PATTERN Magazine Issue 17 Spring 2020

VOLUME NO. 17_15 dollars

FASHIONING A COMMUNITY.

n o i ll e b Re + FEATURING JERRY LEE ATWOOD, APRIL WALKER, ROBERT DANES, TOMMY DANT, JENNIFER FELTS AND MORE

A LIFESTYLE BRAND BUILT ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF LUXURY & VERSATILITY. WWW.CHRISTIANMIQUEL.COM

EDITOR’S LETTER

HERE TO STAY AS THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF PATTERN, I HAVE THE LUXURY OF penning this letter when everyone else’s work is done and ready to print.

I’m writing on Day Eight of restrictions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Volume 17 was assembled long before these cataclysmic events rocked our world.

THIS ISSUE WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO SHOW THE INNOVATIVE WAYS IN WHICH LOCAL CREATIVE talent is improving Indianapolis. It’s a celebration of artists, creatives, rebels and other non-conformists who live, work and do business here—people who offer out-of-the-box solutions for systemic ills that constrain Indianapolis and other cities. People who often cobble together a living from a mish-mash of side hustles, sometimes doing without health insurance, retirement plans and savings accounts that might spare them from financial ruin in an emergency like the one we’re facing now.

I’M A FREELANCE COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A SMALL, non-profit arts organization, and these are my brothers and sisters. Like many sectors of the economy, ours will be hard-hit by the economic fallout of the coronavirus.

I HOPE THE STORIES WITHIN ENCOURAGE MY PEERS TO KEEP THE FAITH. KEEP CHALLENGING the status quo. Remain vocal when it’s time to make decisions that shape the community. Your ideas will help Indianapolis recover and be stronger than ever.

I HOPE LOCAL LEADERS IN GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS AND NON-PROFITS WILL READ AND BE reminded that a city’s creative assets are (and always have been) much more than a matter of civic pride. The arts and other cultural assets aren’t just nice enhancements; they are smart investments because the creative economy is one of the world’s biggest levers for economic growth, according to two United Nations reports.

IN THEIR BOOK, CREATIVE ECONOMIES: ART WORKS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AUTHORS Michael Rushton and Rocco Landesman urge regional planners, elected officials and other decision-makers to learn how to integrate the creative sector as an economic development tool.

THEY SAY KNOWLEDGE AND PRODUCTIVITY OFTEN SPILL OVER FROM ONE SECTOR TO ANOTHER, which is why knowledge-based sectors frequently form in regional clusters where talent is plentiful. The clear economic links between the creative sectors and non-arts sectors warrant policies and practices that foster local arts organizations and creative entrepreneurs.

SO USE US. WEAVE US INTO YOUR WORK. WE ARE THE FUTURE, AND WE’RE READY TO HELP. CREATIVE PEOPLE STAY IN INDIANAPOLIS BECAUSE WE LIKE IT HERE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT our bank accounts may have grown faster in another market.

WE’RE BOOT-STRAPPERS AND PROBLEM-SOLVERS, MADE FOR JUST SUCH A TIME AS THIS. WORKING TOGETHER, WE ARE POISED TO HELP CENTRAL INDIANA LEVERAGE CREATIVITY AS A primary driver of its economy.

IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT #INDYKEEPSCREATING.

POLINA OSHEROV_EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE EMBRACE THE HAZE 3

FASHIONING A COMMUNITY

BRAND PARTNERSHIPS info@patternindy.com

DISTRIBUTION

EDITORIAL

Editor & Creative Director Polina Osherov

Distributed worldwide

by Publishers Distribution Group Inc. pdgmags.com Printed by Fineline Printing, PATTERN Magazine ISSN 2326-6449 Proudly made in Indianapolis, Indiana

Design Director Emeritus Kathy Davis

DIGITAL

New York Editor Janette Beckman

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Copy Editors Emily Kibbling Jessie Hansell Eric Rees

Online Content Manager Sam Ripperger

Michael Ault Teresa Bennett Julie Heath Freddie Lockett Lindsey Macyauski Sara Savu Lily Smith Adam Thies Barry Wormser Tamara Zahn

SUBSCRIPTION

Visit patternindy.com/subscribe Back issues, permissions, reprints info@patternindy.com

Design Director Lindsay Hadley Designer Megan Gray

Staff Photographer Esther Boston Photography Interns Callie Zimmerman Kylie McNutt Writing Interns Bryn Foreman Natalie Koch Chelsea Robinson

DESIGNERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Sean Chen Stewart Forrest Andy Fry Abigail Godwin Ryan Hunley John Ilang-Ilang Amy McAdamz-Gonzales Ess McKee Aaron Scamihorn

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PHOTOGRAPHERS Reagan Allen Willyum Baulkey Janette Beckman Faith Blackwell Shuennming Chang Michael Cottone Katlyn Douek Jason Douek Paul Dzubay Yog Hall Zac Koretz Chris Marrs Dauss Miller Carl Nelson Chantal Sallade Rebecca Shehorn Brooke Taylor Linda Vang

WRITERS

Maria Dickman Colin Dullaghan Mike Gillis Carolyn Hadlock Crystal Hammon Nena Ivon Khaila King Euan Makepeace Shauta Marsh Terri Procopio Samantha Ripperger Monica Sallay Petra Slinkard Jeremiah Williams

RETOUCHER Wendy Towle

Dear Indy, Did you know that you have over eighty fashion designers and clothing brands that call you home? And did you know that you don’t offer any industrial sewing training or any small-batch production services that can help these creative entrepreneurs flourish and grow? Happily, that’s about to change! Please say “hello” to StitchWorks!

StitchWorks is a sewing facility that provides education and production services, as well as a workspace with specialized machines and equipment for creatives in the local fashion industry. Why, yes, Indy! You DO have a fashion industry; we’re a little hurt that you might not know that. We’re not mad, though!

StitchWorks is going to make sure that all of your talented fashion designers, brand entrepreneurs, and apparel producers have access to the resources they need. And that’s great news for all of us because everyone wears clothing!

It also means that citizens, visitors, and the nation will finally discover that Indiana has outstanding fashion talent, new jobs will be created, and more of us will have access to ecoconscious and sustainably produced clothing. This in turn will help your local economy, your environment, your culture and your vibrant independent business community! Can you say win/win?

But Indy, for this vision to become a reality, we’re going to need you to step up. Maybe you’ve missed out on the news of this growing industry or have been too busy to get involved before. But now is the time we need you most.

We’re counting on you to help us take the next big step.

Please hit StitchworksIndy.com to learn how. Thank you!

Sincerely, Beth Bennett Yemisi Sanni Catherine Fritsch Angel Olivera Denisha Ferguson Barbara Riordan

Rachel Ramey Polina Osherov Jodie Bailey

BROUGHT TO YOU BY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SUPPORTED BY

stitchworksindy.com 5

CONTENTS PATTERN ISSUE NO. 17 patternindy.com

WORDS

EDITOR’S LETTER, 2 CONTRIBUTORS, 8 UNDER CONSIDERATION, 22 GREAT DANES, 26 Q+A DAVID SANCHEZ, 32 Q+A TOKYO TWIGGY, 40 WELL SUITED, 44 DREAM WEAVER, 58 Q+A MIKE WATSON, 82 CREATED TO INSPIRE, 86 Q+A TOMMY DANT, 88 WALKING THE WALK, 90 REBELLIOUS, 101 JANE OWEN & MARGUERITE YOUNG, 124 DIVERGENT, 126 VOL. 16 LAUNCH PARTY, 158 OP-ED, 160

IMAGES IMPROPER ROYALS, 10 RIDE OR DYE, 35 POST NO BILLS, 51 CURIOUSLY UNRUFFLED, 62 READ MY LIPS, 74 COLOR WHEELS, 134 ROUGH PATCH, 142 FRINGE FRENZY, 148

ON COVER A Pri Mary (Independent) Photography by Polina Osherov Assisted by Landess Hutson + Callie Zimmerman Style by Katie Marple + Jared Birden Hair by Philip Salmon Wardrobe: Top, Commando ON COVER B Mirage (Independent) Photography by Polina Osherov Assisted by Landess Hutson + Callie Zimmerman Style by Katie Marple + Jared Birden Hair by Philip Salmon Wardrobe: Jacket, Daisy Street Bodysuit, Club Exx Skirt, Daisy Street Shoes, Fila ON THIS PAGE Sami Barry Photography by Polina Osherov Makeup by Leslie White Hair by Rachel Devries

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CONTRIBUTORS

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE POP CULTURE

l a i d a ss g n i i E AbGODWIN MCKEE L VANG

JANELLE MONAE IS MY FAVORITE POP CULTURE REBEL. HER MUSICAL TALENT AND ARTISTIC EXPERIMENTATION REMIND ME OF PRINCE OR MICHAEL JACKSON, AND HER UNAPOLOGETIC SELF-AWARENESS AND COMMITMENT TO HER BELIEFS IS AN ENDURING INSPIRATION. A human-centered graphic designer, proud Midwesterner, and small coffee shop enthusiast, Gail delights in furthering her clients through smart, thoughtful creative work. When she’s not photographing Indianapolis cityscapes or haunting Newfields, you can find her curled up at Coat Check with a Moleskine or a good book.

BEHANCE.NET/ABIGAILG

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AS A FORMER TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE, MY FAVORITE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WILMA RUDOLPH. SHE OVERCAME SEVERAL OBSTACLES—ILLNESS, BLACKNESS AND WOMAN-NESS—TO BECOME AN OLYMPIC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPION AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS BASICALLY UNHEARD OF TO PUSH FORWARD AS A BLACK WOMAN IN A RACIALLYTENSE AND MALE-DOMINATED SPORT IN AMERICA.

MY FAVORITE REBEL POP ARTIST WOULD HAVE TO BE MADONNA. SHE’S BEEN A QUEEN OF ALL QUEENS. SHE DOES WHAT SHE WANTS AND LOOKS FABULOUS DOING IT. Linda Vang is a creative portrait photographer. She graduated from Indianapolis Ivy Tech four years ago and has been perfecting her art since then. She’s a visionary artist who loves to inject magic into all of her work.

Ess McKee, a mixed media artist, is an Arizona native based in Indianapolis and has been involved in the Indy art scene for nearly a decade. With a background in graphic design, she merges the world of analog and digital to create works that are both grunge and cosmetic. Her work has evolved from pen and ink, to graphic prints, and currently to acrylic paintings on a variety of surfaces.

@ESSMCKEE

IAMESSMCKEE.com

@LVLOVE

LVLOVEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

REBEL THAT YOU LOOK UP TO AND WHY?

a Sean Maria Yog CHEN DICKMAN HALL

MY FAVORITE POP CULTURE REBEL KEITH HARING. HE MADE ART IN THE STREETS AND CAPTURED COMPLEX POLITICAL MESSAGES IN UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES. HIS WORK BECAME QUITE EXCLUSIVE AND WAS DISPLAYED IN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS AFTER HE BECAME FAMOUS. UNLIKE OTHER ARTISTS, HE TURNED HIS ART INTO MERCHANDISE FOR THE MASSES, OPENED UP A POP-UP SHOP, AND GAVE THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO HIS ART. Sean grew up in Fuzhou, China, where he always knew he was destined for a career in the arts. Sean graduated from Ball State University with a degree in visual communication. Since then, he has won a student gold Addy award and has gained a reputation for being a disciplined, adaptable, and reliable designer.

In his success, he credits his spirit animal—Ron Swanson. Whether it’s helping his clients succeed, devouring bottomless wings and beer, or potty training his Shih Tzu, Oreo, Sean never half-asses anything.

@CHENGSTER7

@SEANCHENDESIGN

KELLY WEARSTLER. SHE EMBRACES THE UNCONVENTIONAL IN FASHION, ARCHITECTURE, AND INTERIORS. SHE’S FEARLESS WITH HER USE OF COLOR, SHAPE, TEXTURE, AND PATTERN. I’M NEVER BORED OF HER WORK. Maria Dickman is a Hoosier-native now based in Chicago, where she works in real estate communications. Once upon a time, she was one of the first PATTERN interns-turned-editors and an Indianapolis Monthly contributor. Her favorite things include platform oxfords, historical fiction, inbox zero, and the Indy 500.

WHEN THINKING OF A POP CULTURE REBEL, MY PICK WOULD BE JOE ROGAN. IT ISN’T FOR THE REASONS MOST WOULD ASSUME, THOUGH. I RESPECT JOE FOR SITTING DOWN WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN’T ALWAYS POPULAR, RISKING THE PUBLIC OPINION OF HIS OWN CHARACTER. DESPITE THEIR OPINIONS OR BELIEFS, HE CAN SIT DOWN AND HAVE AN OPEN-MINDED CONVERSATION TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. NOT MANY WITH A PLATFORM THAT SIZE ARE WILLING TO PUT THEIR REPUTATION ON THE LINE TO ALLOW THE UNDERLYING ISSUES TO BE DISCOVERED. Yog Hall is a freelance photographer and videographer from Indianapolis. Yog picked up his first camera in 2017 and has not stopped since. In less then three years, Yog’s talent has landed him with with Riley Children’s Hospital, Dionne Warwick, John Rich, and several other artists, models, and companies.

@MARIADICKMAN

@YOGHALL

WWW.YOGHALL.COM

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SLIP DRESS, NASTY GAL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY POLINA OSHEROV ASSISTED BY LANDESS HUTSON + CALLIE ZIMMERMAN STYLE BY KATIE MARPLE + JARED BIRDEN HAIR BY PHILIP SALMON MODELS MIRAGE + PRI MARY (INDEPENDENT)

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THANK YOU TO KEN TURCHI + DAX CABELL FOR THE USE OF THEIR HOME.

HEEL, JIMMY CHOO

SLIP DRESS, NASTY GAL

SHOES, KOI FOOTWEAR

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BODYSUIT, VERSACE JEANS COUTURE

JACKET, BLANK NYC

BELT, MOSCHINO

BOOTS, AZALEA WANG

LEFT: BODYSUIT, J.O.A

RIGHT: BODYSUIT, MAIDENFORM JACKET, BLKSKINHEAD

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JACKET, BLANK NYC

BELT, VERSACE

COAT, KUT FROM THE CLOTH

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16 PATTERN ISSUE NO. 15 BODYSUIT, CLUB EXX

JACKET + SKIRT, DAISY STREET

SHOES, FILA

TOP, COMMANDO

SHORTS, VERSACE JEANS COUTURE

SOCKS + SHOES, PRADA

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DRESS, DRESS THE POPULATION

BODYSUIT, J.O.A

BOOTS, ALDO

DRESS, JAY GODFREY

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JEANS, R13 BELT SKIRT, AKIRA

BRA, MODEL’S OWN COAT, TOPSHOP

BOOTS, CAPE ROBBIN

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UNDER CONSIDERATION WORDS BY CAROLYN HADLOCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARMIN VIT + BRYONY GOMEZ-PALACIO

Rebellion doesn’t always have to be loud and in-your-face. It can be quiet— like in the case of Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio. They created UnderConsideration, an online platform where they review logos from around the world.

They’ve built the business by creating things they want to see in the world, like the Brand New conference. Perhaps the biggest act of rebellion is that the global voice in logo design took up residency in Bloomington, Indiana.

Why did you start UnderConsideration?

Armin: Before UnderConsideration, we started a blog called Speak Up in 2002 as a place where traditional graphic designers could seek refuge to discuss what was happening in design. At that point, we had full-time jobs. Speak Up was a side thing on the weekends.

In 2006, we launched another blog called Brand New where we reviewed logo and identity redesigns. Nothing like that existed at the time for graphic designers. Then in 2007, UnderConsideration was born as a platform for these and future initiatives.

Bryony: We helped connect established industry designers with emerging designers and people in remote areas.

They were all having the same conversation. That had not happened before. That shaped how we talk about design. We’d experimented by publishing a book about portfolios. When we saw that it worked, we were like, “Okay, let’s take a bigger gamble and organize the first Brand New conference.”

Armin: We’re really bad at business development. When the economy tanked in 2008, we thought, “How do we get clients?” We had no idea. That’s a skill we never developed. So, we had to figure out what we needed to run a business. By that time, Brand New had grown quite a bit. We’ve never thought of ourselves as being entrepreneurs. We’re survivors.

How has design changed since you started?

Armin: In the last fifteen years, the importance given to graphic design by clients and the public is fairly dramatic. It used to be that we would make fun of, “My doctor mentioned fonts. He said the word ‘font,’ and I giggled.” And now everybody has a favorite font. For a long time, designers thought, “We need a seat at the table. No one respects us.” Now we’re there, and it’s almost too much attention.

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What guidance would you give a brand about when it’s time to make a change?

Armin: The best time is when a company is ready to make a positive change on the inside, or when they’re about to introduce version 2.0, 3.0, whatever it is.

Bryony: When there’s a true reinvention or evolution of the company.

Armin: Yeah, when the publicity is good, it’s because the company has good momentum. When a company changes to throw something under the rug or signal change, it never pays off. Take AirBNB as an example.

They began with their silly script logo. When they were ready to take over hotels, they redesigned. It was tied to growth. That’s when it really works.

What are some trends you are seeing happening in logo design?

Armin: The biggest negative trend right now is everybody doing the same thing with the geometric sans serif. AirBNB was one of the first. Then Google did it, and everybody was like, “Oh, it worked for them. Let’s go with that.” You’d think the trend would only last two or three years, but that was 2014, and it’s still the default.

There’s also a trend toward simplicity so that the logo performs well on screen. You put ten companies from different industries together, and they all look exactly alike. In the 1980s or 1990s, they might not have had the best logos out there, but you could tell: This one does computers. This one does sports. This one does food. Now, they all look the same. We’re stripping away a lot of personality for the sake of functionality, as opposed to creating memorable, distinctive visual gestures.

Bryony: They’re just blending into the room instead of being the eccentric uncle.

“FOR A long TIME, DESIGNERS THOUGHT, ‘WE NEED A SEAT AT THE TABLE. NO ONE respects US.’ NOW WE’RE THERE, AND IT’S ALMOST too MUCH ATTENTION.”

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“THERE’S more PLEASURE IN GETTING AWAY WITH WHAT WE DO. WE’RE paying THE BILLS. WE’RE contributing TO THE DESIGN SOCIETY. AND WE’RE enjoying IT.”

You guys talked about not wanting to have clients and creating your destiny through creating your own projects.

Is that happening?

Bryony: For the most part, yes. We take on a few client projects, but they have to be interesting. We don’t particularly enjoy going to meetings and debriefings unless it’s for an extra good reason.

Armin: It’s not that we’re picky or snobby. The biggest hurdle in client work is time. It’s just the two of us. The conference and blog take up so much time that it’s hard to take on a client. There’s more pleasure in getting away with what we do. We’re paying the bills. We’re contributing to the design society. And we’re enjoying it.

Is there any particular sector you think is doing a good job in branding right now?

Bryony: Not fashion.

Armin: Yeah, fashion is very disappointing right now.

But I think sports is doing well, especially soccer. In the beginning, soccer tried too much to be like the NBA and NFL. Now it’s more like, “Hey, we’re soccer. We’re different.”

Where did the name UnderConsideration come from?

Bryony: It’s just very descriptive. Things are always under consideration.

You live in Bloomington, Indiana, which is an unexpected choice. I read somewhere—it might have been ironic. You said you feared losing street cred by basing yourself in Bloomington. Have you found that to be true?

Bryony: No. Armin: No. Initially, when I was on the phone and someone asked where I was located, I would try to downplay it. I’d say, “Bloomington, Indiana. We just moved from Austin, Texas.” As if I had to excuse myself for moving here. Now it’s just like, “Hey, we’re in Bloomington, Indiana. You’ve never heard of it, but it’s awesome.”

Bryony: We chose very consciously to move to Bloomington, knowing people would think we’re crazy. But then you own it. We’ve been here two-and-a-half years. So now, things are very established. The kids are fine. We’re fine. There’s something to be said for being in a dot that you can help expand little by little.

Armin: Also, if you search by location on Behance, we’re number one. We have the most likes of all of Bloomington, Indiana. It’s the little victories that count. ✂ 25

rea t G DANES A ROBERT DANES FORMAL GOWN IS A LUXURIOUS REBUTTAL TO FAST FASHION AND DRESSING DOWN

WORDS BY CRYSTAL HAMMON PHOTORAPHY BY POLINA OSHEROV MAKEUP BY KERIN C., GLAMSQUAD NYC HAIR BY LORETTA G., GLAMSQUAD NYC MODELED BY JOLYNN KLINGE

Robert Danes doesn’t claim to be a mainstream part of the fashion establishment. He hasn’t studied fashion formally, nor did he follow one of this era’s more famous paths to success in the industry. He didn’t climb the ranks of a couture house, develop a namesake brand, struggle to raise money, accept a part-time role as a creative director for an established brand, get fired, then burnout when an artist should be at the peak of creativity.

“I don’t think being a creative director as a side job is necessarily something that would ever really work well for me,” Danes says. “That seems to be the path for a lot of designers who have their own collections and are struggling mid-career to figure out what to do. That’s not my deal—and not because I couldn’t work for anyone. It’s just that I don’t really know the corporate route.”

Not comprehending the corporate way of doing fashion hasn’t been much of a hindrance for Danes, judging from his nearly thirty-year career as a mostly solo entrepreneur. The self-taught fashion designer and San Antonio native came to New York straight from Yale University, where he had been studying architecture and history. He had no formal education in fashion, but during his teens, Danes’ grandmother taught him to sew. With those skills, he began designing and making menswear. The precision of making clothes for men was just a warm-up for what eventually captivated his interest: designing exquisite gowns for women.

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Danes developed his own language of pattern making, bypassed the exhausting, seasonal grind of designing full collections four times a year, and eventually carved a niche for his formal wear with retail heavyweights such as Bergdorf Goodman and exclusive bricks-and-mortar boutiques. Even during economic recessions, Danes’ wellhoned relationships with retail salespeople and buyers who work in stores—and a distinct aesthetic that appeals to certain high-end fashion consumers—have kept the luxury brand going.

“The best stores are the ones where a buyer can come look at the collections and say, ‘That’s for Mrs. So-andSo,’ or, ‘Jane would really love that one. Let’s get that in her size,’” Danes says. “They know who their people are, and they buy for them.”

Although the brand has been distributed mostly on the east coast, one of its best stores is in St. Louis, a signal that it could succeed in similarly-sized markets across the country. “It’s not a huge market, but I’m always interested in finding a good store that services their customers, knows their people and what they want.”

After the 2008 recession, some boutiques pushed for reduced prices on stock and special-order gowns, which can cost up to five figures. Danes responded with another contrarian approach: he raised prices. “I don’t know how to do fast. I don’t know how to do volume. I don’t know how to do it cheaply,” he says. “I lost most of those stores, but I’m still here.”

If you’re wondering why a gown costs so much, consider this: Danes invests up to $15,000 to create a new design with a European level of design and craftsmanship. Unlike the biggest names in fashion, he can’t afford to produce 200 pieces and hope that twenty or thirty are winners.

Nine out of ten dresses must be sold.

It isn’t cheap tending to the details of a dress’s construction from the inside out or to purchase the luxurious European fabrics in a Danes gown, which are precisely what attracts some buyers to the brand. A French chiffon and one from China may appear comparable from a distance, but there are worlds of difference between the two, according to Danes.

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k a m e W really f i t u a be . s e th o l c

ke i f ul

I ’m proud of tha t.

“Almost all the collections around me in any given place use less expensive fabrics,” he says. “Dior and Givenchy are not using inexpensive fabrics and construction techniques. The collections are really, really beautiful. Not everyone gets that difference, but I do, and it’s always been my model.” A prolific designer, Danes usually turns out a new design every week.

His work isn’t meant to make grand political or cultural statements; Danes just wants to make beautiful, feminine clothes that are comfortable to wear and make women feel pretty. He has learned how to do that very well. “For whatever reason, what I’m doing seems to fill a niche that no one else is doing and a lot of people gravitate to,” he says. “It’s simple. It’s clean, and it fits.”

Focusing on formal gowns—even those made to couture standards—comes at a professional price. Fashion elitists tend to look down their noses at designers who don’t create full collections, calling them “dressmakers.” Danes is unfazed by the disdain. “Maybe I am a dressmaker, but that’s where I do my best work.”

Founded in 1990 with his former wife and business partner, Rachel Hall Danes, the label’s approach to the market has changed over time. The couple started with a full collection of day, evening, and bridal womenswear before narrowing their lens to the high-end, limited-edition gowns that are Danes’ sweet spot. In 2017, the designer bought his former wife’s share of the business and took the reins.

“I’m focused on making and designing clothes and getting them on women, so I wasn’t thinking about it [branding],” he says. “We make some really beautiful clothes. The quality is really amazing, and we fit all kinds of bodies and shapes for women of all ages. Not many people can do what we do at the level we do it. I’m proud of that.”

Danes felt the brand’s visual and collateral footprint didn’t reflect the same quality. “We had the opportunity to work with people who are really professional, who had great ideas and vision, and we kind of fell in love with them,” Danes says of the Young & Laramore team.

New branding has been an important factor in reaching out to younger customers, but the label’s success ultimately depends on how well the clothes fit, how pretty they are, and how a woman feels when she wears them. Women may get a taste for the brand through online images, but the buying experience will always be in a high-touch, retail environment.

“The main way we’ve grown awareness in our business is one good gown at a time,” he says. “People see a woman wearing it, and she spreads the word. That’s how it’s working now. It’s the kind of growth we can handle.” ✂

The transition opened the door to reimagine parts of the business, including its brand messaging. One of Danes’ trusted advisors, Brendan Cannon, suggested that he meet with Indianapolis-based Young & Laramore to discuss elevating the brand’s social media profile and online presence. They struck a deal that led to the label’s recent relaunch.

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DAVID SANCHEZ. MODEL AGENT. ENTREPRENEUR. ART COLLECTOR. WORDS BY NENA IVON + PHOTOGRAPH BY ZAC KORETZ

A business owner, power broker, motivational speaker, teacher, philanthropist, and even a great cook, David Sanchez is not lacking in talent. Still, he’s always on the search for it.

Founder and director of 10MGMT, Sanchez represents models, wardrobe stylists, fashion photographers, and more through his Chicago-based agency. As a former model himself, he knows what it’s like to be in front of and behind the camera.

Each day, Sanchez is working to reinvent the talent management industry.

NENA IVON: You love your adopted city, Chicago. What brought you here and why do you love this particular urbanality?

DAVID SANCHEZ: I came to Chicago several years ago for the material girl herself: Madonna. It was the only city on her tour that had a ticket. I bought one for myself, booked a plane ticket, and came to the city I now call home. While in Chicago, I was scouted and booked for print right away. I stayed in Chicago for a while, moved to New York for three years, and then came back to do more print. Then, I became an agent for the same agency. This, of course, prepared me for what was to come—my own agency! Chicago has so much to offer, and I love to explore it by walking or biking and posting on social media. I love discovering its many architectural treasures, some obvious and some hidden. It is a never-ending adventure.

NI: Explain the “10” in your brand.

DS: I saw the serious need for a transparent talent agency. Wanting to be an entrepreneur specializing in diversity with a hands-on ethical management approach, I chose ten because ten means being the best. We specialize in matching the right talent with clients’ needs from a personally selected and mentored group of models, influencers, photo stylists, and photographers. The agency includes diverse genders, sizes, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and abilities.

NI: What do you find the be the most challenging part of your job? The most rewarding?

DS: I don’t think people understand how much energy, time, and work goes into every single booking or casting, so I have experienced people sabotaging themselves in many ways and not being accountable for their actions. It’s a huge challenge when you put so much work into somebody and then they throw it away in a matter of seconds.

NI: You are very involved in philanthropy. What are the causes you support? Why did you choose those organizations? What do you personally get from your involvement?

DS: I’ve always believed that service is important. I’ve been working with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago for the last ten years and helping to start and fundraise for the summer fashion program, which is currently in one club and trying for another. This program is so important to me because we are creating future fashion entrepreneurs and helping foster safe spaces through fashion. Additionally, over the last ten years, the amount of community support in the program has been astonishing. I now have my business bank, Wintrust Bank, providing financial literacy workshops in as part of the program.

What do I personally get? I just love children. Seeing them explore fashion through this program brings me such joy. They all want to grow up to be designers!

NI: You collect art. What appeals to you?

In terms of most rewarding, seeing the agency footprint grow into a life of its own has been a huge reward.

DS: I enjoy anything that is tactile and says something to me. I’m very eclectic in my collecting.

NI: You are adjunct faculty at Columbia College Chicago. Why is it important to you to teach entrepreneurship?

NI: I know you wear a lot of vintage. What attracts you to that in particular? Describe your personal style.

DS: While teaching is challenging, I enjoy the growth of the students and seeing the lightbulb moment when they get it. I always look forward to keeping in touch with them and seeing what direction they are taking in their various careers.

DS: What I like most about vintage is that they are one-of-a-kind pieces. Plus, I am a strong advocate of sustainability. What better way to enforce this than by wearing vintage? And yes, I wear a lot of vintage. ✂

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JENNIFER FELTS. EMERGING TALENT. LIVING FOR THE MOMENT. WORDS BY SAMANTHA RIPPERGER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATLYN + JASON DOUEK OF GINGER KAT PHOTOGRAPHY + SHUENNMING CHANG

Ukiyo is the Japanese word for living in the moment.

Not worrying about the past, present, or future. Not caring about whether you are or aren’t good enough. Not worrying about what’s going on around you. Instead, appreciating each minute of your day for what it is.

This is the mindset that Jennifer Felts strives to maintain daily. The young designer behind the brand Tokyo Twiggy, and the winner of the 2019 Indiana Fashion Week Emerging Designer Competition, first became interested in fashion while on a trip to Japan at the age of fourteen.

Growing up in Texas, she never envisioned herself on the national fashion design stage, but after graduating from the Art Institute of Indianapolis in 2018, having learned how to create her own fabrics as well as designs, Felts has already shown during New York Fashion Week, and as of this writing, plans are underway for a show during London Fashion Week.

SAM RIPPERGER: You design your own fabrics, which is pretty unusual for someone who is just getting started.

How did you get into that?

JENNIFER FELTS: I really wanted to do fashion, but my family didn’t think it would be a viable career. After trying different things, nothing worked, so I moved to Indiana and studied fashion design at the Art Institute of Indianapolis. While in school, I was struggling to find fabrics that fit my vision. One of my teachers said, “Have you thought about making your own fabrics?” It had never crossed my mind. None of my teachers really knew the process so I had to teach myself, which was nice in some ways. Previously, I had studied graphic design, which helped me greatly with textile design.

My senior year at the Art Institute was my first time designing textiles. I wasn’t super confident, but the fabrics turned out pretty well.

SR: How did you feel when you won the Emerging Designer Competition at the 2019 Indiana Fashion Week?

JF: I was in shock. I’m pretty sure they had to call my name multiple times. I was backstage thinking, “That doesn’t sound right.” I don’t remember what was said on stage once I came out, I was just standing there in shock. It was a total blur. I was beyond grateful and so happy for the opportunity. To me, just being featured in the show was a huge victory. I wasn’t expecting to win at all. I didn’t even think I was qualified enough to apply. I procrastinated until the second to last day to submit the application. A couple of months later, I was accepted. I thought it would be a great learning experience and a great opportunity, but I definitely wasn’t planning on winning.

SR: Are you a full-time designer or is this still a side hustle?

JF: I currently work a retail job but it’s super flexible and my employer is super supportive of me traveling and doing all this. I’m definitely hoping to move into being a full-time designer, but I’m still so early in this entire journey. I have to figure out things like the customer base, manufacturing, all the logistics. But doing this full time is what I’m working towards.

SR: There are a lot of Japanese influences in your fabrics, is there some special story behind your love of Japan?

JF: I’m definitely inspired by Japanese culture. That came from studying in Japan, and visiting multiple times. I love the culture and surround myself with different aspects of it, whether music, fashion, or TV shows. It’s a very rich and very different culture, and I find it gives me a sense of peace. That said, I am trying to work with other concepts and sources of inspiration as well, so that the Japanese vibe is subtle and not the only thing I have to offer.

SR: What do you think sets you apart from other apparel brands?

JF: Definitely the textiles. I love making loud textiles. I don’t just want a phrase or my brand name on a black shirt over and over again. I need more!

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NYFW was a surreal experience. I would catch myself thinking ‘Do I really deserve this?’ I struggled internally a lot, wondering if my stuff was good enough, especially as the time drew closer and closer.

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SR: When someone asks you to describe your design aesthetic, what do you tell them?

JF: That’s a tough one. I feel like my designs are always changing, but yet have a streetwear aesthetic to them. I like to create items that are comfortable and fashionable yet stand apart. For example, I like to put a spin on the black legging. Take a piece that’s super comfortable, but use fun colors and patterns to make it different.

I love the idea of comfort over style, and being able to have both. You shouldn’t have to choose.

SR: So what exactly does the process of designing your own fabric look like?

JF: I don’t design fabrics by the yard, I do it through the patterns. I’ll render the pattern piece digitally, and then put the print in that pattern piece. Doing it that way saves fabric. I’m not having to print all this yardage and wasting fabric. The downside of doing it that way is when you cut the pieces out, sometimes the print doesn’t fit that piece the right way. I use Six Six Apparel to print the fabric and I do all the cutting and sewing. It adds an extra step. It depends on what I’m designing, but some pieces can take three hours, and the more complicated ones can take up to five hours to do the textiles for. It takes a lot of time, but it’s a lot of fun.

SR: What happened after you won Indiana Fashion Week’s Emerging Designer Competition?

JF: Lots of things! It was an incredible exposure. I’ve had so many groups, photographers, and designers reach out to me and want to work with me. My first traveling show was to Alabama, because one of the people from Alabama Fashion Week was at Indiana Fashion Week and really liked my designs. Shortly after that, LA Fashion Week invited me to participate.

In the past seven months I’ve been to LA at least five times. It’s crazy! I was also able to do New York Fashion Week and one of the perks of winning the Indiana Week Fashion show competition was that I got to have lunch with Fern Mallis, which was absolutely incredible. After lunch she invited me to hang out with her all day. In September, I’m headed to London to show at London Fashion Week, then Portland Fashion Week after that. It’s definitely been this incredible domino effect.

SR: Going from graduating from college to showing at NYFW some 18 months later had to have been exciting, but also hard. What were some of your biggest challenges and takeaways from that experience?

JF: There were many. Like most creatives, sometimes I can be my own worst enemy and biggest critic. NYFW was a surreal experience. I would catch myself thinking “Do I really deserve this?” I struggled internally a lot, wondering if my stuff was good enough, especially as the time drew closer and closer. My anxiety kept getting worse. But in the end, I got a lot of positive feedback and had a great experience. I’ve realized that as long as each collection is better than the last one, I shouldn’t compare myself to others. I’ve been able to do a lot in such a short period of time, and I need to be more grateful and enjoy the process more. At the end of the day, no one can bring me down but me, and I need to focus on the positive and just be in the moment.

SR: Aside from all the travel you have planned for this year, what’s next for Tokyo Twiggy?

JF: I would like to grow as a designer to a point where I can make clothes for everyone: men, women, plus size, kids, swimwear. I don’t want to be confined to any one thing. I would like to do a menswear collection. It's just a matter of figuring out the right time to do that. 2020 will be a year winning Indiana Fashion Week emerging designer competition so I am excited to show how I have grown and to see more talented creatives! And London Fashion Week will be the first international show I will be doing so that’s always exciting! ✂

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WELL SUI T ED JE RRY LE E AT WOOD’S CUSTOM

WESTE RN WEAR STAN DS AT TH E APEX OF CU LTU RE AN D FASH ION H I STORY

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JERRY LEE ATWOOD’S

CUSTOM WESTERN WEAR STANDS AT THE APEX OF CONTEMPORARY CULTURE AND FASHION HISTORY. WORDS BY PETRA SLINKARD PHOTORAPHY BY POLINA OSHEROV KYLIE MCNUTT

It serves as a bridge between traditions of the past established by great Western wear clothiers like Nuta Kotlyarenko, known professionally as Nudie Cohn, or Manuel Arturo José Cuevas Martínez Sr., best known simply as Manuel, and our modern popculture pantheon represented by artists such as Orville Peck and Post Malone.

Working under the moniker Union Western Clothing, which he founded with business partner Joe David Walters, Atwood’s custom work represents a convergence of made-to-measure traditions with an impossible to ignore in your face visual literacy.

A Union Western Clothing suit can take up to 120 hours to make. Preferring to work with his clients directly, Atwood starts with a conversation and sketches the design. From there he drafts the pattern, cuts the pieces (made-to-measure of course), applies the motifs, and finally embroiders each finished piece using a complex method of chain stitch and handwork. His practice harkens back to the tradition of couture in which designers created one-ofa-kind garments specific to the size, shape, and tastes of clients. But, Atwood’s practice goes further. He is not only a fabric artist, but also a storyteller. His hand drawn sketches, used to support his embroidery, mirror the flash art traditions of stick and ink tattoos, while his bold graphic motifs tell a story about their wearer, not unlike the way quilters use applique shapes to illustrate family, hardships, or moments of celebration.

Take for instance the suit Atwood created for renowned Nashville musician Joshua Hedley, which he wore for the cover of his 2018 album, Mr. Jukebox. When Atwood got the commission, he asked Hedley a series of questions, which is standard practice for the designer, in order to reach in and pull from the client what the suit should look and feel

like. But more so, this step has to do with what the suit should communicate. Hedley, who is a Nashville fixture, grew up in Florida. It was important to him that that part of his personal history came to the fore. Hedley’s Evergladethemed suit features panthers, trees, snakes, and herons, all of which stood to represent the state Hedley knows and loves and serve as an extension of himself.

Atwood began his artistic journey in 2001 while working in a coffee shop. Already honing his embroidery skills, he decided to teach himself how to sew. Inspired by the images represented on the covers of many of his father’s country albums followed by several trips to Nashville, Atwood began incorporating rhinestones into his practice and slowly, layer by layer, built up an arsenal of techniques and styles. Within twenty years, those styles would be seen by people all over the world in the music video for “Old Town Road,” starring Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus.

The song had a difficult time finding a place on Billboard’s country chart after editors claimed it “lacked clear elements of the genre.” But Lil Nas X pushed forward. He not only found his footing on the charts, but “Old Town Road” spent an unprecedented seventeen weeks in the number one spot. In that time, Atwood’s design and aesthetic permeated bars, dance clubs, and households across the globe. The Black Cowboy is not new. Western historians estimate that one in four cowboys of the mid-1800s American West were Black. But, this component of our history has all but been erased from our understanding of the cowboy. Collaborations like the one between Lil Nas X and Atwood help to correct this misconception and give proper acknowledgement to a segment of cowboy culture too long ignored.

Atwood’s work for artists like Lil Nas X and Post Malone have pervaded our ethos in such an impactful way that his suits are immediately recognized by people ages five to eighty-five. While fans may not necessarily know Atwood by name, his work occupies a central position in this pivotal moment of our present culture. You see, Union Western Clothing is everywhere. You just need to know where to look. ✂

Jerry Lee Atwood will open an exhibition at Tube Factory artscape that will run from June 5 – October 17, 2020.

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SIX LOCAL DESIGNERS SHOWCASE REBELS OF INDIANAPOLIS

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NON -PROFIT CONSU LTANT JOAN NA N IXON IS H E LPI NG TH E N EAR EASTSI DE REALIZE ITS AM B ITION TO B ECOM E I N DY’S N EXT G REAT PL ACE

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If you want to understand what Joanna Nixon does for a living, just think of her as a cultural architect. Still unclear? Well, perhaps her occupation is better explained by the superpowers she brings to that work, according to Melissa Benton, a community developer officer at the John Boner Neighborhood Centers.

One day, Benton and Nixon were out on a tour of Indy’s East 10th Street corridor, where they are part of a team devoted to revitalizing the neighborhood. They slid into a public parking space, got out of the car, and were immediately confronted by an angry resident who verbally assaulted them for taking his space.

They had done nothing wrong, but Nixon apologized. Two days later, the same man came to a neighborhood meeting. He spent an hour with Nixon, sharing his hopes and dreams for the neighborhood’s evolution. For Nixon, it was as if nothing had happened. “She still treated him as if he was as important as everyone else,” Benton says. “It was incredible to watch.”

FINDING COMMON THREADS IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY As project manager of a $4.3 million grant from the Lilly Endowment in 2018 to the John Boner Neighborhood Centers and its community partners, Nixon’s job is to help “set the table” for East 10th Street as one of Indy’s next great places for arts and culture. Getting to that involves diplomacy, deep listening, and respect for the disparate voices among the neighborhood’s 30,000 residents.

It’s important to the Boner Center to hear as many of those voices as possible. And while the evolution may not satisfy everyone’s hopes, they want to make sure the process affirms people who contribute to the conversation. “I’ve been able to sit back and observe the way Joanna talks with neighbors,” Benton says. “The way she is able to make each neighbor feel valued in this conversation is really exceptional.”

It’s all in a day’s work for Nixon, a former social worker who has, in various capacities, spent the past twenty years helping Indianapolis leverage its urban assets.

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Before starting her own consulting firm in 2010, Nixon was vice president of grantmaking at the Central Indiana Community Foundation, where she doled out grants to deserving artists and organizations. That experience equipped her to advise non-profit clients like the John Boner Neighborhood Centers.

Ask Nixon about her role helping the Boner Center implement the Lilly Endowment grant and she’ll tell you that her job is to build on previous efforts and existing assets. “The creative assets are already here, so we don’t have to move or create them,” Nixon says, referring to the more than 150 artists in various disciplines who call the Eastside home.

“We’re taking a holistic and comprehensive approach to the work, which is coming to fruition as a result of decades of conversation on the resident and non-profit level.”

As examples of previous work, she cites the $1 million grant the National Football League gave to spur neighborhood revitalization—part of the NFL’s tradition of leaving a legacy in each host city to the Super Bowl. And then there’s the neighborhood’s 2015 designation as a Promise Zone, a place where the federal government makes strategic investments in partnership with local leaders. That designation launched a ten-year comprehensive plan to reimagine the community, resulting in new jobs, housing, and other significant investments in the Near Eastside.

“I think Joanna couldn’t do what she is doing now without that work,” Benton says of the numerous partners that have elevated the neighborhood over the past decade. “I also think she’s the next step in that work.”

INFORMED BY TRAVEL AND A PASSION FOR ARTS AND CULTURE Nixon is a self-described cultural tourist who loves traveling. She landed in Indianapolis when her father’s job moved the family here in 1993. Educated at Indiana University, Nixon began her career as a traditional social worker, engaging people on a one-to-one basis. But she soon realized that her real interest was at the macro level, helping people and places flourish by focusing on opportunities and system change.

After living in various places as a kid and traveling as an adult, Nixon has a trained eye for cities that make arts and culture part of their DNA—not just an initiative or a program. “The spark of what exists in other places excites me about the possibilities here locally,” Nixon says. “I’ve seen the power art, culture, and creativity have to heal, unite, beautify, and create positive changes in people and places.”

Because Indy is flush with creative talent, she believes the city has an opportunity to be bold in its response to systemic challenges such as housing, quality of life, safety, and other issues. “There is so much creative energy ready to be unlocked,” she says. “As opposed to thinking about artists on the periphery, we should be asking how they are truly woven into the fabric of how we solve problems and think about the future of our city.”

The final bullet—reimagining the Rivoli Theatre—is one of the trickiest parts of the equation because it must be an enduring solution that fits into a larger scheme. “It’s not only about what makes sense for the neighborhood now,” she says. “We need to think creatively about how it could be aligned with what’s relevant in Indianapolis, what’s building over the next twenty-five years, and how it serves a broader community need.”

INJECTING CREATIVE MINDS IN NEIGHBORHOOD SOLUTIONS

It’s too early to say what the Rivoli will be, but neighborhood residents are clear about a few things. “It needs to be able to sustain itself economically so we aren’t having a similar conversation down the road,” Nixon says. “And it needs to be a benefit to the community, not a private entity that isn’t open to the public.”

That’s part of what Nixon hopes to do in the 10 East District.

Since she began her assignment in 2018, she has spent a significant amount of time meeting with artists, residents, and civic leaders, hearing about their passions for the neighborhood. Those conversations reveal themes and provide a road map for the work she is doing now. “How do you take what you’re hearing and implement people’s wishes? I think this is incredibly fascinating work,” she says.

Nixon admires the neighborhood’s tight-knit vibe, determination, and humility, as well as the many community partners that have invested in social services and programs. Despite the economic hardships it faced after the manufacturing sector declined, “There’s a resiliency and a commitment to place,” she says. “People think of themselves as a family who are determined to make it a vibrant place. It’s just an area that hasn’t received a lot of positive attention or love.”

Among Nixon’s top priorities are: •

Decreasing vacant buildings by transforming them into usable spaces.

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Increasing vibrant public spaces for residents to enjoy.

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Improving opportunities for artists.

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Increasing public access to the arts.

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Reimagining the historic Rivoli Theatre as a valuable community asset.

One of her ideas takes shape this year through the inaugural 10 East Arts Hub Curatorial Fellowships, according to Benton. The fellowships originated through Nixon’s research, which revealed that people of color are less likely to be tapped for curatorial opportunities. “We were looking for ways we could improve that statistic on the Near Eastside, as well as help with programming,” Benton says.

WE N E E D TO TH I N K CREATIVE LY ABOUT HOW IT COU LD B E ALIG N E D WITH WHAT’S RE LEVANT I N I N DIANAPOLIS, WHAT’S BU I LDI NG OVE R TH E N EXT TWE NT Y-FIVE YEARS, AN D HOW IT SE RVES A B ROADE R COM M U N IT Y N E E D.

The Hub awarded three paid fellowships to a total of five artists. Each fellowship presents ten weeks of free arts programming at least twice a week at the 10 East Arts Hub on East 10th Street. Ess McKee begins her fellowship in March. Eduardo Luna and Eve Eggleston are slated for this summer. Micah and Shamira Wilson begin their fellowship this fall.

Each $7,500 fellowship is augmented by a $6,000 budget to cover expenses such as marketing, materials, food, or fees to pay artists who might collaborate with them on programs. “Joanna was very intentional about making sure the fellows selected would be paid and have ample support for what they are doing,” Benton says.

Nixon’s talents helped the Boner Center overcome a distinct disadvantage in its bid for the 2018 Lilly Endowment grant. On the Near Eastside, there was no existing arts organization comparable to the ones that support other neighborhoods. When the grant opportunity came, the Boner Center knew it was a good fit for the neighborhood, but they needed a clear and convincing arts advocate.

“Joanna, acting in that role, helped us pull together all these different threads our neighbors had been working on for the past decade and make it cohesive and whole,” Benton says. ✂

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An immersive pop and street culture shopping experience.

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MIKE WATSON. SNEAKER CONNOISSEUR. RETAIL TRAILBLAZER. WORDS BY POLINA OSHEROV PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MIKE WATSON + gotSOLE? BOUTIQUE ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER 2007, GOT SOLE? WAS INDY’S FIRST PREMIUM SNEAKER AND STREETWEAR BOUTIQUE, SUPPLYING ITS CUSTOMERS WITH LIMITED EDITION SHOES AND BRAND DROPS. WITH MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS IN THE SNEAKER GAME AND A PERSONAL COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 2,000 PAIRS, OWNER MIKE WATSON, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE DIANA, ENVISIONED CREATING A PHYSICAL HUB FOR THE CITY’S FASHION-FORWARD CROWD, BELIEVING THAT INDIANAPOLIS WAS READY TO EMBRACE THE STREETWEAR MOVEMENT THAT WAS SWEEPING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. WHILE THE STORE CLOSED ITS DOORS AT THE END OF 2019 AFTER AN IMPRESSIVE TWELVE YEAR RUN, WATSON CONTINUES HIS LOVE AFFAIR WITH SNEAKERS THROUGH A NEW POSITION AT CITY GEAR. POLINA OSHEROV: You have been in footwear, and particularly in sneakers, for a very long time. Is that what you envisioned for yourself when you graduated college? And if not, how did you come to get that first job in footwear? What has kept you in it?

MIKE WATSON: I grew up in Savannah, Georgia, and moved to Atlanta after my time in school not really knowing what I wanted to do. To make ends meet, I took a job as a full-time sales associate with Champs Sporting Goods (now Champs Sports). I was always into fashion, sports, and music. Back then, there really wasn’t much of a sneaker culture yet, but it was on its way. Not long after I started, the Air Jordan 1 was released! I was quickly promoted to Assistant Manager and spent the next year and a half learning the business of retail and becoming fascinated with sneakers before being offered the store Manager position at a soon-to-open store. It was during that time

that I became sneaker obsessed after buying a pair of the newly released Air Max 1 and then hunting all over Atlanta when I had to have a pair of the newly released Air Jordan III “Black Cement” shoes because my store didn’t get them. I tracked them down though and still have both pairs to this day! In the years that followed, I managed two more high-volume stores, began building relationships with our Footwear and Apparel Buyers, opened the company’s first store in Detroit and number one volume store in the system—all the while becoming more passionate about sneakers and street fashion. I was then promoted to the corporate office as a footwear associate buyer. After all these years, my passion for sneakers and the culture is still going strong!

PO: What’s been the most interesting or challenging way that the retail culture of sneakers has evolved in the last thirty years?

MW: The internet and social media have allowed realtime information and access to consumers. Trends are now realized as they’re happening and no longer take time to work their way across the globe. Retailer and brand ecommerce sites and apps now dominate the marketplace and have caused a drastic reduction in brick and mortar locations. Brands themselves continue to increase their direct-to-consumer sales, so the scope of competition has expanded beyond competing retailers. Collaborations and non-athlete endorsers now dominate demand and hype, and the growth of the resale marketplace has gotten so out of control that it seems to be the only thing people care about these days.

PO: Do you consider yourself a sneakerhead? If so, how many pairs do you own, and which pair is the “crown jewel?”?

MW: I guess so, but really I see myself more as a sneaker connoisseur. I appreciate the background story and design inspiration. I appreciate the material choices, combinations, and placement. I appreciate the color choices, combinations, and placement. For me, sneakers are wearable pieces of art. A form of selfexpression and an extension of personality. I don’t get sucked in by the hype. I buy what I like and I wear what I buy. I don’t know the exact amount that I own at this point, but it’s still more than 2,000 pairs. It’s hard to say what my “crown jewel” is, but I’d probably go with my unreleased OG Air Jordan XI “Concord” samples from 1995 with #45 on the back along with the unreleased OG Air Jordan XI “Space Jam” samples from 2000 with #45 on the back. Gamechangers!

PO: Most iconic sneaker of all time? Why? MW: Tough question because there are so many classic icons that are still relevant today. Chuck Taylors, Stan Smiths, Superstars, Puma Clydes, Vans Checkerboard Slip-ons, Air Force 1s, Air Jordan III “Black Cement” introducing “Elephant Print.” It comes down to these for me. Number three is the Air Jordan XI “Concord” for pushing the boundaries of design and materials on a performance basketball shoe using a durable nylon mesh upper with patent leather and looking more like a high fashion luxury dress shoe! Number two is the Nike Air Max 1 for introducing the visible air window as a design element to show the actual airbag technology inside the shoe! But number one has to be the Air Jordan 1 “BRED aka Banned.” That shoe shook up the NBA, the sneaker industry, and put the world on 83

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notice. It was done in black and red (no white) so that on court MJ would stand out from all other players who would be wearing white-based shoes, which at the time was a league uniform requirement. The NBA stated that MJ was not allowed to wear that shoe in that color on the court. He did it anyway and the NBA started fining him every time he wore them (Nike paid the fines).

That recognition made more people aware of the shoe and rallied a culture. A “Banned” marketing campaign emerged, MJ’s legend was elevated, a brand was born, and an iconic colorway (black/red aka bred) became the forever bloodline for the Jordan Brand.

PO: Who is your favorite sneaker designer?

MW: I’m old school, so that’s easy. It’s Tinker Hatfield.

Some of the most iconic sneakers of all time were designed by Tinker. Air Max 1, Air Trainer 1, Air Jordan III, Air Jordan XI. The list of Nike and Jordan styles that he designed changed the sneaker industry and inspired a culture of sneakerheads and future sneaker designers.

PO: What prompted you to move forward with opening got SOLE? and what was your vision for it? Do you feel like you achieved what you set out to do?

MW: As a long time sneaker connoisseur, the dream of creating my own shop had been in my head since the mid-to-late nineties. My past jobs had me traveling quite a bit, so I trend-shopped. I would always seek out the more offbeat sneaker and streetwear shops looking for something different. Back in those days, there weren’t that many outside of New York and California, but I would find them and always return home with several pairs of new shoes or some new gear that most people had never seen before. Whenever I’d be out and about I would constantly get asked “Where’d you get those?”

Being in an established corporate position for many years, I never knew when or if I would have a chance to make the dream a reality. Then, during the summer of 2007, an opportunity presented itself for me to either continue in the corporate world or venture out on my own. A few months later, November 1, 2007, got SOLE? was born. My wife Diana and I decided to stay in Indianapolis and open the shop here, although a few major brands wanted us to relocate elsewhere feeling like Indianapolis was not fashion-forward enough to support a sneaker boutique like we had envisioned. It took some time, but we finally convinced those brands to support us in Indianapolis. We wanted people’s first reaction when they walked in to be “Wow, I didn’t know a place like this existed in Indiana!” When designing the shop, we wanted it to have a SoHo meets Melrose Avenue vibe that was laid back and not too fancy that offered brands, products, and a shopping atmosphere not found at a typical corporate mall store. We did hardwood floors and textured burnt orange walls taking inspiration from the game of basketball, a real brick shoe wall, an exposed black ceiling for an unfinished industrial look, a big screen TV, and a leather seating lounge area for a laid back feeling. We would pride ourselves on our customer service and deep knowledge of the sneaker and streetwear culture. We would draw on that knowledge constantly to keep our customers educated about the culture, history, and background of our brands and products. We hoped to cultivate an interactive community for those who shared our passion for sneakers, sneaker culture, fashion, music, and sports. I feel like we did achieve that goal as we’ve been blessed with twelve years of influence, experiences and relationships.

PO: You were one of the first, if not the first, sneaker/ streetwear boutique in Indianapolis. What were the unique challenges and benefits of being a pioneer in this way?

MW: After opening the shop, getting the got SOLE? brand and concept to be understood, recognized, respected, and desired was challenging. Just remaining relevant and profitable in a down economy was difficult.

As a small independent business competing with multi-million dollar mall-based stores, continuing to find exclusive brands and styles that don’t sell to those mainstream stores was an ongoing challenge. Curating unique assortments and introducing new brands to our customers meant educating them about the culture, history, and background stories of those brands. Being able to establish got SOLE? as the cultural hub for the Indy sneaker/streetwear lifestyle community was the most exciting benefit. So many special relationships were developed, and so many people’s first connections or reconnections with each other occurred either inside the shop or as a direct result of us being there. That’s the part we’ll always treasure and miss the most.

PO: got SOLE? had a huge impact on Indy’s streetwear culture. You and Diana are the streetwear OGs who paved the way for a whole generation of brands in this city.

Looking back on the twelve years that the store was open, what advice or encouragement would you offer those who want to carry on what you started?

MW: Support and lift up those individuals, shops, and brands that are trying to make a difference doing their own thing. Be true to who you are and what you stand for. Collaborate and continue to connect people, places, and things within the community that share the same passions.

PO: What are you up to now, and is there another boutique/sneaker/brand project in your future?

MW: No new independent venture for me. The memory of got SOLE? will live on having been part of the fabric of so many lives over the past twelve years. When we closed, I still wanted to continue doing what I loved.

So I started considering companies that shared my passion for sneakers, sneaker culture, fashion, music, and sports. In October, I accepted a corporate position with the HIBBETT/CITY GEAR team. HIBBETT SPORTS has embraced sneaker culture and a toe-to-head philosophy.

CITY GEAR has always been about the culture and the community. I’m excited for the opportunity to have an impact on the company’s future growth as my next chapter begins. ✂

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CREATED to INSPIRE Gary Patterson has never run from adversity, especially with latest creation, WDRFA WORDS BY MIKE GILLIS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WDRFA

Gary Patterson, or GP as most people know him, is my uncle on my father’s side. We’ve been close my entire life, and I can’t remember a time when he wasn’t there for me especially after my father was killed when I was just four year old. Eight years my senior, GP took care of me, mentored me and gave me my first professional opportunities through his store Kreme Twenty-Four. In 2015, we became partners, launching We Don’t Run From Adversity, a lifestyle brand that aims to use clothing to connect people, places, and things. A lot of people have heard of WDRFA, but not a lot of them know GP. I’d like to change that.

Growing up in East Chicago, Indiana, GP was known as an outstanding basketball player. Attending a Catholic high school, the dress code was strict, so individuality became a daily exercise in creativity. While GP always wore new sneakers, to take it a step further, he began using paint, fabrics, and other materials to reconstruct Air Force Ones and Timberland boots so he could sell them.

Fast forward to playing Division I basketball, GP still wanted to be known for his individuality off of the court. Growing up not far from Chicago, the city played an instrumental role and provided inspiration by exposing him early to boutiques like Leaders and offerings from their unique brand list.

In 2007, while finishing his degree at the Kelley School of Business and closing in on the last years of playing collegiate basketball, GP began interning with Mike Watson of got SOLE? Boutique. After nearly three years of working with Watson, GP began conversations with his friend and soon-to-be business partner, Jason White, about expanding on the foundation of culture that got SOLE? created with street wear in Indianapolis. Being behind the scenes and learning about the business from Watson—combined with the classroom knowledge and passion for clothing—it was time to strike out on his own.

“I wanted to have the opportunity to purchase other dope brands in the same city [I lived in] and I didn’t want to have to shop online or go to larger cities to purchase them,” GP says. Wanting to have different offerings in the city, while remaining loyal to got SOLE?, GP and Jason decided to open a men’s clothing boutique that did not offer footwear. GP felt during that time, the way he dressed on a daily basis more mirrored a focus on men’s clothing as opposed to a sneaker driven boutique. At the time in streetwear culture, you would find that people dressed from the shoes up, but both GP and Jason consciously dressed from the neck down—focusing on the clothing and outfits that were interchangeable with any shoe on foot.

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In August of 2011, Kreme Twenty-Four (KTF) opened their doors with a brand list that could compete with many men’s contemporary stores in the Midwest. Understanding that they were opening a niche store, they looked for up and coming areas that were not far off the beaten path. South Broad Ripple on 49th Street and College Avenue served as the backdrop for KTF. With a strong vision, solid opening brand list, and a unique setup (bikes hanging from the ceiling as well as custom woodwork displays), GP and Jason were ready to show Indianapolis that not all premium brands had to be purchased at Nordstrom or Saks Fifth Avenue.

“When we opened, no one in Indiana had brands like Norse Projects, Nudie Denim, Shwood, HUF, Linus Bikes, Publish, or Stronghold Denim.

We wanted to offer an eclectic group of brands that didn’t all look like each other.” The ability to introduce brands to customers and educate them on things like quality garments and good denim is what fueled their passion. Through consistently building relationships with customers, the shop quickly created a strong core audience. KTF was not just a retail store, it served as a conduit for conversations about clothing, style, music, and various other topics.

GP always knew that basketball was not the only legacy he planned to leave. The path to success, or what he believed to be success, was selfless. His goal was to motivate and inspire the younger generations of his family and show them that there was so much more that life had to offer. For him, it was more than creating a retail store; it was a pivotal point in his life when he could show family and friends that anything was possible. He was just twenty-five-years-old when KTF opened and his goal was to shift people’s mindset about success. He succeeded.

KTF’s tagline “Created to Inspire,” endured even after KTF closed its doors. After KTF, GP rolled everything he’d learned from running the store into launching his own brand. Birthed out of KTF, We Don’t Run From Adversity (WDRFA) was born in 2015, and it’s been a privilege to partner with GP on this new journey. In a world of fading brick and mortar retail, the online based WRDFA offers pop-up events while continuing to curate high quality clothing, foster relationships, and help push culture forward. ✂

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TOMMY DANT. RETAIL RISK-TAKER. CURATOR. STORYTELLER. WORDS BY MARIA DICKMAN

PHOTOGRAPH BY REBECCA SHEHORN

After six years, James Dant, a casual retail concept for men, is now a staple in the Irvington and greater Indianapolis community. We sat down with owner Tommy Dant to talk about what’s changed and where he (and the shop) are headed next.

we thought would be our best year ever. It was a huge step towards personal growth, though, learning that it's not all up. Sometimes you have to see the bigger picture, and we couldn't be where we are three years later without that expansion.

MARIA DICKMAN: You own a casual retail shop for men.

That’s a rare descriptor. What do you think spurred your success where so many others have failed?

MD: Your business has grown a lot since first conception.

What's one thing you wished you knew starting out?

TOMMY DANT: We have what feels like a pretty successful shop at this point, and to this day I don't quite know how we got here. I can look back at the last six years and try to analyze all I want, but the reality is that there are a lot of variables at play; right timing, right place, and right people all make a difference. I think we hit at a time when the market really needed us. We also provide a no-nonsense approach. We love what we do, but we're not pushy. We underpromise and overdeliver by rule. We don't want to seem like we know what we're doing—we actually do know what we're doing because we care and invest time in retail, a long looked down upon industry.

MD: How do you approach risk? What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken? How has it paid off?

TD: To me, risk is another form of a stressor. For some reason, I've always thrived on stress. It's probably why I went grey at fifteen. I approach risk every day. Every single buy for the store is a risk. We manage to mitigate those risks by building relationships with our customers and partners. The biggest risk I've taken was doubling the size of my store. At first, it didn't pay off. We were ready for the space, but the city wasn't ready to double its investment in a men's clothing store overnight. It turned out to be an incredibly disappointing end to what 88

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TD: I think if I could go back to the beginning, I would tell myself to invest more heavily in my own brand.

Knowing which things people are going to latch onto is probably the toughest part. I was so focused on buying the best brands possible, I didn't allow myself to test my own brand and make mistakes. Building that foundation clearly worked out, but I think James Dant might be even further along starting our seventh year of business had I taken a little extra time to develop James Dant product.

MD: You’ve had a lot of success with those collaborations. What are you working on next?

TD: Initially, building collaborations was a product of availability. It had to make sense for where we were as a business. There was no way I could move twenty-five to fifty of one item in the shop just because my name was on it. We had to form partnerships with people who were willing to create less and work with us on pricing to fit our market. It was more about real exposure and cross-marketing to help both of our brands grow, not some fake influencer nonsense. As we've grown, some of those bigger numbers make sense, and we've started to work on some of our bigger picture goals. We have some immense projects coming up with Naked & Famous, Shangri-La, and Peregrine.

MD: A lot of your brand is built on story. As you grow, how do you plan to continue to connect the stories of these products to the customer?

TD: The story is everything for us. Telling people's stories works, not because it's some “magic fairy dust” approach, but because people truly care.

Very few people choose to make products in an oldfashioned or slower way because it makes them more money. They do it out of passion. As we told other people's stories, it became natural to tell our own. The exciting part about the future is our ability to travel to see these brands. It not only gives our customer insight through social media but allows us to sit down with the makers and work on exclusives and collaborations. It truly is a dream scenario.

MD: What’s been the most satisfying part?

TD: Seeing people buy-in. In a throwaway culture with packages delivered to your door in mere hours, people have actually bought into quality products and sustainable manufacturing. They want to be educated. They want to learn. They want to take the product we sell and watch it evolve and age gracefully. We've done something no one thought would work in Indianapolis. It's funny how cyclical things can be in life.

Our in-store presence was our initial model, and we find ourselves thriving in that same model six years later. We're having intriguing conversations and building the strongest bonds with our customers at this very moment in time. ✂

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WORDS BY CAROLYN HADLOCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANETTE BECKMAN

APRIL WALKER ON MISOGYNY, THE START OF STREETWEAR, AND STAYING TRUE TO HERSELF. STYLE BY APRIL WALKER HAIR + GROOMING BY ERIN J. HUNDLEY MAKEUP BY ANNETTE BRAGAS WITH SOPHIE SCHULTZ WARDROBE PROVIDED BY WALKER WEAR

APRIL WALKER IS A BROOKLYN NATIVE WHO CREATED WALKER WEAR, ONE OF THE FIRST HIP HOP URBAN STREETWEAR BRANDS, AT THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE. SHE’S DRESSED AND STYLED THE WHO’S WHO OF O.G. HIP HOP INCLUDING WU-TANG, METHOD MAN, BIGGIE SMALLS, TUPAC, RUN-DMC, AND QUEEN LATIFAH. SHE WAS PART OF THE LARGER REBELLION HAPPENING IN BROOKLYN IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, EARLY NINETIES. HER CONTRIBUTIONS STILL INFLUENCE A GENRE THAT CONTINUES TO THRIVE, EXPAND, AND INFORM CULTURE. “THE SACAGAWEA OF URBAN FASHION” WE ALL LEARNED ABOUT SACAGAWEA WHEN WE STUDIED THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION IN GRADE SCHOOL. BUT WE LIKELY WEREN’T GIVEN THE DETAILS OF HOW PIVOTAL HER ROLE WAS IN THAT MISSION’S SUCCESS. SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER FOR EXPLORATION AND COMMUNICATIONS IN A TOTALLY MALE-DOMINATED ERA. FAST FORWARD ALMOST 200 YEARS TO THE RISE OF HIP HOP AND THE BEGINNING OF APRIL WALKER’S URBAN FASHION BRAND. “I WAS NAVIGATING A SPACE IN A MALE DOMINATED WORLD AND CREATING URBAN FASHION BEFORE IT WAS CALLED STREETWEAR UNDER THE WALKER WEAR BRAND. I INTENTIONALLY DIDN’T PROMOTE THE FACT THAT I WAS A FEMALE DESIGNER. I WANTED THE PRODUCT TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF. ONCE IT REALLY GAINED NOTORIETY AND THE WORLD KNEW ABOUT IT, I STARTED COMING OUT OF MY SHELL.”

THE RISE OF HIP HOP HIP HOP BEGAN IN THE BRONX IN THE SEVENTIES. BY THE LATE EIGHTIES, IT HAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE FIVE BOROUGHS OF NYC, EACH WITH ITS OWN UNIQUE STYLE. ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS WAS BROOKLYN, WHERE ARTISTS USED THE GENRE AS A MICROPHONE FOR THE HARDSHIPS OF DAILY LIVING. “HIP HOP MUSIC WAS LIKE THE CNN OF OUR VOICES AT

THE TIME, 24/7,” APRIL SAYS OF BROOKLYN. “WE WERE COMMUNICATING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. IT WAS THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS, AND IT BEGAN WITH MUSIC BEFORE IT TRANSLATED THROUGH FASHION, FILM, AND ART. IT WAS CONTAGIOUS.” APRIL CREATED WALKER WEAR AS HER WAY TO PERSONALLY EXPRESS WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SHE CREDITS HER EARLY SUCCESS TO BECOMING A PART OF THE MOVEMENT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO EXPLOIT IT. “I WAS ABLE TO TRANSLATE THE FEELING OF THAT INTO FASHION BECAUSE I WAS LIVING IT, AND I FELT IT. IT CAME VERY NATURALLY TO ME AND MY TRIBE.”

HIP HOP BECOMES BIG BUSINESS IN THE LATE NINETIES, APRIL STARTED TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE MASS ADOPTION OF URBAN FASHION. “IT BECAME MORE ABOUT THE BUSINESS THAN THE ART FORM. ONCE CORPORATE AMERICA CAUGHT WIND OF IT AND SAW THEY CAN MAKE MONEY OFF IT, IT DILUTED THE ART AND MADE IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO STAY TRUE TO MYSELF.” THAT BECAME A TIPPING POINT FOR APRIL, AND SHE WOULD TAKE A HIATUS FROM THE FASHION INDUSTRY. “I CHOSE MYSELF. I WAS TAXED AND I WAS TIRED.” SHE OPENED A PET SHOP IN BROOKLYN TO TAKE A BREAK FROM HUMANS.

BIG & METHOD, ABOVE. TODAY, METHOD WEARS THE SAME HOODY, BUT IN A DIFFERENT COLOR. CLIFF "METHOD MAN" SMITH IS FROM THE WORLD WIDE PHENOMENON GROUP WUTANG CLAN BUT IS ALSO AN ACTOR ON A FEW TV SHOWS AND TONS OF MOVIES. APRIL SAYS, "I'VE BEEN DRESSING METHOD SINCE HE FIRST BECAME A SOLO ARTIST AND STYLING HIM AND WUTANG IN WALKER WEAR IN THE 90'S. HE STILL REPRESENTS THE BRAND SO I WANTED TO REALLY REPRESENT CULTURE AS WELL AS PAY HOMAGE TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING WW AS WELL." HERE, METHOD MAN WEARS A MERLOT VINTAGE-INSPIRED SWEATSUIT, EMBROIDERED DETAIL, WITH WALKER WEAR MERLOT/NATURAL YARN STITCHED KNIT HAT WITH GOLD WW ICON EMBLEM. RING BY JOHNNY NELSON JEWELRY.

POISON POSSE

Overtime Larry wears a cream suit like this

YOUNG BIGGIE

NAUGHTY

BY NATURE

Treach from Naughty By Nature backstage at Madison Square Garden wears denim with Walker Wear embroidered logo icon.

RUN DMC

Jam Master Jay wearing the denim.

USHER

wearing one of the Walker Wear suits

“I WAS NAVIGATING A SPACE IN A MALEDOMINATED WORLD AND CREATING URBAN FASHION BEFORE IT WAS CALLED STREETWEAR UNDER THE WALKER WEAR BRAND. I DIDN’T PROMOTE THE FACT THAT I WAS A FEMALE DESIGNER. I WANTED THE PRODUCT TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF. ONCE IT REALLY GAINED NOTORIETY AND THE WORLD KNEW ABOUT IT, I STARTED COMING OUT OF MY SHELL.”

“IT’S ALMOST LIKE A 360 BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE WERE WEARING GUCCI AND FENDI AND NOW I SEE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THEIR BOOK BAGS, CLOTHES, AND BELTS AND I LAUGH BECAUSE THEY THINK THIS IS NEW.”

CLIFF "METHOD MAN" SMITH @METHODMANOFFICIAL

ADREAM PHILLIPS

@ADREAM_PHILLIPS

APRIL WALKER @IAMAPRILWALKER @WALKERWEAR

WALKER WEAR REBORN IN 2006, SHE WAS READY TO GET BACK INTO IT AND STARTED AN URBAN LIFESTYLE CONSULTANCY CALLED THE WALKER GROUP. IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR HER TO BECOME RESTLESS, AND ANXIOUS TO DO HER OWN WORK AGAIN, SO SHE RELAUNCHED THE BRAND. “IT’S ALMOST LIKE A 360 BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE WERE WEARING GUCCI AND FENDI AND NOW I SEE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THEIR BOOK BAGS, CLOTHES, AND BELTS AND I LAUGH BECAUSE THEY THINK THIS IS NEW.” APRIL’S AESTHETIC IS THE SAME TODAY AS IT WAS THEN: BASIC (THOUGH A

LITTLE MORE TAILORED) TIMELESS STAPLE PIECES. THIS TIME AROUND SHE WANTS TO PURSUE COLLABORATIONS AND CONTROL THE NARRATIVE WITH DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER DISTRIBUTION.

MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF STREETWEAR DESIGNERS APRIL WILL BE JOINING A GROUP OF VETERAN STREETWEAR DESIGNERS INCLUDING DON C. OF JUST DON, MICHAEL CHERMAN OF CHINATOWN MARKET, AND SHANEL CAMPBELL OF SHANEL, TO TEACH A COURSE AT PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN CALLED “STREETWEAR ESSENTIALS” WHICH WILL FOCUS ON THE

ORIGINS OF AND THE RISE OF STREETWEAR IN THE LUXURY CATEGORY TODAY. AS A PERSON OF COLOR, SHE STILL SEES SOME CHALLENGES THAT WERE AROUND WHEN SHE GOT HER START. SHE’S DETERMINED TO USE HER VOICE TO PUSH FOR EQUALITY WITHIN FASHION AND TO SHEPHERD YOUNG DESIGNERS TOWARDS SUCCESS. #WALKERGEMS LIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND AS A BOOK TO HELP ALLEVIATE APPREHENSION AND DELIVER ESSENTIAL ADVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE JUST GETTING THEIR START. ✂

CHLOE PAVLECH @OVERTIMECHLOE

LAURENCE MARSACH @OVERTIMELARRY

TAMMY FORD @TAMMYFORDAGENCY

KIRK ROBINSON @MCMILKDEE

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EBE IOUS What's the unifying force between a group of rebels? They‛re all changing the narrative.

And the norms.

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John Stamps WORDS BY KHAILA KING PHOTOGRAPHY BY BROOKE TAYLOR

Twenty-seven-year-old Kevin Hofmeister, better known as Indy-based hip hop artist John Stamps, is far from average. Authenticity, intention, and creativity bleed through every aspect of his work, from his vintage visual aesthetic to his electro melodic sound and vulnerable lyricism.

In his youth, Stamps was heavily influenced by poetry and hip hop music. During high school, he began to perform locally. Traveling in circles of other creatives inspired Stamps to take his music career more seriously, and John Stamps was born.

After performing as an opener for Andy D’s thirtyday tour with other local artists such as Oreo Jones and Sirius Blvck, Stamps realized where his artistry could take him. “We went to New Orleans, Florida, Kansas. We were all over the country,” Stamps says.

“It showed me that this was what I wanted to do for a living. I was sucked into the thrill of it all.”

After being dedicated to his craft over the years, he realized being an artist is more than just the music.

Image and branding is just as important. Being able to travel to Los Angeles often and having photographers in his corner inspired the eye–catching aesthetic behind his brand. He was first introduced to film photography by fellow hip hop artist Oreo Jones, setting the tone for his current visuals.

Stamps admires the endless talent in Indianapolis, with his most memorable performances being from the annual music festival Chreece. “No one is owed anything, especially an artist, when it comes to people caring about what you do. So it’s really good to know that you’re still capable of filling a room and having at least half of them screaming the words.”

However, Stamps also believes every city, including Indianapolis, has room to grow in terms of not letting ego get in the way of unity. You can expect more creative content from John Stamps in the future. @iyamjohnstamps 102

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iyamjohnstamps.com

Annie Zoll WORDS BY TERRI PROCOPIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY FAITH BLACKWELL

When a central Indiana restaurant or bar opens, you’ll often find Annie Zoll working closely with the chefs, owners, and operators of the establishment to create innovatively designed spaces that also maintain a sense of practicality. No stranger to the commercial kitchen and design industry, Zoll is a managing partner for Zesco, a business her father and uncle founded forty-eight years ago.

“I love what I do—being able to serve and support food and beverage businesses,” she says. “This industry is my second family. I get to work with people like my favorite chef, Abbi Merriss of Bluebeard and the soon to open Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie.”

Still, there are challenges as she is one of the few women in a male-dominated industry. “It’s difficult not always having other women to relate to or to be there as a sounding board,” she says. “But I manage to hold my own.”

Zoll has set herself apart from her male counterparts by becoming a tabletop specialist. “I select the beautiful plates and glassware for my clients’ restaurants.

They serve as the supporting role to the star of the show, which is the food the chef prepares.”

Another one of Zoll’s passions is Zesco’s executive sponsorship of The Patachou Foundation, which takes an innovative approach to fighting childhood hunger. “It’s trying to understand what the city is going through and what children need,” she explains.

Being a rebel to her is sometimes having to tackle problems differently and hearing what people have to say. “There are times when you need to stand up and speak up, but other times when you need to approach things from another angle to get the job done. It’s also important to know when to be a leader and just listen.” @anniezoll

“ I love what I do— being able to serve and support food and beverage businesses. This industry is my second family.”

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Sierra Holmes

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WORDS BY KHAILA KING PHOTOGRAPHY BY REAGAN ALLEN

Indianapolis native Sierra Holmes is a digital content creator and stylist dedicated to the promotion of selflove and inclusivity in fashion. Through her online platform and blog Eclectic Kurves, Holmes has been able to build an authentic community of curvy fashionistas who bend society’s definition of beauty.

With an educational background at Marion University in writing and experience in fashion as a stylist, digital content creation emerged as a hobby for Holmes. She consistently built trust with her audience and put out genuine content, having no idea that her creative outlet would expand into a business with a platform reaching more than fourteen thousand followers.

“It's a slow climb,” Holmes says. “People get tempted to do a lot of crazy things to draw followers in that may not be the most engaging or authentic. I've always tried hard to create a space that was very authentic and transparent.”

There is no average day in the life of Holmes. As a wife and mother of two running a business and working full time, it can be challenging finding a balance, which is why she finds inspiration in women who embody what it means to wear many hats as they chase their dreams and look good while doing it.

Being a proud Hoosier, Holmes is grateful for the love and support she has received from the city. However, she still advocates for more inclusion in terms of clothing sizes. “It feels like an afterthought,” Holmes says.“ There are still places I can go in the city where there are rows and rows of boutiques and not a single one that caters to my size. It's unfortunate because there is such a huge population of plus-size women in the city who are ready to spend money on people who value them.”

Holmes has hope that things will change in the future, and you can expect to see her being a part of that change, not just locally, but nationally. @eclectickurves

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WORDS BY JEREMIAH WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARL NELSON

How does a rebel thinker work outside the box, while still playing by the cookie cutter rules? First generation American, Cahmelan Porter, CP to his friends, is trying to figure that out while calling Indianapolis home.

CP has his hands in a couple of projects, including his brand Komafi and his clothing store that calls a shipping container home. He is one to point out that he is not a creative, but a person who creates quality designed garments that he is looking to add to his wardrobe. His motivation for hard work and hustling, is that he wants to contribute to his family and prove that a first generation American can make it. It is not always easy.

There is a long list of creatives who have tried to make their mark in Indianapolis, but for a wide range of reasons, had to abandon their vision of creative impact in a city they love.

CP addresses his frustration as an emerging creative in a growing city, “The barrier of entry for some people is a challenge.” CP lists some of the same challenges that many others have also expressed. Many designers, creatives, and others have shared the same sentiment: It’s hard to get access to programs and resources that are available to other types of small businesses.

Talking with CP, it is clear that he has a passion to commit to Indiana in his creative pursuits. He is a graduate of Wabash college with an economics background and lives in Indianapolis. His passion for building a lifestyle brand in Indianapolis came from an opportunity at Wabash College.

He taught himself the design process as a result of a need to design and create things that he wanted to see.

The problem is that the financial assistance and programs for small businesses are not easily accessible or promoted to the benefit of the diverse creative class of Indianapolis.

But that is not stopping CP, who wants to show that it can be done, and is committed to his vision and focus of building his brand. In the next five years, you can expect to see him continue to grow his brand here in Indianapolis continuing doing what he can to show that the barrier of entry can be broken. CP is not an outlier. Many creative brands over the years have come and gone. Many of those brands could have made a cultural impact to the city as an asset and been enticed if the access to funding and programs were set up with creatives in mind. This is the change that CP is looking forward to.

Cahmelan “CP” Porter @komafi

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komafi.com

Mallory Hodgkin WORDS BY COLIN DULLAGHAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BROOKE TAYLOR

Mallory Hodgkin tells me to look for the “tallish, pale goof in all black, with a hat and glasses.” And sure enough, in she walks, looking right at home in the bustling, stylish atmosphere of Commissary Barber & Barista. This is a great place to grab some coffee or a haircut; maybe not such a great place to try and conduct a quiet-ish interview on this busy morning.

Mallory’s warm smile and friendly voice make it easy to connect with her, though, and we’re soon discussing her art, her fans, her inspirations, and, as the whims of casual conversation would have it, her parents.

“I didn’t hit a lot of resistance with what I do,” she says. “I feel like a lot of artists grow up in families that are like, ‘Ah, art’s not a real job.’ Like, ‘What are you doing? Are you wasting your time?’ But no, my parents were just like, ‘Yeah, that’s great!’”

And it is. Mallory’s art, done largely under the moniker “Stablercake,” is engaging and energizing, with a rare mixture of care and abandon in its composition.

The thing that strikes you first, though, upon viewing it as a collection, has to be the color.

“Sometimes when I look at my colors, I’m like, ‘I just used the whole rainbow,’” she admits. “I guess there’s some things I like to do more in a limited palette, but the saturation on everything is just all the way to the top. No middle sliders.”

As our conversation unfolds, Mallory reveals the process that led her to embracing this style, threading a line that runs all the way back to her days at Savannah College of Art and Design.

“At that time, I always tried to get a handle on what each professor wanted from me. And so if you looked at my portfolio at the end, you’re flipping through and it’s like, none of this makes sense together. Like, I messed up. I geared things toward my authority figures instead of gearing it toward my career.”

@ stablercake

It wasn’t until years later that she fully committed to the personal style reflected in her current work. Her art, and career, truly came into bloom once Mallory realized that “you’re allowed to use blue for things that aren’t blue.”

These days she uses any old color she wants, and keeps busy with a variety of assignments. Her art has been welcomed with particular enthusiasm by the community of furry fandom. It seems a perfect fit, and Mallory appreciates the support. Still, she resists being pigeonholed as a “furry artist.”

“No, I would say I am an artist who happens to work with and be a furry,” she says. “I have a suit.

I do run around as a dog; it’s fine. But that’s not my whole thing.”

She draws inspiration from street art, tattoo art, animation and, oddly enough, Instagram ads about shirts for wrestling leagues. “So many different things inspire me that seem like they wouldn’t,” she observes.

Mallory’s greatest muse, though, is probably her group of fellow convention artists, particularly, “Sleepersharks,” “King Guro,” and Coey Kuhn. Those first two have “real” names too, of course, which leads one to wonder where Mallory ever came up with her own alias, “Stablercake.”

“It’s a stupid story. I was sitting on the couch eating some leftover birthday cake and watching Law and Order SVU. And my favorite character in the show is Stabler. And so I’m talking to a friend and they ask what I’m doing, and of course I said, ‘I’m eatin’ birthday cake and watching Stabler.’ And they said, ‘Two great tastes that taste great together.’”

As for the way forward, Mallory—and/or “Stablercake” —is hesitant to name any particular aspirations. But, like ignoring a professor’s preference or using blue for a non-blue object, that’s perfectly okay.

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Clare Longendyke WORDS BY CRYSTAL HAMMON PHOTOGRAPHY BY ESTHER BOSTON On a recent weekday evening, classical pianist Clare Longendyke lingered around the table at her Indianapolis home, longing to extend a quiet dinner with her partner.

Instead, she offered him an apology and adjourned to her piano for another three hours of practice. On a good week, Longendyke rehearses up to thirty hours, and she hadn’t met her quota that day.

Despite the sacrifice, Longendyke enjoys practicing. She knows it will pay off during her 2019-2020 concert season, which includes performances across the U.S. and abroad.

“When I walk on stage, I’m saying to myself, ‘Thank goodness I practiced all those hours,” she says.

When she isn’t performing as an international soloist, Longendyke serves as director of chamber music and artist in residence at the University of Chicago. Next summer, she’ll add a cosmopolitan stroke to Indy’s music scene—a new music festival that will bring live performances of works by living composers to several Indianapolis venues in August of 2020. In musical terms, the genre is called “new classical.”

Longendyke acquired an appetite for new classical music as a graduate student and Doctor of Music candidate at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. During her graduate studies, she surveyed Bloomington’s new classical music landscape and found it lacking. The ambitious, uberdisciplined artist filled the void by founding the Music in Bloom Festival in May of 2019 with help from administrative director and classical singer Amy Petrongelli.

With a successful first-year run in Bloomington under her belt, Longendyke targeted Indianapolis as an ideal home for the 2020 festival. “I am excited and encouraged by the possibilities Indianapolis offers for unusual new projects,” she says. “There is a diverse tapestry of artistic projects already taking place within the city, but not enough to make it feel supersaturated.”

The festival leverages Indy’s access to venues and to patrons who are willing to support interesting, collaborative projects, as well as the region’s readiness to hear new and contemporary musical performance styles. “The Music in Bloom Festival would be a unique addition to any bustling arts scene, but the Indy community has opened itself to us in such a welcoming and enthusiastic way that I am certain this was the right move,” she says.

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WORDS BY MONICA SALLAY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLIE MCNUTT Rabble Coffee has become a creative-centric staple of Indy’s Near Eastside. The cozy shop serves up more than just scrumptious sips and snacks. It also has a mission to connect people from all walks of life to make an impact together. At the center of this social enterprise stands owner and founder Josie Hunckler, who radiates passion for supporting small business and doing good in the Circle City.

Hunckler took her first job at fifteen years old as a barista in West Lafayette, which led her to swiftly fall in love with crafting the perfect cup of joe—a feeling she still carries to this day.

“Some people get really burnt out because of the repetition, but I find it to be a good, cathartic break from everything else.

Every single drink I make feels like the first one.” Her early experience spurred a lifelong dream to one day open her own coffeeshop, and upon moving to Indianapolis in 2015, her sister offered her the opportunity to pursue this vision by co– signing on a business loan.

Hunckler’s idea was to provide a space to foster creativity and the feeling of family amongst patrons and staff. Today, that mission has flourished. “[It] consistently inspires me to see people growing in relation to one another every single day. Here are all walks of life—I’m talking about a multifaceted community that has old, young, rich, poor, black, white, hispanic, etcetera—not just coexisting, but building together.”

At the start, Hunckler operated as Rabble’s sole employee, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week. The daily grind was more than just that of coffee beans, but grit which carried her through the ups and downs of running a small business. “[It was] a swirl of bad news some days, but then other days would be very magical and straight out of a fairytale.” Eventually, she hired a team of like-minded, progressive individuals who have stuck with her for more than two years. “It’s not just the ‘Josie Show’ anymore. They have the same vision of this place and I hired them because they are like that. They are good people.”

Rabble hosts an array of local initiatives. “We are composting for the community garden all the time. I’ve always featured a monthly artist, and I’ve never taken a cut of their pay. We have a lot of local vendors because I really want to strengthen the local economy and support my other entrepreneurial friends who are badass, amazing people and who put so much love and effort into their work.” In fact, one of Hunckler’s previous employees, Justin Brown, went on to create Hoy Polloy, an art gallery next door to Rabble, of which Hunckler is a founding member.

In the future, Hunckler sees the business continuing to grow and thrive. “Rabble will be there, as strong and beautiful as ever.” Passionate, ethical, and a rebel against being just another coffee shop owner, Hunckler has made her mark as a changemaker poised to continue her positive impact on the Indianapolis arts, culture, and coffee community for many years to come. @rabblecoffee @j.0.z

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WORDS BY SAMANTHA RIPPERGER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL COTTONE

Growing up in Gary, Indiana, Justin Gordon, also known as Gordo, fell in love with fashion, particularly streetwear, during one of his many visits to Chicago. In high school, he and his friends were entranced by brands like Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream, BAPE, and The Hundreds, so it was only a matter of time before Gordo decided to launch his own brand.

Named Streetly, the brand celebrates street culture and wants to unite people around creativity and positive living.

Born in 2013, Streetly was ahead of the curve. At the time, the streetwear landscape in Indianapolis was sparse. Today, a quick scan of the local scene reveals that there are close to one hundred different brands in central Indiana alone.

As an African American entrepreneur, Gordo is keenly aware that the rebellious roots of streetwear and urban street culture can still make some people uncomfortable, especially in the Midwest where the prevailing culture lags behind the coastal cities. But, Streetly’s brightly colored and fun graphics and Gordo’s upbeat personality and can-do attitude breaks down cultural barriers and builds community instead.

He credits The Hundreds approach of “people over product” as being a huge inspiration for his own community-first brand philosophy and wishes that more brands around Indy would adhere to the same approach.

Though the brand came into existence in 2013, it wasn’t until this year that Gordo was able to pursue Streetly full time, with hopes of both expanding the product line and securing a brick and mortar location. He is excited by the untapped potential of Indianapolis as a destination for creatives to thrive. He appreciates that now more than ever, African American fashion entrepreneurs have achieved visibility and success like at no other time in history.

“We have world famous people, like Virgil Abloh and Kanye West, and people closer to home, like Joe Freshgoods and Fat Tiger Workshop in Chicago. Then locally, you see brands like Komafi, Wishful Thinkin’, Nueva, We Don’t Run From Adversity, and others who prove what’s possible. I love that all of us are accomplishing goals which people used to think were unachievable.”

Gordo will be the first to tell you to set your goals high because anything is possible. On the creative side, he’s hoping to collaborate with local and national brands. His long-term vision as his business grows is to help low income families.

He’s always looking for opportunities to better himself, and by extension, his community. He’s not spending a lot of time celebrating his accomplishments.

“To be honest, I don’t celebrate very much because I’m not content,” he says. “When success happens, I move to the next thing and try to top it.”

@streetlygordo

@streetlyhrc

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Alex “AO” Olla WORDS BY CHELSEA ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARL NELSON

For Alex Olla, being a part of Indianapolis streetwear culture has meaning beyond the edgy clothing and bold accessories. Alex, AO to those who know him, is the designer and creator of Wishful Thinkin’ Clothing and co-owner of Cargo Streetwear Boutique in Indianapolis. With a background in advertising and graphic design from Indiana University, AO saw an opportunity to enter the world of streetwear, an industry he was already passionate about. “I started my brand because I was shopping, and the shirts were getting really corny. I just felt like I could do it better. There came a point where I was like, ‘If they can do this, I can do this.’’

From this inspiration, Wishful Thinkin’ Clothing was born.

“Growing up, I couldn’t really dress. My sister and her friends used to make fun of me a lot so that was something I wanted to make sure I eventually conquered. Once I figured out that I could dress myself really well, I started pushing the envelope.” With his design experience, AO began sketching out his ideas and bringing them to life digitally, then in real life. Things began to take off for AO when friends started requesting orders of his designs, inspiring him to start doing pop-ups. From these pop-ups came more successes, driving him and long-time friend and Komafi designer, CP, to team up and create Cargo Streetwear Boutique, a space where the two could share their brands and love for streetwear with the Indianapolis community.

Streetwear style draws inspiration from California surf/skate culture and New York hip hop fashion, a look that Cargo Streetwear Boutique and AO hope will catch on in Indianapolis. Beyond sharing personal designs with the community, AO hopes he and CP are able to educate the public what streetwear is, and brands that exist outside of those that are trending. “We are hoping that the education we are giving catches on, and in return, people start shopping for things that they didn’t know about before they learned about at Cargo.” To do this, AO hopes that the city will continue to back Cargo Streetwear and help cultivate the culture to help reach goals, both long- and short-term. He hopes that, with Cargo Streetwear Boutique, others are able to find a voice and grow, too. “We see people and we are like, ‘Wow you’re so talented. Why are you still here?’ But we shouldn’t ask that anymore.

We should continue to build the city.”

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WORDS BY MONICA SALLAY PHOTOGRAPHY BY ESTHER BOSTON

Raised in a religious home in a rural pocket of Indianapolis, Richard Anderson found himself yearning for someplace where he could escape the rigid times and transport himself to a more accepting and creative world. It was with his vivacious Aunt Vi that he found solace, watching television at her house and joining her on shopping trips to L.S. Ayres. He soon realized the need to explore beyond the farmlands which surrounded him. “It was survival. I wanted to run as far as I possibly could to get away.”

His journey to Jean Paul Gaultier began while he was working in New York City during the height of the AIDS epidemic. As a shy and closeted gay man, Anderson inherently felt the need to be set free from his inhibitions. Gaultier’s boutique called to him as a place where his dreams could finally come to life. “I kept walking by during my lunch hour and never got the nerve to go in. So finally, I held the door open because somebody was going out, and I just darted in.”

Gaultier’s stylings naturally clicked with the out-of-the-box ideals Anderson craved. “I was always the outsider, so all of his designs resonated with me.” The overlap he saw between Gaultier’s men’s and women’s clothing intrigued him. “He was the designer that always caught my eye because of the fluidity in his clothing.

He put the girls in the same thing as the guys, just tailored differently.” With these discoveries, Anderson was hooked and began to develop the wide collection of Gaultier pieces for which he is admired today.

Years later, Anderson returned to Indianapolis to care for his beloved Aunt Vi in her illness. Now living in the ever-progressing Midwestern city where he grew up, Anderson thrives on connecting with others through discussions around his unique Gaultier pieces in everyday places around town. “I get to help them change their perception of menswear. It doesn’t have to be a baseball cap, a t-shirt, and some cargo shorts.” Anderson proves to be more than his upbringing as someone who took hold of the reigns to his life and colored his world to be genuinely his own. He explains, “What is normal? What is the status quo? I happen to have a lot of crayons in my coloring box. It’s a lot of Gaultier. It’s all of these things I like, and I color with them differently because my coloring book has no black outline pictures. I get to create the whole thing.”

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Braydee Eulis

WORDS BY BRYN FOREMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY CALLIE ZIMMERMAN

Indianapolis Contemporary (I/C) is breaking the mold of traditional art museums. The old, blasé, yesteryear idea of a contemporary art museum brings to mind visions of huge, vaulted rooms, silent observation, and awkwardly-placed welcome desks attended by bored college students. I/C is bringing to life a new vision of contemporary art, and I/C’s new director, Braydee Euliss, is ready to welcome everyone into the rebellion’s ranks.

The millennial director is a “fresh thirty-three,” and at the young end of the spectrum amongst museum directors. “More than anything, I think it's a testament to the open-mindedness of the people who are involved, and their recognition that to do this work well—and to make it relevant and engaging for a variety of audiences—requires some innovation and eagerness to experiment. It isn't necessarily determined by a formal background that you would expect of an executive director or CEO,” Euliss explains. We’re sitting in the well-lit, white entryway of I/C’s most recent gallery space, Re: Public.

Re: Public is a space that doubles as I/C’s headquarters and was created in a collaboration with Hoy Polloy only a few blocks away. The inaugural exhibition is a collection of Justin Brown’s mixed-media works, titled Intelligence Countered. In addition to hosting Brown’s work, the gallery is co-curated by both him and fellow artist, Gnat Bowden. Part of what makes I/C so unique is this element of collaboration. According to Braydee Euliss, collaboration is, “an underpinning value to all of the work that we do.”

Perhaps what’s more obvious is the fact that I/C isn’t in just one location; it’s all over the city. “We’re a multi-site exhibition organization. Instead of having one building that’s our primary exhibition space and home, we seek out opportunities to activate otherwise unutilized spaces in a way that is really beneficial for the artist and perceived by audiences as professional.” Re: Public has big, glass garage doors, hinting at the building’s past as an automotive shop. “We have an upcoming show this fall with artist Jono Vaughan. She's based in Seattle and her work will be installed in multiple venues throughout the city for that exhibition. So when we say we're a multisite exhibiting organization, sometimes that means we have one exhibition here and one exhibition there. With Jono’s work, we will have one exhibition at ten to twelve sites throughout the city.”

Another way that I/C is revolutionizing contemporary art patronage is through their publication, Abstract, managed

by Ben and Janneane Blevins, the duo behind PRINTtEXT. The compendium is published digitally eight to ten times per year, but “a more ambitious version is printed twice a year, and that’s a way for us to engage a broader creative community within Indianapolis,” Braydee tells me. Abstract is free, and readers can subscribe to both it and a monthly index of I/C programming on the Indianapolis Contemporary website.

I/C is revolutionizing the way Hoosiers think about and experience art. Like all revolutions, it’s grassroots and starts by embracing everyone and by percolating into the daily lives of everyone it touches. “What I want people to know is that we're supporting what's possible for contemporary art in Indianapolis, and our organization, the board, the staff, the artists, we want to be connected to what's happening here in people's lives. That art experiences are a thing that should be available to you any day of the month, not exclusively First Fridays.”

“ ...to do this work well—and to make it relevant, and engaging for a variety of audiences— requires some innovation and eagerness to experiment.”

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Jess West

WORDS BY NATALIE KOCH PHOTOGRAPHY BY POLINA OSHEROV

A self-taught costume designer with an “I can make anything” attitude, Jess West of Jess West Costumes is a pioneering costume designer in Indianapolis. West’s designs are defined by an admirable level of resourcefulness and an impeccable attention to detail. While West always dreamed of working as a costume designer, without any technical training, she experienced periods of self-doubt. Still yet, West always believed she was born to be a costume designer.

“I was twelve years old when I made my first costume,” West recalls. “It was sixth grade and I wanted to be Poison Ivy [from Batman]. “I remember not knowing what I was doing at all, but it all just came naturally.”

As a kid designing costumes, West needed to find a way to be innovative due to her limited resources. But even with the larger budget she has today, West continues to maintain the same level of ingenuity. “One of my favorite parts is being crafty,” she states. “I still enjoy the hunt for things; it’s kind of like a fun little game. It’s the hunt, the excitement of the process of being creative that’s the best part.”

Over the years, West has refined her design aesthetic by using details to her advantage. In doing so, she has not only created elaborate items, but has also gotten to know herself better as a person and designer. “It’s really hard to know yourself, and know what you like,” says West. “A lot of your younger years, you spend imitating different styles and different fashions. As you get older, you realize the ones that stick are the ones that you love,” West states. “It’s all about details; little things that you like. Details can be in line with originality, and as a costume designer and as an artist, I get to look at details and know what I like and what makes it very ‘Jess,’” she explains.

The guiding principle of Jess West Costumes is “I can make anything,” and this sets West apart from her competitors.

“I’ve yet to find a good tribe that loves to make wedding dresses and monster costumes and can paint,” jokes West. “I find individual niche groups that like to do different aspects, but I do them all.”

Being a self-taught artist, this is especially impressive. West has built a career for herself that’s garnered clients from the New York Yankees to MTV. And now, West is about to embark on a seven-month job with Cirque du Soleil as their wardrobe technician manager. West is elated for this next chapter in her costume design journey, but she feels lucky to have established her business in Indianapolis. “I love that I got to do this here,” states West. “I love that part of my story.”

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WORDS BY TERRI PROCOPIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY ESTHER BOSTON Laura Walters lived in Chicago and LA before returning home to Indianapolis. It was while living in California that she began to consider turning her fashion obsession and hobby of collecting vintage apparel into a full-time business.

“I worked at Anthropologie in LA, taking every shift I could,” she says. “I moved up quickly into more of an assisting role that included window design. Back in Indy, I did a lot of research and aligned myself with everyone I could who was involved in fashion, including Pattern.”

Walters eventually transitioned from a career in marketing to a freelance wardrobe and styling artist, launching her business, The Style Riot.

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It’s the art and design of fashion that is most appealing to Walters, and she works towards elevating the industry across central Indiana. She fears people see fashion as exclusive and is working to change this misconception by promoting it as both inclusive and fun. She advises people to add elements of style to their outfits and be original and authentic, which will help them to feel amazing.

“Don’t be afraid to stand out in your own personal style,” she says. “And don’t look like everyone else. Explore fashion and try something different. Life is too short to worry about people judging you.”

Walters’ personal style is more of a buffet. She doesn’t necessarily follow trends, but instead considers herself a fashion collector who waits for the right piece to say “hi” to her. She wears what she wants on any given day and isn’t afraid of going against the norm.

“I’ll wear an oversized glitter jacket to the grocery store to pick up a rotisserie chicken. Why not? I’m not hurting anyone.” @the_styleriot

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David Norris WORDS BY MARIA DICKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL DZUBAY Designer David Norris and business partner Evan Lutes may just be twenty-years-old, but that hasn’t stopped the Bloomington natives from co-founding and designing Kito, a line of streetwear seen on some of the hottest names in music and entertainment right now. Billie Eilish, Lil Baby, Young Thug, Lil Xan, actress Bella Thorne, and supermodel Winne Harlow (among others) have all been snapped in various sweaters, jackets, bags, accessories, and more from the line. The tie between the Bloomingtonheadquartered brand and these performers is appropriate, as it began with music. “I’m really big into physical music—records, vinyl, CDs, cassettes, record collecting,” Norris said. “The covers influenced how I looked at style and fashion.”

Kito, a translation of the word project in Japanese, has come a long way in the last two years—largely thanks to social media.

Norris first connected with Kylie Jenner’s stylist Ian Connor over the platform; he now uses it to promote new product drops and celebs rocking his clothes.

Kito stands out in the market due to Norris’ innovative way of using texture and technology. “We take textiles and prints and patterns and graphics, and we make unusual items,” Norris said.

“One of our first products was a belt bag that was nylon but had a layer of screenprinting on top that wore off over time. Then, we followed that up with a t-shirt with a flared sleeve that was supposed to create this super androgynous long sleeve. But, our biggest product to date is this heat tech bag we made—we wanted to make a product that adapts to its environment like so many animals and reptiles in nature do. A lot of these ideas were things people said they may not wear, but we’ve stayed true to the unique sense of who we are.”

Kito was a hit prior to the introduction of the heat tech bag (recently joined by an iridescent windbreaker), but the heat tech helped propel it to new levels. A recent collaboration saw them partner with B.B. Simon, pairing their heat sense fabric with his signature Swarovski belt. Up next? A couple top-secret collaborations, as well as a fresh drop of custom Air Force Ones.

“I approach Kito with this philosophy of creating something that is constantly changing and constantly speaking its voice in different ways,” Norris said. “People saying, ‘Oh you can’t do this when you’re from here or here—that always felt wrong to me. It’s all about being yourself—some people find that really interesting and impressive.”

@kitowares

kito.online

“ I approach Kito with this philosophy of creating something that is constantly changing and constantly speaking its voice in different ways.”

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Drew Fox

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“ People are curious of the taproom’s eclectic, sexy, comfy vibe, and other breweries have welcomed us.”

WORDS BY EUAN MAKEPEACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLIE MCNUTT Drew Fox, the founder of 18th Street Brewery—named after the street in Chicago that he lived on when he thought up the idea to open a brewery— realized in the late 2000s that he was tired of making other people rich.

It was on a trip to Belgium that Fox was first exposed to the wealth of possibilities in brewing. Dropping into local bars on the corners of cozy Belgian streets, Fox developed a taste for micro-brewed beers.

It wasn’t only the beer that Fox grew to appreciate in Belgium. Throughout his trip, he observed patrons having deep conversations and saw how communities can be built around beer. Bars were treated as hallowed places for people to connect, share stories, and tell deep secrets. Fox wanted to bring this culture back to the U.S. and to his new home in Gary, Indiana, to apply it in his own right.

While working his day job as a food and beverage manager at a highend hotel, Fox tapped his contacts for insights into the brewing and beer industry. He also took to working nights and weekends at Pipeworks Brewing Co., where he was given the chance to test the limits of brewing.

In 2010, 18th Street Brewery began as a home brewing operation. This gave Fox the freedom to transfer what he had learned at Pipeworks to forge his own path. “It would have been easy to take what I had learned at Pipeworks and copy that for 18th Street.” But, in a competitive market, Fox knew this wouldn’t cut it.

“There are a lot of people in Gary with pipedreams,” Fox will tell you. But it’s a tough market to crack. When he opened the 18th Street Brewery and Taproom in Gary, it was met with skepticism. “There was a vote of no confidence. The community almost wanted us to fail,” he said.

If it wasn’t for Fox’s pure determination and passion for brewing, 18th Street could have fallen by the wayside. Fox recalls tipping out as much beer as he brewed in the early days. He knew that this is what was going to come with developing his distinctive style.

Tasting an 18th Street brew wouldn’t transport you to the cobbled streets of Belgium. 18th Street’s recipes have a distinctive flavor profile and depth, all a result of Fox’s creativity and persistence. It didn’t take long, though, for people to realize that Fox and his team were brewing something special. Only two years after opening its first taproom, 18th Street had already outgrown its five-year projections. As a result, the company expanded, opening its second location—a production, packaging, barrel facility, taproom, and kitchen—in Hammond, Indiana, and has now brought its latest taproom to Indianapolis’ eastside.

To Fox, expanding to Indianapolis was the logical next step. “It’s a growing, progressive city.” But he knew he couldn’t just waltz in. “[Indianapolis] is a tight-knit community. It reminds me of home. People aren’t afraid to call you out if something isn’t right.”

Since opening its doors in February—on East 10th Street on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis—the reception has been wholehearted. “People are curious of the taproom’s eclectic, sexy, comfy vibe, and other breweries have welcomed us.”

Off the back of 18th Street’s successful launch in Indianapolis, Fox isn’t getting ahead of himself. “We don’t know what the future will bring. All we can do is create for the here and now.” Undoubtedly, that will include all the ingredients that has made 18th Street Brewery the award-winner it has been thus far: engaging with the community, collaborating with local businesses and creatives, and producing cutting edge brews.

@overlords44

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St'Artup 317 wants to thank all of our funders & community partners!

development, inc.

Since it launched in 2018, St’Artup 317 has partnered with Indy’s most creative brands and forward-thinking property owners to enhance the city’s street-front real estate. The first two seasons created shopping destinations and vibrancy in otherwise dormant areas. We moved the needle and we have no intention of slowing down.

In the last two years, fifty-two small business owners maximized opportunities, while thousands engaged in the resulting art and commerce. This year, we are thrilled to partner with an additional thirty brands. We believe, now more than ever, in the potential of St’Artup 317 to lead the way in strengthening Indy’s retail sector while simultaneously supporting small business owners. We are so grateful to our funders and community partners for their ongoing support. #IndyCares #IndyKeepsCreating #BuyIndy

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Jane & Marguerite WORDS BY SHAUTA MARSH ILLUSTRATION BY AARON SCAMIHORN 124

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A tale of two women who shared & shaped New Harmony “ Young and Owen both added to the complexity and wonder of this town, still brimming with art, history, architecture, and a strong sense of place. If Indianapolis is the head of the body of Indiana, New Harmony is its soul.”

Starting in the 1940s, Jane Blaffer Owen and Marguerite Young broke unspoken societal rules for women and changed our cultural landscape with their unique work centered on utopia. Both focused on the southern Indiana town of New Harmony, where each lived parts of their lives. And neither took no for an answer.

From the 1940s until her death in 2010, Owen—linked by marriage to the Robert Owen family—envisioned New Harmony’s built environment as a mix of historic Hoosier and ultra-modern buildings. She brought worldrenowned artists and architects and their work to town for its art-based utopian, “Third Experiment.”

The site of the Woodland Indian burial mounds and two communal utopian experiments in the 1800s, New Harmony wielded a legacy of lasting cultural and political influence—not just on Indiana, but on the nation. Built by German religious separatists led by pastor and alchemist George Rapp in 1814, this tidy town was the home of the hard-working (and celibate) Harmonist Society until they sold it in 1825 to Welsh industrialist and social reformer, Robert Owen.

During the nearly seven decades Owen lived in New Harmony, she commissioned several notable works of public art like Jaques Lipchitz’s The Descent of the Holy Spirit and Stephen De Staebler’s Pietá. She didn’t stop there. She moved historic structures preserved and renovated them to their original state down to the paint colors. She infused the town with cultural programming by bringing in well-known writers, dancers, and performers. She shared refined, high quality works and artists, challenging the ideas of what a small town can be.

The Harmonists moved back to Pennsylvania and Owen launched an experiment into a secular, rationalist utopia that allowed its citizens many choices and freedoms, including how much they wanted to work. It turned out most didn’t want to work at all. Two years later, the experiment failed. But the community, under Rapp and Owen alike, made many important contributions to American society. Its prominent citizens during the Owen days included his sons: Robert Dale Owen, a congressman for Indiana who sponsored legislation to create the Smithsonian Institution, and Richard Owen, the Indiana state geologist, Indiana University professor, and the first president of Purdue University.

But after these men, it was two women who propelled the town forward, giving it new meaning and additional international attention. As you drive into New Harmony on Route 66, it looks like many other small, charming Indiana towns. Then, you notice Richard Meijer’s Atheneum in the skyline, looking over the Wabash River.

To the right is Philip Johnson’s Roofless Church bowing into the horizon. These are just two of the buildings that Jane Owen added to the symphony of human experience that is New Harmony.

While a resident of New Harmony, off and on for less than a decade, Young likewise made an impact by sharing the town and its history with the world. Both hilariously critical and loving, Young paints a historic picture of the town in her 1945 work of experimental nonfiction, Angel in the Forest, in a way only a Hoosier could.

“Peculiarities multiplied, perhaps because New Harmony, which was the cradle of two utopias, is literally, if not figuratively, cut off from the outside world and introverted as a nude drunk with memories. It is as if this pocket country were a little planet, whirling far out alone in space. Almost every citizen is aware of New Harmony’s strangeness.” — Angel In the Forest.

High School in Indianapolis, mentoring a teenage Kurt Vonnegut. After writing Angel in the Forest, Young became a fixture in New York as a writing professor and author of two more books—also both about utopia, her life’s obsession.

Young and Owen, both born in the early 1900s, weren’t exactly fans of each other when they crossed paths in the 1940s. But both added to the complexity and wonder of this town, still brimming with art, history, architecture, and a strong sense of place. It remains a town that embodies the human condition. If Indianapolis is the head of the body of Indiana, New Harmony is its soul.

From Oct. 11–13, 2020, the Social Alchemy Symposium in New Harmony will feature performances, tours, séances, and speakers, including Tate Museum curator Cara Courage, Imaginary Cities author Darran Anderson, and Indianapolis sci-fi writer Maurice Broaddus. This exploration into utopia—and some about its opposite, dystopia—will focus on the lenses of storytelling and place. It will also feature a panel about these two badass women, Owen and Young. ✂ Big Car Collaborative, Indiana Humanities, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State Museum, PATTERN Magazine, The New Harmony Project, Historic New Harmony, and others are teaming up to highlight the magic of New Harmony striving for utopia. Learn more about the symposium by visiting www.bigcar.org/utopia.

Cigarette dangling from her lips and standing arms crossed in a crumbling former bar on Tavern Street in New Harmony, Young posed for a portrait to accompany an article in Life Magazine on the release of her book in 1945. Young helped put New Harmony on the map with her powerfully written words. She lived there with her family while writing the novel, working in the crumbling tavern built by the Harmonists. A relative of Brigham, she also worked as an English teacher at Shortridge

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P R I YA @priyashah16 How am I strong?

I am strong because I continuously defy the expectations others have of my possibilities by continuing to pursue my passions. I was born with one hand, and because of this, there was a lot of oppression on my hopes, aspirations, and possibilities. Through this, I built an understanding of what it meant to be resilient and felt passionate about teaching youth who are marginalized or have given up on keeping going for the better. I founded a nonprofit called The Simple Good, which focuses on helping students find the meaning of “the simple good” in their lives through the arts to fuel positive activism in our communities.

Through activating art, hope, and empathy, we enable youth to see their own possibilities and change the world for the better.

How do I define rebel?

A rebel is someone who pursues their truth despite other peoples’ fears.

What gives me strength?

My mother’s powerful life journey has taught me to always explore the world as there is so much out there that you do not know. She also taught me to have the ability to be strong and giving at the same time.

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CHRIS

ANGELIQUE

How am I strong?

I am strong because I choose to be unapologetically myself.

How am I strong?

I am strong in my will to create myself from within, regardless of any expectations society has for me.

Whatever I do in this life, I have the strength to do it while maintaining my character.

@marrs_the_martian

How do I define rebel?

A rebel is an unconventional being who chooses to survive and embrace life on their own terms in order to find happiness and purpose. A rebel also doesn’t let social norms define them or alter their energy.

What gives me strength?

I get strength from belief in the being I am—from love and vulnerability, and from knowing that no human is perfect. We are all fighting our own battles and past traumas, but we also have the power to control the direction of our life by heightening our sense of self.

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@angelique_allen

How do I define rebel?

The key characteristic of a rebel is opposition, and that opposition can be for a good or devious cause.

In any case, a rebel is someone who defies the masses for what they believe in.

What gives me strength?

The people I surround myself with give me all the strength I need. When I feel overwhelmed, I can always turn to my circle. It is motivating to know that even from a distance, they are cheering me on.

JON

MAIA

ERIC

@itsjonbecker

@maiavelli

@ericlueshen

How am I strong?

I am strong because I know that regardless of any hand life deals me, the possibilities to achieve whatever I want are certain and endless.

How am I strong?

I am strong because I’m confident in who I am, and I will never let other peoples’ opinions define who I am or what I do with my life. I will never change who I am—you either like it or you don’t!

How am I strong?

I am strong because I always find a way to bounce back, which has helped me find strength in my vulnerability and use my own life experiences to help lift up others. I always remind myself that there’s no situation I cannot handle.

How do I define rebel?

I define a rebel as someone who goes against the status quo of life. I think that intrinsically as humans we all desire to be rebels by nature; however, fear is often the obstacle that prevents the boldness we need to achieve.

What gives me strength?

The number one thing that gives me strength is God-given vision and the faith to believe.

How do I define rebel?

I define a rebel as someone who is unapologetically themselves regardless of the limitations and expectations that society puts on them.

What gives me strength?

I get my strength through the people I surround myself with, especially my family. My mom raised me on her own and worked three jobs at one point to provide for the two of us. She’s my ultimate inspiration, and I work hard every day to be able to give back to her even a small part of what she’s given me.

How do I define a rebel?

A rebel is someone who fights against social norms to break down stereotypes, stands up for the downtrodden, and uses their own power and privilege to take action to build a better world.

What gives me strength?

I’ve gained my biggest strengths through overcoming major adversities in my life—from my spinal fusion and other debilitating health issues, to achieving my PhD after years of mental and physical struggle. My friends and family constantly give me the strength to continue fighting for a better life for myself and others.

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NECKLACE, STYLIST’S OWN ATHLETIC JACKET, FINISH LINE DRESS, WISHLIST

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SUNGLASSES, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN PANT SUIT, FREE PEOPLE NECKLACES, COACH + VINTAGE SHOULDER BAG, PANAM VINTAGE PLATFORM SHOES, BUFFALO SHOES

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P A T C H

PHOTOGRAPHY, STYLE + HAIR BY LINDA VANG MAKEUP BY MORIAH JUSTIN MODEL OLIVIA ROMANN (INDEPENDENT) FEATURING CLOTHES BY DESIGNER KENG XIONG OF HOUSE OF XIONG + CUSTOM-DESIGNED EYEPATCH ACCESSORIES BY LINDA VANG

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FEATURING STYLES FROM PITAYA + ZODIAC VINTAGE

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DESIGN BY JOHN ILANG-ILANG

HAIR BY CHRISTINA LOCKETT

MODELS: STELLA O. (HELEN WELLS AGENCY), LAUREN N. (LMODELZ MODEL MANAGEMENT)

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAUSS MILLER

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Volume 16 Launch Party Shout out to everyone who stepped out to celebrate our 16th issue! We took over yet another empty office building, filling it with art installations, photography, music, dancers and all kinds of amazing people. The PATTERN team is so proud to get one more opportunity to serve our creative community and the City of Indianapolis. Thank you to our sponsors and community partners for believing in our mission and vision!

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OP-ED

THE REBEL CHECKLIST IF THERE IS A JUST GOD IN THIS WORLD, WE MAY ALL BE DEAD BY coronavirus by the time this should have gone to print. I pulled my eight-yearold son, Roman, out of school early last week to get him a flu shot. This perhaps overreaction was born equally out of having stayed up late smoking too much pot while watching the news, and how the current administration’s shortcomings have played upon my own shortcomings and insecurities as a father. I’m glad I did it though. It felt right in the moment. Trusting our own humane instincts may be the last important act of rebellion we have in a world apparently devoid of angels.

WHEN I OPENED MY FIRST RESTAURANT FIVE YEARS AGO, I DIDN’T DO IT OUT OF SOME SENSE of making the city better, or as a selfless act of nourishing my fellow man. I did it because I was tired of having a boss and being told what to do. I was naive and stubborn enough to borrow lots of money to retain a controlling ownership percentage of my company. To some, this might seem cocky or egotistical. But for me, it was the best way I knew how to set myself up for success. To be free to make mistakes without being reprimanded or fired while learning and growing and painting outside the lines of my own journey was essential. I had no interest in doing something calculated or well-planned. I’ve always hated being told what to do. The irony is that I spent the first fifteen years of my cooking career genuinely believing there was an exact way to do thousands of menial tasks and being willing to fight for that belief. Occasionally, I would purposefully seek out abusive mentors who held a similar belief. But the last five years, I’ve questioned whether there was a right way to do anything, and today, I am confident that the only way something should ever be done (from braising a carrot, to candying a plum, to telling trolls to hold and suck on social media) is whatever way feels honest in the moment.

I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE A PINTEREST BOARD OR INSTAGRAM FEED OF MY LIKES AND LOLS BEHIND as the only proof I existed. I prefer a snail trail of stories,questionable choices, brutal sadnesses, the slug slime of heartbreaking generosity, risks rewarded, missed opportunities, and a life lived that may take longer to understand than the length of an online Indianapolis Star news cycle. Chefs are not artists, and we should not think of ourselves that way. But we do have a responsibility to allow, and even encourage, our lives to bleed out into the bowls. It is about what is left out as much as it is about what is left in. The sweet and the bitter. The inspiration and the void.

WHEN WE GO TO A PARTICULAR RESTAURANT, ART SHOW, CONCERT, OR FASHION ASSEMBLY, WE should not be interested in our expectations being catered to or always leaving traditionally satiated. We should expect a bit more - and we deserve more. I used to work in a restaurant where all the vegetables were precooked in those precious little vacuum sealed bags and to “fire” an order just meant to drop them into a temperaturecontrolled circulating water bath and then joylessly drop them around the plate. There is no place for that silliness anymore. The possibility of breaking the sauce only makes it more sweet. We should be in search of ferocious creativity, creators at war with ourselves. Rebels who believe in a single, however temporary and changing, vision.

Trusting your inner voice will make people think you are insane and acting on what you hear will make them call you a narcissist. Be a holy narcissist. Do not create things that you think people want. They don’t know anyway, and even when they think they do, they are usually wrong. There are plenty of well-rounded marbles spiraling gently down the drain. Be a razor. Sharpen yourself on the hot black leather strop of your own fantasy. There is not enough time left to follow the rules or only tell people what they want to hear. Bet on yourself recklessly, but please be kind and generous along the way.

JON BROOKS A VERY GOOD BAD BOY

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I AM MORE

than my anxiety.

I am Donna.

Anxiety doesn’t control me anymore. My therapist truly listens to me and gives me the tools to manage my health condition every day. At Eskenazi Health, doctors from IU School of Medicine work with some of the best nurses in Central Indiana. They look past my symptoms. And see me. For more information, please visit EskenaziHealth.edu.

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Discover Your

#LOVEINDY Moment

MOMENT #0379

Challenging the conventional definition of “art museum� at Newfields

As an influential resident, you are a top ambassador. Invite friends and family to our city. Share the love, because a thriving city benefits us all.

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For what to see, do, and eat, go to VisitIndy.com

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