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OUR TEAM
IAN MILAN Editor-in-Chief
AUTUMN ASHLEY Managing Executive Editor
CHRIS NGYUEN Head of Production, Head Photographer
Writing Staff Andie Salazar Arianna Gazis Ayanna Estelle Jarie Maldano Lisa Siva Rachel Core
PR Staff Jocelyn Lo Emily Gossen
Production Staff Batli Joselevits Roberta Izquierdo Shirley Luong
By now, most of us have lost the zeal for our new year’s resolutions. A cheeseburger isn’t as dangerous as it was a month ago, and the credit card you froze in a block of ice is now thawing in the kitchen sink. Admittedly, claiming no-fastfood diets and sans-spending budget tactics are a little much. On January 1st, we become extremists for change, and sure, we might lose the strict devotion to our new religions in a matter of weeks, but what we shouldn’t lose is the idea behind our optimism-fueled madness. There’s something exciting about a new year and a fresh start. We find ourselves at the starting line again trying to figure out how to reach the end better than we did last time. We start new regimens, try new things, and take on new projects that were too intimidating to start the year before. This month we wanted to capture the essence of entering a new year by featuring designers and icons that are known for their fresh, young vigor. In honor of new projects, we compiled a review of several celebrity collaborations: some good, some bad, and some that were just downright ugly. Finally, what kind of a New Year issue would this be without featuring fresh talent? This month, the new kids on the block stepped up to the plate for a fashion editorial that did not disappoint. Photographer Batli Joselevitz and stylist Roberta Izquierdo teamed up with Propaganda Hair Group, the new hair salon to watch in 2011, for an editorial that captures spring’s 70’s trend with a David Bowie touch. It’s 2011 everybody! Go out and live it!
Editor-In-Chief
Designer of the Month
RODARTE
Muse
Education
From dead dolls to Tavi or Natalie Portman, when designing for Rodarte, Kate and Laura’s source of inspiration varies as it comes from their surroundings.
Both of the sisters graduated from The University of California Berkeley with liberal arts degrees. Laura in literature, Kate in art history. Legacy It is difficult to imagine that 10 years ago Rodarte was nonexistent. After graduating from college with liberal arts degrees, the sisters reinvented themselves and quickly went into fashion designing. They are known for integrating their designs with materials uncommon to fashion.
Memorable Collections Their most notable collection is also their first collection, which incorporated their hand-made designs with their artistic aesthetic. Also, collaborations with Gap and Target where the sisters were able to prove they could produce wearable pieces.
Born Kate Mulleavy was born February 11, 1979, and Laura Mulleavy August 31, 1980, in Pasadena, California.
Sparkiness Rodarte has been awarded twice the CFDA Swarovski Emerging Womenswear Designer award. Since Rodarte’s beginning the sister’s designs have been worn by Michelle Obama, Chloë Sevigny, Natalie Portman, and countless others. Their creations can also be seen in the film “Black Swan”.
Written by Ayanna Estelle Edited by Autumn Ashley
ROAD TO THE RUNWAY
Fact: The largest fashion show held in Texas is the senior fashion showcase at the Frank Erwin Center produced by the design students at the University of Texas. More than 5,000 guests every year flock to the Erwin center to take part in this amazing event that features and highlights what these hardworking students have created during the school year. The students’ work is made up of a threepiece collection and an evening or bridal design. They have already constructed their evening/bridal design for their collections. Eve Nicols, one of the textile and apparel professors explained that this was the first time many of the students had designed and produced something of this magnitude. With only two weeks to complete the project, the students were met with an intense deadline.
Judges from around Austin came to UT to judge the students’ designs. Among the judges were Ockhee Bego, Patty Hoffpauir of the Garden room, Lauren Ford Smith of Tribeza, Jessica Ciarla of Ciarla Atelier, and Lauren Polt of Chicka-d. At the start of the spring semester the students will diligently begin working on the final pieces that will accompany their evening/bridal gowns at the fashion show this spring. Spark is ecstatic to announce that we will be documenting the students’ progress throughout the semester leading up the fashion show. We’re giving you an inside look into what the students really go through, from the inspiration, to construction, and finally to the runway.
WRITTEN BY RACHEL CORE, EDITED BY AUTUMN ASHLEY
OUR
TEAM
A Closer Look at the Creative Minds Behind the Pages
Celebrity Collaborations:
THE GOOD
THE BAD
THE UGLY
The Good
Kate Moss has made quite a name for herself. One doesn’t become a supermodel without picking up some fashion sense along the way, and Kate Moss has plenty. From grunge to glamor, the model has style to spare and has designed fourteen collections for Topshop. Though her last one hit the stores in November, fashionistas seeking sheer separates, floral day dresses, and capes can look forward to Topshop’s “Kate Iconic”, a capsule collection of Kate’s top ten pieces for the store.
Kate Moss 4 Topshop
One of the things we love about Moss’s line is that it’s more than a name stamped onto a generic piece of clothing. The line radiates Kate’s rock chic style and impressed even celebrity collaboration cynics. In other news, Kate Moss may be launching yet another line … of jams! Apparently, the model has a hobby of making plum preserves at her Cotswold estate and is looking to market Kate’s Damson Jams. But when you’ve already reinvented the concept of celebrity collaborations in fashion, why not move on to fruit preserves?
Alexa Chung 4 Madewell
Alexa Chung is as much a style icon as a celebrity, so it made sense that she would eventually begin dabbling in design. In fact, she is no stranger to the fashion industry, as Mulberry named its drool-worthy slouchy leather satchel “The Alexa” after Chung. Her partnership with Madewell was a perfect match, given her carefree yet polished aesthetic. The British It girl’s collection could have come straight from her own wardrobe, filled with easy, summery dresses and relaxed separates. It was like a well-curated selection from Urban Outfitters with more attention to craftsmanship. The sometimes model, sometimes television presenter hit a home run with her desirable, wearable collection.
It’s no secret that Spark loves Chloë Sevigny for her eclectic and bold, yet fuss-free style. It’s an aesthetic that translated well into her highly-anticipated debut line for Opening Ceremony, one of Manhattan’s top retailers of fashion-forward designers. After a well-received debut, Sevigny took on the ambitious project of showing her second collection at london fashion week: a series of thirteen looks, ranging from unisex to feminine. The looks featured expert draping and spot-on styling, a balance of delicate and tougher pieces. Her recent spring 2011 resort collection showcases
Chloe Sevigny 4 Opening Ceremony
Sevigny’s intelligent understanding of the fashion industry and consumer demand. “Girls buy the same silhouette over and over,” she notes, so Sevigny offers desirable interpretations of the same, feminine silhouettes. The pieces feature the actress’s trademark mixed prints and relaxed style, the epitome of the youthful, modern woman.
World renown director Sofia Coppola rose to fame for her work behind the camera, but her eye for visual opulence (can anyone say Marie Antoinette?) isn't limited to the big screen. In 2008, the filmmaker launched a line for Louis Vuitton.
Sophia Coppola 4 Louis Vuitton
The collection of bags was elegant and understated, a timeless addition to any woman’s wardrobe. Coppola’s name is not plastered over the leather, nor is the Louis Vuitton’s luxurious aesthetic compromised: it’s clean and classic, a reminder that not all celebrity collaborations have to cheapen the brand.
The Bad Bebe has never been the bastion of cutting-edge clothing, but add the Kardashian sisters to the “mall chain”, and you have a recipe for a fashion disaster. Unlike Chloë Sevigny, Alexa Chung, and Kate Moss, the Kardashians lack style icon status (sorry but stocking your closet full of skin tight minis and 8 inch heels is not enough),and it showed in their collaboration.
Kardashians 4 Bebe
Abounding with faux fur, sequins, and body conscious silhouettes, Kardashians by Bebe is definitely cringe-worthy – think cheetah sequined hot pants. There are, surprisingly, a few redeeming pieces, at any rate, such as a basic black legging. The moment that the sisters got a little too sequin-happy, though, there was no hope for the rest of the collection.
Kanye West 4 Louis Vuitton
During his acceptance speech for “Stylemaker of the Year” at the ACE awards, Kanye West lamented, “fashion breaks my heart.” It’s actually quite amusing to see Kanye eager to make a splash in the fashion industry, especially after his bewildering “Christian Dior Denim Flow,” in which he name-drops a handful of models to showcase his fashion knowledge Unfortunately, we were less than thrilled about his line of footwear for Louis Vuitton. A collection of thick-soled tennis shoes, the pieces weren’t necessarily bad, but they didn’t seem to fit the luxury brand in the way that Sofia Coppola’s bags did. This is one puzzling collaboration that simply does not make sense.
It is disappointing to have to include Daisy Lowe with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Kanye, because unlike the others, Lowe does have some fashion cred. A Top Model nominee by the British Fashion Awards in 2009, Lowe is known for her edgy style, something like Alexa Chung gone rock and roll. However, her collection for Morgan was forgettable at best, trashy at worst.
Daisy Lowe 4 Morgan
It includes a shiny red babydoll dress, hot pants, a catsuit, and atrocious styling with no eye for balancing proportions. Nonetheless, Daisy Lowe’s fashionista spark is still visible, and we cross our fingers in the hope that her next collection will have a little more class.
The Ugly Filthy Couture might not fit the definition of “collaboration,” but but JWoww's venture into fashion was too good - too hideous that is - to ignore. As a general rule of thumb, any line with the word “couture” in it is likely the farthest thing from high fashion, and JWoww is no exception. Responding no doubt to the mockery that ensued immediately after announcing her line, JWoww sought to reassure the fashion industry that Filthy Couture was no laughing matter: “I keep it sexy classy. I won’t go to porn star sexy. I won’t go that far.” Is that right? Could have fooled us! The line between the two aesthetics must be pretty hazy for the aspiring designer.
Jwoww Filthy Couture
Lindsay Lohan 4 Ungaro There have been many a disastrous celebrity collaboration, but Lindsay Lohan for Ungaro took the cake. The brand, which had already been struggling since Emanuel Ungaro sold it in 2004, received a blow when Lohan trotted out a series of body-conscious pieces and heart-shaped pasties. When the collaboration was first announced, Tim Gunn
Amy Winehouse 4 Fred Perry
Maybe Amy Winehouse should go to rehab for this fashion disaster. It’s really a shame too, because it’s the first time she has appeared to be “coherent” in a while. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Winehouse insists upon her enthusiasm for the collaboration in her rather disjointed way: “I love Fred Perry so much. I was honored that they would even, like, ‘Do you want to come and do a line?’ Me? Like, me?...Yeah!” The result was classic Amy Winehouse – messy and disjointed. Thankfully, this is one collaboration that flew under the radar.
suggested that “a cracksmoking board of directors” was likely responsible. Gunn may not have been far from the truth, as the entire fashion industry gave a hearty laugh at the sight of Ungaro spring 2010. Emanuel himself weighed in afterward, calling the collection “a disaster.” His brand, he mused, “is in the process of losing its soul.”
The Awesome
Emma Watson
We at here at Spark are truly looking forward to Emma Watson’s all-organic collection for Alberta Ferretti. Though it isn’t the actress’s first foray into fashion, we think Watson’s youthful exuberance and natural elegance will be a perfect match for Ferretti’s aesthetic. Because when it comes to fashion, you must dress yourself before you dress others.
Written by Lisa Siva, Edited by Autumn Ashley
Style Icon of the Month
TAVI
While most thirteen-year old girls these days are religiously reading twilight, gossiping about boys and drooling over the latest Justin Bieber spread in Teen Beat magazine, Tavi Gevinson is doing anything but. This quirky teenager has been featured on the cover of top fashion magazine’s such as POP, attended fashion week in New York and abroad, designed a line of knit tights alongside Rodarte for Target, and has partied past her bedtime with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Jon Galliano, and Anna Wintour (yes she actually met all of these people‌jealousy meter up!)
The things Tavi has accomplished in the few short years since she has been a blimp on the blogosphere are nothing short of amazing. It all started with a little blog she named "The Style Rookie", which her parents didnt even know about until little Tavi started receiving requests for interviews from top magazines.
The Style Rookie filled with Tavi’s inspirations and amazingly witty and precocious musings on everything ranging from 70’s music and vintage films to fashion and her personal style pics. Tavi is known for her larger than life bows that she regularly adorns, her love for Japanese street style, and the Japanese power house label Comme des Garcon. Tavi is not afraid to take risks with her wardrobe; she doesn’t pay much attention to trends and wears what makes her happy.
While some have been critical of little Tavi’s new found success and impact on the fashion industry, it’s clear that this middle school student has a bright future in the industry. Who knows, by 2013 maybe Tavi will have designed her own line of oversized bows.
Written by Rachel Core, Edited by Autumn Ashley
CREDITS Special Thanks to:
Wilhelmina Brown: Models
www.wilhelminabrown.com
Propaganda Hair Group: Hair& Makeup
Feathers 1700 South Congress, Austin, Texas 78704
South Austin Gallery 507A W. Mary St,, Austin, Texas 78704
Š2011 Student Fashion Cooperative