STITCH Autumn/Winter 2008

STITCH no.

02

autumn winter /

2008

816 Dempster 847.866.7337 red7salon.com

contents d e p a r t m e n t s trends

8

showcase

14

profile

16

-do

33

by Naadia Owens & Joyce Lee save & splurge

by Christopher Adamson

to

list

Dressmaker & NU alumna Holly Greenhagen, page

16

cultural reviews

38

lastword

by Matt Spector

Joyce Lee’s runway analysis, page

8

f e a t u r e s dress like a rock star

by Tori Telfer

looking good looking green

by Lauren Bonenberger

Williams

Beautiful Shoes, Handbags & Jewelry

12 Eco-fashion in Pivot Boutique, page

12

s h o o t s ridge

&

by Kamilla Rifkin

emerson

secretarial upheaval

by Kaitlyn Ellison

Next Door

706 Church St. 847.905.1588

10

wish you were here

by Marcy Capron Bridges and balloons, page

18

18

23

28

d Joy c e L e e

editor in chief

of Toronto, Canada

+ + + + +

elizabeth & james tees croissants the blues by nina cannabis santal perfume abstinence

“

Fashion is a product, but style is a way of life.

You can’t buy style, it’s an instinct.

”

- B eth D itto

arling readers,

Let’s admit it - all of us have our obsessions. A simple walk down the street yields the jittery caffeine junkies, the anxious nail-biters, the harried watch-checkers, and even the ergonomically concerned passersby with those wonderfully maddening suitcases trundling behind them. We are all guilty of day-to-day crutches, and it’s these minor habits that gradually burrow into our routines until they form the roots of what is called a way of life.

Me? I’m manic for this magazine. Less foible than fondness, my addiction to STITCH has necessitated a daily fix of editing, e-mailing, scheduling and liberal hobnobbing. The superfandom borders on hedonistic. But it’s not just me – 30 plus marvelous staffers are catching the fever and punching in daily time for STITCH. We are a veritable pocket of addicts with a communal crutch.

The beauty of it is that it’s impossible to isolate ourselves from such quirks and eccentricities. They make us distinct; they make us sane. So I present to you the second issue of STITCH, born from devotion and invented for anyone else who feels obsession is in order.

And if you’re not quite sold yet, stop by our new terrain: www. stitchfashion.com.

c o n t r i b u t o r s

Leah Ring

A l ex a n d r a D av i s

ad sales

ad manager

of North Andover, Massachusetts

of Rochester, Minnesota

+ + + + +

+ asymmetric hair styles + warm slippers + puri kura + californication (the show) + bonne belle vanilla frosting lip gloss

violet eyeliner cinnamon pugs in outfits foreign films airports

with love,

Marcy Capron

photographer/ production of Evanston, Illinois + söfft brand footwear

+ aveda sheer lipgloss tint in beetroot + Cem from türkisch für anfänger + my iphone and filofax + anti-liquid foundation revolution!

s t a f f editorial Joy ce Lee

editor in chief artistic director managing editor

Ch ristopher Adam son Matth ew Al fo nso

production Ch ristopher Adam son Marcy C apro n A la n B occado ro photographers Marcy C apro n K aitlyn El l i so n K amilla Ri fki n Nick In fusi no

writers Tor i Te l f e r L au r e n Bone nb e r g e r A l exand r a Il yas hov Je nny A n ad sales L e ah Ri ng

manager

A l exand r a Davi s Nat al i e Whi t e Syl vi a Pe t t y Ke l s ey C . Me l vi n Chr i s t i na Bl ack s t on A s ha Tou l mi n L au r e n Be r g man L au r e n Bone nb e r g e r

business Nathan Adkisson contributing writers S a ra S ch m i dt N a a di a O we n s Matt Spector w w w. s t i t c h f a s h i o n . c o m We b m a s t e r : S e a n Ta n g info@stitchmagazine.com To a d v e r t i s e i n S T I T C H p l e a s e contact Leah Ring, leah@stitchmagazine.com

STITCH magazine is published & produced by students at Northwestern Univeristy in Evanston, IL. Copyright 2008 © All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Alan Boccadoro

production

Je n n y A n

staff writer

To r i Te l f e r

staff writer

of Easton, Pennsylvania

of Ann Arbor, Michigan

of Western Springs, Illinois

+ + + + +

+ + + + +

+ lotion samples at whole foods + my boyfriend’s hair + eating snow + duran duran’s new CD + aztec chocolate

daily intel freedom 90 video luminaire fleetwood mac some girl from Russia

infatuations okkervil river honesty overheardinNewYork.com being a domestic goddess

7

trends

STITCH

direct

“Black

models are being sidelined by the major modeling agencies.”

from the source

“Fashion happened. There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s not my runway.”

a

Race on the Runway merica—country of blurring racial divides, Crayola flesh colors beyond peach, avenues and middle schools named after Martin Luther King Jr. So how did it come to be that over onethird of runway shows at this year’s Fashion Week in New York City didn’t employ black models? The designers that did showcase some diversity showed very little. Big names such as Chloé and Chanel did not use a single black model in their shows.

Does the finger point to blatant discrimination? At an August press conference in Kenya, Naomi Campbell, world-famous Afro-European model and veteran of the fashion universe, accused the fashion magazine industry of passing over ethnic beauty. She also declared that she would form her own modeling agency back in Kenya to promote more black models – a telling promise in a world supposedly past a blue-eyed, blond-haired image of beauty.

“It’s heartbreaking for me now because the agents send the girls out there to castings and nobody wants to see them,” said Bethann Hardison, a well-known agent who once represented Campbell and black male model Tyson Diggs, in an October 2007 article in The New York Times. “If they do, they’ll call afterward and say, ‘Well, you know, black girls do much better in Europe, or else black girls do much better in New York, or we already have our black girl.’”

Do “they,” the fashion world, really define beauty for us freethinking Americans? Many say yes, citing a national prevalence of eating disorders related to overly skinny models on advertisements and runways.

Photos: The Associated Press

by

m by

Above, from left: Designers Paulo Melim and Karl Lagerfeld, who hired no black models for their New York Fashion Week shows. Supermodels Iman and Naomi Campbell. Designer Vivienne Westwood, who is using a black model as the face of her upcoming campaign.

Naadia Owens

But there have definitely been changes since 1974, when Beverly Johnson became the first black model to appear on the cover of Vogue. Dove’s recent Campaign for Real Beauty has stirred up controversy with its billboards of “real women” replete with curves, pregnant bellies, and skin colors running the gambit.

Dove’s stated mission is to both make women feel more beautiful by challenging today’s stereotypes and inspire women to take greater care of themselves.

Should this not be the belief of all involved in fashion? Whatever happened to fashion for the masses?

Especially popular shows like America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway highlight multiethnic models and their wide range of experiences and designs.

Presenting the world with a message that diversity is acceptable is important to the fashion world.

We have heartbreakingly come to realize these images of racial harmony are really only presentations, Designers create for those around them. That there is an obvious lack of black models on the runway is a testimonial of the inside for those of us on the outside.

Some type of change should be made, but just as it is difficult to place blame, it is harder to reach resolution. Maybe the strong public slap on the wrist the fashion world has received for its models’ composition will motivate change.

Maybe not. Most of us consumers aren’t quite fashion’s imagined ideal – perhaps it is us who must stand up for true beauty.

Caption quotes as reported by Jada Yuan of New York Magazine Dec. 3, ‘07 and Caroline Davies of Telegraph UK Oct. 24, ‘07, respectively.

a/ w 07/ 08 runway

Joyce Lee

ILITARY TAILORING Hup, two, three, four! The long, lazy days of summer are long gone – it’s time to whip your look back into tip-top shape. Opt for military-inspired clothing and watch as sidewalks unfold into runways. Fight your way through sleet and snow with a bold forage cap, fur lining optional, and knee-high boots with a foldover top. Double-breasted coats with brass buttons impart power with a thick belt or two tightly coiled around them, but still say business when loosely draped. Garments below the waist are clean and streamlined – tapered, high-waist pants in a solid tone, or longer, patterned shorts atop dark tights. This is one regime you might never rebel against.

s

HADES OF GREY As the year wanes, the foliage loses its green and clouds take permanent residence in a once-blue sky.

So why fight the fade? Give in to the gray. This season, embrace this underestimated shade in its spectrum of intensities. Throw on a cashmere-soft dove gray scarf to combat blustery days. A deep pewter gray knitwear piece is a practical choice for day that turns into a chic outfit for night. Accessorizing in charcoal gray lends discreet accents to monochrome clothing – think elbowlength gloves, lampshade hats, soft-leather bags! Of course, painting on some gray in patent and sequins is marvelous for projecting both comfort and glamour, paired with an “Oh, this old thing?” expression.

Runway photos courtesy Style.com

Left:

Jean paul gaultier, couture au-

tumn 07.

Above: trovata doubled faced wool coat, $625; Active Endeavors (see page 14).

Left: Nina Ricci, autumn/winter 07/08.

Above: Cotta G baby doll dress, $34.99; Fashion Tomato (see page 14 ).

9

features

Opposite, top

to bottom:

Chicago band

The Villains are the epitome of modern rock style. Blondie’s Debbie Harry is the quintessential New Wave

STITCH

girl with her short, spiky hair and Pop Artinspired dress.

This page, from left: Brian Jones, guitarist for the Rolling Stones and first member of the infamous 27 Club, was famous for his flashy Mod style. Grace Slick - those heavy, ‘60s bangs? Totally back.

Photos: The Villains: Marcy Capron; Harry: popartuk. com; Jones: Linda Eastman McCartney; Slick: Herb Greene.

dress like a rock star by

Tori Telfer

h

old up there, sexy.

Before you slide into your skinny jeans and your thrift store-soft leather jacket, you have a shout-out to make. Don’t even look at that faux-destroyed, paintsplattered tee from Urban Outfitters before thanking the ones who came before you, rocking those styles long before the mannequins at Forever 21 did.

Rock and fashion have always been tight (sometimes too tight: Mick Jagger at 60 in leather pants, anyone?), and the combo has us eternally panting to keep up. Today, with the onslaught of MTV and the Internet, the music scene is more visual than ever.

That’s why The Villains of Verona, a Chicago rock band, adopt a fashion-savvy attitude toward our image-centric culture. “It never hurts to look good,” said bassist Drew Potenza, dressed in a sleek black ensemble complete with tie and vest. “When I go see a band, it looks like they just walked off the street and got on stage - nothing special - whereas I think our outfits and our look add extra appeal to us.”

He’s right. Rock stars have been considering their clothing, both on and off stage, for over fifty years.

Pre-Beatle rock and roll was characterized by leath-

er jackets and tight tshirts, a rock staple that has yet to go out of style. After the Fab Four came along and shook things up with their clean-cut suits, Nehru jackets, and psychedelic Sgt. Pepper-wear, rock and roll exploded into a myriad of different trends.

The rock scene of the 1960s was divided between the Rockers, who clung adamantly to that classic leather jacket and jeans look, and the high fashion-loving Mods, who worshipped trendy Italian suits and androgynous haircuts.

Psychedelia and hippie fashion emerged in the mid60s, embodied by female vocalists like Janis Joplin and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. Ethnic and folk fashions were hugely influential for these rock stars, who wore their clothes simultaneously ripped and embellished for a look of gypsy glam.

The natural, fluid look of Woodstock was replaced in the ‘70s by a headrush of slick, synthetic, electric, plastic outfits inspired by dance-wear. Nothing was sexier

than a tan chest offset by the plunging lapels of a white suit. Hello, Bee Gees.

In typical rock star style, the music scene of 1974 brought a one-eighty turn in fashion. Designer Vivienne Westwood is often credited for single-handedly establishing the punk look – military wear, anarchic slogans, violentlydyed hair, and S&Minspired accessories.

In Sex Pistols vocalist John Lyndon’s (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten’s) autobiography, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, guitarist Steve Jones describes his first sight of Rotten as, “He came in with green hair. He had his ‘I Hate Pink Floyd’ T-shirt on, and it was held together with safety pins.”

And you thought your anti-Bush tee was radical.

Then came the ‘80s. Where to start? There was big hair. There were acid-wash jeans. There was New Wave. Bands like Duran Duran adopted a more polished, synth-pop sound, complemented by headbands and eyeliner. There was heavy/hair/glam/ thrash metal. Hip-hop began to break into mainstream consciousness.

With grunge in the 1990s, the masses stopped washing their hair. Grunge may be the least fashionconscious trend in music to date. The rumpled-hair and knit ski-caps of the grunge movement were a reaction against the overblown flashiness of the ‘80s. Of course, what started off as an underground group of fashion-apathetic musicians soon turned into a mainstream trend, as stores began to market “grunge” fashion. Style superstore H&M now carries

a “Neo-Grunge” line characterized by “vintage dresses, schoolgirl dresses, uniform jackets, jeans, flannel shirts” (H&M.com).

“In today’s culture, it’s very idealistic to say that music is the be-all end-all,” says Eric Hehr, Villains guitarist. His hair is spiked à la David Bowie, and rarely has a man worn better-fitting black jeans. “I think image does play a big part, especially with all the different ways of access to the public that we have.”

According to the Villains, the Chicago rock scene is obsessed with skinny jeans, v-necks, t-shirts with vests, and a general hipster look. But if you had to classify the Villains? “Maybe a stylized librarian, like you’d see in GQ,” says Hehr.

culture, it’s very idealistic “ Intotoday’s say that music is the be-all end-all. I mage does play a big part.

”

Rock style doesn’t necessarily stay on stage. Designers like Diane von Furstenberg and DKNY are drawing inspiration from The Mods of the ‘60s with their block-pattern, solid-print cocktail dresses. Target is carrying a new line of men’s clothing inspired

by David Bowie, while Urban Outfitters sells a slew of ripped, sloganed t-shirts that the Sex Pistols would be proud of (although Sid Vicious wouldn’t be caught dead in a shirt that reads, “Say YES to Pizza – Say NO to Drugs!”).

So finish dressing, rock star. Put on your gold lamé disco leggings from American Apparel and mousse your hair into grunge-inspired perfection. If you rock hard enough, you may just leave your own fabulous legacy behind.

11

Looking Good Looking Green

e

very season brings a new shade into fashion. Too bad not everybody looks good in mustard yellow or eggplant. But in the wake of the new eco-fashion trend, there’s one color anyone call pull off – green.

Eco-fashion refers to the use of environmentally sustainable products and practices in creating clothing. Not only is production low-impact, but it also strives to be responsible. For farm and factory workers of the fashion industry, that means fair wages and adequate working conditions.

According to the Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP), eco-fashion has a three-prong agenda: to create fashionable, high-quality clothing while caring for the health and well being of the environment, the consumer and the factory worker.

12

tees obsessed with the company’s mantra to “evaluate raw materials, invest in innovative technologies, rigorously police our waste and use a portion of our sales to support groups working to make a real difference.”

With the fashion world abuzz with talk of eco-clothing, a question stirs in the minds of the well-dressed as they picture themselves decked out in hemp and soda cans – will these psuedo-hippie eco-clothes live up to the standards to which the rest of their closet is subjected?

During NYC’s Fashion Week in February 2005, Earth Pledge joined with Barneys to answer that question with a resounding, “Yes!” Together, the NGO and luxury department store sponsored a runway show focused solely on eco-fashion.

Earth Pledge recruited 28 fashion heavyweights to design clothing made of renewable resources like organic cotton, bamboo, corn-based fibers, and recycled materials. Designs from the likes of Oscar de la Renta, Imitation of Christ, Diane Von Furstenburg, and Heatherette gave the FutureFashion initiative some serious credentials.

FutureFashion made another appearance at the first ever Green Fashion Week in Seattle this fall, alongside other green designs by Stewart+Brown, Peter Som, Rebecca Taylor, and Loomstate. Loomstate has also teamed up with Barneys New York to launch the label Loomstate for Barneys Green – the first green label of any high-end department store.

Kudos to Barneys for supporting the movement; by

Lauren Bonenberger

The road to an eco-friendly wardrobe is paved in recycled and organic materials, which makes the road a long one.

The lengthy journey of eco-chic clothing begins with farmers refraining from using pesticides, instead using organic fertilizers on the cotton crops. Cotton crops account for 25 percent of the agricultural pesticides that cause water pollution and subsequent illness, reports Earth Pledge, a nonprofit group focused on sustainable development.

From there, the organic cotton travels to low-impact factories where fair trade workers turn the raw material into a usable textile. The cloth is not dyed with harsh chemicals and bleaches as most fabrics are; the manufacturing processes are all-natural.

Even recycled plastics and soda bottles can be transformed into fashion-friendly material. Outerwear company Patagonia has garnered a bevy of devo-

Opposite, clockwise: Eco-fashion from Pivot: Josh Jakus wool bags made from surplus materials; $95.

Mociun organic hemp and silk dress, $395.

Jessa Brinkmeyer, Pivot boutique owner and NU alumna.

This page, clockwise: Recycled skateboard bags, Beck(y), $95 and $150. Pivot boutique, 1101 West Fulton Market, Chicago, 312/243-4754.

Photos: Nick Infusino

still, most people, particularly college students, don’t have the luxury of paying such a pretty penny, even in the name of the environment. Bargain hunters beware – eco-fashion is generally more expensive than regularly produced clothing due to the farming techniques and fair trade practices. Luckily, reasonably priced options exist for the fashion-conscious environmentalist with a lighter wallet.

psuedo-hippie “ Will eco-clothes live up

to fashion standards?

”

Beau Soleil offers a selection of eco-friendly little black (and grey) dresses perfect for hitting the town and C&C California has also developed two styles of organic cotton T’s in a variety of colors.

Chicagoans need not go far to find environmentally-friendly fashion. Since September 2006, Pivot Boutique, 1101 West Fulton Market, has fed the city’s hunger for green clothing.

“When you walk into Pivot, we want you to automatically realize that you don’t have to sacrifice style or comfort to wear eco-fashion,” said owner and Northwestern alumna Jessa Brinkmeyer, who caught onto the trend after covering sustainable fashion for a local magazine. After finding it difficult to locate boutiques that carried eco-friendly clothing, Brinkmeyer decided to open her own. And she plans to be around for awhile. “It’s the future of the industry,” she said of the movement. “People will be demanding these fabrics. One day you won’t have to ask if a cotton t-shirt is organic, it just will be.”

Not too far from now is that day when leggings, skinny jeans, and tunics leave the fashion scene and the world will inevitably welcome a new set of trends in their place. But like the classic trench and the little black dress, green will never go out of style.

showcase

Winter in the Midwest... rosy-cheeked but layered, outside; a reassuring sense of fireside-cosy, inside.

Clothing from: Fashion Tomato, 1631 Sherman, Evanston; Active Endeavors, 901 Church, Evanston.

Ulla Johnson herald $465; Active Endeavors.

b

d n u

peacoat,

Mittens, Coal mittens, $28 each, Coal armwarmers, $28 each; Active Endeavors.

Ulla Johnson patterned blouse, $253; Active Endeavors.

Kara Janx metallic convertable wrap, $363; Active Endeavors.

E OS

Cashmere Pashmina, $14.99 each; Fashion Tomato.

LO

P Uled

T LE

STITCH

Cc Skye gold chain lariat, $242;

Active Endeavors.

Catherine

Malandrino

embroidered cutout Dress, $595; Active Endeavors.

Trovata scholar cashmere and cotton cardigan, $341; Active Endeavors.

Cheery Knit extra long

knit cardigan, $27.99; Fashion Tomato.

RVCA reversible hoodie, $84; Ac2-Cielo gold and brown

tive Endeavors.

bell sleeve jacket, $59.99; Fashion Tomato.

14

Hush extra soft jewel tone leggings, $18.99; Fashion Tomato.

Akulani knit sweater, $59.99; Fashion Tomato.

Edun saber crewneck, $180;

Active Endeavors.

Sunglasses, $14.99 each; Fashion Tomato.

profile

STITCH

fashion's Grand dame

h

by

Christopher Adamson

olly greenhagen is a northwestern alumnus who traded the Medill journalism degree she received in 1988 for pure white silk and a dress form. As co-owner and designer of the bridal house Dame Couture, she makes what she calls “small feats of engineering” – gorgeous, vintageinspired wedding dresses and party gowns on a perclient basis. One Saturday, after a day of meetings and experiments on the dress form, Holly met me in an Evanston coffee shop over a glass of raspberry lemonade.

CHRISTOPHER ADAMSON: When did you first realize you wanted to work in fashion?

HOLLY GREENHAGEN: Well, I was always a sewer; my mom taught me to sew when I was 13.

Growing up in the Midwest it never occurred to me you could actually have a career in fashion. I went to Northwestern and I became a journalism major thinking, “Well at least I’ll have a job after I graduate.”

Then I worked at the Chicago Reader for over eight years. At the first sign of malaise in my first chosen career I though “Oh well I can just quit and go to fashion design school!” So I went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles for two and a half years.

CA: Did you ever think you wanted to stay in LA? HG: Yes, I did. But I broke up with a boyfriend and I missed my friends in Chicago. At that point I really wanted to leave L.A. and I didn’t get any jobs in New York, so I came back to Chicago. And I was really glad because I missed it.

CA: How did you start Dame Couture?

HG: Well, when I first came back to Chicago, Julie [Julie Fehler, Dame Couture co-owner] and I started having kind of guerrilla sales events. We’d rent an art gallery and invite all our other designer friends and we’d all sell our stuff. After a fallow period, Julie called me and said she knew someone who was opening a bridal store, and, “Why don’t we try putting together some bridal dresses?” The store never materialized, but we had thought about it so much we decided to just start a bridal line. And… there it is!

Above: Holly Greenhagen.

Opposite: All dresses Dame Couture; price and availability upon request. 4316 N. Elston, Chicago, 773/463-2162, damecouture.com.

Photos: Marcy Capron

CA: Working in Chicago, do you think there is a greater fashion community you’re a part of?

HG: There is a community, it’s just that we’re scat-

tered. I know a dressmaker in Naperville and I know people who are making handbags and shoes and jewelry, and all these people are in the same boat.

They’re trying to figure out how to sell all their wares and not live in New York. I guess I feel like there is camaraderie and emotional support. Mayor Daley is trying to make Chicago more of a ‘fashion city,’ and it is having the effect that we’re all sort of meeting each other and forming more of a community. But, it’s in the process of growing.

CA: What do you like about working on a per-client basis, customizing everything?

HG: The best thing about it is the relationship you develop with the person – it’s almost always good.

We’ve only had maybe one or two relationships where we get to the end, the dress is done, and we’re like, “Whew.” Most of the time we really miss the clients.

As a designer, you also get to reinvent your ideas each time. I think a lot of people have also never worn something that fits them perfectly on their body, especially since women tend to have a lot of body issues.

But once they’ve got something on that actually fits them the way it’s supposed to, they feel more attractive, like “Oh! I was so worried about nothing!” That’s really satisfying, to see that sort of light bulb go off in the client’s head.

CA: It’s kind of like you’re bringing nice tailoring back to the masses.

HG: I hope so. I feel that all that appreciation for fine tailoring and sewing and fit have sort of gone by the wayside because we all buy knit tops from the Gap. I do it too. But I definitely hope that’s what we’re doing.

CA: I feel like there are a lot of people, even now, who go to Northwestern and they want to do something in fashion, they want to design, but they don’t want to go

having to live with all these different kinds of people.

CA: Did you like that atmosphere?

HG: I liked some of it and I didn’t like some of it [laughs]. It was the ‘80s; being in your twenties was a much different experience.

“ We started having guerrilla sales events. We’d rent an art gallery and invite our designer friends and sell our stuff.

to art school. Do you think you could do your job now with just Northwestern as background?

HG: Probably. Half of having a successful business is being able to sell what you can make. I learned how to relate to a broad spectrum of people at NU: I was in a sorority [Alpha Chi Omega], so I had stereotypical snobby sorority sisters and I had some atypical sorority sisters; I was involved in arts groups, so I had some hippy-dippy friends, and I had some nerdy journalism friends. I think that helps if you’re trying to either sell a product or sell yourself, which is something artists do. So, I think what was most valuable for me was not the classes that I took but the atmosphere and

”

CA: Did your Northwestern education factor into your decision to go into fashion?

HG: There are a million ways to answer that question.

There is no direct relationship I don’t think. I did do costumes and a lot of sewing all through college, and my college experience directly led me to my job experience that put me in close proximity with creative people who were forming bands and writing novels on the side. No, but I’d say it’s about as far away from my Northwestern education as I could probably get [laughs].

17

shoots

STITCH

Ridge & Emerson

a postmodern romance Photographer: Kamilla Rifkin Models: Dillan Arrick, Comm ‘11; Jason Heymann, Comm ‘09 Hair by: Alice Salazar & Pat Lewis for Art+Science Salon (see page 35) Direction & Styling by: STITCH editors Fashion Assistants: Alexandra Ilyashov, Julia Detchon Clothing from: Untitled, 812 Church, Evanston, 847/332-2370

From

left: top, ANZEVINO and FLORENCE, $140; jumper with straps, Smoke Mirrors, $225. Quilted hoodie, Subscript, $200; shirt, Green Apple, $40; trousers with braces, Subscript, $165.

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From left: jacket, FrEshjive, $155; shirt, Ksubi, $115; pinstriped pants, Cheap Monday, $65. Jacket, 55DSL, $135; top, Miss Me, $75; ankle-zip jeans, Ksubi, $220.

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From left: jacket, Corpus, $175; jeans, Ksubi, $285; sunglesses, $15.

Windbreaker swing dress, Rojas, $150; leather bag, Nazly, $315; frames, $15.

From

left: Altered vintage suit, Dame Couture; price upon request. Boots, Modern Vintage, $295; Williams Next

Door.

SE

UP

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clothing from: Francesca’s Collections, 1706 Maple, Evanston; 847/328-5459.

Dame Couture (see page 16); Williams Next Door, (see page 4).

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upheaval in Hotel Orrington, 9th floor: 1710 Orrington, Evanston. photographer: Kaytlin Ellison. models: Godhuli Chatterjee, Medill ‘10; Elizabeth Allison, Comm ‘08; Tyler Baranski, Comm ‘11; Conor Daly, Comm ‘09. makeup by: Christian Van Brimmer, 312/324.4605. direction & styling by: STITCH editors. fashion assistants: Christina Blackston, Kamilla Rifkin.

Below, from left: Leather jacket, Theme, $68; skirt, Theme, $32; turtleneck, Vintage Havana, $34; Francesca’s Collections. Dress, Rosebud, $42; belt, $18; necklace, $28; bangles, $15 each; reading glasses, $12; Francesca’s Collections. Men wearing altered vintage jackets, Dame Couture, price upon request.

24

Frencescas Collections

tweed dress, $34; belt, $18; deco necklace, $32; bracelet, $18; Francesca’s Collections.

Above: Shoes, Biviel, $135; Williams Next Door.

From left: hooded dress, Theme, $38; belt, $15. Altered vintage suit, Dame Couture, price upon request.

26

From left: tuxedo jacket, Rosebud, $48; blouse, Sam Sanci, $42; slacks, Kerpo Girl, $34; patent oversized clutch, $48; Francesca’s Collections. Knit poncho, Sam Sanci, $42; sequined dress, Theme, $78; Francesca’s Collections. Boots, Modern Vintage, $295; Williams Next Door.

This Page: poncho, Lux, $178; noir hat, $25; feather clip, $18; Urban Outfitters.

Opposite, from left: coat, F21, $18.50; shoes, New March, $17.50; Crossroads Trading Co. Coat, Lux, $125; Urban Outfitters.

WW

ish You er e h e r e !

Photographer: Marcy Capron Models: Jessica Lane, Medill ‘08; Kim Tolksdorf, Comm ‘09.

Makeup by: Christian Van Brimmer, 312/324-4605 Direction & Styling by: STITCH editors Fashion Assistants: Alan Boccadoro, Kaitlyn Ellison

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Clothing from: Urban Outfitters, 912 Church, Evanston, 847/492 - 8542 Crossroads Trading Co., 1730 Sherman, Evanston, 847/492 - 9400

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Opposite, from left: coat, Kimchi& Blue, $125, Urban Outfitters. Coat, Industry, $37.50, Crossroads Trading Co; boots, Colcci, $125, Urban Outfitters.

This page: coat, FS United, $32.50; Crossroads Trading Co; rain boots, $34, Urban Outfitters.

1 to-do list

STITCH

Taste This

Let the STITCH culture junkies sift through the mess - put these experiences on your to-do list.

The Stained Glass

Photo courtesy The Stained Glass

1735 Benson, Evanston 847/864-8600 Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs: 5:30 – 9 p.m.

Fri, Sat: 5:30 – 10 p.m.

Closed Tuesdays Dress code: semi-casual

Sweater coat, Kimchi& Blue, $78, Urban Outfitters.

With a clever name alluding to its 30-plus array of wines and an intriguing New American menu, The Stained Glass is Evanston’s culinary counterpart of the Little Black Dress: best paired with a chic coif, vibrant tights and quirky spangled flats.

Be prepared for sophisticated dining: chanterelle mushrooms prepared three distinct ways, foie gras BLT, and a sumptuous crème brûlée sampler. The ingenious combination of kicky chai and decadent crystallized custard takes inspiration from both East and West, as do the wasabi mashed potatoes and Thai-spiced beef salad.

Seafood at The Stained Glass deserves a special mention. Tender scallops are grounded by creamy cheddar grits and sweetened by beets and shallot vinaigrette, and crisped calamari comes bathed in porcini mushrooms and parmesan. Tuna lovers mustn’t miss the citrus-doused and superbly seasoned “Tuna, Tuna, Tuna” entrée in peppery pastrami spicing.

Vegetarians will delight in the flavorful appetizers, as well as the risotto-stuffed acorn squash dish. Salads come with lettuce too large to nibble on elegantly, but combinations like kalamata olives, feta and caramelized walnuts are delicious nonetheless.

The vibe is mature and hushed, but without the snobbery of many upscale restaurants. Expect rustic brick walls, mellow lighting and a delightful excess of wine bottles festooning the shelves.

Perfect for date cuisine, or when parents are picking up the tab, there’s nary to nitpick besides the steeply gourmand-worthy prices. There are nights when nothing satiates like a BYOB-ed dinner with closest friends at Cozy Noodle (1018 Davis, Evanston), or the excellent pairing of take-out sushi and the latest Gossip Girl.

But for the nights when that festive frock is begging to be showcased, the Stained Glass is surely Evanston’s prime spot to swish about for an evening.

— Alexandra Ilyashov

Hear This Little Dragon Little Dragon

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Continuing with Sweden’s reinvention of all things cool, Little Dragon brings us their eponymous debut record, chock full of emotive sophistipop. Drawing on influences like Björk, Portishead, and New Orleans bounce music, this album would go over well at an evening soirée with your curator friends and two bottles of red. Lead singer (and José Gonzáles’s main gal) Yukimi Nagano channels Billie Holiday in her restrained intensity, drawing attention to her unique timbre rather than overblown vocal runs. Dirge-like opener “Twice” is Nagano at her best, tiredly questioning a former lover alongside plaintive,

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Hear This cont... reverb-soaked piano and accompanying bass synths. The songwriting of this four-member group of Gothenburg, Sweden, proves uniformly strong as well, and is expertly captured by warm, analog production. That said, Little Dragon soars highest during its poppiest moments. The vintage soul of “Recommendation” holds abundant promise of an impromptu shimmying session, while “Constant Surpris-

Read This Smashed

by Koren Zailckas

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Although it’s something a book reviewer usually doesn’t admit, it was the strikingly stark cover of Koren Zailckas’s Smashed that caught my eye. Also usually not one for non-fiction, I found myself drawn into this engaging autobiography and into the author’s chaotic world.

Koren Zailckas’s narrative of her life from the age of 14 to 23 is the true story of her own slippery descent into substance abuse and reckless abandon. Her story captures the nonchalance of America’s bursting college scene where booze flows like water. Stringently refuting the title of alcoholic, Zailckas articulates what it means to be a binge drinker, a life that all too many American college students live weekend after weekend, blackout after blackout.

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es” is a great tune for the first moments of the morning, suggesting today may be the day to meet that special someone on the long walk home. Unfortunately, other cuts off Little Dragon sometimes fade into the background when stacked up against these standout tracks. Still, that’s what the red wine and Ph.D in Art History are for.

Tues - Thurs / 9am - 9pm Fri / 9am - 8pm Sat / 8am - 6pm [Closed Sunday and Monday]

— Matthew Alfonso

811 church, evanston 847.864.4247

An extremely well-written work, Smashed is powerful. As anonymous characters float in and out of each blurry episode, Zailckas’s ambivalence to the chaos becomes the dominant sentiment of the book. Her faceless encounters merely reinforce the cyclical nature of her own continual inebriation. Delving deeper, you cannot help but glimpse your own story unfolding between the lines of Zailckas’s prose, from struggles with self-confidence to the desperate search for community.

Not only does Zailckas, now 24, expose the seductive escapism offered in the form of vodka handles and six-packs, but she also presents the female perspective of this glorified Animal House tradition. Following Title IX and women’s liberation, women are now pressured to live up to our male counterparts, shot for shot. But Zailckas’s narrative exposes the degrading reality of the morning-after and describes the hours of humiliation and fear that punctuate all-night benders.

Above all else, Zailckas story is as real and raw as its cover. For anyone who has been immersed in the culture of binge drinking, Smashed is a provocative and sobering account of one girl’s struggle to rise from the bottom of the bottle.

— Sara Schmidt

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he Silk oad

Fine clothing & jewelry For women 531 Davis Street Evanston 847/424-1111

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last word

STITCH

Where has all the funny gone? commentary by

Matt Spector

I mean the real, non-laugh track funny – the kind that makes you chuckle and leaves traces of a grin hours after. Where is the sort of laughter that, shouted in a fit of utterly sugared-up joy, will immediately identify you as the most obnoxious and overly soda-popped person in a five-mile radius, let alone at the cinema?

I miss the genuine funny that makes you think, then crack a smile, then laugh until your sides hurt.

We’ve reached the point where a five-second video starring a beady-eyed, theatrical prairie dog and a bootleg music video by an awkwardly-baritone singer define our collective sense of humor. An age when CSI: Crime Scene Investigation clones and reality TV result shows crowd out the good stuff for pithy banter between forensic scientists and snarky Eurotrash judges. A time when immature comedians combine hyperactive personalities with half-witted jokes, yet still dupe audiences into filling entire stadiums (I’m looking at you, Mr. Cook). Cashews aren’t funny, chief.

It’s time for Americans to press their proverbial reset button and start anew. We need to communally reevaluate what’s funny and who’s funny, where we want our funny and how we want to get it. Not every “Cat Playing Piano” video posted to YouTube is funny.

Not every three-camera sitcom clone is fresh or new.

We can, however, look to those individuals who capture our laughter time and again. It’ll be like Noah’s Ark, except the cargo hold will be filled with Jon Stewarts and Tina Feys instead of giraffes and humpback whales. And replacing a flood of water will be… a flood of severance checks.

Get rid of Jay Leno and David Letterman. The late night talk show format has gone stale and even the writers know they’re grabbing at an increasingly uninterested audience. Mock newsmen Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart have a stranglehold on the new satire-seeking late night audience – politically active, culturally up-to-date and still not in bed by 11 o’clock.

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So audiences and networks execs alike, embrace the single camera sitcom. Comedies like NBC’s 30 Rock capture the nothingness that made Seinfeld timeless. Copy this model. I hope you’re taking notes.

Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s experimental Web site, FunnyOrDie.com, provides an oasis of authentic funny in an online world awash in copycat comedians. By featuring unknown artists, their business venture has become a testing ground for some of the Internet’s most promising stars. Just as Saturday Night Live casting directors grabbed Andy Samberg and his cohorts from their comedy site TheLonelyIsland.com, network suits should be keeping an eye on Internet talent for raw, creative energy.

In the film world, new talent breeds fresh concepts and draws in audiences currently overwhelmed by waves of uninspired remakes and adaptations. Michael Cera’s big-time debut in 2007’s Superbad propelled him from relative obscurity with the year’s most awkward comedic moments. This is an opportunity to give more obscure comedians their time in the limelight. Improv scenester Aziz Ansari and multi-talented comedian Patton Oswalt are still flying under the radar but deserve their time to shine.

Then again, it might be better to nurse a wounded sense of humor with one of SNL’s or Seinfeld’s collector’s edition ultra-deluxe DVD boxed sets. You’ll be protesting today’s wimpy sitcoms and cheap comedy remakes and making a stand for fresh jokes. Slam your hand on the pop culture reset button and rediscover what really makes us laugh. Demand a new funny! Vive la résistance!

Williams

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