Fashion
Forward SPRING 2022
Moda Team
PHOTOGRAPHY
Audrey O’Neill, Photography Director
Seth DeGeir, Assistant Photography Director
Hunter Kiehl
Anna Janke
LAYOUT DESIGN
Jessica Tenenbaum
ON THE COVER
Simar Garcha
Photographed by Audrey O’Neill
Moda is produced with support from the Wisconsin Union and Wisconsin Union Directorate Publications Committee.
FEATURED
Jesibell Philavong | Maika Thao
| Simar Garcha | Emma Mu | Yingying Xie | Najma Hurre
| Rojaan Koupaei-Abyazani | Madison Xiao | Neda Karami | Hannah Mei | Jasmine Jones | Shaikh Irfan | Abbey Perkins | Kayla Chung | Godwill | Katie Wu Haghighi | Ashley Grace Duke
| Anita Anongdeth | Samantha Yang | Chijioke Agwoeme | Kriti Goyal
SOCIETY AND POLITICS COMMITTEE Wuffa K, Director
Micah Orange, Programming Assitant Director Kevin Jacobson, Marketing Assistant Director 2021 Frank Slavinsky, Marketing Assistant Director 2022
SOCIETY AND POLITICS ADVISORS
Will Hoffman
Thomas Worth
I do not wait for UW to provide proper representation for me. I also do not wait for the campus to look more diverse for me to feel more comfortable showing up as who I am. This fashion event that I started and was made possible with amazing and powerful friends from WUD Society & Politics and MODA was a product of 3 years of anger and frustration from being a queer Southeast Asian international student who loves to dress but felt unsafe, judged and alienated by a cishet & white academic institution and academic space. And so I opened this space up to find others like me, who find creative inspiration and power and autonomy when allowed to express themselves through fashion and culture. Different modes of decorating bodies that embody multiple identities was allowed and this moment of reclaiming power and love for one’s self was documented to ensure that we ourselves are making our diversity and representation as loud, as unapologetically real and unfiltered as it could be. I no longer care if they call us silly for dressing up for class “like it’s a fashion show” because I am genuinely proud of my body, my story and the art that I make of myself. Let this be one of the few beginnings of a campus wide transformation-where diversity in campus is truly diverse, and can be seen and admired.
Wuffa K
Jesibell Philavong & Maika Thao & Simar Garcha
“Being a child of immigrants, wearing cultural clothes was a way for me to be a little bit closer to my culture, especially living in a predominantly white area.”
- Simar
“Growing up, I went to a very white school district. Most of the students around me grew up in white-picketfence suburbs and only wore namebrand things; anything that looked foreign or off-brand was blatantly and directly ridiculed. As a result, I rarely showed off or shared my Hmong culture with anyone, much less, wore anything to show that I grew up in low-income conditions. Coming to a predominantly white institution, I personally realized how incredibly boring it is to wear what’s trendy and expensive, and I’ve come to care A LOT less about what people think or have to say about my outfits.”
- Maika
I want to wear what I feel comfortable in, makes me content or happy, and represents the many facets of my life; I’ll take any opportunity I can to show off the culture that predominantly white spaces have made me feel that I need to hide.
- Maika
Emma Mu & Yingying Xie
Rojaan Koupaei-Abyazani & Najma
& Madison Xiao
Hurre
“‘Shahnameh’ which is a traditional Iranian epic poem written by Ferdowsi. It is considered one of Iran’s most prized pieces of literature. By wearing this vest, I feel like I am representing my Iranian heritage and the ancient history associated with it, which I feel have been overshadowed by current stigma and world events.”
- Rojaan
“When I wear something I really love, I feel unstoppable. It’s the greatest feeling. There is nothing better than someone complimenting you on your outfit.”
- Rojaan
Hannah Mei & Jasmine Jones
I often feel like there is nobody who can relate to me. It also makes me feel very alone when I look around and everyone in my classes is white.
-Hannah
Neda Karami
Ashley Grace Duke
Shaikh Irfan
“My traditional outfits inspire me to not sacrifice utility for fashion. The baju melayu may not be the most glamorous or stylish of Malay outfits, but I can still look great in it while having 7 (seven) pockets.” - Shaikh
“The shirt I’m wearing is called a baju melayu, a traditional Malay garment. Over my shoulder I’m wearing a sarong, a multipurpose cloth worn throughout Southeast Asia.”
- Shaikh
Abbey Perkins
Kayla Chung & Godwill
Katie Wu Haghighi
Fashion didn’t become political for me until I started to develop more of a woman’s body. Form fitting clothes became a symbol of women empowerment for me. I do take fashion seriously because I believe it reflects and can change societal norms.
- Katie
Anita Anongdeth & Samantha Yang
Chijioke Agwoeme
Kriti Goyal
Lehenga is an integral part of wardrobe in the Indian subcontinent. It is a 3 piece attire consisting of a fitted crop top,ankle length skirt with an optional Dupatta, which is seen as a symbol of modesty.
- Kriti
