MODA Magazine Spring 2017 by MODA

Spring 2017 / The University of Chicago

CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR WRITING EDITORS VISUAL DESIGN EDITOR FINANCE DIRECTOR/PR MANAGER BEAUTY EDITOR

Frances Chen & Maya Rodriguez Albert Nam Sucheta Kinger & Krishna Mukkavilli Lauren Han Amutha Muthukumar Michelle DePorto

FEATURES EDITOR

Olivia Jia

STYLING EDITORS

Rohit Satishchandra & Jena Yang

CREATIVE DIRECTOR STAFF ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITORS

Ogonna Obiajunwa Sana Sohail Andie Fialkoff & Saylor Soinski

ASSISTANT VISUAL DESIGN EDITOR

Jen McIntosh

ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Daniel Chae

WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS

Mahathi Ayyagari, Sarah Eikenberry, Kathryn Hicks, Sucheta Kinger, Yamini Nambimadom, Igolo Obi, Troy Ordonez, Paige Resnick, Jennifer Teng, Melanie Wang & Jason Zhao

STYLISTS

Christy Cheng, Leon Chin, Sarah Eikenberry, Maxime Kpangbai, Igolo Obi, Paige Resnick & Stefan Tesliuc

PHOTOGRAPHERS MODELS

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Daniel Chae, Albert Nam & Yamini Nambimadom Vivian Barclay, Khephren Chambers, Darien Dey, Kathryn Hicks, Lizzie Hunpatin, Bethany Ko, Maria Kollaros, Jocelyne Munoz, Phuca Nguyen, Andrea Omehe, Kelsey Peterson, Ruby Ross, Santiago Ruiz, Rachel Sally, Saylor Soinski, Violet Sorrentino, Jordan Young & Tommy Zhang

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Letter from the Editors DBC Spotlight Ashley Graham Franca Sozzani The Thrive of Mall Brands Lauren Duca A Frizz Frenzy House of Bezos Fashion Killas #Discovered Disrupted Advertising The Social Consciousness of Consumerism Oak + Fort Interview Shine Bright Economies of Style All At Once

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS This issue of MODA is an ode to disruption. The concept takes many forms in the fashion world, but at the most fundamental level, it is the crux of how fashion continues to reinvent itself season after season and never ceases to capture our fascination. Our shoots team explored the theme of disruption in visual form. “Economies of Style” examines the transformative power of style as vintage pieces take on a new life and evoke a completely novel persona. In “All at Once,” we use pieces from Oak + Fort in Wicker Park to create vignettes which capture the subtle, disparate range of intimate emotions we experience in just one day as young adults – the solitude of ordinary tasks, the bliss of meaningful connections. Fashion is also a breeding ground for ideas that challenge the traditions and norms of society outside the boundaries of the industry. Staff writer Igolo Obi considers how the rise of Ashley Graham is sparking a new wave of body positivity and inclusion in the often unduly exclusive world of fashion and beyond. Mahathi Ayyagari remembers the legacy of a pivotal disruptor in the fashion history, Franca Sozzani. The Vogue Italia Editor in Chief changed the course of editorial style with the idea that fashion photography – bold, simple, and unhindered – could touch readers old and new in a way words cannot. The evolution and impact of Vogue Italia speaks to why, looking back at the role MODA Magazine has played in my college career, I (Frances here) am still passionate about this little college fashion mag. MODA continues to provide a platform – so distinct from but complementary to the rigors of a UChicago education – for a diverse community of immensely creative students to express themselves and explore a myriad of topics. The production of this magazine has time and time again given our staff the chance to connect with creative professionals in our greater community, collaborate with fellow classmates, and discover the beauty of locations all around Chicago. Each issue, including this one, is proof that young college students can be thoughtful disruptors. We have the opportunity to modulate the way our readers’ perceive the artistry of the world. I find such joy in the fact that every year, new students with fresh sartorial and artistic perspectives step into the responsibilities of pushing this publication forward, which is why I am proud and excited to see how MODA Magazine continues to evolve and grow after I graduate. With much gratitude, Frances Chen and Maya Rodriguez

dbc spotlight

MODA Magazine checks in with some of the student designers whose clothes will be featured in the upcoming MODA Fashion Show at the Drake Hotel in Downtown Chicago.

Kishin Kato

Spencer Kaplan

Playing with the concept of hyper-masculinity, Kishin highlights different features of the concept of masculinity. His collection exaggerates muscular features with a twist on the traditional masculine imagery. The exploration of fabrics is at the core of Kishin’s work and has incorporated heavy, industrial materials towards this collection. Kishin hopes to expand his exploration with design to the world of music by potentially designing a band’s video shoot. Ultimately, the collection is a highly personal creative process and Kishin advises future designers to stay committed to their vision, “do what you want, not what others want you to do!”

Drawing inspiration from Isse Miyaka and Tom Brown, Spencer’s collection displays a austere and subdued style. Through DBC, he discovered a passion for designing (and an incredible flair for sewing), that he now knows he wants to pursue further in years to come. He takes an analytical approach to the creative process, appreciating the complex nature of garment construction that most people take for granted. “With every new step, I was struck with a different problem” he says, discussing the challenges of the design process. However, it was in these circumstances that allowed for a transformation in creative vision and made it an enlightening experience.

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Anita Obasohan

Nadine Azalea

A committed MODA writer, Anita decided to explore her interest in fashion through another creative outlet. By weaving together glamor and fearlessness, her collection exudes confidence and allure. Anita incorporates her Nigerian roots into fabric use and style, teleporting tradition to the modern age. What began as a new way to explore fashion became a potential career path, as Anita hopes to grow as a designer and continue to bring creativity and innovation to her work. When asked for one piece of advice for future designers, she says, “dive headfirst into the process as even though it may seem daunting at first, you’ll surprise yourself with what you can achieve.”

Nadine has been inspired by the work of the likes of Tsyahmi and Anaabu – the current generation of Malaysian designers. She explores the use of colors and tropical flowers in her designs to create minimalist pieces with sleek, loose cuts that look sophisticated yet fun. For Nadine, designing a clothing line and engaging in her non-academic interest with such strong commitment has been challenging but extremely rewarding. While balancing all responsibilities can be tough, Nadine recommends planning ahead and having realistic expectations with designs.

ASHLEY

Breaking Down the Barriers to Body Positivity BY IGOLO OBI

ew super models have made an impact on the modeling world like Ashley Graham has; joining the likes of Twiggy, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, and Adriana Lima, to name a few, Ashley Graham has soared to the top of the modeling and fashion industry, standing strong as a style icon all her own. Like the aforementioned model matriarchs before her, she has become a powerful and disruptive force to be reckoned with, defying industry standards and providing an alternative view of what it means to be a model. Ashley Graham was discovered at an early age while shopping in her hometown mall, and in 2001 she was subsequently signed to Wilhelmina Models, one of the largest and most coveted modeling agencies worldwide, before being signed to Ford Models, another notable agency, in 2003. Her rise to fame, however, was neither quick nor easy. Being a plus sized model, let alone one of the first to pave the way, certainly was no walk in the park for Ashley. On

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her work mantra and how she prepared herself for the harshness and critique she would inevitably face in the industry, in December 2016 she told British Vogue, “For 10 years I’d been told I was always going to be a catalogue girl, never a cover girl. [Even] if you have a pretty face doors will open, but your job isn’t just to walk through them, it’s to get invited back…It’s always been, ’Ok so what can I do now’…you’ve got to have longevity in this business”. It was soon after that she began her trek to success, honing her craft and carefully shaping her brand of a plus-size model who wasn’t afraid to be vocal about the different challenges she faced, and the importance of diversity in the modeling world, that she signed to IMG Models. What happened next was nothing short of amazing, when Ashley did the impossible by appearing on five covers in just one year. With nowhere to go but up, her notoriety grew further in the mid-2000s, when she appeared in a controversial Lane Bryant TV commercial, where she appeared topless. In 2015, Graham was featured in Sports Illustrated, as part of their “#CurvesInBikinis” campaign, in which she became one of the first plus-sized models to ever appear

GRAHAM

anywhere in a Sports Illustrated issue. The following year, Ashley Graham became the first plus-size model to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Still wondering what it is that makes Ms. Graham such a standout? Well, as previously noted, her trademark can’t exactly be missed— in a world full of top-models, whether they be male, female, or other; body types in the world-wide industry of fashion often fall within the same range. However, in the case of Ashley Graham, the world has been presented with a model who exudes confidence, showcases the beauty in being different, and manages to serve as an extremely important reminder to millions of people around the world that it isn’t necessary to stick to the “status quo” in order to be considered worthy of the beauty trends, high-life, or all-around exclusivity usually reserved for models of a particular size. Even more significant, Ashley Graham works to emphasize the importance of body positivity and beauty as something applicable to everyone, no matter their shape or size— a deed of paramount importance not only from a consumer perspective, but because a model like Ashley Graham is capable of appealing to far wider audiences than say, the typical top model, and therefore has the capacity to impact body image- particularly women’s body image- on

an international scale, and in an incredibly positive way. Furthermore, Ashley Graham is an activist who is extremely vocal about her prioritization for frequent exercise and maintaining a healthy diet, as opposed to abstaining from foods or activities she enjoys, in order to fit into the typical model physique. She is a proponent of the Health at Every Size movement, a campaign which claims to support “health at every body shape”, and encourages and educates people of all body sizes about how to sustain a well-balanced diet and exercise routine for the sake of one’s personal health and well-being as opposed to just for the sake of trying to achieve a certain weight or size which may not actually be best suited to the body type of each respective individual. In a world in which body types of one size are usually considered the norm, and thus the general standard for beauty, Ashley Graham has come along at a rather pivotal point to serve as a nice dosage of reality, and the reminder we all need that perfection isn’t attainable and therefore shouldn’t be the goal; but if we strive to maintain a lifestyle of self-love and heathy habits then we can achieve a level of inner confidence and comfort in one’s own skin that is the true key to body positivity. Photos: Sports Illustrated, People, Healthy Celeb

FRANCA SOZZANI

BY MAHATHI AYYAGARI

How One Woman Disrupted the World Around Her

used to always watch America’s Next Top Model, and during one particularly intense final deliberation, I remember being struck by one of the guest judges: Franca Sozzani. I remember her as an incredibly graceful judge, who delivered her remarks with insight and intelligence, a cloud of blonde curls behind her. 2016 took a lot of people from us, but not to be forgotten is Franca Sozzani, who passed away on December 22nd from lung cancer at 66 years old. As Editor in Chief of Vogue Italia, Sozzani changed the way fashion was created and distributed. She made Vogue Italia one of the most influential international branches of Vogue. Under Sozzani’s direction, Vogue Italia became an in-house fashion brand known for its provocativeness. As colleague and Editor in Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour said, “Francesco [Sozzani’s son, who filmed a biopic of Sozzani, Franca: Chaos and Creation] perfectly captures her drive and determination, her fearlessness, her beauty, her wild imagination, and her totally original way of fusing social issues with fashion…Franca was also no ordinary friend.” “I cannot live without dreams. If you have a big dream, you can make it.” In every aspect of her life, Sozzani disrupted and defied. She wished to study physics, much to her father’s displeasure. She married right out of college, though she knew even before walking into the church that the relationship would not work. She remained reckless and free, learning new things about her passions and strengths in India and London. Upon her return to Italy, she began working at Vogue Bambini, working her way up to the editorial position at Lei and Per Lui, magazines geared towards young men and women. Through her leadership, these magazines established themselves as the go-to publication for information on recent trends. “My view is not just to find young talents, it’s to support them too.” As Sozzani gained clout within the fashion industry, she nurtured wherever she saw passion and talent. Most notably, she cultivated the photographers we know today, like Steven Meisel, Bruce Weber, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi and more. Sozzani had the ability to help others grow and she allowed others the same creativity that brewed within her. These traits created a talented group of artists whose loyalty to Sozzani and her vision was unwavering. Even as someone who led the many aspects of creating a magazine, Sozzani left time and enthusiasm for growing

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artists, to understand and support them. “Today it’s normal. Photos used to be a support to the text, but we turned things around, reducing words to a minimum.” In the following years, Sozzani formed relationships with many influential designers and manufacturers, who recognized her ambition and insight, and she soon became the Editor in Chief of Vogue Italia, at the same time Anna Wintour became Editor in Chief of Vogue. From the start, she was pushing boundaries, creating dynamic articles and photographs and working towards universality. Sozzani knew that Vogue Italia, as a magazine entirely in Italian, was accessible to only a certain market. However, she also knew that photography was the way to speak to wider audiences as something that everyone could understand. Doing what no magazine had ever attempted before, for her very first issue as editor in chief, Sozzani released an issue, “with a single cover line, ‘Il Nuovo Stile’, and a sepia-washed black-and-white image by Meisel of the pillowy-lipped model Robin MacKintosh wearing a plain white Ferré blouse, signal[ing] that she was not going to be playing by anyone else’s rules,” as it reads in her Vogue tribute. With bold simplicity and beauty, Sozzani established herself as a rule-breaker and a game-changer. “Sozzani seemed less concerned with commerce than did many of her counterparts, and she allowed her creative collaborators unlimited artistic freedom. She was also eager to grapple with politics, for better or for worse,” as said on nymag.com “I try to renew and create something new every time.” Sozzani did indeed grapple with politics, using Vogue Italia as her medium to present issues far beyond just fashion. She used to say, “If there is no controversy, there is no opinion.” It was this urge to challenge that pushed Sozzani to release issues that explored “disturbances”, including plastic surgery, domestic violence, drug addiction and rehab, and the BP oil spill, all through raw and jarring photography. Sozzani was all about bringing change to the fashion industry as she used her immense vision at Vogue Italia to bring readers topics that mattered and voiced reality. She challenged the world around her, even the fashion industry, because she believed that was how one created something new and different. With her penchant for disruption, Sozzani merged both fashion and commentary, always with grace and faithful dedication to her ideas and passion.

Photo: Vogue

The Thrive of Mall Brands BY MELANIE WANG

Mall brands have been struggling as of late. The very things they pride themselves on, consumer loyalty and brand consistency, have been placed in the hot seat as fast fashion surges. Mall brands range from flashy and loud to subtle and mysterious and they are constantly trying to change and adapt to the fickle fashion world and end up playing catch up. These brands have come to rely on celebrity images and consumer trust in order to keep themselves in business. It is nearly impossible, and quite frankly, pretty impractical, to constantly change a store’s stock of clothing based on the latest clothing trends. Companies pride themselves on being up to date and trendy, but they secretly struggle to keep up with the ever-changing trends while also remaining unique. Fast fashion brands such as H&M or Forever 21 pride themselves on having cute, cheap clothing that can keep up with the times, but one result of this is that many items become worthless as soon as a fad fades. Mall brands often can’t keep up with the incredible speed that fashion changes at; every day a celebrity will come up with a new way to wear something, or a stylist will inspire some revolutionary new trend. Mall brands these days rely on name recognition, celebrity cameos, and familiarity in order to survive the cutthroat competition. In order to be successful, these companies focus on creating a consistency and reliability that will make consumers feel special. Building these relationships requires dedication as well as time and money, which the brands must be willing to put forth. One way they do this is by picking and choosing certain characteristics that they deem appropriate for the theme and vibes of their companies. J.Crew, for example, radiates preppy vibes and it works hard to maintain this image. Another way that these mall brands have learned to succeed is by having celebrities promote and wear their clothing. They choose celebrities and fashion icons who have distinctive styles to wear their clothing, which boosts not only the company’s status but also the popularity of particular lines of their cloth-

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ing. By choosing popular figures with an influential effect on consumers, these mall brands can build their image and prestige. Michelle Obama boosted sales and popularity for J.Crew by wearing the brand’s clothing during her time in the spotlight as First Lady of the United States. Her appearances in their clothing led to spikes in sales and increased demand and acknowledgement for the brand; people were shocked to learn that the First Lady wore clothing that the everyday girl could obtain from her local J.Crew. Her donning the brand’s attire led to almost instantaneous spikes in sales. As soon as she was spotted wearing a particular skirt or cardigan, said article of clothing sold out almost immediately. Marketing seems to be the key to success for mall brands. When it comes down to it, the most important part of all is how well a brand can market themselves to their target audience. Mall brands have experienced lasting success in part because of their successful marketing tactics through social media, celebrities, and consumers. This task is much harder than it may seem, and requires true commitment and energy to be able to pull off. Advertising and campaigning for popularity amongst the hundreds of different brands is a huge commitment of time and funds. Large-scale ad campaigns and hiring of models can cost companies more than half of their sales. Mall brands in recent years have focused more and more on channeling funds and energy into promoting a specific image for their brand. Aiming for customer loyalty, these marketing techniques focus on building a deeper connection between the consumer and the company. Companies these days are struggling to find ways to keep up with the fashion world, and many successful ones, such as J.Crew, have turned to reliability and consumer trust in order to stay above the competition. Instead of trying to take on every single fashion trend, some mall brands have decided to work on building up a certain image, with the help of extensive ad campaigns and celebrity cameos. The fashion world may be changing fast, but for the time being, mall brands are here to stay.

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Lauren Duca

“Donald Trump is Gaslighting America” BY JENNIFER TENG

he definition of teen fashion and lifestyle magazines has been hotly contested. Serving a predominantly young, female audience, this type of literature has a unique capability to influence the up and coming generation. It has mostly been characterized by mainstream culture as a publication that covers fashion, celebrity gossip, and beauty tips. Cover models for Teen Vogue in the past have included actors and actresses, models, and singers. From 2010 – 2016 no cover models came strictly from the political sphere, though some had participated in campaign work. Lauren Duca challenged all of these assumptions through the op-ed piece “Donald Trump is Gaslighting America.” By publishing her article in a teenage magazine, she demonstrates that it is never too early to get involved in politics. Your age and your gender cannot inhibit the effect you can and will have on your nation. In her piece, Duca challenged Trump for ignoring facts while promoting personal opinions, contradicting himself, and undermining the credibility of the media. Her writings were far from the prose that is usually associated with teen lifestyle instead The Washington Post praised her writing as taking a “scorched-earth” approach. After only weeks, her article had been viewed over a million times. However, many news publications were taken aback by Duca’s article. The New York Times was “surprised to see a magazine for teenagers making such a strong political statement.” Duca seemed to have pushed forward the trend of the magazine since 2015 by approaching more political and controversial topics. At the time of the publication, Duca was the magazine’s weekend editor. Previously she had written on topics such as fashion and celebrities. Though the work was widely praised, some critiqued Duca’s writing. Most prominently, was conservative news commentator Tucker Carlson, with whom she went head to head with on his own show. Duca came onto the show to discuss her opinions and tweets regarding Ivanka Trump being hassled on an airline flight in front of her children. While the two were ultimately in agreement that a mother should never be approached in such a manner, they were at odds about the current political climate and tensions rose. Duca called Carlson a “partisan hack” after he repeatedly interrupted her. Yet, Carlson was ready to return the insults, telling Duca that she should “stick to her [articles on] thigh-high boots. You’re better at

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that.” The interview cut out with Duca attempting to call Carlson out for his comments. Her steadfast adherence to her principles on a nationwide forum epitomized the new millennial movement and values of taking action based on your beliefs. No matter what side of the aisle you sit, our nation has strived to answer our leaders’ call to action. This is necessary, as Barack Obama stated, “democracy isn’t a spectator sport.” Furthermore, Lauren Duca demonstrates the ability of women to have diversified interests, along with the critical role they can have in shaping politics. Yet, it was not only on a public forum where Duca was hassled. She faced intimidation and threats online. In a follow-up article “To Trolls, With Love,” Duca described how she had been faced with threats as dark as physical assault, rape, and death. She questioned if these threats stemmed from a place of misogyny, noting “harassment is seen as an inevitability for women on the internet.” Yet, the harassment did not stem only from anonymous trolls. A prime example was Martin Shkreli, a pharmaceuticals executive. Known as “Pharma Bro,” Shkreli had previously been charged with securities fraud and was postulated to be the “most hated man in America” by a 2015 BBC when he raised the anti-parasitic drug, Daraprim, commonly used as a treatment for AIDS, by a price factor of 65 (from approximately 13 dollars a pill to 750 dollars). Shkreli invited her to see Donald Trump’s inauguration as his plus one. After Duca’s refusal, Shkreli made multiple posts about his love for Duca, including photoshopped collages. His tactics were deemed unsavory and unacceptable to Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s founder, and his profile was removed from the social media site. In an age where cyber bullying has unfortunately become more and more prominent, Duca serves as a role model for all those who face harassment. She illuminated the inequality with which it occurs between genders and that women are not alone, and that they are not at blame. Her point seemed to have been proved by the international Women’s March, which took place only months after her article’s publication. According to The Guardian, over two million people gathered world-wide. Undoubtedly, some were wearing thigh-high boots. Yet, this did not stop them from standing strong and making sure their perspectives on a range of issues, proving, as Hillary Clinton has stated, “human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights.”

Photo: Damon Dahlen

A FRIZZ FRENZY:

n our modern age, women will try anything to achieve pin straight hair. Whether with a brazilian blowout or a flat-iron, there are dozens of techniques to achieve the hairstyle that has been deemed more attractive. Fighting your curls has become a social habit, influenced by the insecurities that surround the imperfections of frizzy locks. Modern beauty standards have imposed strict guidelines, prompting the hatred of curls by the women who lack straight hair. While abandoning the flat-iron is certainly healthier for any hair, few have been able to ignore society’s ideas of what is beautiful and what is not. Wearing your hair naturally can prove quite challenging; no matter the amount of immense effort put into achieving tamed ringlets, sometimes they all seem to fly in every different direction. Curls are inherently flawed and unpredictable, inciting many to ditch them for easier, more manageable styles. Since it is prone to dryness and breakage, over shampooing and brushing curly hair can lead to frizz and split ends. Curly hair products are also difficult to obtain, and even those that even slightly control the madness have lofty prices. Looking in the mirror at fluff can be disheartening, and, according to researchers at Dove, “only 4 out of 10 curly haired girls think their hair is beautiful.” However, some have been breaking down the self-doubt and accepted norms, embracing the kinks and waves that have a mind of their own atop their heads. One of the most influential images of curl appreciation can be found through celebrities. Those who welcome their corkscrew manes in the media spotlight everyday show serious boldness in the face of unrealistic cultural standards. This fearless attitude has encouraged others to discard the straightening tools, as well. Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, Lorde, has adopted her voluminous and crazy curls as the primary element to her edgy appearance. According to her hairstylist, Ryan Kazmarek, “She likes it big, she likes it natural, and she likes to toss it around.” Lorde’s wild and free vibes along with her strong sense of self not only define her signature look, but also impart a love of curls onto all of her fans. Solange Knowles has also gained an abundance of positive attention for celebrating her own eye-catching and confidently natural hairstyles. Whether in braids, an afro, or

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super short coils, Solange has created an image of confidence that has extended to women everywhere. Solange chemically treated her hair until 2009 when she cut it all off in an act of “liberation.” No longer subject to the constrictions of artificial hair maintenance and attention, Solange became an icon for the natural hair movement. “I believe that hair is incredibly spiritual, and, energetically, it really encompasses and expresses who we are,” said Knowles. The singer’s own self-expression through hair is truly inspiring, prompting many more to follow her. Celebrities are not the only advocates for curl confidence, as corporations have also begun to support the cause. Dove’s Love Your Curls campaign has attempted to inspire the young generation to love their natural hair, promoting their message with advertisements and new lines of curl products. The personal care brand works to destroy the stereotypes that women with straight hair are more professional, wealthier, classier, and more beautiful. Since the majority of women wear their hair straight on a daily basis, those with curls are regarded as outliers. Stray curls and frizz also give the appearance of a lack of control and organization, key aspects to a supposedly successful life. Despite these standards, Dove hopes to empower these women to achieve more with their natural looks with their powerful message and effective products. With the inspiration of celebrities and corporations, everyday women are learning to love their curls on a daily basis, even with the constant struggle to maintain it. But, no matter the influences in our society, good or bad, the most important beauty advocate is yourself. How you wear your hair should be determined by what makes you happy, not how anyone else feels. Curls do not only represent imperfection. Curls represent youth, self-confidence, and rebellion. Curls help to disrupt the distorted beauty standards that dismantle the self-love that all women should have. Natural is the new blowout, and nonconformity is the trend that everyone is following.

HOW AND WHY WOMEN ARE EMBRACING THEIR CURLY, NATURAL HAIR 17

here are certain brands and names that are immediately synonymous with luxury fashion -- Saint Laurent, Chanel, Dior -Amazon is not one of them. Not yet, at least. Having already become a pioneer in changing the face and the industry standards of e-commerce, it seemed only a matter of time before the seemingly omnipresent Amazon made its way into the fashion market. In fact, Amazon had already dipped their toe into the water through upper-middle-end retail site Eastdane. Now, though, Bezos and co. are putting grander designs into place. Are these plans feasible? The early 2010s already showed us that direct-to-consumer is a perfectly viable business model in the fashion industry. Brands like Everlane and crowd-funded start-ups like Gustin found success on the promise of offering high-quality goods for much lower prices.

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The phrase “the Warby Parker of x” was elevator-pitched ad nauseum in start-up circles. Direct-to-consumer retailers had the advantage of being able to offer lower prices by cutting out the middle-man, while at the same time raising profit margins. Yet such a business model is not without its own problems. Part of the issue here lies with the low barrier to entry for creating a direct-to-consumer brand. After all, it doesn’t take much for some would-be entrepreneur to churn out a few designs and set up a Shopify page in hopes of riding on the coattails of those few famous success stories. As the variety of stores and products increases, though, he problem of differentiation becomes increasingly significant. This is especially true in higher price points. In luxury fashion, the appeal of a garment is more than the aesthetic quality of the design but rather the image projected by the brand. It’s not enough to make a nice blouse or a sharp pair of trousers; to be successful, a luxury brand needs to generate a demand in pop culture, to separate itself from an increasingly crowded direct-to-consumer playing field. In this respect, Amazon is no different. The typical consumer does not associate Amazon with style or sophistication. Its brand is one that conveys a message of convenience and functionality rather than

taste. This is evident even in the clean but bare-bones UI of its website. People go to Amazon for a handful of reasons: they want something cheap and they want it fast. Unfortunately for Amazon’s fashion aspirations, cheap in this industry is a dirty word. Already, though, we see some attempts, albeit lackluster, to change these connotations of the Amazon brand, at least when it comes to buying clothing. A slight adjustment for item displays in Amazon’s clothing departments allows for a slightly cleaner interface that showcases brand logos. Cognizant of the fact that “Amazon Basics”, though a perfectly reasonable label to use in marketing pens or cheap earbuds, may not spur sales of clothing, Amazon has created a selection of private labels, with names like Buttoned Down or Franklin & Freeman in order to try to shake off the rather utilitarian image of the Amazon brand. Unfortunately, Amazon’s reputation as a site on which to find the best bargain may already preclude shoppers serious about fashion, no matter whose name is on the tag. Yet Amazon is not without its unique advantages. Its wealth of data and analytic capabilities allow it to quickly adjust prices in order to maximize profit. Its robust and efficient supply chain may allow it to lower its input costs as well. In theory the savings that Amazon can take advantage of due to its sheer size and economies of scales could be passed on to the consumer. For the segment of the market who care more about saving a few bucks than brand image or “cool” factor, this is doubtlessly quite appealing. Will Amazon grow to become the next Celine or Dior? Probably not. It could, however, be the new, faster and cheaper Uniqlo.

BY JASON ZHAO

Photos: Getting Global, Lipstiq, Moe Jackson, Popsugar

fashion killas: An Introspective Examination of Young Artists in Fashion

Within the world of fashion, there is always a chance for experimentation and innovation that may come from a previously untapped market. In the history of fashion, different eras of disruption occurred due to the interference of big-name artists. With their popular status and influence, they were able to become the face of certain kinds of fashion, and could even kick start trends of fashion that would go on for years in the popular world and eventually find its way to the masses. These icons acted as walking advertisements in a sense, their sheer presence inspiring many to seek out the means that allows for them to become closer to them in style. Obsessions are created, lots of money spent, etc. for the purpose of defining oneself in a way similar to those you look up to in a certain sense. In the past 20 years, the kind of fashion and style that is becoming mainstream isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just coming from A-list celebs, but from younger artists, mostly rappers for the purpose of this article, but young artists nonetheless. These artists are invading the world of fashion through a type of influence that is made through the connections with their audience rather than what could be considered the norm, influence through sheer flashiness and perceived superiority. The styles of artists like Young Thug, Lil Yachty, an A$AP Rocky are, in their own way, of a caliber that could be considered high fashion but are still able to be replicated by the audience that watches them. Rappers have this appeal that makes their fan base want to be and dress like them in a way that artists of the past couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite capture. Before there was always some level of distinction or flash separating the artists from the masses, but with this type of connection, created through a music born from the common people, the masses can look to these artists as personal,

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BY TROY ORDONEZ

attainable inspirations for their fashion goals. There exists a disruptive nature due to having these artists as fashion icons. With artists of other times, their mixing with the fashion world created a greater sense of exclusion. Now, we a generation that sees the possibilities and the positives of putting time into their style. A$AP frequently references name brands like Dior, Versace, and Supreme and while it isn’t new for some, the very mention of these brands in his songs have brought their attention to a greater audience. Exposure and influence on that level might explain how he came to be the poster child for Dior’s fashion collection. Similarly, Lil Yachty’s boat themed identity (first mixtape titled Lil Boat) as well as his idiosyncratically colorful fashion sense has provided him with the job of creative designer for Nautica allowing him to bring his unconventional style ideas to the masses. Young Thug’s eccentric and gender stereotype breaking clothing choices have allowed him to change the way the hip hop world considers masculinity and thus allows for a much freer and open experimentation for audiences looking to get into fashion. With many young musician’s music centered upon the importance of dressing well and cultivating a sense of style, it feels obvious that in time their fans would look to them a source of inspiration for their outlook on fashion and how they themselves should dress. In some cases, the inspiration leads to a reliance on brands, in other cases, they wish for their audience to try and cultivate their own sense of style. young musicians as fashion icons is a change that’s impact comes from how it changes the way many youths decide on their attire, aiming now to see how they can use brands in creative ways, trying to cop the style of the performer, or something new altogether. The unprecedented popularity of this disruption to the fashion world is a sign of the importance of creating a bond with an audience that allows them to look for you for direct inspiration, even if it’s only in aesthetics. Photos: Pinterest, Conversations About Her

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#DISCOVERED:

The Role of Social Media in the Search for New Faces By Sarah Eikenberry

andice Swanepoel was discovered in a flea market in South Africa. Gisele Bundchen was discovered at a mall in Brazil while on a school field trip. For them, it was pure luck, that a scout happened to spot them in the most mundane of places. Back then, it seemed the best way to be discovered, was to go about your normal life, enter into competitions, and hope for the best. Now, the best place to be discovered in the fashion industry, is on your couch. It doesn’t matter where you are; it matters where your Instagram posts end up. It matters which filter and hashtags you use, the amount of likes you get, and the comments you receive. With the rise of social media platforms, the modelling industry appears to be becoming more accessible to the masses; however, like many things on social media, this appearance is deceiving. Increasingly, face-to-face scouting is becoming obsolete, replaced with face-to-phone. Today, it seems that models are discovered on Instagram, and their selfies are the precursor to DKNY campaigns (like Matthew Noszka, @ matthew_noscka) and Guess ads (see Simone Holtznagel, @moannn). Lindsey Lugrin, a five-foot-four girl from Texas, landed a gig with Marc by Marc Jacobs after entering in an Instagram competition for the brand. Her story an example of how instagram models are increasingly outside the norm of classic high-fashion standards; Lindsey being 5’4”, while the average height for a catwalk model is about 5’10”. These instances also reveal how brands and agencies are utilizing this new technology to find fresh faces that would have gone otherwise unknown. IMG Models, whose faces include Lexi Boling, Bella Hadid, and Joan Smalls, to name a few, recently launched an Instagram campaign titled “We Love Your Genes” which seeks to scout new faces from around the globe; being discovered is now as easy as posting a killer selfie and tagging it #WLYG. Almost 30 unique faces have already been signed with the top agency, and neither the models nor the scouts have had to leave their houses to do so. This new possibility of being discovered on Instagram brings with it the idea that the a modelling career is

more attainable than ever. However, this is not always the case. Even though about 30 models have been signed via #WLYG, the hashtag has been used over 700,000 times, with only .004% of the hashtags resulting in a modelling gig. In addition, the modelling industry has had to shift its focus to social media, prioritizing a model’s followers over a strong walk. Now, models are not only seen in ads and magazines, but they reach their audience through their instagram posts, documenting their most glamorous moments as well as their least; which still seem pretty glamourous. Brands are willing to pay up to $300,000 for their products and clothes to be featured in the feeds of “supermodels” Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. Having more followers can lead to additional paychecks and can also help you land jobs; casting directors now narrow their search down to girls with more than X amount of followers, banking on the increased exposure they’ll receive. From backstage make-up selfies to moments on the runway and sneak-peaks of magazine shoots, their brand will be seen by far more people than if it were simply a print ad or runway show. In the new era of Instagram models, fame and followers compound; the more followers you have, the more gigs you get; the more gigs you get, the more followers you gain, the more money you make, and so on. More and more people are exposed to the flashy industry, drawing them in and making them wish they were a part of it. The lives of today’s models seem to consist of first class flights to luxury destinations and flings with famous singers; the gritty reality of long days, incessant dieting, bad pay, and constant rejection is overlooked. Being discovered is still somewhat about luck, but social media platforms like Instagram now gives average people more agency, more hope, thinking they have what it takes and they will be found. More often than not, it ends up disappointing and the wannabe models fall asleep on their couch, scrolling through their newsfeed. While giving the appearance of opening up the fashion industry, in reality the social media based scouting narrows it down to the already famous, and maybe the lucky few who get noticed through a hashtag.

Photos: The Front Row View, Style Bistro, Evening Standard, Pinterest, Chic Management, E Online, Quixote’s Surreality, Models.com, Twitter, Wikipedia

n the modern age of social media turned marketing tool, fashion companies have entered into the double-tapped and shared playing field. The traditional advertising days of paper ads and billboards have been stepped over to enter into the modern era, with celebrity product placements, targeted ads, and social media influences taking the forefront. Today’s companies have found ruthless means of sabotage and overcome one another for the widest influence reach, like some companies sending competitor’s handbags to undesirable arms. The power of invisible influences also play a role in shaping consumer behavior, both with endorsements by celebrity style icons and targeted native content advertising. However, today’s consumers have also found ways to avoid and limit visibility of often over-the-top advertisements. Through ad-blocking applications, consumers also contribute to the disruption of traditional advertising means. With the heat of competition allowing today’s cold-blooded companies to disrupt traditional advertising channels, today’s consumers have adapted to the advertising climate, creating further disruption in the industry. NPR’s podcast, Hidden Brain’s, episode titled “Snooki

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and the Handbag” chronicles this disruption to traditional advertising. With excerpts from researcher Jonah Berger’s book Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior, the podcast details the alternative, and arguably savage, advertising techniques big companies have used on cast members of The Jersey Shore. Abercrombie and Fitch offered to pay Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino to not wear their clothing, and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was sent a Gucci bag allegedly by a competing luxury designer. As Jonah Berger says on the show, “it turns out influence is very much like a magnet it attracts us, but it just as well repels us.” With customary product placement, one normally imagines a “Mean Girls army pants and flip-flops” moment, where a consumer buys a product because some celebrity they idolize wore it. In the case of this modern disrupted advertising and Jonah Berger’s point, this hidden influence works in both ways – consumers will buy what those they idolize are wearing and avoid buying things that people they do not want to associate with wear or use. Likewise, the invisibility of influence also shows itself in increased technological savviness of today’s compa-

DISRUPTED

BY KATHRYN HICKS

ADVERTISING

Photos: BEJW, Celebitchy, CloudPix

nies, specifically with regards to native content advertising. By creating advertisements that look like the content of the website on which they are advertised, companies shape consumer culture with promotions that at first do not appear as an advertisement. For example, these advertisements may appear as a news story on the New York Times digital front page or as the latest Buzzfeed list of memes. By targeting consumers in this way, companies epitomize the invisibility of Jonah Berger’s “invisible influences.” With consumers often initially unaware that examples of native content advertising is in fact an advertisement, they remain susceptible to these hidden influences of modern day consumerism. As is the case with celebrity product placement, with consumers not noticing that their purchasing patterns are shaped by those in the limelight, consumers may not be able to consciously avoid these new-age advertising strategies. However, the modern age of technology has allowed consumers to avoid some of the older and more traditional means of advertising, through applications that allow ad-blocking. By installing these apps on their computers and even phones, consumers circumvent certain advertisements from entering their sphere of influence. Although typically for the obnoxious pop-up

and side of the web page advertisements, the consumer ability to install these apps also disrupts advertising. By blocking certain channels of content, consumer behavior forces companies to get cleverer with how they advertise, thus allowing the more invisible native content and product placement methods of advertising to exist. Ultimately, consumers and companies alike contribute to the almost cyclic disruption of traditional channels of advertising in today’s consumer culture. In a day subconsciously obsessed with social image and trends, the invisibility of influence is almost inevitable. These disrupted means of advertising, with cutthroat competition emerging as native content ads and savagery in celebrity product placements, can be thought of as a means for companies to overcome consumers abilities to block the more traditional means of advertisement. Harping on the power of these hidden influencing forces and driven by consumers’ ability to block content, companies today take advantage of consumer culture, placing advertisements that do not initially appear as ads and fighting each other in the celebrity sphere.

Photos: Emen, Lipstick Alley, Pinterest, Square One

THE SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF CONSUMERISM

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By Yamini Nambimadom

hen you’re heading up to the cash register, clutching the pair of rose mauve wide-leg pants you’ve been eyeing for weeks, it’s easy to think that all you’re paying for is fashion. You want to believe all you’re paying for is fashion. For a great outfit to wear to a concert, an eye-catching Instagram post, a winning first-impression. But the brands whose pockets we’re filling aren’t just arbitrary names or logos. These companies are controlled by people— people whose ideologies and intentions may be in conflict with our own. The simple fact of the matter is that fashion is not neutral political territory, and if we want to be ethical consumers, we need to be cautious about whose agendas we’re funding. Sometimes it’s obvious, and the market catches on. In the summer of 2012, Adidas released promotional imagery for their JS Roundhouse Mid sneakers, designed by well-renowned designer Jeremy Scott. The shoes featured a purple body and orange and black accents, including, most notably, orange rubber shackles, attached to the ankles by thick chains. Upon releasing these photos, Adidas was met with protest from various people online, as well as Reverend Jesse Jackson, who called the shoes an “attempt to commercialize and make popular more than 200 years of human degradation, where blacks were considered three-fifths human by our Constitution”. Adidas & Jeremy Scott acknowledged the insensitivity, and pulled the product from the marketplace. However, not every brand has been so transparent with their controversies. The much loved mall brand Urban Outfitters takes in roughly three billion dollars in revenue annually, but the people behind the retro bohemian style empire have profited off shifty ethical practices. Its president and CEO has donated over fourteen thousand dollars to anti-LGBTQ organizations and individuals, which is shocking considering much of the company’s consumer base consists of young adults and teenagers, many of whom are allies

or LGBTQ themselves. Even further, the brand’s products have offended a multitude of ethnic and cultural populations, including black, Irish, Jewish, and Mexican people. They’ve also been known to sell clothing normalizing gun violence, eating disorders and substance abuse, all of which is beyond unethical. The brand makes its money off of unethical behaviors and disrespect, yet people flock to its over 400 stores worldwide, eager to achieve the coveted kitschy, “hipster” style. There’s a problem in this. We need to start putting our money where our mouth is. Those dark wash distressed boyfriend jeans? We can buy them somewhere else. This issue of consumer ethics has been relevant for years, but it has skyrocketed since the recent election of Donald Trump. A campaign called #GrabYourWallet emerged online, encouraging shoppers to abstain from buying from vendors affiliated with Donald Trump. His daughter and vocal supporter, Ivanka, whose clothing and shoe line was sold in several department stores, has become one of the campaign’s main targets. Prior to her work campaigning for her father, Ivanka was lauded for being an influential woman in business and for her book-in-progress, Women Who Work: Rewriting Success. However, after her public endorsement of a clearly misogynistic candidate and her failure to counter his hazardous anti-women policies, many became disillusioned with Ivanka as well. In recent weeks, sales for her line plunged dramatically, which led Nordstrom to cut her line, citing “poor performance”. Supporters of the #GrabYourWallet campaign view this as a major step on the path to more conscious consumerism. Although it’s easy to think a cute pair of heels or a designer crop top is just a fashion statement, sometimes a simple credit card swipe at a cash register can be a donation or a backing of an ideology, and if one wishes to be a conscious consumer, it is imperative that they do their research to avoid buyer hypocrisy.

Photos: Oak + Fort, Style by Fire, Time Out, Studio Faculty, Daily Hive Vancouver

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Features Editor Olivia Jia sits down with Lauren Kam of Oak + Fort, based in Vancouver.

OJ: What informs your design philosophy? Is there anything that inspires you in particular when conceptualizing the image of your store and products? LK: We focus on the essentials and appreciation for simplistic, yet thoughtful design. This philosophy is reflected in all aspects from our brand from our products, our editorial shoots, as well as our store interior design. We take inspiration from all forms of art, design, and architecture. OJ: Retail and fashion have become increasingly competitive markets. What distinguishes Oak and Fort from its peers? LK: Oak + Fortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinct aesthetic and style sets itself apart from other retailers. Our simplistic silhouettes brings attention to thoughtful design details and textured fabrics. From oversized basics, to statement silhouettes, and reimagined classics that borrow from menswear, our clothing pushes conventional boundaries while maintaining wearability and function. OJ: What is a milestone for your store or the brand in general that you are particularly proud of?

LK: We are thrilled to have introduced Oak + Fort to the USA market in the last couple of years. We are looking forward to opening more locations in the USA this year to continue our expansion in North America. We are also delighted to have ventured into homeware - launching Oak + Fort Home in Fall 2016. Oak + Fort Home was a natural progression for Oak + Fort as it reflects our brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on lifestyle. OJ: Who is Oak and Fortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideal customer? LK: We envision the Oak + Fort customer to be an individual that finds beauty and appreciation in simple design forms. The Oak + Fort customer is unique, creative and inspired. OJ: Do you have any advice for young people interested in pursuing fashion, design, or retail as a career? LK: Be curious and always ask questions. Strive to continue learning from others and from work that inspires you to achieve greater and self improve.

shine bright

Jewelry: Robert Lee Morris Photography: Albert Nam Beauty: Michelle De Porto, Andie Fialkoff & Saylor Soinski Models: Kathryn Hicks, Lizzie Hunpatin, Rachel Sally & Saylor Soinski

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ECONOMIES OF STYLE

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Clothes: Buffalo Exchange 1478 N Milwaukee Ave Photography: Yamini Nambimadon Models: Violet Sorrentino, Andrew Omehe, Tommy Zhang & Khephren Chambers Stylists: Paige Resnick, Stefan Tesliuc & Maxime Kpangbai

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ALL AT ONCE Photography: Daniel Chae Clothes: Oak + Fort 1715 N Damen Ave, Chicago IL Models: Maria Kollaros & Santiago Ruiz Extras: Vivian Barclay, Jordan Young, Kelsey Peterson, Jocelyne Munoz, Bethany Ko, Darien Dey, Ruby Ross & Phuca Nguyen Stylists: Christy Cheng, Sarah Eikenberry, Igolo Obi & Leon Chin

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