i-D Magazine by Brynn McKinstry

insi-De the speak up issue

Cultural issues juxtaposed against current trends

Features + Fashion

MOTHER EARTH A message from our mother CAN YOU DIG IT? Get cozy at home with Tenielle and Jordan BABY GOT BACKHAND Love means nothing in tennis BAD TRIP DON’T TRIP! only good vibes here CONGLOMERATE a look at progressive artist, weston doty’s work OFF WITH MY HEAD the story of insanity DESIGNER TO WATCH Anna Gusselnikova TALKING TRASH G-Star collaborates with powerhouse jack-of-all-trades, Pharrell Williams GREY MATTER Adam Models’ fresh face, Ryan James Smith, shows us how to be 50 shades of cool MAMA MIA, ZIA! The elegance of jewelry designs by Zia are showcased through monochromatic stylings TALKING MIRRORS follow a ballerina through the looking glass DONT MENTION THE GARMENT WORKERS protests for garment workers rights 13 BRICKS Sit down and get personal as business owner Vann paves a new outlook on the fashion industry CONTRIBUTORS GETTING LOUD Q&a with models & designers

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editor-in-chief brynn mckinstry creative director taylor ruparel fashion director elizabeth rose fashion editor brooke benson production manager brynn mckinstry… producer elizabeth rose advertising director taylor ruparel features editor brooke benson

contributors mallory prevatt tenielle adderley jordan rich grayson davis sawyer greenberg jessica daly nathan hoyle chandler ellis zia sachedina maiya-simone plather weston doty anna gusselnikova angel muktan devin osorio ryan james smith tianyi wang malaka sams matthew slade vann-ellison seales 13 bricks markie stroud lydia holman kendall jackson allison renee savannah hughes ashton neibel kharlybia roane ethan guice eden cintron rachel scaffe blair wagner

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BROOKE BENSON

is currently a senior at Savannah College of Art & Design and will be graduating with a Fashion Design BFA this May 2015. She has already accepted a Fashion Design position in Macy’s Executive Development Program in the New York beginning in June 2015. Brooke is passionate about sewing and womenswear design, as well as studying market and consumer trends within the industry. Her aesthetic is classic with feminine elements. She is currently producing her senior collection, which mixes elements inspired by traditional men’s wear and more feminine elements such as a dreamy hand-dyed print on both organza and silk taffeta. BRYNN MCKINSTRY is an aspiring fashion director and editor currently studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design. During this time she interned with Stylist, Tammara Kohler, where she realized her love of the industry behind the scenes, cementing her career path. From her upbringing down in the peninsula state of Florida to her current residence in Savannah, Georgia her aesthetic merges contemporary ideals with those of antiquity. Her inspiration is drawn from her father through engineering ingenuity, architectural influences, and structural soundness. ELIZABETH ROSE has defined her wardrobe a personal archive from the day her closet kicked out her shoes, concluding to shoe decorations embroidering her room. Evolving into an aware soul, arguing to learn, teach, and act on what she believes in. Paired with a Fashion Marketing education, transforms this innovative thinker into the most fashionable activist in the industry. For TAYLOR RUPAREL, fashion is a collaboration; a mix of viewpoints, expertise and textures to create a final result. With collaboration, the final outcome has the ability to reach a higher potential when removed from the parameters set by tunnel vision. Having being raised in Colorado and attended college in the costal Deep South, Taylor’s aesthetic blurs the lines between east and west while interpreting cultural zeitgeists.

get loud! The world we live in today is wrought with controversy and drastic changes due to our

ever-evolving lifestyle. The Internet and social media have had a revolutionary impact on

the way we interact, socialize, and even think about the world around us. Even though this technologically induced society we live in is thriving with a plethora of knowledge,

society has become even more self-centered. The Speak Up Issue of i-D strives to bring

awareness to social, ethical, political, and caring causes. We strive to gain knowledge

about the world around us, form opinions, and share these global issues with others. The first step to making a difference is being aware of the issue at hand. Within this is-

sue we welcome a hand-picked selection of talented contributors who we believe will shape the future of fashion in a positive manner, and do so with a passionate presence in the community. Local print shop 13 Bricks emerged out of a necessity to achieve

positive social change, promote environmental awareness and provide a sustainable alternative to traditional clothing companies. While menswear designer Anna Gusselnikova stays aware of current issues from back in her homeland of Kazakhstan. We

also discuss the negative side of â&#x20AC;&#x153;rave cultureâ&#x20AC;? so prominent amongst Generation Y. Love,

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does, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve e n o y ike an

in n r a been ye

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

l t s u J

mother earth a narrative story TEXT Eden Renata Cintron

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or f g

ch y m

d. o o h ild

Back when I was still learning about my tides and depths and how tall I could grow. At the very beginning of it all, my father, The Universe (who goes by many names), placed me just close enough to my brother, Sol, who you all call The Sun, to make sure I stayed warm. He placed me near my sister, Luna, who you all call The Moon, so that she could help me control my tides. It took us ages to get everything right, but after a while we figured it out. Then, things started to grow on me. It took me a while to realize that they weren’t just growing on me, the were growing from me; we were connected. Before I knew it, these things were starting to have an effect on me. Sure, they were using parts of me, my water and my fruits. But they were also my children, so it didn’t bother me to give parts of myself to them. I was their nourishment and they were my babies. We lived in harmony. My air was clean and so were my oceans. My grounds were being trampled and eroded, but I was growing and changing and learning to live with the differences. My babies started getting bigger and bigger. People call my babies Dinosaurs, but its been so long since I’ve seen them. I can’t feel their essence on me anymore. After they started dying, other creatures started to take their place. Birds, reptiles, mammals, and eventually even humans. Just like the Dinosaurs, these new inhabitants used me as well. During these times, we were all living in harmony. Everyone would take from me, but they would also give back to me. They planted crops, they returned their dead to my lands and from them, more grew. If they chopped down my trees, they would only take a few and leave me with plenty more to help me breathe. Things were a little uncomfortable, but I didn’t want my new babies to be without all they needed to survive. Before I knew it, times started to change again. More and more humans were growing out of me and out of their mothers and things began to get kind of crowded. People from all parts of me were meeting, but they weren’t getting along. Thousands upon thousands of my babies were dying and there was nothing I could do about it. Humans were killing my babies who had no weapons to defend themselves. My cows and buffalos were being slaughtered. My fish were being gathered by the pound. My babies were killing each other and no one could hear me begging them to stop. I cried and cried. For days, my tears covered my land and even my seas. When no one paid attention to my tears, I started to shudder. Parts of my land cracked and fell into my oceans. Things were changing again; I was changing again. My land split into many pieces, I couldn’t get them all back. I got used to myself being spread apart but I wasn’t

dealing with it well. Not only had I split myself, I had also split up my babies. I became cold, extremely cold and it took a long, long while until I warmed up again. But then, I started to get extremely hot. All the changes were starting to take their toll on me, but I had to stay strong for my children. The weaker I became, the stronger my children became. More and more changes, fewer trees for me to breathe, fewer fish in my seas, fewer animals on my lands, more and more humans everywhere. More crying, more cracking. More change. Now things are out of control. There are more humans than I ever thought there could be. There are fewer trees than I could imagine and it feels like I’m suffocating. My sister looks on us from afar, and feels so bad for us that she hides herself. Sometimes, no one can see her. My brother hates what my children have done to me. He lets out his aggressions by making things so hot and unbearable, he doesn’t realize that not only does that hurt my children it also hurts me. I can’t stand the heat. All parts of me are getting warmer and warmer and even when I try, I can’t cool down. My oceans are almost bare. Where there were once crevasses and under water valleys teaming with life, there are now pieces of plastic, a material my human children created. There are pieces of aluminum. There are too many things to deal with and I pray to my father all the time that he will make them all go away. I fear what will happen if he doesn’t answer my prayers. The last time I lost control, I broke myself into pieces. I’ve cried over and over, flooding myself. I’ve screamed and shook, cracking more and more pieces of myself. I’ve whistled tornadoes into existence. I made huge waves that obliterated parts of my land. It doesn’t matter what I do, no one listens and no one helps. They just keep taking me away, piece by piece. My babies, my trees, my land. It doesn’t matter what I do, it’s never as bad as what is done to me. My father told me long ago that if I ever feel like I’ve lost all control, I could always flood everything and start all over. Starting over sounds far easier than trying to gain back my respect and dignity from my children. I am a gracious mother, giving all that I have away for their sake but, as of late, it has gone unappreciated. A flood does sound like it would cool me off. I just worry how I will feel after I’ve made my decision. Will I miss my children? Will things grow on me the way they once did? Will my first babies come back to treat me well like they once did? Will my children thrive through the flood as they have in the past? What I really wonder is, will I survive long enough to see my own wrath or will I wilt away before I ever get the chance to show everyone how righteous and powerful I truly am?

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CAN YOU JORDAN RICH shot by

and

TENIELLE ADDERLEY

MALLORY PREVATT

DIG IT

Styled by Brooke Benson Brynn McKinstry Elizabeth Rose & Taylor Ruparel Hair & Makeup by Mallory Prevatt

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Jordan waers Baiting suit Micheal Kors, Watch Marc by Marc Jacobs, Shorts Stylist’s own, Sunglasses Model’s own

Jordan wears Vest Ralph Lauren, Pants Tommy Hilfiger, Shoe’s and Sunglasses Stylist’s own Tenielle wears Pants Miizono, Shirt, Sunglasses, Earings Stylist’s own

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Tenielle wears Shorts Banana Republic, Shirt Foxcroft, all jewelry Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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baby got back hand P H O TO G R A P H Y M AT T S L A D E S T Y L I N G E L I Z A B E T H R O S E

Creative Director Taylor Ruparel Producer Brynn McKinstry Hair/Makeup Allison Renee Model Tianyi Wang

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Tianyi wears sports bra from Under Armour, pants from The Future and stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own shoes

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Tianyi wears top and shorts from The Future and shoes from Aldo

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Tianyi wears sportsbra and shorts by Under Armour with Adidas socks, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own skirt and shoes

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Tianyi wears a Champion sportsbra with Hugo Boss underwear, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shorts and Jeffrey Campbell shoes

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i-D trend

grids & gradients

DIGITAL PRINTING lends precision to grids and ombre effects, which are then composed in planes that play with perspective. Hand-painted detail, brush strokes and airbrushed graduated tones lend a more textured, spontaneous direction to the trend. Crisp geometric forms are overlaid to reveal unusual overlaps of semi-translucent color and form. TEXT BRYNN MCKINSTRY Israeli fashion designer Noa Raviv has integrated 3D-printed elements into ruffled garments influenced by distorted digital drawings. Noa Raviv printed and stitched lines and grids onto fabrics to evoke images of corrupted 3D drawings made using computer modelling software. “While working on a 3D software I was fascinated by the grid shown on the 2D screen and by the way black repetitive lines defines voluminous objects,” Raviv says. Tulle and silk organza fabrics in black, white and sheer tones are layered, ruffled and pleated into voluminous shapes. These embellishments snake over the shoulders and cover the chests of the dresses. “I chose the materials that had the most innovative look and the ones that I thought would best fit,” Raviv explained. Grid-like patterns are warped and stretched across parts of the garments to create optical illusions across the body. Two 3D-printed pieces, formed from ribbed layers of polymer, were created on a Stratasys Objet Connex multi-material machine. Raviv used the shapes of broken Greek and Roman marble sculptures to inform the asymmetric silhouettes. The silhouettes were influenced by classical sculptures, which were the point of departure for creating the collection. This creates a juxtaposition between the technological grid and classic silhouettes.

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FRANCIS BITONTI, who designed the 3D printed dress for Dita Von Teese, has 3D-printed a capsule collection of pixellated footwear.

TEXT BRYNN MCKINSTRY

Each platform shoe has a slightly different form. To create the shoes, Bitonti used a mathematical model that generates cellular structures called Game of Life, devised by British mathematician John Conway. “The shoes are all procedurally generated,” Bitonti told Dezeen. “Conway’s Game of Life is used as a foundation for our algorithm. This is what lets us get so many different configurations and is what we used to ‘grow’ our collection.” The shoes were designed using software developed with digital technology company Adobe, which generates variations from the algorithm. Once the form is created, the shoes are built pixel by pixel

on a Stratasys 3D printer that gradually blends different colours of filament as the pieces are built up in layers. The soles are a dark purple, moving up through blue and green tones to yellow and orange at the top. Each of the women’s shoes features a wedge heel and an upper that hugs the top of the foot, leaving an open toe. The pixellated formation of the stalactite-like footwear differs from pair to pair – one set features a separate sole and heels, while the bottom and top of the heel are disconnected at the back of another pair.

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The ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL attracted more than 130,000 people to dance in the desert while watching their favorite EDM DJs lay some sick beats. These large events have reached a level of iconography due to the celebrities that attend and the fashion trends that are inspired by the festival go-ers. However, large music festivals dedicated to electronic music are not a new concept. TEXT TAYLOR RUPAREL

In the 1950s, a rave was described as a wild bohemian party. The word “rave” was then commonly used in reference to the 1960’s garage rock and psychedelic bands. With a rapid shift away from mod era into the hippie era of the 70’s, the word rave fell out of relevance; that is until the late 80’s a new waves of electric music, acid house and techno began to flourish in Manchester, England. With the recent end of the U.K’s textile industry in the north, large mills and warehouses were left vacant begging for the counter culture to find some use for them. Parties in the abandoned lots were advertised as all night video shoots; people would buy tickets for £5. On each ticket was taped 1p (penny), the party goers acting fee for the “video shoot”. By doing so, forces of the law did not affect the parties. House music began to gain popularity, so much so that it invaded London where Acid Music Parties took shape in public arenas. The parties attracted up to 25,000 people per party. With such a large attendance, local authorities started fining for unauthorized parties, ultimately forcing rave back to take place in the countryside. The term rave was once again relevant, being used to describe the subculture surrounding the Acid Music Parties. American DJs traveled to the U.K and Europe to play at the parties, which lead to them returning to America and facilitating their own parties or raves. D.J Frankie Bones is credited to creating one of the first raves in the U.S called “Storm Rave”, which traveled state to state. After this, numerous smaller promotional groups started to form they’re own raves including Caffeine and Ultra Music Festival. Once rave culture reached the West Coast, parties such as OPIUM and NARNIA reached 60,000 people in size. These raves were named “The Woodstock of Generation X”. The classic rave fairy girl motif came into existence based off of the first promotional poster for NARNIA, which featured fairy imagery. West Coast raves took place on Indian reservations or ski resorts during the summer, maintaining the British tradition of hiding the events away from the public. Many raves in the U.S were completely legal and had the approval from local authorities. Agreements were set in place that allowed for the 62

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raves to continue through out the morning until 6am as long as no alcohol was served. The no alcohol rule, in turn, promoted the use of ecstasy. Raves were now known as drug supermarkets and received negative press attention due to the hospitalizations caused by drug over doses as well as from deaths. The American population stop caring about techno, house music and started listening to nu-rock groups such as The Strokes and The White Stripes. Some American DJs even moved to Europe where there was a larger market for Dance music Today, almost 25 years after raves first hit America, rave culture has once again manifested itself within Generation Y. It was critical for party promoters to shed the notion of drugged up kids dancing to electric music. In order to do so, they abandoned the word “rave” and replaced it with “Music Festival.” Techno music is now known as EDM (electric dance music). Part of the rebranding intuitive was to pull raves out of remote locations and place them in highly public areas. Electric Daisy Carnival, one of the U.S’s largest EDM music festivals, takes place at Las Vegas’s motor racetrack attracting over 130,000 people. With such high attendance at festivals, safety can be a major concern. However many situations can be avoided by being smart. Attending music festivals with a group of people you trust is very important. Set up a home base or meet up point incase you loose someone or the group breaks up. Make sure to keep your phone charged and have a backup battery just incase. If you are you to participate in drug use, make sure you know what your taking and how it will affect you. It is also suggested to bring a drug testing kit in order to test your d.o.c. Never leave your drink unattended. With over 130,000 people around you, never assume that it won’t happen to you, whatever it may be. Listen to your instinct.

bad trip

PHOTOGRAPHY GRAYSON DAVIS STYLING BRYNN MCKINSTRY

Creative Director Brooke Benson Hair Elizabeth Rose Make-up Brooke Benson Talent Sawyer Greenberg & Jessica Daly Sawyer wears handmade crocheted halter top by Nathan Hoyle i-D i-D THE THE SPEAK SPEAK UP UP ISSUE ISSUE

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Sawyer wears handmade crocheted halter top by Nathan Hoyle and stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own shorts

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Jessica wears crocheted top by Nathan Hoyle and an American Apparel skirt

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Sawyer and Jessica are wearing Free People crocheted tops and stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoes 68

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Sawyer wears a beanie from Civvies and stylist’s mask

i-D Artist To Watch

conglomerate

photographer weston doty/styling weston doty

WESTON DOTY IS A 21-YEAR-OLD GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT AT THE

SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN FROM SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. HE’S INTERESTED IN COMBINING, PHOTOGRAPHY, DRAWING, PAINTING, AND MUCH MORE IN HIS WORK. He is influenced through a balanced mixture of many ideas and concepts, and explains how he is always evolving the more he learns, explores, and experiments. A major inspiration for Weston comes from ideas behind the supremacist movement: how art is a pure expression of feeling. Nevertheless always giving a minimalism aspect. Constantly impressed by someone’s ability to capture simplicity in such a busy world. Finding himself reducing as much clutter on the page as possible to create visually compelling imagery. This way of working gives him a therapeutic energy, which makes him feel in control and consistency with his work. He creates a strong reaction from music, art, and color. As far as his dream job goes, he aspires to work in art direction, being able to utilize both his design and photography skills. Surrounded by a work field that’s artistic yet practical.

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The collection that we are showing is called Conglomerate, which was an exploration in color combinations and distorting imagery. Exploring different shapes and colors inspired by 80’s and 90’s fashion and design. He captures a sort of iconic imagery while subtracting from them and blending them with color in order to form these arrangements of deconstructed models, clothes, and pure hues. TEXT ELIZABETH ROSE

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off with my head PHOTOGRAPHY ETHAN GUICE STYLING ELIZABETH ROSE Make-up and hair Malaka Sams Photography assistance Phoebe Beachner Styling assistance Brynn McKinstry Model Kharlybia Roane

Collar by Savannah Hughes Choker Stylist’s own Necklace by Devin Orosio Bracelet and Shirt Stylist’s own 78

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daeh ym htiw ffo

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All Jewelry by Ashton Neibel Dress Stylist’s own

Necklace Ashton Neibel Skirt and Bracelet Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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Necklace and head piece by Devin Orosio Bracelet Verameat Vintage Kimono Belt and Underwear Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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Necklace by Devin Orsoio Slip Stylist’s own

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i-D Up & Coming Designer

ANNA GUSSELNIKOVA,21

FASHION DESIGNER BORN IN KAZAKHSTAN

What issue(s) in the world do you pay attention to?

I like to stay informed on anything that is going on in the world. Right now, my main focus is on the political situation in Ukraine and Russia because it is part of my culture. What do you do to help the issue(s) you are passionate about?

I try to volunteer as much as possible when time permits. If I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I try to stay as informed as I can. Understanding the issues is a first step to solving them. How do you stay socially aware?

Besides the usual media outlets we have to inform us, I like to travel and talk to the people who have been exposed to certain social situations and issues that are going on today. How do you make the world a better place?

I try to stay as open minded as I can. Kindness and understanding go a long way.

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g-star raw for the oceans TEXT BRYNN MCKINSTRY

On September 1st, 2014 denim pioneer since 1989 G-Star launched its eco initiative RAW for the Oceans, a collaborative project, with Bionic Yarn, which takes plastic from the world’s oceans and transforms it into innovative denim and apparel. The story of our world is both natural and manmade – and as we come to terms with the effect we’re having on our planet, we are taking a more active role in finding solutions. The depletion of natural resources is becoming evident, and these problems are bringing about changes on a planetary scale. Isolating ourselves from the industrial world and bringing us closer to the physicality of our natural environment is vital to Earth’s longevity. The global community is gathering to help avoid the loss of Earth as we know it. As our survival instincts kick in we explore alternative design solutions to basic needs. We take a more active role in preserving natural resources, raw materials and the Earth itself, and actively create solutions that rely on a less destructive relationship between mankind and nature. Sustainability is both the greatest marketing opportunity of our time and the biggest design challenge of our time because it will require the efforts of the entire supply chain to work in conjunction. Pharrell Williams, who serves as creative director of Bionic Yarn, said, “Working with G-Star was an obvious choice because they have a legacy of pushing the boundaries of fashion and denim forward. Bionic Yarn is a company built around performance, and denim is the perfect category to show the world what Bionic Yarn can do. Everyone has jeans in their closet.” Together they have created the world’s first high performance bionic eco-yarn, which can provide the answer to the 700 million tons of plastic ocean pollution. The RAW for the Oceans collection is the forefront of sustainable fashion. Environmental organizations such as the Sea Shepard Conservation Society USA and Plastic Pollution Coalition, amongst others, have highlighted the seriousness of plastic in our oceans. The issue of ocean plastic grows – each year alone, three times as much rubbish is dumped into the ocean as the weight of fish caught – so does the need for a solution. According to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society our oceans alone contain six times more plastic than sea life. 92

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G-Star has joined forces with its partners, using groundbreaking technology to not only retrieve plastic from the oceans, but also transform it into a new generation of denim. To accompany the online release, the Dutch denim giant showcased the collection through a digital campaign of quirky gifs and illustrations. The price point for these recycled denim pieces range from about $200-$300. RAW for the Oceans is a long-term creative exploration, where Bionic Yarn and G-Star RAW have joined forces to innovate denim while making a serious impact on the plastic pollution in our oceans. If one of the key roles of our industry is to beautify the world, we have no greater responsibility than to do so ethically and sustainably. With corporate sustainability a constantly evolving issue it can be difficult to know where the next pressure point will emerge, but one thing thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear is that the depth of supply chain knowledge required is getting deeper. Manufacturers should know that retailers will want more information from further down the supply chain and brands are realizing that just going to that top tier garment manufacturer is not enough. Ultimately itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to brands to position sustainable products in a way that makes consumers want to buy them.

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grey matter

RYAN JAMES SMITH BY WESTON DOTY

Hair Elizabeth Rose Stylist Brynn McKinstry Styling Assistant Taylor Ruparel Hair Assistant Brooke Benson

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Dress by Angel Muktan Shoes model’s own i-D THE SPEAK UP ISSUE

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Top and shorts by Angel Muktan i-D THE SPEAK UP ISSUE

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Shirt by Anna Gusselnikova

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Pants by Angel Muktan

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Pants by Devin Osorio

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Stylist’s own blazer. BDG Jeans. Necklace by Zia.

PHOTOGRAPHY GRAYSON DAVIS MODEL MAIYA-SIMONE PLATHER STYLING BROOKE BENSON

Creative Director Brynn Mckinstry Hair/Make up Malaka Sams 108

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B: What made you decide to establish Zia in Savannah rather than another city? Z: I realized that there was a niche in the market place that needed to be filled. I saw an opportunity. No other store in Savannah offers a product selection close to what we offer at Zia. After I graduated from SCAD I actually moved to New York for two years to find business opportunities. I later came back to visit Savannah and realized that there was a strong business opportunity here in Savannah. B: What inspires your jewelry designs? Z: I am very inspired by nature. You can see the theme throughout multiple collections in the store, particuarly the “Sticks & Stones” collection. It’s very abstracted, but there are pieces inspired by waterfalls, sticks, stones, leaves, etc. B: How would you describe your aesthetic? Z: Global chic. I like to describe my pieces as ‘global inspired, western designed.’

mama mia, zia! TEXT/INTERVIEW BROOKE BENSON

ZIA SACHEDINA is charming, attractive and

talented...what more could one ask for? He has amazing taste and business savvy as the owner of Zia Boutique in Savannah, GA. Walking into Zia Boutique is always a lovely experience. The vast array of gorgeous jewelry designed by both Zia himself and an array of other talented designers will keep you looking for far longer than you originally intended. The staff is always charismatic and helpful when looking for something in particular. We sat down with Zia to ask him a few questions about himself and his thriving business. B: Where are you from originally? Z: Kenya B: How did you end up in Savannah? Z: SCAD came to my high-school to recruit international students, so that’s how I first heard of the school. I came to Savannah soon after, fell in love and decided to study jewelry design at SCAD. B: How long have you owned your boutique? Z: Since 2005, so 9 years. I opened the store when I was 24 years old.

B: Where do you source materials for your designs? Z: Kenya, Brazil, India... I typically travel to source unique materials that you won’t see in other stores. We use a lot of coconut shells and bamboo in making the pieces. B: What is your current favorite piece in the store? Z: This multi-strand sapphire statement necklace with a jaguar head clasp. The jaguar head is made of sterling silver with white topaz stones and emerald eyes. It’s quite unique. (Retails for $795) B: What is your favorite thing to do here in Savannah? Z: I live downtown, so I enjoy walking the beautiful parks with my two miniature dachshunds. ‘Rails & Trails’ is also a great way to spend the day. It’s a beautiful miles long bike trail close to Tybee Island. B: Any political or social issues that you feel passionate about? Z: Absolutely. Save the elephants all the way! I am passionate about preserving African wildlife as well as working with other animal-driven charities. The Daphene Wildlife Foundation, ASPCA and Savannah Humane Society are all charities that we work with.

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Stylist’s own top and pants.

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Stylist’s own dress. Necklace by Zia.

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Stylist’s own top and shorts.

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Stylist’s own top and shorts.

talking mirrors TEXT BROOKE BENSON

Standing before a wall of mirrors, I gaze at myself objectively. My body is simply a collection of lines, a form in which I reside. There is no criticism, disapproval or condemnation. Looking through my nineyear-old eyes, I see only a child. Judgement does not yet blur my vision, does not play cruel tricks on my eyes. By the age of nine I had been dancing at Miller Marley for nearly five years. My instructors were adults I looked up to as models of poise and control. Peering through the glass windows of Studio One, I imagined how one day I might be one of those graceful angels, performing a balancing act on wooden shoes. 5:30pm. The tights, the leotard, the bag... the hair! Don’t forget the hair. 6:00pm. File in...on with the shoes. “Pile, releve, lower...” a recorded voice would drone. The teacher came around and inspected our posture, our form, our point...and our bodies. “Pull that stomach in! Concentrate. Stop think about that McDonalds you had for dinner,” was Ms. Joan’s normal greeting. She was the first woman who ever 116

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taught me I had any reason to be dissatisfied with my body. A stiff, severe woman, Ms. Joan had all the warmth of a mannequin. With never a flaw in sight, she mesmerized me in a strange way. Her perfect blonde hair was most certainly a wig and I often got the inkling that she was not in fact human, but perhaps a robot sent to discern the human race, searching for those who reached her expectations. “There is a certain ‘dancer’ body type you must have if you want to succeed. Ballerinas are thin. The only way for you not to be fat is to stop eating all that junk you guys love,” she would preach, slipping shaming looks to any girl who had matured a bit faster than others, who had any trace of hips. She would conclude, “If you want to be thin, then no more candy bars for you.” Her words would echo in my mind... A couple of years ago, I ran into my old dance teacher. I had been struggling with anorexia for about a year at the time and needed desperately to gain weight. When Ms. Joan saw me, she practically gasped with delight. “Oh Brooke! You look fan-

DANNY ROBERTS

tastic. So tall and thin!” Mustering a meek smile, I mumbled something incomprehensible and walked away, my head spinning. There I was, receiving acceptance from Ms. Joan that I had always sought but never obtained as a child. I was finally good enough for her, had finally cracked the code to her perception of “beauty.” So how did it feel? Joyous, bursting, as though I had finally won a great battle? This would have been foolish of me, seeing as how the battle had only begun. I must admit I felt a certain satisfaction in winning Ms. Joan’s approval, but I now realize that her perception was just as distorted as mine had been. I went on to struggle with my eating disorder for many years, and even now I fight everyday to keep myself happy, healthy and strong. My amazing family, especially my mother, has helped me do this. It has not been an easy journey, but it has made me so much stronger for having had the experience Despondency overwhelms me when I think of the countless girls who have been through Ms. Joan’s classes, all receiving the same negative message. They have grown up thinking that all of this was

normal, with an innate belief that they will never be good enough...and nothing was ever done about it. Today, being well on my way in the process of recovery, I see that having gone through my eating disorder has ultimately given me a much healthier body image than most people will ever experience. Hopefully, drawing from my own experiences, I can help everyone in my life (the girls, boys, women and men) to establish a healthy body image. But I can only hope that all the other children who went through Ms. Joan’s class, many of them now adults, will have someone to love and support them as well. If I could be a healthy role model for just one person struggling with negative or distorted body image, my struggles will have not been in vain.

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don’t mention the garment workers London-Friday September 12, 2014 began with the dropping of a vast banner reaching 30m on Waterloo Bridge, exposing, “Don’t Mention The Garment Workers.” As www.waronwant. com defined as, ‘Activists are highlighting an event which, they say, promotes the creativity of the UK’s fashion industry, but is silent over the millions of workers who produce clothes for high street chains, often working long hours on poverty pay in unsafe conditions.’

While Chanel’s closing attempt at a protest highlighted many issues in our culture right now (one of the main being feminism and women’s rights), fashion has had a long history with activism. Clothing has played a huge role in movements like women’s liberation and the anti-war efforts in the 60s and 70s, and continues to be important to brands like Vivienne Westwood and House of Riot. On the other hand, fashion has, until the past decade, been an industry relatively free from activist criticism. However, as this year’s London “Don’t Mention the Garment Workers” protest proves, it has been spotlighted as an industry full of corruption itself. This season, we saw the adoption of fashion activism commercially with Chanel’s end-of-show protest march. Because Chanel seems to always predict and describe the zeitgeist, we can expect a huge commercial explosion of fashion activism. The trick here is to adopt activism through other trends, such as logomania and prints, and to tread lightly as merchants, because activism can be a very polarizing issue. Customers, however, are starting to expect a message from their clothing, whether it is empowering, eco-friendly, political, or statement making. Consumers today seek an emotional bond with their clothing, rather than just an aesthetic one, and one of the best ways to connect a customer to a product is through shared ideas and statements. So next time you want to take part in activism, ask yourself if you’re going to wear it or act on it? TEXT RACHEL SCAFFE

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Protesters gathered outside London Fashion Week shows to bring garment manufacturing, the often-forgotten and corrupt wing of the fashion industry, into the spotlight. i-D THE SPEAK UP ISSUE

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about 13 bricks 13 Bricks Clothing Company, LLC, began as a plan to unify the culture of Savannah, Georgia. A breeding ground for young artists, Savannah offers a plethora of talent that the company felt was underexposed and lacked necessary publicity. Vann-Ellison and Emily Quintero met in the winter of 2010 in the midst of their college experience; the two were working on a collaborative project with their colleagues, when they realized they shared a vision. Emily, known for her appreciation of aesthetics revered amongst peers for her personal style, presented a prototype for apparel designs. Vann-Ellison, having been born and raised Savannah, was frustrated with the limited access to cultural exposure in the city. They agreed to manifest their dream of establishing Savannah’s top artistic platform.

TEXT BRYNN MCKINSTRY PHOTOGRAPHY MALLORY PREVATT MODELS MARKIE STROUD, KENDALL JACKSON & LYDIA HOLMAN STYLING BROOKE BENSON, BRYNN MCKINSTRY & TAYLOR RUPAREL HAIR&MAKEUP MALLORY PREVATT

about vann-ellison seales

Vann-Ellison Seales was a precocious child whose eagerness to learn and curiosity were equally unquenchable. Vann was named after his uncle, Franklyn Vincent Ellison Seales, a blooming actor in the late 80s whose career was cut short with his untimely death. Vann inherited his eccentric mannerisms and personality traits although his uncle died months before his birth. Franklyn was known as a “total artist,” or Renaissance man, displaying many aptitudes for artistic crafts including but not limited to performing arts, and painting. In similar ways Vann innately had an unruly imagination and appreciation for story telling and art-making. Having been raised by a psychologist, Vann felt he was different than most other kids his age. Enthusiastic about games and puzzles, he fell in love with patterns and couldn’t resist analyzing and attempting to figure out life’s complexities.

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Taken from 13bricksclothing.com

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T-Shirts provided by 13 Bricks

BM: What would you say was the biggest influence your parents had on you? VS: My parents consistently encouraged me to pursue art as a hobby and be expressive throughout my life. My mother had a background in education and my father, a psychologist, taught me to think critically and solve problems. I’ve always had a fascination with puzzles and games, which has been advantageous in envisioning 13 Bricks and its future. BM: Whether its music, art, culture, or specific individuals what inspires you to create? VS: Surrounding myself with like-minded individuals (free-thinkers) has gone a long way to inspire and push me to overcome perceived limitations and venture outside my personal comfort zone and into uncharted territory. One of our primary objectives as a socially conscious company is to change the way humanity perceives the world. We demonstrate this change by continuing to adapt to circumstances and reinforcing a positive outlook along the way. We propagate our identity, aesthetic and ideals and the surrounding community resonates with it because they see the sincerity behind what we’re doing. The community fuels us to keep going, and offers us feedback. Our team is always trying new things as we continue to design our lifestyle and define our culture. Through this lens, I view my team members as courageous pioneers in the campaign for social change. BM: Being a Savannah local, what was the ultimate factor in deciding you wanted to attend SCAD? VS: I grew up thinking about it almost my entire life, it was always in the back of my mind. It wasn’t until I attended SCAD that I witnessed how few Savannah natives actually attend the school, or pursue art as a profession. I realized at some point that I had chosen the road less traveled for better or worse. BM: Graduating with a degree in sound design, how exactly did you make your way into the business after school? VS: I picked up screen-printing as a hobby, I saw clothing as a vehicle for the movement I sought to create. I was friends with illustrators, screen-printers, graphic designers, fashion students, photographers, film-makers-- as a local I found an opportunity to connect the dots and create a platform. I look at 13 Bricks as a multi-media platform as opposed to just a screen-printing company. I envision the company as a network that offers designers the opportunity to employ each other’s crafts and showcase one another’s skills in a professional setting. BM: What turned you away from pursuing a career in your area of expertise? VS: I would mainly say I made a lifestyle choice. I chose to invest energy in creating a community hub because I felt the potential and the need for improving the place I grew up in. I would say I’ve delayed my ambitions as a sound designer versus given up on them. BM: How exactly did the name 13 Bricks come about? VS: The choice in our name is an essential part of our122

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strategy to stimulate our audience subconscious, leaving behind breadcrumbs for them to remember certain truths. Since antiquity humanity has utilized sets of 12 to order systems of measurement, time, astrology, mythology, and more. 13 is the first number in the next set, in this manner, 13 embodies change, or evolution. I believe 13 is a key to unlocking hidden mysteries concealed from history and what we’ve been led to believe by educational institutions. We are the bricks; we are the components rebuilding a new world. The bricks are representative of us creating our own reality and working together to form structure. BM: What was your strategy for building a team of artists? VS: There is a natural ebb and flow of members, some peripheral and others more permanent, people either stick around or they don’t. We find that everyone’s position on the team has occurred naturally and continues to develop in an organic way. BM: What is the creative process for generating ideas or designs for a new t-shirt design? VS: Creative collaboration. Our process is fluid and constantly evolving. BM: Are you aware of where your materials/products used during the production stage are sourced? VS: American made organic cotton, sweatshop free and locally printed. Organic cotton and bamboo are both sustainable options, which we believe will become the standard in the clothing industry. BM: With the fashion industry shining light on sustainable practices, do you see printing companies also latching onto this trend? VS: Absolutely. Ultimately, the decision is in the hands of the consumer. Producers follow consumer spending trends almost always. BM: What do you think sets 13 Bricks apart from other local print shops? VS: We specialize in assisting artists achieve their goals and ensure quality control with unparalleled customer satisfaction when it comes to digital and screen printing. We are willing to collaborate and work with clients that want to experiment or try things new things. Rather than telling customers “No, we can’t do that,” we offer creative solutions for our customers. BM: At the rate technology is at where do you foresee the industry going? VS: Hard to say, we don’t have a crystal ball, but we are always willing to adapt to stay on top. BM: What steps are you or do you plan to take to get your business to the next level? VS: Constant feedback and self-evaluation helps keep us honest and maintains our integrity as leaders in Savannah’s artistic community. BM: Do you see 13 Bricks expanding in the foreseeable future? VS: Yes, our plans include fashion assembly and an introduction of more garment types, accessories and additional apparel. We are continuing to research large format textile printing and embroidery.

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T-Shirts provided by 13 Bricks

ANGEL MUKTAN Fashion Designer What do you do to help the issue(s) you are passionate about? “Speaking in the context of fashion I would like to see the craft not be based on gender ; to not consider garments male or female but instead be just clothes and yes I would definitely want to empower the factory workers in third world countries since I myself come from one.”

KHARLYBIA ROANE Performing Arts & Model How do make the world a better place? “I try to make the world a better place by sharing a smile to people. Doesn’t matter if I know them or not.”

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SAWYER GREENBERG Performing Arts & Model What issue(s) in the world do you pay attention to? “I would say every one I can. I really like to stay up to date but also I pay attention to issues that are affecting youth in any way. Also issues that have to do with what I want to do so issues of body image in the acting and modeling world etc.”

JESSICA DALY Fashion Designer & Model How do you stay socially aware? “I stay socially aware mostly with social media. I have an app for almost anything. I have apps for world news, celebrity news, and of course my very own social news. I look at each app at least once a day so I usually know what is going on around me. If I don’t it makes

me feel lost and not updated so I’m always sure to keep up!”

TIANYI WANG Fashion Designer & Model What issue(s) in the world do you pay attention to? “I wasn’t interested in any of the news before, but I make sure I pay attention to the news back home in China. Because when you are so far away, sometimes it feels like what happens in your own country is none of your business, since it won’t affect you directly, and I don’t like that. After I came to the United States, I started to read Chinese news more often. So when I go back home to China, I don’t have the “Oh, wait, this is so different when I left, I never knew it happened” moment.”

KENDALL JACKSON Fashion Marketing & Management How do you make the world a better place? “To attempt to make the world a better place I just try to always keep a positive attitude and outlook towards everything in life and share that same positivity with others.”

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