thread 2024

unplugged

thread

Editor-in-Chief

Ava Cashman

Faculty Advisors Catherine Schieffelin, Caitlin Moriarty

CreativeDirector

EditorialDirector

PhotographyDirectors

EventsandOutreachDirectors

LayoutDirector

SocialMediaDirector

SocialMedia Editorial Layout

Featuring

Avi Lohr

Lily Temkin

Ilianna Brett, Matt Belo

Joella Asapokhai, Kate Dempsey-Weiner

Allie Arcaro

Bella Deurloo

Yzzy Albert, Riley Anderson, Lola Peck, Lily Temkin, Dani Tippner, Camryn Weinstein

Yzzy Albert, Leo Kollen, Avi Lohr, Zaire Ramiz, Meagan Rose, Dani Tippner, Cherry Zhang

Joella Asapokhai, Ilianna Brett, Avi Lohr, Lily Temkin, Meagan Rose, Cherry Zhang

Shreya Adlakha, Joella Asapokhai, Gordon Beck, Maximus Bedard, Nathan Bowes, Kayla Buttaro, Ava Cashman, Kate Dempsey-Weiner, Tadhg Dillow, Cienna Freeman, Hana Haxhaj, David & Josie Hild, Peter Jones, Leo Kollen, Ally La Croix, Alexandra Lenarchyk, Ava Leshem, Leo Liu, Lisa Loeb, Avi Lohr, Riley Mapp, Caitlin

Moriarty, Els Morris, Chelsea O’Donnell, Lola Peck, Zaire Ramiz, Lily Temkin, Anna Tippner, Elijah Wells, Leo Zhang

A special thanks to

Kata Baker, Michael Bane, Eric Du, Joseph Merritt & Company, Lindsay Perkins, Nicole Phelps, Jackie Pisani, Cricket Press, Jami Silver, and Kristen Weldon

Dear reader,

AVA CASHMAN, Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to thread unplugged! I’m so excited to share this issue of thread Magazine with you. In our thread unplugged photoseries, we looked to highlight the beauty of the world around us by exploring iconic locations in the Greater Hartford area. This was the first issue of thread where every photoshoot was done off-campus. From Heaven Skatepark above the I-84 interchange to a quiet lakeside forest on the Farmington line, we spent months capturing our local community. Through this process, we were also reminded of the not-soglamorous aspects of Connecticut’s environment. Countless rainstorms and snowfalls forced us to always be on our toes and to be ready to quickly schedule a photoshoot when the weather was just right. These stressful moments remind me of just how grateful we are to have so many invested and caring students be part of thread. Our editorial team absolutely knocked it out of the park with this issue. Each article brought a new perspective to the magazine. From critiques on fast fashion to the stylistic impact of Beyonce’s Renaissance tour to advice from one of Vogue’s top directors, these articles have something for everyone and are truly worth the read. This issue would not have been possible without the dedication and passion of our incredible section directors and faculty advisors. I’m so lucky that Avi and I have been by each other’s side throughout this process, and I’m beyond proud of all we created together. It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to thread, but it is in the best hands next year!

AVI LOHR, Creative Director

Wow— I can’t believe the journey’s over! It’s been a crazy and fulfilling three years with thread, from the first ideas in our minds freshman year to the incredible production you see now. None of this would ever have been possible without Ava’s vision and drive, as well as the whole community of people who have been a part of thread. I have loved every second of my role as creative director — there’s no more satisfying feeling than seeing your vision come to life in print.

This year’s theme was a little different than what we’ve done in the past... thread unplugged was

definitely a labor of love but by far my favorite magazine yet. This year we tried to capture the feelings of living out in the

world, and this theme inspired me to get out more; to slow down and take time for what matters.

The fashion show this year, which was to benefit The Village for Families & Children, soared above my expectations. Last year’s show went so well, but this year was even better. We beat our fundraising record and all had a great time showing off our style for a great cause!

So, this is the end of the road for Ava and I at thread, but I know we are leaving it in great hands, and I can’t wait to see where else it all goes!

Thank you for reading thread’s 2024 issue! We hope it inspires you.

What Once Was Her’s

Saturday Sun

Cardinal

Old Pine

Rhiannon

Vance Joy

Kacey Musgraves

Ben Howard

Fleetwood Mac

Here Comes the Sun The Beatles

Tishomingo

Zach Bryan

Better Together Jack Johnson

Blondie Current Joys

26

Feel Good Inc.

Caamp

Gorillaz

Skate Silk Sonic

VIVID DREAMS KAYTRANADA

Stoney Creek

SCAN TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY !

Xavier Rudd

Wildflowers Tom Petty

Cry Baby

The Neighbourhood

Simple Season Hippo Campus

Peaceful Easy Feeling The Eagles

Bloom The Paper Kites

For this photoshoot, we headed over to Elizabeth Park’s Sunrise Overlook, which really lived up to its name. The cold March morning almost made the moment more magical, as our breath puffed in the first beams of sunlight. Our inspiration for this photoshoot was the purity and joy of watching the sunrise, made even more special by Elizabeth Park’s backdrop of the Hartford skyline. Cienna Freeman ’24 pulled the vibe off perfectly as she spun in her white dress through the park, the moment soundtracked by dreamy Zach Bryan guitar music. This was our only

solo photoshoot this year, highlighting the simpler, more reflective side of being unplugged.

City Scenery

This photoshoot was our last of this year’s unplugged series, and we decided to go out with a colorful bang with some city scenery. The rainbow walls and rails of Heaven Skatepark in Downtown Hartford were our backdrop as Nathan Bowes ’24, Tadhg Dillow ’26, Alexandra Lenarchyk ’26, and Elijah Wells ’24 showed off their personal style with an urban flair. As golden hour fell over Hartford, we journeyed through the corners of Heaven Skatepark, inspired by local artists and the vibrant yet edgy vibe of this Hartford staple.

Garden Picnic

Springmorningsevokethebestfeelingsintheworld,especiall whensurroundedbynatureandfriends.Inthisphotoshoot,wetried tocapturethatcarefreefeelingwithpicnicblankets,flowers, sundresses,andsmiles.Thesephotosweretakenunderablooming cherryblossomjustacrossthestreetfromKOontheTroutBrook Trail,andweweresogratefulfortheflowers(andthesun)finally peekingthrough!Thisphotoshootwasparticularlyspecialbecauseit showcasedonlywomen–JoellaAsapokhai’25,AvaLeshem’24, ChelseaO’Donnell’24,LolaPeck’26,andAnnaTippner’24.These girls,alongwiththefolkmusicandthefloraoftheseason,createda wonderfulmomentofsisterhoodandspringtime.

Now a thread tradition, this year’s benefit fashion show, “a common thread,” to support The Village For Families and Children was a huge success! KO students, faculty, and even puppies all walked the runway, showing off their style and personality for this great cause. Through our ticket sales and silent auction sponsored by 10 local businesses, we raised $3,529 for this amazing local organization!

A CONVERSATION WITH

Nicole Phelps

GLOBAL DIRECTOR, VOGUE RUNWAY AND VOGUE BUSINESS

BY AVA CASHMAN '24

This conversation has been edited and abridged for length.

Ava Cashman: When did your interest in fashion begin? Was a career as a fashion journalist and critic always the end game for you, or did your goals shift to fashion over time? I’d love to learn more about your career journey and the different roles you’ve held.

Nicole Phelps: When I was younger than you are, I fantasized about being a fashion designer. I took art classes in high school, and I was decent when I applied myself, but I think writing came more naturally to me. So, I studied English and Women’s Studies in college at Wesleyan, which is not far from where you are, I presume. When I graduated from college, I went to the Radcliffe publishing course [now the Columbia Publishing Course], because I thought it would be a great place to network and meet people from New York, which is where I wanted to go. I wound up in PR at a CD-ROM Company, which was sort of advanced – it was ‘the future’ in the early to mid90s. But, you know, obviously, the internet came along and disrupted the future of CD-ROMs! And I wound up on the PR side of things, and I was just not well suited to PR as a young person. I also did not have a very good mentor. I'm just not somebody who likes making cold calls. I've learned over the years to be less shy than I was as as a young person, but it was not a great fit for me. Through talking to friends, I started

expressing my interest in going into fashion magazines, which I had read religiously from the time of junior high. I subscribed to Seventeen when I was in seventh and eighth grade, and I was one of the early subscribers to ELLE Magazine when they launched the American version in the mid-80s or so. And I have memories of running to the mailbox in the summer, waiting for the September issue [of Vogue Magazine]. Luckily, I had an ex-boyfriend who had an aunt who was a publisher at W Magazine. It was through her that my résumé landed on the desks of two editors at W, which was also the sister publication of Women's Wear Daily, which is sort of the paper of record of the fashion industry. And I was able to get an assistant job with one of them. I think I was making $24,000 at my first job, and I took a pay cut to like $22,000 a year to work at W, but it felt like I was at a place that I wanted to be. At the time, W and Women's Wear Daily were in the same newsroom in an office building on 34th Street, across the street from the Empire State Building. So, to me, it felt like a very glamorous place. I started there in 1996, and I'd been there less than a year when Gianni Versace was murdered in Miami, and so I remember being at work and watching everyone sort of spin into motion because that was one of the biggest stories of the decade for the fashion industry.

That’s how I landed in fashion! I've always loved clothes. In high school, I kept a calendar on my desk at home, and I would make notes about the outfits that I wore, and I would try not to repeat an outfit for three weeks or so. Now I'm the exact opposite. Now there's a few outfits I like at a time, and I wish that I could get away with wearing them over and over again, because I don't like that much, and it's easy once you have something you like just to redo it. But it doesn't really fly very much at Vogue.

AC: I have been reading a lot of your work recently, and I noticed that during the major worldwide fashion weeks, you’re publishing

almost four articles a day for Vogue Runway. I was wondering, as a journalist, how do you balance creating reviews of such high quality and releasing them at such a high quantity? During the major fashion weeks, what is the writing process like for you?

NP: It involves working from the moment I wake up to the moment I put my head on the pillow. When you’re in Milan and Paris, it's really like 18hour days. Because of the six-hour time difference, I would say I'm writing until one or two in the morning usually, sometimes later if it's a bad night, and one of our policies, which we try to stick to as much as possible, is to file reviews of what you saw that day. And because I'm sort of the leader of Vogue Runway, I try to lead by example. So I try to get that done; it doesn't always happen. I sometimes write on my iPhone in the backseat of the car going from show to show. I look with envy sometimes at people who are going to the shows and don't have the job that I have, because it feels like they have a lot more fun than I do. They are going to dinners and to parties, and I'm often going back to my room to file reviews. But on the other hand, I like my role, I like that I have a very cut and dried reason for being at fashion shows, because we're there for a very long time. I go away for 16 days at a time twice a year, so it's like a whole month of the year I'm away from home doing this. If I weren't writing reviews, I might feel a little bit like I shouldn't be from home that long.

AC: I know you said that sometimes on the ride home from shows you'll be taking notes and writing articles. But when you're at the shows, do you take notes during the event, or do you prefer to soak it all in? Do you do research beforehand, and what are the kinds of details you look out for in shows in terms of the clothing design, the event production, and the background music? Just overall, how would you describe your creative process when you write these reviews?

NP: I would say that I'm one of the last few people to actually bring a notebook to shows and take notes. I don't always refer back to it, but I still like the activity of doing that.

When I started going to shows in the late 1990s nobody had an iPhone, and most people in the front rows were either sitting there and clapping with both hands when it was time to clap or they were sketching. A lot of people, especially stylists, would sketch looks as they came down the runway, or they were taking notes. And now, pretty much everyone is either sitting there or filming or taking pictures of the whole thing. The advent of the iPhone Instagram and other forms of social media really changed the way people sort of see a fashion show. A lot of times now, you hear designers complaining that people are seeing a show through this tiny little screen. Do I do research? Yes and no. At Vogue Runway, we tend to like to assign people to the same collections season after season to build up sort of an institutional knowledge so you can sort of put the collection that they're doing in context with what they've done before. So sometimes I'll go back and read what I wrote about a designer last season

before I start writing the new review. Going to a show is sort of only part of what it takes to write a review. I do a lot of previews, which means scheduling time with a designer to go talk to them one-on-one at their studio, and to see clothes up-close, and hear them talk a lot about fabrics, which are details that are quite hard to get just from looking at them on the runway. Sometimes designers are open to me going backstage before a show, and many times designers do group interviews after a show. And so there will be a whole bunch of us from different magazines and different newspapers and influencers back there trying to hear what Miuccia Prada has to say, or Marc Jacobs has to say. Although Marc doesn't give interviews anymore, he puts on the show and then he hops in his car and takes off because he's decided he sort of wants the clothes to talk for themselves, I guess. Which is too bad, because Marc Jacobs gives really good quotes.

AC: I'm sure throughout this process, you've built a lot of really strong relationships with designers, especially in the previews when you really get to know them. Are there any designers that you have particularly grown close with over the years or whose work you admire?,

NP: Yes, I’ve been doing reviews going on 20 years, so there's a lot of designers whose careers I have been watching and writing about for 20 years. Some of them I see for a lunch or a dinner; we have good times together. I guess I could say that some of them have become friends, but it's a complicated relationship because it's a sort of a business relationship first. My job as a critic is to be opinionated, you know, and so sometimes you have to or you want to say things that a designer might not want to hear. And then, there are other times when, if you're too friendly with a designer, you might sort of hold back, and it might keep you from saying the things that you should say. It's a tricky position because obviously you’ve been in business with people for a couple of decades, you naturally get to know them pretty well. And you also want to have good relationships with these designers so that they are inclined to give you stories sort of outside of the collections. Rather than taking a story to the New York Times or taking it to a different magazine – Harper’s Bazaar or Elle – we want them to come to Vogue with their news because it's sort of “journalism 101.” You want to get the exclusive, you want to have the news first. And obviously, the internet and social media has really changed the nature of exclusives, because once it's online, the world can sort of repost it or repackage it to suit their own needs. But still, there is a prestige to sort of getting the story first and definitely getting the interview first, I would say.

AC: When you are not in peak fashion week season, your articles for Vogue cover a wider range of topics, and you're able to do more feature-based stories. How do you draw inspiration for the articles you write, and what makes a story and a subject stand out to you?

NP: It's very important at Vogue to be first. I would say that it's sort of important everywhere, but very important at Vogue to be first. And so we negotiate the first big interview, say a designer does after they have a great collection. Or it's such big news that a certain designer got a job; we negotiate sort of the first preview before the runway show. News is news, so I would say that first of all, we have to be on the lookout for news. And when somebody else does break something, figuring out is there a smart follow-on piece that we could do. When it's more about essay writing, you know, I don't do that that much, but those impulses, they can come from experience as you notice things, but it can also be like instinct, and it pays to pay very close attention to instincts and to really listen to them. Because when you don't listen to them, you will, like a week later, see your idea in somebody else's magazine or other website, because all of us are sort of attuned to watch the same sort of things.

AC: In terms of Vogue Runway and Vogue Business, as the Global Director of both of these departments, what binds these two facets of Vogue together? You help shape editorial content for both organizations, but as Global Director, are there ways in which you shift your leadership styles between the Runway side and the Business side?

NP: Yeah, I would say the runway team is, you know, like I can yell out the door and talk to them. And most of the Vogue Business team is based in the UK because that's the way the company built Vogue Business, which is a newer segment of the Vogue universe. I find it much easier to manage and direct a team that's literally within earshot of me versus

spending many hours a week on Zoom and trying to help the team shape the editorial direction over the internet. I know it’s modern to work from home, and the young generation is very keen to do it, but I just think it really pays to be in the same space with your colleagues, and I think it fosters creativity. So that’s one distinction, it’s like a physical distinction. I would say another distinction between business and runway is that the Vogue Runway audience, it's interesting, it's about 50/50 consumer – meaning, like you would be a consumer reader of Vogue Runway because you are not in the business yet. And then the other 50% is people in the business, so people who are in the fashion industry, be it other editors who are using runway as a tool, or designers reading their reviews, or their bosses reading their designers’ reviews. Vogue Business’ audience is much more B2B [business to business], it's much more like we're talking to business insiders. The kind of journalism we do is different. Vogue Business journalism, I would say, is much more business journalism. Vogue historically has been a place where we celebrate fashion, and Vogue Business is maybe a little bit more where we have to turn a more business-minded, more critical eye sometimes, of the industry.

AC: I'm sure that different angles have to be taken when you're overseeing the different departments, in terms of both the target audience and also the subject matter that you're writing about. I read one of your more recent collaborative articles, where you and members of the Vogue team celebrated “The 26 Best Albums of 2023.” I noticed that you highlighted Blonde Redhead’s “Sit Down For Dinner” record, which I took a listen to earlier today and really liked! I’m curious, do you listen to music when you write, and how has music influenced your daily life, creative process, and career?

NP: Good question. I would say that I don't really listen to music that much when I write. I just find it too distracting – like I'm supposed to be putting words together, and then I hear somebody else’s words.

I think it might be a little bit different if I were listening to classical music without a voice in it, that might make it a little bit easier. There have been times in the past when I did listen to music more. I mean, music is obviously a very important part of fashion shows, and I use the Shazam app, like, all the time during the fashion shows to figure out what's being played and to save it so that I can refer back to it. It's not always sort of accurate, but you can glean a lot of information from what music the designer and his or her sound person are choosing for a show. Music obviously telegraphs a lot of emotion and meaning. I have a very good friend, Tim Blanks, who works at The Business of Fashion, and we used to be colleagues at Style.com, and he's the exact opposite of me– he can't write without music playing. So everybody's different.

AC: Totally a personal preference! And looking more broadly at the industry, are there any ways in which you believe the fashion industry can grow? Both in 2018 and recently, you have done a lot of work covering the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and how it's now “The Tour.” That shift was kind of a major sign of growth and how the industry is moving in a different direction. But in your opinion, are there areas in which you think the fashion industry can grow and change for the better?

NP: Yes, I mean, another big story of this year was when Sarah Burton left McQueen, and very shortly after her last show, she was replaced by a much younger guy. It really sparked a lot of online drama, lots of articles about the lack of women running these major design houses. This season Sarah Burton left McQueen, and Sarah had worked with Lee Alexander McQueen since she was right out of school. Since he died 12 or 13 years ago, she was really the heart and soul of it, and it was a really meaningful departure for a lot of people, especially women who followed her work. It was such good work. And then also Gabriela Hearst was exiting Chloé, and she was going to be replaced by a woman, we sort of knew that – there's never really been a man at Chloé other than Karl Lagerfeld.

So yes, the industry could grow and change for the better, I think, if there were more women running it – both in terms of design direction and business direction. I was at the CFDA awards on Monday night, and Mara Hoffman is a designer, and she got the Sustainability Award. I forget the exact quote, but I think she said that the fashion industry contributes like 10% – is it the greenhouse gases? –some huge percentage of bad stuff going into the world is down to clothing, and clothing manufacturing, and accessories manufacturing. Brands need to find ways to use more responsible materials. We need to stop using plastics so much in materials. PETA did protests once in each city this season about the use of leather, and they’ve sort of put an end to the use of fur on the runways. You really can't wear fur, you know, when you walk down the street anymore in New York. They had a lot of success with that campaign over many years, and now they're targeting leather, so who knows where that will go. I would say the biggest, the sort of life-shaking problem facing us, is climate change, and fashion needs to be a net positive rather than a net negative. So that is down to all of us, and my role at Vogue feels complicated because we’re all sort of in the business of creating desire, of showing people beautiful things and sort of stoking people's interest in them. And we do overconsume. We're looking forward to 2024 and thinking a lot about vintage and resale, which is not something that really would have happened at Vogue, you know, five years ago. So it feels like progress is being made there, but there's still obviously a lot more to do.

AC: What is the most memorable moment in your career, whether it be a story you covered or a show you attended?

NP: I would say that the interview I did with the Victoria’s Secret executives in 2018, which sort of precipitated the canceling of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, is a career highlight for me for sure. It felt like they were behind the times to me, and so that's why I wanted to do that interview back then.

And they proved themselves to be even further behind the times than I thought! I mean, I couldn't believe some of the things they were saying when I was sitting there. It was a very influential piece, so I’m very proud of that. In terms of favorite shows, there's so many, so many. I mean, I think I've been to over 3000 fashion shows in my life, so it's totally insane. I always go back to my favorite: a late 90s Marc Jacobs show that I actually crashed – I didn’t have a ticket. I'm not quite sure what season it was, but, speaking of music, The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” was the soundtrack. It was just the whole thing: being there, having gotten in without a ticket, and hearing that beautiful song for the first time. It felt like I was exactly where I wanted to be, and it felt really good. I sometimes try to conjure that memory and that feeling when I've been sitting on really hard, uncomfortable benches for four weeks.

AC: And my final question for you is what is your advice for someone who wants to start a career in fashion or learn more about the industry?

NP: I would say read as much as you can about the industry – in magazines, online, follow the designers and brands you're interested in on Instagram and Tiktok, inform yourself as much as you can. You are doing the right things by reaching out to people and trying to interview them. If sort of writing and reporting is the direction you want to go, really work at it and take advantage of the fact that you're in school now, and your job right now is just to be learning and growing. And eventually, your job will be to make money, so you should be maximizing your time as a student. I remember thinking, “Wow, being a student is really hard.” But it really is an incredible time where the focus is really on you and what you're interested in. Once you have a boss, it won't be like that ever again. You will be responsible for doing what they want you to do, and that is the big thing for young people to reckon with. So my advice is to enjoy learning and enjoy school as much as you can.

BY ZAIRE RAMIZ '25

As time goes on, we see fashion, music, and culture intersecting more than ever. Fashion gives us a view into the souls of the celebrities we see on our TikTok For You Page and the concert stage. Fashion also brings people together and allows us to find community with one another.

There are very few artists who can create a cultural moment as grand or impactful as Beyoncé. With each release, she goes above and beyond, consistently cementing herself as a cultural icon, and fashion is a huge part of that. Beyoncé’s latest endeavor gave us her Grammy-winning seventh studio album Renaissance, breaking records by charting at #1 on 23 Billboard charts.

At the core of the album are themes of jubilance, escapism, and self-acceptance, inspired by the isolation and the search for escape and humanity experienced by so many during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sound Beyoncé chose to express these themes is most heavily inspired by Black dance music and ball culture, a culture created by Black and Latino LGBTQ+ folks in the 1970s, known

for pioneering the art of drag and the dance style of voguing.

For her 2023 Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé and the Beyhive tapped into fashion inspired by ball culture and the overall aesthetic of the Renaissance album. Fashion is central to ball culture. Participants walk runways, serving their best looks within their competition category. Beyoncé channeled this in her tour, as she had a ball-style dance competition during each show of her tour and called her fans to attend her concerts in opulence, a recurring theme in the Renaissance experience.

Beyoncé herself dressed in opulence too. The Renaissance tour showed Beyoncé in some of

Mugler bodysuit, giving her a yellow and black exoskeleton, topped off with an antenna-like headpiece, showing that she is the Queen Bee.

the most iconic looks of her career. Beyoncé and her dancers modeled her own clothing line, Ivy Park. On July 29, 2023, during her show at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy wore sequined Ivy Park jerseys with Beyoncé’s favorite number, four, in large Roman numeral print. Beyoncé also wore Telfar, a popular Black and queer-owned brand. Beyoncé was commonly seen at her concerts wearing custom Loewe bodysuits, decorated with gloved hands covering her body, while she performed her own hits such as Naughty Girl and Heated. My personal favorite look of hers on tour was her custom screaming and dancing fans, giving the appearance of a disco ball. Disco ball textures were a huge part of the Renaissance aesthetic, as seen in the album cover where Beyoncé rides a disco horse, and in the tour poster where Beyoncé dons a disco cowboy hat (paying homage

Perhaps the part of her concert that most emulated the true meaning of Renaissance was the fashion of the fans. Looking out into her sold-out stadiums, one was met with a sea of silver-clad

to her Texas roots). The disco ball cowboy hat became a staple piece for the attendees of the Renaissance tour. Other than disco ball textures, silver in general was a common theme, as well as pink and black. People attended her concert in Afrofuturistinspired looks, western and cowboy-influenced pieces, ballroom/queer fashions, and even recreations of Beyoncé’s outfits. Folks even showed up to their local movie theaters in support of the Renaissance film, in ‘cozy opulence’ by request of Beyoncé herself. While few have the riches and resources that Beyoncé has to create a closet of non-stop opulent outfits, the Renaissance tour saw tens of thousands of people taking what they had and serving both Beyoncé and Renaissance realness.

Sustainable Shopping in CT

A trio of fashion discoveries

BY CHERRY ZHANG '25

In our fast-paced world where fast fashion has become a global trend, thrifting appears as a sustainable alternative option for clothing shoppers. Thrifting reduces the demand for new clothing production and the amount of textile waste, offsetting the environmental impact that often comes with commercial fashion. For their unique finds and sustainable process, thrift shops continue to attract an increasing number of individuals over time. Ready to blend style and sustainability at the same time? Check out these cool stores right now!

1. EBM & Civvies Vintage in New Haven, CT:

In our fast-paced world where fast fashion has become a global trend, thrifting appears as a sustainable alternative option for clothing shoppers. Thrifting reduces the demand for new clothing production and the amount of textile waste, offsetting the environmental impact that often comes with commercial fashion. For their unique finds and sustainable process, thrift shops continue to attract an increasing number of individuals over time. Ready to blend style and sustainability at the same time? Check out these cool stores right now!

Tucked away in the heart of New Haven, EBM & Civvies Vintage is a paradise for fashion enthusiasts. Its curated selection, affordable prices, and sustainable choices make it a standout choice for those in search of both style and eco-friendliness.

2. Consigned Designs in Greenwich, CT:

For a touch of luxury that's also ecoconscious, check out Consigned Designs Greenwich. They offer high-end handbags, shoes, and clothing resold at discounted prices, making it a win for both your style and the planet. At Consigned Designs, you can look classy without breaking the bank or hurting the environment.

3. The Village Second Chance Shop in West Hartford, CT:

Photos courtesy of ebmnewhaven.com, consigneddesigns.com, and @secondchancewh on Instagram

The West Hartford Second Chance Shop isn't just about fashion; it's about sustainability and community. Every piece in the store has a second chance at making a statement, promoting eco-friendly choices without compromising style. The shop has also donated $6 million in proceeds to The Village for Families and Children, an incredible organization that thread partners with each year for our benefit fashion show, “a common thread.” The Village’s mission is “to build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children.” Your fashion choices here don't just reflect your style, they reflect your heart.

Get ready to have a blast exploring these awesome thrift shops in Connecticut. They've got great fashion finds waiting for you, and it's destined to be an exciting and stylish adventure!

The dark side of the fashion industry

BY MEAGAN ROSE '26

If you look at the tag of your shirt, sweater, or jeans, chances are it says “Made in China.” But what does that mean? According to an article from Collective Responsibility, 65% of the world’s clothing is made in China, produced mainly by workers in sweatshops, which is also known as “fast fashion.” Brands like Shein, H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and many others are considered fast fashion. The fast fashion industry’s impact on the environment is substantial, so shopping sustainably is becoming increasingly important.

But first, what is sustainability? Sustainability is adopting methods that guarantee resource longevity, encourage social responsibility, and reduce adverse environmental effects. It includes certain practices, such as using eco-friendly products, reducing waste, using ethical sourcing practices, and producing responsibly.

Many clothing and makeup brands use animal testing to ensure that products are safe for consumers, but this testing can be very harmful to the animals during the process. However, there are alternative ways to ensure consumers’ safety while being cruelty-free. Brands leaning away from animal testing are turning to cell cultures, human tissue, computer models, and even human volunteers to ensure that their products are safe for consumers.

One of the critical aspects of sustainability in fashion is ethical sourcing. This involves ensuring that materials are obtained in a manner that respects human rights, animal welfare, and the environment.

So, the answer seems obvious. Just shop from sustainable brands, right? Yes! However, when shopping for products such as clothing and makeup, there are certain things to look out for, such as greenwashing and misleading information

Greenwashing refers to the act of making false or misleading statements about the environmental benefits of a product or practice. Common examples are products claiming to be 100% natural, often furthered by brown and green branding. While this isn't a lie, it leads consumers to believe it's “good” for the environment. But that’s not always true, as the product may still contain chemicals and be made in a factory that produces other harmful products.

It is also essential to understand that living more sustainably is a privilege. Products made more sustainably are often much more expensive, and clothes from places like Shein or H&M are much cheaper and more accessible than ecofriendly stores like Patagonia. However, there are many ways to shop sustainably without breaking the bank. To live a more sustainable life, a good rule of thumb is to reduce waste. In terms of dayto-day style, that can look like not buying excessive amounts of new clothes if you already have good-quality items. Consumers can also try to cut down on buying products that use plastic packaging, even instead opting to buy clothes secondhand. Through sustainable fashion practices, consumers can celebrate their individuality through clothing while also honoring and protecting the environment.

AUTHOR IBI ZOBOI AND HER PASSION FOR FASHION

BY LILY TEMKIN ’25

Color and individuality are such important aspects of everyone's style, and highlighting your uniqueness is all that fashion is about. Just this past January, KO had the privilege of welcoming to campus renowned author Ibi Zoboi. Through classes and symposia, students had the opportunity to read her work, converse with peers, and finally hear her speak at an all-school assembly. Ibi Zoboi’s writing is one of the most wonderful things she does, but what students might not have realized is that her style and fashion are just as creative as the novels she writes.

A few short weeks after her campus visit, I had the privilege to talk with Ms. Zoboi about her style and its main influences, discovering what goes into her everyday clothing choices. One intriguing aspect of Zobois fashion sense is that every day of the week is assigned to a certain color. “When I was in college, I loved mythology and learned that the days of the week are named after certain planets in Norse mythology ” Zoboi shared. This idea fascinated her and encouraged her to start wearing certain colors on those days of the week. “Mondays are for blue, Thursdays are for purple, and every other day follows another color as well,” she shared. What made this idea so appealing to Zoboi was the organization of it. Knowing that each color was dedicated to a day made shopping and picking outfits that much easier.

shade variety of her weekly clothing colors changes with the seaons. “In the summer, I’d wear a brighter orange, like a coral, but in the winter I’d lean more towards a burnt orange,” she shared. Zoboi has a closet full of clothes, as she likes to have a variety of pieces for each color. To make sure she gets good use out of all of her pieces, she organizes her closet in a way that sorts it from items most recently worn to pieces that maybe haven’t been seen in a little while. Over time, Zoboi has accumulated quite the

Similarly to many of us, Zoboi finds that the

collection of outfits. “As you get older, you want to spend more money on quality clothes rather than the trends that will most likely go out of style,” she shared. A new piece of clothing that Zoboi is excited to show off is a brand new dress from the company Elisamama. “The dress has five different colors on it. The dress is yellow, orange and pink, and one sleeve is green,” she shared. “I just love it!” Zoboi spoke about the value of wearing clothing that highlights your personality and makes you feel confident. “I think it’s important to be comfortable and love yourself in what you’re wearing,” she said. Zoboi believes that being confident in who you are and how you dress is the most important thing to feel when you’re putting on an outfit or piece of clothing. “It’s important to know who you are first so you can find what makes you comfortable and what you want to tell the world about you,” she explained, “because the first thing they will see aside from your face and eyes and hair, is how you put yourself together – and your clothes.”

Photo courtesy of ibizoboi.net.

SEASONAL FASHION

As new seasons come and go, fashion and trends inevitably evolve. We often see more outfits that resemble the upcoming season, but what does that actually mean? How and why do we change what we wear throughout the year?

There are a few main reasons why people dress with the seasons. For example, in the springtime, wearing layers is common so you can stay comfortable from the cold mornings to the warm afternoons. In winter, you might wear a warm coat and boots to protect against the cold and snow, while in the summer you might need a pair of sunglasses to protect against the stronger sunlight. This is called “practical fashion,” where the clothes you wear have a direct impact on your comfort and even safety.

Fashion inevitably changes throughout the year depending on personal comfort and the “vibe” of a season. The “vibe” we perceive from certain seasons actually has to do with the colors of nature around us. In winter, when the days are shorter and the leaves on the trees are all gone, dark skies and white snow are abundant. The environment of winter isn’t necessarily conducive to wearing bright happy colors, which is why many people tend to dress in more muted and dark clothing items. In summer, though, the trees are deep green and flowers are blooming, which inspires people to dress in brighter colors.

Besides comfort, there are also other ways that seasons influence what we wear. Seasonal fashion is the selection of outfits based on the vibe or mood of a season. This style can manifest through differently colored outfits: think earth tones in the fall, bright shades in the summer, and pastels in spring. Seasonal fashion is also shown during the holidays, as traditions and festivities shine through in people’s day-to-day wear.

The changing seasons have always been a key contributor to fashion, and now we know why! While seasonal fashion trends will never go out of style, who says you can’t break the rules? Why not wear muted browns and greens in summer, or yellow and pink in the winter? Whether you draw inspiration from the fall leaves or the spring flowers, fashion is all about wearing the clothes that will brighten your day.

Seasonal SeasonalStyle Style

Which outfit aesthetic do you lean towards?

A. Preppy

B. Street style

C. Cozy

D. Athletic

What bottom will you wear?

A. Swimsuit bottoms

B. Leggings

C. Sweats

D. Jeans/ Denim shorts

Which activity would you most like to do?

A. Surfing

B. Hiking

C. Skiing

D. Picnic with friends

What top will you wear?

A. Loose-fitting tee

B. Athletic tank

C. Hoodie

D. Flowy tank/shirt

What are you bringing with you?

A. Sunscreen

B. Bug spray

C. Hand warmers

D. Drinks/Snacks

What accessories will you wear?

A. Necklace

B. Bracelet

C. Earrings

D. Rings

What color jewelry?

A. Gold

B. Silver

C. Rose gold

D. White gold

Addupyour Addupyouranswers! answers!

If you got mostly...

ASummer is your time of the year!

C

Winter is a great fit!

BFall is perfect for you!

D

Spring brings out the best in you!