Volta Magazine S/S'15

VOLTA Fashion & Lifestyle Society

The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. Its contents do not reflect the opinion of the University Students’ Council of the University of Western Ontario (“USC”). The USC assumes no responsibility or liability for any error, inaccuracy, omission or comment contained in this publication or for any use that may be made of such information by the reader.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 CONTRIBUTORS

the Volta team

10 RE-INVENTING PAPER

by Helena Öhman

34 CHIARASCURO

juxtaposition of dark & light

05 LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Stephanie Wood & Faustina Setiawan

12 PHOTOSYNTHESIS

fringe

40 CHINAR KAMEEZ TO DENIM JEANS

by Jag Raina

06 MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS

notable magazine members 07 BEHIND THE SCENES

inside look at Volta 08 FEATURED TALENT & GRATITUDES

featured & sponsors 09 STEELO CLOTHING CO.

new urban streetwear store

18 #WMCFW

Toronto Fashion Week 20 #TRENDSPOTTER

what’s on the runway 22 HEAT WAVE

summer sensations 30 KEEPING UP WITH MINA

the freedom of expression

44 SALIGIA

the seven deadly sins 50 METROPOLIS

re-interpreting the urban city 56 AUGMENTING AUTHENTICITY

by Stephanie Ling

60 EQUINOX

projected visuals

CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF Stephanie Wood & Faustina Setiawan CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marcel Sokalski

FASHION DIRECTOR Torrel Jerome Ollivirrie WOMEN’S STYLISTS Nancy Xu Brooke Ihnat Claire Henderson MEN’S STYLIST Richard Truong Justin Hsiao Tevis Anthony CREATIVE ADVISORS Vivian Leigh Stephanie Ling Mina Gerges Nick Reddon Nancy Xu

PHOTOGRAPHERS Maria Denomme Alexandra Gorska Logan Ly Marcel Sokalski Claire Henderson Tracy Xie William Burakoff Maryam Golafshani Sierra Rose Olsen MAKE-UP & HAIR Casandra Rizzi Siyu Liu XinYu Zhou Minh Pham Hang Yang Grace Yang MODELS Marielle Alayna Littzen Heather Roberts Michelle Seges Lauryn Murphy Cat Williams Torrel Jerome Ollivirrie Ariana Katherine Richard Mayne Jack St. John Camila Marcus Amelia Ter Brugge Roxanna Abhari Julia Dymtryshyn Claire Wallace

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VOLTA MAGAZINE

LAYOUT EDITORS Faustina Setiawan Stephanie Wood Tiah Khuu SHOOT CONTRIBUTORS Maisha Visram WRITERS Helena Öhman Faustina Setiawan Stephanie Wood Richard Truong Stephanie Ling Jag Raina BEHIND-THE-SCENES PHOTOGRAPHERS Tara Magloire Hessamoddin Jouybari Alexandra Gorska

Letter from the Editors

The Spring/Summer ’15 issue focuses on the intersection of pop and mainstream culture, channeled in editorials through the use of bold colours, assorted textures, and unique settings. This issue has substantial collaboration with notable designers and creative, talented individuals from Western University.

This issue features its very first swimsuit editorial, Heat Wave. This editorial, shot by Logan Ly and featuring pieces from Balinese label, Olenka, used the lush location to emphasize the patterns and bright colours in the clothing and swimwear. Also aligning with the theme of pop culture, Volta has interviewed Mina Gerges, Western student and recent Instagram star regarding his perception and thoughts on personal expression through art.

The Volta team was lucky to have had the opportunity to attend a number of shows at the World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto. From the straight lines and mixed materials in evening wear at Narces, to the kitschy designs of Atelier Wonder, to the extravagant furs at Farley Chatto, all of the shows embodied the latest trends that Volta seeks inspiration from. More details and trends are noted from this prestigious event, written about in our #WMCFW section.

The focus of Volta SS’15 on blending art and fashion can be interpreted through a number of the shoots, especially Metropolis, which features the works of aspiring artist, Nick Reddon. New photographer, Tracy Xie, shot the menswear shoot, Equinox, where images and patterns were projected onto the models and clothing. In this editorial, clothing was sourced from a local London boutique, Steelo Clothing Company on Richmond Street.

We would like to thank the team for their hardwork and dedication. This would not have been possible without the passion and vision of all of the contributors. We hope you enjoy this issue.

Stephanie Wood & Faustina Setiawan

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MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS Nancy Xu: Stylist Nancy is a 2nd-year MIT major who has always loved playing dress up. Joining the Volta team, she has fed her obsession with fashion editorials and seized the opportunity to meet a group of “crazy and creative creatures”. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys people watching, Googling photos of plants and flowers, and spontaneously dying her hair.

Casandra Rizzi: Make-Up Artist Casandra is in 3rd-year BMOS (Honours Specialization in Consumer Behaviour). She began collaborating with the Volta team during the FW’14 issue and has enjoyed seeing her work captured in beautiful pictures. Casandra also showcases her talents on her YouTube channel; with over 28,000 subscribers, Volta is lucky to have her support. You can follow her videos at: https://www. youtube.com/user/xocasandra13 <https://www.youtube. com>

Claire Henderson: Stylist Claire is a 1st-year BMOS student with a flair for fashion.

She joined Volta to hone her creativity, as well as to meet people with the same love for styling. In her spare time, she loves to watch movies and look at art. Although this is only her first year with Volta, Claire has been a prominent and passionate team member. An interesting fact about Claire: she has never let her hair grow long!

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VOLTA MAGAZINE

BEHIND THE SCENES

Photographs by Tara Magloire, Hessamoddin Jouybari and Alexandra Gorska

COVER Photographer: Maria Denomme Stylist: Nancy Xu, Claire Henderson Model: Marielle Alayna Littzen, Heather Roberts Shoot Contributor: Mina Gerges Behind-the-Scenes Photographer: Tara Magloire Clothing Sponsor: Leslieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clothing

FASHION & LIFESTYLE SOCIETY

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551 Richmond St London ontario N6A 3E9

t: (519)679-1030 w: lesliesrichmond.ca f: facebook/lesliesclothing ig: @lesliesrichmond

Adriano Goldschmied | Covet | Free People | Maison Scotch | Eve Gravel | Lipsy London | Ruelle | Brave | MinkPink | French Connection Yosi Samra | Premonition | Bench Fredrick Prince | Chasor | Matt & Nat | AngelEye | Tonia Debellis | Wildfox | MIA | YogaJeans One Teaspoon | Gentlefawn | Melissa | Hunter | Soïa & Kyo | Hen Jewelry

We’d like to thank our generous clothing sponsors for this issue:

Leslie’s Boutique

Steelo Clothing Co.

Hangar 9

The Sentimentalist

Filthy Rebena Vintage

Olenka We recognize our primary monetary sponsor:

The Social Science Student Council

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VOLTA MAGAZINE

Re-

Bea Szenfeld

inv

04

enting Paper As industries produce to the limit of nature’s abilities, we are challenged to think anew. In the fashion industry this means reinventing clothing: its fabrics, its processes, and its status as new and worn. Paper, with its lineage of traditions, has already entered the scene, transformed into yarn and cut and sliced into shapes of haute couture. In fast and slow fashion, could paper fibers be part of a sustainable solution?

However sheer and fragile paper might seem at first sight, it may play an important part in fashion going forward, both long and short term. As the speed of trends accelerates, many mean that paper fibers could come to rescue. This is because exquisite designs, often only worn once put a harsh toll on the planet’s resources. By using paper clothing, many of the usual steps in the production process could be surpassed. Imagine if clothes were made out of recycled material, used a gentle coloring process and were shipped locally; the gowns you would wear could go be recycled to be created anew.

The high brow scene has already made place for wearable paper.

Last year, Swedish designer, Bea Szenfeld, launched Haute Papier, a collection made entirely out of paper. Cut, shaped, and formed with great attention to detail, her creations mimic the animal kingdom - with boas shaped like tigers and elephants, winged dresses, and water lilies floating through the room like an ice sheet mounted around the model’s shoulders. A few years earlier, Björk wore a piece of Szenfeld’s. Dressed in a jacket made entirely out of three dimensional paper sequins from the collection Sur La Plage, she fetched her Polar Music Prize.

Long term, paper fibers are strong enough to be washed and worn for years. Japanese company, SASAWASHI, take traditional washi paper (most commonly used in the screen doors of traditional tea houses) and mix it with a plant called Kumazsa that grows worldwide, but is especially abundant in the cool highlands of Japan. Together, the fibers make a yarn that can be knitted or woven into fabric of various structures. Scarves are blended with linen and silk, while sheets can be made out of 100% washi. Washi fabric is used by various manufacturers, and sewn in a classic style - resulting in timeless and sustainable pieces.

While Szenfeld’s pieces are not items one would wear every day, nor sustainable in the common sense, the entrance of this material in the high-end design industry makes a case for what the fabrics of the future might entail. Whether it is about mixing up the classic materials with sustainable ones, letting go of the pieces you only wear once to let them decompose and rise again in another shape and form, we face a future where fibers in their current state will be questioned, reinvented, repurposed, and rethought.

by Helena Öhman

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Photosynthesis Photographer: Will Burakoff Creative Director: Marcel Sokalski Creative Advisor: Nancy Xu Models: Amelia ter Brugge and Camilla Marcus Stylists: Nancy Xu Make up and Hair Stylist: Grace Yang

Amelia wears: Black sequin sweater, $30, Filthy Rebena Fringe skirt, $20, The Sentimentalist Camila wears: Fringe vest, $40, The Sentimentalist White shirt, $35, Filthy Rebena

Fringe jacket, $110, The Sentimentalist Gold jeans, $30, Filthy Rebena

Lace top (worn underneath), $30, Filthy Rebena Skirt, $30, Filthy Rebena White leather fringe, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Amelia wears: Black fringe dress, $20, The Sentimentalist Black heels, modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Camila wears: Fringe jumpsuit, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Fringe jacket, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

INTERVIEW

AN INSIGHT INTO:

Da

vid

Dix

on

At this April’s World MasterCard Fall/Winter 2015 Toronto Fashion Week, David Dixon celebrated his 20th year in the industry with a stunning collection of Joan d’Arc-inspired pieces. While Dixon endearingly shared a milestone, Atelier Wonder wow-ed the audience with a bold neon-detailed collection for their Fashion Week debut. Additionally, NARCES perfectly encapsulated luxury eveningwear, while infusing a fun, quirky twist with their red lip dresses. The Volta team has had the pleasure of interviewing these designers and gaining the inside details on their inspirations and thoughts of the local fashion industry.

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As one of the most celebrated Canadian designers, Dixon has always been in the spotlight. When faced with criticism, Dixon believes that it is important to constantly put yourself out in public; whether you are an emerging or experienced designer, criticism should be embraced as a part of “the fashion industry’s risk and adrenaline rush” and that “it is a big part of being a designer to listen to what the people are saying”. When it comes from an authentic place, he advises new designers to listen to criticism and use it to better one’s self. Over the years, Dixon has experienced first-hand how social media’s globalization has impacted the fashion industry: “It has really changed over the past five to ten years, I am constantly on my feet because it’s all about the ‘now, now, now’. Live stream shows, the media and the new age theme pushes us to keep asking: how are we relevant? How do we stay relevant?”

VOLTA MAGAZINE

#WMCFW

TORONTO

FASHION WEEK Atelier Wonder

Similarly, Atelier Wonder utilized the new age theme as one of their strongest customer-communication strategies.

On interviewing Atelier Wonder’s designer and owner, Paulina Wonders, she states that maintaining a prominent online presence and large online clientele has largely contributed to her success.

Atelier Wonder’s collections truly embody the generation of the Digital Natives – with an emphasis on bold, wearable neon and kitschy details, the clothing stands out by quickly capturing the essence of youth. Not only has social media benefited the label in clientele relations, it was also the biggest inspiration for their Fall/Winter 2015 line, as digital robotic patterns adorned their daring pieces. As a budding label that showcases a different aesthetic than other Fashion Week designers, Wonders hopes for more youth-oriented, ready-to-wear labels to be shown in the future.

Atelier Wonder

NARCES’ designer, Nikki Wirthernsohn, also shares this viewpoint. While Toronto Fashion Week provides local designers with an impressive showcasing platform, Wirthensohn hopes that the local fashion community can help designers gain a larger international recognition. Having lived in the UK and Austria, Wirthensohn credits her internationality for her label’s success in quickly adapting to global fashion climates and providing a profound influence on her sophisticated, luxurious aesthetic.

by Faustina Sari Setiawan (all images sourced from: http://worldmastercardfashionweek.com/)

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#TRENDSPOTTER

UTILITARIAN

Farley Chatto

Farley Chatto

FUR

Fall and winter are often discredited due to the frigid weather; however, designers such as Farley Chatto and The Wild North, have fully embraced the cold in a sophisticated and elegant fashion. Farley Chattoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show presented the luxurious lifestyle inspired by the Russian emperor, Czar Nicholas. His pieces featured fur that was incorporated into doublebreasted coats for a regal vibe, circle-skirted swing coats, and Cossack hats. Both male and female pieces embodied a masculine military authority figure, though the females maintained a modern femininity with knee-high pointed boots.

o Wild N

rth

rth Wild No

Running with the common theme of fur, The Wild North presented a luxurious yet practical outerwear collection. Fur hood lining flourished the runway adding the perfect adornment to the otherwise classic outerwear. Furthermore, various jackets featured grey metallics - a perfect subtle tinge to still create a statement when worn outside.

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VOLTA MAGAZINE

#WMCFW

UP IN NARCES

Dixon David

Continuing with the apparent underlying theme, as aforementioned, David Dixon presented an astounding Joan dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arc-inspired collection. He powerfully illustrated the juxtaposition between battle-wear and female sexuality through black and white symmetrical corsets and bustiers paralleling combat armor. Other contrasting pieces included statement hardware chokers, heavy bracelets, and chains. Dixon maintained a fine balance between masculinity and femininity by ornamenting with imperial capes, coats, and pencil skirts. Ultimately, his show successfully embodied the elegance of the Renaissance with rich materials such as silk, sequence, and lamb sheering.

David Dixon

Throughout fashion history, the colour red embodies female empowerment. Many designers incorporated this bold colour into their Fall/Winter lines, which have been accustomed to neutrals and monotones. Such designers include KANIA, a luxury athletic wear line, who utilized red to strengthen its collection, especially in concert with heavily structured pieces. NARCES was another label that presented red, shapeless long-sleeve dresses with intricate cut-outs to portray class and dominance.

KANIA

SMOKE

by Richard Truong (Images sourced from: http://worldmastercardfashionweek.com/)

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t a e H

e v a W

Photographer: Logan Ly Models: Michelle Seges and Lauryn Murphy Creative Director: Marcel Sokalski Stylist: Grace Yang Make-Up Artist: Casandra Rizzi Hair Stylist: Grace Yang Shoot Contributor: Maisha Visram

Sunglasses, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Crochet bikini top, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Olenka Margot culottes, $72 Olenka cross one-piece, $58 Olenka Tavi top, $53 Olenka Sheena skirt, $59

Olenka pant, $72 Olenka Carol top, $63 Shoes, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Olenka Vika one-piece swimsuit in moth print, $53

Olenka one-piece, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Olenka two-piece, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

INTERVIEW

Keeping Up With

Mina

Q: Now that your Instagram has gained more popularity, do you feel pigeonholed to a certain aesthetic?

I would say yes. I feel that sometimes I cannot recreate looks of celebrities who are not as well known, in fear that people will not respond. When this happens, I am losing the purpose of why I started doing this. I’m in the process of trying to reclaim it currently – I am doing celebrities that I like, not just what people want to see. An example is Amber Rose.

I love everything that she stands for, so I recreate pictures of her. I don’t care if people don’t know her or like her. It’s important that I do what I want and not be influenced by my follower base.

Q: What do you see yourself doing in the future?

I see myself working in the media industry. I would love to have my own show someday. I know that sounds very out there, but I think I definitely have a message that sets me apart from other personalities. I have struggled with a lot, so it’s given me a stronger sense of self. I want to use my struggles and my triumphs as a way to motivate others to get through whatever issues or bullying they are going through.

I am an advocate for LGBT rights and believe in stopping any negativity related to it.

Q: Which look was your favourite? Your least favourite?

My favourite look was the March 27, 2015 Beyoncé post where I recreated her intricate bodysuit. It took a lot of time and creativity on my part to make it look as expensive and well-made, while I was using materials I had bought at the dollar store. It was very rewarding to be able to make it look like Beyoncé wore it, except just more affordable.

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I don’t have a least favourite. I have looks that I wish I was able to show my male features more – like facial hair.

I want to show people that just because I am a man, I can still put on makeup and wear a wig if I feel like it. Any post where I hid the qualities that make me “manlier” are the ones I hope to learn from, because these features are important elements for what I stand for.

Q: What has been your biggest highlight?

I think this whole process has been very liberating. When growing up, I went to an all boys private school and never felt that I could truly be myself. Majority of the people at that time around me were into sports. I would go home and try on my mother’s shoes and clothing when she wasn’t around. I would put on her makeup. Now that I am more comfortable in my own skin, it’s great to be able to do things the younger version of myself was terrified of being exposed. I can say that I am proud of it. I hope that others that are struggling to discover themselves are inspired to express themselves more.

Q: There are other celebrity parody accounts out there that you have been compared to, what do you think you’re doing differently that has brought you greater success?

I am not doing it to mock these celebrities or be rude. I am using these celebrity pictures as a comparison because when people see pictures that they are familiar with, it resonates stronger with them. So, I think the reason mine is different is that my true intention is to show people that it’s okay to dress differently and have freedom of expression. I think a lot of the parody accounts try to insult celebrities, that is the last thing I want mine to be.

VOLTA MAGAZINE

“I will keep doing this until the negativity stops and people understand what I am trying to do.”

Q: Why do you choose certain celebrities over others?

Q: How do you take criticism on your account?

I choose certain celebrities because I love what they stand for.

Through me, recreating a picture of them is an attempt to recreate what they stand for. Beyoncé stands for strength and confidence – I love that. Lady Gaga helped me when I was coming out to be at peace with being myself. Recreating her because her message of loving yourself and being comfortable in your own skin is what makes me confident to do things like my account.

I completely disregard the negativity. I look at the negative comments and block the person because their comment demonstrates them clearly being homophobic and ignorant. I always try to focus on my positive message and don’t let these people get under my skin. If I let negativity bring me down, especially when I am doing something that many are not familiar with, it takes away from the whole purpose. Somewhere out there people are struggling; I hope that they see my pictures and it can give the reassurance that even though they feel different, there are others out there that are in the same place.

Q:Celebrities are all about reinventing themselves, how do you plan on reinventing yourself?

I plan on reinventing myself by continuously pushing people out of their comfort zone. I will keep doing this until the negativity stops and people understand what I am trying to do. Through reinventing myself, I want to figure out more ways to portray my message and let people understand it.

Interviewed by Stephanie Wood Follow Mina’s instagram: @keepingupwithmina

Photographer: Maryam Golafshani Stylists: Brooke Ihnat, Lucas Cabral Creative Director: Marcel Sokalski

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Printed silk shirt (worn underneath), stylist’s own Pink EVIDENCE silk shirt, $25, The Sentimentalist Blue capri pants and white canvas shoes, stylists’s own

Chiaro

scuro Photographer: Sierra-Rose Olsen Models: Torrel Jerome Ollivirrie and Cat Williams Creative Director: Marcel Sokalski Creative Advisor: Mina Gerges Stylists: Nancy Xu, Brooke Ihnat, Tevis Spence and Richard Truong Make-Up Artist: Hang Yang Behind-The-Scenes: Tara Magloire and Hessamoddin Jouybari

Torrel is wearing Red Blazer, Printed Indies Shirt, Red Pants and White Leather Converse Shoes, all stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own.

Cat is wearing black leather bralette, cheetah print bomber jacket and red strapped heels, all stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own. Yellow capri pants, $18, The Sentimentalist.

Electric blue velvet vest, $14, The Sentimentalist.

Patterned corset, tribal print necklace, printed slit skirt and red strappy heels, all stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own.

Down hunting vest, $18, The Sentimentalist.

Printed Moss short sleeve shirt and shorts, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own.

Printed shirt, $18, The Sentimentalist.

Quilted overthrow and floral printed skirt, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own.

From Chinar Kame Jeans: The Transfo Apparel in the Fam

ez to Denim rmation of ily Archive

I remember being very young and always having a curiosity with venturing into the living room of my childhood home, propping myself onto the sofa and taking out stacks and stacks of old photo albums. I never quite knew what the allure of these photographs was; the South Asian nostalgia; the faded quality of the photograph itself; the sweetness and humility that emerged from every face I lay my eyes on. I was constantly opening and re-opening the albums, taking out the photos to gaze at them more intensely, putting them back, and repeating the process. As I got older, I focused on the images that emphasized the diasporic experience of my family, depicting their daily lives in Southwestern Ontario, so starkly different from those that showed them in the mountains of Kashmir and Punjab’s plains. Whether it was scenes of a picnic at Niagara Falls, showing a group of family members sitting on the grass, surrounded by Caucasians in the background and pots of Indian food on decorative Kashmiri blankets, or two men with beards and turbans posing proudly in front of a gas station, it was this fine balance between the Southwestern Ontario backdrops juxtaposed with immigrant brown bodies which haunted me.

One of the things that compelled me most about the photographs was how family members’ apparel transformed over time. The early photographs showed women first arriving in the Americas sporting Punjabi dupatta suits in one photograph and a Kashmiri chinar kameez in another; their eyes twinkling with the excitement of being in a foreign land and imagining the vast opportunities that Canadian soil must have presented for them. A few years later, the photos showed these same women in denim jeans, skirts and dresses as if they had been violently stripped of the traditional Kashmiri Punjabi garb they arrived in.

It wasn’t until many years later, upon the completion of my undergraduate studies that I began to ruminate once more on these images, when I stumbled upon an old book in my childhood home. The book, Sikhs in Ontario out of print since 1993, quickly became the perfect entry point for me to learn more about the history of Punjabi Sikh Communities amid the South Asian diaspora in Canada. It was in this

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book that I read Hugh Johnson’s essay Sikhs in Canada, in which he beautifully crafted the story of immigration and assimilation of these early pioneers at the turn of the 20th century. When I read the story of Mrs. Dhan Kaur Johl, one of the first Indo-Canadian women to come to Canada, I was left speechless at the way Johnson resurrected her experiences, luring the reader into the harsh realities that South Asian pioneers faced in the aftermath of immigration. Mrs Johl talks about being forced to wear Western clothes and the devastation she felt when her brother-in-law took all of her Punjabi suits and burned them in the stove, one by one.

In Becoming Canadians by Sarjeet Singh Jagpal, also out of print since 1994, we learn the story of another Indo-Canadian woman, Mrs Pritam Kaur Sangha, who recalled, “On the day I arrived in 1932… my husband took me to the shop to get new clothes right away. I pleaded with him that I hadn’t had anything to eat and that I was starving but he did not listen. First, we got thee new dresses and later we got something to eat. It was the rule then to dress like the white ladies and keep our hair covered with a scarf at all times.”

These horrific stories never left me, and I continued to realize the psychological impact and pressures white supremacy placed on South Asian men and women in Canada who were forced to fit into a hostile, Western society. Whether it was the racial taunts and slurs that men faced for sporting turbans and beards, or the burning of Mrs. Johl’s Punjabi suits and the way Mrs Sangha was dragged to the clothing store that was doubly loaded with patriarchy; it was these small little anecdotes lost in history and only subtly resurrected in publications long out of print, which has allowed me to re-examine the transformation of apparel in a whole new light.

VOLTA MAGAZINE

I now began to re-enter the family archive, staring at the photographs of my family in the diaspora through a completely altered lens. The isolation, loneliness and a sense of communities being rendered invisible made me look at the ways in which these feelings existed not just in the story of Canadian South Asian pioneers but also in the archives of my own family photographs as well. I now began to curiously probe my own momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abrupt shifting of clothing in a whole new manner. She told me that the western attire she adorned illustrated the choices she wanted to make regarding integration and identity, echoed by the assimilation around her. These choices have not just limited themselves to the story of women like Mrs Pritam Kaur Sangha or Mrs Dhan Kaur Johl at the first half of the 20th century, but have emerged again and again throughout history.

has been a greater sense of resistance to Anglicized culture that has emerged. However, one must never look at these communities with just a sense of resilience seen through the wearing of traditional juxtaposed with western apparel and forget the sacrifices that the pioneers of these communities endured. These feelings of marginality and discrimination continue to linger today, but a sense of hope and optimism to fighting white supremacy is now stronger then ever. It is through an intensive examination of the apparel in these photographs that has forever changed my own perception on just how deep the psychological impacts of immigration into a western society is and continues to be.Â

In Camera Lucida, Roland Barthes writes that photographs are structured by a dialectic tension between the studium and the punctum.

The studium, he states, reveals the banal nature of the photograph.

The punctum however is a moment in the photograph that disrupts the studium, forcing the viewer to have feelings of apprehension or loss.

I now look at old photographs of Indo Canadian men and women in public archives at the turn of the century and my family archive photos cautiously aware of their punctums, ominously present through the transformation of their apparel.

by Jagdeep Raina

The 21st century has seen, if one ventures into the neighborhoods of Southall, Brampton and Surrey; all towns on the periphery of Toronto, Vancouver and London England, a large, thriving South Asian Community. These towns, along with many other towns throughout England and the Americas where a South Asian diaspora is present, show the ways in which apparel has been transformed once again, with many South Asians now adorning their Punjabi garb proudly on the streets and not just having these clothes be confined in the domestic, safe spaces of their homes or the local temple. Perhaps this is due to the overt decrease in western attitudes and rooted ideologies, but there

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metropolis Photographer: Claire Henderson Creative Director: Marcel Sokalski Make-up Artist: Casandra Rizzi Creative Advisor: Nick Reddon

Clover Canyon laser cut neoprene skirt, $388 Sheer top, $485, all Hangar9

Helmut Lang white dress, $315, Hangar9

Helmut Lang marble dress, $315, Hangar9

Elizabeth and James top, $305, Hangar9 Off-white panel skirt, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Pink Tartan coat, $630, Hangar9

Saligia

Photographer: Alexandra Gorska Creative Advisor: Vivian Leigh Models: Claire Wallace, Roxanna Abhari, Julia Dmytryshyn Make-Up Artists: Siyu Liu, XinYu Zhou, Minh Pham

Augmenting Authenticity

by Stephanie Ling

: The Analogue Genre on Creating a Critical Public

The advanced development and emergence of new media and technology has forced contemporary culture into a constant state of evolution. With the rise of a greater technologically dependent society, there exists a growing split between those who are born with the intuition of new media know-how, and those who must learn to integrate these new developments into existing communication traditions. For individuals raised without reliance on technology, their dependence on the changing technological scape of our society is flexible. However, for the younger generations born during, or in, the digital revolution, function is mainly made possible through the mediation of technology.

For them, communication exists as facilitated through the filtration of screens.

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If we see society as a cluster of expressive forms mediated by material modes of communication, we can look for certain key institutions in which information is amassed, regulated and stored.

Social media platforms, such as Instagram, exist on the sole basis that users digitally store a mass assemblage of personal moments in a common social structure. By using Instagram, we permit the expropriation of our information by giving the corporate technological giants behind it, the right to maintain control over our memories. In contrast, it is items of the analog genre, such as film photography, which permit certain liberation from the dominant medium of digital technologiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;liberation from the facilitation and monopolization of externally stored knowledge to create an active, empowered and critical public.

VOLTA MAGAZINE

“... the experience of memories becomes increasingly permanent.”

In what seems like a reversal of time, the increasing popularity of the analog genre suggests a return to more old-fashioned media forms.

In opposition to the growing digital movement, which so ironically enables us by disabling us, the growing analog movement can be interpreted as nostalgic reclamation of intimacy and individuality.

The revival of items, such as film cameras, suggests an intervention of our highly unstable, present-minded world with no sense of history.

In a society where all material goods are available at our fingertips, we often no long interact on a humanly intimate level. Western culture has become immeasurably immersed into material modes of media and technology, which in their efficiency, result in the production of a utilitarian ‘present-mindedness’—means to an end—unobservant of the imminent repercussions of our short-term thoughts.

The drive behind this reawakening of media forms passed is simply explained in that tactile experiences are not so easily replaced. Through the physical interaction of man-made image development, tangible images undergo transformation into intangible memories. Instead of the simulated community in which social media provides, the analog genre ascertains an authentic community, requiring genuine personto-person interaction, while both capturing moments and also sharing them. In assuming the role of a more active participant, the experience of memories becomes increasingly permanent.

FASHION & LIFESTYLE SOCIETY

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EQUINOX Photographer: Tracy Xie Models: Jack St. John and Richard Mayne Creative Director: Marcel Sokalski Creative Advisor: Stephanie Ling Fashion Director: Torrel Jerome Ollivirrie Stylist: Justin Hsiao Behind The Scenes Photographer: Tara Magloire

Steelo Rook dark series baseball jersey, $80

Steelo 10 deep larger living tshirt, $40

Tank, model's own

Shirt, model's own

Steelo ice cream baseball tee, $45

Steelo ten deep marble slope 3/4 sleeve shirt, $60

Steelo hundreds disrupt pocket tshirt, $55

VOLTA: [vohl-tuh, vol-; It. vawl-tah] In

literature, the volta, also referred to as the turn, is the shift or point of dramatic change.