Armour Magazine Issue 15

ARMOUR MAGAZINE ISSUE 15

FALL 2015

PUBLIC IMAGE, PUBLIC SPACE ARMOUR BARBOUR URBAN x SUBURBAN FRESH FACED SKATE AND THE CITY

“ FAS H I O N I S T H E A R M O U R TO S U RV I V E T H E R E A L I T Y O F E V E R Y D AY L I F E .

T O D O A W AY W I T H F A S H I O N W O U L D B E L I K E D O I N G A W AY W I T H C I V I L I Z AT I O N .

“ Bill Cunningham

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

A S S T. E D I T O R S

CHARLOTTE JONES GRANT PHILLIPS L I LY S U L L I VA N

DANA BERGER

EDITORS

A S S T. D E S I G N D I R E C T O R S

AVIVA MANN P R I YA N K A R E D DY LUKE SUMMERLIN

CLIODHNA DILL

KLARA KOBYLINSKI ELLA YOUNG

SABRINA ROBERTS

A S S T. P H O T O G R A P H Y D I R E C T O R S

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN

J OAC H I M VAT U R I

JACQUELINE PIFER

GRACE WANG

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

A S S T. M A R K E T I N G D I R E C T O R GRACE GILBERT

LEAH NORDMAN A S S T. W E B D I R E C T O R

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

TESS MANDOLI

PAULINA GALLAGHER A S S T. FA S H I O N E D I T O R

DIRECTOR OF WEB

KARALENA DAVIS

STEFANI REY

FASHION EDITOR AMANDA BASS

CONTRIBUTORS O L I V E R B A LTA Y

TA L I A L A I F E R

BRYNNE SWEARINGEN

MEREDITH BICKETT

SANG–JIN LEE

LORING TELLEEN

E M I LY B L U E D O R N

GRACIE LIU

JANE THIER

HANNAH BLUMER

ABBEY MAXBAUER

C R I STA L T H O M A S

ANNIE BUTLER

COPELAND MCCARTER

L I N D SAY T R ACY

MAX FISHER

M A D E L I N E M O N TOYA

ALICE WANG

L I N DA K AT E G I L B R E AT H

AMANDA REITER

GRACE WANG

REBECCA GITOMER

JENNA SCHNITZLER

LY R I E W A N G

M AC K AY H A R E

MICHAEL SCHUMEISTER

EMILIA WEINBERG

K I M AYA H E M D E V

CAIT SCHWARTZ

BONNER WILLIAMS

LAUREN HUENNEKENS

DOMINIQUE SENTEZA

A L I C I A YA N G

ALEXIS HUTCHINSON

MADDY SHERMAN

R E B E C CA YA N G

EMMA KINTISCH

ASHLEY SHIELDS

CAL YOUNG

N ATA L I E K I S S

MAELA SINGH

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS A N E X P LO R AT I O N OF PUBLIC IMAGE, PUBLIC SPACE

Over the summer we realized we needed to do something differently. From anonymous commentary to pointed remarks, we knew our detractors existed. It would have been easy to write them off. But examining their critiques proved more valuable.

While we wanted to hold on to armour’s history, collaborative nature, multi-talented staff, and connection to WashU’s community, we knew it was time to re-anchor armour in the values we cared most about, and the ones we knew we could uphold. So from now on, we’re not going to be your authority on trends. We aren’t going to tell you if you can wear navy and black together and we won’t grimace no matter how many patterns you mix.

We’ve spent countless hours skyping this summer from California, St. Louis, and New York to affirm we need to look to you, not Vogue, in order to become the magazine WashU deserves. As a staff we’ve made a commitment to content that asserts a point of view and editorial spreads that surprise. We’ve transitioned our quarterly publication schedule into a bi-annual, expanding the magazine and extending the time spent handling layout and editing.

When we sat down as a group to discuss this upcoming issue we found ourselves translating the significance of Armour’s public

image to the importance of St. Louis’s. With staff members majoring across International Area Studies, Communication Design, Economics, Marketing, and American Culture Studies, our whiteboard quickly filled with ideas ranging from commentary on unisex clothing brands to scavenging the Goodwill outlet. As we brainstormed we considered the compelling relationship between public image and public space, and as we crossed off and circled items on the board, we found that we weren’t really talking about fashion.

Instead, we were talking about style. From cultural trends to interactions with urban infrastructure, we found ourselves drawn to aesthetics, in every shape and form, and how individuals engage with and appropriate them to reflect their lifestyles and relationships.

So if you like fashion, read this issue. If you hate fashion, read this issue. We’re back as armour, WashU’s style and culture publication.

Charlotte, Grant, and Lily

CONTENTS 11

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Presenting some members of the class of 2019

$11 and a dream

High art vs. pop culture

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Exploring current male hairstyle trends at V Vegaz Salon

Step aside, Converse

An argument against

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The dreamfolk

Fantich and Young

Fresh Faced

Armour Barbour

Music: Neighbors

Goodwill Hunting

The New Sneaker Culture

Projects + Gallery

Free the Nipple

Faux Fur

Getting Dressed as a Feminist An open letter

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St. Louis’s Adapting Community

A peek into the studio spaces of four Sam Fox students

Featuring the clothing of St. Louis label Wai Ming

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Jewelry and a live reptile

A glimpse at Community Building

Styling inspired by pieces from campus’ art museum

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Styles & Spaces, simplified

Our photos meet Sam Fox designers

A Sam Fox professor’s take on the cover of Armour

Skate and the City

Urban Space: Asking the Right Questions

Spaces

Creative Profiles

Kemper x Clothes

Manipulative

Warrior Woman

Snakes on a Page

Armour by Artist

what is ?

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Sometimes it’s unclear.

Armor, armoire, armooyer, what is it really? We have found that it can be a lot of things. So let’s not get too caught up in the details.

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Can of Armour: Vienna Sausage THIS PAGE

Suit of Armour, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Armour, South Dakota Population 700, Under Armour Advertisement, Armour Factory, Chicago, IL 9

OUR MANIFESTO Armour’s pages provide a space for celebration, a respite from exams and boredom. Our photos and words contain beautiful ideas, ugly truths, things worn in and brand new. We are more than students with social media profiles and caffeine addictions. We are storytellers, listeners, movers, and shakers. Photoshop is not fashion. Vogue doesn’t know everything and style isn’t about spending money.

We want our style to be synonymous with your life - and the interests, hobbies, work, and words that come along with it. So don’t be a stranger. We want to get to know you.

We are armour.

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FRESH FACED THROUGH AN OPEN CASTING CALL WE INTRODUCE SOME MEMBERS OF THE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY 0 1C 9 E D F CRL AE SSS HO F F2 A I S AHSEHR I N G T O N I N T photography R O D U C I N GM TA HX E F W UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 2019

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Jessie Colston Alex Kunze Andrew Maxwell

Sang-Jin Lee Rachel Jackson Reede Goldberg

Audrey Palmer Rahul Oza Maya St. Clair

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TOP:

MIDDLE:

BOTTOM:

Nick Ravazzolo

Jia Yu Hong

Joachim Vaturi

Annie Butler

Mackay Hare

Maddy Sherman

William Eucker

Lyrie Wang

Noah Truwit

Lynette Chen

Madeline Montoya

Max Fisher

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photography J O A C H I M V A T U R I

ARMOUR BARBOUR T H E H A N D I W O R K O F B I L LY AT V V E G A Z SALON ON THE DELMAR LOOP

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THE FADE

Starting from the neck and ears, length increases as the cut moves up to the top of the head.

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written by O L I V E R B A L T A Y

B

etween man buns, braids and ponies, it’s evident that longer hairstyles are trending on men. I fully support experimentation, but for many guys, long hair isn’t practical. While man buns and braids are currently in style, the most popular men’s haircut is still just that: a cut. For those who aren’t growing their hair out, the monthly process of going to the barber can be more complicated than it seems. For many, the most difficult part is simply choosing your cut. For those of you who are struggling, here are a few classics:

THE FADE

Perfect for those with thick or curly hair, the fade is tight to the head with barely any length. Starting from the neck and ears, length increases as the cut moves up to the top of the head. Hence, the name fade. If you want to look like Drake or Kanye, this is the cut for you.

THE HIGH AND TIGHT

Reminiscent of a military cut, the high and tight keeps things clean on the sides, but allows for more length on the top. Often parted to one side, this cut is simple and bound to make your grandmother proud. It tends to look best with some product, but can also work without.

THE EURO CUT

Often seen on the soccer pitch, the Euro Cut is short on the sides and long on the top. First popularized in Europe, it can now be seen all over the world. The length is often combed straight back over the top. Although stylish and sleek, this cut requires daily maintenance; being a hybrid between short and long hair, it can sometimes get messy.

Beyond the hairstyle itself, quality barbers who can help select your cut and execute your vision are not a dime a dozen. In a world of SuperCuts and GreatClips you can easily end up with regrettable styling. Earning a barber’s qualifications demands 1500 hours of training – 550 more than required of a police officer. To get the best cut possible, it is essential to find a barber who is proud of their expertise. We decided to showcase Billy the Barber at V Vegaz Salon, due to his years of hairstyling experience and commitment to quality. An expert with the clippers, Billy’s passion for cutting hair is backed by his talent. He won’t let you leave until you look your best. Never short on an interesting story, Billy will take his time with your hair, but keep you entertained while doing it. Located on the Delmar Loop, V Vegaz is a great option for WashU students.

Now that you know where to go and what to ask for, you need a reason to get moving. Man buns and other long hairstyles may turn heads, but they require effort to get that attention. If you aren’t a morning person, they might limit your ability to roll out of bed ten minutes before your first class. My personal recommendation would be to give routine haircuts a shot. Barbers like Billy have impressive experience and insight into male hairstyles. I encourage you to get rid of your split ends while helping your local barber earn their keep.

THE EURO CUT

First popularized in Europe, it is now seen all over the world.

The length is often combed straight back over the top.

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models E R I K C A R L S O N , R J D O R O , SAM FLASTER, JIMMY QIAO

THE HIGH AND TIGHT

Reminiscent of a military cut, the high and tight keeps things clean on the sides, but allows for more length on the top.

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NEIGHBORS THEY’RE BACK IN TOWN AND DOING BETTER THAN EVER. NEIGHBORS TALKS MUSIC INFLUENCES, FASHION, AND HOW THEY GOT STARTED.

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THE DREAMFOLK written by G R A C E G I L B E R T photos by P A U L I N A G A L L A G H E R

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to stumble upon one of their lunchtime gigs at the DUC, you know about Neighbors.

Rohan Shirali, Will Hunersen, Logan Busch, Ari Allen and graduated senior Tyler Frank make up eclectic student band Neighbors. Each come from a musical backgrounds, and four out of the five members even sing as part of all-male acapella group The Stereotypes. Neighbors all share the role of vocals, keeping their performances fresh and innovative, and they employ the sounds of the saxophone, guitar, bass and cajón drum.

Armour was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with Neighbors, accompanied by their sweet sounds and charming personalities.

The formation of the band was a very organic process. “It was summer of 2013, we were all in St. Louis for the summer and we love music so we would hang out on the back porch of the Stype house and jam every once in a while,” Will explains. After being approached to perform gigs at the DUC, they decided to establish themselves as a band. “There was a pivotal moment where we made

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the transition from just hanging out and playing music to being a band. We were jamming on the back porch… it’s a very open space so there were a lot of people that could hear us…we were playing and somebody was trying to get our attention. They said, ‘Hey, can you guys stop playing?’ and we were like ok, and they were like, ‘Wait—but could you come over here and play instead?’ They were having a little barbecue and they wanted us to play some music for them.” This

“We like to say we are an indie band with electronic dreams, AKA electronic dreamfolk.” experience served as inspiration for their name, Neighbors. “In a way those are the Neighbors that we are referring to, they kind of embody that neighborly spirit for us,” Will tells Armour. Neighbors quote Milo Greene and Lake Street Dive as their biggest musical influences. As for their musical aesthetic, Rohan explains,

“We play indie-ish sounds but we sometimes cover electronic songs too. So we like to say that we are an indie band with electronic dreams, AKA electronic dreamfolk.” It’s the creativity of their covers that makes Neighbors unique. “More than half of covers because it’s just so quick and it’s fun and people recognize it. We make the covers our own and give them our own sound.” Rohan continues. Logan adds, “I think we’re feeling more comfortable with the sound we have right now.”

And Neighbors did not fail to disappoint— throughout Armour’s backyard concert they performed impressive covers, from Enrique Iglesias’ “Dancing en Español” to pop hits such as “Where R U Now” by Justin Bieber and “I Can’t Feel My Face” by the Weeknd. Will says, “I See Fire is actually probably my favorite right now-we do the Kygo remix version,” and their spin the Ed Sheeran song was particularly innovative in their set. Neighbors also loves to improvise and create songs on the spot, which they performed for us in their gig. “We make up the words, we make up everything. Tyler will scat, Ari will play his sax, Logan will make up a

story about the South…Whiskey always works its way into there,” Rohan says.

Apart from musical style, the members of Neighbors also each have their own personal fashion styles. “Usually I’ll just wear plain colored t shirts and jeans or shorts. Funky socks are a big part of my wardrobe,” Rohan explains. “I guess I’m finding myself wearing a lot more ‘skater’ clothes nowadays. I’ve been I’ve been redubbed “Skater Boy” in the Stereotypes,” chuckles Logan. His newly side shaved hair is also a key part of his style.

“It came out of a summer art project I guess…I’m having fun with it,” he adds.

Ari emphasizes comfort with his look, telling us that “Socks are big, definitely socks. Sometimes just for comfort pajama pants are nice.” In contrast to Ari’s style, Will says “I wear a lot of my dad’s old clothes from when he was in college.

I kind of switch between dad clothing and fratty clothing. I have a very eclectic closet.” Tyler has a very flexible approach to fashion: “It depends on the season of course. In the summer I love wearing tanks. I love wearing different colors and pastels, I like light colors with different

embroidery. I just like to diversify my wardrobe…it all depends on the occasionwhether I’m partying, going out to bars or just chilling and relaxing on a regular day.” The different fashion aesthetics of Neighbors adds to the fresh, fun dynamic of the band, with no two members sharing the same style. At the moment, the boys of Neighbors are having fun and being creative in the process. “There was a point in our career where we just lost interest and died out a little bit, and it’s because we weren’t having as much fun…

We viewed it more of work than as play, but when we got back together we realized that it was actually fun. That’s when we got the energy to learn new stuff and get out there and play music for people,” Logan explains. That’s what it comes down to for Neighbors: remembering that it all started with casual jam sessions on a back porch, similar to the way in which Armour collaborated with the boys to put together the backyard concert—one that embodied the playful, creative spirit that Neighbors is all about.

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Skate and the City: St. Louis’s Adapting Community written by G R A N T P H I L L I P S photography L E A H N O R D M A N

A hidden skater’s oasis once existed here in St. Louis. Skateboard wheels rolled over rounded concrete, traversing a hidden landscape of gray banks, ledges, and bowls. Overhead the rumble of unknowing cars shook the crumbling South Kingshighway Viaduct.

Today the bridge’s support pillars are still painted blue and patterned with graffiti tags, decorating this underground community.

Of course this is a romanticized image but one can’t resist exploring the possibility of skating as the foundation of a mini alternative-utopia. Street skate culture grew up on the periphery, without access to skate parks. Urban infrastructure was the original playground, and establishments posted “NO SKATE” signs accordingly. This context has bred a proud DIY mentality;

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causing the most vibrant skate communities to establish themselves in cities’ overlooked nooks. Famous skate parks such as the Burnside in Portland and the FDR in Philadelphia were cobbled together by unsanctioned volunteer efforts.

This resourceful mindset is particularly strong in St. Louis. While the city has just built its first official park, the Peter Mathews Memorial Skate Park, it has had a semi-official skate community living under the South Kingshighway Viaduct for years. This was the place that St. Louis skaters called home. Unfortunately on July 6th the bridges’ demolition began, simultaneously taking down the concrete canvas it protected. The bridge, which some dubiously claim was built by Mayans, was indeed very old.

While the destruction of the skate park could be seen as the end, the community surrounding the Kingshighway Viaduct made it an opportunity. The Kingshighway Skateboarding group created their own nonprofit KHTV and began collecting funds on gofundme.com as well as gathering materials through Craigslist.

Now they have an official park that is a new city landmark.

Whether the new space will capture the same feel as the old one is yet to be seen. The ability of this skate community to build upon itself, adding value and style to the spaces it touches is a powerful testament to commitment and adaption to changing urban landscapes.

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FEATURED NEIGHBORHOODS:

F E AT U R E D N E I G H B O R H O O D S :

McRee town, Botanical Heights, Peabody Project housing, Hamilton Heights (Wellston Loop), The Hill, Ferguson, Newtown

McRee town, Botanical Heights, Peabody Project housing, Hamilton Heights (Wellston Loop), The Hill, Ferguson, Newtown

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Urban Space: Asking the Right Questions A glimpse at Community Building

written by A V I V A M A N N photography A V I V A M A N N , G R A N T P H I L L I P S ,

SHANE ROSSI, WILL SUN

We make conscious decisions every day. Where we live, how we get to work, and which clothes we put on in the morning are all reflections of our personal values. While we control these daily actions, other decisions we make leave certain groups and neighborhoods without agency. Our built environment’s aesthetics and functionality profoundly impact our attitudes and daily way of life; they affect whom we interact with and whom we segregate ourselves from—a concept one unconventional WashU class seeks to explore.

Bob Hansman and Andrew Raimist’s Community Building class in the Sam Fox architecture school meets in the living room of a house on Forsyth Boulevard. In a combination of class time, extensive field trips to St. Louis’s neighborhoods, weekly movie screenings, and outside attendance to community events, we discuss the many ways our built environment influences the city’s social fabric. Providing a snapshot into the overarching themes and issues we engage with in this class, this spread is meant to pose questions about how St. Louis’ infrastructure has influenced the social lives of St. Louisians since its inception.

Once a city with a booming population and active downtown, St. Louis struggles to revitalize today. In class we became intimate with key historical events such as the City/County Great Divorce, major waves of African American migration, white flight, and both public and private housing developments such as Pruitt Igoe and Levittowns respectively. Having acquired this comprehensive understanding of historical movements and policy, we are compelled to ask difficult questions in the pursuit of future answers.

Where are the dividing lines between neighborhoods?

Where are we together? Are we included? Are we excluded?

Are we private? Are we sharing? Who is we?

Where are fences?

Are there walkable sidewalks?

Must we own a car to navigate this community?

Are there welcome signs, or rather, security signs on every doorstep?

This class teaches us how to analyze infrastructural planning from an objective point of view. For every initiative, there are multiple perspectives, regardless of which ones get airtime.

While President Eisenhower touted his highway expansion initiative as a job creator, this project built many of St. Louis’s largest highways along class and race lines, therefore both socially and physically constructing segregation.

The 1947 slum clearance and urban renewal theories and initiatives in downtown Mill Creek Valley rested on a specific definition of what needed to be “cleaned up”. Some considered the existing downtown to be a thriving, navigable community filled with businesses. Its critics viewed the downtown as an impoverished slum, ridden with unsanitary conditions and eyesores. Due to the predominantly African American communities occupying these slums, race could not be extricated from the conversation and debate surrounding slum rehabilitation. Is it racist to leave the slums or tear them down, displacing the pre-existing community living there? With multiple voices and opinions, is planning the right way even possible?

During our tour of Laclede’s Landing, Bob sat us down on the sidewalk of a cobblestone road by the river. While we discussed the various ways to observe cobblestone roads, I pushed myself to ask what my previous conceptions of cobblestones were.

Initially I had a positive perspective, they have nice aesthetic appeal and are environmentally friendly. However just as I was sure of my opinions, a woman in a wheelchair tried to cross the street. Her husband pushing her from behind, the simple task of crossing grew increasingly difficult as the wheels on her chair became lodged between stones. It was as if Bob had staged the interaction for our class. The woman fought back tears and her elderly husband struggled for breath. Witnessing this manifestation of a perspective different from my initial opinions humbled me. So we kept asking questions in search of answers.

How can we design streets to accommodate as many people as possible? What is the built solution? And most importantly, how can we achieve it?

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6637 A GLIMPSE OF ONE WASHU UNDERGRADUATE ’S TRANSLATION OF HER INTERESTS AND AESTHETIC INTO HER APARTMENT’S INTERIOR

photography P A U L I N A G A L L A G H E R

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GOODWILL HUNTING IN WHICH ARMOUR SPENT $11 AT EVERYONE ’S FAVORITE DISCOUNT SHOP AND HAD A PHOTOSHOOT

photography G R A N T P H I L L I P S , L I L Y S U L L I V A N model E R I K R O O S E N D A H L

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COMMON PROJECTS

All Common Projects shoes carry a serial number made just for that pair, as well as the European size number.

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“WE DIDN’T WANT TO WEAR CONVERSE ANYMORE” written by L U K E S U M M E R L I N photography M A X F I S H E R

While walking through New York’s East Village this summer, I couldn’t stop watching peoples’ feet. The Brooklyn Museum calls sneakers a “global obsession” in their recent “Rise of the Sneaker Culture” exhibit. To me, this rings true. Every time I went outside, I found myself paying special attention to passerby’s shoes. While at first I started counting reoccurring brands like Vans and Adidas, I began to notice sleeker, subtler brands hidden among the sea of Stan Smiths and Sk8-Hi’s. My interest first sparked with Common Projects.

Common Projects is a collaboration between two Italian designers who coincidentally met each other in New York’s very own East Village. They strive to create sneakers “inspired by the lines and shapes of everyday objects.” Their premise demands only the finest materials and techniques used in their shoes’ production and their only branding remains the serial number emblazoned on each shoe’s heel. I quickly began to recognize that serial number everywhere I went. The CPs’ Achilles Low (think high quality Vans) ran the city—some days I saw as many as ten pairs on my fifteen-minute commute.

The more I paid attention, the more I recognized the prominence of high quality sneaker brands. In addition to Common Projects, I noticed many Balenciagas, Svenssons, ETQs and the occasional Saint Laurents. What stands out to me the most was their lack of branding. Unlike other expensive shoes, like Air Jordans, these shoes generally exhibit no logo. Jordans, Lebrons, Yeezy’s and other “fashion oriented” basketball shoes all follow trends, thus their legacy is shortlived – forcing them to rely on their branding. For this reason, anyone will recognize a pair of these shoes on the street as a status symbol.

On the other hand, the simplicity of Common Projects and other high quality brands makes these sneakers timeless. Let it beheir elegant appearance, brand equity or confidence I feel while wearing exclusive shoes, high quality sneakers are taking over the footwear game. Even Brooklyn’s Museum describes them as an “urban icon”.

When I wear my Common Projects, I like to think that I am making a style statement that only others who appreciate this niche fashion understand. I trade the ubiquitous Nike logo for a subtlety that to me speaks loudly. I feel deliberate with my simplicity and true to my commitment to quality. But at the end of the day, maybe I’m just giving into the consumerism of wearing $400 sneakers.

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BALENCIAGA

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YVES SAINT LAURENT

SVENNSON

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PROJECTS + GALLERY photos courtesy of P R O J E C T S + G A L L E R Y

On view from November 6th to December 23rd, consider stopping by Projects+Gallery to experience a new location and to engage with St. Louis’ art community.

Settled between Llywelyn’s Pub and Centro Modern Furnishings, Projects+Gallery’s Central West End location exists to “blur the boundaries of traditionally understood artistic disciplines and practices.” Founded in 2014, the commercial art space highlights provocative exhibitions that tease the distinction between fashion and art. Susan Barrett of artistic consulting company, Barrett Barrera Projects and Dorte Probstein, active member of the St. Louis arts community, manage the space to determine visiting installations. Committed to contemporary, multi-medium content, their upcoming exhibition, “Apex Predator | Darwinian Voodoo” won’t disappoint.

Presenting work from London-based artistic duo, Mariana Fantich & Dominic Young, this installation is “the first solo presentation of the artists’ new collection” and marks its maiden visit to the United States. As stated in Projects+Gallery’s press release, Fantich and Young draw “on a belief system centered on supernatural ceremonial ritual, the Apex Predator collection features male and female ceremonial attire customized with human hair, bones and eyes.” Featuring “shoes, accessories and perfume laden with thousands of dentures” this installation showcases “Fantich & Young’s ability to effectively merge the creative disciplines of fine art, design and fashion.”

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OPEN STUDIO FEATURING THE PERSONAL STYLE OF FOUR UNIQUE , CREATIVE ARTISTS IN SAM FOX UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE SCHOOLS

written by T A L I A L A I F E R photography S A N G - J I N L E E

ADARE BROWN BFA Architecture & Painting Class of 2016 www.adarebrown.com

Adare isn’t a typical Miami girl. The senior pursuing a dual degree in architecture and painting does not overly associate with her hometown. In fact, she doesn’t attach herself to any one association or expression. When discussing her art and her interest in installations, a common focus throughout her studies emerges: “re-presentation, as in a breakdown of representation. The way objects move through history, evolve, and disintegrate and change through people’s different interpretations.” When asked, Adare couldn’t give a word or expression to describe herself or her artwork. Instead, she lets her work speak for itself, and lets others create their own interpretations. Currently working on figurative work, she paints different forms and figures, often leaving these pieces unfinished. Instead of physical models, Adare uses either her imagination or inspiration from other artists to inspire these figures. This process directly aligns with Adare’s hesitation to define herself. Her work, her installations, and even her personality and personal style, are left up to others’ understandings. She lets her artistic interest in the “way things materially break down and are perceived” seep into other aspects of her life. She claims that her “style isn’t aligned with [her] work,” because she aims for a “generic” style, but she has a unique personal style that she may or may not feel comfortable defining.

Her striking haircut, minimalist clothing items, and work boots create an enticing ensemble, and leave others wanting to learn more about Adare the artist, the architect, and the individual. As a student tackling a formidable dual degree program and coming back to WashU as a fifth–year senior, Adare still manages to maintain an easygoing attitude towards her work. Her work conceptually integrates with her installations, and her installation– oriented perspective leads how she paints and operates. While Adare lives in the Co-op, she finds like most art students, the majority of her time is spent in studio rather than her bedroom.

However, with a large painting of an unfinished model, denim dress smock hung on an old wire hanger, stacks of figure paintings, and in the corner her cozy deck, Adare’s studio reminds me of a comfortable gallery. Entering her studio, Adare is nearly consumed by her large canvases and models. However, for someone who may not share much about herself, her work and personal style communicate her talents extremely well.

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“

Pe o p l e t h i n k o f [ a r c h i t e c t u r e ] as a high, lofty art. I think it should be about working with the people.

�

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WILL SUN BFA Architecture Class of 2018 instagram.com/not_wilson

A sophomore architecture major, Will Sun is straightforward and pragmatic. In reference to his style, Will explains that architects have to be very practical, and “not as free as artists.” However, when it comes to his aesthetic, Will isn’t restrained by any guidelines both inside and out of the studio. “I’m the only person using color in the whole architecture studio. There hasn’t been a precedent for this before.” Will’s fearlessness in exploring beyond the typical realm of architecture works for him. His mid-semester project features the lights and shadows reflected off an of orange color, while the studio’s remaining projects are starkly white. This brightly oriented philosophy inspires Will’s work every day. “People think of [architecture] as a high, lofty art. I think it should be about working with the people,” he explains.

He believes his future in architecture has less to do with sitting in an isolated office and more to do with being a part of the community and talking to the people for whom he’s planning.

As for his local inspiration, Will is intrigued by St. Louis’s class and racial divides and wants to understand the architectural and political forces behind the city’s division. To do so he believes that working with architectural planners is a sound strategy.

According to Will, architecture doesn’t signify planning buildings.

Instead, it centers on “working with people’s lives.” Will aspires to be the classic architect’s near antithesis in every aspect of the job – with the exception of his personal style. Like any architect with a desk job, Will wears collared shirts every day, and he claims he has a penchant for unnecessarily overdressing in a lot of places. He is totally okay with that. He doesn’t like anything with brands or marks on it, preferring simple patterns and plain shirts. He even rotates the same style pants in eight different shades of red, blue, or khaki. Will tries to downplay his style, but his checked shirt, polka dot tie, and edgy desk design reveal that this budding architect is far from plain and simple. Between his inspiring plans for his future, quest for social knowledge through architecture, and easygoing persona and style, Will seamlessly meshes the two aspects of our school: research and creativity, through his work.

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“

I found printmaking exciting, because t h e r e ’s t h i s m o m e n t w h e n y o u ’ r e m a k i n g a print, put it through the press, and you have no idea [what will come out].

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SACHI NAGASE BFA Printmaking Class of 2017 sachinagase.com

Sachi, a junior from Normal, Illinois, epitomizes laidback style.

Inside her eerily large studio space in Bixby Hall, this printmaking major allowed us a peek into her most recent project. She informed us that the assignment mandated students create and follow their own “rules” for their work. Her personal rule required each piece to have 10 layers of print. Sachi claimed this process was one of being active and intuitively making marks at the press.

One of her main reasons for switching to printmaking as a major was her intent to become an active part of her work; in a different way from traditional art methods. “I found printmaking exciting, because there’s this moment when you’re making a print, put it through the press, and you have no idea [what will come out].”

Sachi says that printmaking is all about “removing an aspect of myself out of it. Letting it go.” This attitude also carries through to Sachi’s unique, personal style. We asked each of the featured artists to bring one material object that captures both their creative and personal style. Sachi brought an oversized, thrifted denim jacket. Sachi explains her rationale behind the purchase saying, “if I think about what I’m wearing in studio, it’s a mixture of comfort and movability. Things can get messy.” When asked how Sachi connects her style and printmaking, she says black and white compel her because the viewer can see the entire range in value between the two hues. With black and white, “you don’t have the baggage of working with color. There’s always a

reason for working with color,” she declares. Elaborating, she explains that people always make assumptions about color, assuming an artist’s use of red connects the piece with blood or passion. Bypassing these assumptions, Sachi lets her work and her style speak for itself, without the hassle of explaining how or why. Using black and white, Sachi lets “the material shine, without having ideas about what the color means.” Sachi’s easygoing persona comes across in her soothing works of art and simple style. Her art and style seem part of one cohesive personality, which easily comes across in her work, and in our conversation.

Her inspiration within printmaking and the need to physically create doesn’t stop in the studio. Sachi’s dream is to open up her own bakery, because she loves an element found in both art and cooking: creating with her hands. Before we finish speaking, I ask Sachi what clothing article really describes her, and she points to her Doc Marten boots. “I like the fact that they show either what I’m working on, or transformation of weather, and getting dirty again from the studio.” There’s an innate relationship between fashion and art, and even the simplest of artists wear their art and creative work with them everywhere they go through the trends and styles they decide to wear.

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KHALIL IRVING MFA Sculpture, Objects, & Mixed Media www.kahlilirving.wordpress.com

To say that Khalil’s studio space feels like a modern art museum would be an understatement. When entering his space, I felt consumed by commercialism in an impossibly identifiable way.

Almost instantly I noticed the center table, covered completely by forty unique sculpture vases. Khalil explains that these objects act as surrogates for people, because each one is different.

He continues by describing his plan for an installation next year with 500 of these vases, organized in a way that you cannot exit the installation until you have seen each and every vase. If Khalil’s work seems to be inspired by the Pop Art movement, one could argue his work is a step beyond history’s most famous popular cultural installments. After “living fifteen years now in St. Louis, I’ve learned what is popular culture. What is my cultural arena that I exist within.” To Khalil, pop is about a streamlined conversation beyond 1960’s abstraction. The dialogue needs to surround the relationship between commercialism and community. As a recent graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute, Khalil brings his certificate in “Social Practices” to life through his art, by engaging the artist in the community, and learning how the community deals with internal and external content. According to Khalil, “You really have to look at your environment to help make the change. And if you don’t look at it, you…perpetuate what has hurt all of us forever.” Between his work, embracing personality, and connection to St. Louis, Khalil makes his creativity even more powerful to those trapped within the WashU bubble. Although his Delmar Loop studio space is just minutes away from campus, it feels like a different city. Khalil engages important social issues through his work, dealing with the discrepancy between

objects of beauty fed to predominately black neighborhoods and the more commercialized definitions served to white neighborhoods. Two beauty advertisements, one for the “Hollywood Beauty” catalogue, the other a glossy ad for Michael Kors, hang side by side on Khalil’s inspiration wall. At this point in his art career, Khalil is no longer focusing on himself as an artist, but rather on himself as someone who engages with the community, and can make a difference through his art. When it came down to discussing his personal style, his unique look and style identification were par for the course. Correspondingly, Khalil’s material object he chose to connect his work and style was none other than his awesome hair. “This is six years of growing,” he boasts of his long locks. “My hair is up most of the time, because it’s crazy to deal with when I’m working. Moving forty vases is kinda hard. When I’m operating a masonry saw, my hair could likely get in the way.” Khalil’s style allows “room to breathe.” After meeting Khalil and seeing his studio space, his style and presence exactly corresponded to my mind’s illustration of the creative mind behind his media and sculpture installations. It would be impossible to step inside Khalil’s unique world of commercialism, culturally-focused pop art, and community-centric space and leave without feeling inspired to think outside of the self.

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KEMPER X CLOTHES photography M I C H A E L S C H U M E I S T E R model N A N C Y F A N G

Inspired by graphic design agency Patternity and fashion blogger Pari Ehsan, this editorial seeks to intersect art and fashion. An agency completely dedicated to “pattern exploration and implementation,” Patternity uses the realms of architecture, food, art and technology for inspiration. Named Instagrammer of the year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Pari Ehsan gained renown for her refreshing fashion interpretations of major works of art. Juxtaposing her curated outfits with museum installations or designed interiors, Pari again shows how style and aesthetic can transcend a single medium. Completely curated with pieces in WashU’s Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, we paired works of art with select outfits to demonstrate how color and shape can be translated across paint and textile.

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Berkeley #7 RICHARD DIEBENKORN

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DRESS

French Connection Ivy Hill Boutique

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Express RASHID JOHNSON

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COAT

French Connection Ivy Hill Boutique 56

Melencolia CHARLINE VON HEYL

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Rue du Temple-manuscrite JACQUES MAHÉ DE LA VILLEGLÉ

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MANIPULATIVE OUR PHOTOS THROUGH THE LENSES OF FOUR SAM FOX DESIGNERS

Shannon Levin

photography W I L L S U N model C A R L A B E G H I N

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Becca Christman

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Sang–Jin Lee

Mackay Hare

Free The Nipple written by A B B E Y M A X B A U E R illustration S A R A W O N G

When you first heard about the #freethenipple campaign, what was your reaction? Mine was confusion. Younger and less aware of feminist issues, I couldn’t grasp why women were fighting for the right to go topless sans censure. However, two years later, following parallel trajectories, the movement and my understanding have grown.

In case you haven’t yet learned about the movement, here is some food for thought: why is it that women’s nipples, while looking exactly the same as mens’, are censored and institutionally hidden? #freethenipple aims to eliminate the stigma that goes along with the female areola and give it the same liberty the male nipple has had for decades. For unless displayed through a “high work” of art, female nipples in media platforms are censored, including those published through Instagram. Any woman who posts topless photos with exposed nipples will have these photos removed. A recent campaign exposed the hypocrisy of this policy when women on Instagram photoshopped men’s nipples over their own in topless photos. A Buzzfeed article provided a platform for this trend to go viral, explained its origin (an instagram user posting a photo of a male nipple and suggesting that female users paste it over their own in order to post topless photos), and then embedded examples. None of the photos with male nipples photoshopped over topless women were taken down.

This movement has taken hold especially quickly in the fashion industry. In general, the industry has a large population of publically liberal designers whose careers depend on pushing the envelope. Their fans and clients share this liberal character and therefore find no issue in runway models wearing sheer tops without bras. When this nonevent inevitably occurs every season, the dominating focus always lies with the clothing. Journalists, bloggers and fashion critics choose to ignore or skim over the model’s exposed anatomy. As Shine By Three blogger Margaret w recently pointed out, it is more taboo to consciously cover up a model’s nipples than to show them, as demonstrated by fashion house Marchesa’s use of nude colored nipple pasties under a sheer dress in their Spring 2016 presentation. This action spurred everyone to inquire over the rationale behind the 64

nipples’ concealment. This commentary directly conflicted the one intended — the pasties were supposed to ensure the audience focused on the dress. But if visually apparent nipples are acceptable on runways, and have been for many seasons, when will they become acceptable as street style? Because audiences perceive runway shows as acts of great artistry, the nipple is viewed within the context of a traditional “work of art.” While becoming a more accepted form of aspirational style, street fashion still carries with it its popular culture past. Nipples within that sphere are viewed as promiscuous, not aesthetic.

As for #freethenipple on college campuses, the movement has yet to gain a massive following. Many students here at WashU support the movement ideologically, but in a passive manner.

No one is protesting topless outside the DUC, nor showing up to Milbrook’s pool without a bikini top. However, housed again within the context of “high works of art”, the special exhibitions at the Kemper Art Museum contain examples of progressive work near to campus. In the Rotation 2 exhibition, you will find a piece called Study for The Extra Nipple, by Jeanne Dunning. A photograph, it depicts a woman looking to the left of the camera lens, apathetically sticking her tongue out, with a nipple photoshopped onto her tongue. While the photo is provocative, the artist constructed it in a way to appear nearly natural. Only when the viewer approaches at a close range can they tell the image has been doctored and that the bump superimposed on her tongue is actually an areola. However if this same image were to be printed as flyers and distributed throughout Olin, I doubt I would be treated the same as it hangs on Kemper’s walls. This provides further evidence that art museums play by different cultural rules. Museums have displayed full nudity, especially females’, under the safety of “art” for centuries. But transcending that context to everyday life proves impossible. Institutions including governmental, religious and even those of social media uphold different standards. They follow rules based in “morality,” “decency” and largely, tradition. It is no accident this feature is an essay, not a photo shoot. If female nipples graced Armour’s pages all attention would be condensed to that single spread, all focus dwindled from the countless other articles and editorials.

However the same cannot be said for their male counterpart.

The art world eclipses the taboo so inherently tied to female nipples, and while the conversation engaging with that taboo is heating up, its effects have yet to be felt on the streets, or on our campus.

Stay tuned: Sara Wong is one of the founders of WashU’s upcoming feminist zine, Yonic!

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The Argument Against Faux Fur written by C A R I A N N E L E E

Every few years I confront the miserable task of finding a winter coat. As a mid-Atlantic girl, I encounter winters where snow boots, snow pants, and a snow coat won’t protect you from storms like “Snow-mageddon of 2010”. To make matters worse, I am now at the age where I should, as my mother advocates, “build a wardrobe of appropriate adult clothes”. However I have a problem. Where can I find a durable, attractive winter jacket?

Many people would suggest purchasing a fur lined coat. For the past two centuries fur coats, fur boots, fur “anything” trend during the winter season, its presence connoting luxury, social status, and femininity. However in recent history designers have begun transitioning from real fur to faux as consumers and environmental institutions began questioning the ethics behind the former. Even high-end designers have embraced this shift as Stella McCartney debuted her new faux fur line earlier this year.

Most people believe that faux fur is a fantastic alternative. It maintains most of the aesthetic value of real fur, keeps warm in the winter, and does not harm animals. However, with this sudden change, I’m forced to reconsider the faux alternative and ask the question, “Is faux fur truly an ethical fix?” After looking into the matter, I’ve determined it’s not. In addition to environmental repercussions, faux fur perpetuates the belief that fur is a necessary textile in our society.

When society functioned as a hunter-gatherer society, animal hide was the best available material for warmth. Those times have changed. For the great majority of the world, we have the technologies and capabilities available to create alternative, animal-friendly, clothing materials. Wearing faux and real fur perpetuates the idea that we are justified in wearing animals’ skins for warmth. Anyone who’s encountered the power of a good snuggie or heated blanket knows otherwise.

There is a reason faux fur aspires to look and feel as similar to real animal pelts as possible. Today people wear fur in pursuit of real fur’s luxurious appearance, texture, and historical associations. Therefore faux fur is not a primary demonstration of environmental awareness, rather an act of self-indulgence for the ethically conscious.

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Even worse (Which recent studies?) studies found that large department stores, like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom Rack, and Belk, recently labeled real-fur clothing as “faux fur”. According to a May 2014 Gallup Poll, nearly 100 million Americans believe that buying and wearing fur is morally wrong. To ride this sentiment, stores are pushing sales of faux fur clothing. However in some situations real fur is actually cheaper than quality faux fur.

This results in companies choosing to use real fur to save money and labeling it as “faux fur” to increase their profit margins.

As a hypothetical let’s assume you purchased an unmistakably faux fur vest. It’s hot pink, synthetic, and for safe measure you got it tested at your neighborhood DNA laboratory. Unfortunately, faux fur has further negative associations than the risk of being real. Faux fur’s environmental impact should be taken as seriously as real fur’s impact on animals. We are participants in a culture that consumes and discards as soon as each season brings its latest products and trends. For faux fur, this entails accumulating in landfills, taking 500 to 1,000 years to degrade.

For a frame of reference, real fur takes between six months and a year to degrade while faux fur’s petroleum-based products, including nylon, acrylic, and polyester use three times the amount of non-renewable energy that real fur requires. This decomposition process also produces high amounts of chemical waste that greatly damages the environment. In addition to faur fur’s decomposition, a single wash of a faux fur item releases on average 1,900 plastic particles into our waterways, polluting rivers, lakes and oceans.

While vowing to avoid real fur for its synthetically produced counterpart can be viewed as an altruistic effort at face value, the environmental and social impacts faux fur maintains, render it a misdirected aim. While warm, fur, whether real or fake, should no longer be winter’s hottest fashion trend.

An Open Letter to Anyone Who Has Told Me My Dress is “Too Short” written by L A U R E N H U E N N E K E N S illustration A M A N D A B A S S , P R I Y A N K A R E D D Y

By now we know that women and girl’s clothing choices are constantly policed. The Internet is a black hole of articles preaching how society tells women and girls what they can and cannot wear through dress codes, uniforms, and victim blaming.

Societies’ actors tell women and girls that they are sex objects that need to be covered – blaming the woman for how men look at her. Conversely, society reduces men to their sexual urges with no moral agency, unable to take responsibility for their actions and behaviors. I think more of both men and women.

For the first eleven years of my life, my outfit choices went unpoliced. From the first day I was physically capable of dressing myself on my own, I told my mom “I do it,” and she let me. No matter how silly I looked, my mom accepted what I put on. I wore twisted dresses with my arms incorrectly in the armholes claiming I wanted it that way. I wore a short sleeve Minnie Mouse shirt over a mismatched floral shirt, folded up to be a crop top to

properly display that I was in fact wearing both at the same time.

My mom didn’t even question my outfit choices in the fifth grade when I decided belts that look like seatbelts, gaucho pants, and infinite amounts of Abercrombie would be my signature look.

Beginning in seventh grade, my fashion choices began to be policed. While my peers and I coveted jean mini skirts, my middle school had the fairly typical rule thwat girls weren’t allowed to wear skirts shorter than where their outstretched fingertips hit their thighs. As a girl with a disproportionately short torso and long legs who wanted nothing more than to wear jean mini skirts, I found this rule problematic. I felt targeted because no matter which jean mini skirt I tried on that I felt comfortable in, it was not going to be longer than my fingertips.

When I transferred to a private Episcopalian college prep school in the eighth grade, my agency diminished further.

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If that description didn’t give it away already, I wore a uniform for the next five years. Girls were required to wear a plaid skirt, polo, white socks, and black shoes with black soles. Skirts could be no shorter than three-inches above the center of your kneecap. I, along with most other girls, did not follow that rule. In high school, my self-esteem was extremely fragile and my school’s stipulation of knee length skirts of unnamable materials made me feel uncomfortable and unhappy about myself. I wore my skirt in a way I felt most comfortable, and as such, every day I risked getting a detention because at that moment in my life, detention was preferable to feeling unattractive.

For the rest of high school, the length of my skirts and dresses, the height of my heels, and the neckline of my shirt was a constant topic of conversation. Just as when I was younger, my mom consistently came to my defense and protected my right to wear what I wanted. When I received a uniform violation for dressing too provocatively at a school theater event while wearing my mom’s dress and heels, she told the school that she approved of my outfit and that was enough. When I received a uniform violation for my skirt’s length and was informed if I didn’t want to wear my skirt at the right length, I should consider wearing the Lands End khaki uniform pants, my mom fought back. She asked the elderly woman who was Dean of Students if she would like to wear the same brand of low rise skinny jeans that my mom wears, and if not, then she couldn’t possibly require that every girl in the school wear the exact same brand of pants.

My mom instilled in me a feminist outlook towards getting dressed. I firmly believe that each day when I dress myself I am expressing my feminism. This doesn’t mean I have to wear Dansko clogs everyday and forego clean-shaven legs. It is the freedom of choice to do both, one, or neither – all combinations I frequently choose. Deciding to wear what I want and what I feel best in is

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an inherently feminist action. I am reminded of this each time I wear an outfit society tells me to keep on the hanger. I strengthen the expression of my feminism when I determine what “feeling best” is for me that day. It can mean feeling beautiful, lazy, hot, feminine, masculine, androgynous, sexy, or comfortable. However, no matter the day or mood, “best” involves my empowerment.

Fashion is both a utility and a form of self-expression. I express myself to the world by choosing outfits that I want to wear, rather than what society wants to see me in. I dress to suit my body and my comfort. Why I am wearing something is far more important to me than what I am wearing. In contemplating what it means to make getting dressed a feminist act, I’ve solidified my understanding of a few things. Expressing my feminism through my dress doesn’t have to mean rejecting patriarchal beauty standards. I often fulfill a patriarchal beauty standard through my appearance, but by consciously choosing to wear something or look a certain way, I’ve reclaimed that patriarchal beauty standard as a feminist aspect of my beauty. As an extension of this understanding, I’ve come to realize there is no universal or essentialist feminist style of dress. My methods of expressing my feminism and my style change every day. A huge part of being a feminist is giving other women the freedom to make choices I wouldn’t make myself. So I too, should allow for others’ fluidity and inconsistency, just as I ask they allow for mine. Passing judgment on others’ clothing choices is contradictory to my value system. In my own desire to have the freedom to make decisions and have those be accepted, I am committed to doing the same for my peers.

I understand it can be confusing to hear these alleged contradictions: traditional femininity and progressiveness, patriarchal beauty standards, and feminism. But if I had to describe my style in one word, I would choose contradiction. I wear men’s work boots

illustration S A B R I N A R O B E R T S

and tuxedo shoes, but I will never leave my house in sweatpants or without mascara. I feel extremely uncomfortable wearing colors, sticking so much to black, white, and neutrals, that I bought my first ever pair of blue jeans only three months ago. But even though my color scheme is neutral, I hate when I feel like my outfit just blends in. I am insanely attached to my hair to a point that the ten year old I babysit asked me why I own ponytail holders if I refuse to wear my hair pulled back. However, I frequently forget to shave my legs for long periods of time. Despite all these explicit and aesthetic contradictions that could initiate so many conversations, the most frequently discussed aspect of my attire is the length of my dresses, skirts, and shorts.

I wear short shorts. I love mini skirts and my dresses look like long shirts to some people. If it’s questionable whether my butt will show when I bend over, it’s probably the length I want it. I have long legs, I enjoy my legs, and I feel exceedingly comfortable showing lots of leg. I’ve tried on longer shorts, dresses, and skirts and I absolutely hate them on me. Generally unflattering, I think that they unattractively cut off my body. However, no matter how often I wear my short dresses or how comfortable I feel in them, the majority of the time a female peer will feel it necessary to let me know that my dress is “really short,” or even “too short.” But what are they really trying to say by expressing that sentiment?

The underlying statement is I am dressed too provocatively, I do not respect myself, or my body, and I am inviting men and women to sexualize me. In all my years of having my outfits policed, I find this form of girl on girl judgment the most harmful. I can rationalize institutions’ motives, such as my school’s, for policing my dress. There is a generation gap, certain traditions exist at schools such as the one I went to, and most adults are mentally stuck in the more conservative era that they were socialized in.

Conversely, I cannot excuse girl on girl judgment over outfit choices because I cannot support their rationale behind the state-

ment “your dress is really short.” Given I bought the dress, put it on, and left my house in it, I am fully aware of the length of my dress. When I wear a short dress, I don’t ask my peers to wear or feel comfortable wearing a dress the same length as mine. It is unfair to demand that I only feel comfortable wearing a dress at the length that you would want for yourself.

It is very easy to say you’re a feminist based on a belief that all people should be treated equally and women should be free to make their own choices. However, it is exceptionally harder to enact that sentiment into a practice where women accept other women’s choices, regardless of whether they agree with them.

Often women find themselves passing judgment on other women, including their friends and peers, for making choices they would not have necessarily made themselves. When a female peer tells me my dress is too short, I am made to feel like my desire to wear short dresses is at odds with my identity as a strong, intelligent, and independent woman who demands to be treated as a human being. However, I personally believe that my political pursuits as a self-identified feminist are what allow me to wear my short dresses in an unassailable way. My experience at my Episcopalian prep school revealed the negative repercussions of shaming females’ outfit choices, while my mother showed me the indescribable benefits of freedom of choice. I challenge and urge you to question the reasoning behind passing judgments on a peer’s dress, especially if you are a woman yourself. I am a feminist and I express my feminism every time I put on a dress that barely covers my butt because my short dresses make me feel beautiful, confident, and empowered. I hope you discover and enact what empowers you and allow everyone around you to do the same.

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WARRIOR WOMAN FEATURING THE CLOTHING OF WAI MING, A S T. LO U I S H I G H – E N D D E S I G N E R

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written by A L E X I S G I G E R photography G R A C E W A N G model S O N I A F E L D M A N

The designer behind St. Louis-based fashion line Wai Ming, Emily Brady Koplar, named her fashion line after her Chinese middle name. As it means “gift of light,” she couldn’t have chosen a more fitting name. Emily’s designs are consistently fresh yet classic, innovative while remarkably wearable. I experienced this first hand while interning at Wai Ming this past summer, and recently had the honor of wearing one of Emily’s amazing cocktail dresses. My favorite part? The spacious, figure-flattering pockets that relieved me of a burdensome purse for the evening. Emily’s designs are created for fashion and function, always with the wearer in mind. Like her designs, Emily herself is a multi-talented and versatile designer. After

leaving St. Louis to pursue degrees at Boston College and Parsons School of Design, she returned to Missouri to launch her own line in 2012. Since the beginning Emily has been the soul of the company, acting simultaneously as her line’s creative director, business manager, and marketing team. Her many jobs bring her between her home base in St. Louis, the garment district in New York, and boutiques across the country that carry her line.

Read Armour’s Q and A with Emily Brady Koplar on our website, armour.wustl.edu.

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SNAKES ON A PAGE W H E N W E S H OT J E W E L RY, A V I N TAG E C O W S KU L L AND QUARLES THE PET SNAKE

photography H A N N A H B L U M E R

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G O L D B A N G L E S , B E LT

Ivy Hill Boutique

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We asked communication design professor Chrissi Cowhey to design a cover for the new armour as a visual exploration of the publication. Her design evokes layers of the magazine and translates these to layers of dress. Her collage travels inwardly from exterior visual elements, including the jacket and zipper, to the interior core of style.

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