UNCHARTED TERRITORIES
SPARKING CREATIVITY IN THE AGE OF ISOLATION
HILLTOP FASHION AND S T YLE
Fall/Winter 2020
SMU LOOK FALL/WINTER 2020
Inside Front Cover (Ad Space)
DALLAS’ FINEST RETAIL EXPERIENCE
OVER 200 STORES AND RESTAURANTS
Fall/Winter 2020 • 1
WORLD-CLASS ART COLLECTION
MEREDITH WELBORN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR MARY-WESLEY MADDOX SENIOR EDITOR MAGGIE KELLEHER ASSISTANT EDITOR LONI NUNZIATA CREATIVE CO-CREATIVE DIRECTORS RYAN MIKLES, TERRELL KIKIS STYLE EDITOR ISABEL MEADOWS ASSISTANT STYLE EDITOR EMILY ROURKE, LILLY JACH ASSISTANT CREATIVE PRODUCTION CHARLOTTE RYAN MODEL COORDINATOR & HEAD OF MAKEUP ELEANOR BROWN ART ART DIRECTOR SYDNEY HOSBEIN ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR SARAH SCAMBRAY ART TEAM MEREDITH EMBREE, BELLA PINERA, OLIVIA PORSCH DIGITAL DIGITAL DIRECTOR LIZZIE LOFTUS ASSISTANT DIGITAL DIRECTOR MARIA RYAN WRITERS MUSHFEQUR RAHMAN, PRINCESS MATTHEW, CAROLYN HAMMOND, GILLIAN BRESSIE, LYDIA BROOKS, BROOKE BETIK MARKETING MARKETING DIRECTOR MACKENZIE WRAY SALES & MARKETING MANAGER AMELIA EVANS SALES ASSISTANTS CAROLINE KING, MORGAN GRUWELL, BENNETT HILL, KATE COWLES EVENT COORDINATOR EMMA EAKER EVENT TEAM ANGELINA CHOUCAIR, KATE FOSTER SOCIAL PR DIRECTOR JULES FOX SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER SIENNA WYMBS SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR ISA DUFFY SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT GILLIAN WILLIAMS VIDEO VIDEO EDITOR NICKI JACKSON VIDEO TEAM CAMILLE ENES, ALEXA FIELD, RAINNA LI, RAN DUAN PHOTOGRAPHERS CHASE HALL, KELSEY SWEENEY ADVISING EDITORS CANDACE BARNHILL, JENNY B. DAVIS, LISA GOODSON, MYLES ETHAN LASCITY, JAYNE SUHLER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TONY PEDERSON SMU Look, a student-run magazine at Southern Methodist University, is published by the Division of Journalism in Meadows School of the Arts. SMU Look is dedicated to providing a youthful take on Dallas fashion and living. We strive to inspire and cultivate the standard of style on campus and beyond.
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VOLUMe 5 ISSUe 2
CONTENTs 05 06 10 12 22 23 30 32 FROM HYPE TO HAUTE
TODAY’S TOP TRENDS ARE ROOTED IN OLD SCHOOL HIP-HOP CULTURE.
The re-size revolution MODEL CALLS FOR LARGER SAMPLE SIZE IN RESPONSE TO HARSH EXPECTATIONS.
HOPE COUTURE
THE LUXURY MARKET PREDICTS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR NIMBLE BRANDS.
CLOTHES CALL
INFLUENCERS NEED MORE THAN FOLLOWERS TO SUCCEED AS FASHION DESIGNERS.
GLOW UP
THE PANDEMIC CRACKED THE FOUNDATION OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY, ALLOWING INDIE BRANDS TO SHINE THROUGH.
MASKNE NO MORE
DERMATOLOGIST TIPS TO PREVENT AND TREAT MASK-RELATED ACNE.
CLOSED CURTAINS
SMU’S PERFORMING ARTISTS FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AS THEY LOOK TOWARD ENTERING THE WORKFORCE.
Photographer: Chase Hall ‘21 Model: Kailey Roh ‘24
BINDING PROMISES
Black Top: Market, $540
FASHION MAGAZINES SAY THEY’RE SERIOUS ABOUT ADDRESSING DIVERSITY, BUT WILL THEY TAKE ACTION TO MAKE LASTING CHANGE?
Blue Pants: Market, $250
CONTRIBUTORS
chase Photographer
HALL21
WHat is your dream travel destination?
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE QUARANTINE ACTIVITY?
“I want to go to London and work with people out there. One day, I hopefully won’t have to worry about a mask or social distancing.”
“My favorite quarantine activity was painting. It’s so fun and calming. The best part is seeing the outcome and having something tangible to enjoy forever.”
kelsey Photographer
SWEENEY21 Fall/Winter 2020 • 3
Editor's Letter
I’ve never liked calling the pandemic the “new normal.” When this phrase entered the national conversation in March 2020, I remember thinking, this will never be normal. It has never been more challenging to be a college student: all (virtual) work, hardly any play and a looming fear of sickness hanging over our heads. Nevertheless, this isolated time highlights the importance of human connection. Social media has become our lifeline, allowing us to safely connect and cultivate creativity. Social media has created a space for public discourse about the roots of today’s hottest trends (pg. 5) and major fashion magazines’ delayed responses to the Black Lives Matter movement (pg. 32). Social media has also allowed small beauty companies to shine amid a global pandemic (pg. 22). And models are using social media as a platform to speak out against the fashion industry’s sample sizes (pg. 6). We’ve also learned that the key to success during a pandemic is flexibility. SMU performing artists are finding creative ways to pursue their crafts when live performances are not an option (pg. 30). The success of the luxury fashion industry during COVID-19 is due to its ability to turn on a dime (pg. 10). Change is not my strong suit, and when I became SMU LOOK’s editor-inchief in November 2019, I never dreamed I would have to perform this role primarily through a webcam. Events, in-person meetings and staff parties to celebrate the launch of a new mag had been significant parts of our culture pre-pandemic. There are some staff members whom I’ve still never met in person! While the LOOK team has had to shift in many ways throughout COVID-19, I’m so proud that, against all odds, our team has produced not one, but two, print issues of SMU LOOK. Additionally, we have successfully managed our numerous social media outlets, planned COVID-compliant events and seamlessly continued to build the SMU LOOK brand. Every day, our staff prove to me that we can create something beautiful even in these uncharted times.
Photographer: Kelsey Sweeney
Grace under Pressure
Meredith Welborn Editor-in-Chief
4 • SMU LOOK
From
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Haute to
Today’s top trends are rooted in old school hip-hop culture. By Princess Matthew Illustration by Sarah Scambray
Too often, trends are blindly adopted into wardrobes without the consumer knowing much about where they came from. Often, it’s not easy to pinpoint where a specific design originated, as designers often blend and reinterpret influences and inspirations to create something new. But several of today’s top trends are easy to trace: They are pulled directly from Black designers and hip-hop musicians popular in the “Old School” era of the 1980s and ‘90s. Three such trends are logomania, bucket hats and oversized clothing. Let’s peep the technique:
L ogomania Recent runway collections from Gucci, Louis Vuitton and others have lavished logos onto sweaters, shirts, blazers and more, a design aesthetic known as logomania. While these two houses have a long history of branding accessories — both started over 100 years ago as leather goods purveyors— printing logo after logo onto clothing wasn’t done until a Black designer
named Daniel Day started doing it in his Harlem boutique back in the 1980s. Day, known by the nickname Dapper Dan, covered his custom clothing with European designer logos for some of the biggest names in hip-hop like Eric B. and Rakim and Salt-N- Pepa. When Dapper Dan was prosecuted by Fendi for using its logo without permission, he closed his atelier and faded from mainstream popularity. In 2017, however, Gucci copied one of his signature designs, and the controversy revived interest in Dapper Dan and his designs (and even led to a partnership with Gucci). Today, Dapper Dan’s influence is apparent everywhere, and his designs are celebrated by rap stars and housewives alike.
Bucket Hats Long synonymous with summertime, bucket hats originally began as rain hats made for farmers and fishermen. Recently, however, they’ve been important statement pieces in collections by Dior, Fendi, Kenzo and Valentino. But these couture designers weren’t channeling farmers
— they were harking back to the cool factor that hip hop artists brought to the bucket hat in the 1980s and 1990s. That’s when Black hiphop artists like Big Bank Hank of The Sugarhill Gang and L.L. Cool J began wearing bucket hats as part of their public image.
Oversized Clothing Sweatshirt and sweatpants companies like Madhappy have contributed to today’s boom in baggy clothing. But according to purewow.com, the trend can be traced back to Black rap and hip-hop artists of the 1980s, who wore baggy clothing that had been handed down to them from family members. Both men and women rocked the large look, including Queen Latifa, TLC and Wu-Tang Clan. The trend continued into the 1990s, when pioneering Black designers like Karl Kani and Carl Jones of Cross Colours took this oversized, urban aesthetic to mainstream consumers. But the trend ultimately gave way to more fitted silhouettes, lying dormant until its recent return to relevance.
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Illustrations by Sarah Scambray
The
Re-Size Revolution MODEL CALLS FOR LARGER SAMPLE SIZE IN RESPONSE TO HARSH EXPECTATIONS. By Mary-Wesley Maddox Fashion industry professionals make statements embracing social change and body positivity, yet the high fashion modeling industry remains cutthroat and damaging for many young models. Is an industrywide sample size change the answer to alleviating the intense pressures they face? “I always see girls and think, ‘Oh my God, they’re so much skinnier than me,’ and it’s hard, because you want to fit into all the clothes,” said Michaela McTee, a sophomore at Southern Methodist University who has modeled for five years in the Austin, San Antonio and Dallas areas. “It’s hard to get yourself to be that small to fit in a classic sample size, especially when it’s not one uniform size.” The Instagram page @shitmodelmgmt is dedicated to relating to models like McTee. “We all want to quit. Model exposing the truth,” reads the Instagram bio of the anonymous account, which boasts over 170,000 followers. The account posted its first witty industry commentary on April
7, 2016 and has since promoted numerous projects to advocate for improving the working conditions for high fashion models. The creator behind the account has supported fellow models by making a master list of allegedly abusive photographers and sharing followers’ personal anecdotes of racial discrimination from agencies. In August 2020, the anonymous Instagram user created a Change.org petition calling for the fashion industry to change the sample size to promote a healthier approach to model size. The petition garnered over 16,000 signatures in three weeks. A sample, as the name suggests, is produced primarily to show wholesale buyers what a designer intends to produce, should the buyer want to order the garment for retail sale. Usually, a designer produces a limited number of samples, and those samples are all made in a single size, called a sample size. The current U.S. sample size is between a women’s sizes 0 and 4, reflecting the two ways the samples are intended to be viewed: on a hanger
“High Fashion is an art form, but viewers do not disconnect it from reality.”
6 • SMU LOOK
or on a model. To maintain a physique slim enough to fit into the smallest sample size, modeling agencies often encourage models to diet and exercise to reach and maintain specific measurements. But models and other industry critics say the sample sizes are an extreme goal for many models, and the portrayal of this unachievable standard on the runway and in advertising could be harmful to consumers who strive to achieve the same ultra-thin appearance. Yet the sample size is an established part of the fashion business, and an industry-wide change could disrupt the fast pace of high fashion. “Standard sample sizes exist to make elements of the fashion business easier for designers,” said Jenny B. Davis, professor of practice at SMU who teaches fashion journalism. A longtime editorial fashion stylist, Davis has attended New York Fashion Week every year since 2007 and is the author of the second edition of StyleWise: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Fashion Stylist. “Sample sizes make it easier to cast fashion shows, to make last-minute fashion show lineup changes, to send clothes all over the world for fashion shows and trunk shows and to participate in fashion shoots.” While some models naturally possess the physique to fit into sample sizes, the extreme pressure to maintain this size can take a physical and psychological toll. McTee describes her relationship with food and exercise as healthy, but other models experience restrictive eating behaviors. The @shitmodelmanagement petition cited a poll of 4,481 of its followers. The poll found that 65% of these followers admitted to having an eating disorder “as a direct result of modeling expectations.” Additionally, 84% of 4,019 of the account’s followers said that “at their body’s natural and healthy weight, they have been told that it is too big and they must lose weight in order to work.” The desired look for female high fashion models is very tall and thin, and some fashion designers say clothing looks aesthetically better on this body type. According to a dataset from “Fashion Modelling, Blink Technologies and Imaging Regimes,” an article by Elizabeth Wissinger, the overall trend from 1930 to 2009 shows models’ height going up, with hip and waist measurements going down. McTee says that, in her experience, young models trying to break into competitive cities like New York are favored to be signed if they are over 6 feet tall. Proportionally, preserving a dress size between 0 and 4 at this height is difficult for women to achieve.
“Runway models are starving themselves, basically,” said Catherine Slaughter, member of the Fashion Group International Dallas and former clothing product developer. Slaughter said that consumers may experience negative self image by “trying to look like what these models look like and using them as the standard of what beauty is.” In fashion shows and commercial shoots, there is a contrast between the average size of the consumers and the average size of the women who model the clothes. While the fashion industry has made progress with size inclusivity on the production side, it is not always reflected in the marketing of most brands. The extremely thin body type that is presented through advertising can be harmful for both models and consumers. Cultural sociologist Lise Skov explores how advertising affects consumers in the “Ethics and Industry” section of the Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion entry on West Europe. “The typical response to the allegation that advertising presents extreme images is that fashion and beauty images are not intended to be realistic,” Skov wrote. “They need to present something out of the ordinary to fuel the desire for the products they endorse. In this respect, the models and celebrities that embody these extreme ideals become frontline figures in the controversy over the ethics of fashion images.” High fashion is an art form, but viewers do not disconnect it from reality. Social media apps allow consumers to be advertised to constantly, and the ideal body standard can become ingrained in viewers’ minds. Sample sizes are an integral part of the fashion industry, so it will not change overnight. However, brands are starting to represent different body types in advertising, and accounts like @shitmodelmanagement are giving models a voice to advocate for themselves and urge the industry power players to treat them better. “Models need to be able to speak up and know that they can still get work,” said Davis, “and those in power need to know that they will be held accountable and that their actions will have real and lasting consequences.”
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SEEING
Look out for these laid-back trends this fall and winter.
TWENTY-TWENTY FUNKY FRAMES
Mary Kate and Ashley, who? Vintage, oval sunglasses are an Instagrammer’s best friend. Perfect for a flat lay or a vintage-inspired look, these sunnies are everywhere right now, and they’re not going away anytime soon. We love! — Meredith Welborn Meredith Embree, ‘21
amazon.com, $4.50
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
GREEN WITH ENVY
Neon isn’t the only ‘80s trend recirculating this season: shoulder pads are making an elegant comeback! Giving off a structured and chic look, a top with shoulder pads is perfect for a Zoom conference call or a dinner date. Look to Zadig & Voltaire and Tom Ford for inspiration. — Meredith Welborn
One of the freshest colors for fall is green, and we can’t stop wearing it. Many different shades of green are trending: neon lime, dusty sage and even deep emerald. Incorporate green in small accessories or go for a full monochrome look to embrace the trend! — Mary-Welsey Maddox zara.com, $29.95
WORK HARD, LOUNGE HARDER
Loungewear is the clothinghybrid that we can’t get enough of. This verstile wardrobe staple combines comfort with style, promising to elevate everything from your morning meditation gear to midday grocery-run look. — Loni Nunziata
Issa Duffy, ‘23
8 • SMU LOOK
Caroline King, ‘21
GO FOR GOLD
A pair of gold hoops is a staple in any jewelry collection. For a more modern take on this classic piece, try a thicker pair that isn’t too wide. Style them with a low, slick bun and tapered jeans for that model off-duty look. — Maggie Kelleher Olivia Porsch, ‘24
POCHETTE PANDEMONIUM
prada.com, $775
Channel your inner ‘90s “it” girl with this season’s most popular accessory: small, shoulder bags. From the iconic Dior saddle bag to Prada’s Re-Edition collection, these hands-free bags are everywhere. For an extra throwback, try a laid-back nylon option in a bright color. — Maggie Kelleher
TIE-DIY Everyone has had extra time to try do-it-yourself projects, and at-home tie dye was one of our favorites. Now the trend has made its way into stores on everything from sweatsuits to silk dresses! This bright trend is sure to stick around as the weather gets more gloomy in the fall and winter. — Mary-Wesley Maddox
.c slip
om,
$39
.9 5
MASK ME ANYTHING Keeping yourself and others safe doesn’t have to be boring. Masks are now an essential accessory, so make a statement and flaunt your style. Whether you prefer bold patterns or muted tones, a mask is the best (and safest) way to tie together any outfit! Never lose your mask by adding a fun, attachable chain. — Loni Nunziata
Amelia Evans, ‘22 @the.daily.optimist, $65
Fall/Winter 2020 • 9
HLOUIS ope COUTURE VUITTON serve looks
GUCCI The luxury market predicts a bright future for nimble brands. By Meredith Welborn Illustration by Sarah Scambray
P R A D A givenchy ALEX ANDER MC QUEEN
FENDI Dior HERMES 10 • SMU LOOK
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s stores in Dallas began to reopen this fall, Dareth Douglass found herself face-to-face with the bag of her dreams in the newly renovated Chanel boutique. Douglass, a senior at Southern Methodist University, returned to the store a week later and left with a Chanel shopping bag in hand. “Clothes, bags, accessories— all can have such an impact on your mood and experience,” she said. “It makes us all unique. How we decide to dress is a decision we make every single day.” And for Douglass, her mood that day clearly needed to be buoyed by a new luxury handbag. Like most industries, luxury fashion has taken a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of 2020, Boston Consulting Group projected that the luxury sector would be down between $450 billion to $600 billion worldwide from 2019. But there is hope for the future of luxury. In a survey of more than 100 SMU students, 75% said their desire for luxury goods has either stayed the same or increased since the pandemic began. History supports this return to shopping. In a study conducted by J.P. Morgan following the 2008 recession, the highend retail sector was completely recovered by the middle of 2011, more than two times quicker than low-end retail. While the pandemic may not change the ultimate trajectory of luxury fashion companies, the brands that will thrive post-pandemic are those adapting to the rapidly changing fashion landscape, experts say. What matters in the end is the ability of a luxury fashion brand to appeal to the new generation of shoppers and to integrate a strong digital presence with traditional brick-and-mortar retail while continuing to inspire consumers. “What COVID has done is it’s accelerated the things that were already there,” says Jeffrey Carr, professor and director of New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business Fashion and Luxury Lab. Take Neiman Marcus, for example: Talk of bankruptcy long preceded March 2020, when the pandemic abruptly shut down swaths of the U.S. and global economies. At the same time, the price for a single share of luxury brand conglomerate LVMH was at $97.18 in January,
dropped to $62.51 in March and was back up to $100.38 by mid-September, Carr says. Each generation tends to look to the next generation for what’s trending in fashion, and now Generation Z is beginning to participate in the luxury market, said Thomaï Serdari, Founder of lu xur y brand strateg y f irm BRAND(x)LUX and director of NYU’s Fashion and Luxury MBA program. “There are many more younger consumers who can actually reach this type of aspirational luxury,” she said. “These consumers have a little bit more forward-looking taste than people who are 10 or 15 years older.” While Gen Z only represented about 4% of the luxury market in 2019, according to Boston Consulting Group, companies need to keep an eye on their behaviors, as they heavily influence the Millennials who make up between 32% and 50% of this market. “This younger generation is the most influential generation on Earth right now,” said Daniel Langer, CEO of luxury management firm Équité and Pepperdine University professor of luxury strategy. And Gen Z isn’t letting the pandemic get in between them and the latest fashion trends. While some Gen Zs are opting to shop online these days, some are choosing to take advantage of the semi-exclusive nature of retailers who are open either by appointment only or at a limited capacity, including SMU junior Regan Tyrell. “Neiman’s was doing appointment-only, and you had one of the stylists walk around with you. I had almost the whole store to myself,” she said. “It was so fun.” However, some luxury brands have failed to meet the luxury fashion market where it is today. Often, these brands will say that they have an older target market, and there is no need to target Gen Z. In most cases, they will put their clothes on younger models and expect young people to buy their clothes, but this doesn’t work, Langer said. “These companies often have zero ability to connect with this younger generation,” he said. While this generation may not physically contribute much to the luxury sector now, it is already clear that Gen Z is drawn to aspirational brands. “I regularly will ask my students if they’ve
ever bought anything they couldn’t afford,” said Carr. “Pretty much every single hand will go up.” With the success of companies like Amazon, many consumers have a skewed idea of fashion’s online presence. Consumers “think all retail went online before the pandemic. And that’s just not true. It was growing to billions of dollars, but as a percentage, it was less than 10% still,” said Charles Besio, Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business marketing professor. Now, about 30% of sales happen online. While researchers projected this shift into a more digital-centric shopping experience, it happened six or seven years too early, Langer said. While a quality online shopping experience is becoming vital, what’s more important to Gen Z is a brand’s social media presence. What better way to target this generation than becoming a source of its entertainment? 85% of Gen Zs say they find new brands through social media, according to marketingcharts.com. “I have been shopping online more,” wrote an SMU student in the survey “I have found new websites through doing so.” Luxury brands have lagged behind in terms of digital advancements — many believing that selling their products online cheapens their brand. Or, they believe that a social media presence is not required because the brand name is so strong. But brands are losing competitiveness because they have bad digital presences, Langer said. For a lot of fashion lovers, shopping is not considered a means to an end — it’s an experience. Now more than ever, buying a new pair of shoes or a new bag has kept consumers cheerful through the pandemic. “Online shopping was something I really enjoyed during the pandemic,” SMU sophomore Morgan Gruwell wrote in the survey, “giving me something to look forward to when buying a new item.” Today, the true test of a brand’s strength is its ability to pique curiosity and spark creativit y among consumers. Those that can’t, may find themselves in trouble as the pandemic continues. “The brands that aren’t inspiring customers,” Langer concludes, “will not make it.”
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First Comment HAPPY FRI-YAY!! ready for the weeeekend in this cute romper - shop my new look here http://liketk.it/2Vqjn #liketoknow.it #rails #stellamccartney
First Comment
CLOTHEScall HAPPY FRI-YAY!! ready for the weeeekend in this cute romper - shop my new look here http://liketk.it/2Vqjn #liketoknow.it #rails #stellamccartney
Influencers need more than followers to succeed as fashion designers. By Erika Geisler
A decade ago, it would have been hard to imagine that anyone would take fashion or beauty tips from someone with no real experience in the business. But today, women aren’t opening up magazines to find out what experts say is hot or not, they’re looking at their phones to find out what social media influencers are buying — and they’re buying it, too. The influencer marketing industry is on track to be worth as much as $15 billion by 2022, up from $8 billion in 2019, according to estimates by the research group Business Insider Intelligence. It’s no wonder that fashion influencers, flush with funds and small-screen fame, might want to participate in producing the fashion items they built their businesses commenting on. But these influencers should not be so eager to change careers, say experts. Launching a fashion line could put the value of their brands at risk by angering followers if their designs are not original, or if the clothing is poorly constructed. “We live in the age of cancel culture,” Qianna Smith Bruneteau said, founder of The American Influencer Council, a non-profit membership trade association. Influencers are popular because they endorse trends and original designs. But if their own design efforts are unoriginal and inauthentic, their reputations could suffer. Make a mistake, said Smith Bruneteau, and followers might not be very forgiving: “The risk is often not worth the reward.” It’s not illegal to steal an idea from another designer, said associate professor Jared Schroeder, who teaches communication law at Southern Methodist University. But experts like Smith Bruneteau say that doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences, and today’s customers
12 • SMU LOOK
often have zero tolerance. Danielle Bernstein, founder of the influential We Wore What blog and social media brand, found that out. With 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Bernstein has the perfect platform to design whatever she wants, and the following to support her endeavors. She had some success in 2018 with a swimwear and clothing line, despite criticism that her styles were similar to those of other designers. In July, however, Bernstein was accused on social media of stealing a very specific design from a small brand, and a scandal ensued. Instagram fashion industry watchdog Diet Prada broke the story, posting a side-by-side photo comparing Bernstein’s masks to a design by the brand By Second Wind. The Diet Prada post also included direct messages between Bernstein and By Second Wind where Bernstein solicited the mask in question prior to the launch of her own design. Bernstein denied the allegation on Instagram, explaining that her mask had been in production weeks before she contacted By Second Wind. Although Bernstein had been criticized before, this time Bernstein’s influence has suffered. According to Social Blade, a website that tracks social media statistics and analytics, Bernstein’s weekly average follower gain is usually around 5,000. The week the mask scandal broke, she gained only 404 followers. Bernstein took to her Instagram story with a video message, tearfully telling her followers she had been receiving death threats, and that someone had even shown up at her Montauk house to harass her. Bernstein has since deleted all Instagram posts associated with the face masks. While an influencer can have a great eye for
style, that doesn’t mean they are Raf Simons who can produce a show-stopping collection, say industry watchers. The disconnect between the influencer and the design process often results in low-quality, poorly made clothing. This can damage their credibility as much as allegations of design theft. “More power to them if influencers believe they can cross over into a very difficult, different realm,” said SMU adjunct professor Rosanne Hart, a fashion industry insider and the former fashion editor of Fashion Showcase. “But if the quality and business savvy are not there, back to the Instagram.” This happened to influencer Arielle Charnas. In 2018, she partnered with Nordstrom to release back-to-back collections for the retail store. According to a Vice article published in August 2020, it was the most successful partnership Nordstrom has had, bringing in $4.4 million in a single day. But those single-day earnings don’t tell the whole story of what played out after the glow of the launch faded. Reviews on Nordstrom’s website and reports from Diet Prada detail how shoppers had to buy multiple sizes of the same garment because of the inaccurate sizing scale. Shoppers also repeatedly cited quality issues. As a result, shoppers returned what didn’t fit. Sometimes, they brought back their entire purchase. The takeaway from these examples? Influencers should consider that Instagram success doesn’t equal fashion industr y success. As long as social media influencers believe that their skill at unboxing, TikTok dancing or recreating a red carpet lewk qualifies them to be fashion designers, the buyer should beware.
Dallas is 1,127 miles from the heart of Mexico City, but only minutes away from Gourmet Mexicano cuisine. Setting the bar for Continental Mexico City Cuisine for the last 40 years, Javier’s is not your typical Tex-Mex Restaurant. You will not find tacos or enchiladas here, but you will find some delicios dishes of tenderloin beef, fresh seafood, shrimp, chicken and quail dishes seasoned with traditional spices of Mexico, and influenced by its Spanish heritage. Javier’s will change the way you think of Mexican food. We surround you with a classic colonial sophistication that you will not want to leave behind. And why should you? After dinner enjoy the wonderful ambiance of the famous cigar bar, and select from the large selection of premium cigars, ports, and handcrafted drinks in a sophisticated ambiance that you won’t find anywhere else in Dallas.
4912 Cole Avenue Dallas, Texas 75205
214-521-4211
Fall/Winter 2020 • 13
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Get in touch with your Texas roots with these rustic styles.
Photographer: Chase Hall ‘21 Models: Charlotte Ryan ‘24, Everett Ray ‘22 Location: Lugo Ranch 1349 E Cleveland St, Hutchins, TX Stylists: Ryan Mikles, Terrel Kikis, Lilly Jach, Emily Rourke, Isabel Meadows, Eleanor Brown
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Cowgirl Cassanova Dress: Alice + Olivia, $550 Boots: Justin Boots, Stylist’s Own
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Texas State of Mind On her: Hat: Stylist’s Own Top: Alice + Olivia, $350 Skirt: Alice + Olivia, $895 Boots: Justin Boots, Stylist’s Own On him: Entire Outfit: Model’s Own
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Giddy Up and Go Dress: Alice + Olivia, $550
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Greener Pastures Entire Outfit: Model’s Own
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Made for Walkin’ Hat: Stylist’s Own Shirt: Model’s Own Jeans: Model’s Own, BDG Belt: Model’s Own, Brighton Boots: Amazon, $50
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The 2021 INFINITI QX50 and Sewell’s unmatched customer service. Nothing less than extraordinary.
I N FINIT I
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good looks
Glow Up
The pandemic cracked the foundation of the beauty industry, allowing indie brands to shine through. By Ana Paula Tirado
W
rinkles and fine lines aren’t the only things disappearing in skincare these days. During the darkest days of the COVID19 pandemic, some of the biggest brands in the beauty industry struggled to stock shelves because of product shipment delays. Others were forced to abandon new product development thanks to ingredient shortages and supply chain problems. While the pandemic cracked the foundation of the beauty industry, the situation wasn’t bleak for everyone. These cracks created the perfect opportunity for small-batch, independent brands to break through. These indie brands are on the rise despite the pandemic because of niche marketing, a strong presence on social media and product development. Indie beauty brands have thrived this year because they cater to a specific set of consumers who are driven by brand loyalty to a higher degree than those buying mainstream brands. Small beauty brands with the right messages for the current climate have been able to translate this into financial success, said Ann Magnin, owner of a public relations firm in New York that represents several consumer brands, including indie cosmetics brands. Magnin believes that the pandemic has made consumers realize what is important to them, and they are aligning their purchases with these priorities. Sanara Skincare is one example. Rebekah Jensen founded the company in 2019 because she suffers from psoriasis and wanted to create products that soothed her own skin. Sanara comes from the Spanish word sanará, meaning “you will heal.” That’s what the brand is about, said Jensen, who has found success by transmitting this message to the Latinx community: “I want to speak to Latinas because they haven’t been spoken to in the market, and I want to pay homage to my ancestors using plant-based skincare celebrating indigenous Latin American botanicals.” Jensen said her niche approach to marketing ultimately helped Sanara thrive despite the pandemic. Indie brands have also been able to utilize the power of social media to connect with customers and sell products, despite the country’s new stay-at-home culture. Although the big beauty brands are also present on social media, they’ve traditionally relied on interactions with customers at brick-and-mortar stores for up to 85% of sales, according
22 • SMU LOOK
to a McKinsey & Company industry analysis on how COVID-19 is changing the beauty business. But Magnin said that smaller skincare brands have another advantage over big brands: a unique voice and the flexibility to adjust social media messaging in real time to account for changing situations and customer suggestions. A strong social media presence definitely helped Flaunt Body thrive despite the pandemic. Flaunt Body specializes in skincare for people who identify as nonbinary, and founder and creative director Cameron Alexis Moore said the brand’s formulations consider all skin and skin types, “including sensitive skin and the complexities of transitioning skin concerns of transgender individuals.” Moore said the effects of COVID-19 tested the brand’s social media strategy, but it also provided an opportunity to revamp these strategies using realtime customer feedback. This feedback “opened the gate for some great collaborations and relationshipbuilding,” Moore said. “The turn of events helped us find the brand’s heartbeat and effectively align our brand story and content, which has helped us thrive economically in the market.” Product development is another area where smaller brands are succeeding because they have been able to develop and launch new products faster than larger brands. Indie brands are able to produce new products in months rather than the years that big brands often take, said Han Ben-Shabbat, founder of Gen Z Planet, a research firm aimed at providing businesses advice to reach Gen Z consumers and author of the article, Small and Powerful: How Indie Brands Shape the Future of the Beauty Industry. Jensen agreed: “Big brands are part of huge corporations; if the ship is going to turn it takes a long time while smaller brands can innovate in a third of the time.” This agility has helped indie brands thrive this year, and Jensen predicts it will set them up for continued success as the country begins its journey past the pandemic. “As an entrepreneur you turn any negative situation around into a positive,” Jensen said, “because if you don’t, that can be the end of your brand.”
good looks
W Dermatologist Tips to Prevent and Treat Mask-Related Acne. By Maggie Kelleher Illustration by Sarah Scambray
hether we like it or not, masks are now a part of our everyday lives. While they’re critical in reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many have experienced an unexpected side effect: “maskne.” “Wearing a mask has caused persistent pimples around my mouth,” said Mackenzie Zimmerman, a junior at Southern Methodist University. “It makes me not want to go to in-person classes because I know I have to wear my mask for a long period of time.” Allison Jones Stocker, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Skin by Design in San Antonio, TX, has witnessed the effects of mask-related acne firsthand. “The barrier function of the skin can break down with the chaffing of the mask,” said Dr. Stocker. “Especially with all of the stress of COVID-19, it can definitely result in acne.” Data backs up the experiences of many with maskne. In a March 2020 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 97% of respondents reported skin damage related to increased infection prevention measures in a survey of 542 first-line workers. However, there are ways to keep maskne at bay. A good first step is to keep your skin clean by washing it twice a day: in the morning and at night. “People with less sensitive skin types should try glycolic or salicylic acid cleansers or benzoyl peroxide cleansers,” said Dr. Stocker. “Those with more sensitive skin should use gentler cleansers. Foaming and lotion cleansers work well.” Along with cleansing, Dr. Stocker
recommends using a facial moisturizer to maintain the skin’s barrier function beneath the mask’s friction. Moisturizers also help prevent dryness that can sometimes occur with acne-treating medications. “Cerave PM is a great option,” said Dr. Stocker. Dr. Stocker said it’s important to make sure your masks are clean, as well. If you use reusable fabric masks, wash them everyday — it’ll be better for your skin and is in accordance with the recommendations of many health care organizations, according to guidance published by the A merican Academy of Dermatology. Be sure to use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent. Not all masks are created equal when it comes to their effect on our sensitive facial skin. “In our office, we all wear masks from an Israeli company called Sonovia,” said Dr. Stocker. “They have zinc incorporated into the fabric and are washable.” The A merica n Academy of Dermatology also recommends avoiding masks that use synthetic fabrics such as rayon or nylon on the layer that rests against your skin. Masks should fit snug, but comfortably. If mask-related acne does occur, be sure not to pick at it, which can make it worse and cause scarring, said Dr. Stocker. Finally, when in doubt, see a professional. “If you’re really struggling, seek the help of a board-certified dermatologist, because the quicker you get it under control, the better you’ll feel,” said Dr. Stocker. “It takes time for the skin to heal, so it’s always better to seek help sooner rather than wait.”
Fall/Winter 2020 • 23
Me
Time
It’s the season of self care, and these products will have you glowing from the inside out.
1
No More Nude Studded brows, neon eyelids and pops of glitter gained mainstream traction and took over our social feeds as the pandemic wore on thanks to HBO’s hit show Euphoria, which gave us major makeup inspo. If you’re not feeling the neons or glitter, try swapping dark eyeliner for white to give off the illusion of bigger, brighter eyes. — Loni Nunziata
2
Picasso Polish Shake up your usual solid mani with dainty and colorful designs. Right now, we love everything from smiley faces to delicate daisies to eccentric polka-dots. If you’re feeling extra fun, try doing a different design on each nail! — Mary-Welsley Maddox
obsessed Photographer: Kelsey Sweeney ‘21 Models: Michaela McTee ‘23 Stylists: Ryan Mikles, Terrel Kikis, Lilly Jach, Emily Rourke, Isabel Meadows, Makeup: Eleanor Brown Nails: Beautique Nail Lounge 5111 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX
3 24 • SMU LOOK
Eyebrows On Fleek Goodbye microblading and hello laminating! Yep, you heard that right. People across the world are hopping on this hot, new brow trend: eyebrow laminating. The process essentially gives your eyebrows a perm, locking the hair in place and even giving your arch a lift. — Meredith Welborn
4
Claws Out
5
Skin Savior
(Not So) Tough Pill to Swallow
Now more than ever, health is a top priority, and Radiate Wellness is making it easier than ever to get our daily vitamins. Simply apply the cream-based supplements to your wrists and rub them in like lotion. Their revolutionary formula comes in four blends: Vitamin D, Magnesium, Vitamin B and DHEA. — Meredith Welborn
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8
Like everything else, our workouts moved online and at home when the pandemic hit. The sleek and stylish Bala ankle weights are Instagram-approved and add intensity to your home workout. They have been sold out on Amazon for months, but you can grab them from Bandier. — Mary-Welsley Maddox
Radiatewellnessproducts.com, $29.95
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Work (out) From Home
son
6
Summer may be over, but SPF is a year-round necessity. Sun damage is the primary cause of premature aging, especially on your face, neck and hands. If you’re looking to integrate sun protection into your daily routine — which you should —we recommend the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen. It’s a pore-minimizing primer and lightweight sunscreen all in one. — Maggie Kelleher
Dy
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good looks
Hair accessories are back in a big way. The most recent to resurge? Claw clips! These versatile clips are great for several reasons: They’re inexpensive, easy to find and even easier to use! Try a gold metal or tortoiseshell option for a more refined look. — Maggie Kelleher
Fall/Winter 2020 • 25
Photographer: Chase Hall ‘21 Models: Sophie Finie ‘23, Majo Archundia ‘21, Alex Volkov ‘21, Kailey Roh ‘24 Stylists: Ryan Mikles, Terrel Kikis, Lilly Jach, Emily Rourke, Charlotte Ryan, Isabel Meadows, Eleanor Brown
UPTOWNGIRLS Indulge in these over-the-top looks and dress to impress ... yourself.
26 • SMU LOOK
City Lights From Left: Jacket: Alice + Olivia, $395 White Top: Alice + Olivia, $225 Shorts: Alice + Olivia, $225 Dress: Market, $385 Mask: Barode, $2
Fall/Winter 2020 • 27
One of a Kind Dress: Market, $385 Shoes: Model’s Own
28 • SMU LOOK
Room with a View Dress: Alice + Olivia, $1495 Boots: Model’s Own, Essential Antwerp
Fall/Winter 2020 • 29
looking out Haley ‘beth Cain ‘22 Ryan Jaffe ‘24 Ryan Photogrpahed by Hope Spears
By Maggie Kelleher
As the COVID-19 crisis continues, SMU’s performing artists face unique challenges as they look towards entering the workforce.
F
inding a career in the performing arts has never been easy. During a worldwide pandemic, it’s almost impossible. For Southern Methodist University students majoring in the performing arts — theater, dance and music — this means uncertainty and instability as they enter the workforce. Some students even say they are opting for career paths unrelated to their major in the face of such challenging times. Kat Robertson, who graduated from SMU in 2020 with degrees in both dance performance and health and society, has dedicated most of her life to dance. She started dancing at the age of 3. At 15, she joined the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ high school dance program, where she studied ballet for three years. Robertson came to SMU because of its dance program and had plans to move to New York to audition for dance companies and Broadway shows following graduation. Then COVID-19 hit. The audition processes Robertson had already started were halted indefinitely, and Broadway is closed until at least Jan. 3, 2021. “It’s been a huge punch in the face in a way — graduating from a university with a degree in the performing arts, feeling really prepared and having that fire lit underneath me, and then the initial drop off,” said Robertson. “It has been terrifying. I had all of my eggs in the performing arts basket.” As COVID-19-related business closures became more widespread in early March, performing arts communities were some of the first to be hit hard
financially. Being home of the largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation, Dallas has been profoundly impacted. “The arts play a larger role in the overall economy and the good of society,” said Jim Hart, SMU’s Director of Arts Entrepreneurship and an accomplished actor, director, writer and producer. “They are part of a larger creative community, and if they are going to survive, they need financial resources.” According to research conducted by The Arts Community Alliance, Dallas Arts District and Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition, Dallas arts and culture-related COVID-19 losses topped $67 million between March 13, when most major closures were initiated, and July 31. Since then, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued guidelines for reopening performance venues, but with reduced capacity numbers and other restrictions, many have struggled to adapt or have opted to stay closed altogether for the time being. This means that money is short and few, if any, performing arts groups are looking to hire in the near future. “Now, I’m nannying and doing really anything I can,” said Robertson. “I would still like to pursue dance in the future. I’m trying to stay optimistic, but I also have to be realistic.” Hart has seen firsthand the hurdles students have had to overcome as a result of COVID-19. To come out ahead in a global pandemic, students will need to rely on entrepreneurial spirit and think beyond traditional job roles
“It has been terrifying,
I had all my eggs in the performing basket.”
30 • SMU LOOK
looking out and profit models. “Students have to utilize their imagination, which is an inherent asset that they have. It’s one of the greatest skills,” said Hart. “They have to use it not only to create artistic works, but to solve problems, and there are no shortage of problems that we’re facing right now.” Khris Beeson, who graduated in 2020 with degrees in both dance performance and health and society, has done just that. When her professor, Dr. Eric Bing, sent out an email asking if any students were interested in helping him create COVID-19 safety recommendations for SMU Meadows School of the Arts and Dallas Theater Center, Beeson jumped at the opportunity. This landed her a summer internship, an article in The Dallas Morning News and a place in the conversations with some of SMU and the Dallas Theater Center’s biggest decision makers. “It’s allowed me to fulfill my public health aspirations in a way that incorporates the arts,” said Beeson. Some SMU students preparing to graduate this spring are also pivoting. Maddie Mullen, a senior majoring in cello performance, had planned to pursue live performance throughout her undergraduate years. When COVID-19 began limiting the possibilities for live performances, she began to reconsider. “I need to make a living, and I want to make music. The specifics of how I can do that aren’t as important to me. COVID made me realize that recorded music is never going to go away,” said Mullen. “Knowing about sound engineering and music production is more important now than ever, so I’m planning on moving to Nashville to get my master’s in music business.” Adele Carlson, a senior majoring in geophysics and dance with a minor in math, faced a similar dilemma. When COVID-19 hit, her original plans to attend summer dance intensives in New York City, as she has for many years, became unrealistic. Instead, she took an internship with Hale Sports, an athlete performance and health optimization service. Becoming a doctor was always a career goal, she said, but one she had intended to focus on after dance. “It’s definitely made me rethink the timing of everything,” said Carlson. “I do still want to dance professionally, but now I’m thinking about speeding up the timeline of getting all my pre-med classes done and applying to medical schools just in case the arts don’t come back anytime soon.” For dancers in particular, there is a ticking
clock. Rigorous training takes its toll on a dancer’s body, meaning most retire by their late 20s or early 30s. For these dancers, a months- or yearslong pause isn’t just time lost, it’s a large chunk of their performing years taken away. “There is a timeline with my body, and if I’m not able to be in the studio for a couple of years, that affects my chances of getting into a company,” said Carlson. Other types of performers face similarly niche issues when it comes to maintaining COVID-19 safety. For example, woodwind and brass players have to worry about expelling saliva from their instruments, and any scenes depicting intimacy like kissing have had to be cut from plays and musicals. If COVID-19 has made one thing glaringly evident, it’s the dedication these performers have to their craft. When they found out many of their classes would be taking place via Zoom, Carlson and her roommate, another dance major, backed out of living in their sorority house in favor of finding an apartment with a suitable amount of space to turn into a makeshift dance studio, she said. Mullen, too, has converted a room of her apartment into a music studio. While the pressures facing the performing arts industry right now are undeniable, there are some silver linings. For example, Lyon Hamill, a senior majoring in theatre with a specialization in acting, has had the opportunity to continue performing via Zoom. “If you’re not living in New York City, you can still perform with theatres there remotely now,” said Hamill. “It’s a great time for actors to step back and work on the technique of acting instead of focusing on performance.” While the interactions both between performers on stage and between performers and the audience have undoubtedly been changed, there are still ways to enjoy and support the performing arts. “Instagram and YouTube have become major platforms for performers to show their work,” said Beeson. “A lot of it is trial and error right now, but the biggest way you can support artists is by watching what they make and interacting with it.”
Fall/Winter 2020 • 31
!
BINDING promises Fashion magazines say they’re serious about addressing diversity, but will they take action to make meaningful, lasting change? By Sarah Skelton
32 • SMU LOOK
A
merican fashion magazines have come out loud and proud in support of social justice. In print, on social media and across video platforms, these media brands have denounced racism and pledged solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. But such actions are simply theater if executives and other people in power on the magazine mastheads don’t also take action to bring about meaningful, lasting change. “Anyone can say they support Black Lives Matter,” said Karen Thomas, a professor of practice in the journalism division at Southern Methodist University, who teaches a course on women and minorities in the media. But without actions, she said, “it’s just words.” While the support for Black Lives Matter among magazines may be new, the movement dates back to 2013. It was founded in response to the murder of Trayvon Martin, a Black 17-yearold, in Florida and the acquittal of the man who killed him. Celebrities, fashion designers and actors tried to bring attention to the situation and to the issue of racial justice in general, but the issue and the emerging BLM movement wasn’t seriously embraced by those in power. The fashion industry was no exception. In fact, the fashion industry continued on as if nothing happened, said Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row, a prestigious platform for multicultural fashion designers in New York City. In a June 2020 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Daniel said that she’d been talking about race in fashion since 2007, when she started Harlem’s Fashion Row. “I had white people flat out tell me, ‘Brandice, I don’t want to talk about race,’” she said. “In 2013, in terms of Black Lives Matter, the fashion industry didn’t budge.” But 2020 has been different. A spate of videos showing police brutality and killings has sparked a reaction like never before. “Social media made it impossible for people to ignore it because iPhone videos of injustices were trending on Twitter and Instagram,” said Leah Faye Cooper, editorial director at Coveteur, an online media company in New York City. Cooper notes that fashion magazines released messages of solidarity, but she believes this is not enough. Speaking up and speaking out, while important, won’t change the system that perpetuates inequality, she said.
Where to start? How about at the top, with magazines like InStyle , Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue . These are among America’s most powerful consumer fashion media companies, publishing consumer fashion magazines that, because of the size of their circulations, help shape society’s standards of cultural acceptance and beauty. According to Echo Media, InStyle has an average circulation of 1.7 million; Condé Nast reported Vogue ’s global total footprint of 24.9 million monthly readers; and, the Alliance for Audited Media released Harper’s Bazaar total circulation of 714,378. All three have made statements supporting BLM this year, advocating for anti-racism by saying there needs to be change. In fact, all 26 editions of Vogue magazines joined together in September — a first in the brand’s 128-year history — with the unified theme of “hope.” Editorial content across all magazines focused in part on social justice issues, systemic racism and police brutality. While such efforts are important, they are as fleeting as the month the issues spend on the magazine racks. It is time for these three fashion media leaders to show how serious they are about inclusion. They can do this by hiring and promoting more people of color in leadership positions — and retaining them — and by showcasing more Black talent when it comes to photographers, designers and other creatives. The first step is leadership, said Cooper. “Diversity and inclusion needs to be incorporated from top to bottom, and it starts with the staff and who you’re hiring and recruiting,” she said. So far, it seems two of the big three have gotten the message. In July, Harper’s Bazaar hired Samira Nasr as editor-in-chief, the first Black woman to helm the magazine in its 150-year history. American Vogue magazine’s publishing company, Condé Nast , announced in September that Chioma Nnadi, a native of London with a Nigerian and Swiss-German background, was to become the new editor of the magazine’s website. Prior to her promotion, Nnadi had spent six years as the website’s fashion news director. InStyle has yet to name a person of color to an editorial management position. Even if these magazines continue to hire talented editors and other leaders of color, are they willing to do what’s necessary to retain this talent? “Great that more than a third of people
that you hired were people of color last year, or 50 percent, or whatever the stat may be,” said Elizabeth Paton, the International Styles Correspondent at The New York Times in London, England. “But two years later, were they still there, comfortable that this was an environment in which they could thrive? Four years later, were they getting promoted, and as leaders able to contribute to necessary structural changes to operations or workplace culture?” Condé Nast ’s legendary American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour acknowledged that hiring and retention were a problem in a widely circulated email she sent to Vogue staffers in June. “It can’t be easy to be a Black employee at Vogue , and there are too few of you,” she wrote. “I know that it is not enough to say we will do better, but we will — and please know that I value your voices and responses as we move forward.” Editorial isn’t the only aspect of a magazine that is involved in establishing and encouraging diversity. Visuals are equally important. Hiring a Black model for the cover is a high-visibility way for a magazine to show its commitment to diversity, says Cooper. But it’s just as important to feature Black talent behind the camera and as members of the crew, like makeup artists and stylists, she said. “It is a disservice to the readers if the creators of fashion magazines are all the same. There needs to be people at the table who come from different backgrounds and walks of life to produce content that is interesting and inclusive,” said Cooper. In her June email, Wintour acknowledged that the magazine had not supported Black creators like photographers and designers, and she vowed to correct that. InStyle has also been in correction mode. This fall, it made a last-minute decision to reshoot its original September issue cover of the Black actress Zendaya to feature two Black photographers and include pieces from Black designers. One day, Daniel said she hoped it would no longer be necessary to release statements on racial injustices and what’s being done to address diversity and inclusion because diversity and inclusion would simply be business as usual. And, if that’s not happening at a magazine, she said, “we honestly need to not spend a penny or waste any time with it.”
Fall/Winter 2020 • 33
Out of
OFFICE Elevated pantsuits too good to keep on Zoom.
34 • SMU LOOK
Power Pose Blazer: Alice + Olivia, $485 Top: Zara, Stylist’s Own Pants: Alice + Olivia, $330 Shoes: Model’s Own
Photographer: Kelsey Sweeney ‘21 Models: Helena Oseguera ‘21, Natasha Schmid ‘21 Location: SMU Dallas Hall Stylists: Ryan Mikles, Terrel Kikis, Lilly Jach, Emily Rourke, Charlotte Ryan, Isabel Meadows, Eleanor Brown
Fall/Winter 2020 • 35
Tied Up Blazer: Alice + Olivia, $485 Top: Alice + Olivia $275 Pants: Alice + Olivia, $295 Shoes: Model’s Own
36 • SMU LOOK
Mogul Mindset On Left: Blazer: Alice + Olivia, $485 Top: Zara, Stylist’s Own Pants: Alice + Olivia, $330 Shoes: Model’s Own On Right: Blazer: Alice + Olivia, $485 Top: Alice + Olivia $275 Pants: Alice + Olivia, $295 Shoes: Model’s Own
Fall/Winter 2020 • 37
must-know
MUSTANGS Get to know these unique students. By Loni Nunziata
Molly brooklee everett PATRICK HAN RAY SMU Student Body President
HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge, LA MAJORS: Political Science, Public Policy and Economics MINOR: Law and Legal Reasoning STYLE IN 3 WORDS: Chic, Classy, Fun WARDROBE STAPLE: a velvet blazer
S
MU’s Student Body President Molly Patrick is a well-known person on campus. The Louisiana native’s desire to help others through policy led her to the student senate her freshman year, and she’s continued to be a campus leader throughout her college career. Molly has climbed up the ranks, serving as a senator, committee member and student-body vice president. She is also the first woman to serve as SMU’s student body president in 13 years. The triple-major is unsure if politics will be in her future, but she plans to attend law school, with the hopes of one day becoming a judge. But Molly isn’t all business. She’s a member of Delta Gamma and enjoys going to Corepower to get in a good sweat.
38 • SMU LOOK
SMU Senior, and Former Olympic Figure Skater
SMU Senior Basketball Player
HOMETOWN: Irving, TX MAJOR: Finance STYLE IN 3 WORDS: Fun, Serious, Wildcard WARDROBE STAPLE: a good hoodie
E
verett Ray is #24 on the court and on the cover of the SMU LOOK magazine. The basketball player is a well-rounded studentathlete, with no intentions of leaving the Hilltop anytime soon. The Texas native will further his studies through SMU’s Cox School of Business and play one final basketball season with the Mustangs. Everett’s work ethic has resulted in prominent positions on and off the court. He is on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and a member of the highly selective Cox School of Business Alternative Assets Management Program. Within Cox, Everett also works as a Don Jackson, mentoring younger students by conducting mock interviews. Over the past four years, he’s most grateful for the community and experiences this school has shared with him.
HOMETOWN: New England MAJOR: German MINORS: Journalism and European Studies STYLE IN 3 WORDS: I Have None WARDROBE STAPLE: durable classics
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rooklee Han did not have a typical transition from high school to college. Instead of attending office hours and tailgates, she was training for a spot in the 2014 Olympic Games. The 25-year-old figure skater competed internationally for nine years, one of which led her to represent Australia at the Sochi Winter Olympics in Japan. The northeasterner began college in Connecticut, but a training opportunity led her to a new life in Texas. Brooklee took two years off school before enrolling as a full-time student at SMU. The retired figure skater coaches in her spare time and is working towards becoming a figure-skating technical judge. She’s combined her love for skating and journalism to work as a freelancer for skating magazines.
POWERPLAY “In my opinion, it’s kind of like a mini protest to love yourself.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) applies concealer while saying these simple but impactful words. Filmed in one take on a camera propped on her bathroom sink, Ocasio-Cortez’s “Get Ready With Me” August 2020 video for Vogue’s YouTube Channel is a change of pace from the channel’s typical model-actress-influencer-focused content. And the sentiments she shares during her morning routine are even more refreshing. AOC, as she is known, has been a game-changer since she drew national attention by defeating a 10-term incumbent opponent during the 2018 midterm primary elections, later defeating her Republican opponent to cinch her seat in Congress. She’s the youngest woman to ever serve in Congress and one of the first females elected to hold public office as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Ocasio-Cortez’s outspokenness on progressive politics shook up the American political scene from the get-go, with her personality and politics receiving both intense criticism and high praise. AOC’s critics have attacked her for her boldness — she is notorious for making a statement by wearing red lipstick, ignoring her fellow congressmen’s opinions. As a young woman of color who refuses to conform to the norms of her chosen career path, she says that people hold her to a different beauty standard in the world of politics. Doing your makeup and caring about your appearance has become an expectation, rather than a self-confidence booster, for women in American leadership, a problem that AOC sees being exploited by the patriarchy. “If waking up in the morning and doing your makeup gives you life, then that is amazing and you should do it,” said AOC in the Vogue video. “But what we are also seeing all too often is that women who wear makeup… also make more money.” The issue of expected femininity does not stop at the level of national politics either. Current SMU Student Body President Molly Patrick said these same pressures apply to her. “In my position, especially when I’m having meetings with administrators, I feel such a pressure to do my hair and makeup that I’m unsure my male peers feel,” said Patrick. “If I showed up to a meeting without any makeup on, my fear is that I will be perceived as unprofessional or not put together.” Patrick said that when she is in what AOC would refer to as “full glam” for nicer events,
looking out America’s most influential women challenge double standards surrounding fashion and politics. By Brooke Betik Illustration by Sarah Scambray
she is often mistaken for the significant other of a male colleague. Her experience validates the idea that, while our society has made significant progress in empowering women, traditional systems taint our view of females in power. Lexxi Clinton, president of SMU’s Association of Black Students, says that she feels the same pressures as Patrick and AOC. But, she has found power in using her own beauty as a self confidence booster rather than conforming to societal expectations. “Normally, people comment on my hair or have thoughts about if it’s professional or not,” said Clinton. “I think my hair is a part of my femininity and strength, and I wear it proudly because I know I’m different.” Clinton added: “I love a power suit. I love getting dressed for a professional event because clothes can help command a room.” AOC’s shared sentiment in her “Get Ready With Me” video emphasizes that women in politics from the collegiate level to the national level are facing — and defying — these same pressures. “You cannot get your feelings of beauty and confidence from anyone but yourself,” said AOC in the video. “Regardless of your career path or passion, you should get your confidence in your appearance from you, not from a societal expectation to look good.”
Fall/Winter 2020 • 39
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COMPLIMENTARY CAR SERVICE, PERSONAL SHOPPING AND VALET | 47 HIGHLAND PARK VILLAGE | HPVILLAGE.COM
SMU LOOK FALL/WINTER 2020
LANDMARK OPEN-AIR CENTER WITH MORE THAN 60 WORLD CLASS BOUTIQUES AND RESTAURANTS
