Fringe april 23, 2015
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LETTER FROM 2
THE EDITORS
Fashion is not an industry entirely based on superficiality — it should be livable and accessible. Fitness-inspired fashions have been all over the runway for several seasons now, breaking the stereotypes about the fashion industry and the people who work in it. We also want to break these stereotypes. From this idea came our theme: the merging of fitness and fashion. NYU athletics are often overlooked in comparison to the vast amount of arts programs dominating the campus. In order to bridge the gap, we decided to bring the two together in this issue. The photos you see in this issue feature two NYU athletes and two NYU fashion models. The articles — ranging from models’ health standards to the overlap of athletic wear and streetwear — highlight the importance of deconstructing the misconceptions surrounding the fashion industry. Thank you to our amazing writers and multimedia team, especially our photographer Natalie Fong. To our models, Camilla, Austen, Monica and Charlie, and our makeup artist Kathryn Ruhl — thank you for braving the Hudson River’s harsh winds during the long hours of the shoot. And finally, thank you to Olivia Martin, the Creative Director of Special Editions, and Valentina Bojanini, our Editor-in-Chief, for helping us create such a beautiful issue.
Gabriella Bower, Violet Vision Editor Sophie Lewis, Beauty & Style Editor
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SPORT MEETS STREET
By SAM DEL ROWE Staff Writer
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The constantly thinning line between sportswear and high fashion is certainly nothing new. Last November, Alexander Wang x H&M combined these aesthetics into one collection and brought it to the masses. What is interesting is how non-athletic people have become interested in traditionally athletic garments — even yours truly, who gets anxious just thinking about the gym, has a pair of Adidas pants. Even further, pieces such as sweatpants and sneakers have been removed from their athletic origins to become renamed and dominated by the fashion world. While it is difficult to attribute any trend to a single source, Wang may come to mind first for many people when talking about taking sportswear out of the gym. The H&M collaboration boasted techy materials, branded sweatshirts and even a pair of boxing gloves that certainly do not belong in the ring. The H&M collaboration is just one example of Wang’s long-standing appropriation of athletic references. His T by Alexander Wang line has been paramount in accepting athletic wear as appropriate outside of the gym. While Wang’s work at Balenciaga and his main line are often more elaborate, T is, as its name suggests, about tees and sweatpants. The current T offerings yield a range of sweatpants and sweatshirts, some sporting a red and blue T logo. The logo is reminiscent of Champion’s or the NBA’s.
The clothes offer a reinterpretation of classic athletic logos without any intention of use at the gym. This is not to say that the sartorial cred of athletic-based garments is one-sided. While designer labels may have elevated sweatpants, Champion has bolstered its reputation through high-profile collaborations with the likes of Supreme and Wood Wood. The former combines Champion’s sportswear background with Supreme’s downtown credibility, while the latter looks strikingly similar to Nasir Mazhar.
Sneaker giants Nike and Adidas have enjoyed immense popularity among the fashion set, particularly with their respective Air Force 1 and Stan Smith models, and have also elevated their offerings with high-profile designer collaborations. Nike’s ongoing partnership with A.P.C. — which imbues popular Nike silhouettes such as Dunk and Free with A.P.C.’s signature minimalism — has consistently sold out, exemplifying not only Nike’s immense popularity but also its ability to synthesize its styles with the aesthetics of pricier brands. Nike’s partnership with Givenchy Creative Direc-
tor Riccardo Tisci yielded three runs of Air Force 1’s. Nike’s collaboration shows how sports brands have become elevated beyond their origins due in part to the popularization of athletic gear beyond the gym. While Nike certainly has not been slouching in terms of designer collaborations, Adidas has made a more consistent push. Their Y-3 range with Yohji Yamamoto has enjoyed immense success recently, largely from the strength of the forward-thinking Qasa design. Adidas also has ongoing projects with Raf Simons, Rick Owens and recently Juun.J. These collaborations introduce daring designs and often update existing Adidas shoes, such as Owens’ reinterpretation of the Springblade running shoe. Despite their athletic roots, Adidas’ designer-crafted footwear is a far cry from what you would see on the field. Boundaries are crumbling in the current fashion landscape. The definition of luxury has never been more tenuous, and the realm of what is considered well-dressed has never been wider — is normcore still going strong? In this vein, sportswear has become nearly entirely separated from the gym. You do not need to train for a marathon or sweat on a treadmill to don a pair of running-ready sneakers. Those sneakers might not be so great for running after all — the Rick Owens Springblade is a perfect example. Wearing sweatpants no longer carries the connotation of gym rat or even being badly dressed — so don’t be afraid to explore the comfortable side of fashion.
BREAKING BOUNDARIES By GRACE HALIO Staff Writer Often when people think haute couture, they think overdone gowns worn by slim models in sky high heels — they think girly. There is an assumption that we are confined to one look, be it girly, sporty, edgy or any other label. These labels have dominated many aspects of our lives, not just in the fashion world. Labels appear in the workplace, in school, in friend groups and anywhere else that provides a platform for creativity or self-expression. This startling truth makes it inevitable to avoid stereotyping, but also calls to our attention the importance of opening up a discussion about the situation at hand. Many believe that the fashion industry has an unforgiving and judgmental atmosphere. While people may have opinions on a designer’s collection, judgements and opinions are not unique to the fashion industry. Everyone is subjective — and often these opinions are based on first impressions. Designers and consumers are becoming more com-
fortable experimenting with different kinds of pieces to create eclectic looks. Many well-known designers, such as Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint
Laurent, are known for being inspired by menswear, and they have used their influence to break down gender barriers. Coco Chanel was one of the first women in fashion to break gender-normative stereotypes with
the skirt-suit. As men returned home from World War II, it was expected that women would return to the household; Chanel disagreed. She created a professional look for women that was sleek and sophisticated, instilling confidence that they could remain in the workforce in a post-war world. On this note, it is important to address that stereotypes in fashion can serve one positive purpose. As their existence is nearly inevitable, they present the opportunity to either get over them or incorporate them into the industry in a positive way. To do so properly, the best thing that we can do is use labels to break down stereotypes. Though styles are often reduced to single words, we can work to combine the aesthetics of each label to create one look. Essentially, the most positive part of labeling style choices is that they can be used to dismantle closed-minded ideas. The fashion industry is a place that is growing increasingly more accepting of all different kind of styles. It is ushering in a new generation of looks inspired by various factors, and gendered and labelled fashion is on its way out.
FIELD TO FASHION WEEK By NATALIA BARR Staff Writer
Runway shows are typically associated with flowing fabrics and extravagant ensembles, but an increasing amount of designers are opting to send sporty streetwear down the catwalk instead. Some designers have specific sports in mind, while others simply seek an athletic vibe to incorporate into their collections. Sporty chic was a trend incorporated into both the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collections this year. Lacoste is known for its athletic-inspired aesthetic, even worn by athletes themselves. Still, the brand manages to send new ways to wear the sporty trend down the runway each season. Lacoste is associated with tennis and golf, and SS15 was no different with a yachting theme. Windbreakers were belted around the waists of shirts to show that the brand had as much practicality in mind as they did style. They even incorporated some sex appeal into such an athletic collection with sheer, lightweight football jerseys and short hemlines.
Before the SS15 runways, Akris was known for incorporating photoprints by famous artists into its collections. For this season, the designer chose to take a new turn and created an extremely clean and minimalist collection. Graphic lines and structured pieces surprised the brand’s fans, but what really stood out was one sporty element that appeared throughout the collection. Visors were worn by nearly every model on the runway, often in the same colors of the ensembles they were paired with. Although the clothes would have appeared simple and minimalist on their own, the visors gave the entire show an athletic vibe. As one of the most famous American designers, Tommy Hilfiger chose to celebrate his brand’s 30th anniversary with references to football. The show’s venue was set up as a football stadium, complete with a jumbotron and lines down the field. Some pieces were translated literally from football onto the runway, like jersey-inspired dresses with the number 30 and the name Hilfiger displayed across the fronts. Hilfiger also managed to incorporate a more luxurious, romantic feel into such an athletic-inspired collection. Plaids, knits and furs made appearances throughout to make the looks more feminine and fashionable. Designers’ choices to include sporty pieces in their Spring/Summer and Fall/ Winter 2015 collections have provided the modern woman with a way to allow her strength and power to interlock with her style and chicness. Sporty chic was a major trend of 2015 and it surely will not disappear anytime soon.
REGULATING THE RUNWAY
By EMILY HARRIS Staff Writer For female models, height and weight standards make it almost impossible to be healthy. Models are often required to weigh between 90 lbs and 120 lbs. Health concerns intermingled with the world of models and fashion is not a new issue. In 2007 the Council of Fashion Designers of America, made up of designers like Rebecca Minkoff and Kate Spade, formed a health initiative to ensure the healthiness and well-being of models. Ironically, this initiative was meant to educate the fashion industry, but instead mass audiences noticed models’ ill health more than the industry insiders. Since 2007, the CFDA has made numerous advancements in securing their health initiative for the fashion world. In February 2012, during New York Fashion Week, they hosted “A Well-Balanced Life,” a panel aimed at fostering a healthy environment for models and agents. The CFDA recognizes some models are naturally thin and tall, but there is a concern for the girls who succumb to the pressure of the modeling world. Body image issues are not just a product of model agencies or runway shows, but a product of society in general. Vogue, Diane von Furstenberg and groups like The Model Alliance have been pioneers of this health initiative for the past few years. Despite their efforts to enforce regulations under the New York State Law that requires models under the age of 18 to have work permits and trust funds, and forces designers to have certificates of eligibility for child performers, there are still ongoing issues with the general well-being of models. More recently, France has put a new ban on very thin models with a law passed on March 27 to regulate Body Mass Index levels. The law not only bans skinny models, but will fine agencies with models who are too thin up to 75,000 euros and up to six months of jail time. The law also states that it is illegal to condone anorexia in any form and requires that photos must clearly state that they altered models’ bodies for commercial purposes. Evidently, there has been major backlash about this legislation. A lot of critics, ranging from models to agencies, feel that because of this law, the healthy initiative transitions into to body-shaming. In a Cosmopolitan piece asking for views regarding the bill, the models interviewed all agree that there is a pertinent issue concerning healthiness, but there has to be a better solution than BMI regulations. BMI is not completely accurate and does not take into account all possible variables that go into a person’s BMI. Hopefully, the strides the industry has been taking toward healthier model standards will continue to evolve and be adapted in every aspect of the fashion industry.
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MVP. Camilla wears a Ronny Kobo crop top and pants.
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Playing the Field. Austen wears stylists’ own top and pants.
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Going the Distance. Charlie wears a Lacoste sweater and model’s own pants and sneakers.
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Field of Dreams. Austen wears Lacoste shorts and stylist’s own top.
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Queen of the Court. Monica wears a Ronny Kobo top and model’s own pants and sneakers.
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Taking a Breather. Monica wears a Ronny Kobo top, Lacoste shorts, and model’s own sneakers.
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Benchwarmers. Charlie wears a Lacoste shirt and model’s own pants and sneakers. Austen wears a Lacoste shirt, stylist’s own pants and model’s own sneakers.
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A League of Her Own. Camilla wears a Lacoste bodysuit and jacket, and model’s own sneakers.
Right on Track. Austen wears stylists’ own top and pants, and model’s own sneakers.
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Fast and Furious. Charlie wears a Lacoste sweater, model’s own pants and sneakers.
PHOTOGRAPHER NATALIE FONG
ILLUSTRATOR ANYA SAPOZHNIKOV
CREATIVE DIRECTIOR OLIVIA MARTIN
20 EDITORIAL BOARD VALENTINA DUQUE BOJANINI MADDIE PAZZANI THOMAS DEVLIN HANNAH TREASURE JOHN AMBROSIO
ISSUE EDITORS SOPHIE LEWIS GABRIELLA BOWER
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NYUNEWS.COM Pg. 24 Camilla wears a Ronny Kobo dress and model’s own sneakers
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FRINGE april 23, 2015
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