October W27 Issue

W27 OFFICIAL FIT NEWSPAPER

32 PAGE RECORD

VO L 43 I SSUE 83 O C T 2010

The Transition Issue Get Your Style Shop On! What’s The Deal?

Ground Zero Mosque

New Columns! New Contributors!

Exclusive: Mad Men’s Costume Designer: Janie Bryant

Heather Alina Viggiani

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Editor-in-Chief

Patrick Greene Deputy Editor

Veronica Heras Danielle Pacelli Kevia Wright

Senior Section Editors

Keely-Shea Smith Managing Editor

Adrienne Springer Copy Editor

Sarah Dill Treasurer

Julie Daly Secretary

Jaclyn Rubiella

Publicity Team Manager

W27Newspaper.com Dorelle McPherson

Executive Website Manager

Nicole Tan

Social Media Manager

Welcome to the Transition Issue!

Advertising

Transition: passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another: change.

Edgina Desmoreau

Advertising Promotions Manager

Phoebe Licata

Advertising Assitant Ad Team:

Kevin Buitrago Olivia Grow Lauren LaDeau Art Zhang Qingyun Art Director

Harlan Bontrager Kari Helgason Veronica Staehle

Choosing a theme for each month’s issue is both my favorite and least favorite thing to do.

When presented with this mixed bag of a task for October, I couldn’t help but consider the clichéd act of the leaves changing around us at this time.

It truly is a wonder to watch them transform from their vibrant summer green hue to their flame – like stage costumes. This is a reason to ponder: Why is change the biggest motivator for recognition of life? When something morphs, it is only then that we can truly appreciate the life that breathes inside of that thing.

By this standard of life, an academic year truly has a pulse. With the cooler breezes of October, comes a fresh awareness. After a summer of slumber, and a September to ease into things, the academic year is now showing us its shape. Plenty of things, places and people have changed and we’ve taken notice.

Designers

Kara Zisa William Chung

Illustrations Director

Illustrators

The EIC testing out a new table in front of the C-building.

Photo by Zhang Qingyun.

in your quest for career attainment. The more you take advantage of the resources we’ve been given, the better prepared you will be to pass from this stage to the next.

Here’s to having as much fun reading this issue as it was for us to create,

It is my hope that you can appreciate the transition that FIT has undergone to support you

Stephanie Matos (Cover) Veronica Ettman Ella Fastiggi Ryookyung Kim Jaclyn Schauer Siva Jack Sernvongsat Megan Wilbur Ashley Wilt Venus Wong

Contributing Writers Caroline Altenbern Charlotten Raquel Rose Burger Harlan Bontrager Patricia Braga Alexander Cavaluzzo Julie Daly Fernanda DeSouza Sarah Dill Sofia Dimovska Georgeanna Dwiggins Sydney Edwards Ryann Foulke Kristina Gabler Laura Gabrielsen Meaghan Hartland Veronica Heras Cassandra Holden

Pheobe Licata Alexandra Lippy Davita Louie Dorelle McPherson Krystin Mertz Marissa Mule Terrence Phearse Danielle Plotkin Letty Medina-Salamanca Keely-Shea Smith Misty Sidell Nicole Tan Samantha Vance Megan Venere Taisa Veras Venus Wong Kevia Wright

John Simone

Editorial Faculty Advisor

Albert Romano

We would like to thank our advertisers for their support!

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Advertising Faculty Advisor Want to be a published writer? Write for your school!

Contact us at: w27newspaper@gmail.com W27 is the student newspaper of the State University of New York: Fashion Institute of Technology, published under the auspices of the FIT Student Association. We invite letters to the editors, which must be signed and typed. Names will gladly be withheld upon request.

Letters to W27 or its editors are assumed to be intended for publication in whole or in part, and therefore may be used for such purposes. Opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect those of the FIT Editorial Board.

Join W27 To inquire about advertising, please email W27Advertising@gmail.com.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Here All The Time: NEW! Welcome to the Boardroom by Alexandra Lippy pg 4 Celeste Weins NEW! Faculty Spotlight by Samantha Vance pg 4 Theodore Schachter NEW! Business & Technology by Kristina Gabler pg 7 AD Group Helps New York’s Finest NEW! Commuter’s Corner by Laura Gabrielsen pg 5

FITing in the Industry by Terrence Phearse pg 12 Justin Joseph

Industry Profile by Taisa Veras pg 20 Janie Bryant NEW! Future Mode by Marissa Mule pg 21 Knitwear Music Review by Danielle Plotkin pg 22

TV/Movie Review by Patricia Braga pg 22

NEW! Venue Review by Georgeanna Dwiggins pg 22

Book Review by Davita Louie pg 23 6 Sick Hipsters and Hello Kitty Must Die

NEW! Indie Review by Fernanda DeSouza pg 23 Nowhere Boy

NEW! Restaurant Review by Julie Daly pg 22

Outside Your Borough by Staff pgs 24-25 Halloween Costume Shops

Month in Review by Alexander Cavaluzzo pg 26

NEW! What’s the Deal? by Davita Louie pg 27

NEW! Campus Musings by Venus Wong and Samantha Vance pg 28, 29

WTF pg 28

Hot This Month:

Style on 27 by Nicole Tan and Harlan Bontrager pg 31

Perfect FIT pgs 4-9 Cafeteria Fall Favorites By Phoebe Licata A Pink Carpet Event: The Style Shop Opening By Raquel Rose Burger AMC Job Fair by Sydney Edwards Disability Awareness By Georgeanna Dwiggins NYC Storm Hits FIT Students Hard By Letty Medina-Salamanca Japan Fashion Now Exhibit By Veronica Heras Couture Council Honors Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld By Veronica Heras Sustainability Update By Dorelle McPherson

Dear Industry pgs 10-12 An Evening With Martha Stewart By Keely-Shea Smith CFM Breakfast By Kenso Trabing What’s Your Take On Fakes? By Laura Gabrielsen The Magic of Gilt Groupe By Megan Venere

Thread Account pgs 13-21 FIT Alumni SS ‘11 Collections By Meaghan Hartland European Fashion Week Roundup By Misty Sidell Shopping the Season at FIT’s Style Shop By Ryann Foulke

Feature:

pgs 15-19 NEW COURSES FACES AND PLACES What’s so Major about Minors?

Administrators

By Krystin Mertz

Wellness Center Landscaping New Labs

By Kevia Wright

By Keely-shea Smith

By Sarah Dill

Comic by Siva Jack Sernvongsat pg 30

By Nicole Tan

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WELCOME TO THE BOARD ROOM: CELESTE WEINS SHARES HER SEAT

Alexandra Lippy Trustees as Student Trustee so that the student voice is truly represented at every level.

What is it like to interact with the students and the administration?

Why are you the perfect person to hold the seat on the Board of Trustees?

It’s an adjustment. The previous two years I served as the Social Activities Manager on the Programming Board but I still interacted with the students to see what they wanted on campus. Now it is different because I have so many meetings with everyone and I know which person does what and where I can take student concerns to see that the issues get addressed.

I don’t know if anyone can be perfect, but I feel that I am the right fit for this position because I am truly a genuine person. I will be the same with you and other students as I am with President Brown. I am here for the students, and I go out of my way to try to make myself accessible.

Celeste Weins, Courtesy of FITSA.

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ne of the things that W27 strives for is providing transparency in the overall administration of our institution. To that end, one of the FITSA President’s main responsibilities is to take a seat on the Board of Trustees. So naturally, we stalked her down to contribute to a monthly column that details what this position can reveal to the student body. For this first month, we wanted to acquaint you with your newfound confidant, Celeste Weins. Check back in the near future for details on board room discussions, important issues going on on the 9th floor, and more.

What is your role as Student Council President?

First and foremost, I chair the Executive Board meetings, which meet weekly and chair the Student Council meetings which meet once a month. On top of that, being there for the students and taking their concerns to the administration is a main part of my responsibility. If you want anything from FIT, you really just have to ask for it. I sit in on the Board of

What issues are addressed at the Board of Trustees Meetings?

Are you nervous about sitting in on the Board of Trustees?

The Master Plan. We hear about that all of the time.

Sitting on the Board of Trustees made me nervous.

However, the problem with that is the Master Plan Not only is it the Board, but the administration, made spans over 30 years. This is a fantastic plan, but I am up of Deans of every school. The Chairman of the going to fight for progress that we can see now. That Board is Edwin Goodman of Bergdorf Goodman. is one of the biggest challenges. How long should It’s surreal. I’ll run into President Brown and it’s students have to sit on the radiators? How long are nice knowing that she knows my name. I don’t get we going to leave space unattended? I have already a lot of interaction with her unless there is a large attended one meeting and they are typically once a issue; however, I do interact If you want anything from month. I am not aware of a lot with Vice-President upcoming issues, however, FIT, you really just have to at the last meeting we talked Murphy (VP of Student Success and Enrollment) and ask for it. about the museum. We also Dean of Student Activities, want to work on building Erik Kneubuehl, who

-Celeste Weins campus spirit and tradition on really understands student campus. This will be the fifth concerns. year for Miss FIT. It is one of the biggest events on campus being that it is a drag queen pageant. Also, How will you best represent the student body at block party is an event, but we really want to organize the boards meetings? more activities to improve school spirit. Last year I really sit down and have a conversation with you we had a basketball team that was amazing and to try and figure out what the issues are. Once I contributed to spirit, but it just got cut. So we are understand the issue, I know where I have to go and trying to figure out how to build school spirit since whom I have to speak with to make sure that it is there is no main sports team to follow. If there are addressed. I went to the Chinese Moon event last students on campus who want to start a basketball week in the Writing Studio and was talking to an team, hopefully they will express the interest and try exchange student from China. It never occurred to me to restart the team. that she would be having a hard time adjusting and meeting American friends because they might not take Do you have any goals for the semester in contributing the time to understand her due to the language barrier. to the board from a student’s point of view?

So now my concern is planning how to make it easier My goals this semester include really getting student for exchange students to transition. space through opening the fifth floor lounge so that students do not have to just sit outside on the steps or inside the C building on the radiators. They need a place to go and actually hang out.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: THEODORE SCHACHTER

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Samantha Vance

heodore Schachter is an assistant professor in Advertising and Marketing Communications.

He received his BBA at Bernard M. Baruch College, City University of New York and his MBA at St. John’s University. Known by AMC students for his obsession with Oreo cookies and the restaurant Per Se (talk about a wide spectrum of tastes) and above all, the dry sense of humor that he weaves into all lessons.

His answers below are no exception.

SV: What is your favorite food?

TS: Kobe steak.

Samantha Vance: What is the most interesting place you have visited?

Theodore Schachter: The bathroom at CBGB’s.

SV: What is the craziest thing you did in college?

TS: Put up a velvet rope in front of the subway station and told people it was closed for an event. No one could get in unless they were on “the list.”

SV: What is your favorite television show?

TS: 24.

SV: What is your favorite color?

TS: Plaid (ask why and you’ll get a pretty lengthy answer :] ).

SV: Do you have any pets?

TS: No, not visible ones.

SV: Do you speak any other languages?

TS: Marketing, sometimes student.

SV: Where did you go to college?

TS: Baruch.

SV: What is your biggest fear?

TS: Fear of stupid people in large quantities who vote.

Theodore Schachter, Photo by Sam Vance.

SV: Who is your favorite band?

TS: Led Zeppelin.

SV: What do you like to do in your free time?

TS: Keep busy.

SV: What is your favorite movie?

TS: The Verdict with Paul Newman.

SV: Where is your hometown?

TS: New York City, but I was raised around the world.

SV: What is the strangest thing you have witnessed in NYC?

TS: September 11th.

SV: What is the greatest gift you have ever received?

TS: A Harley Davidson, from myself, those are the best gifts.

PERFECT FIT

COMMUTER’S CORNER: WHAT’S UP WITH THE LOCKERS? Laura Gabrielsen Back in action: The Commuter’s Corner!

Back by popular demand, W27 reintroduces this monthly feature on behalf of those who jump through countless hoops to get here each day. E.B. White may have given you an awful moniker in his famous quote (“...there is the New York of the commuter – the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night...”) but Laura Gabrielsen is here to commiserate and hopefully advise on the comings and goings of our mobile students.

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s a commuter, one of the hardest things to cope with – aside from the delays on the LIRR – is carrying supplies and books that I only use on campus to and fro. I’ve overheard students talking about a magical solution – lockers. As a freshman I didn’t even know that FIT offered lockers for student use.

Even now as a sophomore, I am still extremely confused about how to get one of these back-savers, so I did a little research.

The first thing that came to my mind in order to get a locker was to go speak with my department, FMM. This course of action was not as helpful as I’d hoped. The person I spoke with told me to look on the bulletin board outside the door to see where available lockers were. This would supposedly direct me to the empty lockers, from which I’d be able to choose as long as I provided my own lock. I found this to be too good to be true and became a little suspicious.

I headed up to Student Life, where I was informed that I needed to get my hands on the Student Handbook. It has an entire list of where lockers are located and to which students they are allocated to, based on majors.

I read through the Student Handbook

Illustrated by Christopher Gawiak for W27.

and learned a lot; below is all the information anyone needs to know about obtaining an FIT locker: • Lockers cost $10 to rent, per student, per semester • More than one student may be assigned to one locker • Clothing Lockers are for full-time, non-resident students only • Academic departments assign Supply Lockers; they are for fulltime commuting students •A ll lockers must be emptied by June 1st each year. After June 1st, locks are cut and all contents removed In addition to these key facts pertaining to school lockers, provided below are more details regarding the clothing and supply lockers. In order to secure a supply locker, it is necessary to attach a lock to any tall, vacant, narrow locker. Now, of course, there are a few exceptions. Supply lockers are only for selected academic departments.

These departments include Accessories Design, Advertising Design, Display & Exhibit Design, Fabric Styling, Fashion Design and Fine Arts. You must fill out an application for these lockers, which you can ask for in your department office. For a list of all locker-related details I suggest picking up your own Student Handbook. The Student Handbooks are located in Student Life on the 7th floor of the A building.

So I guess it wasn’t too good to be true. All you have to do as a commuter is find a locker and put a lock on it.

Hopefully next semester I can grab one before they all run out.

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A PINK CARPET EVENT: THE STYLE SHOP OPENING

Raquel Rose Burger

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he Style Shop had its grand opening this semester on September 16th, with many students eager to shop the wide array of unique merchandise that the student-run boutique has become known for. Baked goods were served and a DJ blasted upbeat music, creating a fun and lively atmosphere. “It was a wonderful event. Great merchandise, great food, and great people!” said Emily Allen, a sophomore at FIT. The Style Shop is a boutique located on campus in the A building lobby that is completely run by members of the Merchandising Society. To be a member of this club, working at least one hour a week in the store is part of Society member’s duties. This makes the operation of the store run smoothly, but it also gives each member retail experience which involves working a register and practicing their communication skills while assisting customers. The upper-division members have a chance to become buyers for the shop, further qualifying this as a true-to-industry experience.

The scene at the opening. Photo courtesy of The Style Shop.

This charming shop sells items found in vintage stores and from designer lines with the balance of merchandise made by our very own student body.

Because the merchandise does not all come from the same source (or the same buyer), there is a vast selection of items available for purchase. The Style Shop has recently started selling jeans called “FIT Denim,” designed on behalf of the Clinton Global Initiative toward a more sustainable campus. The Textile and Development Marketing students used recycled denim to create this wonderful addition to the various items found at the shop.

Store managers Shelby Skinner and Jackie Miranda, along with other supporting managers, are responsible for keeping the shop an organized and successful shopping destination. “There were people waiting outside the shop before it even opened; the turnout was great. We had better sales than anticipated and it was a great kick-off to a successful semester!” said Skinner of the opening.

If you have not done so already, make sure to stop by the A building lobby and check out the impressive selection of items that are for sale. In the meantime, flip to page 14 to check out some of our favorites!

The store hours are Monday- Thursday 11-9, Friday 11-6, and some select weekends.

Brittany Muraca (MS president), Ashley Novitski (SS visuals manager), Jennifer Lesser (MS treasurer), Samantha Kuhn (SS vintage buyer), Jacquelyn Miranda (SS Co-Manager). Photo Courtesy of The Style Shop.

FIT CAFETERIA: FALL FOOD FAVORITES RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE Phoebe Licata

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hen considering FIT’s many great features, the cafeteria doesn’t normally make the cut.

Competing with the pizzerias, delis and restaurants of Chelsea is no easy task, but the food at FIT has definitely improved. Revamping and rearranging its lineup, the dining hall now provides more choices for even the pickiest eaters; meat lovers, vegetarians and vegans alike. From frozen foods to cleaning supplies, essentials can be snatched up in a jiffy by anyone who has a declining balance account. Duane Reade is no longer the closest convenience store.

Keeping with the spirit of the season, the cafe has broadened its holiday fare. This gives a slightly more cozy feeling to our community watering hole. Here is a smattering of FIT’s fall favorites found in the dining hall: 1. M edley Of Soups – Take a leap into the daily soups! It is a little scary at first, but after giving the split pea a try, this low-calorie option should be considered a daily special.

2. T hanksgiving Sneak-Peek – Sliced turkey, a variety of vegetables, gravy and stuffing is definitely a fall staple. It may not be the same as mom’s home cooking but will still spark a festive mood.

3. P umpkin Spice Latte – This seasonal drink isn’t just your ordinary latte. A few sips will have you craving this liquid lunch year-round (thankfully, our campus Starbucks is open until midnight, Monday through Thursday for those late night study sessions).

4. F inish With A Treat – Allotted in pairs, softbaked cookies are a delicious surprise snack between classes or after dinner! Look for them right near the cash wrap.

After sampling a variety of FIT’s snack selections, every bite was surprisingly enjoyable and delicious.

Next time you find yourself running off to Pita Grill or Chipotle, give a few of these new additions to the cafeteria’s menu a try.

Illustrated by Jaclyn Schauer for W27.

PERFECT FIT

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AD GROUP HELPS NEW YORK’S FINEST Kristina Gabler

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he Advertising and Digital Arts Group, known as AD Group, was given the opportunity to build an awareness campaign for The New York City Police Foundation. “AD group serves as a platform for students of all FIT majors to combine their individual creative expertise in hands-on marketing campaigns throughout the year, as well as a means to network with industry professionals during various events,” according to Abigail Phillips, vice president of the club. Club President Sarah Tarner echoed this statement: “Members are getting the experience of working at an advertising agency, as our club is run like one.” She enthused, “I’ve taken what I have learned in class and put it to use.”

The NYC Police Foundation encompasses over 400 programs including Crime Stoppers and other programs that positively impact the lives of New Yorkers. The chance to work on their multi-channel campaign was offered to many colleges throughout the NYC area and the club’s advisor jumped at the

opportunity to have FIT students’ work on it. The students who are working on this campaign will have the chance to see their work used in a variety of media including magazines, outdoor signage, subway posters and television. So far, they have met with the client and are still in the early stages of implementation.

The main purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness of the New York City Police Foundation and to garner community support. Sarah Tarner explained, “This is not just a project we are turning in for a grade, but a campaign that will have high visibility and positively impact lives.” Students interested in working on this campaign, and the other multi-faceted marketing projects, are encouraged to join AD Group. They are always accepting new members and it is a great way to build a portfolio and gain skills that can be translated to the workplace. The AD Group meets Tuesdays in A317 at 1 pm.

DISABILITY AWARENESS Georgeanna Dwiggins

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tarting on Monday October 18, various speakers, workshops, and even a film festival will take place at FIT through a program called D.A.W.N. (Disability Awareness Week Network). This is a week-long series dedicated to raising awareness regarding learning disabilities, and how to succeed despite them. Most workshops will be held on the 8th floor of the A building.

Here is a list of the events going on that week, mark your calendars!

October 20: “Conflict Management” workshop with Dr. Susan Breton, Ph.D. of the FIT Counseling Center October 21: “Letting Go: When Perfectionism Gets in the Way of Performance” with Liza Wolsky, on the 9th floor of the C building.

October 22:

October 18: Afternoon: Dr. Lynda Gellar “Aspergers: Understanding the Student” 6:30PM in the cafeteria: Reliabilities NY Disabilities Traveling Film Festival.

October 19: 1:00PM: “Build a Good Habit” workshop with Sharon Lowenheim of Organizing Goddess Inc. 6:30PM: “Managing Your Mood” workshop with Terry Ginder.

12:00-1:00, 8th floor of the A building to end the week.

Every night at 7:00PM the cafeteria will provide free popcorn while showing documentaries and films.

Out of everything that is being offered that week, there is something for everyone, not to mention free giveaways at every workshop. As Director Elizabeth Mortensen put it: “We recognize that in order to understand and appreciate differences in others we must first better understand ourselves.”

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ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND NETWORKING

Sydney Edwards

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n October 5th, hundreds of FIT alumni and current students assembled to explore job and internship opportunities in the John Reeves Great Hall. The Career and Internship Center hosted this semester’s Job Fair which included 54 employers ranging from Armani Exchange to Wal-Mart, and even companies like Betsey Johnson.

“Job Fairs are a great opportunity for you to network with companies and to figure out what they expect of

their employees,” said Jillian Roth, a representative of Martha Stewart Living.

seniors for college credit. But at least they took my résumé.”

Although opportunity seemed to be knocking on many people’s doors, only a faint knock could be heard for many underclassmen. “I liked it because there were a lot of companies to choose from but I feel as though it was geared towards upperclassmen,” said first semester student Chelsea Flecker. “Every table I went to told me they were only offering internships to juniors and

Whether it was an alum with an extensive list of experiences under their belt, or freshmen just starting their career, the Job Fair was helpful in making crucial industry connections in hopes of becoming an asset to any one of these employers.

MUSEUM AT FIT Veronica Heras JAPAN FASHION NOW attention is a pair of edgy red platform boots from Noritaka Tatehana.

The middle platform features the ensemble of menswear designers Arashi Yanagawa of John Lawrence Sullivan, Daisuke Obana of N. Hoolywood, and Takeshi Osumi of Phenomenon. These modern suits and futuristic styles can already be seen in the streets of New York City, especially within the FIT student body.

Courtesy of The Museum at FIT.

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hat differentiates Japan’s fashions from those in the rest of the world is the extraordinary street and subculture styles, such as the Lolita looks, the focus on quality and detail, and the neophilia. Japan is a culture filled with people who are strongly attracted to new fashions,” says Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT. Last semester The Museum at FIT gave us a preview with the Tokyo Fashion Festa event in February, and it left us excited about more Lolita looks. Japan Fashion Now, which opened September 16th, shows the importance of the first non-western country to impact the fashion industry. From the avant garde styles introduced in the 1980s to the youthful street and subculture styles that dominate Japanese pop culture

today, Japan promises to continue to be a reckoning force.

Inside the exhibition, a 21st century Tokyo city landscape serves as the backdrop to the last few decades of Japanese fashion. One platform features the avante garde and high fashion items from Comme des Garçons designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, as well as undercover designers Jun Takahashi and Issey Miyake. The styles are very detailed and elegant, while also exhibiting a sort of darkness. A perfect example of this dark beauty is a black wool coat by Jun Takahashi for Undercover’s 2009 collection. From a distance it looks like it has soft ruffles or floral details, but look at it closely and you’ll see that the coat is actually covered in skeletal cutouts. Another item that will surely catch your

Directly across the high fashion of Tokyo lies the street style: the subcultural fashions that are widely seen in Japanese pop culture like Gothic and Lolita.

Among the ensembles are h.NAOTO’s designs for singers Hangry and Angry, and other Lolita brands including Angelic Pretty, Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Alice Auaa and Black Peace Now. Street photography

by Emi Kusano shows how casually these popular but very interesting styles are worn. From stuffed animal handbags to noted h.NAOTO designer Hirooka Naoto’s elegant gothic style, Japan’s youth is taking dressing up to a whole new level. Innovation is to Japanese fashion as tradition is to Saville Row’s fashion. When it comes to “utility products” like work wear, uniforms, and jeans, brands like Visvim and Mastermind have given them a modern twist.

Costume play is also featured in the exhibit. Although this is not fashion in its strictest definition, it does represent two of Japan’s favorite pastimes, manga and anime.

Japan Fashion Now will be open until January 8, 2011. Only an exhibition-goer lacking a pulse could walk away feeling less than inspired and wanting to shout out, “Super kawaii!” which, thanks to Gwen Stefani, we know means “Super cute,” in Japanese.

COUTURE COUNCIL HONORS CHANEL’S KARL LAGERFELD

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n Friday September 10th, the day of his 72nd birthday, The Museum at FIT honored the designer, photographer, and publisher Karl Lagerfeld with the Fashion Visionary Award at the 6th Annual Benefit Luncheon held at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.

The Couture Council Advisory Committee, made up of fashion royalty such as Glenda Bailey, Editor in Chief of Harper’s Bazaar; Hamish Bowles, European editor at large of Vogue; Julie Gilhart, Fashion Director of Barney’s and Linda Fargo, Senior Vice President of Bergdorf Goodman; created the award exclusively for Lagerfeld. The event was a success with over 500 guests including Martha Stewart, Anna Wintour, Rachel Zoe, Andre Leon Tally, and socialites

Poppy Delevigne and Daphne Guinness.

In a gray suit, dark sunglasses and iconic leather gloves, Lagerfeld was presented with the award from a muse and long-time friend: model and actress Diane Kruger.

Lagerfeld’s fashion stardom began at Pierre Balmain when he was only 17. Throughout his career, the multi-talented German designer has shown his great level of creativity by designing multiple brands and collections simultaneously. He has designed for both ends of the spectrum, from Chloe to H&M, in addition to having started his own label. He is known for re-modernizing the legendary Chanel house, since his arrival in 1983. He has taken charge as not only the designer for the Haute Couture and ready to wear

collections, but also as the creator and photographer for the ad campaigns. He is also the creative director for Fendi which brings his total number of separate lines designed to a dizzying 10-13 a year (counting them simply for the sake of this article took almost 30 minutes).

Dr. Joyce Brown called Lagerfeld an inspiration for FIT students. Dr. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT described him as an “inventive and a multi-faceted creator”. Although there won’t be a Lagerfeld exhibit at The Museum at FIT, the Daphne Guinness exhibit, which opens in September of 2011, will feature Chanel couture.

PERFECT FIT

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STORM UPROOTS TREES AND STRANDS FIT STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS

Letty Medina-Salamanca

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here are a lot of people on the FIT campus who remember exactly where they were on the evening of September 16th, 2010. That’s because an unusually severe weather system moved through the boroughs of our city, so severe in fact, that it was produced a tornado.

This was actually the second tornado to hit the Big Apple (the first of the summer being the one that touched down in the Bronx in July) but the preparations were as lackluster as one would expect from a city so unaccustomed to twisters. While the actual touchdown site was in Queens, repercussions of the storm were felt in Manhattan, and to our campus and the commuting students that attend FIT. The violent storm (or “tornado”), and heavy precipitation uprooted hundreds of trees, some of which were as old as the neighborhoods they shaded.

The wind tore roofs from homes, apartments, and businesses. The storm’s effects were also felt in areas of Staten Island, and Brooklyn. The storm was ultimately responsible for killing one person. During the height of the storm, an estimated 30,000 ConEdison customers were left without electricity.

During and after the storm, many people tried to

capture the event and the aftermath on camera.

Television news programs steadily broadcast the conditions as the storm approached, advising viewers about precautions they should take, and providing updates regarding the impact of the storm on the neighborhoods, transportation, and the power supply throughout the city. This could not, however, fully prepare travelers on their way home from school and work for what was to come.

Once the storm had ended, neighbors came out into the street to assess the damage themselves. The 125 mph winds literally tore large trees that had once lined the city streets. In some instances, trees uprooted by the storm had crushed cars. Additionally, the uprooting of such trees caused the cracking and general destruction of city sidewalks, leading to hazardous conditions for pedestrians. Streets were closed and traffic was disrupted.

In other areas, fallen trees fell such that they obstructed commuter railroad tracks. The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) was forced to shut down all eastbound service, creating a nightmarish situation for FIT commuters. First semester student Sarah Harris commutes to FIT from Long Island. Harris was stuck

in the city overnight, forced to stay at a friend’s place in Long Island City. Fifth semester student Jenny Djaafar, who was in a night class at the time of the storm, was not aware of the severity of the storm and had trouble finding a way home. Jenny’ s usual means of transportation, buses and trains, were both shut down. Without transportation, she ultimately ended up sleeping at a friend’s home, close to FIT. On Friday morning, partial service was restored for the morning commute but the scene at Penn Station was one of chaos. Stranded New Jersey commuters dealt with delays of up to 30 minutes on some NJ Transit trains. Clearly, New York was not prepared for the storm, as is shown by the large number of delays and cancellations. The unpreparedness of New York City also left FIT commuters stranded with no backup plan. Students and professors had to find alternative transportation to the university. Djaafar describes the scene as walking through a “disaster zone,” with sounds of emergency vehicles and fire trucks all around.

Luckily for Djaafar, Harris, and many other stranded students, the FIT community came together in a time of need, surely the silver lining in a very dark cloud.

SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE: FIT GETS GREENER Dorelle McPherson faculty but also create incentives that will propel FIT’s community towards a greener campus.

The big green news for our committees is the 5th Annual Sustainability conference in April 2011. Plans for speakers and concepts have already begun: The focus this year will be on water, both our oceans and fresh waters.

This month’s recycling project, Freecycle, is in full swing on the 7th Floor in the A building, room A739.

Students are encouraged to bring both used and unused art supplies which other students will then use when needed. Professor Philip J. Milio is in charge of this incentive as well as the recycling of batteries on campus. The battery recycling drop-off is also in room A739; both are open daily.

W27, February 2010.

E

asing into fall as the semester progresses, FIT is beginning to show signs of its commitment to a sustainable campus life. Students and faculty join together in the daily mission of greening our campus. FIT, which supports a campus community of over 14,000 people including students, staff, and faculty, has undergone some serious reinvention since its acceptance by former President Clinton’s Global Initiative and The Mayor’s Challenge, PlaNYC. Our campaign called “FIT Goes Green: Infusing Sustainability into our Culture” was established by President Joyce F. Brown in 2009.

There are currently two committees for our sustainable efforts at FIT. The President’s Sustainability Council (SC) and the Faculty Senate’s Ad-Hoc Sustainability Committee. These committees are supported by faculty like Professor Arthur H. Kopelman, Ph. D, Professor Robert Vassalotti, Rebecca Corrado and Grazyna Pilatowicz, to name a few. These committees not only inspire students and

On the student level, other initiatives include the creation of textile recycling bins in the Fashion Design major rooms on campus. This initiative was launched by the Sustainable Design Club (SDC), lead by student Rachel Jones, dedicated to creating green changes within FIT’s design program. The SDC meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday in the C building, room C318, and is open to all majors. Sustainable design and living is not just a design responsibility, but is a concept that should be embraced by the entire student body.

Environmental studies courses are offered within both the Art and Design and Business and Technology curriculum.

FIT has also recently completed its first “Cool Roof,” part of the NYC mayor’s PlaNYC. The project at large, NYC Cool Roofs, is an exciting collaboration between NYC Service, the NYC Department of Buildings, and the Community Environmental Center to promote and assist the cooling of New York City’s rooftops by “applying a reflective surface to a roof [in order to] reduce cooling costs, cut energy usage and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” according to the initiative’s website. Faculty and students participated in painting

Recycling Tips 1. Fashion design students use the textile bins to recycle scraps. “Wearable Collections” converts them into varied types of insulation. – Rachel Jones SDC 2. Garbage cans in the classrooms are only for non-recyclables (food waste for example) and the special bins in the hallways are for plastic, metal, and paper – Prof. Robert Vassalotti 3. Reduce paper usage by using the backside of your paper and change your margins and font when printing to fit more on your page. Talk to professors about usage. – Prof. Author H Kopelman the roof of the E building, while the A building will be painted next. The incentive is lead by Rebecca Corrado, the Assistant to the Vice President of Administration.

That is just one of the many energy-saving changes we can see on campus and in the dorms.

Finally, there is the FIT’s Sustainability Council Grants.

FIT, through the Sustainable Council, awards up to $15,000 annually in grants to students and faculty who want to actively promote change or institute a program on campus with the goal of becoming more environmentally responsible. This year’s past awards went to Teaching Sustainability: A Cross Disciplinary Outreach by Karen Pearson and Elaine Maldonado, Green Studio Initiative by Laura Pineda, Brian Weissman and Sarah Abramson and Building a Sustainable Design Resource: Partnering on the Next Generation of FIT Library Research Guides by MaryAnn Sorensen Allacci. The 2011-2012 grant applications are now open.

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DEAR INDUSTRY

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W27

AN EVENING WITH MARTHA STEWART Keely-Shea Smith

ith four magazines, 40,000 products and 120 shades of glitter to call her own, Martha Stewart has come a long way since her modeling days. On October 7, the business mogul herself was the honorary guest at the Executive Women in Fashion event held in the Katie Murphy Amphitheatre at FIT.

learned about how difficult it is to make it to the top.”

Martha’s entrance immediately caused guests’ faces to light up. Not only was she approachable, but she also smiled for pictures and took time to greet the slew of people that surrounded her. The attendees were open-minded and seemed unsure of what was to come from this somewhat rare encounter. One out-ofAttendees had some time to clink glasses and sample towner said, “I came to be entertained and hopefully hors d’œuvres take away Heard on the tweet: Martha hopped right over to Del Posto after her FIT Visit: before a something.” “fireside chat” About a half between Mindy an hour after Grossman, Martha’s CEO and arrival, the director of guests had HSN Inc., and settled into Stewart. The their seats, top-earning which were businesswoman occupied by was there to speak of the building of an empire Trick or Treat for UNICEF totes donated by HSN. amongst other female executives in attendance. After Grossman set the tone for the rest of the evening by all, having overcome a divorce and a run-in with the asking Martha a thought provoking opener – when did law – two of many topics she touched on during the she realize that she was, in fact, a brand? “I realized after discussion – she is the natural choice for such an Martha Stewart Living was created,” said Stewart, “that audience of successful, hurdle-jumping executives. “I it’s hard to have your name on everything you do. And hope that the guests get a bit of inspiration from her then I thought – this is fun!” strength and directness,” said President Joyce Brown In some ways, however, Stewart is just like the rest before Martha’s arrival, “She has built a brand and of us. Throughout the discussion she smiled proudly weathered a few storms…there are lessons there to be

when speaking of her daughter, laughed about her prolonged divorce process, reminisced about previous business decisions, and whole-heartedly debated society’s dependence on technology. “I think it’s a problem, yet I embrace it,” she opined. “I do think it’s detrimental to the creative process. We have to get children back to the pastels and the oil paints.”

Nevertheless, Stewart has hopped on the iPad bandwagon and after teaming up with Adobe, created a digital magazine exclusively for Apple. The magazine is slated to launch in November.

“Forward thinking” – just one concept named by the shelter queen as something a good businessman or woman must constantly practice – is an idea that has allowed Stewart to stay abreast on what’s hot in the business of nesting in style. Looking forward to Martha’s next project? Kitchen cabinetry and kits for Home Depot, and they are, in her words, “selling like hotcakes.”

At one point during the discussion Martha mentioned, “There was a word we used in the early ‘90s: synergy.’”

She went on to explain the concept of synergy was being able to take one idea and morph that idea into something suitable for print and television. Stewart has funneled this mantra into all of her areas of her work. As President Brown sees it: “She has always been goal directed and about business.”

GILT-Y PLEASURE: THE MAGIC OF GILT GROUPE Megan Venere across the country. Simply put, the aspiring fashionista who isn’t willing to pay full price for designer merchandise now has access to high fashion threads.

The company has had tremendous growth within the past three years. Recently, there was even an iPhone app released, targeting their mobile deal-hunters. The real question remains, how is Guilt Groupe able to offer such high-end brands at bargain basement prices?

Illustrated by Veronica Ettman for W27.

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he online discount retailer Gilt Groupe has taken the e-commerce world by storm.

Launched in 2007 by Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, the site brings the mystique and thrill of sample sales to the homes of Americans

Gilt Groupe provides designers the excellent opportunity to get rid of slow-selling merchandise instead of returning it to vendors. Hillary Byers, Public Relations Coordinator for Ideeli, another online discount retailer, thinks sites like her own are a great resource for designers to promote their brands. “Consumers that don’t have access to malls or high-end retailer stores are still able to shop for their favorite brand names and get a great deal,” she says. Gilt Groupe buys all of its featured merchandise directly from designers, as opposed to wholesalers.

Buyers consult with designers who send them a list of slow selling items. Buyers then make their selections and have the product shipped to their Brooklyn warehouses. Items are then inspected to make sure they are in the best possible condition for consumers.

Since they’re buying directly from the designers, Gilt Groupe takes full responsibility for all the merchandise. Any items that don’t sell are re-posted

on the website. If they still don’t sell, employees have the opportunity to buy the merchandise.

Gilt Groupe asks anyone interested in shopping to become a member first. This gives the site the exclusivity designers seek. Sale announcements are sent via email to its members the morning before the products go live. Starting at noon, the sale lasts for 36 hours. The site runs about three sales a week featuring wears from various designers such as Matthew Williamson and Zac Posen, Posen having been the site’s first featured designer.

Ashlea Keeshan, an FIT sophomore, frequents Gilt Groupe but doesn’t find the site useful for regular shopping. “If you don’t go on the website right as the sale starts, all the good stuff disappears,” she says.

Lisa Doolittle, a former employee of Gilt Groupe, was a member of the site before becoming part of the company. “I definitely don’t think sites like Gilt Groupe detract from the prestige of designer labels,” she said.

“Gilt Groupe was the first site of this type and I think it allowed itself [the opportunity] to position the company in this way and sort of set a niche.”

DEAR INDUSTRY

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

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WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON FAKES? Laura Gabrielsen

Traditional Hot Yoga All Classes $8 All Morning Classes $6 with Student ID! (6:30am to 12pm) Illustrated by Ryookyung Kim for W27.

W

ould you ever consider purchasing a counterfeit handbag? What if the differences between a real bag and a fake one weren’t even visible to the naked eye? The truth is, purchasing and carrying fake handbags and other counterfeit goods is perpetuating the growth of an illegal industry.

The counterfeit market has grown exponentially in recent years. Consumer goods and widely desired brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Coach, and Dior, are normally very expensive at full retail price, but are actually quite cheap to reproduce. Thus, the luxury market has become the main target for counterfeiting. The underlying issue isn’t an ethical dilemma. Rather, counterfeiters are taking a huge chunk out of retailer profits.

The following facts summarize the impact of counterfeiting on the economy and on jobs: •C ounterfeiting costs U.S. businesses $200 to $250 billion annually •C ounterfeit merchandise is directly responsible for the loss of more than 750,000 American jobs •A pproximately 5% to 7% of world trade revolves around counterfeited goods •U .S. companies suffer $9 billion in trade losses due to international copyright piracy It seems as though quality is not an issue for many consumers. Since these bags are significantly cheaper than the real thing, lower quality is inherent and widely accepted, given the size of the business for counterfeit goods.

However, replicas are crafted out of markedly lower quality materials and include style elements that designers never had in mind. The end result is a completely different product.

Companies large and small go through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect their intellectual property. A patent excludes anyone but the patent holder from making, using, or selling a product. Moreover, a trademark confers the right to own a brand name that distinguishes one good from another.

Therefore anyone who copies a logo or brand name is committing trademark infringement, punishable by lawsuit or possible dismantling.

To combat the proliferation of replicas and piracy, the U.S. government opened the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR). The IPR is a sub-sector of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, which in turn falls under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This specific part of the government uses a very distinct, two-step method to combat counterfeiters. First they open up an investigation. This includes identifying, seizing, prosecuting and dismantling criminal organizations involved in the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit goods. Next comes interdiction, which involves using focused targeting and inspections to keep counterfeit goods out of U.S. supply chains, markets, and off the street.

Once the selling of pirated goods extended onto the Internet, however, the counterfeiting problem began to balloon. For instance, many phrases are used on the Internet to market fake handbags as legitimate. Words such as “mirror-image,” “replica,” “look-alike,” and “faux” are used to mask the illegality of these underground operations. Each of these terms is merely a euphemism for illegal. To protect consumers and crack down on web vendors selling counterfeit goods, Congress recently introduced a new bipartisan bill called the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeit Act of 2010. This will allow the Department of Justice a new level of expediency in shutting down websites with pirated content. Ultimately, the Department of Justice would be able to cut off Internet service of an infringing domain name with a history of online piracy or counterfeiting. For now the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeit Act is still just a bill, but follow its progress online to see what happens.

Mon-Thurs: 6:30a, 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Fri: 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Sat-Sun: 10a, 12p, 2p, 5p, 7p 115 W. 27th St, btw 6th & 7th Ave, 3rd Floor yogatothepeople.com

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FITting IN THE INDUSTRY Terrence Phearse of FIT seemed more “real world” as oppose to other fashion-focused schools and programs in the city. I welcomed the fact that students ranged in age.

TP: What were your days like while going to school during your undergrad?

JJ: My time at FIT was interesting. I was working a full-time job at Theory and going to school full-time (18+ hours.) I didn’t really have the opportunity to be involved in student life as much as I wanted to be, but I was able to meet some great people—many of whom I don’t talk to now—but they were AMAZING at the time.

TP: Any favorite professors or favorite courses?

JJ: Professor Stephen Rose is BRILLIANT! His Creative Strategy classes changed my life. And not to forget, Professor Lynda Johnson’s Journalism class was great too, because I went into my internships educated. Take their classes!

N

ow that everyone is back in the full swing of the semester, Terrence Phearse is back hobnobbing with FIT alumni and seeing what they are up to. This month, Justin Joseph (AMC ‘08) sheds light on life after FIT, which in his case has culminated in a career in online publishing.

Terrence Phearse: First start by telling me what you majored in at FIT, and why you chose it. Did you attend any other schools before FIT? Justin Joseph: I majored in Advertising and Marketing Communications. I chose FIT because it was drastically cheaper than Parsons (joking). The vibe

TP: What was the transition from undergrad to the real world like? Any difficulties?

JJ: Not at all because I was already working full time throughout my three years at FIT. If anything, once I graduated it made my performance that much more great and ready to tackle anything that was ahead of me.

TP: What was your first job or gig out of school?

JJ: Coming out of university when the economy was under duress, I worked as the regional Visual Merchandiser for Equinox, which sucked. I actually missed my graduation because my first day landed on the date they needed me to start. Needless to say, after two months I knew that neither the company, nor visual merchandising, was for me. So I began interning

at Paper Magazine—and that experience changed my life and awarded me a host of opportunities.

TP: You actually interned after you graduated, what was that like, and where?

JJ: Yeah, I interned everywhere! Some were paid, some not. I interned at Paper, Lucky magazine, and Ford Models, to name a few. Paper was great. Lucky was lucky?! And Ford was a lesson in self-esteem.

TP: What are you up to now?

JJ: I am the Editorial Manager for Centric, which is a new network partnership between VH1 and BET. I interview celebrities and create engaging content centered on our programming. I also manage four amazing blogs that cover music, pop culture and lifestyles (CultureList, Soul Sessions, SubCentric and OnCentric).

TP: Where do you ultimately want to be?

JJ: I would say being an editor at a magazine but since you said “ultimately” I’ll say in an exotic locale with my feet up and a drink in hand. I don’t want to work for my money, I want my money to work for me.

TP: Do you have any advice for students?

JJ: Know your worth. Intern until you feel you have learned your field enough to effectively execute the tasks required to be successful, but do not allow yourself to be used for the rest of your career. A 25 year old intern—that has been out of college for 3 years—is not a good look.

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FROM LATE NIGHT CLASSES TO LATE NIGHT FASHION SHOWS: FIT ALUMNI SPRING/SUMMER ‘11 LINES

Meaghan Hartland

T

he alumni of FIT includes some of the biggest movers and shakers in the fashion industry. They’ve come a long way from pulling all-nighters in the FIT labs, and in order to celebrate their success, W27’s Meaghan Hartland reviews their Spring/ Summer 2011 collections shown just weeks ago during New York Fashion Week.

Michael Kors: Michael Kors also stuck with what he’s best known for: dressing women in sporty, yet highly sophisticated, attire. The fabrics, colors and designs all combined to create a cool California vibe. The colors were mostly neutrals with the occasional bright pink, Kelly green, sunshine-y yellow or vibrant purple.

Nanette Lepore: Nanette Lepore’s perpetuallypretty clothes had a ladylike but youthful feel this season with lots of florals, eyelet, and a few polka dots or stripes every now and again. The dresses and blouses all flowed perfectly down the runway and caught the eyes of such celebrities as Kristen Chenoweth and Natasha Bedingfield.

Daniel Vosovic: Designer Daniel Vosovic’s inspiration for his Spring 2011 line was Elizabeth Taylor’s character in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe.

This inspiration led him to a very utilitarian line complete with an all-neutral color palette and prints that resembled both wolf and deer fur. The line had a dark, twisted sense to it.

Calvin Klein: Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa presented a line for the Spring 2011 season that featured his minimalistic point of view. The lines were simple, as was the color story, which was mostly monochromatic with a few pops of color every so often.

The list of attendees consisted of photographer Patrick Demarchelier and Katie Holmes, to name a few.

Chado Ralph Rucci: Departing from the usual formal runway shows, Chado Ralph Rucci came to on-lookers by way of a more intimate presentation atmosphere. While Rucci kept to his ultra-tailored and ladylike aesthetic, his inclusion of fabrics as ubiquitous as cotton proved even top-tier designers aren’t exempt from feeling the squeeze of the current economic downturn. Never one to leave out the luxe, however, he played up the details by including both tulle and horsehair.

Twinkle by Wenlan: Wenlan Chia kept her pieces slightly whimsical yet completely wearable and comfortable for her line Twinkle

by Wenlan which was also shown via presentation rather than a show. The mostlymonochromatic trend continued here with a blush pink, mint green, and the occasional cobalt blue. This collection consisted of fabulous little frocks and an array of high-waisted pants and shorts, all of which are perfect for the on-the-go FIT girl.

FASHION WEEK EUROPE: INDIVIDUALIZED DRESSING Misty Sidell

I Céline SS2011.

n recent seasons, fashion designers have eschewed following some sort of major trend in favor of dressing an imagined individual – and Spring Fashion Week in London, Milan, and Paris proved no exception. By partaking in sartorial typecasting, designers relay a tangible personality through their clothing, rather than promoting specific key items. The ‘Popular Girl’ of choice this season? Enter, the crafty artisanal: a lowmaintenance girl who dresses for artistic pleasure. This gallery-hopping, PBR-swilling chanteuse was presented in her most apropos form at three European shows.

The prime example being at Louis Vuitton, conceptualized under the creative guidance of Marc Jacobs.

Jacobs for LV is a perennial editorial pick, and this season produced structured mandarin collared pantsuits scattered with clusters of beaded tassels, as well as elongated, sheer beaded flapper dresses. Vuitton’s art nerd was a Studio 54 raver with a taste for the art deco.

A matte spiced wine lip added a touch of glamour to each look, and personified Jacobs’ vision of excess as a cool girl with serious style credential.

Miu Miu SS2011.

What is most interesting is that each of these collections portrays a specific personality, which, according to FIT students, makes the design and merchandising processes easier for those involved.

Caitlin McMullen, a 5th semester Fashion Design major, claims that “When you create clothes around an individual rather than a key trend or fad, your imagination is able to pull from more places and the end product becomes more dynamic.”

David Siwicki, a Fashion Merchandising and Management student, agrees, “People want to purchase clothes for their fantasy, so dressing to a mood or embodying another person provides instant gratification for consumers.”

Moving on from a reveler of opulence to one of simplicity, Phoebe Philo’s latest collection at Celine focused on careful construction. Spring’s Celine girl finds pleasure in details as well as the hippie folk. Philo utilized her first print at Celine, a handkerchief motif that will fit in well amongst the rest of next season’s seventies- themed merchandise.

These two collections rest at polar opposite ends of the fashion spectrum, one portraying overindulgence and the other its antithesis. Bridging the gap between the two extremes was an artistic yet polished collection from Miu Miu. A modern and slimmed down take on Jessica Simpson’s de rigueur of Texan attire, Miu Miu

Louis Vuitton SS2011.

possessed both Vuitton’s punchy colors and Celine’s exemplary construction details. Miuccia Prada claimed that this collection explored society’s quest for fame and appropriately so; any society page regular would look natural wearing one of the ensembles. A bit gaudy, while simultaneously refined, Miu Miu’s clothes are for girls with unabashed confidence and inventive taste.

*All catwalk pictures from Style.com.

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SHOPPING THE SEASON AT FIT’S STYLE SHOP STYLED BY RYANN FOULKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY QINGYUN ZHANG By the time you are reading this, the September issues have come and gone in all of their fall fashion fanfare. But the images of cover girls Jen, Julie, Halle and Hilary have left such an imprint on our minds that we decided to use them (and the respective magazine stories in which they starred) as inspiration for our second seasonal shopping guide. After all, landing the cover of a September fashion pub is as close to fashion royalty as it gets. So feast your eyes on the following and take a hint on how to snag the looks with pieces from The Style Shop.

Pieces to Borrow:

Vogue: The luxurious, 1920s styling of Halle Berry works perfectly with the decadent accessories this fall. Also on-trend are the deep jewel tones and lavish velvets.

Harpers Bazaar: Jennifer Aniston channeled the great Barbra Streisand for this cover story. The 1960s aesthetic translated well into the mod shapes, patterns, accessories, and make up for the photo shoot.

InStyle: Hilary Swank landed the cover for this September issue, “At Close Range” featuring cozy equestrian-chic sweaters and classic American styles.

Elle: The Bohemian trend is prolonged by Julia Roberts on this cover based on her Eat, Pray, Love character. The hippie, ethnic styling from the movie translated into flowy dresses and layered accessories for this photo shoot.

All items are courtesy of The Style Shop. For more information or to buy similar styles, visit the boutique Monday to Thursday from 11am to 9pm or Friday 11am to 6pm in the A Building lobby.

Photo Credits: Cover images-respective publications.

Accessorize With:

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TRANSITION

Illustrated by Stephanie Matos for W27.

NEW COURSES: WHAT’S SO MAJOR ABOUT HAVING A MINOR? Nicole Tan

M

usicians know that minor keys ring a special tone - a tweak that gives you that special something, be it on the fret of a guitar or the black keys of a piano, urging that dancer on en pointe to poise her foot in piqué. Similarly, minors get your attention, and in an over-saturated market of qualified job seekers, that little tweak just might be the winning formula to set afoot your career path into a full-flight jété.

Implemented in Spring 2010, all students at FIT now have the option of declaring a minor of the academic variety. “There was a huge interest in a minor program by both parents and students; [their interest was] an indication to launch it,” said Prof. Meyerson of Educational skills, one of the many faculty members, including Presidential Scholars Coordinator Irene Buchman, James Cacaito of Education Skills, William Mooney of Foreign Languages/English and Rich Turnbull of History of Art, who worked over the past two years to develop the Minors Program.

To date, there are 702 students who have already declared minors. With the requirements being a minimum GPA of 2.0 (the minimum GPA required to remain enrolled in FIT classes) and a completion of 15 credits (five classes comprising of two introductory classes and three in-depth studies) - it seems an obvious choice to make.

Minors can be declared in all spectrums of studies, regardless of one’s major. Fashion Design majors passionate about English can declare a minor in English literature or writing. An added advantage pointed out by Prof. Meyerson is that most majors would have required courses that cover two or three of the five courses needed, meaning attaining a minor would be less tedious than one might expect. Minors are meant to enhance your course of study, be they major-related, such as an FMM major minoring in Economics, or not, such as a Fashion Design major minoring in Political Science.

However, one questions the validity of minors; if they are really worth the extra work for one line on a resume. “My son majored in Music Production with a minor in Marketing. In reality, minors might not be your be-all-end-all, but it sounds important,” points out Meyerson. “The difference is it broadens and adds towards your understanding. It gives you

in-depth knowledge and looks impressive on your résumé . Now, my son can not only produce music, he also knows how to sell it!”

Perhaps a minor can either tip one’s resume into the “in” tray, or maybe even become your fall-back plan.

Either way, there seems to be no disadvantage. “I really love Spanish, and it gives me a reason to take more courses on it. People love languages. It looks good on your resume and Spanish is going to be more common in the coming years,” said Johanna Blonzinksy, a third year AMC major with a Spanish minor. With a minor in a foreign language, students are better candidates for jobs abroad of the U.S., meaning more opportunities, a larger networking pool, and a faster track to establishing a career.

For those who are interested in minoring but are unsure of the procedures, below is a crash-course, “Minors 101”, if you will: Minors currently offered: • Asian Studies • Communication Studies • Latin American Studies • English + Literature

The process of declaring a minor is as follows: 1) Head over to the Liberal Arts Center for Academic Advisement and Placement in room B623 and ask for an academic advisor with a “printer-friendly” DARS audit in hand.

2) The advisor will brief you on the requirements of specific courses needed to be taken and the courses one can choose from according to the minor you intend to pursue.

3) An approval form is given out. a) If a course has been completed (e.g French 1), this form can be filled out instantly and left with the advisor. b) If not, take the form with you. Once the first course for your minor has been completed, sign the form, attach a copy of a “printer-friendly” DARS audit and bring it back to the center for the Dean’s approval.

4) These forms will then be sent to your registrar.

All minor declarations will appear on your Bachelor’s audit unless stated otherwise.

A note of reminder: Minor declarations will appear on your Bachelor’s DARS and all courses will be listed once you have registered for the final course.

+ Writing • Film and Media Studies • Fashion Studies • Economics • Pyschology • Mathematics • Sustainability • History of Art • Languages + Spanish + Japanese + French + Italian Minors to be offered in the future are Political Science, Sociology, Meditative Arts and American Studies.

Illustrated by Ashley Wilt for W27.

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FEATURE

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W27

NEW FACES: ADMINISTRATORS KRYSTIN MERTZ *Headshots compliments of respective admins.

Name: Erik Kneubuehl Position: Dean of Student Development & Deputy to the Vice President Enrollment Management & Student Success What is a typical day? Day starts with my hour commute from the Bronx checking any and all emails and calls from my Blackberry. Breakfast at my desk between 8:30 to 9 am while looking over my calendar for the day. This is followed by working with my assistant, Joyce Carbonell, to help me start scheduling and organizing the rest of the week as well as the current day. Then, meetings! I lead Student Development and many issues arise regarding he budget, staffing and strategic planning that I must work with each director. Finally, and most importantly, I meet with student leaders on helping them to help the students of FIT from renovations to new ideas for events. The day ends at about 5 pm to 6 pm, unless I have a late meeting with a student group, attend an FIT athletic event, or visit a late night student event, then it ends about 10pm.

What was your prior job before working at FIT? Most recently I served as the Dean of Students at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx. At Maritime I lead the areas of Residence Life, Student Activities, Judicial Affairs, Campus Ministries, Student Services, and Health Services.

What career did you want to pursue when you were younger? Much younger I wanted to be a historian. I loved history so much I decided to major in it. It was in college that I discovered my passion for college administration.

I tell people that I loved college so much that I never wanted to leave. If you go WAY back it would have been a fireman!

Favorites...

TV: Now: Royal Pains, then: West Wing.

Book: Eaters of the Dead Movie: Down to You and Star Wars What is a guilty pleasure of yours? Steak – Prime Rib from Morton’s Steakhouse Ever cut class in college? Yes, and man, did I pay the price!

What are tangible changes you want to implement this year? Focus on student centeredness at FIT: more Student Spaces, more student events, advocate for student needs.

Who are some on campus inspirations? All my directors that report to me. They do such an outstanding job for the college and more importantly the students, yet they get so little credit.

Name: Dr. Frank Koe Position: Acting Dean of the Baker School of Business and Technology What is a typical day? My typical day is very, very busy.

There are important meetings that I attend dealing with issues affecting the development of new courses, providing oversight for ten departments and faculty, and serving on committees to help ensure FIT continues its accreditation.

The most important job in my day is to do what I can to make sure students receive the best and most relevant education possible. And by the looks of things, our faculties are delivering just that!

What was your job before you came to FIT? I taught entrepreneurship at Penn State University and managed my own business that has been on going for about 12 years. I also finished a textbook and DVD on textiles published by Fairchild Books.

What career did you want when you were younger?

When I was younger I wanted to fly a commercial airliner.

What with the demands of the job, you might say I fly now, just not an airline!

Favorites…

TV: I really do not have a favorite TV show.

Movie: Forest Gump.

Book: The Turning Point: Science, Society, and Rising Culture.

What is your guilty pleasure? Really good champagne.

Ever cut class in college? Not that I remember.

What are the tangible changes you want to implement this year? My first year will be partly a year of close evaluation to see what works, what doesn’t. It’s counterproductive to jump into a complex organization that has about 4,000 students and hundreds of faculty and simply change things because it appears that’s what is expected.

It’s important that I facilitate and support students and the dedicated faculty who deliver the Business and Technology product—knowledge. I want to be a problem solver. After all, that’s what work is all about. If there were no problems to solve, no one would have work!

Who are some on-campus inspirations? FIT is inspiring.

Just look around and see how exciting this place is! Students are inspiring. Faculty are inspiring, and the administration is very serious about making sure things work well for students and they work harder than what you might think.

But we can’t forget that FIT is in New York City, a perfect place for the amazing range of programs we offer.

Name: Marybeth Murphy Position: Vice President, Enrollment Management and

office at Columbia University. I realized then that I enjoyed the work at the University more than I was enjoying my coursework. So, after grad school, I applied for an entry-level job at NYU and began a career as a college administrator.

Student Success

What is your typical day at the office like? I take the #1 South to 27th Street, get a tall decaf from Starbucks and settle in for a day of meetings, emails, and student or faculty events.

I review reports on admissions and registration and also spend time dealing with student issues and concerns. Much of my day is also spent planning activities with colleagues in the division as I work with the president, vice presidents and deans to meet the strategic goals of the college. One of FIT’s most important goals; making the college more studentcentered, is always at the top of my agenda.

Favorites…

TV: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Book: Shakespeare, especially the magical “Tempest” and

What was your prior job, before working for FIT? I

very rarely. I believe in that saying, “showing up is 80% of life” and think it is incredibly important to show up for classes. Such a simple recipe for success.

was the Assistant VP for Enrollment Management at Baruch College. And before that, I was Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Services at NYU.

What career did you want to pursue when you were younger? I was an English literature major as an undergraduate and graduate student. I focused on Shakespeare and 16th Century literature, but I also loved history, psychology and biology. I had a hard time choosing a major and wanted to study everything. Still do. I didn’t think much about a career right away. I worked my way through Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Later in graduate school, I worked in the Vice President’s

John Irving’s The World According To Garp.

Movie: Disney’s Finding Nemo and Philippe Claudel’s Il y a longtemps que je t’aime.

What is a guilty pleasure of yours? A root beer float for dinner.

Did you ever cut class as a student in college? Very,

What are tangible changes you want to implement this year at FIT? We are working with student government leaders to get their ideas and the planning is underway. My goal is to work with student leaders to make the campus as welcoming and vibrant as possible. There’s lots more to come.

Who are some on-campus inspirations of yours? I am inspired every day by the creativity and drive of FIT students. I love that I am privileged to see every aspect of the creative process and then the final works which are displayed throughout the campus. I am in awe of our students.

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FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

17

Name: Andrew Cronan Position: Director/Associate Professor, Career and Internship Center What is a typical day? The newly integrated offices of The Career and Internship Centers, handles many aspects of a student’s professional development. My day often includes student appointments, employer meetings, managerial duties, and even presentations and workshops to students.

What was your prior job before working at FIT? I was the Executive Director of Career Services at Fordham University, and a faculty member of Fordham College where I taught Theories of Leadership and Organization Communication.

What career did you want to pursue when you were younger? We teach students to evaluate three components of themselves when making career choices: Interests, Values, and Abilities. As a child I dreamed of being the second baseman for the Mets- I had the interest, and it certainly would have been a good fit with my values, but I lacked a bit of something called ability.

Favorites…

TV: My favorite TV shows right now are Rubicon, The Daily Show, Fringe, and any sports.

Book: I don’t have one favorite book, but my favorite

author is John Steinbeck.

Movie: My favorite movies include Pulp Fiction, Caddyshack, Silence of the Lambs, and more recently, The Hangover.

What is a guilty pleasure of yours? I listen to hip hop at unspeakable volumes when I’m alone in my car.

Did you ever cut class as a student in college? Once- in the last semester toward completion of my requirements to graduate with Highest Departmental Honors in Philosophy- we went to a preseason baseball game in Florida.

What are tangible changes you want to implement this year at FIT? The Career and Internship Center is now poised to capitalize on the vast array of talents of a dynamic group of professionals in this department. Look for new offerings to come from this office, including Job and Internship Fairs (they were previously Job Fairs).

Who are some on-campus inspirations of yours? As an amateur musician and once-upon-a-time artist, I find the various exhibits and displays around campus inspiring and beautiful- our students are so talented. I especially like the space outside of the president’s suite on the 9th floor of “C” because it is filled with student artwork. Sometimes in our meetings with students they share portfolios and drawings that amaze me.

Name: Suzanne McGillicuddy Position: Acting Director of Student Life What is a typical day? No two days are alike here but they always involve meetings with students, brainstorming about programs to engage students at FIT, signing budget requests, answering questions, replying to e-mails and planning for future events like Parents Day and Orientation. There is never a dull moment!

What was your prior job before working for FIT? Before coming to FIT I spent seven years at Stony Brook University where I ran the office of Commuter Student Services and taught courses in Community Service Learning.

What career did you want to pursue when you were younger? While in college I was studying to become a high school teacher when I became an R.A. (Resident Assistant).

That experience introduced me to the world of Student Affairs where it is possible to be an educator inside and outside of the classroom.

Favorites…

TV: I have many favorites in different genres, but some of my top picks would include Mad Men on TV. Book: A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving.

Movie: Any movie directed by Rob Reiner (Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and This is Spinal Tap).

What is a guilty pleasure of yours? A current guilty pleasure is watching the summer series So You Think You Can Dance.

Did you ever cut class as a student in college? I’d like to take the fifth on that one ;-) What are tangible changes you want to implement this year at FIT? I am working toward increasing regular communication with students through projects like the “FIT This Week” e-mails. A related effort is to find innovative ways to streamline paperwork for clubs and organizations and begin the process of shifting to online forms whenever possible.

Who are some on-campus inspirations of yours?

Students always inspire me.

Name: Dr. Gretchen Bataille Position: Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs What is a typical day? There is no “typical” day because there are so many issues that need to be addressed—from meeting with faculty to reviewing curriculum proposals to responding to external requests for information. One thing that I must do every day is to answer many, many e-mails!

What was your prior job before working at FIT? From 2006-2010 I was the President of the University of North Texas, a research university with over 36,000 students in Denton, Texas. Before that I served for six years as the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for the 16-campus University of North Carolina system in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

What career did you want to pursue when you were younger? I never had a clear direction in mind, but I knew that I wanted to continue learning and eventually the best way to do that was to be on a college campus— first as a student, then as a faculty member and now as an administrator.

Favorites…

TV: I really don’t watch television, although being at FIT has made me a viewer of Project Runway!

Book: I read a lot of books—from detective novels to

books about leadership and college life.

Movie: I like just about any movie that doesn’t have gratuitous violence.

What is a guilty pleasure of yours? I enjoy relaxing on a beach with a good novel or being with friends catching up and enjoying a bottle of good wine.

Did you ever cut class as a student in college? Not that I remember! I went to college at a time when women were required to wear skirts to class, attendance was taken and rules were made to be enforced. It was the “dark ages” compared to now!

What are tangible changes you want to implement this year at FIT? I believe administrators need to ensure that policies and processes don’t get in the way of our primary mission—preparing students for their futures. To that end, I intend to contribute to finding ways to clarify policies and to make it easier for students to get the instruction and advising they need and for faculty to get the support they need. I also hope that I can contribute to making FIT better known outside of New York.

Who are some on campus inspirations of yours? I am inspired by the students and faculty—they are what makes FIT what it is and will be.

18

OCT

FEATURE

2010

W27

NEW PLACES FIT LANDSCAPING Keely-Shea Smith

The landscaping progress. Photo by Zhang Qingyun.

Rendering of the proposed work.

E

ven if you are a new student, you’ve noticed that during the warmer months, a good majority of the students here huddle in small groups on the sidewalks and outdoor areas at the foot of our buildings and indulge in conversation and possibly even a cigarette. The administration must have taken notice of our outdoor hang-out habits and in turn decided to upgrade the campus landscape.

The resulting renovations—that is, the ones that have popped up, have brought up mixed feelings among

students. Some are appreciative of the landscaping but some are less than impressed with an even more dismal seating offering.

It doesn’t look just like a street now,” said Patrick McGrath, also a second year student in Advertising and Marketing Communication.

Many students question the rationale of ongoing construction while school is in session—why couldn’t the school have planned for summer construction and an early fall deadline? According to Vice President Sherry Brabham, there were two credible reasons. “We couldn’t plant new flowers in the summer months because it is too dry—the fall is a better time for planting,” said Brabham. “Planting the flowers at this time will allow them to bloom in the spring.”

“The goal here is to make a nicer campus for current and prospective students. Students will be able to use the space better and it will feel a little more open,” said Vice President Brabham. As far as seating goes, there will be additional benches and tables, some similar to the fixtures that have been placed outside of the C-Building.

The larger obstacle is budgeting and protocol says Brabham. “As a public college we have to be disciplined.” The landscaping project is anticipated to be, for the most part, complete by the end of the month. “The truth is it took longer than expected.

The whole purchasing process took longer.” The project was supposed to begin a month earlier, but was delayed because of the above circumstances.

Not only is timing a huge factor in the landscaping, but the aesthetics of the entire project is as well. Some worry the social environment will be damaged by the lack of seating. “It’s all plants and there’s no where to sit—we need places to sit. And what are those tables?” said Han Jang, a second year Advertising and Marketing Communication student at FIT. “As long as they don’t take away my sculpture. They haven’t gotten rid of that yet.” The large metal sculpture Jang speaks of (you know, the one between the A-building and the B-building), is nowhere to be found in the renderings provided – it looks like she will be disappointed.

Brabham adds that the project was proposed due to a “constant recurring complaint for the space to sit in a more welcoming environment.” Though the project is being carried out with good intentions, the students were never directly involved in any of the decisionmaking. However, Vice President Brabham, along with the W27 staff, encourages students to ask their questions and provide feedback with staff and on W27newspaper.com.

Editor’s Note: At press time, there were still some updates coming in from the administration; check our website for the latest on this project.

Others are grateful there is now some life to the campus. “I think the landscaping looks really nice.

WELLNESS CENTER

By Kevia Wright

E

veryone knows the college visitation story.

Eager high school juniors get their parents to drag them all around the country, visiting both the “reach” and “safety” choices, buying a sweatshirt at each destination. Best of all, said student missed class without getting in trouble for it!

By way of your reading this article in print, you have made the decision to come to FIT. But one thing that you didn’t see on your tour of FIT was a fitness center.

There is in fact a “gym” here but calling it that is an exaggeration. It is no Northeastern College, which has a 2nd floor gym overlooking the city of Boston with floor-to-ceiling glass windows – here; there isn’t even one window! As it is, there is usually a line for one of the three treadmills, and one of the four elliptical machines. A twenty minute limit on these machines has to be enforced when there is high traffic. Twenty minutes to burn that free slice, or two, of pizza from the 7th floor game room is just not enough!

Thankfully, due to more funding, FIT’s 27th Street gym is under construction and is getting revamped.

The new “Wellness Center,” as it is being called, will be

three times as big as the current gym, and will include 20 cardio machines including state of the art treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes as well as, weight machines for specific muscle isolation, such as a leg press machine.

Free weights will also be available, and work out benches, in addition to a spacious area to stretch, instead of the cramped area we have now. There will also be a new “movement” room which will open next to the fitness center for recreation and classes such as yoga and dance. Even the hours are being revised.

Instead of having the gym closed for those annoying random hours of the day, the new Wellness Center will be open 7AM – 10PM, straight through.

“We are excited to be close to opening the new center. Currently we have more than 14,000 visits per academic year in the existing fitness center (just on 27th Street)! The new center will help accommodate the demand, and we hope that students who did not work out on campus before due to overcrowding or older equipment, etc., will be able to work out on campus,” says Kerri-Ann McTiernan, FIT’s Athletic Director.

Wellness Center site under construction. Photo by Zhang

Construction is ongoing, so no official opening date has been set, but projections show that the new Wellness Center could be opened as early as this semester. If not, it will definitely be opened by spring semester. So don’t feel bad about that toffeenut latte at the FIT Starbucks, soon you’ll have a place to work it off. And you just might see a student tour walk by while you are working out!

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FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

19

A-LABS GIVE FIT AN EDGE Sarah Dill

I

t took five lengthy years to get the designs off the SHoP architects’ drawing boards and onto three floors in the A-building, but the time has finally come. Interestingly enough, the same three floors in the Dubinsky Center had been the student cafeteria but were now constructed into the new labs we see here at FIT. Known on campus today as the A-Labs, these gleaming 21st century state of the art facilities comprise 50,000 square feet and are transforming the curriculum of eight FIT majors, giving them the leading edge in their respective industries now and for the future. “These high-quality labs provide our students and faculty with the opportunity to conduct research and express their creativity in a new and modern environment,” said Dr. Joyce F.Brown, president of FIT. “Our students deserve no less, and I am delighted that we have been able to provide them with facilities that reflect the best practices of the industries they will enter.

We are very proud that these labs have been designed to promote sustainability, adhere to safety standards, and handle by-products with respect for the environment.”

Howard Dillon, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, coordinated and supervised the massive construction project that transformed the 4th, 5th and 6th floors of the A-building. Dillon explained that, “FIT as a whole trains professionals to talk about product development, work in teams to create ideas and learn about the industry through the labs in the safest and most significant environment possible.”

Students from all of these eight majors will be in the same corridors, which will promote interdepartmental collaboration. The eight new labs include Textile Design, Textile Development and Marketing, Advertising, Marketing and Communications, Toy Design, Jewelry Design, Accessories design, Fashion Design and Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing.

Cosmetic Fragrance Lab.

The Cosmetics and Fragrance lab also has an interesting legacy. The major was established in 1988 and by 1994 industry funds built the very first fragrance lab (on the 9th floor of the B-building) on a college campus. The dimensions of the first lab were too small to accommodate a small major. The new lab now accommodates about 30 people and is triple in size. Students will be able to perform all of the fragrance tasks as before but now they will also get a broader, deeper education in cosmetic chemistry that goes well beyond the basics. Just over $100,000 was sunk into all new equipment. It boasts a prep room, a fragrance room and an evaluation room in addition to an office and a utility area. According to Professor Virginia Bonofiglio, Acting Chair for the CFM major, “The lab really shows the industry that FIT is committed to giving students a feel of the facility and that they are dedicated to this field of study.”

A year ago, the Cos-Frag department as it is known, acquired a “perfumer’s chest,” an antique from the beginning of the last century. It serves as evidence that there was indeed a thriving perfume industry in America in the late nineteenth century when Europe was considered the world’s only fragrance leader. The chest is located in a wall niche facing the main hallway on the 6th floor awaiting an explanatory plaque.

Broadcast Lab.

It is hard to overstate the significance of the A-Labs to the eight corresponding majors and to FIT. Textiles Lab.

The Textile Development and Marketing major (TDM) has its own heritage; created 50 years ago, its former workspace was on the fourth floor of B-building for decades. That space was shuttered and only the equipment that was still relevant got cleaned up and moved to the new lab on the 6th floor of the A-building, where it shares space with the latest in digital textile technology. According to Professor and department TDM Chairperson Jeffrey Silberman, just over $100,000 was invested in new equipment. The new lab space is divided into five areas, a Prep Room, a Fiber Room, a Testing Area, Office, and what is termed an “Appearance Rating Room,” an environment enhanced with custom tinted walls and special lighting to allow the most accurate assessment of true color of textiles in different light settings. “The lab really gives students a taste of reality and shows them what’s really out there with the fundamentals on how to address it,” says Prof. Silberman.

Ready. Set. Action! The new broadcast lab is here for AMC majors, fully equipped and digitized, ready to educate students on the latest in video production techniques. Its entrance is on the 5th floor but its lofty ceiling soars into the 6th floor, just as one would see on a real TV/video set. Features in the lab include suspended grid lighting, light and soundproof capabilities, and a full-blown control room where students can act as the director. The lab also includes monitors to view your own work and enhance the caliber of projects. Michael Cokkinos, associate professor and radio club advisor, is very proud of the new broadcast lab and explains that before students get the cameras rolling, they rehearse with their crew in the green room and then enter into the control room where lighting, sound, and direction is orchestrated. The main room is where students could say ‘the magic happens,’ featuring a towering blue screen that gives students the ability to change the setting in their scene.

Toy Design Lab.

FIT’s Toy Design department became one of the first majors to be offered at the Baccalaureate level. When entering the new lab, students and kids (who are toy testers) are required to put their shoes in the shoe cubby to create a clean and open area. The creation of the new toy design lab enables students to experience

and design the most innovative products using the latest equipment. The lab features a play area, also known as the “think tank” to bring children in from local daycare centers for product testing and story telling events. The floor plan for this newly renovated lab showcases student’s designs in glass all around the room and it creates a free environment where products and ideas can take root. The toy classroom is where the concept is developed and soft toy designs are fabricated. This area also includes a carpeted play space for children and a model making shop. Embedded in the toy classroom is the resource room, which houses toy catalogs, books, computers, scanners and printers, which are used for research and digital work.

Technology also plays a central role in the Haptic room which houses two stations of free form hands, enabling the students to sculpt digitally and help create more realistic 3-D models. Professor Judy Ellis, Acting Chair for Toy Design, sees the lab as a space of “more opportunity and an area where students can work freely.” Yoga mats, exercise balls and mod lighting highlight the new play area and set the playful mood for children and toy-loving students.

Silversmithing Lab.

Jewelry design, Accessories Design and Fashion Design packed up their things and made the big move from the C-labs to the now state of the art A-labs on the 4th floor. The Textile Surface Design Lab, on the other hand, has been moved to the 5th floor of the A-building creating a new area for students to work with screen printing.

The new Accessories Design Labs highlight footwear and millinery. Main features include a footwear studio, machine shop, millinery studio, leather sewing super studio and a storage area. The Jewelry Design labs focus on metal and light metal in their new home, which includes a jewelry studio, polishing room, casting room, wood shop, machine shop, silversmithing studio, and a tech office/prep room.

The fashion design labs now include the leather draping part of apparel and students are encouraged to develop a familiarity with this high-end material.

Fashion Design labs include a leather storing room, a leather sewing super studio, a leather draping storage room, and a leather draping lab.

The Textile Surface Design major has also been revamped, now providing students with a screen printing lab, washout room, dark room, and storage area, which wasn’t available before in its C-building location. Some parts of the new A-Labs are still up for improvement and finishing but all of the labs have received positive feedback from faculty and students thus far. The eight departments and their chairpersons, the SHoP architects and technicians worked together in planning the dismantling and reassembling involved in the big move from the old to the new spaces. The addition of the A-Labs is expected to keep FIT in the forefront to remain viable in the upcoming digital era and earn ever higher regard and involvement from those in the representative industries. With the employment picture remaining dim for the foreseeable future, graduates from the eight majors will have a decided advantage over others vying for the more desirable positions.

20

OCT

DEAR INDUSTRY

2010

W27

DESIGNER PROFILE: JANIE BRYANT COSTUME DESIGNER FOR MAD MEN

Taisa Veras conversations with the director and for TV, the costume designer would have creative conversations with the executive producer.

TV: Mad Men’s plot is set in an ad agency in New York City in the 1960s. Designing for such a series requires a lot of research considering the details and specific silhouettes of that time period. Can you explain your research process? How long does this part of the process take for each season?

JB: Yes, a lot of research is done! I love to research magazines, catalogues, family photographs, books, and search the Internet for visual references. Also, reading costume history books and different articles on apparel is also important to understand how garments were worn and to learn about specifics of the period.

Every season is different regarding research but it takes between one to two weeks initially, though we continue researching throughout the season.

Janie Bryant, Courtesy photo.

A

TV: Do you work with a design team that helps you sketch and produce the clothing for the show?

Where are the garments produced?

JB: I do all my own sketching. I have a crew of nine people. My Costume Supervisor, Le Dawson, has worked with me for ten years. My Cutter/ Fitter, Joanna Bradley, has also worked with me since Deadwood. Additional crew includes: one assistant costume designer, one key costumer, two set costumers for principles and day players, two costumers for background talent, one costume production assistant, then on heavy background days I will bring in additional costumers and people to stitch.

ttention Mad Men junkies! We know you are out there, and while the dramatic plot lines, beautiful people, historical accuracy and terrific acting are all fine reasons to base a fanatical addiction TV: Do you like the fact that you design for a upon – the wonderful costumes up the ante that much show that takes place in a different decade? more. That’s why W27 was so excited to tap the What’s your favorite decade?

Emmy-award winning series’ costumer designer, Janie JB: Yes! I love designing a period show. I have three Bryant. With a QVC line launched, a book in the works favorites: the baroque period, the romantic period and and a Mad Men following that is stronger than ever, the 1950s. she’s the epitome of a success story. Read on to get TV: Who is your favorite the exclusive dish on TV’s My favorite Mad Men lady Mad Men lady to dress? hottest designer.

JB: My favorite Mad Men Taisa Veras: As an award- changes all the time. It really lady changes all the time. It winning costume designer depends on the script. really depends on the script. for television series Mad Men and Deadwood, -Janie Bryant TV: A lot of critics in the fashion industry have what’s the design process cited Mad Men as the like for a television series? How does this differ from inspiration to many designers adopting a curvier designing for your newly launched contemporary silhouette; do you care to comment? clothing line Mod by Janie Bryant for QVC? JB: I would have to agree. One of the reasons the Janie Bryant: As a costume designer it’s all about show is beautiful is because we see so many different creating a character through costume, so I ask the body shapes. following questions when designing a show: What is the character’s intention? What is their occupation?

TV: Congratulations on your new line! Costume What’s their income? What are their interests? designers and stylists creating their own clothing line What is their background? What is their dialogue? is becoming almost ubiquitous, which is great! How What images come to mind when reading a script? was the experience of designing your own line?

Designing for retail for me is about creating clothes JB: I love it! It’s great to be able to bring glamour to and accessories that I love. It’s about my intention that so many women. More to come!

I want to bring to the customer. For the QVC line, it TV: Why do you think QVC and other home was all about glamour, elegance and feeling beautiful shopping networks are experiencing a boost in while having a feel for vintage. popularity? What made you decide to take your TV: What’s the difference between designing for line straight to one as opposed to a traditional television series and designing for a film?

Brick & Mortar setup?

JB: For me it’s the same creative process but designing JB: I believe fashion should be accessible to all for a film you usually have more time. Also, for women and QVC is far-reaching so it’s the perfect fit. film, the costume designer would have creative Also, I am looking forward to talking with the viewers.

Dying to be a Mad Man or Woman for Halloween? Janie Bryant gives her own tips on how to achieve it!

•D on Draper: skinny suit, skinny tie, spread-collar, French cuff shirt, and stingy brim fedora •B etty Draper Francis: full skirted dress, petticoats, strand of pearls, lizard pumps, cigarette, and glass of wine • J oan: a tight wiggle dress/ sheath, a big purse with a scarf tied around the handle, long line bra, girdle, pumps to match purse, and pin on a chain • P eggy: A-line skirt (checkered or plaid), matching jacket, kitten heel Mary Janes, buttoned up collar with a bow, halo hat, and white length gloves TV: What advice can you offer FIT students who are planning to work in this industry? What’s the most important advice you’ve ever received and from whom did you receive it?

JB: Do what you love, believe in yourself, and trust your instincts. Experiences and journeys of others are interesting but believe in your OWN truth. Whatever advice anyone is giving you, it’s only from their perspective (including mine); you have to create your own path. My mother always said, ‘You can do and have anything you want, you just have to put your mind to it.’

To find out even more, pick up a copy of Janie Bryant’s new book Fashion File, on shelves now.

THREAD ACCOUNT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

21

FUTURE MODE: KNITWEAR Marissa Mule

Future Mode, a new monthly addition to W27’s Thread Account section, will feature facultyselected stellar students in each of the Fashion Design concentrations. First up for fall?

Knitwear, of course.

S

tanding outside the Starbucks on Seventh Avenue in the crisp fall weather didn’t do much for my toes, but it was definitely worth the wait.

I had the opportunity of catching up with Elin Johansson and Jusil Caroll, two girls who have made a strong impression on their teachers in their fashion design concentration, knitwear. Here, they give you insight into their inspirations, goals, strengths and challenges.

Marissa Mule: Who is your inspiration?

Elin Johansson: I am very inspired by Sandra Backlund. She is a Swedish designer, but more of an artist. Another knitwear designer I really love is Haider Ackman, Columbia born, though trained in Belgium.

He creates amazing organic shapes and artistic designs.

Jusil Caroll: One of my favorite designers is Rick Owens. He is a workaholic and I admire that. I love the way he designs as well as his strong drapery skills.

MM: What are your strengths? Your challenges?

Elin Johansson and Jusil Carrol. Photo by Marissa Mule.

EJ: I love both competition and challenges.

JC: I don’t really have a style icon but I am inspired, I’m never satisfied because I try to reach perfection. oddly enough, by menswear.

JC: I always finish what I start. If I come across MM: What is your favorite a problem and Fashion is almost like mathematics thing about FIT? say ‘I’ll finish this EJ: My favorite thing because you need to solve tomorrow,’ I will about FIT would have finish it. If something problems. Making clothing is like to be the amazing I do is wrong, I fix it. knitwear department. The solving a 3-D puzzle.

Sometimes famous technology and machines designers might

-Jusil Caroll are amazing. forget about a piece JC: Before FIT, I went to of clothing they had so many schools, including SVA. Here at FIT, I learn trouble with, but I am the complete opposite. more about design and I’m able to communicate MM: What is your dream job? with my professors. They taught me confidence.

EJ: My dream job is to work as a knitwear designer at one of my favorite design companies. One I admire in particular here in New York is Helmut Lang. After that, however, my dream is to start my own business after years of training.

JC: One day, I hope to own my own company and continue to follow my design ambitions.

MM: Who is your style icon?

EJ: I don’t really have a style icon. My inspiration draws from everything and everyone around me.

I try to create my own style while dressing both playful and feminine.

MM: How much does your personal style reflect your aesthetic?

EJ: I design mostly from my personality.

I design to create a feeling and a form of self-expression in both an artistic and designed way.

JC: I work around concepts. I design for women with strong personalities yet who are very fragile. That kind of reminds me of myself. I love the tailored and chic look.

MM: Did you always grow up loving fashion? At what age did you start designing?

EJ: I always grew up loving to work with my hands. I have always loved creating fabrics and designing. I started designing at the age of ten, in Sweden. I had a great teacher and every opportunity I had to take electives in high school, I took sewing classes. I think fashion is more about the artistic perspective.

JC: Growing up, I was very into drawing.

I loved drawing and painting, and playing with crayons. At first, I went to SVA for illustration. I wanted to be a Fine Artist, then an illustrator. Suddenly, I found myself thinking of garments, and had a job as an assistant at Cache for evening wear. Fashion is almost like mathematics because you need to solve problems. Making clothing is like solving a 3-D puzzle. then realized I didn’t want to be an assistant anymore – I wanted to be a designer, and enroll in school again. I think I made a smart choice by coming back to school. I was nervous at first, but learned I couldn’t show emotion.

Now, I have a lot to show. I’ve built an extreme amount of confidence, and am ready to design.

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OCT

HAUTE CULTURE

2010

W27

REVIEWS RESTAURANT: ASIAN 289

Julie Daly Asian 289 289 Bleecker St. (at 7th Ave South) 212 924 2707 Nearest Transit: Christopher-Sheridan St. stop off the 1/2 line

I

wouldn’t expect to find such an oddly eclectic restaurant anywhere other than the West Village.

Asian 289 was partially inspired by its location down there on Bleecker Street. Not a fan of Asian food? Well, don’t let this joint’s name fool you.

Previously known as Cucina Stagionale Restaurant, Asian 289 not only serves Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine, but offers Italian and American dishes as well. This variety makes it a great place to bring a large group of friends – everyone is bound to find something that speaks to their taste buds.

To that end, the menu, which in fact still says Cucina Stagionale on the cover, is full of appetizers and entrees to choose from.

There are sixteen different pasta options alone, which only covers a fourth of the menu! I opted for their $15.95 weekend special that comes with a drink, an appetizer, an entrée, coffee or tea, and tiramisu.

On weekdays a similar special is offered for even less – $12.95.

had enough cheese tortellini with mushrooms to take home for the following day’s dinner. I’m not much of a cook, so “leftovers” is one of my favorite words and I know I’m not the only FIT student who feels that way.

Even if you’re not hungry, Asian 289 is a good place to get drinks with friends (if you’re of age). They have a drink menu that’s just as extensive as their food menu and the prices are very reasonable for New York City.

The atmosphere of this restaurant/bar has ‘college’ written all over it, making it ideal for socializing. Large groups of people can easily be seated together and maybe you’ll even be lucky enough to get the tables that are paired with the large, green, velvety couch that looks incredibly out of place next to all of the dinner tables and teal chairs. There is a good view of one of the two televisions from this spot, so if you’d rather focus on a sporting event than your friends gossiping, you’re in luck.

The service isn’t exceptional, but who’s in a rush anyway? This is a place best for those who are looking to sit down and enjoy the company of others for a while. What’s the best part you might ask? If it’s not The Beatles songs they have playing at a volume you can’t help but sing along to, it’s the fact that they add an 18% gratuity to the check for you, which means nobody has to do math.

The portions were huge, so by the time I was questioning why I had let myself eat so much; I still

Photo courtesy of Asian 289.

MUSICAL VENUE: THE KNITTING FACTORY

Georgeanna Dwiggins

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f you want a good concert, prefer a more laid back atmosphere, and you’re looking to spend less than $20 for a night out with friends, The Knitting Factory is the place to go. This small venue with an almost-warehouse vibe on Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, is only a quick train ride away (take the L to Bedford Avenue). The Knitting Factory hosts many indie and electro rock acts, and is definitely worth checking into.

I headed out there to see The Born Ruffians on October 1st. This Canadian indie rock band has been on my radar for a while. With lyrics referencing author

Kurt Vonnegut that are also unabashedly forward (And none of the girls seem to think you’re cool/ It’s probably because you smell bad), these guys aren’t just a good show, they make you think. The thoughts might be of a self-deprecating variety, but hey, no one’s perfect, and that’s the point.

What was perfect however, was the fact that for my $14 spent, I also got to see two other awesome bands.

Opening for the Born Ruffians were both a Brooklyn trio called Grooms and fellow Canadian rockers Winter Gloves.

The Knitting Factory mainly hosts local acts yet welcomes bigger names from time to time without boosting the price too much. A lot of their shows during the week are free, so it’s a good place to check out some lesser-known music for absolutely no outof-pocket cost. They even host film screenings for less than ten bucks. Check out the calendar to find your next show! http://bk.knittingfactory.com/calendar/

MUSIC: BEATS BELOW THE STREET

Danielle Plotkin

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n this, the most cultural and art-driven city, new music cascades down the blacktop as frequently as FIT students change their outfits.

October 5th was chock full of scrumptious album unveilings from alternative artists such as Guster, who is unveiling Easy Wonderful, as the entire album is being streamed from WSJ.com and Badly Drawn Boy who is promoting Part One- Photography Sunflakes, which includes tastes of softly pattering drum machines and strings. Power to the People: The Hits which is a compilation of fifteen captivating John Lennon hits was also debuted on the 5th, just three days before his would-be 70th birthday.

Fast forward to October 11th, and cheeky indie pop band, Belle and Sebastian release Belle and Sebastian Write About Love, boasting a collaboration from the soulfully raspy Miss Norah Jones.

Brooklyn-based noise pop duo, Sleigh Bells, will enchant your lyrical soul, intoxicate your senses and

make love to your eardrums. To sum up their style, they’re like electronica without synths, like rock without the band. You will lust over Sleigh Bell’s tantalizing technique of jamming to a backing track of music from their MacBook, while the only live instruments include the guitar and vocals. Signed to M.I.A’s N.E.E.T. label, they performed with dubstep pioneers Skream and Benga, rapper Rye Rye, and of course M.I.A. herself, this past August on Governor’s Island. Tell ‘Em, the delightful duo’s first single off of their debut album Treats sounds how Hollaback Girl would sound after an all-nighter filled with a high school home coming game, fireworks show, and a Twister competition fostered by strobe lights.

Speaking of youthful vibes, “Down down baby, down by the roller coaster, sweet sweet baby, I’ll never let you go” is just a taste of some of the peppy, vivacious lyrics to the song Let’s Go Surfing, of indie-pop group, The Drums. The Drums can be described as

a hybrid of 80’s synth-pop artists such as The Cure, and 1950’s groups, such as the Beach Boys, both of whom captured the sheer simplicity of pop music.

The Drums radiate a sense of carefree summer shenanigans effortlessly. You can get a whiff of salty waters and sandy coconut oil just by listening to the group’s buoyant, nostalgic tunes.

Fresh new group from the depths of the underground scene, Melotone is a Long Island-based band which can be classified within a smorgasbord of genres such as dub step, drum n’ bass, noise rock, hip- hop, psychedelia or electronica. Check out Melotone’s official Facebook page, where you can listen to samples of dub- inspired ditties like utterly enchanting, Is It I? Ultimately, tracks from these artists will spice up any dorm party and will command sovereignty over your iPods, while waiting on line to catch an elevator on campus.

HAUTE CULTURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

23

MOVIES & TV: GHOULISH GREATS Patricia Braga In honor of the Halloween holiday approaching, our resident mainstream media mogul reviews all things supernatural, horrific and downright spooky.

Flicks Let Me In- The Kick Ass cutie, Chloe Moretz is back as a vampire. In this thriller, she befriends a boy who is the victim to constant bullying at school.

She mysteriously does not want to kill the boy. The greatest mystery of all? How does this gorgeous blond with bright blue eyes end up being terrifying?

My Soul to Take- There is always a new teen horror movie to scare the 13-year olds around Halloween time. Is it just us or do you go to see them too, even though you already know they’re going to bomb, only in the hopes that the annoying airhead blond will die?

Saw 3D- Nothing can compare to the first installment, but we are actually excited about this one. After several misses with the sequels and in the midst of

TV Series a 3D boom, (where even Jackass gets a shot); Saw 3D puts the technology to good use and ends up disturbing you even more than the 2-D franchise.

Devil- In this thriller, five people get stuck in an elevator in midtown Manhattan. Sounds rather dull, right? The scare is in the twist: one of them is the devil, and the others need to figure out who it is, before everyone ends up dead.

Paranormal Activity 2- After watching the first movie, we were doing one of two things: wishing we could sleep in our parents bed, or, for the braver among us, sleep with the lights on for a few days. Still, this should be a great one to watch if you can take the heat.

Vampire Diaries- We admit it, we don’t like that ever since Twilight came out, vampires seem to be procreating faster than fruit flies, but if you like the whole vampire phenomenon, this series is a mustwatch; especially in the absence of True Blood.

Supernatural- We were done with this show by the end of the pilot. If you can get past all the souls in the ceiling catching fire, then enjoy, because there is nothing scary about those Winchester brothers.

The X Files- We don’t think we’re ever going to forgive Fox for canceling this show about unresolved paranormal activities. If you never watched it, this should be a must for your Halloween night. Can you say, “Netflix?”

THE INDIE GIRL: NOWHERE BOY

Fernanda DeSouza

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owhere Boy, a story based on John Lennon leading up to the formation of the Beatles, was captivating with not only the music (think Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry mixed with Elvis Presley) but also with the story line itself.

John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) is the typical teenager from Liverpool, England. He smokes like a chimney, gets suspended for carrying around a pornographic magazine, rides atop the roof of the double decker bus, and steals from the local vinyl shop. The film focuses on Lennon’s desire for new experiences and finding an escape from the labyrinth that is his family life.

Two women play a major role in John’s life; the freespirited Julia, his mother, who for reasons unknown to John, gave him up as an infant, and Mimi Smith, the button-down, conservative and stubborn sister of Julia’s who steps in to care for and raise John. John finds his

escape in rock ‘n’ roll one winter day in a seaside diner and decides to form his own band. Julia enthusiastically approves of her son’s choice and decides to teach the 15-year-old how to play the banjo.

John quickly picks up its rhythm and is granted the guitar of his choice as a gift from Mimi. Lennon thus forms the band (that would later be the Beatles), consisting at the time of a few of his schoolmates, who give themselves the name the Quarrymen. Here we are introduced to Paul McCartney, his and Lennon’s growing friendship through music, and later George Harrison, who earns a spot in the band after showing undeniable talent when handling a guitar. The boys become known for playing at schools, parties, carnivals, and at amateur skiffle contests (a style of popular music developed in England during the 1950s, deriving from hillbilly music and rock-’n’-roll).

The audience can truly feel a tension between the relationship Lennon has with both Julia and Mimi, due to director Sam Taylor-Wood’s splendid work. John is clearly torn between the fun, freedom and life that is provided by Julia and the caring, maternal guardianship of his Aunt Mimi. After tragedy strikes the family, John has nothing left but the world of music he has built for himself. We are left with the young Lennon leaving for Hamburg to play gigs with his new band—a joking Mimi scoffs, “Does the name of the band even matter?”

Indeed it did.

Filled with life, energy, passion, and rock ‘n’ roll, Nowhere Boy will have you wishing you had not forgotten your saddle shoes because you won’t stop dancing in your seat!

Nowhere Boy is now playing at the Film Forum (209 W Houston St.)

BOOKS:

6 SICK HIPSTERS BY RAYO CASABLANCA & HELLO KITTY MUST DIE BY ANGELA S. CHOI

Davita Louie

l

‘ll be the first to admit, I judge books by their cover. So what better way to express my love of literature than by choosing all the books by their cover art? Yeah that would limit me, but hey it’s not my fault if the author’s creativity died at the book’s cover. This month though, I probably chose these novels even more so by their absurd titles.

Coincidentally, both books are debut novels involving serial killers. I sure know how to pick ’em.

For all you Williamsburg hipsters, you may be too scared to leave your house after reading 6 Sick Hipsters

by Rayo Casablanca. It took me a while to get into this one, even if 6 Sick Hipsters follows Harrison, a paleontologist, who moonlights as a pornographer writing paleontologist erotica (who knew there was such a thing?) and his girlfriend Beth Ann, who is suffering from macular degeneration and also happens

to be the “Queen Knitter of Brooklyn.”

Together with their hipster friends, they plan to assassinate a serial killer on the loose who is taking down all of their hipster comrades. Even with the hilarious premise, Casablanca manages to put in his two cents on capitalism, consumerism and fads. This book targets a pretty select audience, and if you’re not a comic geek, science nerd, stripper or hipster – chances are you probably wouldn’t love this story.

With such intriguing characters, I was hoping to fancy this book more, but with too much technical information and detail, not even the blunt humor of the author and the random cameo of a barbaric monkey could save this for me.

Dark, cryptic, and all the way twisted, Angela S. Choi knows how to make an entrance. In her debut novel, Hello Kitty Must Die, Choi introduces Fiona Yu, a Chinese

American, on a quest to rebel against the “Hello Kitty” stereotype that has been thrust upon her by society.

Fiona’s loathing comes from the fact that Hello Kitty has neither mouth nor claws; therefore “she can’t eat, bite off a nipple or finger, give head, tell anyone to go and fuck his mother or lick herself.” Now if that isn’t genius, than I don’t know what is. In the first chapter alone, Fiona attempts to take her own virginity by means of a dildo only to find out she is missing a hymen. On a quest for a new hymen, Fiona reunites with childhood friend Sean Killroy who is a plastic surgeon by day and “does God’s work” by night. To escape the traditions of her Chinese family, Fiona becomes deeply enchanted by Sean’s destructive world. With Choi’s wicked sense of humor and smart one-liners, I became addicted to this book. Now in Choi withdrawal, I anxiously await her next cynical masterpiece.

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OCT

2010

OUTSIDE YOUR BOROUGH:

HALLOWEEN COSTUME SHOPS With Halloween quickly approaching, don’t wait until the last minute to find long lines, ransacked shelves and cranky sales associates. That’s where W27 comes in: We’ve dedicated our Outside Your Borough feature this month to the best costume stores in each area. We evaluated selection, friendliness of employees, and of course, overall convenience. Whether you are making your costume yourself and need the finishing touches or you are one of those lazy I-willbuy-a-costume-in-a-box types, the following will help tremendously. You’re welcome.

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

W27

LONG ISLAND

By Danielle Plotkin HALLOWEEN SCENE 277 Walt Whitman Rd. Huntington Station, NY 11746 +1 (631) 271-1547 Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-8pm, Thurs-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun Closed Nearest Tranist: LIRR to Huntington Station on the Port Jefferson line

The ambiance is as if a Haunted House has vomited, but in a good way! Halloween Scene offers over 4,000 spooky, quirky, captivating costumes and accessories, from sexy costumes that will win you that extra look in the club, to chic wigs, jewelry, and 3D makeup. The shop offers a plethora of sizes, including women’s plus sizes up to 24, and menswear up to size 60. Halloween Scene offers costumes starting at $29.99, and capping off at $79.99 for more elaborate festive frocks.

Halloween Scene’s staff members were informative and brimming with excitement. They happily promote pop-culture costumes such as Avatars, as well as vintage-inspired costumes from the 1920s and beyond.

If you can’t find a costume in the retail section, you can choose from 6,000 rentals, which you can keep for three weeks. Shipping only takes a day! Tailoring isn’t included, so you may have to count on an FIT design student. Although there are no dressing rooms, you can try on costumes in the store. Halloween Scene – fashion student tested and approved!

QUEENS

By Veronica Heras RUBIE’S COSTUME CO. 120-08 Jamaica Ave. Jamaica NY 11418 +1 (718) 846-1008 Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm Nearist Transit: 121st St. off the J/Z line

You wouldn’t want to show up to an event wearing the same thing as someone else. Being unique is important, especially on Halloween. There is nothing scarier than being the tenth witch or sexy kitten at the party, so this year just go to Rubies.

Rubie’s celebrates dressing up year round. The next time you need a costume in the middle of May, just buy or rent one at Rubies. There are a great variety of products, from decorations to costumes for the entire family (yes, even pets can join in on the fun).

Rubie’s is the stop for all things Halloween. You will find yourself wandering around this big store for a long time and at the end your biggest problem will be choosing just one thing.

Rubie’s allows customers to try items on, because just like you wouldn’t buy clothes without trying them on, you wouldn’t do it with a costume either.

From classic Disney characters to Obama, there is so much to choose from that you will want to try them all.

Daring can sometimes look ridiculous and unfortunately not everyone can pull off Lady Gaga.

If you fall into this category of people that are about to make a huge costume mistake, don’t worry, the staff is very opinionated. They will let you know if you’re about to make a costume faux pas! www.Rubies.com

Illustrated by Megan Wilbur for W27.

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

BROOKLYN

By Julie Daly

MANHATTAN

By Davita Louie

NEW JERSEY

By Jaclyn Rubiella

ATLANTIS ATTIC 771 Metropolitan Ave. (at Humboldt St.) Brooklyn, NY 11211 +1 (718) 218-8670 Hours: Sun-Sat 12pm-8pm Nearest Transit: Graham Ave. stop off the L line

RICKY’S CHELSEA / 23RD STREET 267 W 23rd St. (Btwn 7th & 8th Ave.) New York, NY 10011 +1 (212) 206-0234 Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 10am-10pm Nearest Transit: 23rd St. stop off the A/C line

SPIRIT HALLOWEEN 55 Route 4 Paramus, NJ 07652 +1 (201) 843-4742 Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm

Keeping with the current Williamsburg, Brooklyn trend of thrift shopping, the best way to prepare for Halloween night in this borough is to use your FIT creativity to piece together a costume with finds you wouldn’t see in your typical Halloween costume shops. This spacious gem of a thrift store is stocked with inexpensive apparel, footwear, and various accessories for both men and women. There were quite a number of shocking ‘80s prom and bridesmaid dresses, so ladies, if you were looking to channel a high school girl from the ‘80s, you’re in luck. Of course, you could always take a pair of scissors to one of these dresses and go for more of an “Axe-Wife” look (like Cady in Mean Girls). Don’t feel left out boys, you can get a look together here as well, David Bowie anyone? Of course, you’re not limited to the ‘80s. There are many time periodspecific costume ideas that are made possible with all of the vintage apparel available to you at Atlantis Attic. Be creative! You know what they say—one man’s trash is another man’s Halloween costume!

Established in 1989, Ricky’s has become a New York City staple for all things wacky and ridiculous. Ricky’s boasts 20 locations in New York City and additional locations in Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and Miami.

Sales associate Mindy says, “the New York Times said it best, [Ricky’s is] ‘Duane Reade on ecstasy’.” And it is, offering not just costumes, but make-up, hair products and accessories, jewelry, and even a “Red Light District” area to customers 18 and over. Filled with a variety of eclectic shoppers all year long, Ricky’s receives the most traffic during Halloween season. To accommodate the myriad of costume shoppers, Ricky’s opens up 45 pop-up salon shops throughout the city.

Offering a tremendous variety of costumes from as little as $19.99 to as high as $169.99, New Yorkers have no excuse not to look fabulous on Halloween.

Unfortunately, costumes cannot be tried on in advance, although Ricky’s Costume Superstore location on 375th Broadway offers costumes all year long available for rent or purchase. Based on Ricky’s predictions, look out for characters from Avatar, The Mad Hatter, and my personal favorite, the cast of the Jersey Shore on this October 31st. http://www.rickysnyc.comhttp://www.rickysnyc.com

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I speak from experience when I say I’m very familiar with the frustration that coincides with finding that perfect costume, especially when the hourglass is approaching empty and I’m racing against time. Luckily, I discovered a one-stop shop where that frustration was immediately alleviated Spirit Halloween. If your anything like me, consider this place your holy land (okay, that may be a bit extreme, but you get the idea).

Spirit is the country’s largest seasonal Halloween retailer, with over 700 locations nationwide. This store carries a complete assortment of everything Halloween, ranging from innovative costumes for people of all ages to accessories, masks, wigs, makeup, and party decorations. Most items are reasonably priced and will not break your bank!

I must commend this store for not only making my life easier, but for making my costume quest an enjoyable experience. Not only was I impressed by Spirit’s visual presentation and decorative fashion, but also the store’s sale associates were friendly, energetic, and eager to help (and not in the annoying, overbearing way, either). So if you’re still lacking a costume and you feel like making the trip to Jersey, I highly recommend you check this place out!

OUR WEBSITE GOT A MAKOEVER! http://www.W27Newspaper.com

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OCT

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

2010

W27

MONTH-IN-REVIEW DOWNWARD SPIRAL

Alexander Cavaluzzo already infected, or forcefully infected by the researchers, as were the female participants). Nearly 700 Guatemalan men and women were infected with various diseases, and the quality of their subsequent treatment was dubious at best.

Johnson’s infamous “Daisy Ad” against Goldwater or Andrew Jackson’s mother being called a prostitute back in 1828. But it seems the crazy is beginning to bubble over in a way we have never seen before as the 2010 mid-term elections rapidly approach us.

The conductors of these experiments were no strangers to vivisection. The doctor who led the Guatemalan STI study was also in charge of the earlier Tuskegee syphilis study in Alabama. A precursor to the Guatemalan study, the experiments in Tuskegee also sought out the benefits of penicillin to treat syphilis, with about 400 African-Americans being unwittingly infected with the disease. As was also the case with the Guatemalan study, a large number of the test subjects were not recipients of adequate care, and several went on to live their whole lives with their disease getting progressively worse and worse.

Carl Paladino, Christine O’Donnell, and Rand Paul are just a few of the candidates who have drawn raised eyebrows and shocked expressions from constituents in the past month.

President Obama has already reached out to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom to apologize for the country’s past actions.

Gay Teen Suicides on the Rise On the heels of such positive news on Gay Rights coming out of California in July, the struggle seems to have spiraled out of control in the last month. From the delay of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to the Michigan Attorney General brutally condemning a gay college student, the gay population has recently suffered severe blows.

Worst of all is the string of recent suicides, where gay teens have been bullied to the point of taking their own lives across the country. Thirteen-year-old Asher Brown from Texas shot himself in the head on September 23rd. In Indiana, 15-year-old Billy Lucas hanged himself in his grandmother’s home. Thirteenyear-old Californian Seth Walsh died in a hospital from complications a week after attempting to hang himself in his backyard. Reportedly, all had suffered constant abuse from their peers due to their sexual orientation.

The suicide that has received the most media attention, however, is that of 18-year-old Rutgers student and New Jersey native Tyler Clementi, who leaped off the George Washington Bridge on September 22nd.

U.S. Comes Clean Over Human Experimentation The United States government has recently revealed that it deliberately infected Guatemalan soldiers, prisoners and mental patients in the 1940s to test the efficacy of penicillin to treat STIs. This is probably not what Alexander Fleming had in mind when he discovered the bacteria’s antibiotic properties.

Researchers conducted the experiments between the years of 1946 to 1948, when they paired unwilling male participants with prostitutes (who were either

The impetus for such a tragic event was a cruel, invasive prank Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, played on him. Ravi secretly recorded an intimate moment between Tyler and another young man in his dorm room and live-streamed it, accompanied by several churlish tweets that implied homophobia on Ravi’s part. Ironically enough, Clementi’s suicide coincided with the proposal of a school-wide program “Project Civility,” intended to stress the importance of respect, concentrating on the abuse of technology and social networking sites.

So far, Ravi and fellow Rutgers student (allegedly his accomplice), Molly Wei, have been charged with invasion of privacy, which may result in the potential penalty of a maximum of five years in prison.

Insanity Burgeons as Mid-Term Elections Draw Near Politics have always been a crazy, ruthless game.

We can draw from various instances in American history to witness the colorful characters and tactless mudslinging in the political arena, whether it be

Rand Paul, Ron Paul’s (who made an unsuccessful bid for Republican presidential nominee two years ago) equally conservative son, is igniting controversy as he brings the principles of libertarianism to a new level of contradictory ambivalence. While it is common for those who identify as libertarians to lean a little right of center, and to conflate individual rights with states’ rights, the contentious issue arises out of his stance on Civil Rights. Even though the legislation forbidding racial segregation was passed in 1964, Rand Paul (and his father) continues bringing it up as a current issue.

In an effort to maintain the position that the federal government should minimally regulate the lives of individuals, Paul is unopposed to, say, restaurants that elect to cater only to white patrons. While Paul is quick to say he would not eat at such an establishment, he’s firm in his belief that the government should not become involved if such an event were to occur. While it would be beyond the scope of this writer to brand him as racist, his opposition to the Civil Rights Act as well as the American Disabilities Act certainly makes Paul’s alliances questionable at best.

Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell has incurred her share of controversy as well. Her shady educational background aside (she has reportedly lied about the degrees she’s earned, as well as the institutions she’s attended), she’s made some major missteps for a GOP candidate. Back in 2007 on Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” O’Donnell warned viewers of a brewing threat. Terrorism? No. Human/ mouse hybrids. She explains, “American scientific companies are crossbreeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains.” Actually, the study she was referring to involved the introduction of human stem cells into developing mice’s brains. She seems, however, quite concerned over this stem cell research project.

But the most shocking and ill-mannered candidate this year has been, unquestionably, New York gubernatorial Republican thug – err I mean nominee Carl Paladino.

A skirmish between Paladino and New York Post reporter Fred Dicker broke out at a press conference on September 29th. When Dicker questioned Paladino about his accusations of infidelity against his opponent New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Paladino went off. Instead of answering the question or giving evidence to back his allegation, he accused Dicker of harassment, saying that he had sent photographers to stalk his daughter. “You send another goon to my daughter’s house and I’ll take you out, buddy!”

Paladino shouted at the reporter.

Decorum, it seems, is not a strategy to win an election this year.

*Syringe photo, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; Tyler Clementi photo courtesy of NY Daily News; Carl Palladino from henican.com.

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

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WHAT’S THE DEAL?

DEBATE CONTINUES AS THE ISLAMIC CENTER IS SET TO MOVE FORWARD JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO

Davita Louie

While the Month in Review serves the student body in a “summarizing the current events” capacity, the editors at W27 realized we should break down some of the more convoluted controversies on the national news horizon. This new monthly features attempts to do just that: explain in detail how large stories are impacting our campus.

J

ust as fast as the events of 9/11 brought New York City together, the polarizing debate over the Islamic Center going up two and a half blocks away from Ground Zero is tearing the New York City community apart. With the events of September 11th never far from our minds, the controversy has aroused a mixture of often-intense emotions and reactions.

Senior FMM student Brianna Fordham believes, “The government has the right to tell them not to build it, that they should have considered other places. I know people who were personally affected and are against it, but it is a free country.” Everyone has an opinion on this issue, especially those who lost someone on September 11, 2001, but even those who suffered the most stand divided on this issue.

AMC Professor Allison Leopold reminds us to take what we hear from the media with a grain of salt.

“No one is asking the thoughtful questions that get to the heart of the matter, they don’t make for good TV, I suppose.”

America. We all hurt because it affected the entire nation. The real Muslims of Islam call for peace, so terrorism doesn’t belong to Islam.”

the president has chosen to declare our memories of 9/11 obsolete and the sanctity of Ground Zero finished.”

President Obama delivered choice words on the controversy. Obama affirmed that, “Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country.” Dino Rodriguez who works in FIT’s International Programs Office shares their sentiment, “I think it should be fair and if it’s within the law and Constitution there shouldn’t be a problem, but it is hypocritical for those who say they stand for the Constitution, yet will not apply it to others.”

Another question people want an answer to is, “Who really is Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf ?” As the man behind the entire project, there are many misconceptions over his motives and what he stands for. He commented that “religion did not distinguish the victims… the roll call of people who died on that terrible day reflected the diverse fabric of New York. They all died together.” Rauf has been an advocator of supporting peace in the Muslim community throughout his lifetime. As an avid lecturer to many diverse groups, Rauf invites all religions to come to the Islamic Center. His stated mission is to unite people while also spreading awareness of the Islamic religion.

Critics were quick to denounce President Obama’s remarks. Rep. Peter King (R-N-Y) believes that “It is insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of Ground Zero.”

White House spokesman Bill Burton came to Obama’s defense stating, “It is [the President’s] responsibility to stand up for the Constitutional principle of religious freedom and equal treatment for all Americans.”

Still, Debra Burlingame, who sits on the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum board of directors exclaimed, “In a breathtakingly inappropriate setting,

The American Society for Muslim Advancement and the Cordoba Initiative are collaborating on the creation of the Islamic Center that is planned to unveil September 11, 2011. The project, formally given the name the Cordoba House, calls for a $100 million 13-story community center consisting of 500-seat performing arts center, a lecture hall, a gym, a pool, a culinary school, and a prayer space. The ultimate goal of the Cordoba House project is to construct an “Islamic Community Center.”

The dispute derives from what many seem to think is an “insensitive” location. Just a little over two blocks away from the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people, it’s no surprise the Cordoba House has come under fire. It is hard for people to dissociate the Islamic extremists who destroyed the World Trade Center from those hoping to build an Islamic community center with the goal of bringing people together.

FMM student Lisa Vetere believes the creation of the Islamic Center is “a step toward making peace with [9/11] because it represents the people that were racially profiled after the attack happened, who were obviously against terrorism.”

This project was voluntarily presented to the Community Board of Lower Manhattan back in May where the 12 members on the board voted unanimously to support the venture. Daisy Khan, executive director of the Muslim Society, feels that the Islamic Center “will have a real community feel, to celebrate the pluralism of the United States, as well as in the Islamic religion.” Khan goes on to remind us that Islam is also an American religion and thinks that by creating this center we can “take the 9/11 tragedy and turn it into something very positive.”

Furthermore, 10 percent of the victims of 9/11 were in fact Muslim. Ibrahim Elfawal, who works at FIT’s Barnes & Noble here on campus, shares his thoughts on the matter, as an American Muslim himself. “It was very bad that people resisted [the Islam Center] because we are all one nation under one God. What happened during 9/11 hurt everyone who lives in Illustrated by Ella Fastiggi for W27.

Despite controversy still brewing over this hot topic, the Cordoba House has definite plans to move forward. The hope of the entire project is to unite people. Hopefully, in the end, it does just that.

28

OCT

FIT SPEAKS

2010

W27

YOURS TRULY, FISHBALL

by Venus Wong Hello New York, capital of the world.

I have always been captivated by the city for oh, so many reasons: the skyline, the dazzling neon lights, the Gossip Girl references, the entertainment, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and most importantly, the endless possibilities it offers for a hopelessly devoted fashion victim, like myself.

As cliché as this may sound, the minute I saw the view from the window of my flight from Hong Kong, I was immediately enthralled by its magnificence. It was like my first trip to the Barbie department in Toys “R” Us all over again (on a quite alarming side note, I was already fourteen at the time). This is the place where all the happenings ARE happening! And to add to its charm, New York City is also a place where fashion-forwardness is the norm (believe me, where I used to live, people would get offended when I accessorized with a veiled pillbox hat from the 50s, so I cannot stress enough how ecstatic I am to be here).

Being new to the city myself, I pictured that it would be extremely hard to adapt to the environment. Well, I am sure that I can speak for most of us that are here for the first time, that the Big Apple is not exactly known to be friendly and welcoming to all of its admirers. After all, it is hard to live in the city (heck, there is even a song about it). So, here is my illustration of what I think going to school at FIT, the heart of New York, can do to us: It can either turn us into prominent and triumphant fashion demigods, sitting on top of the Big Apple with the whole world resting at our feet, or it can utterly fail us and consume us, just like the miserable hand illustrated. The question I propose is: Is determination the sole ingredient of success in the city, or is there more to climbing to the top? Readers, what do you think?

So what is to going to be, New York? Will you make us or break us?

I cannot wait to find out.

Yours truly, Venus (nicknamed Fishball)

A LONG-AWAITED SEASON “How much of human life is

by Samantha Vance lost in waiting,” Ralph Waldo Emerson wondered. How often do you find your heart rate increasing with your level of impatience as you wait for the subway to arrive? How often do you find yourself flustered waiting for a friend or colleague to meet you? Waiting can be the worst, but it is nothing compared to living life without ever stopping to enjoy its beautiful surroundings.

We all have our threshold when it comes to delays in our daily routines, especially control freaks, like myself. The worst wait for me is the 45-minute-to-an-hour commute I endure each time I get on the F train. Ugh! During the train ride, I rarely even try to find an upside to any of these annoyances or take my mind off minor gripes.

This month is the start of a new season and it’s a good time to take stock and evaluate our attitudes, and consider making some changes of our own. After all, we age more quickly when we get caught up in our own small lives and forget about the amazing things taking place around us. Life is precious, and there is so much worth noticing and appreciating.

Just the other day while sitting in front of the Plaza hotel on my lunch break, I realized how focused I was on the blare of the traffic and the press of throngs of tourists. I sat there waiting for a break in the noise for so long that I stopped enjoying my lunch, only to concentrate on my aggravation. Upon realizing this, I immediately felt a little ashamed. There I was, in the heart of New York City, the one place I have always dreamed of living, Central Park spread out

before me on a perfect day, and all I could focus on was my irritation. It forced me to realize how lucky I am, and how often I take everything for granted.

Being impatient seems harmless, but it can blind you to some of the most pleasant moments you will ever experience. Instead of focusing on how irritating your situation is, try focusing on something bigger – something that you may not believe to be significant, but is actually more important than what you were originally thinking about.

These days, I enjoy my time on the subway. I learn French on my iPod, or decide how to execute my to-do list, or simply people watch. The traffic and noise will always be there, I just don’t allow myself to care as much.

As for you, FIT student, turn your cafeteria line wait into a social hour, your hour between classes into time for a new hobby, and your time waiting for a friend into time exploring your surroundings. There is always an upside to downtime. You’ve just got to find yours.

So ladies, and gents, look around you. While we wasted our time huffing and puffing about the subways, long lines, and the heat, fall snuck up on us. The leaves were turning to flames. The whole time we were waiting for the blistering summer to give us a break, nature was working its magic. So, while you’re waiting or griping for whatever reason, take a minute to stop and observe the lovely colors and cool breezes of fall, you will find something that is truly worth waiting for.

FIT SPEAKS

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

“I can’t say that I’ve ever seen someone clean up after their dog quite like this.” #245 10/10:Layout 1

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29

“Only near FIT would a subway safety sign start with ‘Stay in Style.’”

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30

OCT

2010

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FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

31

STYLE ON 27

By Nicole Tan and Harlan Bontrager

Let the layering commence! With the cooler temps comes the welcome ability to layer wardrobe pieces to create drama, interest, and of course, warmth. Not surprisingly, FIT students didn’t stop at the usual cardigan – no, capes, vests, cloak-like sweaters and leather jackets were all combined for that fashion student extra oomph. Keep it up and this should prove to be a super stylish winter.

Han Jang, AMC, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: Slouchy…or comfy.

Thought process of getting dressed: Get dressed to get the hell out!

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

Vogue, Marie Claire.

Where do you shop? Zara, H&M, Korean stores… shopping in Korea.

Christopher Hornbuckel, Fine Arts, 3rd Year Describe your closet in one word: Ecstatic.

Thought process of getting dressed: Confidence.

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

I think it’s called Poszikolor, but I’m not too sure.

Do you have a blog of your own? http:// welivethroughecstasy.tumblr.com

Hannah Park, Fashion Design, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: A mess.

What type of brands do you like?

Celine, Givenchy.

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

Purple Magazine, Dazed and Confused.

Elizabeth Greenberg, FMM, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: Chic.

Your style? Very bohemian natural.

Where do you like to shop? Free People.

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

Eco-friendly magazine, Boho.

Nick Z, Fashion Design, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: Monochrome.

Thought process of getting dressed: Black.

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

Interview Magazine.

Katrina Dy, 1 Year AAS FMM Michael Maiello, Fashion Design, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: Thrifty.

Describe your closet in one word: Colorful.

Where do you like to shop? Topshop, Uniqlo.

Thought process of getting dressed: What type of magazines/blogs do you read? “ Is this too matchy-matchy?”

Cosmopolitan for their articles, British Magazines Where do you like to shop?

(Glamour UK) and Refinery29.com.

Thrift- anything vintage.

Do you have a blog of your own? Katdyfinds. com- for all my cheap finds!

Michael Creegan, Fashion Design, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: Chic.

Thought process of getting dressed: Don’t get lazy with it. I dress according to my mood or style down if feeling tired.

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

Love Pop Magazines and showstudio.com Do you have a blog of your own?

Yes, but I have no time for updates.

Sarah Vu and Giselle Hogar, MBA Program exchange with Paris Favorite Brands: Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent.

Describe your closet : Vintage fashion pieces, Knits (because I knit!)

What type of magazines/blogs do you read? We don’t really read magazines but I guess Vogue (Paris) and L’officiel.

Steven Shortz, Fine Arts, 2nd Year Describe your closet in one word: Overflowing.

Thought process of getting dressed: I start with my shoes (my favorite thing) and build up from there. Also, the temperature matters.

What type of magazines/blogs do you read?

Nylon Guys.

What are your favorite brands? Aldo Shoes, KidRobot, Thrift Stores.

Mind The Gap Don’t rush on your next assignment. Come to the Writing Studio and get on track with your next paper.

Write. Collaborate. Learn.

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