SHIFT MAGAZINE Issue 6//Vol. 2

MARCH 2016 VOLUME 2 // ISSUE 6

SHIFT MADNESS

SHEI MAGAZINE’s Digital Mini-Mag

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SHIFT

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MAGAZINE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shannon King CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Pelo

FEATURES EDITOR Lauren Guldan

FASHION EDITORS Mackenzie Kimball Debbie Cheng

DESIGN EDITORS Lexie Johnson Morgan Lovay

PHOTO EDITORS Rachel Beglin Courtney Evans

DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR Regan Anderson DIGITAL FEATURES Alex Rakestraw

DIGITAL FASHION Hannah Wasserman

DIGITAL DESIGN Haley Fox

DIGITAL PHOTO Brady Mathieson

VIDEO EDITOR Christina Oh

PUBLISHER Samantha Zwick EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTS DIRECTOR Kirsten Ho ADVERTISING Kassie Wallace

DISTRIBUTION Amber Lam

FINANCE Colleen Natzke

OUTREACH Maddy Moog

EVENTS Karen Bates

SOCIAL MEDIA Sylvia Sankaran

Our mission is to inform, inspire and engage deeply with the University of Michigan campus community at the intersection of student and professional life within the fashion industry. SHIFT is intended to provide a marketable media platform for students to push the boundaries of what has traditionally been possible within print without compromising the level of quality associated with the SHEI brand.

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L E T T E R F R O M T H E E D I TO R

WE’RE ALL MAD HERE Our March issue dives headfirst into chaos and creativity.

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oth a phenomenon of the changing seasons and a prominent tournament title, madness has long been tied to the month of March. Happily enough, the term March Madness in association with the ever-famous tournament first emerged in a student newspaper – The Illinois High School Athlete – in March of 1939. The coach, editor and author of the original essay writes that when “the March madness is on him” the student “likes his coffee black and his basketball highly spiced”. Don’t we all?

In this issue of SHIFT we explore the eclectic and the illogical, evoking a ‘madness’ akin to Lewis Carroll’s wonderland. From fun, “Mixed Up” kaleidoscopes of pattern and color that usher in spring (p. 14) to the foolish excess of material indulgence (p. 32), the shoots in this issue go mad with textured elements. Defying the laws of nature and rebelling against gravity, “Defiance” (p. 36) explores the physical and illusory associations with madness.

For those of us who have been driven mad this March by forces like spring fever and senioritis, this issue of SHIFT provides a much-needed refresh. For a break from the madness, check out our interview with Ryan Babenzien, founder and CEO of

Greats, whose unusual path to the fashion industry is sure to inspire (p. 6). A good meal spent with good company is another well-known cure for the maddening pace of the season. This issue, we head to Slurping Turtle for a taste and the results are (dare we say it?) mad delicious (p. 10).

As always, we thank you for reading and invite you to

SHEI MAGAZINE’s Digital Mini-Mag

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SHIFT MAGAZINE

SHEI MAGAZINE’S DIGITAL MINI CONTRIBUTORS

FASHION sabrina zayek

camille phaneuf

hannah wasserman blake pittman christine suzuki

jesse adler fatema akhtar

sybil macdonald

audrey klomparens

gilly yerrington bailey jenkins hannah tanau

maggie mcmillan

susie meaney

kennedy clark kryrsten gilmartni simone pierce

mara moldovan

amily yang

aishu chandrakanthan

LITERATURE alex rakestraw

merin mcdevitt

PHOTOGRAPHERS courtney evans tina yu

zoe byun

gwen mckee

olivia gardella

amily yang

shannon maiers

lingene yang

becca rudman

mara moldovan

lori rasmussen

MODELS tinsely stokes jamese kilmead

shahnnon noori

jacqueline slavik

tasha lin louise barnard

SHIFT MAGAZINE is published monthly by SHEI MAGAZINE, 420 MAYNARD ST, ANN ARBOR, MI. SHEI MAGAZINE is a subsidiary of the Office of Student Publications and a registered orginizationat the University of Michigan. COPYRIGHT 2015 by SHEI MAGAZINE. All right reserved by SHEI Magazine.

Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

To place an Ad, please contact Kassie Wallace at advertising@sheimagazine.com

SHEI MAGAZINE OFFICE OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 420 Maynard St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

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IN THIS ISSUE ABOUT THE COVER:

Outside the Box // This shoot was driven by the idea that there’s something powerful lurking in the depths of the human heart.

Sometimes, its good to set it free. What do you defy in your daily life? That rebellious spirit inside of each of us can become a source of strength in the darkest of times and sometimes can help us defy even gravity itself.

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MASTHEAD

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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CONTRIBUTORS

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FASHION & CULTURE

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THE FRUGAL FOODIE: SLURPING TURTLE

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Building Greatness: an Interview with Ryan Babenzien, founder of GREATS Brand shoes.

ALL MIXED UP

Florals and graphics and neon, oh my! Who said mixing prints is passe?

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A NIGHT LIKE THIS:

A look inside NECTO, one of Ann Arbor’s historic nightclubs.

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IVORY TOWER

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IN EXCESS

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DEFIANCE

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Building

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GREATNESS An Interview with Ryan Babenzien, Founder & CEO of GREATS Brand

WRITTEN BY ALEX RAKESTRAW Photo courtesy of GREATS Brand

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R

yan Babenzien never thought he’d make sneakers.

With an Economics degree from Fordham, the founder of footwear brand Greats figured he’d end up doing something conventional but secure. “Honestly, I thought I’d be on Wall Street,” he laughed.

With the global recession looming, traditional jobs were now every bit as precarious as passion pursuits. So, Babenzien decided he’d take a risk. He applied for a job in the entertainment marketing division of German sneaker brand Puma, and before long, had made Global Director. From there, Babenzien would join American tennis brand K-SWISS in a similar role.

While he had achieved great success working with established industry players, Babenzien was frustrated. He grew up immersed in the arts, sports, and style of the American West Coast, a blend of cultural influences he saw absent from the work of the billion-dollar brands. To Babenzien, the idea behind a product is as important as its final form. Simply producing a good shoe makes you a shoemaker; doing it for the right reasons makes a difference.

In 2013, those thoughts took form. That year, Ryan Babenzien started Greats Brand. Their mission: provide the best for the most for the least. Greats is the world’s first sneaker company from Brooklyn, New York, a nod to heritage as much a vision for the future. Brooklyn is the cultural collider that both inspires and enables Greats’ unique approach to sneakers. By selling directto-consumer and forgoing traditional advertising (the brand spent $0 on promotion over its first nine months), Greats can offer its updated takes on iconic silhouettes for a fraction of the price demanded by larger brands. The Greats Royale (a handmade Italian leather low-top sneaker) costs a mere $160, and is made in the same factory as luxury competitors marketed for over $400 per pair. Greats isn’t a good deal; it’s a paradigm shift.

And while the revolution may not be broadcast, it’s safe to say the world has noticed. Greats has been featured everywhere from Complex to The Wall Street Journal, and was recently declared one of Hypebeast’s Top Footwear Brands to Watch.

The GREATS Black Pronto Runner

With a short-list of collaborators that ranges from LVMH Prize finalists (Orley) to style tastemakers (Nick Wooster) to superstar athletes (Marshawn Lynch), what Greats has built extends far beyond making good shoes. SHEI Magazine sat down with Ryan Babenzien this March to talk sneakers, start-ups, and the power of ideas.

Alex Rakestraw (AR): How did you get interested in sneakers?

Ryan Babenzien (RB): I think it goes way back to my childhood.

My father was a high school gym teacher, so sneakers were literally a part of his uniform. I kinda thought that everyone’s dad also had 20 pairs of shoes in their closet (laughs). Years later, I became Head of Entertainment Marketing at Puma, then eventually a Lifestyle Marketing Executive at K-SWISS, but those early experiences are where it started. I wouldn’t consider myself a sneakerhead - I was just into gear. Watches, bicycles, surfboards, things with details. Sneakers were just an extension of that.

AR: Your brother, Brendon, is a pretty well-known figure in streetwear. Did you know you wanted to go into the fashion industry?

RB: You know, not really. No one in my family was in fashion, or even design. It’s not even something we talked about growing up. We just grew up at a time when the crossover of cultures was banging: we surfed, we skated, we rode BMX, but also we listened to rap and played lacrosse. We didn’t niche out our lives. No one talked about their career dreams of working in this industry; it just worked out that way. Brendon was at Supreme for 15 years, but that wasn’t part of some master plan.

AR: Is it fair to call the ideas that built Greats an organic synthesis?

RB: Exactly – I think that’s what makes brands stand the test of time. Being able to pull inspiration from so many different sources and somehow connect the dots between them all, that’s what’s important. You need to understand the reference points: where things come from, why they happened, and how you can translate all of that into an idea in a very precise way.

And that’s art.

Then you’ve got the other side: making the product itself. Of course the stitching matters, but anyone can stitch shoes well.

Building greatness is about merging art with science. It’s about what you do to make someone emotionally connect with what you’ve made that sets you apart. It’s like cooking: if you gave 10 chefs the same 5 ingredients, everyone will make something different. You’ve got to prepare the food well to make it taste good, but that you can practice. The dish that truly stands out is the one with both skills and soul.

AR: If you had to distill all of those ideas into one, what would it be?

RB: After launching the brand on our own principles, we actually found this quote by Charles Eames, who’s one of the most prolific designers in history: “The best, for the most, for the least.” He wanted the best product, for the most amount of people in the world, at the lowest price. That really resonated with us. We’re price-agnostic – no one set out to make a $50 shoe, because it’s just not about retail margins for us. It’s about providing the best price in the category for something with the science and art of all the others. That’s the core of Greats.

AR: How did you choose Brookyln as the place to bring that idea to life?

RB: When [Jon and I] first thought about building this idea, we knew we wanted to put it in New York. Then, we looked at neighborhoods, and we found Williamsburg. Brooklyn has become a global style capitol itself, but then Williamsburg within that is known as the neighborhood of style. We’re constantly trying to pull from all those different inspirations, so being in the stylish part of the style capitol just made sense. We discovered soon after that we’re the only sneaker brand in history to be based out of Brooklyn, New York.

AR: What’s been your proudest moment working on Greats?

RB: Just getting it off the ground, honestly. I have to check myself all the time – people think we’re much bigger, and much older, but Greats has only been “out of beta” for two years.

Thinking of what we’ve been able to accomplish in that time is miraculous. It’s a lot of work to build a start-up and there are constant challenges.

AR: But those challenges are worth it, right?

RB: Absolutely. Building anything good takes time and consistent effort. There’s no off switch, you know? The day you stop trying to improve is the day it all stops. This is my life’s passion, so I don’t have a problem with that.

But if you ever want to build something meaningful, you’ve got to acknowledge that not everything is fun. I love what we make,

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The GREATS Blanco Royale

The GREATS Red Paisley Kent

The GREATS Nimbus Grey Wooster

but not every day is easy. There’s no endzone in this: there’s just constant problem solving, then self-assessment, then more hard work. I’m lucky because I wake up every morning psyched to go to work, even though I know today might be tough. Being able to live a passionate life despite the challenges - that alone makes Greats worth it.

AR: Last question – you have to choose one watch and one pair of shoes to wear for the rest of your life.

What are they?

RB: Oh man. Only one? (laughs) Shoes, the Greats Pronto runner in Black. As for the watch, my Rolex Daytona. You just can’t go wrong with a classic.

WRITTEN BY ALEX RAKESTRAW

STYLING

W H AT T O W E A R : L I F E ’ S A B E A C H

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SLURPING TURTLE P

icture the scene: it’s a gray March day, the kind where cold winds blow and all you want is college basketball and a Snuggie. Then, you walk by Slurping Turtle. The aroma of flavorful ramen wafts out. The restaurant’s warm air beckons you inside. Michigan spring has sprung.

Just kidding. Thanks to global warming (or not), this March often feels closer to the May sun and April showers than the usual chill and gloom. A steaming bowl of ramen is never unwelcome, but with the unseasonable warmth, why not try something a little lighter? With a little “madness” in mind, this month seemed like the perfect time to venture into unknown territory with some adventurous fare at Slurping Turtle.

When Slurping Turtle came to Ann Arbor a few years ago, I was skeptical. Did Ann Arbor really need another noodle restaurant? With local favorites TKWU and Tomukun both within

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100 yards of the Turtle’s door, East Liberty St. might as well be the town’s “Ramen District.” But the Japanese restaurant, the second outpost of Takashi Yagihashi’s popular River North spot in Chicago, manages to bring something entirely new to the crowded restaurant Ann Arbor scene. Its calming, minimalist atmosphere and fun events like last year’s charity “Ramen Battle,” a winner-take-all Iron Chef of Ramen between nationally-famous noodle cooks, quickly drew droves of townies and students alike.

So we know that Slurping Turtle has some obvious strengths: mouthwatering noodle dishes, a cozy-yet-chic city ambiance, and a quirky tone that’s right at home in Ann Arbor. But how is it when you stray off the beaten, into its more unique, offbeat offerings? In the name of scientific curiosity, I set out to explore the non-slurping side of the Slurping Turtle.

My evening started with an order Hamachi Tacos. The

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“If you stick to the big, steamy noodle dishes while you soak in the beautiful restaurant space, you’ll never be disappointed.” - Merin McDivitt tacos feature raw yellowtail marinated in truffle soy sauce and topped with taro root shell, riding on the wave of popularity that’s turning “Asian-Latin fusion” in everyday fare. A vibrant cherry tomato garnish, a few sprouts, and a dash of salmon roe round out each bite. Presented in a nifty little taco stand alongside beautiful Japanese ceramic serving dishes, they look almost too gorgeous to eat (I did anyway). While I could detect small hints of the soy flavoring, and I’m not exactly one of those pigs they send snuffling through the woods in search of precious mushrooms, the yellowtail was low on flavor. The toppings made up for this a bit, and the textural contrast between the fish tartare and the crunchy taco shell was pleasing.

Next came the fried brussel sprouts, an unexpectedly pleasant blend of flavors and textures. “No one should be allowed to call this a vegetable,” photographer Courtney Evans joked, and it’s true — the dish’s deliciousness had more to do with generous use of oil and seasoning than it did with the humble veggie.

Accompanied with a lively dash of soy sauce, not too salty or bland, and topped with a crunchy counterpoint to the creamy brussel sprouts, my first bites were extremely gratifying. However, a good portion of the dish was a little too burnt, covering up some of the flavor.

We wrapped up the evening with their vegetarian bao, a slightly

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sweet blend of veggies that really lives up to the restaurant’s billing as “Japanese comfort food.” Once again, the lightlybreaded eggplant, mushrooms, and jalapeño (accompanied by a luscious spiced miso mustard) skewed the dish towards “fried.”

No one would mistake it for leafy greens and a juice cleanse.

But, served beautifully on another ceramic platter with a crisp, light side of dressed greens, this was a well-balanced dish that would make a perfect light lunch.

The Slurping Turtle offers perhaps the best ambiance in Ann Arbor. If you stick to the big, steamy noodle dishes while you soak in the beautiful restaurant space, you’ll never be disappointed.

However, for the adventurous eater, their non-noodle fare leaves something to be desired when it comes to seasoning. Fortunately, The Slurping Turtle’s strengths far outweigh any weaknesses. In other words: I’ll be back often, whatever the weather.

Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 9/10 WRITTEN BY MERIN MCDIVITT PHOTOS BY COURTNEY EVANS

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Directors Sabrina Zayek Camille Phaneuf Stylists Gilly Yerrington Kennedy Clark Make-Up Artist Sabrina Zayek Photographers Zoe Byun Gwen McKee Model Tinsley Stokes

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SEASON FOR BLOOMING

Kimono from Pitaya

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A

Night

Like

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This with

16 East Liberty is the building of a hundred names: until the early 80’s, The Second Chance rock club occupied the historic two-story space, playing host to everyone from New Order to Bob Seger. Then, as classic became punk, the Second Chance floated the youthful, offbeat spirit of the musicians it hosted and rechristened itself The Nectarine Ballroom in 1984. Crowds flocked from all over Metro Detroit to see megastars like Joan Jett and Iggy Pop bring down the house at “The Nectarine.” As many as 500 people packed into the club to watch The Ramones at their Ann Arbor show.

While playing The Nectarine Ballroom had become a punk rock rite of passage, by 1991, the gritty punk of yesteryear had softened. Tastes had changed, and besides, guitar-based punk had gone commercial. In a dynamic, music-driven college town like Ann Arbor, this was the dawn of a new era. The owners of The Nectarine Ballroom looked to Detroit for inspiration. There, in downtown warehouses, in church basements, they found the new sound.

Detroit, the birthplace of MoTown, is widely considered the origin of the musical sensation known as “techno.” In the late 80’s, techno, not punk rock, was the music of choice for Detroit’s counterculture. What once was screaming guitar was now synths and drum tracks. Nearly two decades later, The Nectarine Ballroom stared down the same choice it had in 1984: evolve, or stop the party. The new space would be a full-blooded dance club. A big bar, open dancefloors, exciting themed events, and a DJ booth big enough to accommodate Detroit’s burgeoning

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talent. All it would share with the old space was two syllables and an address. In 2001, Necto opened its doors.

In the 15 years since, Necto has become one of the Detroit area’s premier electronic music destinations. EDM superstars Deadmau5, Tiesto, and Avicii have all played the same stage that once hosted the Ramones. Music fans from all over the Midwest routinely fill Necto’s 500-person ballroom to hear everyone from Ibiza mainstays to Detroit talent spin tracks five nights a week.

Outside of a packed concert schedule, Necto’s spirit comes alive through the many student events it hosts each semester.

The same zeitgeist that propelled it from punk rock legend to EDM icon – a dynamic, always-changing spirit of the moment – makes the club a popular venue for student groups hosting comprehensive, experience-heavy events. From Ross MBA fundraisers to dance crew competitions, Necto’s open floorplan and emphasis on event planning make it the best choice in town for groups with plans more ambitious than “drink beer in a sports bar.” In the past, SHEI teams have collaborated with Necto to host immersive fashion shows, complete with elevated runways and dramatic light and sound.

For March SHIFT, we sat down with the team behind Necto (Scot, Christine, and Bruno) to talk about their favorite unique events and proudest moments creating the fun behind the Madness WRITTEN BY ALEX RAKESTRAW PHOTOS COURTESY OF NECTO

THIS IS AN ADVERTORIAL

MBGay

Vision: Raise money for charity through a drag fashion show fundraiser, led by Michigan Ross MBA’s. Make the event fun, inclusive, and philanthropic.

Design: Use the club’s stage for a show-length runway. Cover the walls in celebratory, inclusive décor – no rainbow-washing here, just the right colors for the right time. Then, bring in DJ’s to keep the show moving and the crowd entertained.

Result: A purposeful evening that’s as much philanthropy as it is entertainment. For Ross MBA’s, events like this are a great way to bond with classmates outside of a busy work week. When the fundraising doesn’t stop until 2am, it’s a success for everyone.

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Splash Bash

Vision: Collaborate with the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity to throw Welcome Week’s biggest party, every year since 2004.

Design: Cover the club from head-to-toe in painter’s plastic, bring in over 250 gallons of paint, and load up 2 massive paint cannons. Then let it all loose.

Result: A legendary paint party that takes months to plan, weeks to execute, and two days to clean up. The memories of that night? Those last a lifetime.

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Dance2XS

Vision: Turn a historic ballroom into an arena worthy of an 11way dance crew battle, bringing in crews from as far away as LA and Chicago. Leave enough room for their friends.

Design: Dramatic lighting, staging areas, and booths set up like an inner-city nightclub.

Result: A wide-open hardwood dance floor, surrounded by luxurious seating booths draped in red velvet and golden streamers. Professional-quality stage lighting.

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Ivory Tower Directors Simone Pierce Christine Suzuki

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Stylists Sybil MacDonald Maggie McMillan Amily Yang

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Make-Up Artist Tina Yu

Photographers Olivia Gardella Lingene Yang Amily Yang Mara Moldovan

Models Tasha Lin Jamese Kilmead Jacqueline Slavik

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Shoot Director

Aishu Chandrakanthan

Stylists

Audrey Klomparens Susie Meaney

Make-up Artist Tina Yu

Photographers Tina Yu Lori Rasmussen

Model

Louise Barnard

in Excess

HEY BIG SPENDER

Black and gold watches by Micheal Kors, crystal leaf necklace and earring set from J. Crew, pearls from Nordstrom

D E F I A N C E

Shoot Director

Hannah Wasserman

Stylists

Jessie Adler Bailey Jenkins Kryrsten Gilmartni

Stylists

Blake Pittman Fatema Akhtar Hannah Tanau

Make-up Artist Blake Pittman

Photographers Shannon Maiers Becca Rudman

Model

Shannon Noori

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SEE

YOU

NEXT MONTH! MAGAZINE.COM

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