Noah Christopherson Fashion Journal by Noah Christopherson

fashionjournal noah christopherson

Table of Contents Page 3

Entry #1 “GQ UK Grooming Awards 2012”

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Entry #2 “Louboutin, Feet in the Air”

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Entry #3 “New Sensations”

Page 11 Entry #4 “Observations in Women’s Fashion” Page 12 Entry #5 “Department Store Trends” Page 16 Entry #6 “WGSN Trend Report” Page 17 Entry #7 “Color and Fabric Trends” Page 18 Entry #8 “Global Trends” Page 21 Entry #9 “Visual Displays” Page 23 Entry #10 “Television Show Influences” Page 24 Entry #11 “Review a Designer’s Collection” Page 25 Entry #12 “Career Descriptions” Page 27 Entry #13 “Fashion Don’ts” Page 31 Entry #31 “Career Opportunities”

Entry #1 WGSN “GQ UK Grooming Awards 2012” In October, GQ Magazine’s British branch held its fourth annual GQ Grooming Awards. The Grooming Awards are given out to what the magazine names as the best male grooming products of the previous year. This year’s show featured two new categories: best new razor/shaver and best new conditioner; which joins previous categories of best fragrance, best moisturizer, and best aftershave balm. The products are tested by experts in the styling field including GQ’s style and grooming editor, Jessica Punter, Dermot O’Leary, Roland Mouret, and many other influencers in the cosmetics world.

Entry #2 The New Yorker “Louboutin, Feet in the Air” The New Yorker is one of my favorite news magazines as it has a real focus on the arts. Finding an article about Christian Louboutin was just an added bonus. Lauren Collins previously wrote about Louboutin for the 2011 style issue, and wrote about him once again on the New Yorker’s blog. She speaks about when she wrote about him for the style issue, how they drove through Paris on the back of his Vespa and eating homemade food at his chateau. She shares a funny story about how they walked through his beautiful garden and to keep it from becoming to beautiful, he took the time to urinate under a rare palm tree. Louboutin’s aesthetic is described as “part Marie Antoinette and part the Mummers.” Collins speaks about Louboutin’s new book that was released to commemorate his 20th anniversary as a company. She was fortunate enough to be allowed to sit in on a meeting with Louboutin and his co-writer which ended with Louboutin laying on the table singing “Sophisticated Lady” and kicking his feet in the air. The book also had a website created in which viewers can flip through pages digitally as well as watch interviews of Louboutin’s friends talking about his life and work. Overall, Louboutin is one of the most influential and interesting shoe designers of our time. I think, after reading this article, I may just ask for the “Christian Louboutin” book for Christmas!

Entry #3 Vogue “New Sensations” When told to look for trends in Vogue, I wanted to focus on a trend that I was really in love with for this season rather than writing about any random trend that I found. I chose the trend of fur and Vogue’s interpretation on how to wear it. In the past fur was worn as a status symbol, as Vogue put it in this article “about as subtle as pinning a pocketbook to your chest.” Rather whimsical for such a serious magazine. The idea of wearing fur has gone in and out of style over the years, but recently made a rather large comeback. In my eye, I have seen a really big influx of fur vests ala the 1970s. A staple in many people’s wardrobes is skinny jeans and paired with a plain long sleeve t-shirt or blouse and a fur vest, you can fit right in with the extensive fur trend. Vogue also comments on some of the intricate color blockings done in muskrat and mink furs by Celine. The coat itself (pictured in article) isn’t exactly something I would like. It is too over the top and gaudy looking for my taste. I think the fur trend is something that can be worn by both men and women. I personally have an amazing vintage beaver fur vest that is really beautiful, yet functional as it keeps me warm. I strongly believe that fur is functional, classic, and trendy all at the same time. It really just depends on how you style it and who you are as an individual.

Entry #4 Fashion Observations in Women’s Wear Fall 2012 One thing I observed in women’s wear for Fall 2012 was a lot of structured, statement jackets. Balmain showed some intensely intricate beaded jackets with structured shoulders, staying true to the brand’s image in the last few years. Gwen Stefani wore one of the blazers to the American Music Awards. Burberry also showed statement jackets in subdued plaids belted at the waist. In the same season in 2011, jackets were still in style, as they always are. Instead of pearl embellishments, Balmain showed jackets with some fur and leather embellishments. Burberry always shows the same style of jacket, based off of the famous trench but always reimagined. The same structured style has been around for the past few years, with padded shoulders and generally a nipped waist to create the shape made famous by the “New Look” of Christian Dior. Structured jackets should be a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. They are a great way to dress up a casual look and give the body a great shape.

Entry #5 Trends Observed in Different Categories in a Department Store I chose to go to Target to look for some trends that flowed through several different departments. I chose to look at the trends of the color maroon, faux fur, gold, sequins and plaid. When looking for maroon in clothing I decided to take a trip to the men’s department. I found a pair of maroon chino’s from Target’s Merino line. They are low priced at $26.99, so I gave them a chance and tried them on. The fit was horrible, it was like when they were sewn, the person’s eyes were closed. But hey, I was there for trends, not couture. I then decided to go look at measuring cups, because in my move to Chicago, I had misplaced ours. I found the greatest KitchenAid measuring cups in maroon for $4.99! The price was great, and I could even incorporate them into a school project.

I then decided it was time to look for some faux fur. As I previously mentioned, I think fur is one of the best ways to spice up an outfit, and with Target’s selection and great prices I really think they have made the world of faux fur available to any budget. I found a great faux fur scarf in the accessories department that has multiple ways of being worn. I also went and looked in the home décor department to see if they had any nice looking faux fur blankets. Luckily I found just what I was looking for in a Threshold Grey Ombre faux fur throw. Next up is the ever-evolving trend of gold. I decided to stick with the obvious choice of looking at jewelry. I found one of the La Mer Triple Wrap Watches, which Target has recently release in a collaboration with the La Mer watch company. Affordable and stylish at $39.99 the gold watch would fit perfectly into the wardrobe of any stylish woman who doesn’t want to dig her cell phone out of her purse or wear a watch the size of her face to look at the time. I chose the gold trend because I had seen a set of gold flatware in a magazine and noticed that they were sold at Target. Unfortunately I could not find them in the stores near me, but I was lucky enough to find a photo online.

The next trend I looked for at Target was sequins. I headed to the women’s department where I remembered that I had seen some sequins tops and dresses in this new small section selling chic sweaters, tanks, and dresses. It seems to me that Target is really trying to sell to more refined products to their customers as they junior section shoppers grow older. I found a beautiful sheer black tank with black sequins at the hem, which is also lower in the back than in the front, another feature in clothing that is on trend. I also found a racerback dress that is all over covered in sequins, it is offered in an assortment of colors, but my favorite color was the faded pink one, which online I learned was called “dim berry”. I then headed on my search for something else with sequins on it. Luckily, I found a really pretty silver throw pillow with sequins in a striped pattern. While not comfortable to nap on, I think the pillow would be a great accent to a room decorated in a modern way.

The final trend that I wanted to look for because it used to be big in my own wardrobe, and that is plaid. I had noticed that there is more of selection of plaid in the men’s department. I picked a deep green and red plaid flannel shirt, which reminded me of the impending Christmas season. I love Christmas, so why not include that in my little journal project! I had already visited the women’s accessories so I ended up looking around the men’s accessories for something plaid. I ended up deciding on a plaid messenger bag in navy, black, and green with a brown leather trim. The bag was a good size, not usable for school, but would be great for the guy who doesn’t want to carry an actual backpack around when he is out shopping or to carry some files in for work.

Entry #6 “WGSN Trend Report Based on Entry #5” Based on the sequin trend I observed at Target, I decided to see what WGSN online had to say about it. Turns out it is actually a valid trend, and not just something I made up as a trend in my head. The article I read spoke on the reoccurrence of sequins in fashion and how in 2012 they were actually having one of their biggest fashion moments in the contemporary design world. Jeremy Scott’s line for adidas Originals features a sequined football jersey, which heralds back to Geoffrey Beene’s line of sequined jersey gowns from the late 70s. Not only are sequins seen in the fun side with the athletic jerseys, but they are also seen in a business sense in pencil skirts, accenting on blazers, as well as sequined leggings.

Entry #7 Color and Fabric Trends Fabric Trend: Leather Fiber Content: Calfskin Country of Origin: Italy

Fabric Trend: Wool Knits Fiber Content: Lamb’s Wool Country of Origin: Scottland

Fabric Trend: Silk Charmeuse Fiber Content: Silk & Lycra Country of Origin: Paris

Entry #8 WGSN Global Trends I decided to look at global trends in Europe, Brazil, and Japan. When looking at European designers, I noticed a lot of military influence, as well as the use of paisley, and embroidery. I think the two trends I would like to see flow down into massmarket fashion would have to be the military influence and embroidery. The use of embroidery right now was seen at Balmain, which also used the military influence in their jackets. Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino also showed embroidery. I believe that embroidery will definitely be embraced by the more fashion forward of the mass market, but may not be fully understood by people who don’t follow fashion. The vests and jackets shown by Balmain are by far my favorite and have been since I saw the runway show. I would literally give an arm for the black beaded vest with the rose embroidery. The military influence was seen on the runways of Ferragamo and Victoria Beckham. Deep greens, black leather, and double breasted

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coasts are sure to be seen in mass market after these collections. I think the most readily available will be the military inspired jacket. This style has been around since the 1950s when the leather jacket started to be an everyday fashion choice by men, back then it was directly inspired by the leather bomber jackets that pilots had worn in WW2. In Brazil, they showed a lot of leather, bow ties, and collars. Andrea Marques show leather jackets paired with leather pants. Which I believe to be a look that is really difficult to pull off. The leather pants trend has really made a comeback, in the form of skinny leather pants as well as leather leggings. Leather jackets are functional as well as beautiful. Andrea also showed bowties, but not your typical menswear bowties. They are oversized, almost evoking a statement necklace feeling. I love the idea of an oversized slouchy bowtie in a luxurious fabric, I find it much more fashionable than the stiff tiny bowtie that can lead you to look like a monkey in a suit. High collars are a difficult trend to work with. Marques showed an almost revolutionary war style collar that went all the way up the neck. It would be hard for the mass public to wear this trend without looking like they were wearing a period costume.

In Japan, designers showed a lot of graphic blacks and white looks. In particular, Yohji Yamamoto had a lot of graphic looks in his fall 2012 collection. I think the use of graphic black and white patterns are going to be big in the coming seasons. They are flattering, classic, and have the ability to work on almost every body type.

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Entry #9 Visual Displays I chose displays from Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, MN when I was home for Thanksgiving Break. I included a photo of the gold shiny butterflies that were hanging in the escalator pavilion and a photo I took of Aurora in the Dior store-in-store it shows the simplicity of the store and the butterflies show the intricacies of the visual experience of the store as a whole.

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The second set of photos I chose are from the Saks store on the Magnificent Mile, I snapped a photo of the Judith Leiber dachshund purse and the row of Louboutins on the sale shelf. I just thought it was funny that they make Louboutins seem so elusive and one of a kind, then you come across this rack with four pairs of the exact same shoe. Obviously there would be multiples of a shoe, but it was an interesting juxtaposition to see such a beautiful piece just tossed on a sale rack.

Entry #10 Fashion Influences in a Television Show When watching television, many people don’t pay attention to them the way that I do. I look at how it is styled, what the personalities and lifestyles are, even how it is edited. I guess it is just part of being an individual in the creative field. Watching clothing on television with the sound turned off can almost always give you a clear idea of who the individual on the screen is. It really goes to show that fashion is a form of selfexpression. I chose to look at the show “Gossip Girl” on The CW. Mainly I focused on Serena Van Der Woodsen, one of the show’s central characters, the fashionista and “It Girl.” I believe Serena is highly influential in the fashion choices of the mass market. While she often gallivants around the Upper East Side in couture, she also offers girls everywhere a great boho chic influence that they can utilize in their own day-to-day wardrobes. Of all of Serena’s looks, I believe her girl on the go look with her fishtail braids, skirts, and beachy look would be the easiest to recreate.

Entry #11 Review a Designer’s Collection and Reflect

I chose to review the work of Balenciaga and the Fall 2012 RTW Collection. I chose look #4. It is a dress, with a sheer base that has silver and blue leopard print mixed with silver lame. I think the dress is absolutely beautiful, it has a somewhat 80s rockabilly vibe while still being totally chic and fashion forward. I think retailers that would carry Balenciaga and especially this look would have to be incredibly high-end, like a Bendel’s or a Bergdorf Goodman type of retailer. This isn’t just a run of the mill dress, it is special and the woman who wears it must be the right personality or the dress may end up wearing her. I love the sheer with the mini skirt underneath, the silver sleeves and the cups in the blue and silver leopard print are insane. I don’t really think there is anything about the garment that I dislike.

Entry #12 Career Descriptions Fashion Designer: The responsibility of a fashion designer is to design the clothing which the world will wear. They can specialize in a certain area of clothing, i.e., lingerie, sleepwear, menswear, women’s wear, couture, denim, shoes, accessories, jewelry, etc. A successful designer must be aware of changing trends and keep moving forward with their work while still staying true to their aesthetic. Not all designers get their name sewn into the garment they design, they could work for big companies like Target, Nordstrom, or Saks designing under the company’s private label, clothing designed by those teams will have the label from the store itself or the name of the brand sewn on the tag. Designer’s need to be able to make things they love, but also have to make things the public will want to purchase and wear if they want to maintain a living in this tough industry.

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Fashion Buyer: A fashion buyer is the individual who plays the messenger between a designer and a retailer. They must be aware of current and future trends when at a showroom deciding which garments to purchase for in store sales. If a buyer makes the wrong choice and the garment sells poorly, both the retailer and the designer end up losing money. A buyer usually buys garments months before the consumer wants to purchase them, as there is time needed for production and delivery.

Product Development Manager: A product development manager must be able to recognize business requirements and assure that requirements are being met in the production of a product. They must ensure that a project is moving swiftly and efficiently and according to plan. They must monitor all aspects of a product from creation to pricing and even legal requirements. Products must be tested and the test results must be shown to retailers and venders to ensure safety and proper functionality.

Entry #13 Fashion Don’ts Don’t #1 All Denim Outfits Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears were the power couple of the late 90s and early 2000s. They unfortunately made the mistake of wearing one of fashions biggest faux pas to an awards show. The dreaded denim suit/dress combo. Not only is denim not a very flattering fabric, it is mean for limited use in an outfit as jeans, a jacket, or maybe a button up. But for the fear of looking like a crazed cowboy, most sane people shy away from wearing them all at the exact same time. The photo really speaks for itself.

Don’t #2 Saggy “Gangsta” Pants First of all, it is sad why having your bum out in public needs to be explained as a fashion don’t, but here goes nothing. Aside from looking like you have a full diaper, why does the world need to know what your knickers look like? Save it for the bedroom. Do you think if you walked into a serious job interview with your pants around your ankles you would even be considered for the position for a millisecond? No. And if you think you would be, you probably aren’t right for the job anyway. The stereotype of having your pants sagging down to your knees is not a pleasant one; people see you as uneducated, a thug, and a criminal. None of those are things I want associated with my name, so, I will keep my skinny jeans pulled up where they belong, covering up everything my mama gave me.

Don’t #3 Tights as Pants Wearing tights used to be a ladylike thing to do. It gave a demure feel to say, a mini skirt, or short shorts. But it seems that lately, the ladies have been abandoning the outer layer of clothing and leaving the house severely underdressed. Tights worn as pants are often confused as leggings, until the girl walks past you and you can see straight through those tights and you are looking right at her underwear… if she is even wearing any. The look has gone from demure to classless in a matter of minutes in the fashion world. Tights are an accessory to a look, not a full look itself. Let’s just let Christina Aguilera prove it for us.

Don’t #4 Tie Dye Personally, I don’t know if this is a worldwide fashion faux pas, but it is definitely one of mine. The 70s are dead and I believe that tiedye should have died with it. Arts and crafts can be fun, but I don’t want to wear mine! The look becomes juvenile and unsophisticated. You can disagree with me, but hey, we all have opinions!

Entry #14 Career Opportunities TOPSHOP Brand Manager The TOPSHOP brand managing position is technically a sales associate position, though you would be called a “brand ambassador.” I know a lot about the TOPSHOP and TOPMAN products, as I shop there frequently, I love the whole aesthetic of the store and I know who their customer is. I am good with people and understand how to use different checkout systems, making my training smooth and quick. I think I could fulfill the duties of this job well as I love when people help me out when I shop and would be delighted to do the same. URBN Inc. Visual Sales Associate The job of the visual sales associate is that of creating an experience for a customer, from the visual displays in the store even to helping customers on the floor. I would love to have a job like this, I walk into stores and think about how I would change things around to make the shopping experience more productive not only for myself but for the retailer as well. Having a good floor flow in retail is essential to bringing in the highest possible revenue. Shopping is one of my favorite activities and I know I have what it takes to help a store create a more profitable shopping experience. Armani Sales Associate The Armani sales associate must have great client interaction. You must be able to make sure that the client is comfortable and happy while they are shopping in your store. Being good with people and knowing a lot about the luxury retail sales world would benefit me in this position. While I do not have the luxury retail experience needed for this position, I do believe that after I acquire that experience I would be a beneficial part of the Armani Chicago sales team.