Future of Fashion
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ALANA VALKO CLAIRE DICKERSON Editor-in-Chief
Creative Director KENZIE KING
Publisher
Marketing Director MOLLY SHULAN
Accounts Director COLLEEN JONES
Design Editors MACKENZIE SCHWEDT MANDA VILLARREAL
Print Fashion Editors NICK FARRUGIA JENNY RUAN
Features Editor SOPHIE CLOHERTY
Print Photography Editors KATIE CORBETT EVAN PARNESS
Video Editor HAYLEY DANKE
Digital Fashion Editor ALEXA DEFORD
Managing Photo Editor NATALIE GUISINGER
Digital Photography Editor FRANCESCA ROMANO
Finance Coordinators KATE BURNS DRISHA GWALANI
Events Coordinators PAIGE DOBIES COURTNEY O’BEIRNE
Sales Coordinators JULIA BAROFSKY KIRA MINTZER
Street Style Editor LUCY CARPENTER
Outreach Coordinator ELLERY BENSON
Social Media Coordinator ELIZABETH HALEY
Design Team
Dana Dean, Julia Dean, Maddie Fox, Tung Tung Lin, Halley Luby, Carly Lucas, Gabi Mechaber, Yuki Obayashi
Fashion Team
Isabelle Fisher, Tavleen Gill, Molly Graf, Anastasia Hernando, Anthony Huynh, Amreen Kanwal, Krit Kosoltrakul, Hannah Leonard, Karly Madey, Claire Manor, Lily Marks, Natalie Marshall, Juan Marquez, Natalia Nowika, Neil Nautiyal, Jessica Peterkins, Alexandra Plosch, Quinn Riley, Catherine Small, Jasmine Smith, Katy Trame, Dhruv Verma, Jacob Ward, Caroline White, Megan Young, Abby Ziemkowski
Features Team
Chloe Becker, Christina Cincilla, Lauren Champlin, Benjamin Decker, Katherine Feinstein, Miranda Felty, Lauren Florsheim, Samyukta Iyengar, Elya Kaplan, Calder Lachance, Brooke Lange, Sophia Layton, Deirdre Lee, Heba Malik, Lily Marks, Matthew May, William Pederson, Rachel Pordy, Sophia Reveal, Morgan Rubino, Melina Schaefer, Eric Terbush, Katherine Trame, Sean Tran, Hannah Triester, Patience Young
Photography Team
Alex Andersen, Monica Babits, Blake Borgeson, Gabby Ceritano, Kristian Cho, Rosalie Comte, Nick Daniel, Amira Hassan, Sophie Herdrich, Maggie Innis, Nayoun (Nicole) Kim, Michelle Lin, Tung Tung Lin, Ryan Little, Morgan Locke, Charde Madoula-Bey, Heba Malik, Juan Marquez, Gwen McCartney, Emma McKillip, Dana Papandreadis, Robina Rranza, Eva Russa, Vera Tikhonova, Rita Vega, Sirapa (Fern) Vickaikul, Alvin Yao
Videography Team
Noelle Broussard, Lauren Day, Miranda Felty, Sophie Herdrich, Francisca Lee, Kendall Ka
Digital Content Editor ALICE HUTH
Sales Team
Nicole Beckett, Alex Chessare, Nadia Elnaggar, Maya Jerath, Sophia Gajdjis, Parnaz Hojjati, Alex McMullen, Julia Napiewocki, Alayna Simonds, Makena Torrey
Events Team
Nicole Beckett, Anya Eydelman, Mackenzie Fleming, Maya Jerath, Katie Kim, Alex McMullen, Lael Moore, Rachel Rock
Finance Team
Laura O’Connor, Mia Scalia, Deesha Shah, Annie Varellas, Xiaolei Wang
Outreach Team
Mackenzie Fleming, Rachel Pordy, Alayna Simonds, Mya Steir, Kira Swindhwani, Gillian Yang
Social Media Team
Tess Collins, Sara Ganshaw, Julia Kaplan, Daphne Patton, Allie Phillips, Caitlin Ramirez, Maya Tinoco, Makena Torrey, Hannah Triester, Annie Varellas, Rubani Walia
Digital Content Team
Nicole Belans, Lily Cho, Emily Deehan, Mallory Demeter, Calin Firlit, Sara Ganshaw, Harshita Jalluri, Chloe Linkner, Tess Perry, Alexandra Sterchele
IN THIS ISSUE 07
Editor’s Note
09
Fever Dream
19
Eye of the Beholder
21
Irreversible
29
Entangle yourself in Sustainability
31
The Raw Denim Obsession
33
Distortion
43
Epoch-alypse
51
Danielle Eubank
55
I, Enigma
67
trEND
69
New Baroque
Editor’s
NOTE
I don’t know what the future of fashion will be. While we spent this semester thinking about and commenting on what we would like to imagine, or what we think will change, I can’t say it will. We synthesized as much as we could about the industry at hand, but the reality is we live on fashion’s outskirts. Ann Arbor is a bubble, and while we reach our arms out to the fashion industry, it sometimes feels like we have blindfolds on and no one is listening. We are waiting, pining to enter the historically coveted, elusive, and inaccessible industry so we can change it—and in this issue, we’ve already started. I really love being an outsider with my young staffers. Together we generate curiosity about the fashion industry and think critically about what it tells us. More than offering critique, we demand revolution. As Gen-Z’ers, we have big dreams and big expectations. Still, that is not to say we don’t have many hurdles to stumble over and overcome. This issue looks at problems the industry is currently grappling with through the lens of the generation who will be responsible for their ramifications. We consider over-consumption, lack of sustainability, the fate of trends, and the social effects of new digital realities. The fashion world is one of the major exploiters of the environment. Fashion-related production is the second largest polluter in the world, second only to the oil industry. Clothing has become disposable. Today, we cycle through trends faster than the industry can catch up. Runways and the two-season fashion cycle no longer dictate our wardrobes. We are thinking more about our relationship and identities with clothes, but we are consuming at rapid paces. We are technologically savvy, curating our lives at the tips of our fingertips. However, our quick-changes and accessible lives in mid-America come with consequences. Our photo shoot, “Irreversible,” critiques our individual consumption on page 21. While thrifting helps alleviate our outputs into the environment, it can’t be the sole solution. We are a bit of an enigma, as Deirdre Lee would say in “I, Enigma,” as we teter between ambiguous lines of uncertainty and solution on page 55. We may not have all the answers now, but we’re fighting for them. Will our future be a technological utopia of perfectly crafted influencer feeds and online personas? Our current digital lives are a perfectly paradoxical mess: we can craft ourselves more beautiful and “likable,” but chaos remains in the tensions between our online identity and our embodied self. On page 33, our “Distortion” shoot offers a literal digital blurring of our captured selves, subverting the line between who we are and who we fashion ourselves to be. As much as literature warns us about the dystopian, technological future, and as much as we’ve become addicted to our screens, I fail to reconcile with the idea that we are on track to be trapped in an apocalyptic nightmare. I think of it more like a “Fever Dream,” where we exist within our bubbles of beauty and ignorant online self-fashioning, still a bit deluded about the alternate reality we have created on page 9. Our shoot on page 43, “Epoch-alypse,” reflects on this dissenting reality. We subvert utopian connotations of silver and chrome “sci-fi” imagery by placing ourselves in an environment of decay. As our world becomes industrially advanced, we must think about the corrosion that occurs in the wake of our impacts, especially those that affect the environment. What we hope to say with this issue is not entirely new, but we’re requesting to be part of the conversation. While change in the industry is still developing, we plead that brands, tastemakers, and consumers alike are held accountable. We’re still crafting the blueprint for our future, and maybe we don’t have all the plans, but we are writing them, photographing them, and plotting them. I hope you read this issue with a grain of salt, keeping in mind that we are just one voice in the much larger conversations that are happening and those that are yet to start. Still, I insist you finish this issue empowered to have a voice in fashion’s future. Alana Valko Editor-In-Chief
Future of
FASHION
“I, Enigma” decides our first collaborative project on page 55. The word enigma is often used to describe people. In this magazine, fashion assumes its own body. Our writers question the ways in which the body and what it wears operates as a site of protest, as a place of preservation, and as a product of social cultures. A short work of science fiction winks at the Twilight Zone and imagines a dystopia where perception overrules reality. Will technology one day allow us to distort our own self-image? Three articles prompt us to think deeply about the role of consumers. Are trends dying out? How can a pair of jeans record history? Can plastic from our oceans make waves on the runway? On page 31 we are invited into the peculiar Reddit threads of the Raw Denim Community, and on page 29 we take a closer look at companies working to repurpose fish nets. Our Editor-in Chief sits down on page 51 with artist Danielle Eubank to talk about the multilayered relationship between people and oceans. Eubank’s work, she says, is non-linear. Her projects attempt to “get people to observe, stop and think about what is around them.” By providing a space for contemplation, Eubank hopes to encourage action. As you explore this issue I encourage you to also consider the future of fashion as nonlinear. The questions we pose about the future often serve as a mirror of our collective histories. In many respects, our project cedes itself to our reader. In these pages, I hope you take a moment to stop and observe your surroundings. I hope you are moved to action. I encourage you to imagine and claim your own enigmatic futures.
Sophie Cloherty Features Editor
Concept & Styling Nick Farrugia, Jenny Ruan Makeup Artist Jenny Ruan Photographers Katie Corbett, Evan Parness Videographer Hayley Danke Graphic Designer Maddie Fox Models Ena Humphries, Justine Qiu
Pants Weekday Shoes Public Desire
Alien-esque and vivid. A dream that is intense and confusing but ultimately beautiful. This shoot expresses these concepts through disorienting combinations of light and color.
Purple Pants ASOS Blue Jacket AKIRA
Midi Blue Skirt Thrifted
Rhinestone Earrings Dolls Kill Pink Jacket The Getup Vintage Shoes Public Desire
Red Shirt Thrifted
“Please sit down ladies. Today we are having a very special talk,” Mrs. Nelson said curtly, pushing away a strand of shiny, golden hair that had managed to escape her severe bun. She tightened her grip on her pointer, ready to smack it against the wall of the windowless, white room if the chatty, pre-pubescent girls needed a reminder of how serious this was. They didn’t. An excited hush fell over the room. The girls knew something big was about to happen. Over the years, their brothers and sisters had hinted at a supposed rite of passage. The girls’ parents had spoken to them about puberty in fluffy language. The girls knew today had to do with growing up and that growing up meant change. They waited anxiously for breasts and periods and were jealous of Cindy, who claimed to have already started hers. Their excitement exceeded the desire to chatter and squirm, and so they settled into a pregnant silence. On each girl’s desk sat a mirror. Some of the girls had already peered into the reflective surface, wondering if the object was somehow different than it appeared, but they just saw little dimples and perfect, pearly whites smiling back at them. “I’m nervous, Mrs. Nelson,” Lisa said, anxiously. “There is nothing to be afraid of girls. I know change can be scary, but it brings good things, too.” Mrs. Nelson’s words were as warm and sticky as crude oil. “Now, as you know, you all have the Augmented Reality Eye Implant. You’ve been using this technology in the classroom to learn languages and at home to play games. But what you don’t know is that this chip is working at all times to enhance your experience of the world. In a few moments here I am going to show you how to disable this feature. But first, we’ll watch a short video.” The lights dimmed, and the Smart Wall lit up. Animated words danced across the screen: Augmented Reality and You, brought to you by Typhos. As the shimmering logo faded, an image of several people replaced it. The people looked strange to the children. Some were
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fat, others had thick body hair, and one was covered in blemishes. The children let out a collective ew. “Why are these people so ugly?” Matilda asked. “I’ve never seen anyone who looks like that!” Cindy exclaimed. Mrs. Nelson hissed “Shhh…” and the disturbed class quieted down. “Once upon a time,” the narration began, “...people had little control over what they looked like. The result was unpleasant. People were not kind to each other, or themselves. To try and change their bodies, people went to extreme lengths. They used lasers to remove hair, surgery to change features, and severe methods to control their weight. Now, thanks to the technological advances here at Typhos, everyone can look exactly how they want.” The people on screen transformed before the children’s eyes into the thin, beautiful bodies they were accustomed to seeing. “The LookBook Filter allows you to choose how you are seen. No more unpleasantness, just complete control. A.R.E.I. lets you live your best life. Take reality into your hands.” The children began fidgeting as the lights came up. “Wait,” Cindy said, holding the mirror to her face. “This is not what I really look like!” “What if my mommy and daddy are ugly?” Matilda asked, beginning to cry. “I don’t want to be gross like those people,” Sarah said indignantly. Mrs. Nelson placed her hand on Sarah’s shoulder. “It’s ok, you aren’t ugly. You are perfect, adorable children, and you will be perfect adults. And now, it’s your turn to pick your looks. Isn’t that fun?” The children smiled nervously. “I want blonde hair like my mom!” Amber exclaimed. “I want to be tall and skinny like Crystal Stone!” Sarah said. “Ooohh yeah, she’s so beautiful in her music videos,” Lisa replied. “Soon, I’ll enable your digital LookBook so you can begin to
BEHOLDER BEHOLDER explore the options. But first, I have to show you how to disable your filter, later you’ll be able to toggle it in your settings. You only have control over your filter, to see another person without theirs you will need permission. Now, children, I want you to remember what you will see is not how others see you. Every respectable person uses the LookBook Filter.” “But, Mrs. Nelson, what about people who don’t have the eye chip?” Lisa interjected. “Almost everyone has the eye chip. You don’t need to worry about people who don’t have it. You won’t interact with them much. Your chip is programed to display a pleasant presence on anyone who is not actively using the A.R.E.I. filter.” The children paused. It was a great quandary to consider, and their minds were busy absorbing it. “So are you ready?” There was a stillness in the room unfamiliar to sixth grade girls. They fussed with their clothing and scuffed their shoes on the floor. They looked at Mrs. Nelson with lips pursed and forced a few nods. “Ok, girls, hold up your mirrors.” The girls’ faces transformed before their eyes. The room was filled with gasps both delighted and horrified. Their parents, knowing this moment would come, had carefully programmed their appearance to be an improved version of how they would likely look at this age based on genetic imaging. The similarities had been known to make the transition easier. “I’m pretty,” Cindy said, looking smug. “Me too,” Lisa said. “I have red spots like the lady in the video,” Amber whined. “Of course you do,” Mrs. Nelson said, “that’s a normal part of puberty. But your filter takes care of that.” Puberty was finally evident in the girls but only they could see it. Everyone spent a few minutes studying their own faces and gangly
features before they noticed Matilda crying. “I’m fat,” she sniffled. The girls started to giggle. Cruel as children can be, they made a chant of it. “Matilda is fat, Matilda is fat.” Before they could make a third round, Mrs. Nelson whacked her pointer against the wall. “Stop it, now,” Mrs. Nelson commanded. Matilda was crying into her thighs, covering herself with her arms. She was a pudgy child, thick and tall. “It’s ok, Matilda, you can be whatever you want to be. You won’t stay this way.” “But I do stay this way. I am this way!” “Not to the eye. How you are perceived is all that matters.” Mrs. Nelson said as she put her arm around Matilda and pulled the mirror up to her face. “Besides, look what a pretty face you have.” Matilda sniffled and tried to put on a brave face. “I want to be beautiful like a model!” “Good. You will be. Let’s everyone get back in their seats and get ahold of themselves. I’m restoring the filter now.” And just like that, their faces transformed back into the ones they recognized. “Now that you’ve seen this, you can begin picking your transition bodies. Scroll through your apps until you land on LookBook. There are infinite combinations to choose from, and they’re regularly updated. Right now, you’re starting in the teen section. Remember, your selected look won’t take form right away. You’ll grow into your chosen look over the course of the next two years. Think of it as digital puberty.” The children all nodded in unison. By Patience Young Layout by Halley Luby
Future of Fashion
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Concept & Styling Nick Farrugia, Jenny Ruan Makeup Artist Jenny Ruan Photographers Katie Corbett, Evan Parness Videographer Hayley Danke Graphic Designer Yuki Obayashi Models Selvi Ramasamy, Alex Tawil
The fast fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world and needs to be held accountable for its mass waste production and emissions. For this shoot, we gathered household items and thrifted clothing. As consumers, it is our responsibility to manage and reinvent the marketplace.
Beige Puffer Stylenanda Beige Jacket Thrifted Orange Shirt Thrifted
Red Sweater Thrifted Beige Sweater Thrifted Black Mockneck Thrifted Beige Pants Thrifted
Blue Sweater Thrifted Brown Pants Thrifted White Jester Sneakers Nike White Replicas Masion Margiela
White Shirt Thrifted Black Skirt Fame and Partners Black White Heeled Shoes Ohheygirl
E N TA N G L E S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y HOW RECYCLED FISHING NETS ARE REDEFINING FASHION’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENVIRONMENT Your Thursday night sushi date comes not only with a side miso and salad but also with piping hot ethical repercussions. The production of those spicy tuna and crunchy dragon rolls is equal to the loss of more than half a million tons of fishing nets that float around like ghosts trapping fish and marine life alike. Ocean plastic, like discarded fishing nets, is a mounting issue that imposes an increasing threat to our marine ecosystems. With particular attention to these ‘ghostnets’ this sensitivity has manifested into action among producers and consumers alike. According to a 2018 report in Science Reports, fishing nets make up about 46% of the ocean’s plastic pollutants. They represent an immensely untapped resource for material production in recycling. A variety of organizations have made it their mission to collect, clean, and recycle these nets into nylon fibers that can be used in anything from skateboard decks to yoga pants. ECONYL, Aquafil, and the Healthy Seas Initiative are all organizations working together to pacify the plague of abandoned fishing nets in our oceans. Their aim is to reduce ‘ghost fishing,’ a name given to the way in which lost fishing nets float aimlessly in the ocean, trapping fish and wrecking ecosystems. Without the efforts of companies like these, and the increasing demand for a better relationship between humans, industry, and the environment abandoned fishing gear poses a continuous devastating threat to our marine ecosystems. Thanks to modern science’s growing understanding of recycling and material production, our society is taking its first steps towards a future of harmony between humanity and the environment.
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Fishing nets are made out of thermoplastics, meaning their polymers are adequate for the recycling process due to their ideal melting and reforming capacity. Surprisingly, the time the nets have spent floating in the ocean doesn’t seem to affect the recycling process or the quality of the final regenerated nylon fibers. In fact, roughly 86% of ocean plastic pollutants are thermoplastics. An increased effort in cleaning up our oceans is therefore entirely justifiable and could certainly be considered as a substantial reduction for the use of commercial starting material. It is only in the last decade that ghostnets have been recycled into raw materials. In one example process, the nets are first recovered by the Healthy Seas Initiative, then recycled by Aquafil into ECONYL nylon yarn that can be used for any variety of garments and accessories. The process of recycling starts with cleaning the nets and drying them out. Next, as ECONYL’s website claims the nets undergo a “radical regeneration and purification process, [and] the nylon waste is recycled right back to its original purity.” ECONYL has expertly branded its material as “regenerated” to modernize the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” slogan. The concept of regeneration has invigorated a dialogue about saving the environment. The phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” has been repeated so often that it has perhaps become monotonous. This new wave of recycling aims to put an emphasis on the process of transformation. This idea is not only inspiring for environmentalists but can lead to creative manifestations within fashion and product design. We are not only regenerating the fishing nets, but also transforming our outlook on the possibilities
for a positive relationship between the environment and the fashion industry. The ghost nets are reborn. Once an empty and sinister entity, the material is now a raw resource with infinite possibilities for creation and innovation. These updated definitions of recycling and the growing excitement about sustainable materials is charting a course away from the pernicious relationship between the environment and clothing production. However, sustainability conscious clothing production hasn’t always been associated with style or fashion. New efforts of the high fashion world to explore and undertake the recycling of ocean pollutants is extremely exciting because in doing so the fashion world labeled recycling and sustainable consumption with a certain prestige. Being environmentally conscious is now sexy, artistic, and insanely cool. ECONYL has been a hot commodity for luxury brands and has been featured in Gucci’s spring 2019 men’s outerwear and a limited bag line for Prada. But does this mean that sustainable garments are anything more than a fleeting trend, where people are only participate to fit in and boost their egos? The consumer has the autonomy to drive the market. If popular companies begin to set precedents for sustainable production practices, using recycled materials will become the status quo.By plugging companies like ECONYL, upscale brands like Gucci and Prada are setting a precedent for environmental production practices. One breakout brand making statements with ghost net ECONYL yarn is the UK-based designer outerwear, Avoria. Their newest collection of coats miraculously combines minimalism with maximalism and satisfies our desire for bright pastels during the dreariness of winter. The collection varies in lengths and heaviness, so you can buy one for fall and one for winter. Avoria is also pushing innovation and consumer participation with a customization option. The coats are made up of panels that you can order in different colors and combinations to suit your particular outfit and the weather. However, high fashion isn’t the biggest fish in the sea of sustainable practices. In 2019 we can already observe consumer brand initiatives to incorporate recycled materials. Many consumer brands are using nylon from recycled fishing nets and other ocean pollutants. There is a great diversity in the possibilities that these recycled materials can create. If you are in the market for a new winter coat and Avoria’s paneled coats are too alternative or expensive, Everlane has an assortment of winter wear made entirely from recycled materials including ocean plastic. If you’re looking to refresh your athletic wardrobe consult Girlfriend Collective’s line of 100% recycled athletic wear. Adidas’ Parley shoe collection sources directly from recycled fishing nets and would make a great outfit addition for your next climate change rally. The rise of recycled materials in garments and consumer items does bring up some questions about marketing ploys and trend adherence. Are brands only participating because
branding their products as sustainable, ocean-friendly, or 100% recycled is “in-style?” Are companies exploiting society’s passion for the environment for a profit? Or, could this be a genuine effort to participate in the international struggle to assuage the plastic apocalypse? Confronting questions like these will put the consumer in control of the market. Brands are marketed as sustainable because it is not yet a status quo. It is appealing to consumers to see the “eco-friendly” label because it sets brands apart. If all companies adopted sustainable practices and regularly used recycled materials then no brand could use sustainability as a marketing ploy over another brand. However, the tide is changing and the miraculous mounting support for sustainable practices amongst consumers, the media, fashion platforms, and big industry is beginning to pave the way towards environmental revolution. This revolution is in part underscored by a completely redefined relationship between fashion and the environment. A global effort to change our processes of production and consumption will open the door to a more connected and earth-centered fashion marketplace. By Sophia Layton Layout by Tung Tung Lin
Recycled nylon on the runway for Jonathan Cohen’s Spring/Summer 2020 Collection. © Jonathan Cohen Studios
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Everyone wears jeans without much thought. There is, however, a fashion community that takes this ubiquitous product and transforms it into something greater. The Raw Denim Community focuses on every tiny detail of denim, from stitching and material to the wear that the owner puts on the clothes. It is a unique intersection of internet culture and fashion which attracts a very niche crowd. This small sect of fashion exists largely on online forums such as Reddit. Members of the Raw Denim Community commit themselves to tracking the number of times that they have worn their jeans day-to-day and other quirky habits involving denim. Their dedication to singular pieces of clothing make the group compelling and unique. I too, have been hooked on jeans. Though my style has since evolved, I have kept up with the Raw Denim Community. What has kept me in the community is my fascination with their deep love of jeans and their commitment to celebrating the wear of clothing they own. Jeans were invented in 1873 and were originally only worn by the working class due to their price and durability. As a result of the linking in advertisements of jeans with cowboy culture and other western motifs, the pants came to be seen as a symbol of Americana in the twenties and thirties. In the beginning of the twentieth century, distressed jeans were adopted by many underground movements. The popularity of this distressed look and the advent of fast fashion has since made pre-distressed denim commonplace. These pre-distressed jeans are typically of low quality and have lost the tangible history that naturally distressed jeans have. The Raw Denim Community looks to preserve the organic distressing process that gives jeans character. In its simplest definition, raw denim is any clothing made from a roll of denim that has no washing or distressing. A more strict definition is that the fabric cannot have polyesters in it; however, there is no consensus. To complicate things, there is also selvedge denim. The defining factor of selvedge is that the edges of the fabric are woven into themselves whereas raw denim has loose ends in the fabric. These two fabrics are nearly indistinguishable.
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Their defining similarity is that they are both made with a conscious mind towards production and wear. Both materials facilitate the ability to keep the clothing for long periods of time without replacement. While the choice in fabric distinguish the jeans owned by the Raw Denim Community, the way in which the community cares for their jeans distinguishes the hobby. The people who are truly into maintaining their denim “clean� their jeans just once or twice a year. Instead of washing, they soak. Soaking is when the jeans are simply submerged in water for a couple hours. This lack of washing allows for the dye in the jeans to run and form patterns of dye that match the person wearing them. For example, if someone has often carried their wallet in their pocket, it will show on the jeans. meticulous care can distinguish someone who is casually into raw denim from someone who is a fanatic. Another aspect that makes the community special is the companies members buy from. Many members make it a point to base their purchases on the manufacturing and sourcing of materials. Whether buyers want local jeans or take into account the ecological effects of the pants, they care about where the material comes from. They want to buy products that line up with their values. This process involves extensive research, but is essential to the community’s ability to sustain itself. For example, if someone is environmentally conscious they are able to go out of their way to find jeans that match their values. The multiple forums of the Raw Denim Community sustain and inform each other on issues and developments in the denim world. A glance at the forums reveals a collection of articles, brands, and outfits all related to denim. This very narrow perspective within fashion would not be possible without the internet being able to connect people all over the world. When I think about the Raw Denim Community, I am reminded of my own jeans and denim jackets. While I have many, two in particular hold a real and cherished history. First: a pair of jeans that I wore for four years. Second: a jacket from 1975 that was gifted to me by my father.
I wore this particular pair of jeans almost everyday for two years just because they were the only pants that I felt secure in. These jeans got me through my body insecurity issues because I never felt fat in them, I just felt normal. Everything else that I ever put on made me feel like I was ugly. The jeans were something that was safe and I could wear inoffensively. They simply worked for me, not making my body feel any worse by being too tight or baggy. However, after a while there was a friendship I developed with them, it felt like they were a part of me. They were with me when I was in highschool and when I first moved to college. They are still with me when I go to classes, and everywhere in between. This is part of the allure of raw denim. Because the material is so exceptionally durable, a history is built up with the clothes. Not only do you become more comfortable with the denim, it also develops imperfections which makes it incredibly unique to the owner. As for the jacket, it was given to me by my father. Originally, my father bought it for twenty dollars from his brother who found it on the floor after a party. The jacket received almost daily wear for over twenty years and shows every day of it. Wearing it is a way for me to connect with my father while I am away from him. When I wear it around campus, I know that my father was doing the same things I was doing during his time in college. This affinity for denim can also reach ridiculous levels. My friend Charles is an avid collector who owns more than fifty unique pieces of denim. His archive includes pieces from the 1970’s to things acquired in the last year. His favorite piece is a pair of overalls that his father wore when he worked various jobs. These overalls are so important to
him because they show each odd job his father worked. Whether it was painting or construction, the denim tells the story. The overalls are a time capsule of a certain time in his father’s life. Charles’ fashion sense is not just in denim, it includes many other fabrics and styles. This is reflected in his pieces that combine denim with other styles. His favorite piece of denim right now are Ed Hardys from the 2000’s. They have an intricate and colorful embroidered dragon on them. However, he is making a point to keep the pair clean and to only wear them on special occasions. Preservation is his way of showing his appreciation for denim and fashion in general. The Raw Denim Community has many superficial qualities that make it appealing. However denim offers more than durable and versatile clothing. These pieces of clothing take on a life of their own. The clothes are worn so much that they become a second skin, and a constant facet of personal style. Whether it’s me and my pair of jeans that I’ve worn for four years or Charles with his father’s overalls, the owners of these clothes care deeply about them. This care is not a superficial material kind concerned with the brand or style, but rather a deep care for the clothing itself and the stories that have been imbedded in the fabric. The Raw Denim Community might represent the future for the very reason that an integral part of fashion for them is actually wearing the clothes they love. Using clothes to their fullest potential of wear is what separates the Raw Denim Community. Their project looks to turn a behavior often viewed as negative in the fashion world into a positive and powerful core value. By William Pederson Layout by Gabi Mechaber
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Directors Nick Farrugia, Jenny Ruan Photographers Katie Corbett, Evan Parness Videographer Hayley Danke Graphic Designer Mackenzie Schwedt Models Tobi Agunloye, Wes Fermanich
With the rise of social media and the advent of filters and Facetune, our contemporary culture is often distorted. Our alternative, digital reality has led to unrealistic beauty standards and often a decline in one’s self-esteem. We are re-evaluating our relationship with media, and our taking our focus off of perfection. As both consumers and creators, we have a responsibility to change the value systems in our digital age.
Vest HEAD Pants Fila
Orange Puffer Coat Emergency Exit Jeans Marithé + François Girbaud Shoes Nike Air Force 1s
Purple Coat The New County Striped Shirt ASOS Shoes Converse
EPOCH -ALYPSE
Orange Jacket Avenue Silver Pants Ohheygirl White Turtleneck Uniqlo
Silver and chrome tones of sci-fi movies often prime our ideas on futurism. Our imaginations often revert to holograms and images of dramatic technological advancement. But what about the other possibilities? What part of our future is in decline? Decay is just as much a part of our world as development. Instead of fearing one and coveting another, we must acknowledge both in our future.
Turtleneck Ashley Stewart Puff Vest Stylenanda Pants Helly Hansen
Netted Sweater Ohheygirl White Jacket ASOS Pants Poster Grl
Directors & Stylists Nick Farrugia, Jenny Ruan Makeup Jenny Ruan Photographers Katie Corbett, Evan Parness Videographer Hayley Danke Graphic Designer Manda Villarreal Models Favour Kerobo, Yuwen Zhang
Danielle Eubank When Danielle Eubank finished her Master of Fine Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1994, she was on the fast track for a career as an interactive media artist. One of the first students studying interactivity and digital art, Eubank was well-prepared for the incoming explosion of the world-wide-web. Non-linear digital storytelling, as Eubank puts it, or the act of clicking we now know so well, became the artist’s playground—that is, before she fell in love with painting. Thriving in the early beginnings of the world-wide-web, Eubank became one of the first website designers, even designing the first corporation-wide website for the BBC. However, the artist’s increasing affinity for the physical, tactile experience of canvas pushed her to paint. “At a certain point, I really missed canvas and getting my hands dirty,” recalls Eubank. “I gave up my career in digital media in order to get some paint under my fingernails.” Despite working completely on canvas, digital media still fascinated and remained present in Eubank’s work. “I’m lucky in that the thing I was involved with
originally is just part of our everyday lives now,” she said. Trained to think like a graphic designer, Eubank became hyper-conscious of the compositions of her work. She explains: “My work is non-linear. What I mean by that is that I don’t paint narratives or stories. It’s more about the formal, non-linear emotive expression, which is similar to how a graphic designer might think about it.” But Eubank doesn’t just paint for fun—she’s spent twenty years sailing across the world on expeditions with one overarching goal: to capture and paint every single ocean on earth. Started in 2001, her project One Artist Five Oceans is ongoing. She is currently in the process of painting her final ocean, the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. “My project is about the relationship between oceans, people and oceans, the historical background of this relationship, and the personal history of it,” Eubank says. “I want to get people to observe, stop and think about what is around them. With this, I hope they will be more likely to act.” Eubank did not begin painting water. When her
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Eubank, Danielle. South Africa. 2011. Oil on linen. 48 x 42in.
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and a friend traveled through Spain in 2001, Eubank set out to paint the Doñana National Park. Determined to paint the Iberian lynxes and well-protected flora and fauna, the artist was disappointed to find out that the area was protected and inaccessible to public hikers. Eubank found herself stuck on the beach, unable to go inland. “I sat on the beach for days with my back to the ocean, just painting the dunes,” the artist remembered. “I could not bear painting water. It seemed trite, and it seemed cliché, and really just very hard since it’s constantly moving.” After three days of solely painting dunes, the artist finally decided to turn around towards the ocean. Reluctant to do so, Eubank came up with a particular way to render the water. “I finally confronted the ocean and had a little conversation with it,” recalled the artist. “My first painting was basically dunes with just a very little corner of ocean in it.” After her first painting of the water in Spain, Eubank got in a bad bike accident, falling down a mountain. Unable to carry on with her friends, she found herself convalescing in a little fishing village for the next two months. “It was just me and the water. I was by myself for two months, so that’s when I really got into the idea of painting water,” she says. Two years later, Eubank was asked to join the Borobudur Ship Expedition as the expedition’s artist. On board she painted the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and began her project: One Artist Five Oceans. She has since been on three more expeditions: the Phoenician Ship Expedition, an expedition in the High Arctic, and most recently an expedition to Antarctica. These expeditions have allowed her access to all of the world’s oceans. Eubank employs the formal elements of abstraction while painting her works, yet, for her, the paintings also look to consider humanity’s tangible history with water. “We need to take responsibility for what we have done to the water. We have created an awful mass of
pollution in water all over the world. We need to clean that up, and that is part of humanity’s relationship with water,” Eubank says. In regards to her purpose and goals in painting water, she proclaims that she’s an environmentalist, and that she centers herself in issues of climate change. “I want to get people to observe, think and feel about what they are seeing.” I couldn’t help but wonder what Eubank thought about the fashion industry and its impact on water. There’s no doubt the global industry is making strides, but it has a long way to go. This year, Zara told Vogue it would make all of its garments out of sustainable fabrics by the year 2025. Also this year, French President Emmanuel Macron debuted a ‘Fashion Pact,’ which frames objectives for the fashion industry as it attempts to reduce environmental impacts; currently, 150 brands have signed on. Part of this pact involves preserving the oceans, namely reducing single-use plastics. Still, Eubank has several pleas for the fashion world. One of the most harmful effects of the industry that often goes unnoticed is the presence of tiny bits of plastic in almost everything—from fastening labels to packaging. She explains: “These are the tiny pieces of plastic that are not recyclable and make their way unassumingly into the watershed.” According to Eubank, there are little things that can be done every day to help save our oceans. “Washing clothes in cold water is just as clean as warm water and uses less energy. By hang drying clothes, your clothes will actually last longer and look better, as well as use less gas and electricity,” she says. “Sometimes people feel guilty, feel like it’s a sacrifice, or really just don’t think they can make an impact. There are things we can do every day, and most of them are free. “I want people to know they can affect change. We can each make a difference.” Eubank’s exhibition with Michigan Medicine’s Gifts of Art program recently culminated, but you can view the entirety of Eubank’s work on her website: www.danielleeubank.com. By Alana Valko Layout by Mackenzie Schwedt
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I, ENIGMA
THE SHOOT
CONCEPTION Our journey began in the Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building. Members from each team trickled into the designated meeting space on a Sunday evening, excited expressions on our faces. Brainstorming began. What will the future look like? What current movements or issue will shape our future? How do we conceptualize the Anthropocene and futurism in fashion? How should we have the models portray aspects of futuristic fashion that relate to what the world might look like soon? What colors define the moods we want to convey? How are we going to depict distortion through digital lenses? What location would best help our audience understand our project? Everyone blurted out their ideas — change, solemnity, wide shots, transformation, red, empty warehouses, alternative reality, navy blue, durability, heat, artificial intelligence. As we narrowed our focus, questions about the purpose of this collaboration surfaced: How do we translate important issues into a refined multimedia project? Why are we talking about these issues? The conversations then started to circle around four themes.
And so, we chose the following: technology, social justice, materialism, and functionality.
In the middle of a Saturday, our team gathered again in the Student Publications Building, and with us came four models — Emily Goodrich, Javier Soriano, Isabel Hernandez, and Jameson VanDokkumburg. Shortly after everyone settled, fashion team member Juan Marquez arrived with the clothing. He strode into the room with a blue and red bag, placing it onto the table and methodically pulling out each article of clothing: a pair of white leatherheeled boots, a pearl headset, sheets of mini stick-on pearls, makeup brushes, mascara, avante-garde glasses, white socks, and a bright red pump holding tape were strewn across the expanse of the table. He carefully set each outfit into a pile in accordance with the model and the selected theme. It took two hours to ready the models. Before applying their makeup, fashion team member Isabelle Fisher practiced on tissues, drawing streaks and circles of red and brown across the white tissue like an artist using a canvas. Once we finished preparing for the shoot, Goodrich and Soriano drove the rest of us to the shoot location, the Taubman A. Alfred Biomedical Science Research Building. Upon arriving, everyone in my car gasped at the sheer number and enormity of the glass panels enveloping the building’s exterior. Inside, we found the photographers, their bodies huddled together in deep discussion. The layout was spacious, the walls were white, the ceiling was high, and the furniture was contemporary. “It’s a very new building, so it comes off as modern, yet very plain because it’s white,” said Jacob Ward, a member of the fashion team. “Also, it’s several stories tall inside, so it was perfect to mess with. Every aspect about that atrium screams futurism to me, especially the walkways in between the wings of the building.” Group shots occurred first. Marquez suggested poses for the models, signaling to the rest of us for support. The models lined up in the middle of the third-floor walkway, their heads all facing to the right. After several adjustments, the photographers gave thumbs ups. Everyone stared in awe at her reflection refracted onto the floor. The contradicting colors of the clothing paired with their contrast against the background didn’t make sense. This was our goal. Heads nodded in approval — everything was coming together. The following shot was located on a stairway close to an entrance of the building. Each model looked at us for suggestions on body placement and eye focus. Staggered across the stairs, they appeared enigmatic. The obscurity of the shoot was heightened by the puzzling glances of others passing through. Hail briefly plummeted from the sky and bounced onto the outside sidewalk. Everyone laughed. It was as if the weather wanted its input on our project. Next came the individual shots.
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Red Jumpsuit Dickies Black Body Suit H&M Black Corset Ohheygirl Black Wire Glasses Juan Marquez
TECHNOLOGY Technology was first. We placed Goodrich against a grey garage because her modern clothing seemed awkward in the dull environment. The enormity of the background accentuated her small stature, and the dark color of the backdrop contrasted her red jumpsuit. The juxtapositions made the atmosphere feel ominous. Goodrich looked like the main character in an obscure fantasy story. To emphasize this impression, we positioned her in stiff and robotic poses and shot photos from different perspectives. Our objective was to see the story we were trying to tell from various angles. This use of divergent points of view persisted for the rest of the shots.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE Next, Soriano represented social justice. We shot him from above as he stood in the center of a lone, black circular table to spotlight him in a similar manner to the current, prominent social justice movement. We took advantage of the contrast of the way the neon accents of his outfit popped out against his black outfit, leveraging the camera angles to accentuate his vulnerability and power. To drive this theme even further, we had Soriano standing in the middle of an elevator. His hands pushed against the sides of the space, as if illustrating a defiant power struggle between him and the door.
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Black Mesh Dress The Ragged Priest Black Sign Jeans Kiki Riki
Pearl Head Piece Juan Marquez White Suit Pants Larry Levine Metallic Turtleneck AKIRA White Heels Nasty Gal
MATERIALISM We then transitioned to materialism. Clad in a sparkling top and a pearl headset, Hernandez stood close to the glass windows of the building. Being so close to the glass, her reflection refracted onto the floor. I noticed how her mirrored image obfuscated and distorted her actual appearance. During her separate shots, the sun beamed through the glass. In a frenzy, we took this as an opportunity to highlight the shadows bouncing off of her accessories. While she physically wore accessories, she also wore their shadows — even shiny objects have their dark sides.
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FUNCTIONALITY Amid Hernandez’s individual shots, VanDokkumburg disappeared with Morgan Locke for his shots. VanDokkumburg portrayed our final theme: functionality. “I shot him in the stairs and hallway because it reminded me of science and progress, and functionality play directly into that. The stairway was a good place because it was a reference to where we are headed in fashion. The surroundings were bare, and no one knew what was waiting for us at each level,” Morgan Locke, a member of the photography team, said. While photographing VanDokkumburg, Locke sought to emphasize this uncertainty. On the stairs, VanDokkumburg appeared in a transient state. His stance in between the top and bottom steps acknowledged the world’s shift from the Holocene to the Anthropocene, and his sweaty look heightened this transition.
White Vinyl Set Robina Rranza Orange Bodysuit Windsor Orange Biker Short Akira White Sneaker Adidas Yeezy
Fashion Stylists Isabelle Fisher, Juan Marquez, Jacob Ward Photographers Alex Andersen, Amira Hassan, Morgan Locke Videographer Sophie Herdrich, Kendall Ka Graphic Designer Carly Lucas Writer Deirdre Lee Models Emily Goodrich, Isabel Hernandez, Javier Soriano,Jameson VanDokkumburg
REFLECTION While meditating on this project, my first thought was to try to explain why we did this shoot. Instead, however, I found the focus should be on what or who this shoot serves. Explaining an abstract idea, such as fashion, in an era that hasn’t happened yet is impossible. At the end of the day, we don’t and can’t know. Instead, I’m thinking about how this shoot functions as a representation of the future of fashion. I would like to return to those original questions and pose them to the reader: How do we translate important issues into a refined multimedia project? Why are we talking about these issues? Our entire collaboration is ambiguous. Perhaps our project is less a reaction to the future of fashion, and rather an attempt to predict the future in order to be proactive and prepared. Our shoot looks to show the future of fashion isn’t something to be fearful of — we have solutions. We can embrace the unknown and live with enigma.
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TR
EN “trEND,” spelled like this, evokes a moment during adolescence in which our awkward preteen selves would post philosophical Facebook statuses about how our relationships with “boyfriENDs” and “girlfriENDs” end, although we would never think about them dying out. Despite its juvenile nature, this play on words is imbued with a vivid nostalgia that can be traced to one date in time. “Trend” echoes these sentiments as it represent beloved concepts that may potentially cease to exist in our current lives. Trends are everywhere, from 5th Avenue window displays to sponsored Instagram advertisements to that table of girls in your communications class that all have matching Nike Air Force 1s. Anyone now celebrating their #HotGirlSummer could easily recall what it looked like to be one of The Girls Next Door during the early 2000s, living The Simple Life in Juicy Couture tracksuits, visible thongs, and chunky, highlighted hair. However, as fast fashion forces consumers to continuously reinvent themselves (and what’s in their closets) in order to stay up to date, the current lack of an easily identifiable direction in which fashion is moving may actually lead individuals to be more comfortable than ever to express themselves through unique outfits. Instead of questioning of where trends appear, we are constantly trying to figure out where trends are going. This often means creating seemingly new trends, even if that means remixing the past. Scrunchies, for example, have been transported from the likes of Kelly Kapowski to Kim Kardashian, suddenly being positioned as the thing to have, as if they have never been in the limelight before. As we move towards the future of fashion, we simultaneously refurbish the outfits that we have left behind. We do this until there are so many trends around us that any one dominant stylistic trend becomes invisible. The feedback loop of fast fashion places us in an oversaturated flux of activity where we are unable to pin down what’s “trendy” before it is replaced, especially when so many trends exist at once.
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In a September 2019 article from the New York Times, Sapna Maheshwari states how the bankruptcy of Forever 21 signals a change in consumer tastes. She relates how customers are no longer satisfied with the constant stream of cheap, quickly disposable clothing that is associated with fast fashion. The fast fashion industry is in decline. However, the vast multitude of trends that currently exist as a result of fast fashion practices could enable individuals to take trends from both the past and present and adapt it for themselves. 2019 is a confusing era for fashion trends. When I walk through campus, the array of outfits are as varied as the individuals wearing them. I could round the corner of Starbucks and run into girls wearing matching two-piece sets from Fashion Nova as often as vintage store and thrift shop finds. Another look around would bring me face to face with chain-adorned E-boys™, hypebeasts prowling for the next drop, and everything beyond and in-between. Visual patterns such as the visibility of clothes from different eras alongside a general move to daring defy gendered labeling illustrates how difficult it is to condense today’s fashion into a few images. It’s potentially disorienting to witness, but in the absolute best way possible. We don’t have to look to any single dominant way of dress to govern the fashion choices that we make. Current fashion is rather confusing; however, this confusion may translate into a greater diversity of trends. As media consumers pay less attention to collective pop culture in pursuit of their own interests, fashion trends both appear and disappear on social media with the tap of an acrylic fingernail. While Instagram’s “Explore” feature shows users what is currently trending, the tool also curates these posts to each user’s own tastes based on posts and profiles that they have previously interacted with. “Trends” compiled on Instagram for one user could then be entirely different from that of another user. Web browsing has created a multitude of niches in the world that cater to the particular tastes of each user in a way that allows them to cultivate their own style, as well as potentially start new trends. Consequently, we might think of the idea of determining a single trend that stands out from the masses as equivalent to creating a collective “Explore” feed. Although this visual concept is so accessible for individuals, it is much more difficult to articulate what this may look like when applied to the entire cultural moment that 2019 comprises. For a style or manner of dress to be considered a “trend” today, it must be clearly visible to the masses, readily available to be called to mind in an instant. Can one trend be named in the midst of ever-expanding individualization—and if so, is this necessary? Society’s present emphasis on individuality enables everybody to define what trends look like to themselves and
to those who they interact with. Although trends may be a source of pressure for those who feel like they must conform to meet a standard other than their own, the widespread proliferation of trends in our culture should empower people to make their own stylistic choices. Individuals are not only more free than ever before to express their unique fashion sensibilities, but are also encouraged to do so to bring themselves joy, regardless of whether or not others are choosing similar options. Michael Dart, a retail consultant with AT Kearney and author of Retail’s New Shift, believes that customers “now are looking for something [clothing] that is unique, that does tell a story, that has authenticity, that has meaning.” Pure aesthetic value is not the main criterion for today’s consumers when shopping—dressing oneself visually parallels introducing oneself. Factors such as personality and attitude then become essential accessories to each outfit as dressing for oneself correlates with a holistically more positive self-image. Rather than simply following trends, we can all create them firsthand. The year is 2019. Those Chunky Filas previously discarded by our fathers are now the same shoes we look for to put at the bottoms of our own closets. That’s just the way trends go. The fashion world, along with the individuals who live within it, are constantly (re-)discovering their identities in a never-ending process that will draw upon the past as much as it involves looking towards the future. Like ourselves, trends are alive. Trends are born. Trends transform. And trENDs definitely end. We might look back on some of them with (not so) fond memories. Trends may even come back into our lives, tucked into our drawers next to that fondly familiar Juicy Couture tracksuit that we secretly hope we’ll be able to wear again when “outdated” becomes “vintage.” I mean, I couldn’t possibly make that trendy again, right? Unless… By Sean Tran Layout by Manda Villarreal
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New
Baroque
Vintage fashion and beauty often renew themselves in modern concepts. Inspired by Baroque artwork, found vintage clothing, and Valentino’s Spring 2019 runway makeup, this shoot combines extravagant makeup and hairstyles with conceptions of classic, ornate still life.
Directors & Stylists Nick Farrugia Jenny Ruan Accessories The Getup Vintage Makeup Jenny Ruan Photographers Alex Andersen Katie Corbett Gwendolyn McCartney Evan Parness Videographer Hayley Danke Graphic Designer Manda Villarreal Models Katie Corbett Jacqueline Giessler
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BEHIND THE SCENES In looking towards the future of fashion, it is essential to remember that the constructions of tomorrow are created in the moments of today. In my last year with SHEI, I find myself desperate to hold onto the particulars of the now. I have seen us weave bits of conversation, love of textures, and sudden serendipity into visual narratives, compelling articles, and thoughtful designs. For our generation, it is easy to lose our conception of daily accumulated progress in the fast-paced nature of the technological era. Rarely do we give ourselves credit for the ambitions, the hopes, the actions, the change, we cultivate each day. The progress is slow, it is gradual, but it is the foundation of our future. Please enjoy these glimpses into behind the scenes moments of creation, enthusiasm, and passion on film. Kenzie King Creative Director