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FA S H I O N Q U A R T E R LY issue #18
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c o n t e n issue #18
2020 - 2021
table
of
contents
Le tte r f ro m t h e Tea m
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Staff Page
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T h e Tox i c i ty o f H u s t l e Cu l t u re
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Fashion Personality
p.10
Aesthetics
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The Show Will Go On
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Parallels on the Perceptions S u rro u n d i n g Ve g a n i s m a n d Sustainable Shopping
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Key & Peele Re-VAMPED!
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letter team FROM THE
Things transform outside the context of their container; especially when the container is missing altogether. The connection that we feel from the ritual of art makes it all the more jarring when that context is abstracted away. Does your favorite song feel the same when it’s not at a venue? Does prose strike you the same when your prerogative, willing or not, is merely to exist? Our relationship to art has changed. It is at once, more intimate and personal than ever, and yet, impossibly distant from the things we used to know about it. This is the context in which you find Fashion Quarterly issue #18.
It has been a unique, strange, and privileged experience to continue to create during a year where a once-in-a-lifetime disease swept through the world and a once-in-a-generation social movement renewed calls for our society to change; demanding it correct the structural racism that wronged so many. It’s been a tumultuous gestation. Despite the vagaries of what it meant to make this, we hope that it brings you a piece of what it meant to us to pour our collective anger, frustration, fears, hopes, and aspirations into this issue. We’ve never been more sure of the transformative importance of art. For everything, and everyone, we all lost this year, we hope our small effort can bring something meaningful to your life today.
- FQ TEAM
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e m t a 2020 - 2021
issue #18
EXEC BOARD evan stauber jacy esteves madison gelfo vidya kanekal julia cheng
WRITERS jacy esteves madison gelfo andy cordoba hera li mary sasso PHOTOGRAPHERS vidya kanekal tori corpuz VISUAL ARTISTS kyoko downey sally carlstrom DESIGNERS julia cheng leah moses justin marquez jasmine robinson
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The Toxicity of Hustle Culture
By: Mary Sasso, Tori Corpuz, Justin Marquez
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When we stay at home all day doing nothing, it is natural to feel as if you’ve wasted an entire day. Guilt from being “unproductive” rises and feelings of laziness and shame surface our thoughts. There is a certain stigma linked with being unproductive. A “good day” is commonly associated with getting out as well as accomplishing work intensive tasks. It is usually never associated with staying in bed or binge-watching trash reality television shows all day. We have created a culture in which the infamous motto cultivated by social media “the grind never stops” has conditioned us to obsess over productivity levels and stress over massive amounts of workload. This obsessive phenomenon is known as hustle culture. Hustle culture glamorizes the infatuation of constant productivity and accomplishment. The higher the productivity level, the higher the self-worth. This lifestyle has the power to create a vortex of guilt when the work does come to a halt. It encourages people to disregard their mental and physical wellbeing, just so they can have the satisfaction of checking off a box on the to-do list. While an ambitious and productive mindset are essentially favorable traits, hustle culture has turned working hard all day everyday, regardless of your current situation, into the new expected norm. It has created a toxic environment in which people feel guilty about not being productive. We live in a world where incredible grades, incredible jobs, incredible paychecks are all prioritized over our own health and well-being. Being constantly busy has become a comforting blanket we can bury ourselves into. It is what we anchor ourselves to as a sort of identity throughout our day. Social media platforms only amplify this plague of hustling. People will push into working 15-hour days and then run to Instagram or Twitter to post about this accomplishment—with the caption “#hustle”. This encapsulates performative productivity in all its glory. From this, a domino effect plays out. We see other levels of productivity, feel bad about how we have not reached other productivity levels, and then stress about trying to get a lot done before the day is gone. How can we not feel guilty about resting when this type of performative productivity is out there for all to consume? Here stands an ideology cultivated from social media of an “in” and “out” group. Those “in” the group are working hard, getting things done and feeling good about themselves and those “out” the group are doing the opposite. Social media has conditioned us into believing that when we accomplish this first, or become successful by doing x, y and z, then can we truly treat ourselves and rest. The infamous saying “I’ll rest when I’m dead” is popular for a reason. Society has associated success and worthiness to the amount of hard work we do each day. It has built up narratives in which work should be the most meaningful aspect in your life. If we slow down for even a minute, we’ll end up drowning in the fast-paced bustle of life. Truth of the matter is what happens when we do not work—when we are not productive? Who are we when we are not working towards something constantly? If work becomes the most meaningful thing in life, what does everything around us become? It can be so easy to be engulfed in a hustle culture mindset that we forget life outside of it. Our passions, values, support systems all get carried away in the shadows. Hustle culture has deemed time to be very finite and if we are not beating ourselves up with working towards the future, we are wasting our time. But what about now? The present moment? Now, don’t get me wrong, working hard and having goals is essential to living and having a sustainable future. However, taking care of yourself is also equally important. If we can invest five hours into studying or meetings, we can invest just five minutes into taking a walk outdoors or may god forbid it, a breath. Days should not be measured on the level of productivity. It should be measured on the daily experiences and profound moments that add to our character. What a waste it would be to ignore and not process the moments and simplicities of life that are collectively making up who we are right now in this very moment. We are enveloped in a plethora of identities and passions—work should not be the only one getting all the attention.
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And yet, hustle culture is not a new concept. It has deep roots in American culture. The idea that we must constantly be working in order to be successful has been reinforced through years and years of conditioning. Let’s revisit the green light. F. Scott Fitzgerald used it as the elusive object that Jay Gatsby sought after in The Great Gatsby- a symbol of the American Dream, capturing its alluring and unattainable promises that everyone has equal opportunity to reach the highest levels of success. When it comes to green lights today, we commonly think of a streetlight. And though the modern physical embodiment of the symbol has changed, it is still just as seductive and just as demanding as its original form in The Great Gatsby, willing us to go go go towards it, now faster and more readily in our cars. Fitzgerald’s critique holds: We are still spellbound by the green light and still under its command. The nuance behind the term Hustle Culture is not that it’s simply a way to term our ill workaholic tendencies, but that it shows that generation after generation refuses to give up the tireless chase of the American Dream, from the Roaring 20’s to the 2020’s. Hustle Culture is the revamped, Instagramified, Millenial/Gen-Z way to describe a long-lasting effect of capitalism. But now, 100 years later, the green light is no longer simply the object at the end of a dock, it’s an essential function of everyone’s daily life, around the corner of every street. The American Dream has infiltrated our society and intuition just the same, omnipresent and with a tightened grip on our activity and perception of productivity. Fitzgerald used Gatsby and his obsession with the green light to show the pursuit of wealth and upward mobility on the individual level. But it’s easier to see now that this pursuit is generational (and widespread). Our mental states are not just fatigued and aching from our individual day to day labor, but collectively, across generations. Each newborn baby is taunted with the fact that they must carry on the torch, after being given the opportunities of their parents before them (or lack thereof). Failure to do so equals shame and defeatism-so it’s a hard obsession to dismantle, passed down like a rotten tradition. Even (or more so especially) for myself, this whole idea of work-life balance, is a work in progress. I live for the feeling of crossing things off my planner. I can’t stop the immediate pangs of fear and anxiety that come from comparing myself to Linked-In profiles. I love gloating from a productive day. I constantly switch from work anxiety, to anxiety from not working. Defeating Hustle Culture and axing away deep-rooted traditions is a hard and daunting task. So much of my line of vision is green. And yet I try to be forgiving to myself. Because the majority of us are tied by the same need to be and feel valuable. We hope that the green light will satisfy this -that it will bring us worthiness and give our lives meaning. And so we run faster, stretch out our arms farther, and then one fine morningWe can break the generational cycle. Little by little, we replace glorified self-sufficiency and independence with connection and companionship. We replace commitment to linear career goals and professional growth, to commitment to being life-long learners in all aspects of being. We replace endless consumerism and a need for acquisition, with gratitude. We replace the tightened horse-blinders that narrows our vision on green, with a corrective lens that lets us see complexity, endless colors and life goals to pursue. We replace mindless productivity, with focused efforts on living wholly for fulfillment. We stop letting productivity define our self-worth, and instead ask: is searching to be valuable a worthy goal at all?
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Fashion & Personality By Madison Gelfo, Vidya Kanekal, and Jasmine Robinson “This piece is dedicated to my nana Connie who passed away a few months ago; may her style continue to leave a lasting impression on this world”. Fashion has always had an influence in the way that I look at life. Style and self-expression is how I establish a level of comfortability in new environments; especially when starting college, I look at how people express themselves both inwardly and outwardly to see if they match. I liked to analyze how people’s outward first impression would match who they are as a person. Often, first impressions are very shallow interpretations of people, but we all judge people by first impressions, especially with what they wear. It might be just the hardcore virgo energy in me, but I constantly analyze if my outward expression of style reflects who I believe I am. To some fashion and appearances may feel like a surface level topic, but fashion goes beyond the physical clothing that you wear. Fashion is my escape of self-expression and allows people to get to know me outwardly first. It is a way to display yourself and your personality visually like an outward expression of your inward traits. Your style is in your complete control, you can decide whether to blend in or stand out, to reflect your mood or reflect an occasion; but, it is all up to you. Oddly enough, I grew up for 14 years wearing a uniform-a polo shirt and a long wool tennis skirt everyday. Everyone blended in with each other; the goal was never to stand out and look like yourself. In the times of wearing a uniform, I felt like I compensated for the lack of visual expression by being more outspoken. I was louder and frankly more obnoxious because I felt like a big part of my identity was stripped away without fashion. I wanted a way for people to perceive me and differentiate myself beyond the uniform. As a child, I wore the most wild clothing outside and had every other parent questioning my parents for letting me dress like that. I was drawn to over the top, bright colors, tight silhouettes. Yes, at some points, I probably looked like a baby stripper in my backless shiny halter tops, pink faux leather pants, and clear heels at five years old, but I didn’t care. I wore princess costumes out to the park with my friends when they were all wearing jeans and t-shirts. I lived in my own world where I did not care what others were wearing; I wanted to dress how I was feeling. Yes, my style has changed a thousand times (I don’t always wear princess costumes anymore)
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and continues to change a little everyday, but I do not like to box myself into one style. I love experimenting with texture, colors, and silhouettes. This is why I believe that fashion is so important; it allows for individuality and expression more than just a top and pants. From growing up with this approach to fashion, I see everyone’s style in a unique way and I believe it is able to be representative of who they are. Growing up in a very strict religious traditional environment combined with early 2000s pop cultural influences, I feel like I have preconceived notions about people through the way that they dress. Societal fashion norms alongside religion have implicated themselves into creating fashion stereotypes that they associate with certain people. Fabrics like leather are associated with a rocker persona: rulebreakers, roughness, prone to vices, against traditionalism. Silhouettes like the classic full skirt are associated with traditionalism, Americanism, vintage, and class. Patterns like animal prints are associated with sex, hyper-feminity, and fierceness. Pieces like jeans are seen as modest, American, and hard-working. I look at people like my nana who wore leopard print every day and associate her with being strong, bold, and stubborn. Although being a lot younger than someone like my grandmother, I find myself examining aesthetics this way subconsciously which illustrates the idea that these stereotypes of fashion are ingrained in our society. These stereotypes also suggest the idea that fashion has always been an outward association with inward traits and characteristics. Gen Z is definitely attempting to change these perceptions; however, fashion will always be used as a means to signal or identify personality traits. Far beyond our lifetime, our clothing and style leaves an impression on those around us even after we are no longer in their lives. I always associated leopard print with my grandmother because that is one of the first textiles that she wore to adapt to American culture and pop culture. Although she is no longer with us, the legacy of leopard print has been left on me forever. Whenever I see someone wearing leopard print, I feel a weird connection to them and it provides me with a sense of comfort because I feel my grandmother’s presence throughout this print forever. She is just one of the people that have permanently left an impression on me that will be there forever. Fashion is one of the few mediums through which people can create a connection like this. Beyond a break up or death, this void of a person manifests throughout the clothing that they wore. That is why people can feel these strange connections with people that they never met, simply because of what they are wearing. Knowing the impression that clothing can leave on someone beyond their existence, costume designers aim to use fashion to create someone’s character. Without the clothing, characters in movies would not leave the same lasting impressions in our minds long after we end the movie. The costumes are what makes a character memorable and is the final puzzle piece in connecting their character with the audience. In movies like Wizard of Oz, Dorthoy’s blue gingham pinafore and pigtails has grown into a symbol of innocence combined with this symbol of traditional American pop culture. Her ruby slippers intentionally clash with the blue pinafore to signal a change in character; Dorothy has become braver and able to fight for herself so she is altered to include the iconic ruby slippers, which signal strength and boldness. This is just one instance in which costumes are used to have a strong association with certain personality traits. In closing, I hope I grow to be able to afford my true style and establish a signature staple that people will associate with me forever. Clothing truly becomes a part of you whether you acknowledge it or not; people are judging your personality and character based on the way that you dress. Your clothing pops up in someone’s head when they think of you. You can choose to deny this idea or you can embrace it. For myself, I want to leave a lasting impression and legacy beyond my lifespan through fashion. FQ | 11
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These communities, forged by the endless spare time in quarantine and bonded by romanticism, strike a balance between the meaningless and meaningful, and the past and the present. The term they have adopted from earlier idealists, “aesthetics”, matches their predicament perfectly: a double meaning of similar beauty ideals and a critical view of art for its causes and effects.
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Through a scroll on any news site or social media feed, one can find that the youth has more influence over their peers than large scale fashion conglomerates, and more influence over those companies than the first pioneers on the internet that preceded them. As both scramble for a piece of proverbial pie in the newer and faster wave of internet trends, it seems that they choose instead to look back to a simpler time in both fashion and lifestyle. These communities, forged by the endless spare time in quarantine and bonded by romanticism, strike a balance between the meaningless and meaningful, the past and the present. The term they have adopted from earlier idealists, “aesthetics”, matches their predicament perfectly: a double meaning of similar beauty ideals and a critical view of art for its causes and effects.
Winter 2020: The Rise of E-Girls
E-girls (and subsequently e-boys) were a phenomenon unique to the internet - like their names suggest, e-girls and e-boys are more prominent online than in life. In late 2019 and early 2020, the subculture rose to prominence on the then rookie social media app, TikTok. Armed with the video game and anime culture of the internet, the skater and hip-hop culture of recent trends, and an alarming amount of striped shirts, e-girls would come to define the first appearance of the coveted “aesthetic”. Though the concept of subculture - that came with its own hair coloring choices, darker and edgier style, and political dissonance - wasn’t new, e-girls and e-boys brought something that was thought to be impossible: popularity.
Alternative, once a look desired by a small, underground group, was now a style that not only celebrities imitated, but could spawn celebrities of their own. Popular influencers on TikTok, Twitch, Youtube, and Instagram, as well as new singers and songwriters, gained cult followings from the subculture. The striped turtleneck, high waisted jeans, partially dyed hair, chains and collars,
written by: hera li art by: kyoko downey design by: julia cheng
aesthetics
and boots matched with heavy eyeliner, considerable amounts of blush, and drawn on hearts to form a distinctly alt style, but one with mainstream success. Online-only boutiques, such as DollsKill and Shein, provide the unique staple pieces in their wardrobe that thrifting bygone punk and emo styles cannot. Those who have adopted the e-girl and e-boy aesthetic often speak of being bullied for their unique love for internet culture, citing their love of nontraditional media such as video games and anime to be a popular reasoning to put them down. This is heightened by the aesthetic’s popularity among LGBTQ as, due to the length of time they were unaccepted by their in person communities, found solace and acceptance on the internet. Yet, by meeting through social media sites like TikTok and Tumblr, the subculture flourished, setting the standard for future online aesthetics, that came with not only style, but a community.
Spring 2020: Cottagecore, Fairycore, and More The ideal of free, wild, and sometimes even fantastical life in the woods, perhaps with a partner or two, was the ideal foil to the beginning of quarantine in the spring. A phone video of wearing a light, floral, cotton dress running barefoot in one’s backyard would become a fantasy of a romantic galavant through a flowered meadow. Cottagecore, in its essence, was the romanticization of a simpler time. In quarantine, where there was much to stress over and little to do, cottagecore provided a contrast, as being stress relieving in its simple, rural lifestyle. Baking bread, picking flowers, embroidery, and simply frolFQ | 14
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Cottagecore is an escape into a countryside fairy tale, an escape from quarantine, and an escape from consumerist culture and the addiction to technology.
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icking to nowhere painted a picture of a peaceful, agricultural countryside far from the COVID-19 that had gathered amongst the urban and suburban regions. Aesthetics of cottagecore could be found in the first hour of most Disney Princess films: flowing dresses of floral and gingham, light pastel patterns, and a basket (of eggs, of picnic, or of flowers). Fairy tale elements, such as goblins, fairies, giant mushrooms, and witchcraft set the scene. Sustainability, demonstrated by knitting and embroidering clothes rather than purchasing from fast fashion, baking and cooking food rather than constantly ordering in, gave it a meaning beyond pastels and pastures. Cottagecore is an escape into a countryside fairy tale, an escape from quarantine, and an escape from consumerist culture and the addiction to technology. Yet, despite cottagecore’s distaste of modern technology and economy, its origin and community could be traced throughout the internet. Cottagecore has proved that aesthetics go beyond the shallow meaning that they have been given the connotation for, but go to show that balancing the surface aesthetic with any social movement and societal beliefs take more than knitting a sweater and baking sourdough bread in light linens.
Summer 2020: Indie Kids: Independent, Youthful, and Fluorescent
If e-girls were dark and cottagecore was light, the only description for the indie kids would be neon: eye catching - both in fashion and social justice. Spawning from a youth with dreams but nowhere to express them due to the current state internationally, indie kids rock cartoon characters such as Hello Kitty and strong political views Highly saturated photos, often taken on self timer in the aisles of grocery stores and fast food joints, laundromats and even the middle of the street, depict a casual character in brightly coloured shirts and large, wide legged jeans. Fashion ranges from casual wear to trends in the early 2000s, or Y2K. The pictures of friends wearing masks at school lunches and vending machines, shopping carts, and other everyday items, show that even when the world seems to stop, the FQ | 15
youth will still find a way to create liveliness. Perhaps the only thing more outspoken than indie kids’ fashion is their dedication to matters regarding social justice. There has been an observable trend between the recent rise in the Black Lives Matter movement due to the uncovering of racial injustices in the police system and the growing involvement of this community in political and social issues in the early to midsummer. From the outsider’s perspective, indie kids have gone beyond an aesthetic, creating a culture and community that exemplifies the earnestness, spirit, and idealism of youth.
Fall 2020: Dark Academia - Brought to You by Zoom University As the most recent of the four, dark academia re-emerged into the scene shortly after the popularity of cottagecore reignited fashion as the gateway to escape into another life, where modern issues are irrelevant, in both fashion and setting. The emergence of dark academia could also be owed to the beginning of Fall semester - the first time students logged in to class rather than walked in, classroom experience was measured by wifi quality, and motivation was at an all time low. Cottagecore, with its fantastical wilderness and pastoral way of life no longer fulfilled these fantasies - rather school itself would become a fantasy. The idea of dressing up in one’s nicest uniform, walking down the halls of Oxbridge, an Ivy League, or even Hogwarts, to whisper Gothic poems in ambiguity were the fundamentals to the Dark Academia aesthetic. Gender ambiguous, fall colored menswear that could be easily found in a thrift shop or in your dad’s closet made the look accessible to those with a limited budget. Media that inspired this subculture - books such as Kill Your Darlings and movies such as If We Were Villains - made the community more accessible to LGBTQ+ peoples who felt represented. And most of FQ | 16
AESTHETICS
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AESTHETICS
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By Jacy Esteves Design by Jasmine Robinson
The Show
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When witnessing a runway show, apart from the blank-gazed models and a display of groundbreaking couture, one cannot help but be encompassed by all that is around them: the set design, the shades of lighting, the route of the walk path, and many more production elements that weave it all together. Sometimes there is almost too much to look at, leaving audience members in awe by the pronounced extravagance and attention-to-detail. In other cases it may intentionally revolve on just the clothes themselves, with subtle details to compliment the pieces. Regardless of which end of the spectrum creative directors opt for, it seems evident that the show production is what brings the garments to life, puts them in motion, and gives them a context within the designer’s vision. What was formerly a small-scale method for designers to publicize and showcase new designs, has now become some of the most anticipated events of the year beyond the fashion realm. Attendees consist of a multitude of celebrities: actors, musicians, traditional and modern artists, social media influencers, and more, congregating for shows that have transformed into exclusive affairs. Like the red carpet that is rolled out for a movie premiere, runway shows find their position in the world as immersive experiences for the social elite, as well as all who are fascinated with the art form.
- pieces without actually being able to touch it, wear it, or possess it; a “look but don’t touch” experience. Therefore, a somewhat large pressure is placed on the fashion show in bringing the clothes to life and stimulating the viewer’s imagination of what they see before them. Of course, a practical benefit of producing a large scale fashion show is the marketing buzz it has potential to create. We’ve heard or seen shows that garnered worldwide attention because of controversial locations, unique props being used, and even the incorporation of entertainers that add a performance element. Some designer brands and creative directors have also been able to acquire notoriety due to the shock value their shows present. Whether it’s positive or negative criticism, it piques the interest of even those who are not as deeply informed of trends or style; it transcends past the fashion world and into the peripheral of the average person. A notable show that caught wide media traction with its use of props and production design is Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2018 show in Milan. Models marched the runway holding odd accessories such as replicas of their own heads and a realistic-looking dragon. The collection was led by Alessandro Michele, the fashion house’s current creative direc-
A runway show can be framed in the way that it is just like a theatrical show, presenting visual drama, a performative nature, and a narrative that the collection is aimed to convey. It is an opportunity to represent the larger, artistic depth of a designer, and how they want their work to be received and contextualized. Certain choices such as where the show takes place, how the seating is arranged, and the visual direction can be significant in influencing how viewers aesthetically process the garments. Some shows are themed, being based around the core inspiration of the collection originally, or even themed to contradict what the designer has created. On another point of the spectrum, there also exists designers who reject the theatrics of a show, moreso leaning towards functionality and rather than excess. It is not to say that all designers hold production design to the same degree of importance, but that the decision in itself of choosing intricacy or conservativeness is based on how the clothing is meant to be experienced. If we think about these shows as exhibits for wearable art, it is not a far stretch to believe that the relationship between production design and fashion is very close - almost symbiotic so that the designer/ brand can effectively communicate their desired message of that particular collection. Much like examining a painting in a museum, a fashion show offers the ability to experience the FQ |
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- tor, and it sought to capture inspiration from Donna Haraway’s “The Cyborg Manifesto” - a 1985 essay discussing identity politics and transhumanism. Set in a space that simulated a surgical operating room, this further emphasized the concept of appearance and identity alteration. The production design consisted of an operating bed, hospital-like fluorescent lighting, and waiting room seats. This theme of human configuration and reconstruction complimented the collection itself, which utilized mixed patterns, textures, and materials to parallel Harraway’s commentary. Through the attention of detail in set design and prop use, Michele and his team were able to usher Gucci further into relevancy, showcasing strategy in drawing attention and emotional response from viewers. The creative direction met many mixed opinions, but nonetheless reinvigorated the power of a runway show in being able to evoke awe, confusion, and interest. When discussing set design and the evocation of emotion, it’s difficult to do so without mentioning the surreal production elements of Alexander McQueen’s shows. A few words that help describe them are: passionate, captivating, risky, and visionary. McQueen’s 1998 Fall/Winter Show, titled “Joan” in homage to the female martyr Joan of Arc, drew from themes of persecution, sorrow, martyrdom, and misfortune. Audience members saw models in chainmail mesh, styled medieval armor, and dark toned fabrics in shades of blood red and black - all walking a runway meant to resemble charred gravel. The apex found itself at the finale, when the last model wearing a spectacular beaded dress that covered her face, head, and body, was surrounded by a growing ring of flames.
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The late designer was never shy from bringing shock and awe to viewers through theatrical means. Many of McQueen’s shows consisted of unique components that were disruptive but innovative contributions in defining the utiliof a runway show. To
To many they became pinnacles of how stories can be depicted through the relationship of fashion and show design. Furthermore, when presented with such striking imagery, viewers are stimulated to have some form of reactionary response, and may subsequently feel a bond towards the brand or designer because the show ultimately becomes an experience. One may deeply resonate because they felt they went through a journey or adventure of some sort in just those 15-30 minutes, especially one that seems tumultuous at such a dramatic scale. This can be evident in the way that even after many years, when watching archived footage of McQueen’s shows, you can still feel the passion that was poured into them. Although most shows take place in venues that are originally empty, relying on a production team to construct a set and walkway, some creative directors opt for utilizing the natural design of geographical locations as they are. For Fendi’s 2007 Spring/Summer show, Karl Lagerfeld enthralled the world when the Great Wall of China was used as a runway, demonstrating how the geographical environment or location can heighten the experience. Due to a historical landmark being used as a venue, the guest list for the show was highly exclusive, and much anticipation was definitely built up to witness the ancient wall’s first runway show. Many felt opinionated on the appropriating use of one of the seven world wonders for a luxurious purpose. Nonetheless, it still exhibited an incredible feat to demonstrate the absence of limits for the world of fashion, pointing to the question of where else can production be taken to in drawing a feeling from audience members.
While artistic extravagance, unusualness, and incorporating the idea of rarity is a common theme in high fashion shows, some designers find purpose in their choice of location and components to communicate sensible messages. In 2019, Collina Strada brought their Spring 2020 collection to Stuyvesant Square Park in NYC in the form of a farmer’s market, where the runway was a park sidewalk. The intent to hold the show in this specific location was in opposition to high-scale productions, and also in light criticism of wasteful fashion houses that do so. The brand, which emphasizes sustainability, produced a suburban-themed show with elements pertaining to the average person i.e. models of all ages (young and old), shopping carts, and even strollers with children in them. Models wore tie dyed prints, bright patterns, and loose-fitting silhouettes as spectators sat parallel to large tables with complimentary loaves of bread and fresh produce. The choice of location in a public and familiar park signified a message of simplicity, sustainability, and human connection - much like what Collina Strada stands for.
“(Viewers) may subsequently feel a bond towards the brand or designer because the show ultimately becomes an experience” As we recall how runway shows’ production details breathe life and enhance the experience of a clothing line’s debut, we look ahead to see what is to be expected in a world living through and after a global pandemic. It’s easy to feel discouraged and believe that a period of guest-less, virtual shows lack the same allure as the large productions we’ve known within the past decades. Many existing notions of a virtual show have consisted of being livestreams or pre-recorded videos of models on the runway, leaving a question for how to creatively rebuild the experience again through a screen. However, these challenges have been able to induce innovative tactics to shift the fashion industry into further refining the concept that a runway show truly has no limits - physically, structurally, and technologically.a Imagining a fashion show with no models, no music, no catwalk, no audience, and no physical as-
- sembly of any kind might have been strange to do one or two decades ago, but no longer is the rigid necessity of such elements. A womenswear brand, Hanifa, headed by Anifa Mvuemba, debuted the first 3-D fashion show of its capacity in May of 2020. What looks like ghosts wearing the brand’s Spring 2021 collection was actually the magic of animation software, literally bringing the garments to life with invisible models in a plain, black setting. The viewer can see the clothing pieces curve, cinch, and stretch around a realistic body form that seems like a real person’s - but incredibly isn’t. The brand received much publicity when the show went viral, where many praised it for the creative shift to further enhance and equally redefine what a virtual fashion show can be experienced as. Mvuemba’s 3-D show attempted to answer one of the largest questions within the fashion industry of how the show can and should go on.
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Balenciaga, which has previously made attempts to bridge user-technology with marketing collection debuts, has recently made a larger leap towards the future of the runway experience. In December of 2020, the fashion house announced the debut of Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow, a video game set in a dystopian future of fashion. It allows users to browse and interact with the Fall 2021 ready-to-wear line through digital-avatar characters (rendered from real models), that are wearing items from the collection. The 3-D graphics of city streets, Balenciaga storefronts, and even forests replace the need for a physical production set - inciting no limitations on where the items can be contextualized in. The collection aims to convey a return to fantasy and imagination, and it is reflected within both the visuals and gameplay itself. On Balenciaga’s website, you’ll find the lookbook with the avatar characters in “choose your fighter” stances, much like in an actual video game (think Tony Hawk Pro-Skater or Street Fighter). The most defining part of Balenciaga’s feat is the departure from the need for a physical setting, giving anyone the opportunity to digitally experience and interact with a show. There is an abundance of potential for runway shows to be reimagined, which leaves much pressure for creative directors to maneuver an approach beyond the traditional catwalk. We can draw from past shows to seek inspiration for the future, and remind ourselves that the details in a production can bind the story a designer is hoping to tell. Additionally, newfound technology brings new wonder for how brands can enhance the experience past exclusivity, and weave a social connection with the average consumer that the fashion industry so desperately needs to revisit. Ultimately, whether a show is physical or virtual, they all serve broader aims besides being mere exhibitions of clothes on models, or as gatherings for the fashionably privileged. With many examples of past and present shows, it is evident that with the right execution, detail orientation, and creative direction, a production can elevate the runway experience and perception of a collection altogether. We’ve witnessed many creative directors push the physical limitations, and it only draws us further into exploring where we can bring fashion, as well as where fashion can take us.
Ultimately, whether a show is physical or virtual, they all serve broader aims besides being mere exhibitions of clothes on models, or as gatherings for the fashionably privileged. With many examples of past and present shows, it is evident that with the right execution, detail orientation, and creative direction, a production can elevate the runway experience and perception of a collection altogether. As we look ahead from what seemed to previously be one of the most bleak years of the 21st century - one that has discouraged more than it has inspired - there is an expansive horizon for where fashion, technology, social engagement, and appreciation for this industry may go. We’ve witnessed many creative directors push the physical limitations, and it only draws us further into exploring where we can bring fashion, as well as where fashion can take us.
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veganism and sustainable shopping
veganism and sustainable shopping
PARALLELS on the perceptions surrounding
PARALLELS on the perceptions surrounding
Sustainability is a goal that we as a society strive towards, but fail miserably to succeed in. It can be confusing and broad as to what exactly constitutes sustainable; luckily the EPA has defined three pillars of sustainability: economy, society, and the environment, or informally referred to as profit, people and the planet. Among our many attempts to reach for sustainability, veganism and second-hand shopping are recurring themes in our efforts to deconstruct and defund the meat and fast fashion industries. Unfortunately, these industries have found ways to cement themselves in our capitalist society by creating an abundance of cheap products at arms reach to satisfy our everyday needs and wants of food and clothes. Oftentimes offered
solutions/alternatives, with good intent, to these industries have been condensed into oversimplified suggestions that tend to overlook the resources needed and subtly shame those who do otherwise. As a society we are hooked on the convenience of quantity at low prices, but at what cost?
In theIS past couple years, we’ve beSUSTAINABILITY A ofGOAL come more aware of the detrimental effects derived from the mass producTHAT WE AS A SOCIETY STRIVE tion and consumption of meat. Firstly, the large environmental footprint left TOWARDS, BUT FAIL MISERABLY by livestock farming stems from the amount of land and water resourcTO SUCCEED IN. vast es necessary to nurture these animals. In addition, this is not to mention the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released by animal agriculture. Other unethical factors that go into the meat
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industry include the deanimalization of animals. With the leisure to just go into a supermarket and purchase a packaged meat product, it’s easy to overlook the subjugation of abuse a conscious being had to endure. This isn’t all too different from what goes into the production of fast fashion garments. In the case of fast fashion, when you’re admiring a piece of garment at Zara or Urban Outfitters, it’s easy to detach the suffering of a child under harmful conditions and long hours because that experience is so distant from your peripheral. Consequently, more purchases are made at a rapid rate which allows factories to keep producing and for food/garment waste to build up. Although it would be ideal for everyone to be vegan and shop second-hand or at a sustainable brand, at the end of the day money talks and provides people with the comfort of fulfilling their physiological needs. Comfort with one’s own life allows for free time to consider upholding moral responsibilities, such as reducing their carbon footprint and supporting ethical work conditions. On the contrary, people of lower income can’t constantly afford the luxury to choose alternative options to shop more sustainably.
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THERE’S A SOCIAL Oftentimes, there’s a social stigma surrounding those don’t choose more ethically responsible choicSTIG-who es. In particular, Instagram infographics have played an influential role in the shaming of individuals as MA SURa result of the oversimplification of complex issues. The oversaturation of these infographics on InstaRONDING gram creates a guilt mentality by suggesting that the transition to sustainability is simple and easy, when THOSE in reality there’s an abundance of other factors to In the context of fast fashion infographics, WHO consider. there’s an underlying implication that you’re guilty if you don’t drop your bills on expensive garments from DON’T sustainable companies. CHOOSE Similarly, with the onslaught of vegan restaurants, seem easy to access these options, but MOREitstillshould they remain inaccessible in price. Additionally, just like the transition to sustainable garments, the ETHI-transition to veganism is often oversimplified when taking into consideration one’s budget and dietary CALLY needs. When these unaffordable alternative resources are constantly flooding our social media feeds and RESPONneighborhoods, it’s hard not to feel like it’s your liabilto go the more sustainable routes because these SIBLEityoptions are packaged nice and simple for your consumption. People have to realize that it’s a luxury to CHOICES have the extra time and resources to think about what
food you’re feeding your children and what clothes you’re putting on their backs. Additionally, since the introduction of veganism and second-hand shopping to the mainstream, there has been an uptick in prices of alternative establishments, such as vegan restaurants/organic supermarkets and Depop, that are catered towards a wealthier white crowd. This exclusion of accessibility inherently forces people of lower class to resort to fast fashion and meat to obtain the clothes and nutrients they need to survive. We are all imperfect and bound to the way our society is structured. Although I’m not discouraging against choosing more sustainable options, I believe that certain communities should be more understanding of the current structure of our American economy and society, and how this frames certain communities in a paradox in which they’re unable to shop ethically. Ultimately, the parallels between fast fashion/second hand shopping and the meat industry/veganism are fabricated from the gentrification of sustainability.
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Created by: Andy Cordoba Designed by: Julia Cheng
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Ghoul, blood-sucker, lamia, fiend, leech, creature of the night; regardless of the name it’s clear that the “Vampire” has solidified itself into the horror canon, rendering the monster impossible to miss despite its variations. Even when not adorned with luxury red capes, coffins, and fangs, the themes and tropes surrounding vampires are iconic. Vampires have a long history in literature, film, and other media, and have been parodied, deconstructed, and used as metaphors for various themes like desire, identity, and even the effects of war. The vampire has been reimagined to the point of near exhaustion, from Twilight to A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, it seems every attempt to “re-vamp” the vampire has been tried.
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The comedy duo Key and Peele needs no introduction, they rose to fame in the mid-2010’s with sketches like Substitute Teacher and Keegan Michael Key’s character Luther, The “Anger Translator”. If you somehow haven’t heard of the comedic duo, you’ve likely heard of the acclaimed horror director and producer Jordan Peele, the mind behind Key and Peele’s more horror-oriented routines. The duo’s skits range far and wide, they’ve addressed everything from microaggressions, toxic relationships, absurd revenge stories, and yes, vampires. There are two Key and Peele vampire sketches that parody the genre in different ways, in fact they present almost polar opposite analyses and deconstructions of the “vampire” figure itself. The Invitation is a minute long sketch that presents a rather mundane scenario, where two women get into a squabble about staying for dinner. The sketch itself plays heavily into misdirection, a common tactic used in both horror and comedy, so it should only seem fitting to utilize it at the intersection of both genres. Their other sketch, Sexy Vampires, leans into the trope of overly erotic vampires in order to highlight their absurdity. It does this by contrasting a polycule of stereotypical gothic vampires, with a man who just happens to be a vampire, and is increasingly more put off by their overtly kinky nature. Instead of misdirection, Sexy Vampires dives right in and shows us just how ridiculous vampire tropes can be. The Invitation starts off innocently enough, a woman named Sue (Jordan Peele) stops by her friends’ (Keegan Michael-Key) house, and what follows is a back and forth between the two; Sue refusing to stay, profusely apologizing for the abrupt drop-in, and her friend insisting that she come inside. The meat of this sketch is the two women engaging in a friendly, but stern tug of war. Sue tells her friend that she was only stopping by for a quick hello, while her friend insists that she stays for dinner. Sue’s friend takes her by the shoulders and formally invites her in, saying, word for word, “That’s it Sue! I’m formally inviting you into my home! Now come inside.” Sue takes one step, following her, reveals her fangs and abruptly sinks her teeth into her friends neck. Sue, as it turns out, was a vampire the entire time, patiently waiting for the moment to strike.. All she needed was an invitation. “The Invitation” trope, as shown in the sketch, refers
to the formal invitation that vampires must acquire from humans in order to enter their home. It’s a staple in vampire media, you’ll see it appear in films like Blade, What We Do In The Shadows, and more recently, Vampires vs. The Bronx. It has an extensive history spanning from early vampire literature, films, video games and comic books. Like I’ve stated before, it’s one of those tropes that allows the vampire to be recognizable without the full image. In other words, it’s subtle, but it’s there. The trope itself has a humor to it as well; an immortal being that feasts on the flesh and blood of the innocent needs permission from their victim to kill them. It’s laughable. I’ve mentioned earlier how this sketch relies on misdirection, and it definitely shines through with the overall premise of the sketch itself, but there are other factors at play here. In The Invitation, we’ve been presented with a harmless situation which quickly spirals into horror, but how do Key and Peele lure their audience into a sense of safety in order to shatter it? A lot comes down to their ability to perfectly lose themselves in the characters they play, but along with these personas comes atmosphere, character design, and tone. To communicate this effectively, Key and Peele have used fashion to their advantage.
From the very first moment of the sketch we’re introduced to Sue and her unnamed friend. Sue’s clothes are toned-down; she’s mostly sporting navy blues and beige, whereas her friend’s attire is colorful and pops out. There’s a couple of ways to read into this contrast in character design. The most obvious is that Sue’s clothing choices are purposeful, in order to attack her prey, she must present herself as innocent and kind. Her clothes definitely give off “grandma” vibes, and it’s intentional, who would suspect a sweet old woman to be a blood-sucking monster? This itself is Sue misdirecting her prey, luring in her friend under the assumption
that she is trusting and unassuming. The sketch itself misdirects us with how it paints Sue’s friend. She’s vibrant, ecstatic and audibly louder than Sue, who presents herself as small and somewhat meek. Through Key’s costume, which includes turquoise, hot pink, and a bold lip, our focus shifts onto her and away from Sue, who as it turns out, we should have been paying close attention to all along.
The second sketch i’ll be talking about, Sexy Vampires, is very much a parody of the eroticism depicted in (many) vampire films, and poses a simple question: Is it really necessary? Unlike the previous sketch, Sexy Vampires sets everything out in the open for us. As we follow our main vampire, Cyrus, (Peele) through the halls of his gothic mansion, we’re met with candle sticks, dim lighting, sexy jams, and scantily clad goth girls. It’s every erotic vampire trope pushed to its limits, every image is immediately recognizable.
As the polycule gathers and the “new blood”, Tyrell (Key), comes out to meet them, Cyrus is immediately struck by his casual attire. Tyrell’s blue cap, red sports jacket, white tank and sweatpants contrast sharply against the polycule’s elaborate gothic attire, which features bright reds, leather pants, and long, draped open shirts. Cyrus asks Tyrell about his clothing, and he tells him he’s just wearing what he was bit in. From this we can infer that Tyrell usually dresses casually, a big difference to the goth vampires’ flashy everyday outfits. The group of vampires (sans Tyrell) crowd around a young woman, who they’re about to feed on. Except they don’t feed on her, instead they hiss erotically and
run their hands all over each other, and it goes on for an uncomfortable amount of time. Tyrell proceeds to point out they should all just hurry up and eat her, and that they don’t even need to hiss, as they can make their fangs come out without doing so. He points out how uncomfortable most of them look in their gothic outfits, and other vampires in the polycule join in, agreeing that they’re not all that into this performance either.
Here’s where something important comes up, the gothic clothes, mansion interior, and hyper-sexuality are more a performance of aesthetics rather than something natural to vampirism. We witness this first with Tyrell, who’s drastically different from the vampire polycule, and we watch the “sexy vampire” character completely unravel as Tyrell points out how gratuitous it all is. Tyrell’s critiques of the vampires’ unnecessary gothic aesthetics, which go so far as to be debilitating (like a mansion not having proper lighting so it has permanent dim lighting), or are detrimental to their interpersonal relationships, like the polycule being filled with people who’d much rather be in monogamous relationships; all serves as a deconstruction of the “sexy vampire” trope both within and outside of the text. As the trope is being dismantled within the sketch between the characters, it’s also being broken down with us, as an audience. By the end of the sketch, with the help of Tyrell, the vampires remodel their mansion and discard their goth looks in favor of comfort and actual personal preference. We’re introduced to a new vampire fit to the modern era, not adhering to the tropes of its predecessors.
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With The Invitation and Sexy Vampires, we’re able to look at vampire tropes critically, and construct new versions of the beloved monster through parody. The two sketches present different sides of representation, the subtle and the overt. In The Invitation, the vampire makes itself known through dialogue and misdirection. Sue lures us into a sense of safety in the same way she does to her friend. Through her unassuming demeanor and choice of garments, she shifts our attention away from her, so she doesn’t seem suspect. By the end of the sketch, when it’s revealed to us (and to her friend) that Sue was a vampire all along, we’re met with the reality that we should have been paying closer attention to her. Sexy Vampires is much more forward in its representations, as it presents images that are already recognizable to us. By immediately showing us the covert, Key and Peele are able to pick apart the “sexy vampire” trope both within and outside of the sketch. These sketches, like many of their other parodies, would never be the same without the duo’s unique comedic flair, and Peele’s eye for horror. Through their talent and charisma, Key and Peele have successfully re-vamped the iconic monster .
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RE-VAMPED
RE-VAMPED
Key & Peele
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FA S H I O N Q U A R T E R LY issue #18 2 0 2 0 | 2 0 2 1
