Taylor Magazine

THE PREMIERE ISSUE

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Taylor Magazine

AN INTRODUCTION

E

xpression is revolution.

You are revolutionary.

You, me, us, who make the choice to grow our roots, stay grounded and thrive with full expression of ourselves in structures and systems that embed within us a cycle of inauthentic façade, severance from the multiplicity of ourselves, and keeps locked away from us our birthright of relentless and unapologetic truth seeking.

— Melissa Moore, Designer and Founder of Y-LLEAD: Youth Learning Lab of Education and Applied Design.

These same structures, systems, and cycles of existence that maintain a spiritual stronghold centralized in dualities and binaries, must be systematically washed away from our DNA so that we free ourselves to live in full expression from the inside-out. It is revolutionary to find the spaces in between the masculine and feminine and then more revolutionary to live in those spaces. It is revolutionary to find the spaces where these energies grow in conjoinment and then to live, love, and expand into ourselves so that we can love and expand into eachother.

Balance is god, full expression is god, truth seekers are gods. Connect your exterior with your interior and the abyss of the unknown will be fully lit. Expression is light. Live your light.

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Taylor Magazine

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

VOLUME NO. 1

DEPARTMENTS

06

EDITOR'S LETTER

A message from the editor about the magazine.

09 KNOT BY TIFFA

07 18 20 21 28 29 102

CONTRIBUTORS PAGE

A list of the photographers, illustrators and writers who contributed to this issue.

SUITED TO SUCCEED

An inside look at the non-profit organization that provides professional attire for unemployed Baltimore women.

BOIS OF BALTIMORE

An interview with Bakari Jones about the grass roots organization and their goals.

POWER LUNCH

Studio Snacks puts together a recipe for Paleo Spicy Tuna Rolls that is simple, quick and super healthy.

MUSIC

We catch up with Awkwafina on her latest album, her book and show on MTV.

HAPPY HOUR

DH whips up three recipes for drinks that are perfect for the warm weather.

He also reveals five of his most coveted secrets.

HORRORSCOPES

Ah shit.

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An exclusive interview with Baltimore based mens accessories designer Tiffany Rogers.

ISSUE NO. 1

FEATURES

38 66 67

KASHINK

An interview with the French street artist about her identity, her art and the influence.

SUITING GUIDE: THE ANATOMY

The different parts and layers of the traditional suit jacket.

SUITING GUIDE: THE DETAILS

The details on your jacket like the cuffs, collar, pockets can make or break the jacket.

FASHION

48 56 70

HANAMI

Combining cherry blossom trees with floral patterns.

XXY

A look at the new line from designers Leslie Xia and Hennie Yeh.

34 QUEER

An essay from Iraida Santiago about queerness and their personal experience and journey with their body and sexuality.

ALPHA

The Taylor spin on the classic suit and tie.

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Taylor Magazine

EDITOR'S LETTER

WADDUP. Dedicated to my sister, Caroline Xia, for being the light of my life and Haeun Ro, for picking me up every time i was down.

GROWING UP, I LOVED TO READ MAGAZINES. I’ll admit that my inception into the magazine world involved a few copies of J14, M, TigerBeat and Popstar. At the ripe age of 9, I noticed that I had a preference in which teen pop periodicals I preferred, the ones that sung to me the most were the ones often talked about the experiences of growing up. I was dangerously addicted to embarrassing stories from "real teens", personal accounts from celebrities informing me on what to look out for in life, and fun quizzes that told me about who I really was. But as I grew older and started to dress myself I realized that the style magazines that were catered toward me like Seventeen, Marie Claire and Teen Vogue didn’t really offer me the same satisfaction. I ended up turning towards GQ, Esquire, following men’s fashion blogs and workshipping the likes of Nick Sullivan, Nick Wooster, and Dan Trepanier. Although my first forays into menswear excited me greatly, there was still something missing, none of these men represented who I was or my experience as a woman.

6 T A Y L O R

Over time I was able to discover inspiring women, like Esther Quek, who served as role models for me. However, I soon realized that even though I was able to eventually find these figures to look up to, there still aren't enough outlets for girls to instinctively go to to find inspiration and information about things like this.

With the resurgence of menswear inspired styling in womenswear right now and with the bold decision to add Cara Delevigne into the DKNY menswear family, a new spark has been lit and a new narrative is being written.

Taylor Magazine is not only a way to fill the void that has always been prevalent in my life but also a way to offer a mouthpiece for the topics that young girls aren't hearing about in major women's magazines like gender identity.

Welcome to Taylor.

— Leslie Xia Editor-in-Chief

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Taylor Magazine

CONTRIBUTORS

Photographer: Hanami

Illustrator: The Suiting Guide

Paulene Phouybanhdyt is an animator and sometimes illustrator. She believes anyone who hates dogs is probably a terrible person.

*Paulene is one of the first friends I made in college.

We've grown up together in many ways and she is one of the best friends I've made.

Margarita Korobskaya is a graphic designer who works to bring her photography and design work together. She enjoys working with publications, web, mobile, and packaging design. She also enjoys sharing her style online as well as working with fashion photography.

Photographer: Queer and XXY

Photographer: Alpha and Kashink

Kristen Lengel is a soon to be graduate from the Maryland Institute College of Art seeking her degree in photography. Though she has been pursuing all different types of photography since the age of 12, her passion lies in fashion and commercial work specifically. Her favorite photographers include Robert Mapplethorpe, Annie Leibovitz, and Richard Avedon just to name a few, and she hopes to follow in their footsteps and work professionally as a fashion photographer.*

*Kristen is like a gift from the heavens. I lived with her for a few months when we were abroad in Paris and she is one of the sweetest, funniest people I know. Also one of the best fashion photographers I know.

I've lived with Marge for a crazy amount of time, we've been roommates since my sophomore year of college and she's one of the chillest people I have ever met. Her fashion sense, photography and rap prowess skills are also incredible.

Vivian Loh is a Chinese-American photographer and illustrator. A recent graduate from the Maryland Institute College of Art*, she received her BFA in Illustration. Born and raised in New Jersey, Vivian now resides in New York City.

*In college Vivian and I have had a few classes together. In our portrait drawing class during our sophomore year, I found enjoyment in terrorizing her by constantly photographing her sleeping and eventually dubbed her Loh Bloh.

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Leslie Xia Editor-in-Chief and Design Director Photographer: Knot by Tiffa

Scott Bradley is a Baltimore based photographer. His work primarily focuses on the geometric intersection of color and form. He treats objects and their surroundings in a manner where the resulting image greatly shifts the perception of space. The end goal is to create abstract out of the ordinary.

Easily the most stylish man on campus/in Baltimore.

Contributing Photographers Scott Bradley Cherry Lau David Haas, Vivian Loh Margarita Korobskaya Leslie Xia

Contributing Illustrators Paulene Phouybandyt Caroline Xia Leslie Xia

Photographer and Writer: Power Lunch with Studio Snacks

Studio Snacks, by Cherry Lau is a food blog focusing on vegetable-forward meals made great by locally sourced produce and a pantry free of most major allergens including wheat, dairy, soy and grains.

Studio Snacks was founded on a passion for alternative eating.

Fun Fact: Cherry and I went to the same middle school and live ten blocks away from each other in NY.

Contributing Writers Melissa Moore Cherry Lau Iraida Santiago

Special Thanks Tiffany Rogers and Cory Thompson, Knot by Tiffa The Bun Shop Evelyn Gaines and Meredith Spear, Suited to Succeed Kashink

Model Credits

Florals. Pages 54–62, In order of Appearance; Noella Whitney, Sophia Pendleton, Margarita Korobskaya.

Photographer: Drinking with DH

David Haas is a photography major at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is from Massachusetts but currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland.

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David is the biggest Beyoncé fan I know and one of the nicest guys I have ever met. Such a keeper.

XXY. Pages 70–79, In order of Appearance; Jasper Waters, Sienna Allison, Miona Straus, Amani Lewis, Chloe Felmer, Natovian McLeod.

ALPHA. Pages 86–101, In order of Appearance; Simone Caves, Jessia Ma, Angelica Mercedez, Caroline Xia.

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TAYLOR MAGAZINE Spring/Summer 2015 Issue No. 1

Peacock Revolution THE NEXT STRUT IN THE

Tiffany Rogers, the founder of Knot by Tiffa, with Cory Thompson, the Director of Finance and Sales.

KNOT BY TIFFA Tiffany Rogers is a Baltimore based menswear accessories designer who specializes in bowties, neckties and pocket squares. She graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in design. She has interned and worked for Tracy Reese, focusing on print design and embellishment. After working for Tracy Reese, she returned to the University of Delaware to earn a graduate degree in corporate social responsibility. However, while she was in grad school, she started her own company, Knot by Tiffa.

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SPECIAL THANKS: Here’s a small shout out to the Bun Shop, located in Baltimore, Maryland, for letting us use the space for this photoshoot. Especially Kyle, you’re the best!

A Q&A with:

KNOT BY TIFFA

Hound Dog, $35

It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World, $35

Tell us the story of how Knot by Tiffa began.

Tiffa: While I was in grad school I felt like I still needed a creative outlet and one day I was trying to find a bowtie for Cory for Christmas and I didn’t see any that I liked so I thought, hey I could make this, and so, I did. Cory and I started to discuss how we could do this and sell them online. We incorporated the music aspect because it has always been a strong influence on my design work. From there I started to make

listened to “that band” that no one’s ever heard of. It’s easier now that we have Spotify and Pandora and stuff but before that Tiff was like that person, she was always introducing me to bands and stuff, and that was a huge part of our friendship, we would go to concerts together and she would introduce me to music all the time, so it made sense, she’s got such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to music and bands and it already influenced her design

All of Tiffa’s bowties are named after songs that the patterns are inspired from.

We incorporated the music aspect because it has always been a strong influence on my design work. bowties and he started to market and present them in a way people would connect to.

Cory: Tiffs the kind of person who has always 10 T A Y L O R

choices so it made sense for us to come up with this line to formalize that.

Each piece was inspired by a song and even now when we build the collec-

tions, there’s usually a lot of songs that people know about but then she’ll try to introduce new songs to people as well. There’s this educational element but its more so say people are sitting around and having a conversation like “Oh, have you heard of this band or listened to this song, oh you gotta listen to it!” We want to have that type of relationship with our customers.

What is your design process like?

T: Right now we’re sourcing all of the fabric because we can’t hit the minimums yet to do custom fabric. We so four seasonal collections, so for this summers collection, we’re still figuring out the playlist and I think about what music do I want to listen to in the summer. So for this collection I really want to get into reggae inspired music and make sure I hit musicians like Bob Marley but also the pop reggae that happened more

You Got a Lot of Love $35

Funeral for a Friend, $35

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Taylor Magazine

The Tiffa Bowtie Styles

A Q&A with:

KNOT BY TIFFA recently. So I listen to a lot of music and I like to pick and choose and I also like to keep things somewhat diverse. So I don’t want to have all male singers, I want to incorporate all genders, a diversity in culture, which doesn’t happen so much in the reggae but if I can I would like to do that as well.

And once I’ve had the set songs I start to think about the colors and the season it’s for. I listen to a lot of music and it gives me an idea of what colors I want to hit and what colors will bring out the music that it’s inspired by and then finding the patterns I want to represent it. Some are more upbeat, some are more complex, and they make statements in themselves. It’s like a puzzle, matching what I want.

How many different companies do you look at for patterns?

T: About 4-5, depending on what I’m looking for.

There’s a company that does good cotton prints, so if I’m feeling cotton for the summer, which is usually the case, then I might just source from them.

But some other companies are good for silks, others brocades or jacquards and so it depends on what I’m looking for.

Do you ever incorporate your knowledge of embellishment into your fabrics? Do you ever add on additional things?

C: Yeah in the exogenesis collection!

T: Oh yeah! Every once in a while I will do some hand painting or hand dyeing on the fabric, depending on what I’m trying to achieve. Last year we did a bowtie for 12 T A Y L O R

the Olympian skater, Jeremy Abbot and he skated to Muses’ Exogenesis for his Olympic long program and he has this really cool copper, metallic-y, space costume and to bring that out I ended up buying a black and silver brocade and incorporated some copper and gold tones into it. Just like some silk painting. There are a few others I did some dyeing to get the colors I want.

How many bowties do you make per style?

T: About 10-14?

C: Well it depends; there have been certain styles that we anticipate aren’t going to sell particularly well and we’ll only buy a yard and just sell 4-5 of them. And then there are ones that we anticipate or don’t anticipate and they sell like hot cakes and we’ll have to reorder, and those we’ll make 25 of them.

Did you learn how to make bowties in school or after you graduated?

T: Well my focus in school was womenswear so we really didn’t touch on menswear, but the internet is a great tool.

C: I remember the first pattern you had for the traditional, we were so excited at the beginning because the first collection was coming out and she sent us the bowtie and I had all of my friends ready to rep them, we even had business cards.

Then we get the bowties and they’re super floppy – T: HUGE C: They didn’t stay up, like a dog with only one ear up at a time, so I was like “Tiff I really love the bowties, buuut, theres a design flaw we need to work through.” But I think

Traditional Also called the Batwing, this is the most classic style of bowtie.

The Bond Also called the Diamond Tip, this bowtie is cut to have a diamond shape on both ends.

Thistle A different variation of the tradition bowtie with a slimmer look and feel.

Tiffa’s Other Offerings

Arrow One of the newest additions to the Tiffa arsenal is the Arrow, Tiffa’s variation of the skinny necktie.

Square Tiffa’s variation of the pocket square. Typically for decorative purposes.

Piece of My Heart, $35

Johnny B. Goode $35 T A Y L O R 13

I Don’t Know How, $35

Baba O’Riley, $45

Baby Blue, $35

14 T A Y L O R

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A Q&A with:

KNOT BY TIFFA you worked through the patterns a couple different times.

T: Yeah there were two things wrong, I didn’t have the right interfacing to keep them stiff and the actual pattern was too long. It took me a couple of redrafts to find the right pattern and find the right interfacing and where to get it in the quantities we needed it in. It took us a while but now we’re in pretty good shape. We’re currently going through the same process with our neckties. It took a couple redrafts to get the right length and width of it. But it was nice because where I’m getting the bowtie interfacing, the same place has a nice quality of necktie interfacing, so that was easy.

Did you always do neckties along with the bowties or are they new?

T: We started doing the neckties this fall.

C: Yeah, this fall was when we had the debut, we did have some samples for the summer. Bowties are our best sellers and the majority of what we sell but we introduced neckties and pocket squares into the mix. The pocket squares were to diversify our price point because a lot of times, we have to have something for everyone. Like we want to have something for poor college students who are really excited about our brand and want to go out and rep it and tell people about it and then we obviously wanna sell expensive things too, for many reasons. When we go out and connect with out customer, which we do on a pretty frequent basis through pop up shops, we’re trying to A.

Tiffa’s bowties range from a variety of different patterns that are specially selected from different sources.

Sometimes to make a pattern feel more like what she wants, she adds additional embellishments.

sell things but B. we really want to connect with people and see what they like and get their feedback and gauge their reactions to what we have.

We found that everyone, 100% of the people we talk to, connected with our brand and the idea of the music inspiration and they loved that they could pick up a tie and be like “I love this song”.

Or if they’re buying a gift for someone they could tell them that story, if they’re a guy and they’re not super into fashion, they can have an excuse to buy them because “I know it’s a bowtie, I know it’s a risky choice but let me tell you about why I bought this. We got a lot of good feedback but at the end of the day, a bowtie is a niche product and not everybody is into it so the thought process with neckties was “man, I really like what you do but there’s no way I’m ever gonna put on a bowtie” or “my boyfriend or brother would never wear this .“ But now we have neckties too and you can participate in the brand.

T: We almost always had people ask us when we were gonna do neckties and neckties and neckties. We were like fine we’ll try it. It took so long to finally make this decision because I knew it was going to be a much longer process than making a bowtie because most of the bowtie sewing is with a machine but with a necktie it’s not because we’re handmaking everything. If we were going into a factory it would be different but I knew at my stage it would be a majority of hand sewing. And making the bias is also not the easiest

either. So finally I knuckled down and drafted the pattern and we had six styles we brought to pitchfork with us and they didn’t sell as well as we thought they would. We only had six and left with two. So we were like okay, lets just keep trying. And now we still keep it to limited quantities because they do take a lot longer to make but we always sell a couple of them.

How long does it take to make a bowtie or a necktie?

T: I want to say I can do a bowtie in an hour, from start to finish, cut, sew and all the finishings. A necktie can take me like two hours if I’m diligent.

At this stage, everything is handmade, but this isn’t the long term goal.

In addition to bowties, neckties and pockets squares, are you looking to add additional items?

T: For the summer, bowties don’t really sell too well because its so hot and you don’t want to be sweating all the time.

We’re going to try to do tshirts and some tanktops with our motto on it “The next strut of the peacock revolution.” We always have people who really like that slogan and think it’s quirky.

C: It’ll be a straight branding statement.

T: But it might have our polka dot in there too. We have a polka dot we use for our branding too.

How did you guys develop your branding?

C: It’s always been about who it is, in the beginning there were a lot of things we were experimenting with that we ended up mixing. It’s one of those T A Y L O R 15

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A Q&A with:

KNOT BY TIFFA things where, once you get it out there and chew on it a little bit you’ll see what works. I’ll give you a few examples, when we first started we did this whole thing about knots and referred to the bowties as knots and we had a little thing on our facebook page and our twitter called “knots in the wild” when somebody would wear a bowtie and then suddenly, about a year and a half in we decided to never call them knots ever again.

T: For example, with searches and SEO and you want to be picked up when people type in bowtie, if we’re calling them knots, it’s not gonna happen. And with hashtagging we realized, if we wanted it to be a part of our branding as a small business, it’s not going to get us out there.

we talked about recently was separating the brand from NYC. Tiff had the experience at Tracy Reese in NYC as an assistant designer, and I live in NYC still, but six or eight months ago we were looking for a new photographer and I had a friend in NY and I realized that one of the reasons for why I didn’t want to hire this guy was because he was very NY. For a period of time we used a West Coast photographer and West Coast models and there is an attitude in NY about fashion and they view it as a necessity and competitive and there’s something we didn’t necessarily want to connect with being the NY fashion world. Also we got an incredible amount of support in Baltimore from local business owners and we’ve had a lot of people connect in the DC area,

I believe that men and women are equals, I should be allowed to wear menswear and be beautiful and vice versa.

C: It was a little cheesy.

T: But knowing how men work and studying consumer behavior in graduate school and knowing the studies behind how men make decisions, I tried to make an effort for it to be gender neutral but our largest customer is going to be men. But also I don’t want to isolate women who want to wear bowties, neckties and pocket squares. The goal is that it’s always gender neutral but classic.

C: One of the things 16 T A Y L O R

we wanted to move away from that in subtle ways.

T: With NY, we have a lot of successful designers and so much competition. At first we thought keeping the business in Maryland would be a weakness but it’s really been a strength because we’ve been able to grow with the markets we want to be in and have more wholesale opportunities and when you go to some of these markets, the focus really is about being local. We’ve now

started to get into some other markets, Cory did Renegade in Austin, we did Pitchfork in Chicago.

Even though we’re not local, just the mentality that we’re trying to have everything for everyone and not so focused on NY fashion really helps us be more approachable. It’s a matter of keeping a wide range of options, like what what we sell in DC is not what we sell in Baltimore.

But at Pitchfork, there was such a wide range of people that we didn’t sell the same bowtie twice.

So you noticed a trend in what people liked based on the location?

T: Yeah in DC we noticed a lot of people liked the simple patterns, the paisley and polka dots, more simple things, and I really like selling in Baltimore because it gets a little quirkier. But at Pitchfork in Chicago, we had such a wide range of people coming from different places and of different ages, we had no idea what was going to sell and we ended up selling a little bit of everything.

C: The biggest thing we’ve learned is that we can’t really predict what will sell and we have to be prepared for everything.

Like for these markets, once you get there after a few hours you sort of see what works and go with with the flow. Customers are unpredictable.

Do you ever look at fashion trends to help you predict what might be popular or do you try to avoid that and go with what you want?

T: I don’t make it a part of the design process but (Continued on page 102)

Proud Mary, $35

The Escape $35

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Taylor Magazine

SPECIAL

SUITED TO SUCCEED As I entered the Suited to Succeed boutique, smooth jazz played in the background and light streamed in through the windows onto the two armchairs that sat in the front of the store. I started to walk to the back and was automatically greeted by two women who were ecstatic to see me, even though they had never met me before. They introduced themselves as Evelyn and Meredith, two of the board members behind Suited to Succeed. I briefly talked to them about Taylor and they invited me to tour their main office and show me around the boutique.

At the Suited to Succeed main office, there are several options that their clients can choose from, during their first appointment they are assisted in selecting three business outfits which can include a suit, a blouse, shoes, and other accessories.

SUITED TO SUCCEED IS A 501C3 NON-PROFIT, ONLY IN BALTIMORE. We started in 1997, which is a pretty big testament that this small non-profit has been able to survive quite a long time.

We help women in transition from welfare to work, basically anyone who has a need they get referred to us. We partner with local job training organizations and non profits. Our whole concept is not to just give you a suit for an interview but to build a wardrobe.

MAIN OFFICE 225 East Redwood Street Suite 400 Baltimore, Maryland 21202 BOUTIQUE 219 East Redwood Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202

We help women in transition from welfare to work, our concept is not to give a suit for an interview but to build a wardrobe.

So they come back multiple times a year and every time they come it’s 3 to 5 to 7 to 10 outfits. So we want to eliminate that obstacle when entering the workforce because cloth18  T A Y L O R

I was able to witness a few steps of the STS outfit selection process.

The three amazing women I met in the office.

From Left to Right: Evelyn Gaines, Carolyn Hough, and Carolyn Mooring.

The main office had a variety of different professional attire in all sizes.

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A Q&A with:

SUITED TO SUCCEED

ing can be expensive. What the boutique does here is help sustain our operations. We do search for grants, obviously a non-profit needs money and funding, but this boutique here is our main source of operating income. Everything in here is reduced pricing so a lot of our clients, once they get placements, come back and shop for continuing professional attire here because its still affordable and within their means. But it’s not just while they’re looking for a job, it’s after they get placed, we’re still a resource for them.

We also do training programs throughout the year. We have someone on our board who works at Merrill Lynch as a financial planner, so she would come in and do training classes on setting up bank accounts, savings accounts, and teach how to budget. These are all basic essential skills that people need.

We partner with a lot of organizations like Goodwill, Mayors Office of Employment

I was able to shadow Evelyn while she worked in the main office and setting up the boutique.

Several blazers and suits line the walls of the STS boutique at very affordable prices.

Their boutique is colorful and very welcoming, with plenty of options and people willing to help out.

and Development, a lot of city run classes and other non-profit organizations.

A lot of the job placement organizations check in on them and follow their progress and we’ll try to get stats to see how many get placed and what the retention is on that job.

However, a lot of the job training programs don’t really track that after six months. Some

of the statistics we look at are the ages of the women, their ethnicity, how many children and family members they’re supporting, things like that. We also track how many pieces of clothing actually get given out each year.

Everything in here is donation based so we’ve really got a solid community in Baltimore who do a lot of fundraisers and drop off things all the time.

Whatever we can’t use, we donate to other organizations, so it keeps it going. We try to keep it mainly professional attire, but if we receive jeans or t-shirts we know organizations that have a place for them. We give things to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, we partner with MCVET, the Maryland Center for Veterans Education & Training.

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STYLE PROFILE

THE BOIS OF BALTIMORE

The organization believes in celebrating masculinity and sending positive energy.

Bakari Jones aka Bizzy AGE 30 & Proud Leo CAREER/OCCUPATION Entrepreneur IDENTITY (PREFERRED PRONOUN) Queer Boi, female pronouns (she/her).

HOMETOWN Baltimore, MD What is your role in Bois of Baltimore?

Founder & Executive Director

help one another out with everything from relationship advice to assistance in changing a tire.

The Bois of Baltimore have monthly themed brunches where its members come together to discuss a certain topic and network with one another.

What have you gained through BoB thus far and what do you hope to gain in the future?

I’ve had the opportunity to bring my dream to life. Every member offers something different that we benefit from as a collective and that unselfish sharing is what is changing both Baltimore and Washington, DC. I’ve also gained a brand new understanding of humility. It’s an honor to lead these Bois and I don’t take it lightly.

What do you think is the most unique aspect of BoB? We are committed to sustainability. No one member will make, break, or stop Bois of Baltimore–not even me. Our leadership structure is designed to grow with the normal life changes that organizations go through rather than suffer from them.

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Can you tell us some of your interests and hobbies?

Community service, co-hosting Wine & LesbiFriends, thrifting, reading, and public speaking.

What is your favorite person, place or thing about Baltimore?

My new favorite place is the Bois of Baltimore headquarters located on St. Paul and North Avenue downtown. I’m sure it’s where I’ll be spending all my time.

Do you have any goals/objectives for BoB? To help Bois of Baltimore expand across the U.S., become fluent in Spanish, read 25 books, and raise $30,000 to renovate the Bois of Baltimore headquarters.

At the time of printing, Bois of Baltimore have disbanded, however the leadership initiatives of Bakari Jones and many of the Bois involved in this organization live on in its members and the contributions they have made to the Baltimore community.

Photographs and text courtesy of the Bois of Baltimore Tumblr site.

Why did you decide to launch Bois of Baltimore?

I started BoB because I wanted to change the perception of masculine presenting women in my city. I also wanted to establish an actual community (not just a cyber community) of Bois that could

POWER LUNCH

PALEO SPICY TUNA ROLLS

Prep:

30 min.

Cooking: 10 min.

ALTHOUGH I MYSELF digest

Also includes a homemade mayo and sriracha recipe!

white rice very well (thanks to my own Chinese genetics) and eat it in moderation a couple times a week as part of my personal Paleo code, many of my readers in the Western hemisphere seeking to following a Paleo lifestyle choose to avoid it because it either doesn’t digest easily for them or it causes a carbohydrate spike.

So in keeping with my grainfree model, I’m sharing this

RICELESS TUNA ROLL, inspired by

my love of both Korean Kimbap and Japanese Sushi. This recipe is packed full of nutritious, satisfying and fresh ingredients, making it very filling and a wholesome meal in itself. It’s also kid-friendly (just opt out the hot sauce) and summer approved as you can make these ahead for a picnic or a beach outing.

THEY’RE PERFECT FOR PACKING WORK LUNCHES because

there’s no rice to worry about hardening in fridge.

No sticky fingers either– Chopsticks right into the mouth.

T A Y L O R 21

Details

PL INGREDIENTS 8 large eggs

3 small Persian cucumbers

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil ½ medium onion

4 (5 oz) cans of tuna I used Wild Planet’s Albacore Tuna, sea salt added

2 whole scallions 22 T A Y L O R

1 tablespoon sriracha** or other chili paste

**

There are two special ingredients here— Homemade Mayo and Homemade Sriracha.

Âź cup mayo**

8 sheets of nori (unsalted roasted seaweed)

2 avocados (ripe)

2 teaspoons raw honey (optional)

1 head green leaf lettuce T A Y L O R 23

Details

PL

I used Michelle Tam (Nom Nom Paleo)’s recipes for both the homemade mayo and sriracha. I HIGHLY recommend making your own mayo as nearly all of the mayo on the market today is currently made with nasty junk oils! My favorite is walnut oil. I splurge on it because I don’t make mayo very often anyway.

1. PREPARING YOUR EGG SHEETS Here’s how the setup should look: Have a large fry pan at the ready (mine is 8″ inches in diameter on the bottom, meaning my egg sheets will also be 8″ in diameter) grease it with just the slightest bit of coconut oil, then wipe dry with a piece of paper towel. Have the 8 eggs, a small bowl and whisking utensil ready, we’re going to crack them one by one as we go.

To begin, bring the pan to a medium heat, whisk the first egg and pour it in. Immediately swirl the egg around to cover the entire pan’s bottom. If the egg isn’t sticking and keeps following the movements, the pan is too cold. If the egg is freaking out and bubbling like crazy, the pan is too hot.

When the surface of the egg is nearly dry, it’s time to flip. Release the sides with a spatula, and jostle the pan to make sure the egg is loose. As soon as the egg hits the other side, it only needs about 5 seconds before you can slide it off the pan and onto a plate. Repeat this until you have 8 sheets.

HOMEMADE MAYO 1 raw egg yolk 2 teaspoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon dijon mustard 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar ¾ cup avocado oil or walnut oil ¼ teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons raw honey

2. THE SPICY TUNA Chop the scallions finely and mince the onion.

Combine this with the tuna (drained), mayo, sriracha, raw honey and sesa-me oil with a fork. If you got canned tuna that was unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon fish sauce here. Taste this mixture until it’s perfect to the tastes before you go further.

3. THE PERSIAN CUCUMBERS Prepare the Persian cucumbers by splitting each into halves two times, so that one cucumber yields 8 even pieces.

24 T A Y L O R

Lay out the sesame seeds, lettuce and avocados as shown on the right so everything’s ready when you roll.

Combine all ingredients but the oil in a large glass bowl. Having a towel under helps if you’re doing this on the own (using the dominate hand to whisk and the other to pour oil). Whisk the ingredients while slowly SLOWLY pouring the oil in.

No rush. Keep at it until you achieve a light yellow and thickish mayo.

Depending on the weather, the mayo might be runny if it’s warm (like mine is above).

No worries, just chill it in the fridge until cold, whisk again and it will stiffen up. Keep the mayo chilled in the fridge until ready to use.

1

2

Important but not shown is a small cup of water (we’ll need it for sealing each roll).

3

T A Y L O R 25

Details

ARRANGE IN THE ORDER OF:

HOMEMADE SRIRACHA

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Roll the bottom up, until you reach that space on the top. Here, dab your fingers with a bit of water across the top (space in the photo on the right) and then roll over to seal. Place the rolls sealed side down to keep them tight. Some fillings will try to escape from the sides, use your finger to push them back in! I like to keep all of my rolls for about 15 minutes in the fridge to give it time to stiffen up just a bit.

Seaweed, egg, lettuce, tuna, 2 long cucumber pieces, ¼ avocado (so half of an avocado half), ½ teaspoon sesame seeds. Make sure to orient your filling to the bottom half so it’s easier to contain when we rolled. Take very important note that the egg has to be placed about half an inch below the top of the seaweed in the first step to allow room for sealing.

1½ pounds fresh red jalapeño peppers 8 garlic cloves ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons tomato paste 3 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

First, prep the veggies. (Use gloves when handling the peppers to avoid burning your hands and eyes.)

Removing the seeds and most of the ribs from the jalapeno peppers produces a sauce of moderate heat, which is my personal preference. If you like to breathe fire feel free to keep the ribs and seeds, and/or use hotter peppers

(like serranos or even Lumbre peppers). Throw everything into a high-speed blender. A regular food processor will also work — but you’ll want to cut the peppers and garlic into smaller pieces, and blitz the ingredients longer. Otherwise, the sauce may end up on the chunky side. Purée until smooth and pour

into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low and maintain a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust for seasoning if necessary. Transfer the sriracha to a jar (or three) and allow the sauce to cool.

You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

Photograph of homemade sriracha courresy of Nom Nom Paleo.

PL

Don’t forget to sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds on the cut pieces before you serve. I personally never eat these with any kind of dipping sauce, because that’s the point of the spicy tuna. it’s super flavorful!

“ THEY’RE PERFECT FOR PACKING WORK LUNCHES BECAUSE THERE’S NO RICE TO WORRY ABOUT HARDENING IN FRIDGE. NO STICKY FINGERS EITHER– CHOPSTICKS RIGHT INTO THE MOUTH.” T A Y L O R 27

Details

Taylor Magazine

MUSIC

AWKWAFINA THE REIGN OF AWKWAFINA CONTINUES THIS YEAR, with the release of her first album, [1] Yellow Ranger, and a string of nationwide shows and headlining the Fresh Off the Books college tour with colleagues such as rapper, Dumbfoundead (aka. Parker) and DJ Zo. The Queens born native is known for her witty and comedic lyrical styling, rapping about topics like her vagina, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ban on large sugary beverages, and the traumatic experience of getting a flu shot.

In addition to her musical prowess, this year she’s added TV personality and author to her list of credentials. She now appears on MTV’s [2] Girl Code, speaking about the rules of womanhood and how to traverse the world we live in with a vagina. She has also published [3] Awkwafina’s NYC through Potter Style, a guide to NYC from a local’s point of view, with an emphasis on the crazy, wild and hidden parts of the city.

[2]

[3] 28 T A Y L O R

Photographs by David Haas

[1]

HAPPY HOUR

What “girly” drink?

PEYCHAUD’S Flavor Profile

Slightly fruity. Hints of Christmas spices and anise.

DURING THIS HAPPY HOUR, DH features great relaxing yet energizing spring drinks that are good for either late at night with friends or going for drinks before you eat dinner. Whenever there's a touch of warm weather, these drinks are perfect.

T A Y L O R 29

DISCLAIMER: DH’s taste is very sophisticated and only suitable for the upper echelon of individuals interested in indulging in spirits.*

In this guide DH reveals five of his most coveted drink secrets every month.

CHERISH THEM WISELY.

DH

NO.

JUICING Once the weather is warm outside, squeeze your own juice if you have the resources. It makes everything taste more fresh.

DRINKING GUIDE NO.

I’ve had success with using a large quantity of frozen fruit, during the freezing process it can dilute the flavor, however when it melts, the juice will make it 10 times more flavorful.

Focus on heavily water based fruits like plums, peaches, nectarines, and citrus fruit.

DH SECRET TIP For a good tasting sangria with an extra kick and a little more buzz (if that’s what you’re into). Add a little bit of white rum. You won’t be able to taste it and it interacts well with the fruit.

A lot of tropical drinks have rum in it for a reason.

NEVER buy bottled lemon or lime juice.

NEVER WILL I EVER

NEVER buy anything over 120 proof.

NEVER buy any bottles of champagne under $10-12.

If you just want a refreshing glass, anything under $10-12 does not taste good.

Or if it tastes so bad you have to mix it, it won't mix well and it’ll disappear. With the sort of sophistication

we want, it has to taste and work well together, that’s how you know you've made a successful drink.

ONE LAST NEVER that I learned the hard way which I don’t want anyone else to experience. They have this cool thing called an electric shaker. NEVER. Use your hands, you never want a motor to shake up your drinks, it won’t do the job.

Featured in: LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN

Powell & Mahoney Simple Syrup

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#OPTIMAL

SANGRIA

Simple Syrup has been the foundation of cocktails dating back to “Punch,” which was a drink concocted by seafarers hundreds of years ago because it made spirits taste better and last longer.

Grey Goose Vodka France—Created in the celebrated Cognac region, from the finest French wheat and natural spring water filtered through champagne limestone. Distilled in copper 5 times in small batches.

Nice chilled and straight or high quality cocktails.

JUICE EXTRACTION I always squeeze and roll and press my fruit before I do anything with them.** The thing with spring drinks, it’s really about the flavor. You want to get as much as you can with it and thats a way to get the juices flowing.

**With the exception being for garnishes.

Mathilde Peach Liqueur Cognac, France—Flavors and aromas of perfectly ripe peaches. The Mathilde line of cordials is quickly becoming a favorite of mixologists due to their rich full flavors and sweet scents.

*His tips can be taken with a grain of salt or as rules of life.

LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN Ingredients

2 oz of Grey Goose or grain vodka ½ oz Mathilde peach liquor ½ oz freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice ¼ oz of simple syrup 1 strip of meyer lemon zest 1 inch of peeled cucumber Garnish: a strip of cucumber Directions

Shake all of the ingredients over ice in a shaker and pour into a chilled glass, garnish with a lemon zest and cucumber peel.

CUCUMBER INFUSED GIN & GRAPEFRUIT Ingredients

1 ¼-½ oz of Tanquaray or Bombay Saphire Gin 4 oz of greshly squeeze grapefruit juice Club soda Garnish: Thinly chopped cucumber slices

Directions

Combine the gin and grapefruit juice in shaker over ice.

Stick a few slices of cucumber in a glass with ice and pour the gin and juice over it and top it off with club soda.

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Details

DARK AND STORMY Ingredients

2 oz of rum, but prefereably dark or jamaican rum 4 oz. of ginger beer or ginger juice 4 oz. of club soda Peychauds Bitters Directions

Combine the rum, ginger juice/beer, soda in a tall high ball glass over ice.

Taylor Magazine

DRINKING

NUGGETS OF WISDOM Replace the ginger juice with ginger beer for springy bubbles.

This drink is a variation of the Moscow Mule, a drink my friends and I get at the bar all the time.

The key to this drink is to achieve the precise ratio between the spiciness of the ginger and the richness of the rum.

Recommendations Ginger Beer Most people like [1] Goslings Ginger Beer but personally I like my ginger beer extra dry so I would recommend [2] Reeds Ginger Beer.

Rum Goslings also makes the [3] Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum—you can play around with the proportions in the recipe since it is a very dark rum.

No.

FAVE REDS

PIEMONTE barbera

ITALY, 2013 This is a fresh, dry barbera that goes down easy.

This is the type of wine you would be satisfied with drinking a glass of at the end of the day.

[1]

[2]

[3]

In terms of red, there’s a rumor going around that to get a good bottle you have to drop big bucks but that’s not true. If you know what you’re looking for, you can get a good bottle for $7-8.

LOS HAROLDOS cabernet sauvignon

LA VILLA DE MAISON VILADE

garnacha

ATTECA

red

languedoc

ARGENTINA, 2013 One of the better Cabs I’ve had. It’s made with berries and peppers that give it a nice peppery aroma.

For nice dinners you need a good solid bottle of wine and this is that wine.

FRANCE, 2013 This one is a more bitter wine but at the same time that makes it bettter. This is a wine I could enjoy in the middle of the day. A personal preference is to add ice to keep it cool and fresh.

SPAIN, 2012 This is a treat yourself kind of wine, first of all.

It’s more of a sexy, romantic and intimate Spanish red. It’s very soft but dry. It’s a little on the pricier end but well worth it for that special someone.

SPAIN, 2012 This is such an elegant wine, and for the price I got it for, $7.99, you get a lot for your money. It’s a great bottle for everyone to enjoy, you can bring it to a dinner party or sip for yourself in the bathtub.

I love Spanish, South American and Italians reds, and I’m not huge about French. My tastebuds are drawn to Malbecs and Cabs, but this one is a great addition to my collection. T A Y L O R 33

PROTOCOLO

T A Y L O R 33

TAYLOR MAGAZINE

QUEER AN ESSAY BY IRA

PHOTOGRAPHED BY VIVIAN LOH

I have felt like a by-product of society's notions of women for as long as I can remember.

Although I have a history of heterosexual relationships, I have always thought myself as generally asexual. I remember myself as a little girl standing naked in the mirror, curious about the “strangeness” between my legs. I was aware of it but never really seemed to be fully identified with it, even as I grew older.

As of late, I have begun to reflect upon my experiences inhabiting this female body and I have questioned my identity and my relationship with sex and the body.

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Taylor Magazine

ESSAY

I WAS BROUGHT UP AS A GIRL BY SOCIETY’S TERMS IN A CATHOLIC MIDDLE-CLASS HOUSEHOLD, GIVEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY DISNEY MOVIES TO WATCH AND BARBIE DOLLS TO PLAY WITH. Sex was never a topic open to be discussed, it was considered too taboo. The most information I received was through books my mom gave to me about menstruation as I was developing, and in sex-ed class during my freshman year at a Jesuit high school, which only reinforced the shame and Catholic guilt I was brought up with. Basically—I didn’t come from a sex-positive background, and I think that is what led me to start channeling all of that into my art, which I believe over time became documentation of my understanding myself.

Primary subjects of my earliest drawings were women and girls, characters from my imagination who were voluptuous, mysterious and powerful, personas I desired to be. Male characters would only serve as sidekicks or a romantic interest. I was always inspired by women who, so to speak, acted “like men” and did “manly things.”

These were women who drank and smoke, spoke their 36 T A Y L O R

Iraida Santiago is a genderqueer artist (painter, printmaker, illustrator) who is currently pursuing their BFA at MICA in Baltimore, MD.

Primary subjects of my earliest drawings were women and girls, characters from my imagination who were voluptuous, mysterious and powerful, personas I desired to be. mind, did things typically dominated by men when they were alive and accomplished great things despite being ostracized by their male counterparts. Those were the women I wanted to surround myself with.

Growing up, I was a tomboy that desired to be treated equally among my male counterparts, but as I got older found that wish to be increasingly unattainable the more I noticed how differently I was treated because of my looks. My transformation into a woman was met with nervous aggravation from my parents, and consisted of a lot of anxiety surrounding my body image, my insecurity with my femininity; wanting to hide all those budding parts of myself that I taught myself to hate because of the unwanted attention they brought. I wanted to be recognized for who I was and not my body, but found myself increasingly objectified, as many girls go through as soon as they hit puberty and are trying to figure themselves out. My curiosity about myself sexually was constantly silenced by the Catholic shame I was raised with—my father loudly declaring to me that he heard me “feeling myself” in the privacy of my bedroom, and that shamed me out of masturbating

and understanding myself sexually for many years.

My mother’s reaction to my telling her about my first kiss at my first high school dance was stone cold. My mother got upset with my grandmother for calling me “sexy” when I came down to show off a new dress—it was that kind of relationship with sex.

Relationships I would have with boys would last a while for high school relationships. My space with an individual in order to have sex had to be safe, secure, clean. It was interesting to be raised Catholic. I was taught to strive for purity of body yet at the same time hate my body, to fear sex, to fear my own sexuality. I was taught to not understand myself which led me for many years to believe that I was asexual, because I rarely experienced sexual attraction to males, yet I found myself in plenty of relationships with them.

My upbringing was so sheltered that I had no idea that to be attracted to women was an option for me and that heterosexuality was the only way of doing things. Adrienne Rich was the one who coined the term “compulsory heterosexuality,” and I definitely think that defines in short my experiences as a female-bodied person in this society.

I GUESS TO CONCLUDE: I DON’T THINK I EVER CAME OUT TO MYSELF, OR TO OTHERS. I've always been certain of the fact that I am a woman, just a woman that had been forced in a sense to comply to social constructs through her upbringing governed by the religious ideologies of her household, which were unfair to who she was and as a result injured their sense of self for a long time until recently. What I didn't know then that I know now was that these social constructs were put in place long before I was born that influenced my parents’ understandings of the world and the way they raised me.

For a long time I considered myself asexual or “honestlynot-sure-and-don’t-want-tothink-about-it.” Little was I aware of the fact that if I did not declare what I was, many other people would, and have. Now with the awareness that has come from exposure to queer literature, at this moment in time I rest easy with identifying as a queer demisexual (they/their pronouns, please and thank you.). Until next time.

T A Y L O R 37

SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE FIRST MEET ME AS KASHINK, THEY’RE SURPRISED BECAUSE 38 T A Y L O R

I’M A WOMAN.

LESLIE XIA

KRISTEN LENGEL T A Y L O R 39

URING MY STAY IN PARIS, I CONSISTENTLY SAW THE WORK OF THE STREET ARTIST, KASHINK, EVERYWHERE I WENT. I was stunned by her quirky illustrative style, her clean and masterful linework, bright color palette and all the weird characters she depicted.

I didn’t know who the artist was or how to find her but I was adamant about tracking the individual down.

And then, as if the gods were answering my calls, I was perusing a street art blog one day and came across one of her pieces and was set on a wild goose chase all over the internet to try to reach out to her. After a few email exchanges, we set a date to interview and photograph her and her work.

THE INTERVIEW Where are you initially from? I was born in the south of France but I grew up in and now live in Paris.

How long have you been working? I’ve been painting and working as an artist for almost 12 years.

What artists inspire you?

I’m attracted to masks from cultures all over the world. I used to look at Siberian mask books, and admired the fun, ceremonial traditions of the mask. I’m amazed by how all these masks are used in such diverse ways but the use of the mask is international. Ranging from Mexican masks, the lucha libre, tiger heads, wooden sculpted masks, masks from Bali, I love all of them. I never wanted to focus on just one culture, and I also didn’t want to become the chick who only painted one kind of mask.

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Kashink hanging out with one of her pieces in the 20th arrondisement.

T A Y L O R 41

Have you run into trouble while doing graffiti?

I’ve run into trouble twice. There have been instances will people will ask me if I have the right or authorization to paint and I’ll just say yes. Only the owners can really give me shit.

Typically I like to paint in the daylight because people just assume you have the authorization if you’re blatantly out in the open.

People react to the “legality” of it in different ways. I did one piece in 2009 called “Oh baby I like it raw” on a recording studio and the work was buffed off. But another piece I did on a charity organization on two big gates and they kept it on for about two years.

On legal walls across Paris and the world, everyone paints on them, even young kids.

How did you start?

When I first started out I had dirtier lines, they were pretty interesting pieces with big flat colors, and I would do them very close and bold but not too detailed. I wasn’t very good at technical drawing and my figures didn’t look like human beings.

I used to work on the same wall with my friend in the 13th arrondisement in a huge building for years. We painted every week, and I used to do triptychs all the time with three faces.

I used to just paint the eyes, ears and mouth but at one point, a German artist took 42 T A Y L O R

This is a collaboration I did with New York based street artist INDIE 184, a fellow female, called “Lipstick pour les Hommes (Lipstick for men)” which is based off the 80’s song Lipstick Polychrome

by Daniel Balavoine, a fun song about gender fluidity.

my faces and mutilated them for her own work, so I decided to add more eyes and solidify my own stronger char acter style. I started to experiment with many sets of eyes, even eyes in the mouth area, and became very creative with my characters.

There’s always that person who naturally draws really well but I wasn’t that person.

I’ve always been very creative, even though I wasn’t the best, that wasn’t an excuse to not do it. I kept drawing whatever I wanted, I clipped comic books, went to nude drawing classes and all for my own fun.

Did you go to art school? I never went to art school, and it became very frustrating at one point when I was constantly in an office, feeling bored and in the wrong place. I was trying to please my mother who wanted me to be in an office so I could become an executive. I tried to have the normal, regular life and I never felt like I was in the right place. French culture doesn’t really support creativity. Americans are more supportive, even though half the time it doesn’t seem sincere, at least people recognize your talent. French people tend to be more of the jealous type.

TYP ICA LLY I LIKE TO PAIN T IN THE DAY LIGH T BECAUS E PEO PLE JUST ASSUME YOU HAV E THE AUT HOR IZAT ION IF YOU’RE BLATAN TLY OUT IN THE OPE N. After a while I decided to become a painter full time. I had continuing education training for painting sets, and found it interesting making a living off of it, even though it wasn’t in a crazy creative way, I started doing well. Then people started calling

me for my style, street art started becoming a trend and there was more interest in me.

Tell me about the mustache. I’ve worn the mustache about 8 years now. I didn’t wear it everyday at first, it only would make

Simone de Beauvoir, who wrote about sexuality and existentialist feminism.

appearances at openings and performances.

But for the past six months I’ve donned it everyday. I care a lot about gender studies, and it’s a subject that is basically non existent in Paris. People freaked out when it was introduced in High Schools, and started protesting against even the “idea” of gender studies. I respect the ideas of Simone de Beauvoir, who wrote about sexuality and existentialist feminism. I personally follow the idea of Genre Libre, which means living a Gender Free or just Free style. I do a lot of pieces about gender confusion.

T A Y L O R 43

What advice would you give artists my age? Or emerging street artists in general?

Spray paint is fast, the more you use it, of course the better you will become. I can do a piece in about 15-20 minutes now.

Do canvas painting. Participate in Art Basel, show for a while. You can’t bring the street to the gallery, you must adapt, realize that with 44 T A Y L O R

galleries people choose to see it so give them reason to.

You can’t take the street spirit and accurately embody it in a box. On the street, people don’t choose you to paint them. There are different approaches to it, experiment with different mediums. One thing with galleries is, you can interact with the audience and be a part of the piece, which is fun to do and

something you can’t do as well on the walls of a street.

I would definitely encourage them so they can be confident that they can be whatever they want. I would tell them that it is in fact possible to do something where you can turn your passion into a job, this is something they’re not used to hearing. I never expected to become a role model but it is so import-

ant to show the younger generation that you can be whatever. We are free to do whatever we want—we can change these rules and codes we follow, the “expectations” of females, things that are so deeply rooted in our system that we don’t question it. There is pressure for us to follow what we’re

systemically taught, I don’t want that. Even this mustache, this is part of it, this “gender thing”, people can stare and judge but I want to be a part of positive change, I’m always cordial about it with people. If I wasn’t wearing the mustache, I feel naked, and uncomfortable.

I started a series in December of 2012 called the 50 Cakes of Gay, and there ended up being a protest and I couldn’t believe people were ready to go on the streets to fight against other people’s rights. They were very aggressive and narrowminded and I was shocked.

Personally I feel that one of my jobs as an artist is to share my opinion in a fun way, nothing aggressive. I was painting gay wedding cakes!

Everybody loves cakes! They symbolize celebration, and are a positive image. In 2012, I traveled a lot and painted cakes everywhere: Morocco, LA, Estonia, England, Greece, Australia, Miami, etc.

I was able to receive so much great feedback from audiences around the world.

Any advice you would give your 20 year old self?

I wouldn’t want to change anything.

Maybe I would have told myself to work with young people.

Maybe tell myself that I have the ability to travel the world.

T A Y L O R 45

IN MEMORY OF BILAL BERRENI, AKA, ZOO PROJECT

There was this 23-yearold artist, who had painted in Paris since he was maybe 17 or 18, 46 T A Y L O R

who did very big walled pieces and was very active in the street art community and did things no one would dare do. People don’t realize that in cities like NY, you guys have access to paints of all kinds and colors that are really nice, there isn’t variety in Paris.

Like him, we wanted our work to stand out

and be noticed and not just be pretty but also have a message. We aimed for big walls for big political messages with deep thoughts and very complete ideas, some ideas about anti-capitalism. He didn’t sell his work but he traded a lot, and then he went to Detroit and he was shot. In Paris, we don’t have a lot of

This was a mural he had painted that was later covered up by the owner’s of this restaurant.

He often depicted birds in his work.

To pay my respects, I painted a piece a few feet away from his original work.

This also happened to be right across the street from where he used to live with his family. I wanted to offer them a reminder that he was still very loved by the community.

guns or firearms usually.

His body couldn’t be identified for months. A group of artists wanted to start a series dedicated to him, where we painted on cardboard and hung pieces across the world, from Europe to Japan, that were artistically and strong for him. For this project, I did a piece dedicated to him called “C’EST ASSEZ

BIEN D’ETRE FOU.” which translates to “It’s good enough to be crazy.” I did this piece directly across the street from where he used to live with his family, so his parents and the people who knew him could see it. He was a friend, and although he was a lot younger, its rare to find someone that young and so interesting.

T A Y L O R 47

( FLORAL )

hanami The floral print is a one of the earliest known patterns in the history of textiles. The earliest examples were on Japanese kimono’s, woven into Chinese brocades, in Europe during the middle ages and across many other cultures.

This style of print has also been synonymous with femininity, because of it’s beauty and symbolism alluding to fertility. It's a timeless print that is constantly reinvented and evolving.

ST Y L IN G

Leslie Xia P HOTOG R A P H Y

Margarita Korobskaya P OEM

Rupi Kaur

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50 T A Y L O R

she is water

T A Y L O R 51

soft enough to offer life

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tough enough to drown it away

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T A Y L O R 55

XXY PHOTOGRAPHED BY VIVIAN LOH

IN 2015, TWO SENIORS STUDYING GRAPHIC DESIGN, LESLIE XIA AND HENNIE YEH, AT THE MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART CREATED A LINE OF MONOCHROMATIC GENDER NEUTRAL CLOTHING CALLED XXY. THEY BOTH HAVE GARMENT BACKGROUNDS AND HAVE A DEEP INTEREST IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND THE CONVERSATION SURROUNDING GENDER DYNAMICS WITHIN FASHION. 56 T A Y L O R

Y T A Y L O R 57

THE COLLECTION, XXY IS A PLAY ON THEIR NAMES, XIA X YEH, BUT ALSO ALLUDES TO THE XXY CHROMOSOME SET WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL GENETICALLY HAS AN EXTRA X CHROMOSOME THAT CAUSES THEIR PHENOTYPE TO BE MALE, FEMALE OR INTERSEX.

58 T A Y L O R

THEY ARE BOTH INTERESTED IN THE DEFINITIVE LINE THAT SEPARATES WHAT CONSTITUTES AS MENSWEAR AND WOMENSWEAR.

T A Y L O R 59

THE AIM FOR THEIR COLLECTION, XXY, IS TO BREAK THIS SEPARATION AND CREATE A UNIFIED, GENDER NONSPECIFIC LINE OF CLOTHING THAT IS READY TO WEAR.

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CURRENTLY OUR CULTURE AND SOCIETY IS IN A TRANSITIONAL AND LIMINAL PHASE WHERE GENDER HAS BECOME A TOPIC AMONGST MANY SPHERES.

T A Y L O R 61

THE GENDER BINARY HAS STARTED TO BECOME LESS SIGNIFICANT AND AWARENESS OF OTHER IDENTITIES HAS BECOME MORE PREVALENT IN OUR SOCIETY.

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IN THIS SAME VEIN, WE ARE LOOKING TO PUSH THIS IDEA AND CREATE A UNISEX LINE THAT BLURS THIS SPLIT AND MOVES ONWARD, EMPHASIZING THIS PROGRESS TOWARDS ACCEPTANCE.

T A Y L O R 63

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THE LINE IS BE VERY MONOCHROMATIC, USING BLACK AND WHITE AS A PLATFORM THAT ERASES ANY ASSOCIATIONS TO GENDER WITH COLOR. XXY WILL BE AN EXPERIMENT WITH VARIOUS TEXTURES, REINFORCING TRENDS THAT ARE VISIBLE TODAY, BUT HIGHLIGHTING SPECIFIC FABRICS SUCH AS NEOPRENE AND MESH TO CREATE THEIR OWN INTERPRETATIONS OF THESE TRENDS.

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The Suiting Guide PART ONE:

The Anatomy of a Suit The suit jacket is a very complex piece of clothing. The proper blazer jacket has several layers to it, literally. In this guide you will learn about the ins and outs of different parts of a suit jacket, like the importance of canvas, interfacing, lining and what the point of bespoke tailing is and how it’s different from made-to-measure jackets.

FULL CANVAS

The best quality you can buy in a suit, but are generally more expensive.

Back in the day, all suits were made of canvas. It was usually a horsehair canvas, which is sewn between the lining and the cloth of the jacket. The canvas allows the suit fabric to drape properly and will mold to your body over time (for the perfect fit). It aids in the longevity of the suit by distributing tension at stress points (shoulders, elbows), it allows the suit to “breathe” and holds up to repeated dry cleaning. Costly to make, full canvas suits usually retail for $1,500+.

FULLY FUSED

A great price point but quality is sacrificed.

As the demand for suits increased, a fused suit was developed to appeal to the mass market. This is an interlining that is heat pressed (glued) to the wool of the suit. While it allowed for suits to be produced at a better price point, it also has a stiffness to the chest and if over dry-cleaned, can lead to bubbling in the chest area (this is caused when the wool separates from the fusing). It is also less durable over time and loses flexibility. Fusing is good if you want a price point suit and don’t plan on wearing it every day.

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HALF CANVAS

Gives you best of both worlds.

Eventually, a compromise was developed: a half canvas suit. A half canvased suit uses a sewn in canvas piece in the chest and the lapel of the jacket, and is fused on the bottom part of the jacket. This allows you to have the canvas at the most important part of the suit, and keeps the price down by having less handwork.

PART TWO:

The Details of a Suit For the second part of this guide, we will focus on six parts of a well rounded look, the details of the suit and shirting.

Before choosing a suit that will fit your body like a glove, it is important to know every part of a suit to better understand what exactly you’re looking at or looking for. The superior suit is made up of the finest details that go into it.

NO. 1

"A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life."

- Oscar Wilde

NO. 1A

THE NECKTIE

The Tie

Your tie should always be darker than your dress shirt.

The Windsor Knot

Always go with the classic windsor knot for your tie, but use the size of your head to determine whether you should go half or full windsor.

NO. 1B

THE BOWTIE

Regular Knot

the natural form and slight asymmetry of the self tie shows charm and quirkiness that a pre-tied bow tie can never match.

*While there are pre-tied and clip on bowtie options, knowing how to self tie shows you put effort into your ensemble. Also with pre-tied and and clip on bowties, any bowtie afficionado could spot the difference.

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NO. 2

The Collar

Sleeve cuffs should be exposed about half an inch.

Some collared shirts require collar stays.

NO. 3

The Cuffs NO. 2A

POINT

The most traditional dress shirt collar.

NO. 2B

DEEP CUTAWAY

A more formal style of collar.

NO. 2A

NO. 2B

NO. 2C

NO. 2D

TWO-BUTTON SCALLOPED

ROUNDED

FRENCH

MITERED

A two-button closure and a curved cuff edge.

Good for a casual and relaxed feel.

The most formal cuff and worn with cufflinks.

A regular cuff with the corners cut at an angle.

NO. 4

The Buttons NO. 2C

CLUB

A subtle collar with rounded points.

BUTTONING

SOMETIMES, ALWAYS, NEVER. That's how often

you should button each button on a three-button jacket, from top to bottom.

For a two-button, it's even simpler: always, never.

Never. That's how often you should button your bottom button.

NO. 2D

BUTTON-DOWN

A collar that allows you to button the points down.

BUTTONING QUICK TIPS

· You should be able to slip your hand between your chest and your buttoned jacket such that it feels snug, but with room to move. · Always unbutton your suit before sitting down, or you risk ruining it.

NO. 2E

WINGED

Worn with tuxedos for black tie events.

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NO. 5

The Lapel NOTCH LAPEL The “notch” is the opening where the bottom of the collar meets the top of the lapel.

The notch lapel is the most common lapel for a reason – it’s the most versatile of the bunch. It is most often found in single-breasted suit jackets, blazers and sports coats. If you only own one suit, this is the lapel type to go with.

NO. 5APEAK

NO. 5B

NO. 5C

STANDARD NOTCH

SHAWL

NO. 5D

NO. 5E

NO. 5F

WIDE PEAK

NARROW NOTCH

WIDE NOTCH

PEAK LAPEL Peak lapels are traditionally the most formal of the lapels and were originally common in formal wear garments such as tailcoats and morning coats.

Peak lapels will tend to look a little more fashion-forward. In actuality, peak lapels have been around for over 100 years. It is also the most expensive lapel to manufacture (requires the most amount of skill).

SHAWL LAPEL Characterized by a rounded edge, the shawl lapel is most common on dinner jackets / tuxedos. While you will rarely see a shawl collar on anything other than a tuxedo (or smoking jacket), many style enthusiasts will argue that the shawl lapel can be more of an informal variation of evening wear.

NO. 4

The Pockets

NO. 5D

NO. 5D

NO. 5D

BESOM POCKET

FLAP POCKET

PATCH POCKET

Slit pockets with welted trim.

A pocket with a flap covering the opening

A pocket created by sewing an extra piece of fabric on the outside of the garment.

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ALPHA STYLING

PHOTOGRAPHY

LESLIE XIA

KRISTEN LENGEL

The classic suit and tie is synonymous with timeless style and has evolved just as quickly as we adapt to our changing world. A suit and tie isn’t just a uniform anymore but a statement about who we are and what we’re here to do. It could be dressed up or dressed down and when done right, will always command attention. So, pull on that blazer and show them who’s boss.

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Jessia Ma, 21

Although a blazer can serve as a good jacket, some like to swap it out once the temperature drops for the traditional overcoat.

However, layered on top of one another, the two can complement each other and also add addition warmth in the cold weather.

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Angelica Mercedez, 21 A versatile look is one that can be worn all day, whether it be a morning on the town or a formal night out. Knowing how to pair your garments can be tricky but playing around with a variety of formal pieces of different colors and textures can create a look that won’t scream blacktie but also prove that you know what you’re doing.

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Caroline Xia, 16

As a student of Fiorello H. Laguardia High School, one of the top visual and performing art’s high schools in NY, personal style is important to each of it’s students. Throwing on a blazer and a chambray shirt is the perfect balance of easygoing yet classic style.

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Jessia For those that are quick and constantly on the go, a chunky wool sweater can serve as the perfect warm layer that can go over accompany any look. It can also pare down and still pair well with the formalness of a tie or bowtie. Accessories like a simple snapback cap can also add a casual element to any outfit.

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Angelica Whether it be coming from work or going to class, there’s still a way to dress up with collegiate style without losing the casualness of a regular day out. Along with the basics, a distressed leather bag and a complimentary color palette can tie a look together seamlessly.

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Simone Caves, 21 When it comes to a position of authority and power, the most important aspect of it is confidence. Knowing how to dress is important, but knowing how to walk the walk adds an additional layer of finesse that commands the attention of everyone around you.

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The Squad

Although you don’t necessarily require a “squad” to complete your look, it’s always important to surround yourself with powerful likeminded individuals who will support your growth as a human being. It could be mentally, emotionally and even pertaining to your style.

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KNOT BY TIFFA INTERVIEW

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

I am on social media so I do see what happens on the runway and subconsciously it might affect it, but I don’t make the effort to stick to trends.

I try not to be trend focused because a lot of our styles we change from season to season but we put all of them on the website because they’re all good bowties that are timeless.

In the industry right now there is more of a push for menswear inspired styling for women, how do you feel about that?

T: I think its great, I’m even wearing my dad’s sweater right now, and both of us (Cory) are pretty gender neutral people and we to mix and match. Like I’ve seen him wear gold leggings, that you can put in.

C: You’re lucky my mom already knows about this.

T: I don’t know if I read too much into it, but I am a feminist and that’s why I appreciate the menswear inspiration in womenswear and I believe that men and women are equals.

I should be allowed to wear menswear and be beautiful and vice versa. If Cory wants to wear gold leggings, he’s also beautiful in that as well.

C: When I first met Tiff, she was interning at Tracy Reese and I thought wow she’s got such a great job she probably looks on point everyday like high fashion, Gucci, Dior whatever.

And one day she was coming back to the apartment from work and I look at what she’s wearing and she wore these plastic rainbow shoes and 18 different patterns and she was like ‘Gosh work was crazy” and I thought “She works at Tracy 86 T A Y L O R

Reese in that? Are you trying to get a job?” I mean over the years I’ve seen her tone it down a bit but shes always like fuck the system.

T: But I think it worked at Tracy because her brand is about her strong prints.

C: I mean obviously it worked, she hired you and then promoted you. I think there’s something about that that connects to the, “I’m a women but I’m going to wear a tie, it doesn’t matter because gender roles are a social construct.”

T: We don’t explicitly state that but we’re working towards it. The goal is to expand the brand and the company and then eventually extend into womenswear. We’re far from it, but we’ll get there.

What advice would you give young adults who want to start their own business?

T: You have to be passionate about it, you really have to commit to it because it’s not easy and it takes a lot of resources, time and money and there’s ways to do it with less money, and those should be explored and utilized in the best way you can. But it really comes down to the passion and if you don’t have it, then it’s hard to commit to it. You need to know the weaknesses, for example, I’m not a numbers person or an organized thinker and I wouldn’t have been able to do it myself but Cory can.

We also have Mikahila Bloomfield who is our brand director, and she is networker and she is the one who really wants to reach out to bloggers and editors and stylists and work with them to get our brand out there and that not me either, I want to sit, design, get the product out there, on the website. Make sure our photos are beautiful but convincing someone to wear it, that’s not going to be me alone, I need someone else to support me.

C: One of the things I would say, if you’re starting out, you have to drop all expectations of success, especially with your first business. Just get rid

of them and focus on them and learn. That’s the only thing you can be certain about, learning, because you have no idea if you’ll be successful or not.

Regardless of whether you’re successful, you can always say I’m going to learn a ton about how to get started, about myself, my work ethic, what gets me going, what slows me down, about the industry, social media, marketing, branding and all these different things. If you can focus on that and check off those boxes and be satisfied with yourself then it’s a lot easier to not get discouraged. When we first started, we believed we would be the number one bowtie brand and it would be the coolest thing ever. But eventually you get into it and you both have full time jobs or school, if you want to keep it up then you have to have realistic expectations. And maybe you will, maybe we will be the biggest bowtie brand in six months, but I don’t know, but I’m not going to be disappointed if it doesn’t happen but what I’m going to be satisfied about is how much I’ve learned throughout the process. I can always fall back on and be like I didn’t waste my time because I know an incredible amount about things I didn’t have a clue about.

T: To build off of that, every little thing counts. EveWry blog post, feature, twitter mention, instagram post matters. A lot of the times people say that all you need to have is a celebrity that wears your bowtie, you’ll be famous, but that’s not it. Because we’ve had a few celebrities wear them and it doesn’t necessarily make your business. But we realized every single mention matters and goes into the press kit, and then someone like you sees that. We’ve been able to get our ad in Elle UK and GQ UK and to us that was a huge deal because we’re finally being recognized as someone worth being on this level and that doesn’t mean we’re on the sixmonth track yet.

KNOT BY TIFFA INTERVIEW C: And you never know where those things are going to lead. Maybe someone will see a retweet and just come in and buy a bowtie when our account is at $0. All of these things culminate and seeing the momentum build and grow we can’t out our finger on what made that series of events happen .

T: Two years ago we got featured on the Maryland Business Blog, and then I got contacted by a women at the Delaware News Journal and spent a good hour answering her questions.

I thought it was just going to be online but it was printed in the Delaware Newspaper, and I had no idea that was possible.

The day it came out, I was on the train and getting orders in the first hours of the morning and I knew it came out but I didn’t realize that many people would have read it online. But then my friend from Delaware texted me and was like you’re in the newspaper!

C: Like a full page with a picture and everything!

T: First off, I think our generation doesn’t realize how many people still read the newspaper, but a lot of people do!

So we didn’t even realize the buying power that generated through a local newspaper and that momentum started because of a post from the Maryland Business Blog. And this was in the summer and we needed money from the fall and the orders came through and we were like we can do it now. Little by little it starts to happen.

C: Another thing that’s significant is that we’re both busy.

I work a lot of hours a week, she has a full time job and since shes making everything and that takes a lot of hours as well and we’re okay with that.

We’re okay with a slow growth, because we’re learning as we go and it’s less likely that we’re gonna make mistakes and we’re building a stronger brand over time, there’s a lot of things that’s good for. We have to constantly be on the same page as that, and every

couple of months we have a conversation, whether its informal or formal, where we’re like “Are we okay? We’re going a little slow right now.” So I think you have to be intentional about that, there have been plenty of times where we could have gone out and gotten an investor or thought of a way to pull some capital in and grown really quickly or figure out a way to source in the factories and there were plenty of times where we could have done that and there are plenty of ways in the future. But being on the same page about that growth rate is important for anybpdy starting out, and being intentional about how quickly you want to grow. And also being realistic about it, because chances are you’ll probably need some time.

T: Yeah, I mean we come from a generation of start up culture, where we have these businesses and companies generating billions for investment but don’t have a product that actually makes money yet. A part of the slow growth is all the mistakes, but we can recover fro them quickly because we don’t have millions of dollars on the line for each mistake, we have a little but we also have a small audience.

The mistakes aren’t going to be noticeable but as we continue to grow I don’t want to have to make the argument of why we’re going to be profitable, that’s just how it is. So we keep a close eye on the headlines on whats going on in start up culture. The one we’re monitoring right now is etsy and them going public because we think it will be a game changer if they make it. Focused on hand made and sustainable products are ideal.

Do you currently have an etsy store?

T: We don’t and that was a decision we made.

C: We continue to make it.

T: We made it from the beginning that our focus was men and I didn’t think etsy had a strong male consumer

percentage and buying power.

And knowing how men could be sensitive on how things are marketed, I thought it would be best to keep it separate from Etsy and we continue to reevaluate it because of how strong the Etsy purchasing power is and also how they’re trying to role out programs to get their top sellers into some really substantial whole sale buyers.

C: Now that they’re going public legitimizes the website and I think our perception of Etsy was poor people with crafty things, and we watched to be a fashion company and apparel brand but now that Etsy has grown we’ve been eyeing that. Some of us have been pushing for Etsy, some of us are hesitant.

T: We have it every couple of months but haven’t pulled the trigger on it yet. If we were to be on Etsy it wouldn’t be the same as what we have the website, and if it isn’t the same, what will it be? I’ve seen some companies put what they have on their Etsy on their own website, and that wouldn’t be our route. Maybe our older styles on there or when we grow, women’s accessories or womenswear or the t-shirts, I don’t know.

C: but its free to host on their, no commitment but they take commissions.

T: Right now we just do the flat website fee, which is alright.

MODEL CREDITS Florals. Pages 54–62, In order of Appearance; Noella Whitney, Sophia Pendleton, Margarita Korobskaya.

XXY. Pages 70–79, In order of Appearance; Jasper Waters, Sienna Allison, Miona Straus, Amani Lewis, Chloe Felmer, Natovian McLeod.

ALPHA. Pages 86–101, In order of Appearance; Simone Caves, Jessia Ma, Angelica Mercedez, Caroline Xia. T A Y L O R 87