LOOK Magazine Winter 2022/2023

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MARIA CHAMMAS

MAGAZINE

MANAGING EDITOR MADDIE CRISP

SENIOR EDITOR CAROLYN HAMMOND ASSISTANT EDITOR DRISHTI SACHDEVA WRITER VALERIA BALTODANO

FASHION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR LILLY JACH ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR BENNETT HILL

FASHION EDITORS ALEX KAPELINA, MICHAELA MCTEE PRODUCTION COORDINATOR MELIA MASUMOTO MODEL COORDINATOR SINCLAIR JELLEME FASHION ASSISTANTS AVA TODD, SARAH BRAUN

ART & DESIGN

ART DIRECTORS OLIVIA PORSCH, CAROLINE SOJA ART TEAM MAUD HOUSE, JUAN SILVA, MADDIE MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR ELLA MCDONALD PHOTOGRAPHERS HELEN TRAN, ABBIE BIEGERT, HALEY REED

MARKETING

MARKETING DIRECTOR MORGAN GRUWELL

SALES DIRECTOR CLEMENTINE MARCOGLIESE MARKETING TEAM KATHARYN MITCHELL, ISABELLE SEARLES, JACQUELINE POTWORA, FRANKI PALMER, ROSHAN GUPTA, AVERY ZOLFAGHARI

EVENT DIRECTOR ANGELINA CHOUCAIR EVENT TEAM COCO BARNES, ELINA BOUGAS DIGITAL PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR MORGAN PERRY CIRCULATION COORDINATOR LUCIE-ANNE BRETON

DIGITAL DIGITAL EDITOR LUCY LADIS ASSISTANT DIGITAL EDITORS BELLA PINERA, MARY THOMPSON CHARLEBOIS WRITERS IVY NIELSEN, LIZZIE SEXTON, SHAE WALKER, LINDSAY RORSCHACH, MEIGHAN ASHFORD, REES SINNOTT

SOCIAL MEDIA

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR ALEXA FIELD INSTAGRAM DIRECTOR GILLIAN WILLIAMS INSTAGRAM COORDINATOR CHARLOTTE KOLMAN INSTAGRAM ASSISTANT ATENAS VIJIL

TIKTOK DIRECTOR GINA MARIE CAMPAGNA

TIKTOK ASSISTANT RENEE EISENMAN

YOUTUBE DIRECTOR CHLOE GRACE CRISSMAN

VIDEO CONTENT CREATORS KAITLYN SCIARRINO, OLIVIA ATHERTON, KATIE BUTTARAZZI, ATHENA MAMATAS

ADVISORS

FACULTY ADVISOR JENNY B. DAVIS, JENNYD@SMU.EDU

ADVISING EDITORS ETHAN LASCITY, ANDREA ARTERBERY

EDITORIAL SUPPOT CANDANCE BARNHILL, LISA GOODSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MELISSA CHESSHER

Arielle Uygur

Alex

by Maria Chammas

f a s h i o n i s p o w e r

letter

editor FROM THE

POWER.

For such a small word, it carries a great deal of weight. I think that’s because power is not an inherently positive or negative thing – it depends on who holds the power and how it is being used.

The fashion industry holds more power than many realize. Designers and stylists possess the ability to influence entire generations of people by both controlling and responding to trends. But clothes hold power, too. For centuries people have used the clothes that they wear to signal their status and beliefs. Control over my personal style and the way I choose to present myself has always been an enormous source of power for me. A successful outfit gives me the confidence I need to accomplish my wildest dreams.

The power of fashion plays a major role in this issue. You’ll find that power highlighted in features on Apple’s must-have techsessory, the AirPods Max, and Amazon’s latest foray into brick-and-mortar fashion, Amazon Style. But fashion isn’t the only source of power you’ll find. Defying labels is power, and we highlight that in our feature on gender-free fashion. Starting a company is power, and we share that in our Q&A with a recent SMU graduate who launched a skincare brand.

During my four years at SMU, I have grown to realize that I am powerful, too. It feels surreal to think about the opportunities I have had, the people I have met and the important lessons I have learned. I realized that power doesn’t have to be some intense or aggressive force of nature; I learned to find it in the little things. I found power in recognizing when I need to step back and take a deep breath. I found power in forgiving myself when I mess up. I found power in my family, friends and the SMU Look staff. In just five short months, I will leave this campus as an alumna, and I have a feeling that graduating from SMU will feel pretty powerful, too.

fresh face

Meet Helena Oseguera Abrahamsson, SMU alumna and 23-year-old founder of a new skincare brand rooted in her heritage.

by maria chammas

Plantéa is no ordinary skincare line. Its founder, Helena Oseguera Abrahamsson, is just 23 years old, and she launched the line in August, just over two years after graduating from SMU with a bachelor’s in fashion media. With Plantéa, Abrahamsson blends the healing properties of cacti found on her family’s Texas ranch with inspiration drawn from her Swedish, American and Mexican heritage. There are two products available for online purchase, the Nourishing Serum and the Rich Serum, but the company plans to launch a new product every year. All Plantéa products are produced in Texas, but Abrahamson currently lives in Sweden, where she juggles running the company with finishing her graduate studies — she’s earning a master’s in fashion studies from Stockholm University.

A CACTUS CREATION

Abrahamsson explains how a shared love of skincare inspired the first product.

Have you always been interested in skincare?

Yes — I’ve always been super into skincare. It was a ritual between me and my mom — the time of day when we would be together, doing our skincare and telling each other how our day went. We just really bonded and talked about things.

How did you come to create your own skincare brand?

I knew I wanted to start my own company, but I was deciding between a skincare company and a workout clothing line. My family has land out in Texas and in Mexico with a large variety of plants, animals and vegetation. I thought, why not start a skincare line and use the plants that we have growing right here on our ranch? As my mom grew older, she developed rosacea but could never find a product out there that could really help her skin. During COVID, I thought a lot about how I could help her. I had a pretty large knowledge of products, acids and items that can go on the skin that would be beneficial. From there it just grew and became something I’m very passionate about, and eventually it turned into Plantéa.

What is Plantéa’s mission?

Our brand mission is purely to help make girls feel comfortable in their skin. I used to have really severe acne covering my face, so I’ve been there. I know how it is as a woman to feel so helpless and have to cover acne with makeup. So if I can help one girl feel better without makeup on, then I’m the happiest person in the world.

What is special about Plantéa?

During the pandemic I was horseback riding one day and thinking about what was going to be different with this company. I grew up in Mexico, so I was around a lot of plants and food that aren’t common in the U.S. My dad kept telling me to experiment with cactus, which many people eat in Mexico, as it’s full of nutrients. So I cut some cactus, peeled it and boiled it into a serum. I tested it out on my mom’s rosacea, and the redness significantly declined after just one week of using it. I contacted a chemist in France and told her my idea. We went back and forth for about two years and here we are! Now the star ingredient in our products is cacti, and it comes right from our ranch.

These SMU and community resources exist to assist student survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

by Chloe Grace Crissman

On Oct. 1, SMU released its statistics on sexual violence, disclosing that since 2019 there have been 27 reported incidences of sexual violence and 10 reports of domestic violence on SMU’s campus.

But the actual numbers may be higher. Nationwide, more than 26% of undergraduate women and almost 7% of undergraduate men report experiencing sexual violence through force or incapacitation; yet, a significant percentage never report their abuse, according to statistics collected by RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), the nation’s largest antisexual violence organization.

Kate Morales, one of SMU’s Student Senate directors of sexual assault prevention, believes that there are SMU students who choose not to report abuse because of fear. RAINN statistics support this: Of student survivors who did not report their abuse, 20% cited “fear of reprisal” as a reason.

Morales also says that some SMU students may not realize they’ve

endured abuse. Education can help students better understand behavior that’s abusive, says Camille Kraeplin, Ph.D., communications director for Emily’s Place, a Plano non-profit that offers long-term transformational care including housing to women and their children escaping domestic violence. Kraeplin joined Emily’s Place after retiring from SMU, where she was an associate professor of journalism for more than 20 years.

“First of all, students need to understand what a healthy, affirming relationship looks like, and if this has never been modeled for them, they may not identify their experience as abusive,” says Kraeplin. “Survivors of violence may not recognize that emotional, verbal, sexual and financial abuse are all aspects of an abusive relationship, so education and awareness are important.”

Ultimately, Kraeplin says it’s imperative that student survivors find someone to talk to that they can trust and confide in. “Silence and secrecy,” she says, “only allow the cycle to continue.”

ACTION REACTION

SMU Counseling Services provides students with confidential counseling and assistance from counselors who specialize in sexual harassment issues. Call 214768-2277; an emergency contact number is provided at all hours.

OFF-CAMPUS RESOURCES

Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support: 214-946-4357 (women and children only)

The Family Place: 214-941-1991 (men, women and families)

ADVOCACY & SUPPORT FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit smu.edu/ SexualHarassment

MEDICAL HELP

To schedule an appointment with a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) at the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center at no charge, call the 24-hour hotline at 800-886-7273 or walk into the health center during business hours. Students do not need to file a report with law enforcement to receive an exam.

TO REPORT SEXUAL VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND

On Campus: call 214-7683333 for the SMU Police Department

Off Campus: call 911 or the number above

To file an anonymous report of a crime or share an anonymous tip: call 214-768- 2TIP(2847) or online at smu.edu/2TIP

FASHION IN FOCUS

The Texas Tuxedo is finally getting the respect it deserves. This season, wearing denim with denim is a verified fashion trend, and the jeans scene is even extending to include denim accessories like handbags and hats. How to wear it? That’s up to you. Channel your inner ’70s hippie, Western cowboy or model-off duty look, and bring on the tones, textures, washes and hardware accents — the possibilities go well beyond what Levi Strauss could have imagined when he invented the classic denim jean in 1873. The brands to shop range from luxury ready-to-wear collections from brands like Prada and Fendi to mainstream contemporary brands you can snag off the rack such as Frame. Whether you dress up your double denim with a pair of heels or keep it casual with white sneakers or boots, it’s totally up to you. Just don’t pair anything with skinny jeans – those have not come back yet.

— Maddie Crisp

blue times two.

Jacket: Frame, $478, frame-store.com

Jeans: Frame, $348, frame-store.com

Strengthen your style with this trio of trends.

Top: Frame, $398, frame-store.com

on the bright side.

Pants: Frame, $428, frame-store.com

Are you ready to embrace the bright? After seasons dominated by earth tones, monochromatic neutrals and soothing pastel hues, bold, brash and unapologetically bright colors finally make a comeback. From neo-fluorescent pink on the Valentino and Michael Kors runways to arresting yellows by Carolina Herrera and Alexander McQueen, vivaciously loud colors make a statement this season that says, be bold! It’s easier to do if you stick to a single show-stopping color. A monochromatic color scheme allows you to experiment with textures, prints, shades and fabrics without being over-saturated. And remember, you can still play around with layering pieces. Throw a fur coat over your shoulders and get ready to stop some traffic.

— Carolyn Hammond

by Lilly Jach, Bennet Hill, Alex Kapelina, Sinclair Jelleme, Michaela Mctee, Ava Todd, Melia Masumoto, and Sarah Braun Photographer: Ella McDonald Model: Arielle Uygur ShotonlocationattheSMULOOKStudio

Less is more, right? Micro-miniskirts are one of the defining trends of the season. Embracing the early 2000’s distinctive fashion, labels such as Prada and Versace are bringing back the low-rise mini skirts, and they’re coming in hot. Worn by Zendaya, Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajowski, Miu Miu’s micro-miniskirt is causing a whirlwind of reactions on and off the runway — reminiscing on Britney Spears’s iconic Y2K looks. These skirts might be tiny, but they continue to make big headlines and bold magazine covers. Whether it’s pleated, leather or sequin, raise the bar — and the hemline — on your look by embracing this trend. Try styling it with a cropped shirt or sweater, belt, sheer knee-high socks and some of those chunky loafers.

— Valeria Baltodano

tiny but mighty.

Skirt: BDG, $69, urbanoutfitters.com

HEAD-TO -TOE GLOW

Don’t let your skin succumb to the gloom of winter weather. Defy dullness and dryness with these products formulated to reveal your inner radiance.

by Maddie Crisp

full-body beauty

Dibs’s innovative Status Stick is like a magic wand that illuminates your favorite features — from cheekbones to shoulders and shins. It even makes a great eyeshadow base. Available in three blendable, buildable shades and packed with skin-nourishing ingredients, it’s so versatile it won Refinery29’s award for the most innovative beauty product last year. Even better, Dibs is based in Austin, and everything is vegan and cruelty-free. $36, DIBS Beauty, dibsbeauty.com

conceal & heal

Bid adieu to dark circles with the Charlotte Tilbury Skin Radiant Concealer. Available in 28 shades, this long-lasting formula is infused with active agents like vegan collagen, Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to encourage youthful skin and enhance your natural features. The company claims it’s clinically proven to reduce the appearance of dark circles by almost 50%, a beauty benefit that will keep you looking refreshed in the face of any winter chill.

$33,CharlotteTilbury,charlottetilbury.com

blissful benefits

Stay on-the-glow all day long with just one pump of Ever Dew Skin-Enhancing Glowy Serum from Bliss. Powered by a pure form of Vitamin C, this lightweight formula can be used three ways for maximum beauty versatility. Use it alone for a subtle, sheer sheen on makeup-free days, apply it as a base to brighten your regular makeup look, or touch it to the top of your makeup for a natural-yet-effective highlight. $22.99,bliss,target.com

Everyone knows that “Boulevards” – SMU’s term for the on-campus celebrations held before every home football game – are the most iconic events of fall semester. With a sea of white tents stretching from Bishop Boulevard to the steps of Dallas Hall, Boulevards bustle with students, alumni, faculty and Mustang-boosters from the surrounding community and beyond. For guys, game day attire is pretty basic: an SMU-logo polo paired with pants or shorts. Girls, however, usually go glam with a flouncy dress and a pair of cowboy boots. Interpreting this gameday look is an individual choice, but here are some of SMU Look’s favorite ways for women to find their own Boulevard best.

On SMU game days, fashion and football come together in perfect harmony.

by Maria Chammas photography by Ella McDonald

QUEEN BE

photo by Ella McDonald

WANT TO GET INTO DRAG?

THESE DALLAS DIVAS SERVE THE TEA.

by Drishti Sachdeva

On the surface, drag seems to be all about extravagant outfits, bright makeup and sexy numbers, but it’s not as effortless as it appears on reality TV. Translating a personal creative vision into a fierce stage persona takes practice, persistence and a lot of confidence. With all this going on, where should a baby queen start?

To find out, we went to the Rose Room, one of the premier Dallas venues for drag entertainment to get the tea from two very different divas: Love, a drag newbie, and a veteran of the scene, Jenna Skyy.

STEP 1: SELF-REFLECT & EXPLORE

You don’t have to look too far for a unique theme. Love takes inspiration from her Indian heritage to select songs and outfits. For her first performance at the Rose Room, she chose a saffron sari and danced to a Hindi song.

“It’s just something that I want to do to express my love for my culture and for performing, dancing and singing,” says Love.

Jenna finds her inspiration from holidays and special events. She reserves her red outfits and love songs for Valentine’s Day, goth looks for Halloween and halftime shows for the Super Bowl weekend.

“I try to plan appropriately – it tends to maximize the response from the audience,” Skyy says.

STEP 2: GET CRAFTY

Channel your inner fairy godmother – Billy Porter style – to create the outfit of your dreams.

“The idea is not to look like a pedestrian,” explains Skyy. “People dream and fantasize about wearing those kinds of things, and if you can buy it off the rack then there’s no fantasy.”

But custom doesn’t have to be a drain on your bank account.

“Early on, I learned to sew and craft because it was the most cost-effective way,” says Skyy. “They look terrible on the inside, but on the outside, you safety-pin it till it looks right.”

One of her favorite looks, a Cruella de Vil-inspired gown, took weeks to make. The costume’så debut coincided with the premiere of the live-action movie.

Love is a recent winner of the Rose Room’s amateur night, earning the honor a mere three months after segueing from fast food to the big stage. Skyy has been serving looks for nearly 20 years. She is a member of the Rose Room’s permanent cast and also a former Miss Gay America.

Herearetheirtoptipsforsteppinginto theworldofdrag:

STEP 3: READY, SET, BLEND

Makeup is the make-or-break point of a drag look. It can easily take up most of your budget, so it’s important to focus on what’s important. For Skyy, eyeshadows and moisturizers are worth the splurge, while the drugstore will do fine for lip liners, eyeliners and blushes.

STEP 4: DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY

Entertainment is a tough business, and having a thick skin is necessary.

Love says this advice helped calm her nerves before her first Rose Room performance.

“When I was backstage and I was told that I was going to go on next, I was freaking out,” says Love. “I was pacing all over the place and then one of my friends was like, ‘just take like six seconds before you go on stage and just channel it.’ ”

And by channeling “it,” she means the glamorous boss queen that struts in front of the audience and rocks their world, Love says. Embody the sassiest, most confident woman you know, she says, and make that your drag personality.

Skyy says she learned this lesson the embarrassing way during her Star Wars cosplay performance.

“I’m just serving it on stage, and I looked down and this woman has laid herself out across the catwalk and is reaching at my boot,” says Skyy. “Then I realized that I had a napkin stuck to the bottom of my boots.”

Skyy lived through the shame and laughter – and had a blast doing it

dressed for change

Fashion editors and influencers have embraced genderless fashion, but everyday shoppers not so much. What will it take for this fashion movement to go mainstream?

by Bennett Hill

British stylist Suzanne Bernie, who has worked with celebrities such as Paul McCartney and Elizabeth Hurley, says that when it comes to what’s happening on the London fashion scene, the ruling genre is genderless. Among luxury designers and streetwear brands alike, she says, fashion brands that offer genderless fashion are seen by consumers as “catering to all and being all-inclusive, which is very important for their ethos and brand.”

But despite that inclusivity, consumers often struggle to embrace the trend. Praised and embraced on red carpets, magazine covers and high-fashion runways, genderless fashion is reaching mainstream consumers in a glorified and often unrelatable way. People see it through photoshoots and red carpet looks worn by celebrities like pop stars Harry Styles and Billy Porter, but it can be a challenge to the everyday consumer who is not used to seeing men or women dressed in garments designed for both genders.

Genderless fashion is easy to understand when the garment is inherently unisex, such as an oversized hoodie or sweatpants. But unisex designs require gender-bending imagination. “What makes people most uncomfortable is when a male or masculine-presenting person wears clothing that is deemed hyper-feminine — a dress for example,” says Katharine Boswell, a women and gender studies professor at SMU.

What will it take for consumers to realize genderless fashion is for everyone – them included? Experts and industry watchers say the concept of genderless fashion needs to be better defined, and that it may take a societal movement to prompt widespread acceptance.

For genderless fashion to gain mainstream acceptance, consumers must understand that genderless fashion simply means that garments aren’t gendered through size or style. Fashionnovation, a platform for innovators in the fashion industry to connect, provides a clear definition on its website: “Genderless fashion is nothing more than the freedom of people to choose how they want to dress.” Whether that clothing item is tuxedo blazer from genderless brand Wild Fang or a skirt from Raf Simons, genderless fashion can be any type of garment that’s intended for anyone to be able to wear it.

Blurring the line between gender identities and breaking down the gendering of clothing are essential elements of genderless fashion. Designing basic, baggy garments and labeling them as genderless misses this point, writer Mercedes Viera explained in a 2022 Refinery 29 article on the topic. “Creating ‘genderless’ collections that cater to a limited image of what a non-binary shopper looks like and wears overlooks the multi-dimensional community they claim to want to serve,” she writes.

It’s not just consumers who struggle to embrace and understand genderless fashion. Designers and department stores also have failed to appreciate the importance of inclusion, says Kendal

Bolton, a Dallas-based stylist and adjunct professor of fashion at Dallas College. Bolton has worked with brands such as Neiman Marcus, Fossil and JCPenny, and he believes that retailers can have “a narrow scope for attracting consumers based on genderless clothing.” He believes brands that have ventured into the genderless apparel market have “misunderstood the need.”

As a stylist and LGBTQ+ advocate, Bernie agrees. She believes that if retailers embrace the true meaning of genderless fashion and offered these styles for sale in a way that welcomed all consumers, it would foster a greater consumer understanding and acceptance.

For mainstream consumers to truly accept genderless fashion, however, they must be ready to change how they think about gender and clothing. While it seems significant, such mindset shifts have happened before when the timing has been right, such as women wearing pants and men wearing makeup. Research suggests this might be the right time for a shift to a non-binary approach to fashion.

Recent studies suggest that people are open to less-defined gender categories. According to a May 2022 survey on gender identity from the Pew Research Center, half of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 say someone can be considered a man or a woman, “even if that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.”

This could explain why a 2020 Vogue cover featuring pop musician Harry Styles wearing a Gucci ball gown was so widely celebrated, Boswell suggests. Although she points out that Styles is wealthy, white, popular and straight, “when he wears a dress, it doesn’t cancel out his popularity or his normal gender presentation.”

Ultimately, the more people wear genderless fashion, celebrities included, the more accepted genderless fashion will be. “The more people in the public eye who express their individuality,” says Bernie, “the quicker it will get to changing people’s attitudes.”

Bennett Hill is a senior majoring in fashion media and marketing.

5 genderless fashion brands to shop

APOTTS

After stints with Marc Jacobs, Emanuel Ungaro and Badgley Mischka, veteran New York City designer Aaron Potts launched his own line to bring the materials and fabrication of high fashion to everyone. APOTTS shows its collections at New York Fashion Week, where they’re critically acclaimed for their artistry and celebration of diversity. www.apottscollection.com

HUMAN NATION

When power couple Ciara and Russel Wilson came together to build the brand Human Nation, they were motivated by three core values: love, respect and care. Their quilted overcoat is sure to be a staple in all wardrobes this coming fall. www.thehouseoflrc.com

ONE DNA

Based in Ann Arbor, this genderless line has been featured in WWD and HighSnobiety. Select pieces are ethically produced in the United States under safe and fair working conditions, and the growing brand is Black and queer owned. www.onedna.earth

IJJI

With an emphasis on the use of clean and natural fibers, this brand is committed to growing responsibly. The brand manufactures its clothes in California, close to its design studio so it can stay involved throughout the process. www.ijji.co

ALTU

Imagined by French designer Joseph Altuzarra, Altu examines traditional notions of dress through “the lens of adolescent curiosity and uninhibited gender expression.” The line is inspired by the time in childhood when identity is fluctuating, allowing for experimentation in the quest for personal style. www.altu.world

Photos by Ned and Aya, courtesy of APOTTS

FIELD OF VISION

Play to win this season with monochromatic moments, luxe layering and poignant primary colors.

Location coordination: Melia Masumoto

Photographers:

For store information, see Where to Shop on page 39

Styled by: Lilly Jach and Bennett Hill Styling assistance: Alex Kapelina, Michaela McTee, Sarah Steinhour and Betty Jane Thomas

Model casting: Sinclair Jelleme

Alex Daly-Hill, Ella McDonald Hair and Makeup: KC Chambers

Models: Knut Ahlander, Laura Scott Cary, Lydia Gant, Jasmine Patrick and Ben Perry

Shot on location at Southern Methodist University’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium

LEFT PAGE

Ben Coat: Gianni Bini, $109, Dillard’s

Sneakers: Stan Smith, $95, Adidas Shirt: Model Owned Jeans: Model Owned

Lydia Headband: Lele Sadoughi, $55, Lele Sadoughi Shorts: Alice + Olivia, $285, Alice + Olivia Sneakers: Superga, $80, Nordstrom Jacket: Stylist Owned Shirt: Stylist Owned

Jasmine

Shirt: DKNY Jeans, $89, Dillard’s Pants: Steve Madden, $99, Dillard’s Loafers: Steve Madden, $109.99, Dillard’s

Knut

Jacket: Michael Kors, $179, Dillard’s Pants: Murano, $95, Dillard’s Sneakers: Nordstrom Ortholite, $89.95, Nordstrom

RIGHT PAGE

Jasmine

Blouse: Unbreak.it, $530, Elements Skirt: Halston, $575, Elements

Earrings: Lele Sadoughi, $225, Lele Sadoughi

Heels: Jessica Simpson, $99, Dillard’s

Ben Jacket: Circus NY, $349.50, Dillard’s T-Shirt: Junk Food Clothing, $29, Dillard’s Sneakers: Adidas Stan Smith, $95, Adidas Jeans: Model Owned

Pants:

Necklace:

Sneakers: Stan Smith, $95, Adidas

Ben Shirt: Palmer//Harding, $525, Elements

Steve Madden, $99, Dillards

Lele Sadoughi, $325, Lele Sadoughi

Jasmine

Dress: Steve Madden, $99, Dillard’s

Jacket: Push Button, $1,120, Market

LEFT PAGE

Lydia

Jacket: Zimmerman, $1,850, Elements

Pants: Rotate, $230, Market Shirt: Stylist Owned

Laura

Dress: Alice + Olivia, $330, Alice + Olivia

Earrings: Lele Sadoughi, $225, Lele Sadoughi

RIGHT PAGE

Laura

Sweater: Say What, $34, Dillard’s

Skirt: Gianni Bini, $89, Dillard’s

Ring: Lele Sadoughi, $145, Lele Sadoughi

Earrings: Lele Sadoughi, $145, Lele Sadoughi

Necklace: Lele Sadoughi, $125, Lele Sadoughi

Heels: Schutz, $168, Dillard’s

MAXED OUT

Meet Apple’s AirPods Max, the Techcessory of the Season.

by Sinclair Jelleme photography by Ella McDonald models: Roshan Gupta, Alivia Waters and Elias Mann

For Olivia Doyle, wearing Apple AirPods Max is the foundation of a cool fit. Doyle, a senior education major at SMU, says that wearing the funky oversized headphones “forces me to wear something I think will look equally as ‘cool’ as the headphones themselves.”

Doyle isn’t alone. It’s hard to scroll through TikTok without seeing an influencer “styling” their AirPods Max. The headphones are Apple’s newest variation of AirPods, the small, wireless earbuds introduced in 2014. When the Max version was released in 2020, they quickly became the techcessory of the moment. By the summer of 2022, they’d blown up, becoming both a coveted fashion statement and a status symbol.

It was only natural that fashion people would gravitate toward this pricey item (just shy of $550), says Mark Gurman, a technology analyst for Bloomberg Business in Los Angeles. The price, he says, “makes them unattainable for many people, hence creating the allure of it being a high-fashion accessory.”

Wearable tech has been popular since 1975 when the first calculator wristwatch, made by Pulsar, went mainstream. Peak popularity came in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Japanese manufacturers such as Casio and Seiko entered the game, but the style faded by the late ’80s, giving way to pagers (also called beepers) and Walkman portable cassette players, both of which could be worn on

a belt or the edge of a pant. In 2010, a term entered the Urban Dictionary to describe a popular piece of wearable technology: a techcessory.

technology, style and functionality by Business Insider, the fashion world certainly approved of the style part of that description – that same year, the Apple Watch made the cover of Vogue China. Designer brands such as Hermès and Louis Vuitton offer a variety of bands for the Apple Watch, and the renowned jewelry label Lagos even makes an 18k gold and full diamond band for the watch that costs just under $40,000.

In September, 2012, wearable tech merged with fashion when Google teamed up with fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg to help launch Google Glass. These tech-enabled eyeglasses debuted on models walking in DVF’s New York Fashion Week runway. The hype, however, was short-lived. Among the fashion crowd, the glasses soon “went from being coveted to becoming a punchline,” according to a 2015 New York Times article titled “Why Google Glass Broke.” The article also noted that tech reviewers rejected Google Glass, too — it was described as “the worst product of all time.”

Despite the Google Glass fail, other techsessories have succeeded. Perhaps the most notable has been the Apple Watch, released in 2014. Described as a combination of

Apple’s newest incarnation of wearable tech is the AirPods Max. These heavy headphones have the same function as AirPods, but they’re designed to be worn on the head instead of inside the ear. While they are clearly wearable tech, Apple’s price point placed them a step higher than similar styles from Apple’s competitors like Beats by Dre, priced generally between $100 and $150, and Bose, available in the $350 range.

Airpods Max have become more than just alluring. They’ve been seen on the social media feeds of modelebrities Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, singer Dua Lipa and actor Timothée Chalamet. In early 2022, streetstyle publication Highsnobiety.com announced that “finishing off a look with a pair of AirPods Max has become the Gen Z equivalent of a designer bag.” In July, fashion and style website Byrdie called the Airpods Max the Internet’s favorite techcessory and announced that 2022 was the “year of the supersized headphone,” thanks to “social media and a stream of famous

“Influencers have immense power in shaping buying decisions and have become a driving force in brand marketing and advertising. When influencers embraced the AirPods Max, it was only natural that their followings did the same.”

trendsetters co-signing them as the next big thing.”

Two forces fueld their popularity: social media influencers flocked to them and because of the inherent appeal of the Apple brand.

On TikTok, influencers are using AirPods Max to accessorize their looks. “Clara Perlmutter, who goes by the TikTok handle @Tinyjewishgirl and currently has over 815K followers, styled hers with pieces from emerging designers,” Aemelia Madden wrote in the 2022 Byrdie article. “Others are going for a more casual route, styling gym staples or simple jeans and tee combination with a sleek pair of headphones as a finishing touch.”

When influencers embraced the AirPods Max, it was only natural

that their followings did the same. “Influencers have great sway on consumers,” Walter Loeb wrote in a 2022 Forbes article about influencer culture. “The power of this influence is best seen across many of the social platforms that consumers spend hours reviewing every day.”

These influencers have even swayed students at SMU. According to a September 2022 poll of more than 70 students, nearly 20% of respondents admitted that they purchased their AirPods Max because they saw a social media influencer wearing them.

But it’s not just the influencers behind the Airpods Max appeal. It’s also the status imparted by its brand.

“I definitely think the Apple brand — particularly for its ‘Pro’ products

— has become a status symbol and that’s why you see so many people spring for the Apple versions of certain technology categories,” Gurman says.

Participant answers to the SMU survey confirm this. When asked what separates AirPods Max from other headphones, poll participants answered things like “They’re Apple,” “The Brand,” and “The Name.”

There’s no telling how long the popularity of AirPods Max will last, but Doyle bets they’ll be around for a while. “When Apple first came out with AirPods they took over and now it’s just the norm,” she says. “I would assume these might go the same way.”

Sinclair Jelleme is a senior majoring in fashion media with an art history minor.

HEAR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW?

Are AirPods Max just a passing fad, or are these huge TikTok-famous headphones here to stay? Fashion forecasters might have something to say about that.

Fashion forecasters are researchers who study the fashion marketplace and buying behavior. They generally describe the popularity of fashion items using three basic terms: fad, trend and classic. Usually, a fad lasts about a season, according to a 2021 article on The Tech Fashionista, a website about the future of fashion, but a trend can last three to five years (a micro-trend) or five to 10 years (a mega trend). A classic is something that withstands the test of time, regardless of the time period, according to the article.

How the AirPod Max will be classified remains unclear, but fashion historian Rachel Weingarten told Teen Vogue in a 2022 article about the popularity of the headphones that, while the AirPods Max are a big hit now, whatever is coming next is likely to be smaller. “Fashion always fluctuates,” she said. “So if we see micro-sized cell phones, the next versions will be oversized.” – S.J.

AMAZON STYLE ISN’T CLICKING.

Isabella Dameris considers herself an “Amazon addict.” She loves the convenience of the world’s largest online marketplace because it allows her to sit in bed and order everything from cleaning supplies and groceries to a pair of shoes, and everything appears at her door as early as the next morning. Dameris, a junior business major at SMU, says she appreciates that Amazon allows her to shop so many different brands and product categories, all in one place.

Amazon was hoping loyal customers like Dameris would be excited by Amazon Style, the company’s first brick-andmortar clothing store, which opened on May 25, 2022 in a retail center called The Americana at Brand in Glendale, a suburb of Los Angeles. Amazon was wrong. Dameris is from the area and could easily visit the store during a trip home. But she says her love of Amazon would likely end if shopping meant leaving her couch. “I save time by ‘Amazon Priming,’” she says. “Why would anyone sit in L.A. traffic when they can just stay home and get their package the next day?”

Incorporating technology into the retail process can be useful, but it shouldn’t be a replacement for the human touch, says journalist Mathew Denis, who has written about Amazon Style for the men’s style website, The Manual. “Instead of replacing either humans or the machines,” he says, “the point is to heighten the consumer and employee journey by marrying the best of each world.”

Demeris might not be alone in abandoning Amazon if the at-home convenience factor goes away. This might be why Amazon has tried to bring some of that online convenience to its in-person shopping experience, which combines in-person shopping with an app-based experience.

Here’s how it works. Upon entering the store, consumers don’t have to head directly to the clothes. Rather, they can first complete a questionnaire on their cell phone about their personal style and fashion preferences. Based on their answers, Amazon Style sends shopping suggestions to their phone. Then, the browsing can begin, and racks feature well-known brands like Vince, Theory and Velvet. But not all the clothing options are on display – customers scan a QR code to access options like size and color. Whatever they choose is automatically placed in a fitting room for them, and the customer receives a notification on their phone when their fitting room is ready. A screen inside the fitting room allows consumers to request additional items without leaving the dressing room.

While Amazon Style’s approach to in-person shopping is novel, experts are skeptical that it will succeed. That’s because the brick-and-mortar boutique’s integration of tech leaves the customer too disconnected from the in-person shopping experience they expect, and customers will be frustrated by the

The world’s biggest online marketplace fails to deliver on its new hybrid tech-IRL fashion concept.

by Grace Castner

THE BRICK-ANDMORTAR BOUTIQUE’S INTEGRATION OF TECH LEAVES THE CUSTOMER TOO DISCONNECTED FROM THE IN-PERSON SHOPPING EXPERIENCE THEY EXPECT”

limited and controlled product selection, especially in light of the fashion options available on Amazon.com.

Consumers value the experience of shopping in person, especially after the pandemic, and salespeople are a part of this. “Shopping in stores is back and thriving,” CNN Business News announced in 2022, noting that the social interaction involved in shopping was one of the factors behind the return. Part of this “joy of shopping,” according to a 2022 article on the Freshdesk blog, relies on the ability of the customer to interact with “a team of trained salespeople who understand customer needs.”

At Amazon Style, the shopping experience minimizes human interaction. In fact, a 2022 Mashable article about the store says its reliance on technology essentially turns salespeople into “warehouse gophers.” The article argues that consumers don’t want to purchase an item just because their device suggested they do so. “I’m not sure an app telling me I’d look great in this top would give me the confidence boost that’s all part of the fun of in-person shopping,” wrote its author Rachel Kraus.

Amazon Style is also lacking in the merchandise department. Amazon Style’s selection is limited and underwhelming compared to Amazon’s e-commerce selection, says Amanda Golka, a tech and fashion content creator at Swell Entertainment who has visited the store.

Not only is customer service limited at Amazon Style, but the product selection is limited, too. Golka says that when she was at the store, she felt selection was restricted because clothing

was presented in the context of specific aesthetics, limiting the ability of customers to see all of the garments and experiment with different looks. “Categories like ‘Southern Princess’ and ‘Boho Chic’ also are limiting,” she says, “because they highlight pieces that fit an aesthetic.”

Golka’s experience isn’t an isolated one. A 2022 article in The Guardian included the views of several Amazon Style shoppers, saying they felt the selection was restricted and didn’t live up to the experience of shopping on Amazon’s online marketplace. For example, the cheaper “dupes” they shopped on Amazon.com weren’t available, and the selection they enjoyed online simply wasn’t there.

Amazon has experimented with limiting product selection at a brick-and-mortar store before. In 2015, Amazon opened a bookstore in Seattle and eventually opened 23 more, all dedicated to stocking only the titles that received top reviews on Amazon. com, according to a 2022 article on the stores in Publishers Weekly. The New Yorker called the Columbus Circle store “reminiscent of an airport bookshop: big enough to be enticing from the outside but extremely limited once you’re inside.” Customers apparently didn’t appreciate the editing. In March, 2022, Amazon announced it was closing all 24 bookstores.

Ultimately, the market will determine the fate of Amazon Style, especially if potential customers like Dameris decide they’d rather stay home.

GraceCastnerisaseniormajoringinfashionmediawithan advertisingminor.

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by Melia Masumoto

Leggings on the New York Fashion Week runway. Hearing leggings and New York Fashion Week in the same sentence a decade ago would seem like an oxymoron, but with today’s consumers, it’s right on target. In September, 2022, a leading activewear brand from Los Angeles called Alo made its New York Fashion Week debut with the presentation of a 17-piece collection. Inspired by the outdoors, Alo’s “Aspen Collection” included a variety of ready-to-wear styles that included cashmere sets, full-length faux fur coats and, yes, leggings.

This was not the first time activewear garnered a spot in the high-end market. The British luxury fashion and lifestyle brand Stella McCartney has been united in a successful collaboration with sportswear giant Adidas since 2005. This collaboration increased activewear’s presence in the luxury fashion arena, but the time might now be right for activewear to compete in the luxury field all on its own.

The activewear category grew out of sportswear but has now advanced to include the athleisure category, which is defined as comfortable clothing designed for both exercise as well as everyday wear. In the 1930s and 1940s, American designers such as Claire McCardell and Bonnie Cashin were instrumental in producing practical and functional garments dubbed sportswear, such as McCardell’s day dresses and playsuits, and Cashin’s layering pieces and hooded capes. With the workout boom in the 1970s and 1980s, consumers began embracing activewear more commonly, but it wasn’t until the 2000s that workout wear started to become synonymous with everyday wear and wardrobes expanded to include garments that were intended for day, night and play.

“Think about 15 years ago, we had separate wardrobes – we had a work wardrobe, we had what we wore to go out and what we wore to exercise,” says Kristen Classi-Zummo, an apparel industry analyst at the New York City-based NPD group. “That has just been blurring over the past few years.”

Leggings are a prime example of this playwear-to-daywear duality. The leggings-aspants trend began in the early 2000s when Canadian yoga retailer Lululemon began selling its own brand of yoga pant made from its proprietary elastic knit fabric. The leggings became an instant hit, and women began

wearing them outside of the context of exercise. In 2017, leggings became more popular among women consumers in America than blue jeans, according to United States Census Bureau statistics.

Consumers appreciate the versatility. McKinsey and Business of Fashion produce an annual State of Fashion Report that names the best-performing fashion companies of the year. Recent top brands include both activewear and luxury fashion companies, including Nike, Adidas and Lululemon alongside luxury’s Kering, LVMH and Hermès.

Clearly, the luxury sector and the activewear market sector play well together, albeit separately. Now, however, activewear brands are challenging their market category. Through collaborations and brand participation in New York Fashion Week, they’re seeking to be considered players in the luxury league. Luxury collaborations also allow activewear brands to command luxury-level prices,

trademark three-stripe design costs around $80. But a similar black jacket with the three-stripe design made for the 2022 Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon collab retails for nearly $2,000. Similarly, The North Face, an athletic apparel brand for hikers and climbers, offers its classic jackets in the $100-$300 range. A comparable jacket from its 2021 collab with Italian luxury brand Gucci runs $2,450.

Price isn’t the only tactic activewear is using to leap into the luxury market. Activewear brands are treading into luxury sales and marketing territory by participating in high-fashion promotional events like New York Fashion Week, which usually have been reserved for more upscale brands specializing in ready-to-wear, not readyto-exercise wear.

Entry into fashion weeks is exclusive, but it’s activewear’s ticket into reaching luxury status. In 2016, German sportswear brand Puma scored on the NYFW runway with a collection created in collaboration with Rihanna’s Fenty brand. The collection, called Fenty X Puma, was described as sporty chic — a Fashion Network review of the show announced that Rihanna had “put the sexy into sweats.”

But not all brands possess the ability to leverage A-listers to launch their lines. Alo had set its sights on NYFW since 2021 when it became the event’s first-ever official wellness partner. The move to the runway to show its Aspen Collection seems an obvious next step.

which the consumer wouldn’t otherwise be willing to pay. These high prices are the hallmark of luxury.

“Price has long served a gatekeeping function in the luxury sector,” says Jenny B. Davis, a fashion media professor at SMU. “When an athleticwear brand can command luxury-level prices, whether it’s because of the assist of a luxury collab or not, it boosts that brand’s status and yes, can even vault it to the level of a luxury good.”

This was certainly true for Adidas. A classic black track jacket from the German activewear brand jacket that bears the brand’s

“Alo exists at the intersection of fashion and wellness, so we see showing our Aspen collection at N.Y.F.W. as the perfect venue to host our high-end line that is both studio-to-street with luxury design and fabrication,” Alo co-CEO and co-founder Danny Harris stated on the brand’s website.

Will the public continue to embrace activewear as a luxury player? Larson believes the luxury category has indeed expanded to include activewear, but it will be up to the newly elevated brands to defend their title. “The pressure,” she says, “is on.”

Melia Masumoto is a senior majoring in fashion media and journalism.

Photos courtesy of CHAANCE (www. chaance.com) and the Riviere Agency

“Collaborations can build hype and help brands and designers build their businesses,” says Kristin Larson, a freelance writer based in Chicago and a contributor to Forbes.

“They can highlight brands and designers consumers may not have discovered if it weren’t for the retailer featuring the guest designer.”

mustknowmustangs.

jihoon choi kyra silvanose jordyn harrell

Hometown: Daegu, South Korea

Majors: Management, Piano Year: Senior

ihoon Choi was born in South Korea, but he and his family left the country when he was a toddler. Nevertheless, he recognized the difference between South Korea and North Korea, and how difficult life was for those living under the dictatorship that existed just next door. He wanted to help bridge that gap. “I’ve seen family friends who have relatives in North Korea, and they’re not able to contact them at all,” he says. “It’s painful to watch people that you know have to go through this, and the best thing I could do as an individual was to help this cause.” Choi decided to turn his discontent into motivation and now contributes to this global humanitarian effort as president of SMU’s chapter of Liberty in North Korea, known as LiNK. The group is an international nonprofit that helps refugees in North Korea escape and start a new life. Choi hopes LiNK can spread awareness about the struggles in North Korea and raise enough funds to help refugees.

Hometown: DeSoto, Texas

Majors: Creative Writing, Journalism Year: Senior

For Jordyn Harrell, the idea of community not only encompasses her family but also her tight-knit town, DeSoto, Texas, where neighbors always looked after each other. Harrell wanted to recreate the same type of safe and supportive space at SMU, so she began channeling her energy and appreciation of unity into on-campus programming. Currently she is the director of In Their Own Voices, a workshop held through SMU’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion that promotes diversity and racial equality. Through the program, Harrell has taught leaders in organizations like the SMU Senate and the Human Rights Program how to navigate instances of racism on campus. “Going to a predominantly white institution, I know that for some of us, community is hard to find,” she says. “In those small moments, whether you feel that is insignificant or not, creating that space that makes someone feels welcome – it matters.”

Hometown: Orange County, California

Majors: Management, Psychology Year: Senior

By Drishti Sachdeva

Kyra Silvanose is president of Women in Business, a campus organization that connects women students at the Cox Business School to SMU alumnae at Fortune 500 companies. It’s a position she was inspired to fill because of her mom. Watching her mom struggle to establish herself as an entrepreneur was tough, she says. But it also made her appreciate how beneficial it could be “when people would support her or bolster women in the business industry.”

Her mom’s struggles became Silvanose’s motivation to go to business school and to uplift her fellow female classmates. Silvanose believes to make progress, incoming women in the workforce must understand the existing inequalities in the corporate world so they are better prepared to advocate for their goals once they become a professional.

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