite issue into a finite one. It’s “over” now. There was an immense pressure to adapt, and move on. In an effort to wipe out the raw emotions of loneliness and hopelessness, we have accepted these new terms of socializing with open arms. It is too scary to admit that things aren’t “normal” because of the anxiety that comes with it. But an opportunity has presented itself: the reopening of party culture. We are a culture infatuated with partying. Literary analyses of The Great Gatsby are performed in school. Movies like Animal photographer: Regan Jones stylists: Bella Conner, Georgia Manges, Ava Mikola, Neely Branham, Clara Lietzke models: Caleb Loobie, Andromeda Mendez, Bailee Wilson, Dake Zhang, Zion Jackson layout: Olivia Childress

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House are praised in popular culture. Our pop stars write love letters to the moments spent in a stranger’s bed after a party. Our movies romanticize the glance across the room, shoulder to shoulder with people, but they’re “only looking at you”. We are designed to crave the special and fleeting moments composed of glitter and solo cups. It’s an extrovert’s paradise, but the pandemic has rewired what it means to be social. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and party culture is no exception to that rule. Generation Z is defined by digitalized and well documented trauma, how is the pandemic

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different? Numbers, charts, politicized debates, and horrifying headlines fill social media feeds to the point of numbness. With an obscene amount of information, how can it be filtered out? Social and political turmoil, expanding over the timeline of a pandemic, creates a background of chaos. It’s no surprise that people are flocking to cramped house parties and overpriced cocktails. No longer bound to online interactions, parties provide refuge that was unobtainable during the darkest hours of quarantine. But, with great information comes great responsibility. The weight of the

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pressure “to be the change” is on our shoulders. How can the youth emerge out of the pandemic as champions, the beacon of hope for this country, if the nation hasn’t even processed it? While the pandemic may be written off in popular culture, in hospital wards across the country, it is still going strong. On October 16th, the day of IU’s Homecoming game, the

United States surpassed more than 44 million confirmed cases of COVID-19. The health risk still lingers in dive bars and on college campuses. But the “COVID-19 Tax” has been deemed worth paying. It is a risk willing to be ignored, for the sake of emotional intimacy. Quarantine reminded us of the importance of the individual. Individualism is a concept that drives personal growth and reflection, but at the cost of emotional turbulence and isolation. Parties provide us the intimacy we crave through the gift of anonymity. You can be anyone. The larger the crowd, the better. So if the price to pay is rusty social skills and awkward conversation, people will pay it. Of course, if it is too awkward, don’t worry and Uber home. Just don’t forget your mask.

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THE NEW AGE BIMBO! BY MANSI MAMIDI

There have been two Years of the Bimbo: 1987 and 2007. Characterized by beautiful women at the center of the public eye for less than beautiful scandals, scandals consisting of women who were perceived to be ulteriorly motivated to gain fame by bringing forth their traumas and revealing the men or circumstances that created them. No woman with any knowledge of her oppression would be compelled to do so, knowing the public firestorm of hate and vitriol that would erupt as a result, yet the term bimbo was consistently used as a pejorative against those women who were thrust into the public imagination by force of the circumstances that would ultimately destroy them in one way or another.

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ULTRA-FEM Mandy Stadtmiller’s vicious 2007 New York Post article declares that “Whether dead (Anna Nicole Smith), jailed (Paris Hilton), bald (Britney Spears), knocked up (Jamie Lynn Spears), unemployable (Lindsay Lohan) or simply running down the street in raggedy old underwear (Amy Winehouse), the year gone by was young, ditzy and out of control.” While Stadtmiller was clearly aiming to poke fun at ditzy, irresponsible creatures who only ever held space and importance because they were beautiful and stupid enough to believe it would last forever, the bimbo in 2021 is no longer a maligned, laughable figure; she is cool, sexy, and aspirational. 2021 has therefore become the true Year of the Bimbo. The ultra-feminine aesthetic of the bimbo, often considered ridiculous for being so meticulously vain and sexually alluring, was largely popularized by transgender women, sex workers, and particularly Black transgender survival sex workers, despite being attributed mostly to cisgender white women in modern popular culture. In Netflix’s Disclosure, a documentary on media’s depiction of transgender people and their impact on American culture, Jen Richards says that “...for [celebrities] [the bimbo aesthetic] comes out of... the sex workers who have to hyper feminize their body in order to compete for clients in order to survive. And of course, they’re imitating an older form of femininity that they’ve learned that men like from movies and TV…”. Carefully constructed to cater to fantasy, and by definition a service product, the hyperfeminine is a visual representation of the awareness of what’s expected of women: objects created and molded to admire based on historical representations of beauty and sexuality. The bimbo aesthetic is now an increasingly popular style of dress and makeup, drawing largely on the ‘90s

and early ‘00s iterations. Sex symbols like Marilyn Monroe and Megan Fox are widely revered, especially on apps like TikTok. Low-rise mini skirts, embellished bra tops, see-through materials, and ultra-pink, blushy makeup are incredibly popular, with thousands of videos on how to achieve the aesthetic. The trendy ultra-feminine aesthetics are now generally considered a retaliation to patriarchal ideals of femininity as well. While media and marketing do point to a sexualized, attractive blonde as the type of woman every man wants, their attractiveness comes from an inherent implication of women in general: white, submissive, vulnerable, and entirely focused on what men think of her. Because she’s attractive and invested in beautification and makeup and clothes, she can’t be intelligent or have non-Malibu Barbie interests, since all her effort is poured into being beautiful for men. After all, what is being beautiful without someone to validate that beauty and therefore make it real? Women that openly discuss plastic surgery are subject to the same vitriol, since beauty is meant to be effortless and natural, since women are supposed to be so different from men, and therefore so much more alluring. Trans women are subject to an even more extreme version of that marginalization, hence ultra-feminization as a survival tool. Because of the origins, however, the clearly dolled-up makeup, hair, and fashion is deemed tacky and garish, born of sex-worker disdain. Obvious effort put into everyday appearances tend to be met with an emphasis on how important it is to “be yourself” and remain natural, but that serves to continue the standard of marketable, effortless beauty. Not everyone can or wishes to be like Cindy Crawford in that way, and leaning into hyper-femininity can be gratifying for many. The penchant to emphasize “natural

beauty” only ignores the material conditions and abuse that create a necessity to conform to the conventional beauty standard. Natural beauty is all well and good insofar as one’s genetics are conducive to marketable, young, white attractiveness. The men and media surrounding Lil’ Kim abused and tormented her for years over her Afrocentric features and deep skin, yet when she took the cosmetic surgery route to become what she thought she needed to be, she was only subject to even more public ridicule for going “too far” with her “botched” surgeries. Everyone is supposed to be Malibu Barbie without any effort to become her. Once you make it obvious you try, everyone hates you. The new-age bimbo seeks to rebuke that; bimbofication now has a positive connotation in online circles, with “bimbo” meaning anyone that is hot. Whether that’s goth-hot, elfin-hot, or your typical Malibu-Barbie-hot, this phenomenon has moved to the same conclusion most Gen Z trends have: caring is sexy! Caring about your appearance, and taking the time to cultivate an aesthetic and makeup that is entirely your own is what’s in style. Referring back to the classic, trampy (positive) bimbo look is just another form of that. Despite the intentionally sexy and alluring being vilified and taught to feel shame, modern-day bimbos find self-confidence and autonomy over their sexuality in the ability to frame their body in a way that makes them feel good. And more than anything, that’s hot.

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MONDAY BLUES MONDAY BLUES

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photographer: Aanya Jain models: Jillian Pullen, Karishma Patel stylists: Sophia Newman, Delaney Nidiffer, Caitlyn Soegiantoro, Julia Rusyniak, Neely Branham layout: Katelyn Clemow, Cassie Reader

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photographed by: Lilly Thomas head stylist: Bella Conner modeled by: Erin Huston

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Empower

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er E m p o w e r n our lives, choices surrounding sexuality and fashion often meet at a crossroads. The decisions we make about what to wear or who to be with are seen as qualities that help define us. They are also mechanisms that people use to cast shame and judgement upon others. But as clothing and sexuality work together to help people embrace their individuality, our current society can work towards being one where people have the choice to be exactly who they are. Wearing clothes with erotic symbolism can be a tool for marginalized people to embrace their sexual identities and challenge societal stigmas surrounding sex in a freeing way. Feminine-presenting people and the LGBTQ community in particular

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are influential in their utilization of clothes to retaliate against the misogynistic and hyper-sexualized view of the human body throughout fashion. Historically, the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s marked an era of liberation for women after an increased amount of discourse surrounding sex and morality allowed them to embrace their sexuality and dress freely, without fear of judgement. According to Mancunion in “What has sexual liberation done for fashion?,” a paradoxical effect occurred, however, when women were increasingly objectified as fashion campaigns played off the high-selling elements of beauty sadomasochism and pornography to put the feelings of guilt and shame

back into a woman’s experience of sex. Women were only allowed to be sexual when it appealed to the male gaze, as many clothing campaigns displayed a naked woman draped over the arms of a dominating, hyper-masculine man. As depicted in “This Is Not ‘Art’ or ‘Fashion,’ It is Objectification” from The Fashion Law, high-fashion brands like Gucci and Calvin Klein are responsible for perpetuating the objectification of women in fashion as they are depicted as less powerful than men in many advertisements. When women are undressed at the hands of a fully-clothed man, the idea put forth is that a man is in control and a woman exists for the function of his sexual pleasure. Society therefore blames the hypersexualization of women in fashion on women themselves, slut-shaming models who pose for lingerie ads and putting them at fault for how they are perceived in relation to sex. Another effect of misogyny in the fashion industry that goes unnoticed comes from a woman herself. In the 1950s, Coco Chanel reinvented the pantsuit for women under the guise of wanting women to wear something that was previously reserved only for men. In reality, the adoption of the pantsuit for women was the result of rich women wanting to distance them-

selves from poorer people after gowns became more affordable. As explained in “The Power Suit’s Subversive Legacy” from The Atlantic, the pantsuit catered to a very narrow group of mostly rich, white women who wanted to distance themselves from the lower-class by wearing clothes that signified masculinity, redefining femininity as a weaker trait. A long-awaited, monumental shift is occurring in the fashion industry though. With more women sitting as CEOs and creative directors at major houses, they are experiencing more authority than before. There is still lots of work to be done in order to combat misogyny in the fashion industry, but this is a step in the right direction. Due to the empowering change, women are asserting their sexual freedom and taking back their voice through sexually-charged clothing and gender-challenging styles. Social media influencers Karley Sciortino and Noni Ayana are at the forefront of reclaiming female sexuality as they produce content that speaks on the world of BDSM, sex work and masturbation. These two sex bloggers use the digital landscape to help ignite an important conversation surrounding sexuality and fashion in the media. The sexual imagery embellished

photographer: Sarah Qu stylists: Calvin Sung, Zoe, Caitlyn Soegiantoro, Bella Conner, Delaney Nidiffer, Neely Branham models: Kia Heryadi, Pearl the Dog layout: Skye McLaughlin, Cassie Reader

through the clothing choices of these influencers show that a woman can be sexual for herself because it makes her feel good, and not for the purpose of pleasing a man. Their openness about sex through fashion isn’t promoting the idea that everyone should embrace a hypersexualized style but shows that everyone should have the right to dress freely if it is what they desire. An equally important and transformative amount of work to embrace one’s sexuality through fashion has been done in the LGBTQ community for many years. Many individuals see fashion as an outlet that enables them to express their queer identity with pride in a society that discriminates. In “Are fashion and sexuality linked? How style has become more liberating for all” from PinkNews, popular styles like hyper-femininity and androgyny were popularized by the LGBTQ community and helped to facilitate a heightened sense of personal style and political expression in clothes. Fashion remains as a tool that can help empower intersecting identities and sexualities, regardless of the societal expectations placed upon certain groups. The ability to dress freely and express one’s sexuality is a freedom that everyone should have the right to.

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Fashion remains as a tool that can help empower intersecting identities and sexualities, regardless of the societal expectations placed upon certain groups

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TAILOR MADE The emulation of masculinity in women’s fashion isn’t anything new.

BY KATHERINE PIETRANGELO & PIPER DAFFORN

ake a look at the runway, retail stores, or social media - it’s clear that masculine influences have been overwhelming women’s fashion. From bermuda shorts to pantsuits, clothes that reject the traditional feminine silhouette are more popular than ever. Blazers have become a trendless piece, diversifying between colors, materials, and fits. Vests became a summer staple this year when worn on their own, and they transition seamlessly into the fall when layered. For the fall and winter season, men’s wide leg dress pants and slacks have been popping up across all varieties of casual and formal outfits. Masculine accessories like loafers, layered ties, and newsboy caps pair well with these pieces. In general, the masculine silhouette has been the recurring theme throughout some of the biggest trends in the past year. Pieces that are skin-tight and hug the body have become less trendy and have evolved to be longer and more oversized. The emulation of masculinity in women’s fashion isn’t anything new. In the early 1920s, the unconventional

suffrage movement, women longed to be treated like men’s social equals. They craved a life of freedom rather than one of domesticity and tradition. Flapper style embraced a more “boyish” appearance, with features like shorter hair and straight, loose dresses that hid the feminine figure. Skirts rebelliously became shorter, hitting just below the knee and showing much more leg than was traditionally acceptable. These changes in fashion reflected a shift in the lifestyle of the American woman. As they began to reject the traditions and ideals that held them back, their fashion changed accordingly. Women’s style began to take influence from the group that was benefiting most from society: men. Over a century later, women are still not treated the same as men in the workplace, even when they’re more qualified. Women can go above and beyond the efforts of men, but are still not paid and rewarded equally. According to the University of British Columbia, women with | 51

AN ATTEMPT MASCULINITY? THAT INVITES AN ATTEMPT MASCULINITY? THAT INVITES AN ATTEMPT

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straight As in high school have the same leadership prospects as men with failing grades. This concept also translates within higher education and university atmospheres. Here at IU, in the fall of 2020, the average female undergraduate GPA was a 3.4, while the average male undergraduate GPA was a 3.25. These statistics were also measured when there was a higher number of male students than female. Our society is remarkably different than it was 100 years ago, but the institutional constraints that hold women back continue to be relevant. These reemerging masculine trends seem to be yet another attempt to challenge traditional femininity, the thing that still holds so many women back in society. By taking control of the female silhouette in men’s clothing and emulating trends made popular by men’s fashion, women are able to reclaim themselves from the historical constraints put upon them.

photographer: Lucas Bishop stylists: Zee Brown, Sasha Sears, Julia Rusyniak, Caroline Vegter, Kate Mojica models: Julia Rusyniak, Roberto Owen layout: Jade Kern 44 |

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SYNCHRONICITIES

Synchronicities: An Interview with Jooyoung Shin BY NEHA AFZALPURKAR & SALOME CLOTEAUX

n Eastern thought, the principle of yin and yang represents the balance of opposing and interconnected forces. The seemingly contrary forces balance each other out, creating harmony. The balance of the yin-yang is always moving and changing, cycling through various stages of transformation known as the five stages. The five stages are characterized as wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, and they represent stages of human life: birth, growth, maturation, death, and rebirth. In other words, yin and yang is about embracing the neverending duality that exists in all parts of life. Jooyoung Shin, professor of fashion design at Indiana University, is well acquainted with this concept, and it has become a source of fascination that inspired two of her fashion design collections, Five Phases: Endless Cycle of Creation and Destruction and Dress and Body: Oneness or Duality? Jooyoung was born and raised in South Korea. From a young age, Shin inherited her mother’s keen eye for hidden gems throughout the world. With this eye, Jooyoung’s mother would dress her in stylish chic clothes, sparking Jooyoung’s desire for more. “Even though my mom has been a full time housewife and mother, I find her as a strong woman with great eyes

to find things,” Jooyoung said. Jooyoung’s mother served as her inspiration on her journey to discover more about fashion around the world and about herself. After receiving her first bachelor’s degree at Ewha Womans University, one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea and the world’s largest female educational institute, Jooyoung sought out a path of fashion, attending Rhode Island School of Design where she studied Apparel Design. Studying fashion in the United States, she became curious about the different aesthetic values between Western and Eastern cultures. Shin used her knowledge from South Korea to New York City to create pieces that reflect a combination of her research, experiences, and eye for unique colors and textures. She received a master’s degree in Museum Studies: Costume and Textiles at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. While she was studying, she also worked as an intern at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which she recalled as a transformative experience. Jooyoung went back to South Korea and received a doctorate in Aesthetics in Dress in the Department of Clothing and Textiles from Seoul National Uni-

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versity in 2007. Jooyoung’s professor at the university, Kim Minja, is her role model and inspired her to become a teacher. Jooyoung has explored her passion for fashion design as an educator, designer, fashion historian, and researcher. “Fashion is my life long occupation,” Jooyoung said. “It is the thing I will be doing for the next several decades. It’s not only my job but love in general.”

To her students, she emphasizes the importance of perseverance and attainment of true innovation. She reiterates the normalcy of making mistakes and the process of learning from and fixing them. Essentially, the goal is to “create and build your own encyclopedia.” To Jooyoung, the knowledge and research designers conduct translate into the words of the metaphorical encyclopedia. How the designer manipulates the research

into their own creation becomes the encyclopedia in its entirety. “It’s impossible to create something out of nothing. We need to come up with a new way to introduce things.” When she teaches about the history of fashion or fashion in social issues, she emphasizes that fashion is not just about what people wear. It is a much larger statement about life. “Everybody knows that fashion is an expression of self-identity, but it | 63

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photographer: Lucas Bishop stylists: Varsha Anand, Jack Boardman, David Baumann models: Varsha Anand, Grace O’Brien layout: Jade Kern, Melanie Roberts

is more than that,” Jooyoung said. “When you study fashion, you find out a lot of things about what is happening in this world.” Studying and comparing fashion from Eastern and Western cultures allowed her to understand the different perspectives toward the body in these different cultures and how those are expressed in fashion design. “Dress and body have this inseparable relationship, and I wanted to find the answer of the Western and Eastern cultures on how and why they developed different perspectives on the body,” Jooyoung said. “Different perspectives of the body have developed into very different distinctive dresses.” Shin created two exhibitions as part of this research project: Five Phases and Dress and Body. Dress and Body examines the physical and conceptual relationship between fashion and the body. Five Phases embodies ancient underlying philosophies of the Eastern culture, specifically the principles of yin-yang and Five Phases, in the form of fashion. Jooyoung has embraced the duality in her life. Her contrasting yet interconnected experiences in South Korea and the United States have shaped her life and career as a teacher and designer. She balanced the contradictions and created a beautiful harmony that she expressed through fashion. From duality, inspiration was born. Her exhibitions and Jooyoung herself embody the spirit of yin-yang and the interconnectedness of the world. There can be no yin without yang, no light without darkness, no east without west.

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SZN MAGAZINE est. 2018