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FASHION
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Kambui Olujimi, Untitled (swan), from the series T-Minus Ø, 2017. Digitally printed cotton (flag), aluminum pole, zinc pole mount. Flag: 24 x 36 inches; pole: 72 inches.
KAMBUI OLUJIMI: ZULU TIME OPENS MAY 6
CULTURE
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LIFESTYLE
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Meg Rotter Editor in Chief Claire Hornacek Deputy Editor Alexandra Folino Art Director Victoria Fok WUD Publications Committee Director Jim Rogers WUD Publications Committee Advisor Deshawn McKinney WUD President
SPRING 2017 Alix DeBroux Staff Writers Associate Art Director Lauren Chung, Amelia Faist, Cassie Hurwitz, Ashley Ng, Shloka Rathi, Michael Sachen, Claire Grummon Clarke Smith, Leah Voskuil, Jameson Zaballos Marissa Haegele Photography Directors Contributing Writers Jameson Zaballos Fatoumata Ceesay, Akmal Hakim, Matt O’Connor, Web Master Anna Olla, Ashleigh Perry, Marin Smith, Anna Whisler Ben Golden Models Arts Curator Madelyn Bouche, Emily Buechner, Fatoumata Ceesay, Kenzie Bryant Lauren Cleary, Catherine FInedore, Analiese Genthe, Special Projects Designer Zahiah Hammad, Heather Huna, Crystal Jimenez, Morgan Kemp, Mafaza Khan, Najeeha Khan, Kelsey Daykin Chrissy Kujawa, Jordan Lord, Joanna Mohr, Anna Olla, Reilly Koch Ashleigh Perry, Shloka Rathi, Isha Senghore, Creative Directors Dhool Siad, Bennett Wallander, Susan Yang, Alexa Carlson Justina Zukauskaite Fashion Editor
Hair & Makeup Darby Hoffman Ana Genthe, Thien Huong, Joe McKee, Lifestyle Editor Krystal Moran, Meg Rotter Haley Nippert Photography Culture Editor Katie Cooney, Caroline Daniels, Claire DeRosa, Margaret Duffey Amelia Faist, Alexandra Folino, Claire Grummon, Arts Editor Akmal Hakim, David He, Morgan Jameson, Alberto Navarro, Katie Scheidt Jameson Zaballos Men’s Editor Special Thanks To: Anna Olla Free People of Hilldale Mall Eva-Delilah Wieland Teju Olaniyan of the African Cultural Studies Special Events Coordinators Department at UW-Madison & Mathias Girard Janelle Huehnerfuss Taylor Palmby Marketing and Social Media Liason SPRING 2017
on the
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COVER
Isha Senghore photographed by Alexandra Folino Makeup by Ana Genthe
TABLE OF CONT ENTS
LIFESTYLE
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BE BRAVE, BE BOLD
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SHOP OUT OF THIN AIR WITH POP-UP STORES
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COLOURPOP: THE POWERFUL BRAND WITH PIGMENTS TO DIE FOR
FASHION
Don’t fear a pop of color, embrace it
STEMINISTS An ode to UW-Madison’s women in STEM
Short-term sales, but a long-term trend
Capturing hearts & lips, without breaking the bank
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WHO’S THAT GIRL?
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THE RETURN OF AN ERA
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SPORT AUTHORITY
SEE PAGE 8
The next level of supermodel
Ghosts of decades past
Track is back
MEN’S
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CULTURE AND ANTI-CULTURE
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RIVERDALE Style reflects pop culture and personality in this hit new TV series
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Tracing the roots of the Congo’s most famous fashion movement
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SEE PAGE 44
ARTS
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CULTURE
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MARKING A MOVEMENT WITH MILLENNIAL PINK An ode to the power of color
GRAFFITI: A POP OF EXPRESSION The underrated art that covers Milwaukee’s streets
SEE PAGE 14
FROM INNER BEAUTY TO OUTER STRENGTH + MUSLIMAH (Not) cut from the same cloth: the empowered personalities behind the Hijab
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MILLENIALS’ BANG INTO POLITICAL ACTIVISM
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THE NOT-SO-SWEET SIDE OF POP
How an activist movement was born
Soda companies, neocolonialism and consumerism
FEATURED
SEE PAGE 34
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THE NEW 2000S What goes around comes around
BOOM, CLAP Actions speak louder than words
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OBSESSED AND WANT TO SEE MORE OF US? FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL. MODAMADISON.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/MODAMADISON
@MODAMADISON
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
W hen building an issue from the
ground up, it is important to pick a theme or focus in which all content and visuals can adhere to. With Moda, an entirely student-run publication, we are unique in the sense that our staff is constantly shifting. As editors graduate and writers develop other interests, maintaining our voice and our brand is a continuous struggle. However, when choosing a theme for our spring issue, our editorial board’s decision was unanimous; our topic would be Pop. In a time when the state of our country’s affairs is often frightening and our futures remain uncertain, we thought our readers needed some fun – maybe even a pop of color. With each connotation of the term, our Arts, Culture, Fashion, Lifestyle and Men’s sections have worked harder than ever to present our readers with engaging and relevant content, and our Arts Team has collaborated to turn the publication into a visual masterpiece. Whether it be pop art, pop-up shops or soda pop, the creativity of our staff never ceases to amaze me.
MEG ROTTER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEXANDRA FOLINO ON POLAROID
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Best,
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As the final issue in which I am at the helm of Moda Magazine, I thank you for following my journey and invite you to join Moda again next year as a new staff tackles a different set of stories.
NOVEMBER 2016 | 7
M A R K I N G A M OV E M E N T W I T H
MILLENNIAL
PINK
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMELIA FAIST, ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR CREATIVE ASSISTANCE: ALEXANDRA FOLINO
Color as the face of a movement is not a new concept. It has been done before by anti-bullying campaigns, in the iconic cancer ribbons and with autism awareness efforts, but never to the extent of millennial pink’s entire Girlboss Movement. It is painted across books, websites, advertisements, clothing and is featured prominently on signs at women’s marches. Millennial pink, as it has been dubbed, ranges from salmon to a dusty pink, and is also known as Tumblr pink.
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Why pink? For many millennial women, childhood was filled with girly, Barbie pink. Barbie represents unattainable female beauty standards, yet it previously filled the toy chest of many modern women. Millennial pink takes back the color, painted liberally across the movement to be inclusive of diversity and representative of a woman whose worth is not attached to her appearance. While millennial pink is lighter in shade than Barbie pink, it
represents a stronger woman who is prepared to stand up for rights that are at risk under the administration of President Donald Trump. Covering thousands of Women’s March posters around the world, the color symbolizes activism. Women are rewriting femininity by embracing the gendered color as the face of a movement which rejects the societal constraints attached to it. Many brands have aligned themselves with the feminist movement through discrete incorporation of the color into advertising efforts. The powerful political stance within an industry that is known for manipulating the female body to sell products is a small success for feminism. Synonymous with girl power, the color appears in campaigns for companies like Glossier, Thinx and The Skinny Confidential. Female empowerment becomes visible through the simple aesthetic shift.
As fashion often aims to align with the attitude and mindset of the customer, millennial pink has popped up in several notable collections like Versace’s 2016 Resort Collection and Penney’s 2017 Handbag Collection, and speckles the current fast fashion scene with retailers such as Forever 21 and H&M looking to appeal to the millennial generation. It has graced many runways in the past few seasons, and has trickled down to more mainstream retailers, allowing women to mirror the quiet statement that many brands have embraced. The breadth of the influence millennial pink has made is a new leap. With the election of President Trump and the widespread women’s marches which have followed, it is an opportune time to be united through what millennial pink represents. It has become a universal symbol of femininity, equality and the continuing girl boss legacy. ■
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B E B R AV E
BE BOLD SPRING 2017
BY CASSIE HURWITZ, LIFESTYLE WRITER CREATIVE DIRECTION BY MEG ROTTER AND CASSIE HURWITZ MAKEUP BY JOE MCKEE | HAIR BY MEG ROTTER LAUREN CLEARY AND SHLOKA RATHI PHOTOGRAPHED BY CLAIRE GRUMMON
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The thought of wearing bold colors can be terrifying. While beauty bloggers, models and celebrities seem to rock blue lips and gold brows effortlessly, it is not every day that average students, doctors or lawyers walk around with bright shades painted onto their skin. However, this division begs the question: why not wear bold makeup? Abstract eyeliner and unusual shades of eyeshadow are, in truth, much easier to pull off than they seem. Additionally, sporting head-turning colors can be nerve-wracking, but also liberating and inspiring.
Adding a little extra oomph to your usual leggings and sweater combination is a no-fail way to boost your selfconfidence. Even if it incites some nerves, using powerful makeup to get over that fear of self-expression is the perfect way to add a spring to your step. It happens on good days; your hair is curled just right, your on-trend shoes look killer and your pout is Kylieapproved. When you look good, you feel great!
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Consider adding a few pops of color into your makeup routine, whether for the everyday or a big event. Before shaking your head and painting on another nude lip, dig out that bright orange, neon magenta or wildcard blue that you purchased on a whim and quickly threw into your bottom drawer. Make use of your skin’s canvas and create a piece of art you can be proud of. Bold colors are the key to bringing out your inner artist and pushing your confidence to the next level. â–
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WHO’S THAT GIRL BY ASHLEY NG, FASHION EDITORIAL ASSISTANT SPRING 2017
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FASHION GONE ROGUE
THE WASHINGTON POST
We’re nearly halfway through the year 2017, and if you don’t know who Gigi Hadid is by now, you’ve clearly been living under a rock. The supermodel has appeared in many places, including the runway, pop music videos, ad campaigns and on several covers of Vogue (21 to be exact).1 It’s crazy to think that she claimed all of these accomplishments between now and her recent breakthrough in 2014. So how did she do it? Chantal Fernandez, “Every Gigi Hadid ‘Vogue’ Cover, All in One Place,” Fashionista.com. 1
It all adds up. Gigi is aware of her wealthy background, but she is constantly expressing her gratitude and reassuring her fans that her success has not simply been handed to her. Despite her advantages, Gigi has had to work hard to earn her gigs. Her mom spilled to US Weekly that VOGUE Gigi was denied twice before getting a spot as a Victoria’s Secret Angel.2 When given It’s true, Gigi did have the her work ethic and ambition, help of a few connections it’s really no surprise Gigi is in establishing her career (I everywhere you look. ■ guess having a mother who’s a former model and a father 2 in the real estate business has Rachel McRady, “Yolanda Foster: Gigi Hadid Auditioned for Victoria’s its perks after all). Her journey Secret Fashion Show Twice Before fits the formula for success. Getting It,” USMagazine.com.
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Well, if we’re going way back to the beginning, we’ll have to start when Gigi was first discovered at the age of two. Family friend and designer of Guess at the time, Paul Marciano, scouted out Gigi to model for Baby Guess and Guess Kids. She shied away from the spotlight for a while to focus on school and having a normal childhood. Hadid returned to the modeling scene at the age of 16, when her career really took off. At only 21, Gigi is now the face of Versace, was nominated model of the year by The Daily Front Row in 2015 and has walked in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show… twice. In 2016 alone, she landed 11 Vogue covers, both international and American. Apart from modeling, Gigi has allowed her creativity to venture to other areas of fashion. She has crossed into the makeup industry as a spokeswoman of Maybelline New York. At this spring’s New York Fashion Week, she unveiled her first ever Tommy x Gigi Fall/Winter Ready-ToWear collection.
Gigi is not alone in the spotlight. Siblings Bella and Anwar Hadid are following close in Gigi’s footsteps with their own impressive modeling portfolios. On top of that, Gigi has her own set of celebrity best friends. Constantly seen with model Kendall Jenner and singer/songwriter Taylor Swift, the 21-year-old is no stranger to the world of fame. Supermodel? Only for some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. Victoria’s Secret Angel? Check. Vogue covers? Check.
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TWITTER @GIGIHADID
MUSLIMAH
BY FATOUMATA CEESAY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER NAJEEHA KHAN, FATOUMATA CEESAY, MAFAZA KHAN, DHOOL SIAD & ZAHIAH HAMMAD PHOTOGRAPHED BY AKMAL HAKIM POST PRODUCTION BY ALIX DEBROUX
As the world tunes into New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, there is an increasing amount of attention drawn towards a religious, and often political, piece of clothing - the hijab. The hijab is a scarf Muslim women choose to wear on their heads in order to signify their religion and faith. Although it has been characterized as a tool of oppression by mainstream media, many hijabis (including myself) see the veil as empowering and liberating.
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The hijab has managed to rise into the scene of high fashion, with many companies choosing to include the hijab, as well as modest clothing into their line. H&M is known for being one of the first few companies to hire hijabi models, and the number is only growing.1 In addition to that, Bayley, Leanne. “Trending: Maria Hidrissi, H&M’s first Muslim model.” Glamour UK. 2016. 1
Muslim model Halima Aden made history by debuting in the recent Milan Fashion Show.2 It is difficult to only have one option when it comes to clothing, simply because many stores don’t cater to the needs of Muslim women. But with the rise of modest fashion, hijabis can find clothes to express themselves. No one should question why the hijab has made it so big, especially when Islam is the second largest and fastest growing religion, and Muslim women contribute over $200 billion to the fashion industry every year.3,4 The recent shift in fashion allows for Muslim women to be able to shop for modest clothes while still being fashionable. Markovinovic, Monika. “Hijab-Wearing Model Halima Aden Is Fashion’s Next Top Model.” The Huffington Post. 2017. 3 Halkon, Ruth. “Islam is the ‘fastest growing religion’” Mirror.co.uk. 2015. 4 Mucci, Alberto. “Inside the booming Muslim fashion industry.” Al Jazeera. 2016. 2
The right to personal expression is incredibly important for me and many other Muslim women. The hijab and fashionable personal style are simply forms of expression, and a combination of the two should be normalized. Expression, whether that be in the form of fashion or anything else, lets us push back against stereotypes about Muslims. Expressing ourselves allows us to let the world know that we are just like any other person, and just like any other person, we also have passions; whether that be painting, skating, photography, etc. I use fashion as a way to let my clothes be a physical manifestation of my personality; It separates me from everyone else and makes me unique. Honestly, the way Muslim women dress is no one else’s business, and it’s about time that Muslim women were represented with modest clothing in upscale fashion companies. ■
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ARTIST’S STATEMENT
FROM INNER BEAUTY TO OUTER STRENGTH BY AKMAL HAKIM, CONTRIBUTING ARTIST
If there’s one thing that the mainstream media is accurate about it’s that hijab is more than just a scarf. And this is the truth: Hijab is strength, faith, beauty, self-love, confidence and so much more. ■
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Muslims, in particular, are among those facing discrimination and inaccurate portrayal by the mainstream media. Hijab – a symbol of inner beauty and strength, modesty, feminism and
independence – is often equated with gender oppression and religious extremism. This project aims to break these inaccurate stereotypes by featuring hijabis exploring their personalities, fashion sense, confidence, strength and self-love through the camera lens.
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Despite advancing towards a more liberal society, the world sees an equally strong opposition against diversity. People worry every day before leaving their doorsteps because of how they look. Lifestyle choices are still being subjected to ignorant judgements. Above all else, the world still witnesses actions motivated by ignorance.
CULTURE JUNTA WATANABE | VOGUE
ANTI-CULTURE TRACING THE ROOTS OF THE CONGO’S MOST FAMOUS FASHION MOVEMENT
BY MICHAEL SACHEN, MEN’S WRITER | SPECIAL THANKS TO TEJU OLANIYAN OF THE AFRICAN CULTURAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT UW - MADISON AND MATHIAS GIRARD
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The concept of pop culture is rooted in the notion of what is “popular” or mainstream. From time to time, though, a resistance to the popular, accepted ideal develops. This resistance, ironically, can develop into what is again popular (think Dada and the resistance to the idea of art -- suddenly, Dada was art). This constant divide of pop versus not, East versus West and mainstream versus obscure has been the motivation for deciding what’s accepted and what isn’t. Enter The Society of AmbianceMakers and Elegant People, or La Sape, a subculture centered in the metropolitan
areas of the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a subculture rooted in political subversion and the aesthetic dichotomy between the West and Tribal Africa. It claims and preaches to be both despised by the Congolese and absolutely revered by them, even though it was initially used as rebellion against the West. The roots of this subculture -- of subversion, of resistance and of division -- weave an incredibly intertwined story about just what “pop culture” means and how that definition can turn on itself.
THE PRE SAP 1880-1960
THE EARLY SAP 1960-1990 The independance of the Congo led to the growth of metropolitan areas of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, but was also a time of financial instability. With the economic depression, many Congolese had moved to France in search of prosperity, while the youth at home faced hardship. Out of this came Rumba music, and its biggest star, Papa Wemba. He is widely credited with coining the term “La Sape,” and his intention was to imbue a philosophy and social code that focused on elegance as a way to have control in the turbulence of the African Metropolitan. Using his music, Wemba encouraged Africans to reject Western imitation, and to use elegance and image as a physical assertion of their humanity. Papa Wemba’s perspective challenged the Western view that framed the Congo, and it gave control to the Sapeur to determine who was the ‘Other,’ to develop norms of dress and behavior to reconfigure the social realm. Early Sapeurs defied their surroundings by practicing the Sapeology, In the early 70s, Sapeurs from Europe began to return and were criticized within the Congolese community. They were condemned for their apparent
vanity, pride and pretentiousness, as well as for spending exorbitant sums of money on clothes in a society which had many other concerns. In 1971, the military dictator Mobutu Sese Seko outlawed Western styles of dress in a push to establish Congolese nationalism. It is here that the practice of Sapology was used as a stand against the authoritative Congolese government. The first shop catering to Sapeurs, La Saperie, was opened in 1978 by a Congolese handyman named Christian Loubaki. Loubaki, who had worked in Paris and watched how his employers dressed, even wearing their old hand-me-down clothes. His store soon became a hotspot for Sapeurs returning from Europe. Loubaki’s store led to division in the Sapeur community. Loubaki’s followers who had returned from Europe aimed to copy Western fashion by buying bougie, Western labels, and spoke French to appear superior to the lowly Congolese native, taking on the caricature of a Western dandy. On the other hand, those who had stayed in the Congo, followers of Papa Wembathe, stuck to the original codes of La Sape, pushing for a new African identity and for African people as a whole to be seen as equal to the rest of the world.
THE POSTMODERN SAP 1990S - 2000S With the split in subculture in the 1970s and 80s, the ethics had become watered down for future generations, and with the two Congolese civil wars between 1993 and 2003, there was a near disappearance of subculture in the Congo. After the civil wars, more African youth began to move back to the Congo and the practice of Sapology started as something new. Now, without the outspoken voice of Papa Wemba, and the ethics that had come with the subculture, all that was left were the clothes. This period was marred by extreme consumerism, and Sapeurs of this time wore designers
with no consideration of the ideas behind them. People wore anti-fashion labels like Yohji Yamamoto and Comme Des Garcons alongside the established bourgeois houses. It had become a shell of a subculture, wanting to appear to be something it was not, a lifestyle without the life. Papa Wemba lamented that, to his dismay, a movement that started out as a means to establish an identity for the Congolese youth both at home and abroad was taken to extreme lengths with Sapeurs begging and pleading (and stealing) to obtain designer clothes they could not afford. The Western media had also become obsessed with covering the Sape during this time, with articles on the subculture in the biggest western publications. Seeing their flaws reflected in media, there developed a fascination with the pure consumerism of the contemporary Sapeurs.
THE SAP OF TODAY & THE FUTURE The future of La Sape is incredibly bright. Today in Congo, third generation Sapeurs have realised the negative effects of blind consumerism and are running educational systems to teach young Sapeurs how to make their own clothing. This growth of pop (and anti-pop) culture has put the movement on a worldwide front and led to the success of African fashion designers. There is now a globally covered Kinshasa fashion week. In the spring of 2015, Junya Watanabe (under Comme des Garcons) unveiled his Fall Men’s Line that openly took inspiration from the Sape Movement, using Sapeurs as runway models. It is incredible to see the designers Sapeurs held as idols now embracing the culture. After years of perceived cultural inferiority, they are now in certain parts of society, seen as equals and even heroes themselves on an international scale. In part, La Sape has contributed to redefining the contemporary globalization of art. ■
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Later, in Paris in 1926, an anti-colonial movement led by André Matsou gave the Congolese a place in Paris to feel welcome. Here an emphasis was placed on fashion to combat notions of racial inferiority. This style of dress, along with his political ideals, was picked up by Congolese elite in Brazzaville after Matsou’s death in 1942, where the concept of combating racial inferiority shifted into a way of showing racial equality and supported the anti-colonial sentiment that would lead to the end of Belgian Colonization in 1960.
“IT CLAIMS AND PREACHES TO BE BOTH DESPISED BY THE CONGOLESE AND ABSOLUTELY REVERED BY THEM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS INITIALLY USED AS REBELLION AGAINST THE WEST.”
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The earliest roots of La Sape can be traced back to the French colonization of the Congo in the late 19th century. The French aimed to implant Western concepts of culture by introducing clothing to the natives in an attempt to civilize what they had gone on to describe as the “naked native.” By the 1920s in Brazzaville, the native Congolese Houseboys who worked for Colonists often were paid in hand-me-down clothes of the Western style. They went on to adopt this style of dress, often spending all of their wages in an attempt to both imitate their colonizer and show that they possessed the same level of elegance -- a concept that has been integral to Sapeur ethics since the beginning.
STEMINISTS: THE WOMEN DOMINATING SOCIETY’S MALE-CENTRIC FIELDS
BY LEAH VOSKUIL, LIFESTYLE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT | MADELYNN BOUCHE, CATHERINE FINEDORE, HEATHER HUNA, CRYSTAL JIMENEZ, MORGAN KEMP, CHRISSY KUJAWA, JOANNA MOHR AND SUSAN YANG PHOTOGRAPHED BY CLAIRE DEROSA | SPECIAL THANKS TO CLAIRE HORNACEK FOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE AND CATHERINE FINEDORE It started out with a simple request: to go on a family bike ride. Tabea, the matriarch, wanted to spend the day exercising and enjoying the weather with her child and husband. However, due to a tragic accident about 10 years ago in which Tabea shielded her newborn baby from an oncoming car and suffered Traumatic Brain Injury, she uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility.
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Fast-forward to the Fall 2016 semester at University of WisconsinMadison, where a team of engineers volunteered their expertise to make this family’s dream come true.
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Morgan Kemp, a first-generation student majoring in Biomedical Engineering, felt eager to get
started. After meeting with the family, spending countless late nights at the Engineering Centers Building and completing numerous trial runs with her teammates, they presented their work first to their professors, then to an overjoyed Tabea and Ted.
“I get a lot of, ‘You don’t look like an engineer,’” Kemp said.
This experience emphasizes what Kemp enjoys most about her chosen career path— creating a functional and innovative product that will make a positive impact on the world.
“It’s groups assuming you will be the secretary, not the one doing design, prototyping or testing. It’s shop technicians talking differently to you than the male interns, assuming that you don’t understand...I could list so many,” Bouche said.
However, something that she does not appreciate quite as much is the awkward silence she, and so many of her female friends with similar career aspirations, receive after describing their field of study.
Mechanical Engineering student Madelynn Bouche reiterated such statements, pointing out that it is the microaggressions and backhanded compliments that upset her the most.
Comments like “you’re too pretty” and false conclusions of companies hiring female engineers solely to fulfill a quota are far too common for
Numerous women in STEM use physical as well as psychological tactics to make sure that their voices and products are given equal attention and consideration. Beyond work ethic and drive, women in STEM often find themselves opening their shoulders and intentionally taking up space in an effort to communicate that they are confident, strong and prepared. Another commonality is volume. “Sometimes you literally have to be the loudest in the room to be heard. You have to be persistent in inserting
The thing is, more so than not wanting to leave your fellow women hanging, these invisible barriers to equal visibility in STEM impact all intersectionalities and hinder STEM potential reach. One of the most popular organizations working toward a more inclusive and diverse face of STEM is Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Since 1950, SWE has been encouraging a more inclusive and diverse face of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, by providing a safe space for women and allies to share experiences and understanding, as well as help each other achieve optimal success.2 In other words, Steminists across the globe have come together to prove men wrong (again). With the president of SWE’s national chapter being a University of Wisconsin alumna, the organization has a special place on Madison’s campus.
One of the many ongoing projects of UW-Madison’s SWE chapter president Susan Yang, her five vice presidents and their nearly 300 chapter members is a youth outreach initiative called SWENext. Currently being piloted at a middle school in Janesville, Wisconsin, SWENext is a program for girls 12 to 18-years-old who want to learn about engineering opportunities— whether that be through career outreach or potential project participation— from the women who are on-track to make a career out of STEM. By encouraging future generations to love the fields that have been traditionally considered “for the boys” through interaction, education and interactivity, UW-Madison’s women in STEM (or as SWE calls them, “SWEsters”)1 are attainable heroes to girls everywhere— standing up, speaking out and proving the guys wrong. Remember, you don’t need to go far to find a steminist, just talk to the woman prototyping the bicycle next to you. ■ 1
swe.slc.engr.wisc.edu/
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This means that being a woman in STEM is standing out, whether you want to or not. For example, in a larger mechanical engineering lecture, there are typically five women at maximum. Further, it is not uncommon to be the sole representative of an entire gender in a lab.
yourself into the conversation, no matter what,” Kemp said.
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not only women in the engineering sector, but for science, technology and mathematics fields as well (STEM).1
THE
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NEW 2000S W H E N P A S T A N D P R E S E N T P O P C U LT U R E M E E T.
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DIRECTED BY ALEXA CARLSON, ASHLEY NG AND CLARKE SMITH JUSTINA ZUKAUSKAITE PHOTOGRAPHED BY CLAIRE GRUMMON MAKEUP BY THIEN HUONG | HAIR BY KRYSTAL MORAN
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CROPPED SWEATSHIRT MATTE BRAND PATENT SKIRT EXPRESS SUNGLASSES MODELS OWN
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ONE-SHOULDER TOP SILENCE + NOISE SKIRT BDG CHOKER FRANCESCA’S
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SATIN CROP TOP NASTY GAL DENIM SKIRT BUFFALO EXCHANGE
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SEQUIN TOP TFNC JEANS AMERICAN EAGLE
VELOUR JACKET JUICY COUTURE SUNGLASSES ASOS
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on the editorial
the return of an era
BY CLARKE SMITH, FASHION WRITER
Pop culture has always been a big factor in fashion. Over the years, however, we’ve started to receive pop culture differently. Thanks to social media, celebrities are more accessible. We brought them down a notch with no remorse. Instead of always looking to them to determine the next piece we need in our closets, many turn to the latest internet star. Or, if one’s follower count is large enough, you may even take it upon yourself to either revive a trend or start a new one. In this era, clout can put you in the same position as a celebrity. Since influencers are so in touch with their fan bases, they are leveled, in a sense, putting their followers in a position to directly interact and feed off of them. With the help of various social platforms to voice our opinion publically, we can now directly be a part of the evolution of trends, alongside both celebrities and influencers, and can actually have our
Coming from an era full of fitted clothing, we’re giving a warm re-welcome to oversized clothing. No longer do we need our jeans to fit skin tight, our crop tops and tanks to fit like a snug glove or our sweat suits to accentuate every curve we own; we’re starting to embrace the art of baggy. At this point, it’s much more than an ode to the baggy track suit era that we can thank hip hop for; it’s becoming a lifestyle. We get nostalgic as we watch Rihanna strut around in a pink track suit three sizes too big for her, fill her FENTYxPuma Collection with oversized jumpsuits and hoodies, see Vetements consistently embrace the art of extremely elongated sleeves or Keke Palmer in a tracksuit that immediately reminds you of Aaliyah. Under the impression that Juicy Couture’s reign was over, the world was shocked, yet excited, when we learned of their collaborations with both Vetements and Urban Outfitters. Although we saw Kylie in it first, we no longer have to wait for a new wave of celebrities to step out in track suits. The fact that the brand is back in the fashion news for something other than bankruptcy gave us the green light to dig deep in our closets and fish out that old orange matching set with “Juicy” scrolled across the butt. We could channel our inner Paris Hilton and thenside-kick Kim K, while tastefully showing an inch or two of our midriff to add some sass. We can now throw on the zip front hoodie with the “J” grip for more than just running to the store. It is now an outfit, or as many like to say, a “look.” Until recently, you were able to pick up
this forgotten “J” zipper hoodie at your nearby Nordstrom Rack whereas now the “outdated” item is retailing for $200 a piece. It ultimately says something about the current power of re-branding and collaborating, something along the lines of, “we’re hiking up the prices now, but you’re still going to buy it, because it’s in and someone else’s name is on it.” Furthermore, we’ve welcomed back showing excessive skin. We’re unapologetically letting the skin loose again. It’s letting our creative juices flow freely when it comes to what to put on. Mini is in. Mini skirts, mini dresses, mini...shirts. In the same age that we’re welcoming back oversized everything, we’ve brought back the denim mini skirt as a staple, have made the “barely there” slip dress a thing again and if you don’t have a cropped sweatshirt by now, what have you really been buying? Also, showing your undergarments above your clothes is creeping its way back in. A quick trend that snuck its way in is fishnets above high-waisted pants, almost announcing the resurgence. Who knew we’d be able to bring our middle school closet back out so soon? Fashion may be a revolving door, but who knew trends would resurface so quickly. The turnaround rate for MCM took over a decade and a half, but apparently in this day and age we’re going to have to stay ready for a come back. As always, fashion comes and goes but style remains. It’s interesting to see how we take past trends and revamp them to fit the current time period. We pay homage, with a twist. There are jersey dresses and bandanas in our future ladies. Dig deep in those closets, stop by your nearest thrift store or search a second-hand app, it’s time to bring the 2000s back. ■
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Back then, we were so in tune with pop culture. It was less about social media and more about our TV’s. The latest trends came from our favorite music videos, red carpets and special appearances. We held celebrities on a pedestal, since they simply weren’t as accessible as they are today. We accepted the trends they wore as what was up next and what was “poppin’,” and then proceeded to beg our parents to buy them for us. Or, better yet, save up and indulge ourselves.
voices heard. We now feel comfortable enough to broadcast opinions, knowing that we’re going to get at least some support, which is more than enough on social media now. What was once purely a celebrity’s job has now trickled its way down to us.
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When we used to think of 2000s fashion, our thoughts were filled with so much gratitude. Not grateful for their existence, however, grateful that the era passed; grateful for the evolution of style. We’d look at our old pictures, cringe, but know that we are better than that now, so no worries. Not so much anymore, however. Now that we’re well into 2017, we’ve encountered repeat run-ins with our most beloved items from 10 years ago.
RIVERDALE STYLE
REFLECTS
BY SHLOKA RATHI, MEN’S WRITER & JAMESON ZABALLOS, MEN’S EDITOR ANNA OLLA, BENNETT WALLANDER, JORDAN LORD, ASHLEIGH PERRY, ANALIESE GENTHE, LAUREN CLEARY PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID HE SPECIAL THANKS TO FREE PEOPLE OF HILLDALE MALL
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POP CULTURE
Riverdale, a new show on The CW that is based on the Archie Comics series, is taking over the world and our hearts one episode at a time. The thriller TV series revolves around the drama and love that occurs at Riverdale High. While the dark, compelling narrative has garnered attention, the fashion has also caught fans’ eyes. Although Riverdale is adapted from its 1940s original version, the show’s creators do an excellent job of translating the material to fit a modern day narrative. Along with the changing culture, the show also alters the classic Archie looks to fit current style trends, working to empower the characters and reflect their individual personalities. Each clothing item worn by main characters Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Josie and Cheryl shares something about who they are and adds to the story’s narrative. Owning their looks and their personalities means they’re as empowered as they want to be, and we found inspiration in that stylistic, creative flare.
CHERYL BLOSSOM With her red lipstick and hair, she is truly one of a kind. She’s always wearing the most sophisticated clothes and puts up a strong front. She recently lost her brother, and it’s reflected in her clothing choices, which changed drastically as she navigated the stages of grief. Still she, like the others, displays the utmost confidence and pride in who she is.
ARCHIE ANDREWS
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The high school jock is usually wearing his letterman jacket at school with a casual tee underneath. He puts on a cardigan here and there, but is usually wearing a plain color t-shirt and jeans. Even though he dresses simply, he has made some twisted mistakes and doesn’t follow the typical narrative of a jock.
VERONICA LODGE Little Miss New York, who’s now in Riverdale, is known for her bold dresses and bags. She’s always wearing either her pearl necklace or bracelets. The definition of women empowerment, she is driven and motivated -- nobody messes with V.
BETTY COOPER Miss Goody Two Shoes is always wearing light and simple colors. You’ll see her with a cute sweater or cardigan, a top, light blue jeans and converse most of the time. Her clothes match her personality, which help bring out her calm and sweet sides. Her juxtaposition with Veronica works to expose how open-minded she is. SPRING 2017
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JUGHEAD JONES The narrator and one of the main characters in the show, Jughead is never seen without a beanie and jacket. His style is all black, all sleek and very low-key. Although he looks dark and brooding, his personality is golden. Now dating Betty Cooper, his softer side has been revealed in recent episodes.
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The main pussycat in a group of three musicians, she has a powerful voice and an even more powerful fashion sense. She wears cat ears whenever she appears on the show and is always wearing something in cheetah print. With looks that kill and a voice that thrills, she is one of the most empowering characters, frequently bringing up the discrimination she faces being in an all black girl pop band. â–
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JOSIE
MILLENIALS’
BANG INTO
POLITICAL ACTIVISM BY ASHLEIGH PERRY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY CAROLINE DANIELS DESIGN BY ALEXANDRA FOLINO
This election and its aftermath proved to leave a bad taste in many Americans’ mouths. From pleas to get out the vote to a reactive movement to Trump’s presidency, millennials have taken it upon themselves to make their voices heard and fight for active change in the government they feel has failed to represent them. Sanders. Clinton. Trump. If you were to ask any young person who they were putting their weight behind in the 2016 Presidential Election, most likely they would say Senator Bernie Sanders. According to a statistic from CIRCLE published by the Washington Post, Sanders received over two million votes from young voters in the primary, dwarfing the number of votes for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.1 Sanders captured the hearts and minds of young people in the United States with promises of taking power away from Wall Street and corporate America and creating a more equal economic playing field. With much of his base enrolled in college or graduate school, the crippling burden of student debt weighed heavy on many of his supporters. According to Student Loan Hero, the average class of 2016 graduate was straddled with $37,172 in loan debt.2 The fact that a college education is so valuable yet so inaccessible in this country had many looking for a candidate who understood where they were coming from. Though ultimately he was taken out by Clinton and the Democratic National Convention, Sanders is still a powerful leader among young politically active young people. The Bernie movement is still alive, though it now takes many different forms under a Trump Presidency.
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Bernie Sanders was not the first candidate to mobilize the young vote in such a
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Blake, Aaron. “More young people voted for Bernie Sanders than Trump and Clinton combined — by a lot.” The Washington Post. 2016. 2 U.S. Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017.” Student Loan Hero. 1
Come the early hours of November 12th, many voters woke up shocked to find that Trump had won the presidency. Some were quick to denounce the election as the product of an outdated Electoral College system that disrespects the popular vote. Many more were simply in pure shock and relied on one another to figure out their next steps. The day after the election, there were marches across the country protesting the President Elect. Their rallying cry of “Not My President” that still reigns true for many. College campuses found themselves at the epicenter of much of the post-election response. College students around the country organized to peacefully protest the election of a president that they felt didn’t represent what that they stood for: equality of all individuals. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, safe spaces were set up in an impromptu manner across campus for students to process the incoming president. Along with these safe spaces, Madison students and members of the larger community marched in protest to the State Capitol. University of WisconsinMadison freshman Angelina Leonard, Kingkade, Tyler. “Young Voters Help Secure Obama Victory, Passage Of Progressive Ballot Measures.” The Huffington Post. 2012. 4 Fingerhut, Hannah. “In Clinton’s March to Nomination, Many Democrats Changed Their Minds.” Pew Research Center 2017. 3
The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency have left much to be desired for most U.S. citizens. The Travel Ban was one of the first major actions that the newly inaugurated President Trump took, and citizens did not take it lightly. Though he clearly let the public know where he stood on immigrant vetting, many were surprised with the immediacy “YOUNG PEOPLE WILL NOT of Trump’s first JUST BLINDLY FOLLOW WHAT IS executive order. By January 27th, the BEING TOLD TO THEM BY THEIR day the original POLITICIANS. THEY ARE NOT AFRAID “Protecting the TO RALLY TOGETHER IN OPPOSITION Nation from TO THOSE THEY FEEL DESERVE IT.” Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” executive order was signed, President Sophia Kallas, a University of Wisconsin Trump had already put four other freshman hailing from Grafton, executive orders into effect. Peaceful Wisconsin, said felt “part of something demonstrations erupted at airports bigger” than herself and was relieved across the nation protesting the fact she wasn’t alone in her worry for the that many people who were legally future of the country. Though the results permitted to travel to and from the U.S. had only been finalized for a day, young were being kept out; the ACLU and people were already busy making the independent pro bono lawyers quickly world know that they would not stand stepped up to help those who were for this administration. affected by the ban. Amidst the messy roll out of this new ban, people from all There was much debate over the crowd walks of life came to offer whatever they size on the day of the Trump/ Pence could in the fight. The original version Inauguration, and the President, as of the ban was inactivated and revised many would argue, dragged the issue due to poor rollout and overall lack of on for far too long after the event had understanding from enforcing bodies. concluded. However, there was no The mass peaceful demonstrations debate over how many people showed showed that young people are willing to up in masses to Women’s Marches not rally and fight for the oppressed. only across the country, but across the globe. One New York Times headline The Trump administration has had a more read, “Crowd Scientists Say Women’s than healthy serving of controversy for March in Washington Had 3 Times as such a new administration. From cabinet Many People as Trump’s Inauguration.”5 picks to race relations and even slip This march was in protest of Trump’s ups from his own team, it is clear to the controversial views on topics such as American people that this administration birth control and Planned Parenthood, will be faced with scandal at every as well as his history of blatant sexism turn. As younger generations become and disrespect toward women before, more politically active, those in power after and during his campaign. These must realize that they cannot simply protests showed that people were stick to their old ways. In order to gain not going to just sit idly by while they youth support, which is critical for both thought their country was falling apart, political parties and their candidates, the but that people were going to step system must change. Young people are up in the face of oppression. Women looking for a political system in which proved that they would “stand together they feel their voices are heard equally in solidarity with our partners and and loudly. As recent political events children for the protection of our rights, have shown, young people will not just our safety, our health, and our families - blindly follow what is being told to them recognizing that our vibrant and diverse by their politicians. They are not afraid communities are the strength of our to rally together in opposition to those country.”6 they feel deserve it. In a new political climate where the minority seems to 5 Parlapiano, Tim Wallace and Alicia. “Crowd have no say, young people have raised Scientists Say Women’s March in Washington Had 3 Times as Many People as Trump’s Inauguration.” their voices to make sure that the world The New York Times. 2017. knows that things will change. ■ 6 “Mission & Vision.” Women’s March on Washington.
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Many young people feel the policies of the DNC, particularly the super delegate system, let them and Sanders down in the 2016 primaries. Young voters were faced with a choice of two major party candidates, with third party candidates garnering greater support than usual, but not enough to be real contenders. While a lot of people moved from Team Sanders to Team Clinton at the drop of a dime, there was still a large “Bernie or Bust” camp that felt so alienated by the political process they couldn’t get behind anyone. In the end, Trump’s vitriolic messages, including his sexist, racist, and Islamamaphobic rhetoric, got democrats to stand behind Hillary with vigor—90 percent of them to be exact, according to the Pew Research Center.4
when asked what the rally meant to her, said, “I felt amazing standing up with others and voicing my opinions. I know I stood up for my own beliefs, and that’s the only thing that I felt that mattered in the days immediately following the election.”
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trailblazing way. One of the many reasons former president Barack Obama was able to win was his ability to capture the young demographic. The Huffington Post states that 60% of youth voters cast votes to reelect Obama in 2012, costing Mitt Romney the election.3 Looking back to the two Obama campaigns, we realize that a political youth movement is not a new concept, but it is a movement that has swelled over the past few years.
TURN UP THE VOLUME! ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. ISHA SENGHORE PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEXANDRA FOLINO
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CREATIVE DIRECTORS: KELSEY DAYKIN & REILLY KOCH ART DIRECTION & POST PRODUCTION ALEXANDRA FOLINO MAKEUP BY ANA GENTHE CREATIVE ASSISTANCE: JANELLE HUENHNERFUSS & ALIX DEBROUX
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POP! Creative 8 pages
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TOP | STYLE MAFIA SKIRT | 5TH AND MERCER
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SPORT AUTHORITY BY ANNA OLLA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER EMILY BUECHNER PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATIE COONEY
Only a few years back, it was unacceptable to sport activewear in public unless you were on your way to the gym or partaking in some physical activity outdoors. Women aren’t just wearing leggings and quarter zips for exercise anymore, but rather are using sporty fashion for personal expression all day long. Today’s trends in athletic fashion aren’t just about adding one lycra piece into an otherwise ordinary outfit. Fashionistas that are fans of this trend are rocking it to from head to toe. Athletic accessories are just as important as the main pieces. Baseball hats and sneakers are the most popular additions to a sporty outfit. Classic pieces like leggings, crewnecks, full-zips, quarter zips and hoodies are here to stay, while trendy pieces such as crop tops, tracksuits and windbreakers are making their “debut.” There are even various trends specific to leggings, such as mesh panels, graphic prints and moto details. Allyson Payer from Who What Wear says that “black and white, nature-inspired prints, matching sets and jumpsuits, shades of pink, and stars” are the hottest trends in legging fashion in 2017.1
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The infamous Juicy Couture tracksuit is making a major comeback after its demise circa 2008. The brand started their #TRACKISBACK campaign in the spring of 2016. According to Refinery 29, it featured 21 different “it” girls who told stories of their first tracksuits, using nostalgia to kick off the campaign.2 The brand’s resurgence got a boost when Kylie Jenner posted an Instagram on January 16, 2017, in a classic velour Allyson Payner, 5 Legging Trends That Are Coming for Your Closet in 201, whowhatwear.com. 2 Ana Colon, Here’s Further Proof Of The Juicy Couture Tracksuit’s Big Redux, refinery29.com. 1
tracksuit. Additionally, Urban Outfitters released an exclusive collection in collaboration with Juicy Couture back in February, featuring singer Tinashe. It is impossible to talk about athleisure without mentioning Adidas. This brand has been dominating activewear trends for months. The nostalgic Superstar and Stan Smith sneakers are ruling the street style game. In January 2015, Complex posted an article titled “You’re Going to Wear the Adidas Superstar This Year,” which ended up being a drastic understatement.3 The resurgence of the Superstar began when Pharrel Williams partnered with Adidas in 2014, according to Matt Welty from Complex.4 Fast forward a few years and the Adidas sneakers became iconic on social media, alongside the Calvin Klein underwear trend. Fashion “it” girls just had to have them. According to Ana Colon of Refinery 29, the Superstars “ranked as the top fashion must-have for the year on Polyvore, with a 286% spike in searches over the course of 2016.”5 The monochromatic old-school tracksuits are also popular with fashionistas. The oversized Adidas logo seems to be popping up everywhere these days. In fact, logos are a huge aspect of athletic fashion. Dacy Knight from Who What Wear says, “We’ve been witnessing the steady resurgence of logos in visually loud variations that not long ago would have been deemed cringe-worthy. The trend’s foray into activewear comes as no surprise, considering the category’s consistent penchant for turning out pieces emblazoned with big, bold logos.”6
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Matt Welty, You’re Going to Wear the adidas Superstar This Year, complex.com. 4 Imbd. 5 Ana Colon, Odds Are, You Wore A Pair Of Adidas Superstars This Year, refinery29.com. 6 Dacy Knight, The Bold Activewear Trend That’s Making a Comeback, whowhatwear.com 3
As opposed to the aforementioned brands that were popular in the early 2000s and have now made a comeback, Lululemon is new to the scene. While this brand is geared towards yoga clothes and running gear, Lululemon apparel is popular for everyday outfits as well. The brand sticks with basic pieces and neutral or jewel tone colors, while giving greater attention to details like artful straps or well-placed ruffles. Their pieces are made with high-quality fabrics, such as “luxtreme” and “luon.” While any fashionista should be prepared to splurge on items from this brand, she (or he) knows that the piece will last for years to come. Victoria’s Secret is another brand that is new to the athleisure scene. PINK recently launched their active collection in October 2016 and has been innovative in this category ever since. PINK is geared towards collegeaged girls who love bright colors and fun patterns. They always play with trending styles, whether it be crisscross straps on tanks or mesh panels on leggings. Victoria’s Secret has also focused on Victoria Sport over the course of the last year. With the booming athletic fashion market and the elimination of the swim category, they have ramped up their activewear selection. Whether you prefer neutral basics, throwback tracksuits or logos galore, fashionistas with any type of personal style can take part in the activewear trend. Remember that the gym isn’t the only place for athletic fashion, so don’t be afraid to “sport” this look from head to toe all day long. ■
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GRAFFITI A POP OF EXPRESSION
BY MARIN SMITH, CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATIE SCHEIDT
Accessible to any passerby with no a mission fee necessary, street art and graffiti engage the general population, not just the exclusive art community. With no glass separating it from the outside world, street art can be touched, painted over and worn down. Its interactive and immobile characteristics make it integral to the communities it joins. The website Milwaukee Mural Maps has detailed upwards of 70 murals across Milwaukee’s East and South sides, often depicting scenes of peace or portraits of local and national heroes. The racial and ethnic division of the city acts as important subject matter. Many of the murals are linked to the culture of their neighborhoods, acting as a tool for unification and an expression of pride. Walker’s Point, a South Side Milwaukee neighborhood, is home to a mural which features its name and a design linked to the strong Latino history of the area. Illustrations connected to the neighborhood culture surround the name, creating a colorful embodiment of the place it inhabits. One of the artists responsible for the mural is Jon Bartels.
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Bartels was born into an artistic family on the South Side of Milwaukee. Growing up, Bartels idolized the artwork of his older brothers, often copying their work to hone his own talent. His passion for skateboarding lead to his involvement in both tattoo and street art. Today, Bartels creates custom tattoos at Walker’s Point Tattoo and large scale street art in the Milwaukee area. Moda Magazine spoke with Bartels about his experience in the street art scene and the legitimacy of
street art as a form of artistic expression. Describe your exposure to street art. Did you grow up with it? Have you, over time, gravitated towards it? Was it always an integral part of your life? Jon Bartels: “I was introduced to graffiti at a really early age. It’s lived in my home for my whole life. My older brother was a graffiti/street artist. My earliest memories of it are some of the earliest memories I can even recall. Looking up to him as a kid, it was obvious that the question wasn’t if I would do it or not, it was only a question of when.” Who are some of your muses? “All of the people I grew up watching, observing, and learning from are who/what molded me into who I am and what I make today. I do it for them, I do it for my city, and for the younger generation following behind me, hoping it will inspire them the way it has inspired me.” What is the Milwaukee street art scene like? “I’d say we have a lot of really, really talented artists, and it’s a shame that more of them don’t get the opportunity to have their own creations out in the open for the public eye to enjoy. Most of it is hiding in old abandoned buildings, near the railroad tracks, where you have to sneak around... This all makes it very hard and aggravating to want to produce murals for a city that is so unsupportive to artists like us. It seems like whenever projects do come up for us, there are guidelines and boundaries which we have to stay in, and if you’re an artist you know how hard that is to do with a mind and imagination that is
constantly expanding...I say we need to start supporting the local street artists. I do, however, think we are starting to get on the right track. We just need to keep pushing forward, keep putting ourselves out there, taking every opportunity we get to display our artwork to the public, and ultimately make them want more of what we got.” What do you think street art does for the common passerby? Is there always a deliberate purpose? “It makes people interact with each other. It starts conversations, gives the people something to be proud of. It shows that our city supports its community, and that they care about giving everyone something that they can enjoy. It’s a free attraction for the public, from the people who funded it, by the artist that did it... It’s a gift.” What do you think makes street art so unique in comparison to the more conventional forms of art? “What the artist has to go through to make street art, how long street art lasts is totally unique. Murals often get ruined by the weather, so who knows how long it will last. Conventional art gets hoarded and preserved in museums, some that you have to pay to get into, or bought by private collectors for only them to enjoy. Artists on the street get feedback from people walking by... Also, if you’re creating street art illegally, it’s on a whole different level… you could get caught, fined, thrown in jail. This is what most people do before they get the skills to be able to get on a legal commission. It takes a different type of person to not
Describe your exposure to street art. Did you grow up with it? FORNOW: “I was first exposed to graffiti and street art through hip hop. If you go deep into the hip hop culture, there are four to five elements that hip hop, as a movement, consists of: rapping, djing, breakdancing, graffiti, and an optional fifth one that is knowledge. All are heavily influenced by the individual as well as by competition. As a young child, the idea of style and expression got me into hip hop music and through that I eventually gained a respect for all of the other elements.” Has graffiti always been an integral part of your life? “I’ve always admired graffiti. I think it’s beautiful and exciting to look at. I first got involved with actually painting last summer. My friends and I used to just spend our lazy summer days skateboarding through the city and walking on the paths along the Milwaukee River, where we would find hidden galleries filled with beautiful art. We... [noticed] that certain artists appeared in multiple places, and we began...[to] catalog... all the different names we could find. Through this, we became familiar with the local artists of Milwaukee. Names like FOREIN, STUCK and JASPER became strangely familiar to us because we knew their work but nothing else about them.
What functions as a muse in your work? “I have made a shark character that represents me in my drawings..I got that idea from the sharks in the movie West Side Story. A gang...would spray paint sharks on the walls and that represented the Hispanic population in New York. As a Hispanic graffiti artist, I like to give that nod to the Hispanic reference.” What do you think is the purpose of street art and graffiti? “This is where I think street art and graffiti art reach a divide. Graffiti is all about the letters, the name. A graffiti writer doesn’t care what the common passerby sees, they care about what the other writers see. You will find the most beautiful complex graffiti art in the middle of nowhere... The name comes first in graffiti art and I think perhaps the name comes last in street art. The cooler the style is the more likely you will remember that name. That’s where… competition in graffiti comes from…
Street art, I feel, is more complicated and may be created for the public to enjoy, not necessarily for the artist themselves. A lot of graffiti artists don’t like street artists because they feel it’s trying to make graffiti something it is not. They feel it’s their culture, they created it and usually street artists don’t follow the same rules and courtesies that are common in the graffiti world.” What do you think makes street art so unique in comparison to the more conventional forms of art? “Location is super important. The fact that it is illegal is huge. It’s something people have to have some sort of guts to do, and thus the community is tight. We all have each other’s back… Since everyone is anonymous, I think it allows for a purer judgement of the art. The scene is way more diverse than people think because you can do whatever you want under another name. I have met members of the LGBT community, Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, women, men and all are judged the same because you don’t know anything about them until, perhaps, you are lucky enough to meet them.” FORNOW points out key characteristics differentiating street art from the graffiti variation. From the intricate pecking order of local graffitists to the simplistic name-only mementos, they shed light on what it means to be a part of the graffiti movement. The anonymity, mystique, worn nature and aesthetic appeal make it distinct but overlooked. Hidden in small cracks and crevices, graffiti shows that art truly is everywhere. While Bartels has worked on some of Milwaukee’s largest murals, FORNOW has their name painted in some of the tightest corners and most discreet locations across Wisconsin. The artists have their own unique visions and motivations, but both use the street to express themselves and engage with the community. ■ mkemuralmap.com
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To provide a diverse look at the street and graffiti art scene, Moda Magazine also spoke with an up-and-coming artist. Unlike Bartels, who is well-established as a street artist, the Milwaukee and Madison based graffiti artist who uses the tag FORNOW, is relatively new to the scene. FORNOW works with different fonts, dimensions, colors and backings to create unique renditions of their name in discrete locations, ranging from trains to buildings. They shared some insight on the more discrete graffiti community and its purpose.
Some works would have dates marked next to them showing they had been around for upwards of 10 years... This was a community we almost already belonged to. These are the people [who] also loved this city enough to find these hidden pockets of concrete. These must be the people [who] also stroll along the river trails, and these beautiful works of art are evidence that the community exists. It was planting your flag in the city that is yours, in the places only other adventurers would see. We wanted to leave our mark on the city before we all left. We all created names that had to do with leaving. That’s why my name is FORNOW...like ‘I’m just here for now.’ We began painting and quickly realized through meeting other artists that there were rules to progression in the art. Of course most people who think of graffiti as an art...think of the amazing...mural pieces done by people at the top of their game. But every artist that makes those pieces had to first make a handstyle tag... and work their way up to where they are. It is that progression and constant improvement that got me hooked.”
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only be okay with all of that, but to be able to actually work well with all of it, too.”
THE
T E E W S O S NOT-
SIDE OF POP BY MATT O’CONNOR, CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALBERTO NAVARRO DESIGN BY ALEXANDRA FOLINO
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The sugar industry in Brazil accounts for an entire 4% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs over 750,000 people.4 Despite the wealth Brandon Gaille, “29 Significant Soda Consumption Statistics,” Brandon Gaille: Marketing Expert and Blog Master. 2015. 2 Vladimir Pekic, “PepsiCo’s Brazilian Sugar Sourcing Audit Falls Short of Expectations: Oxfam,” Bakery and Snacks. 2015. 3 Thomas Peele, “Can Pepsi and Coke end land grabs for sugar?,” The Guardian. 2014. 4 Fredrick Johnson, “Sugar in Brazil: Policy and Production,” The Journal of Developing Areas 17, no. 2 (January 1983). 1
land in this region. According to Brazil’s Landless Workers’ Movement, “1.6% of the landowners control roughly half (46.8%) of the land on which crops could be grown” and “just 3% of the population owns two-thirds of all arable lands.”8 The cooperation of the landed elite is therefore required for large companies to make capitalist gains, and this cooperation is predicated on the protection of the landed elite by U.S. backed economic policies and military dictatorships.9 Many Brazilians depend upon their own individual plots of arable land for farming and subsistence purposes, so as to feed their family and earn a living. With the rise of “agribusinesses,” the large sugar conglomerations that provide Coca-Cola and PepsiCo with their supply of sugar, many poor Brazilians have been pushed off their land with nowhere else to turn.10 Many villagers and farmers in these small rural towns relay stories of violence and terror about these land-grabbers. One villager, Maria Nazarete dos Santos, recalls that “a militia working for the Trapiche sugar company… “THE EXP LOITATIO swept through their AND SUP N OF LAB PRESSIO O villages, burning their R N OF WA THESE W GES FOR dwellings.”11 In this way, ORKERS HAS RES IN AN INC poor farmers are forced ULTED REASE IN into homelessness and S LUMS AN AN INTEN D S IF are oftentimes left IC A TION IN T CONCEN HE TRATION with no choice but to OF POVE RTY seek employment at IN INNER -CITIES.” the feet of the very people who illegally and violently took their land. This employment oftentimes comes in poverty in inner-cities. According to New the form of tenant farming under large Agriculturist, “the rapid modernization sugar corporations, and usually involves of farming, introduction of the salary unfair wages and inhumane conditions. system, and issues of land ownership have seldom benefited the poor, and the To fully grasp the realities which exist consequent migration of rural people in Brazil, it is important to understand to urban centers in the south-east of the exploitative and destructive the country has swelled the notorious history which has been characteristic favelas—shanty towns—of Rio de Janeiro in this country’s history. The economic and São Paulo.”7 disparity and environmental degradation characteristic of Brazil are the result In addition to exploiting Brazil’s cheap of centuries of imperialistic and supply of labor, pop companies also 8 take advantage of the easily acquirable 9 “About,” Friends of the MST. Ekaterina Krivonos and Marcelo Olarreaga, “Sugar Prices, Labor Income, and Poverty in Brazil,” Economía 9, no. 2 (Spring 2009). Project Muse. 6 “Country Profile- Brazil,” New Agriculturalist, 2007. 7 “Country Profile- Brazil,” New Agriculturalist, 2007. 5
Pereira, Anthony W. “The US Role in the 1964 Coup in Brazil: A Reassessment.” Journal of the Society for Latin American Studies, 2016. 10 Ibid. 11 Thomas Peele, “Can Pepsi and Coke end land grabs for sugar?,” The Guardian, 2014.
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Coca-Cola and Pepsi, like many pops, begin their lives in Central and South American countries, most notably Brazil. Sugar cane, which will later be processed and shipped off to one of the pop company’s many manufacturing plants, is grown and harvested here. Companies like PepsiCo and CocaCola utilize domestic companies in these countries as their source of sugar, such as Trapiche in Brazil. These transnational United States corporations may not be partaking directly in the exploitation of environmental and labor resources, but they knowingly fund and support companies that do.3
this industry generates, Brazilian farmers working in this industry on average make less than 0.51 Brazilian reais per hour, which translates to less than $115 per month.5 The United Kingdom Department of International Development (UKID) estimates that nearly a quarter of Brazilians live on less than $1/day, largely due to the fact that child labor—and therefore child labor wage exploitation—is common in the sugar industry, with nearly “40 percent of 10-14-year-olds working to bolster family incomes.”6 The exploitation of labor and suppression of wages for these workers has resulted in an increase in slums and an intensification in the concentration of
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There are few things more enjoyable or satisfying than cracking open a frosty can of pop on a hot summer’s day. This experience is a popular one among U.S.Americans, for the average person in the United States consumes 450 cans of pop per year, and the industry brought in approximately $75 billion in 2013.1 However, this seemingly innocent act carries with it intense environmental and labor exploitation in the countries where the sugar for these drinks is grown and harvested. Large corporations, like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, utilize Central and South American nations, most notably Brazil, as their source of sugar.2 Through the production and consumption of pop, as highlighted in the case of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo specifically, the developed world continues to profit off the labor and environmental exploitation of the developing world, specifically Brazil.
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In this way, it has been characteristic of the developed world to use their considerable advantage in resources to exploit the poorer regions of the world for their resources, thus continuing a vicious cycle of poverty and powerlessness. Until shortly after World War II, this exploitation came in the form of colonialism, W which was characterized by E F ST F THE PA O control by a governmental S T R C O E THESE PO “THE EFF N force over a foreign region. O S IE E R H IN T CENTU N E E In recent decades, as S E B IES CAN EXIST H colonialism fell, a form of IC H COUNTR W PARITIES ND A IS neocolonialism has taken D T S G E IN W RTH STRIK O N E its place, characterized H .” T S N NIE BETWEE ER COLO M by an unofficial and far R O F THEIR less direct control of one region over another. In the case of Brazil specifically, neocolonialism perpetrated by the United States government and American corporations has been the most dominant form of Western control aggressively capitalistic policies and oppression. Instead of governments undertaken by North Western countries. and individual states as the main actors, In the case of Brazil’s recent history, massive transnational corporations, the United States has played the oftentimes in junction with or with the most prominent role in this harmful support of governments, have emerged and imperialist exploitation. Most as the most powerful influencers in the significantly during the 20th and 21st exploitation of cheap labor and natural centuries, the U.S. government worked resources in poor regions. PepsiCo and to install U.S.-friendly rulers and Coca-Cola are certainly two of the most militaristic dictators in order to promote powerful and poignant examples of economic and foreign policy that would these transnational corporations.15 12 benefit the States. An example can be found in the U.S.-supported overthrow The effects of the past few centuries on of the democratically elected President these poor countries can be seen in the of Brazil Joao Goulart in support of a striking disparities which exist between military dictatorship in 1964. President the North West and their former colonies. Goulart supported policies which Economically speaking, these regions did not align with U.S. economic and have not been able to develop in a way business interests and he did not which makes them competitive among cooperate with American pressure to developed global powers. As a result, alter his policies. In response, the United poverty runs rampant and is embedded States government supported a coup into the very institutions which govern which replaced Goulart with a repressive these countries and the international and dictatorial military government organizations which they are a part that implemented policies which were of. Centuries of unjust and involuntary friendly towards U.S. economic interests servitude to the North West have left in the country.13 While 21st century these countries devastated economically Brazil maintains one of the most stable and depleted in terms of valuable natural democracies and developed economies resources. The imbalanced nature of of South America, the harmful effects of their trade relationships with their former past and current American imperialistic colonial exploiters ensures that these influences in the country continue to countries will continue to be abused negatively impact many aspects of economically. Finally, the emergence of Brazilian life, especially for the poor.14 transnational corporations, like PepsiCo 12 Bandeira, Luiz A. M. “Brazil and the and Coca-Cola, as powerful players in the United States: From Dependency to global economy means that consumers Equality.”OpenDemocracy. OpenDemocracy, Nov. are unknowingly playing a part in the 2003. Web. 13 Anthony W. Pereira, “The US Role in the 1964 continued abuse of these countries.16
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Coup in Brazil: A Reassessmentt,” Bulletin of Latin American Research: Journal of the Society for Latin American Studies, 2016, Wiley Online Library. 14 James Petras, “Imperialism and NGOs in Latin
America,” Monthly Review 49, no. 7 (December 1997): ProQuest. 15 Ibid 16 Ibid
The implications of political corruption in Central and South America are most damaging to the poor citizens of these developing countries. Politicians take money from the top socioeconomic echelons and do not provide a voice for their most marginalized populations.17 As a consequence, international corporations such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo take advantage of the lack of workers’ protection laws and fair compensation regulations, allowing them to exploit cheap labor and produce their product at lower costs, so as to maximize their own profit. This profit lands in the pockets of corporate executives and the developed world in general, along with wealthy individuals within Brazil who reap the benefits of this industry, not the pockets of those who are most deserving or most in need. This unfortunate economic reality has been the driving force behind the increasing popularity of the outsourcing of labor for major corporations in recent decades. The poorest citizens of these developing countries are left unprotected by the very institutions which were designed to protect them, thus allowing largely unregulated avenues to generate profit for corporations like PepsiCo and CocaCola. The accumulation of this data reveals a narrative which does not need much explaining: Central and South America are places that the developed world has continuously exploited and oppressed in the quest for profit and power. This form of exploitation first took the form of colonialism in the centuries following Europe’s “discovery” of the New World. After colonialism fell, these countries have continued their exploitation of these regions through less official and less legal means. The driving force behind this new form of exploitation and oppression has been large, transnational corporations such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, often with the support of nation-states like the United States. For the average consumer, this means that almost any product that can be bought at the store could have been produced by and profited off of the back of poor individuals in nations where there are no governmental protections, fair wages or land-ownership regulations. This is most certainly the case in pop companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. So, next time the satisfying crack of a soda can being opened hits your ears, think twice about where the drink may have come from and the implications its consumption may carry. ■ Frank Vogl, “Latin America’s Real Corruption Crisis,” The Globalist, 2015. 17
In 1997, one of the first United States pop-up stores, The Ritual Expo, opened its doors in Los Angeles. Simultaneously, other early pop-ups made their way across Tokyo, all of them catching the eye of retailers and consumers alike1. Soon enough, businesses like Target, AT&T and Comme des Garçons warmed to the idea of short-term retail space and began to dip their feet into the popup shop waters. These venues gained popularity, as businesses recognized their marketing and financial benefits. Both big-name brands and small start-ups started launching their own versions of the trend. The rapid ascent of pop-up stores in the retail world is not a coincidence. Whatever a business’ goals, the flexibility of a pop-up store allows Jeff Swystun, “Pop-Up Retail: Where Will it Go Next?”, Business to Community, September 1, 2015. 1
retailers to create a unique platform for consumer interaction and brand development, while simultaneously minimizing costs. Companies recognize that the mobility of a popup shop lends itself perfectly to the establishment of inventive store spaces meant to spike consumer interest. Examples like Target’s floating pop-up shop on the Hudson River, the giant wooden crate that functioned as H&M’s beach-located store or Samsung’s glass cube in London all demonstrate how the shock factor of a pop-up store dramatically plays into its success. In addition to being a marketing dream, pop-up shops contribute to financial success by eliminating the burden of an expensive lease. Smaller businesses may use pop-up shops as a way to experiment with what works, exploring locations or marketing strategies to get the best fit before making long-term rental commitments or other financially daunting decisions. Whether it’s an upand-coming brand or a multimillion dollar corporation utilizing these spaces, pop-ups possess the ability to generate hype among shoppers, as well as allow for necessary financial adaptability within the retail industry. Retail leasing spaces are often more
than willing to fill their vacancies with pop-up stores, allowing them to occupy a space for short bursts of time. “[Popup stores allow] local businesses and specialized tenants to have a presence in our centers that creates an air of excitement and uniqueness to the market,” says Amy Siegel, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota. Short-term retail invites curiosity, allowing malls and other retail areas to draw in new consumers by highlighting different, exciting brands. The proof of pop-up stores’ overwhelming success is in the numbers. As of 2014, the pop-up retail industry was valued at fifteen billion dollars2, and given that the industry continues to grow, the numbers for more recent years are expected to be even higher. It is clear that the pop-up store trend is not coming to an end anytime soon, and it is no surprise, given the seemingly endless benefits for all players in the retail industry. So, next time a pop-up shop appears near you, stop and take a look – it is time you experienced the trendy way to make your purchases. ■ Based on sales figures collected by PopUp Republic 2
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Kate Spade, Gucci and Louis Vuitton brought us high fashion; Kylie Jenner, Justin Bieber and Kanye delivered celebrity merch; and corporate giants like Nike and Amazon featured everything in-between. Pop-up shops have been appearing in cities across the globe, but what is the true story behind the pop-up phenomenon?
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SHOP OUT OF THIN AIR WITH POP-UP STORES
BY ANNA WHISLER, CONTRIBUTING WRITER ILLUSTRATED BY FARIZA BOZH
COLOURPOP:
THE POWERFUL
BRAND WITH
PIGMENTS TO DIE FOR BY LAUREN CHUNG, LIFESTYLE STAFF WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY MORGAN JAMESON
As part of my nightly routine, I look forward to spending an extra hour snuggled in bed with the light of my phone illuminating my freshly washed face. For years, I used this down time to watch my favorite YouTubers show off purchases and marveled at their Sephora finds. With the rise of social media, the stars of YouTube soon became icons for millennials. Beauty YouTubers became the face for brands and products; anything they claimed as a holy-grail product would send their viewers running to their nearest cosmetic store. Soon enough, the same phenomenon occurred through Instagram, Snapchat and various other social media platforms. Entrepreneurs who were keen enough to pick up on the changing relationship between social media and the beauty world were quick to act. The founders of ColourPop Cosmetics, Lauren and John Nelson, were amidst the first few. SPRING 2017
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When the Nelson duo started ColourPop Cosmetics in Los Angeles, the brand’s inventory consisted of just thirty-one eyeshadows priced at $5 a piece. Fast forward two years, and the company has gained just over four million Instagram
followers. Every time they restock old favorites or launch collaborative collections, the products sell out in minutes. It is exactly these collaborative efforts and their integration with social media that drive ColourPop’s success. During ColourPop’s conception in 2014, the brand reached out to staple beauty guru, KathleenLights. Collaboratively, the duo created an eyeshadow quad made of their signature “Super Shock Shadow” formula. With Kathleen’s following and ColourPop’s dreamy formulas, stunning pigments and wallet-friendly prices, it is no wonder how the brand achieved their current fame. Since KathleenLights, ColourPop has made collaborative collections with beauty guru Amanda Steele, Instafamous model Alexis Ren, actress Karrueche Tran and, our childhood favorite, Hello Kitty, all through the confinements of the internet. On their Instagram account, ColourPop captures the hearts of thousands through daily posts of their trendiest looks and most popular products. Despite their high-end appearance, customers can achieve pure bliss at the shock of their affordability. ColourPop’s website states
that they “pride [themselves] on being wallet-friendly…Trends come and go, so it’s super important to us that you can keep up with this ever-changing industry without breaking the bank.”1 That is exactly what every makeup lover wants to hear. ColourPop’s inventory includes products for the eyes, face, lips and brows. Individual products range anywhere from $4 to $8, while value sets of products can reach around $30. Crowd pleasers seem to be their Super Shadow Shockers, irresistibly smooth cream shadows with high pigment payoff, as well as their Ultra Matte Lips, the ultimate liquid lipstick to add to your collection. With ColourPop’s extensive color range, shades and finishes, finding the perfect dupe for tons of high-end products can become a reality. As the beauty world continues to expand, new products and trends are arising from every corner. Therefore, us beauty junkies need to stay on top of everything. We want to look and feel our best in the most convenient way possible. Brands like ColourPop have our backs for all of the above. ■ “About Us.” Colourpop.
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