Time Capsule

Sleek lines and streamlined design merged to exude luxury and sophistication, representing the greatest social and technological progress the world had ever seen. Art Deco was introduced in 1925 at the Paris Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. It quickly became the leading style of the time, touching everything from architecture and automobiles to magazines. Diskko, a fashion brand promoting social good and sustainability, is using the influence of Art Deco to represent modern culture and the advancements of the past 100 years.

One key element in art deco is quality; everything should be well built with excellent material. Since 2013, Diskko has been at the forefront of one of the fastest growing trends in menswear and clothing, with the translation of niche skate elements into high quality garments. You may have seen Virgil Abloh’s heavily skate-influenced Louis Vuitton collections, pushing this style into the limelight of the luxury industry. Many others have tried to replicate this concept, utilizing high-end textiles to create luxe from what has traditionally been non-luxury items.

Art Deco is a tribute to modernity, technology, and the rise of the machine. What is more advanced than improving efficiency? The modern art deco interpretation applies this principle towards reducing material waste, with brands moving to recycle and reuse their high-end fabrics in order to prevent excess textile. Diskko never destroys unsold material, but instead donates it to charity, and chooses to source factories that minimize waste and stand by sustainable production standards and fair work policies.

Art Deco is a time capsule of our imaginations for the future. Now that we’re here, we know that in order to keep looking into the future, we must treat our environment and fellow human beings more fairly. If we truly want to build a utopia, it starts in every part of our lives, from govern- ment policies to social equality to ethical practices in consumer industries. As time progresses, we will see the fashion industry follow suit with Diskko, and finally achieve the vision that we once imagined.

article, styling, and layout by max durante photos by lauren cassot models: gianluca mori, sanjay samuel, garrett cleveland

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Rappers, Retailers, and Resellers

Written by James Tampellini, Photography: Paige Aloise, Model: Patrick DeCrescenzo, Stylist: Karla Reinoso, Layout: Emma Foley It’s an ordinary afternoon, and your favorite rapper releases a new music video for one of their hit songs, but what sticks out to you isn’t the familiar sound of their voice. Instead, it’s the eyecatching and unique shirt they’re wearing in the video. In today’s world, rappers have taken upon another role aside from their music careers. Nowadays, people often look to them for inspiration regarding their style or what trends are happening. Overall, rappers have a strong presence in the fashion industry today, with the ability to set trends or draw attention to a particular designer. With social media’s help, people can see a wide range of styles that they can draw inspiration from. Frequently, this leads to clothes increasing in price, a dream for resellers. Rappers such as Playboi Carti, Kanye West, and A$AP Rocky are some of the top fashion influencers today for fans. Recently we’ve seen this with Kanye West and a pair of Air Jordan 1 ‘High Court Purple Whites.’ On September 24th, Kanye tweeted a picture of him wearing the shoes, and as a result, the average price had jumped by almost $50 that day. Although a controversial move to do so, given that Kanye’s exclusive deal with Adidas, it once again showed the influence rappers have.

In some cases, rappers have shed light on brands that are coming up or often overlooked. We’ve seen this with A$AP Rocky and Raf Simmons’ ‘I Love You’ Sweater back in 2017. Given the strong presence, Rocky has in the fashion and music industry. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before he wore something that captivates the younger generations. Ultimately, after Rocky was seen wearing the sweater, everyone was obsessed. GQ even referred to the piece as “Fall’s most-hyped menswear piece.’ Immediately after this, other artists were spotted wearing the same sweater, such as Harry Styles and A$AP Ferg, who are regarded as having a strong fashion sense in their own right. The influence rappers have is more than initially thought. Whether it’s an expensive designer piece or a lesser-known collaboration, rappers heavily influence the way people dress and drive business to different brands. 27