STITCH February 2016 by STITCH Magazine

no. 28

february 2016 the industry issue

table of contents

03 masthead

08 textiles STITCH breaks down the basic fabrics of couture

04 contributors

14 copy that A history of the counterfeit industry

05 editor’s note 06 pleasures 07 cutting ties How fashion’s economic pressures are making a creative industry corporate

16 unfinished A look into makeup left rough around the edges

22 an insider’s guide to the industry Exclusive advice from fashion executives 28 r.s.v.p. Formal wear takes center stage in a vintage hotel 35 last word STITCH staffer Christian Welch's path from Chemistry to Couture

22 17 2

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Erica Witte

am ur dre o y s ' t wha the job in ry? ndust i n o i fash ry Burch

To ating as Reincarn

MANAGING EDITOR Luke Zhang CREATIVE DIRECTOR & RECRUITMENT CHAIR Sarah Spellings SENIOR EDITOR Lizzey Johnson

herself

Redefin ing chain to the production be more sustaina ble

TREASURER Diana Armacanqui DESIGN EDITOR Florence Fu

of an n editor A fashio al magazine on internati

DESIGN TEAM Manon Blackman, Emily Ash, Susan Chen, Emmanuel Rockwell, Jason Yuan, Courtney Zhu ONLINE EDITOR Rachel Lefferts STAFF WRITERS Rachel Burns, Haley Glazer, Leslie Zhang, Isabel Seidel, Christian Welch PRINT PHOTO EDITOR Zack Laurence ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR Alix Kramer

n make

my ow unching

up line

A report er Times Fa for for the New York shion & Style se ction

PHOTOSHOOT DIRECTOR Beatrice Hagney ASSISTANT PHOTOSHOOT DIRECTOR Jason Yuan

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Allie Hagen, Mari Uchida, Melissa Cagan, Meghan Harshaw, Kate Sprengel, Sam Schumacher, Charli Bing Hu, Jackie Maloney, Michael Quevedo STYLING TEAM Caroline Bell, Madison Blanchard, Amber Cline, Danielle Cohen, Hannah Curcio, Maddy Kaufman, Olivia Krevoy, Christian Maness, Jessica Onyinyechi, Kathleen Carroll, Evelyn Ma , Tori Latham, Lilly Scheerer MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Emily Kappes MULTIMEDIA TEAM Clare Fisher, Daniela Grava, Zoe Juanitas, Kimberly Hill, Renée Jacoby, Brii Williams

Assisting

Grace C oddingto

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Lauren Myers MARKETING TEAM Casey Doherty, Elisa Finol, Lanie Shalek, Jing Wang, Amelia Cornin, Ariel Matluck, Alexandra Mennell SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Carolina Diaz SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM Catherine Kang, Wren Hagge, Brooke Delaney, Lindsey Spohler DIRECTOR OF EVENTS Amber Cline DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Steffanee Wang

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contributors

Jessica Onyinyechi Styling Team African-American Studies

Who is your fashion idol? I particularly idolize Solange Knowles because of the color pattern, drama, freedom and temperature of her looks.

What are you most excited to wear in spring weather? Light denim.

Emily Ash Designer Journalism & Economics Who is your fashion idol? Sophia Amoruso, the founder of NastyGal. She took the “lone wolf ” approach to fashion entrepreneurship and it paid off. She really trusts herself and doesn’t rely on other people to make decisions for her business.

Sam Schumacher Photographer Journalism & Economics Who is your fashion idol? Johnny Depp...does that count?

What are you most excited to wear in spring weather? Can’t wait to bust out the anchor print Sperrys.

What are you most excited to wear in spring weather? Less. Rachel Burns Editorial Team Journalism

Diana Armacanqui Treasurer Economics & Environmental Sciences

Who is your fashion idol? Vera Wang because she’s done it all—senior fashion editor at Vogue for 15 years, design director for Ralph Lauren, and designer of some of the most sought-after wedding dresses and evening gowns.

Who is your fashion idol? Janis Joplin: quirky, gritty and a little too much. Her style is as raw and unpredictable as her songs.

What are you most excited to wear in spring weather? My blue AllSaints leather jacket.

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What are you most excited to wear in spring weather? Sunscreen because the sun will be back, and we will all be outside!

editor’s note

When foreigners to the fashion world discover you want to work in the industry, they enthusiastically nod, saying, “like The Devil Wears Prada, right?” or “You could totally win Project Runway.” Everyone assumes they can relate, because the media portrays the industry in an overtly simplistic way: you’re either the ice-queen editor of Vogue or being smooched on the cheek by Heidi Klum as she says, “Auf Wiedersehen!” There is some truth to the idea that the industry is cut-throat—“One day you’re in. And the next day, you’re out” (pg. 7)—but what the media fails to convey is the complexity and variety of the field, as well as the countless career paths contained within it. Growing up, I fell into this fashion binary. I knew I was destined to turn my shopping addiction into a profitable job, but I felt my options were limited. When my sewing class at summer camp amounted to nothing more than a horrific elastic-waist skirt, I scratched future Christian Siriano off my list and turned to Miranda Priestly. In my mind, becoming the next Editor-in-Chief of a fashion magazine was my last hope for a successful occupation in the much coveted style sector. From that point forward, when adults asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, it was easy and relatable to simplify my goal to replacing Anna Wintour (because honestly, does your great aunt know of Eva Chen, Roberta Myers, or Anne Fulenwider?). In order to help STITCH readers (and perhaps their friends and family) attain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the various facets of the fashion world, we’ve created an “Insider’s Guide to the Industry” (pg. 22). After exploring the fascinating subsets of the industry, you too will find it hard to limit your options. Featuring Q&As with everyone from a Saint Laurent model to the President and Chief Merchandising Officer of Neiman Marcus, these exclusive interviews reveal both the diversity of the industry and also what steps you can take to make these dreams a reality. And not to worry, we also feature a former Project Runway contestant and New York Magazine fashion editor, in case you haven’t changed your mind.

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pleasures: stitch picks 1. LIP POLISH, Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, $24, Sephora 2. SNEAKERS, Madewell & Saucony® DXN Trainer Sneakers, $85, Madewell 3. FOUNDATION, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, $62, Sephora 4. LIPSTICK, MAC Lipstick “Plum Dandy,” $17, Nordstrom 5. SUNGLASSES, RayBan Round MetalFrame Sunglasses, $170, Bergdorf Goodman

CUTTING TIES How fashion’s economic pressures are making a creative industry corporate

N OCTOBER 2015, Lanvin’s Creative Director Alber Elbaz shockingly announced his departure from the French fashion house. Elbaz explained that it was “on the decision of the company’s majority shareholder.” He ended his statement both poignantly and cryptically. “I wish the house of Lanvin the future it deserves among the best French luxury brands,” he said, “and hope that it finds the business vision it needs to engage in the right way forward.” Elbaz’s announcement was the abrupt final straw after two such departures— Alexander Wang from Balenciaga and Raf Simons from Dior—also crushed the hearts of many throughout the fashion industry. While it is not unusual for brands to shake things up with new designers, these recent layoffs have left the industry buzzing with both anticipation and confusion. As the industry sheds its skin, people have begun to question the fast-paced nature of the industry and the pressure that comes along with it. In July, Balenciaga announced it was parting ways with Alexander Wang after a tenure of less than three years. While the French fashion house released a statement explaining it was a mutual decision to terminate Wang’s contract, many have speculated that it was Wang who wanted to focus solely on his own brand. In October, just a week before Elbaz’s announcement, Christian Dior announced that Raf Simons would end his his three and a half year run as creative director. It was Simons who decided he wasn’t going to renew his contract and he released a statement in which he said, “It is a decision based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand, and the passions that drive me outside my work.” These departures have brought a lot of attention to the concoction of high-stakes and stringent limits that creative directors

BY RACHEL BURNS

face. As luxury fashion houses dispose of successful designers, discussion turns towards the diminishing importance of design and creativity in a market that now places its emphasis on business strategies and brand names. Simons openly spoke about how the rapid output of six shows a year stunts his creative process and that he yearns for more incubation time for ideas. “I think I can deal with the highest level of expectation within the business, like massive blockbuster shows, commercial clothes, big concepts,” he told New York Magazine, “but I don’t think that necessarily makes you a better designer.” The industry’s emphasis on commercialism also catalyzes a loss of creativity. The financial pressures of the industry have trumped creativity, pushing out creative geniuses for mere business reasons. The corporate conglomerates that control the fashion industry have one thing in mind...profit. Elbaz acknowledged this focus as he accepted the Superstar Award at the 2015 Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars event in October when he said, “Now we have to become image-makers, creating a buzz, making sure that it looks good in the pictures. The screen has to scream, baby. Consumers now buy into the name and the legacy and with that, the designer becomes less important as the

financial gain becomes more.” People all across the fashion industry, from designers to reporters to consumers themselves, are voicing concerns with the changing role of creative directors— and the industry as a whole. In its article “Why Fashion is Crashing,” Vogue discusses the urgent focus on sales of “highspeed fashion,” which harm the creatives more than anyone else, and applauds Simons for escaping from it. Women’s Wear Daily asked over 50 designers—from Karl Lagerfeld to Ralph Lauren to Donatella Versace—their opinions on whether the industry is moving too quickly and bound to burnout. While everyone had different answers, a common thread among their answers was the idea that in this modern, technologically-advanced world, everything is accelerated. This ‘one day you’re in, the next day you’re out’ nature of the industry has been in place for a while now and shows no sign of slowing down. Designers have to keep up with “fast-fashion,” a world where trends are fleeting and unpredictable. But in order for designers to accommodate, they inevitably must constrain their creativity and freedom. The industry is dangerously becoming less art and more business. In the end, it is us, the fashion-loving consumers of the world, who are deprived the most as the pure creativity that used to drive the industry is now hidden like a slip under the thick fabric of corporate pressures.

TEXTILES C LOT H E S M A D E O N S E T B Y: B E AT R I C E H A G N E Y, T O R I L AT H A M , J E S S I C A O N Y I , A N D L I L LY S C H E E R E R PHOTOGRAPHER: SAM SCHUMACHER M A K E U P A R T I S T: J A S O N Y U A N H A I R S T Y L I S T: J E S S I C A O N Y I N Y E C H I S E T A S S I S TA N T S : TO R I L AT H A M , J E S S I C A O N Y I N Y E C H I , A N D L I L LY S C H E E R E R MODELS: SALOMÉ LEZHAVA AND NANCY WEI

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COPY THAT A History of the Counterfeit Industry BY LESLIE ZHANG

"If you want to be original, be ready to be copied." So said the legendary designer Coco Chanel, who, in the 1920s, revolutionized womenswear with the introduction of her stylish-yet-utilitarian suits. The imitation Chanel knew of was of a milder nature: it was commonplace for department stores to strike contracts with designers to enable the mass reproduction and distribution of iconic pieces, such as the pinched waist of Christian Dior’s 1947 “New Look” suit jackets and, of course, Chanel’s suits. However, Chanel could have never predicted the number of knockoff luxury goods that would saturate the market in the decades to come. By the turn of the 20th century, designer knockoffs had tumbled off the shelves of high-end department stores into the stalls of street market vendors. Fake handbags, boasting flashy designer logos, were in especially high demand. By the 2000s, the global counterfeit industry had reached its peak. Peddlers in the streets and subway stations of Brooklyn, Guangzhou and Rome hawked inventories 14

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full of fake Gucci. Thousands of Chinese migrant workers dragged faux Louis Vuitton and Burberry suitcases through train stations to return to the rural countryside. The possession of a designer bag, or at least what looked like one, had transformed from a status symbol into the norm. There was little reason for the average consumer to hold back from indulging in knockoffs. In fact, it was economical, a way for the fashion-minded to stay on trend without breaking budget. Christopher Sprigman and Kal Raustiala, law professors at the University of Virginia and the University of California, Los Angeles, suggest that counterfeit goods play an important role in the democratization of fashion, removing the obstacle of cost to increase the accessibility of certain styles. “You don’t have to be rich to look great,” Sprigman said in an interview with "TIME" magazine. “Some people have said that if you can copy a $1,000 cocktail dress and produce a credible-looking $70 alternative, this erodes the status premium that the one-percenter gets.” In the United States, no laws or penalties exist to deter shoppers from purchasing fake goods. The 1984 Trademark Counterfeiting Act only marked the sale and production of counterfeits illegal and punishable with a $5 million fine and up to 20 years in

prison. Multiple attempts to pass legislation that would shift some of the responsibility onto shoppers have been repeatedly defeated. Opposition to such legislation claim that it would have a significant impact on tourism. It is also difficult to differentiate between shoppers who deliberately choose to purchase counterfeits, and those who do so out of ignorance. Despite the seeming knockoff free-for-all, the visibility of fake luxury goods has rapidly receded in recent years. This decline may be attributed to the increase in consumer consciousness regarding purchasing habits. Greater societal consequences have undermined the individual economic benefits of purchasing fake products. Owning a fake bag is no longer a sign of one’s trendiness but rather an emblem of exploitation. The vast majority of counterfeit products are often produced by children under dismal working conditions. An extraordinarily lucrative industry, the counterfeit market generates between $500 and $600 billion each year and is estimated to take away 10 percent of revenue from original rights holders. A 2004 INTERPOL report linked sales of counterfeit goods to the financing of the Islamic terrorist organization Hizbullah. The global rise of the middle class, particularly in East Asia, has also chipped away at the counterfeit industry as more and more shoppers are able to, and prefer to, splurge on the real deal. Over the past decade, China’s luxury market surged ahead of Japan’s to become the largest market with annual growth rates falling between 12 and 20 percent. The McKinzey Chinese Luxury Consumer Survey, published in December 2012, reported that Chinese shoppers accounted for 27 percent of the global luxury consumption. While the collective push for a more ethical fashion industry and economic growth may have dissuaded some shoppers from buying knockoffs, it has not completely eradicated the counterfeit industry. It is possible that, with the rise of online shopping, counterfeits have become even more attainable and nondescript than ever before. Just as knockoffs had moved from department stores onto the streets, knockoffs are now moving from the streets onto the web where Chinese retailers remain as leading players in the marketplace. With the rising stigma against buying and selling counterfeit products, some selling platforms including Tradesy and Depop have taken it upon themselves to ban knockoffs. Other websites, such as China’s Aliexpress and Taobao, have become gold mines for those deliberately seeking to purchase knockoffs. The counterfeit market has expanded to adapt to a new generation of tastes, ripping off booming labels such as

“

Comme des Garçons Play, Supreme, Rick Owens and Hood By Air. However, many of the same motives for purchasing fakes remain. The frequently duplicated brands share a common thread: a telltale logo (the heart-shaped face of CDG Play, the red rectangle of Supreme) design (Rick Owens’s hyperbolic Geobasket sneakers and Pod shorts), or even both (HBA’s countless graphic hoodies and pullovers emblazoned with their monochrome initials). “Hood By Air is one of my favorite brands, but I can’t justify spending $175 on a t-shirt so I will buy a fake one for $20 which is equal to or better than the quality of most mall-tier stores,” said a 20-year-old student from New Zealand who preferred to remain anonymous on the case of not wanting to reveal that she shops counterfeit. “Authenticity is obviously an important attraction for ‘high tier’ pieces such as [Rick Owens] Geobaskets, Raf Simons stuff, but the majority of clothing I wear, in terms of cut and that sort of thing, is fairly conservative and doesn’t require expert tailoring skills. However, I have a rule for myself about my favorite brand, Cav Empt, in that I would never purchase or wear fakes of them. I think what their team is doing is great, and I don’t want to detract from that.” Fast fashion retailers are also culprits of pumping out designer knockoffs which shoppers often snap up without realizing. The blog Fashion Copycats documents each infringement committed by Zara, H&M, Topshop, ASOS, Mango and countless others, stating its mission as to “not judge and condemn, but to point out similarities we sometimes might not even notice and which are never assumed.” The plethora of knockoffs found in malls are enabled by a legal loophole, in which designs themselves can be duplicated without repercussion as long as the brand logo is not. Much like the greater fashion industry, the counterfeit industry is cyclical with knockoffs returning to the shelves of department stores and malls. While the question of legality remains, other ethical problems associated with the productions of knockoffs are being addressed. With an increasing demand for fast fashion corporations to adopt fair labor standards and eco-friendly materials and production methods, the link between copycat fashion and human rights abuses is disintegrating. In the decades since Coco Chanel entered the industry, fake goods have transformed from department store dupes into black market merchandise, from tokens of trendiness into unethical embarrassments, from brazen knockoffs into anonymous, logoless copies. Yet counterfeits remain constant and omnipresent amid the ever-evolving state of fashion, and have been embraced by some, such as Sprigman and Raustiala, as an important force in driving trend cycles, generating sales and bringing style to the masses.

OWNING A FAKE BAG IS NO LONGER A SIGN OF ONE’S TRENDINESS BUT RATHER AN EMBLEM OF EXPLOITATION.”

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unfinished PHOTOGRAPHER: Mari Uchida MAKEUP: Christian Maness and Madison Blanchard HAIR: Christian Maness and Madison Blanchard SET ASSISTANTS: Caroline Bell, Hannah Curcio, Jessica Onyinyechi, Amber Cline MODEL: Monty Nelson

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the

insider’s guide

to the

IND UST RY In our most extensive interview yet, we talked to some of the fashion industry’s famous faces to get the lowdown on nearly every aspect of the industry: a buyer, a model, a design student, a PR executive, two editors and a Project Runway contestant. We scoured our contact lists and phoned our friends to see who we could access. The result? A hearty collection of tried-and-true advice, exclusive to STITCH.

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stella bugbee Editorial Director, The Cut

In an industry where female leaders are typecasted as icy, unapproachable, and snobby, the Editorial Director of The Cut couldn’t be more refreshing. Heading the sassy yet sophisticated subset of New York Magazine, Bugbee contributes a much needed humoristic flair to the tightlywound world of fashion. Supported by a staff of could-be Saturday Night Live cast members with a serious devotion to style, Bugbee demonstrates how our two favorite F words—fashion and funny—can coexist in chic harmony. STITCH: How did you contribute to The Cut’s humorous voice, and how does it stand out from other voices in fashion today? STELLA BUGBEE: I think that the Cut, even before I came, was at its core, funny. So I inherited this great legacy of humor. And I think its success is in the large part due to the fact that it’s the only place where you can be funny about fashion, and I think fashion is really hilarious. So many things about it. It’s absurd, it’s over the top, it’s funny. The characters themselves are just incredible sources of humor. It’s just this great opportunity. At The Cut we really do love high-fashion. But we recognize that it’s complicated and that our relationship to it is not also super straightforward, and that it’s expensive and difficult to attain. All of the complexities that swirl around us is what we’re interested in exploring. S: So, I’m guessing the work environment and staff at The Cut is quite different from what’s depicted in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Confirm or deny? SB: We really spend a lot of the day laughing. We really are not about having to 22

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fit a certain body type. Which I think is key. Our writers and our staff are very diverse in both waist and body, and all span the range of what women are actually like. We eat a lot...we laugh a lot. It’s a very relaxed environment in that regard. Everyone works extremely hard, but it’s got a relaxed vibe at the same time. S: The Cut is notorious for its fantastic heds and deks. How do you balance tone and the competitive world of click bait? SB: That is my personal obsession. I could spend all day rewriting heds and deks. And if you asked the people on staff that’s probably what they’d say I do all day. I think a good hed is both clickable and has great tone. I would not try to sacrifice one or the other. And, I think the hed and dek communicate the entire tone of the whole site. So when you’re scrolling through a feed you should be able to get how your publication feels about the world. And I think we do generally achieve that. We are definitely trying to make people laugh. S: Is a journalism background important for a career at The Cut? SB: A foundation in reporting and all the skills involved in actual journalism are super important for The Cut. Just because I didn’t come up through that traditional process, I would say most of our writers have. It really does help to have the foundations. Of course there’s nothing like real experience to round that out. We treat our projects just as seriously as any magazine treats their projects. I consider what we do each week to be equivalent to what most magazines do in a month. All the skills that you’re learning in journalism apply to everything we’re doing. We have the highest standards.

Even when it seems frivolous and were making jokes all the time, we do value strong reporting and the ability to write a good nut graf. S: Do internships matter? SB: It depends on what your ultimate goal is, what kind of writing you’re trying to do and where you’re trying to work. Internships are good for meeting people. And the foundation of fashion is just knowing people. You also have an opportunity to write anywhere now. You can have your own tumblr or your own blog and show what you’re capable of. But, you also need the experience working with other people. S: What do you look for in an intern? SB: The same thing I look for in any person. Super strong work ethic, sense of curiosity, an openness to challenge and new projects, and a great attitude. S: Many students are hesitant to study or pursue fashion journalism in a time where magazines are folding or moving entirely digital. What is your take on this? SB: It’s never been a more exciting time to be a journalist, you just shouldn’t bank on magazines. That’s all. I think the future of fashion journalism has nothing to do with print. I mean I think it will be a component, but you should definitely not expect to have a linear career the way it was 10 years ago or five years ago. I wouldn’t shudder at all. I would take these signs as opportunities to redefine this industry. Interview by Erica Witte.

kate pankoke

Bridalwear Designer & Three-time Project Runway Contestant If you’re a diehard fan of Project Runway like I am, then it’s hard to forget three-time contestant Kate Pankoke’s amazing run on the show. From creating cocktail dresses out of sombreros, to long Marie Antoinette-styled gowns, Pankoke proved her fashion prowess challenge after challenge. Following her appearances on Project Runway, I was excited to hear that her bridal label, Elaya Vaughn, is housed on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, just a short drive from Northwestern. STITCH: How did you get your start as a designer? KP: I actually started with painting and drawing. I used to paint landscape scenes, and eventually I started painting girls in dresses in the forest. I then started painting the dresses the girls were wearing in the paintings...My grandma sews, but my mother doesn’t, so I taught myself how to sew by draping on [dress] forms. Then I went to school and got formal training. S: You were lucky enough to have three amazing appearances on Project Runway! What were your favorite moments on the show? KP: I think my favorite moment on the show was in season 12 when they took us glamping... [the Project Runway team] took us in a van and drove two hours to the middle of a forest. You don’t even know what’s going to happen. Then we see these beautiful tents and [the show]

told us we were going to have a nice dinner- we never got dinner- and we had the whole day to sketch and enjoy ourselves. They tell us that we’re going to Mood [a fabric store in New York] the next day, and it wasn’t an unconventional challenge—I hate [unconventional challenges]. We got to eat dinner, enjoy ourselves, and then make something that wass actually attractive. I was sobbing for like two hours. S: You just released your new bridal collection for 2016. What was the inspiration behind this collection? KP: So the inspiration behind 2016…it’s going to sound really funny, but let me put it into perspective. We wanted to do something more bohemian. With bridal, everything has to be so subtle, so your inspiration has to be crazy. This season it was “sporty, sexy, and Amish.” So you’ll see some higher necklines with sheer fabric—sexy and conservative at the same time. We also did gowns with strappy backs taking inspiration from sports bras and other sportswear. We started with something crazy and outlandish so that by the time it got whittled down you can still see little touches in the collection. S: Why did you choose to locate your bridal label in Chicago? What sets the fashion market in Chicago apart from other major fashion capitals in the country? KP: My husband got a job in Chicago when we graduated college, and he asked

"That’s what I find most important about my job— making the most important dress that a woman is going to wear.” me if I wanted to move to Chicago with him. I’d never been there so I said, “Yeah sure, let’s move to Chicago.” At the time my company was just an idea; I had a first collection but nothing was set up. [The move] worked perfectly because Bridal fashion week has a show in Chicago. So I showed there, set up my company, and everything fell into place. What I like about Chicago is that brides are more adventurous—they want something special. I get to choose fun fabrics and push the boundaries on what people consider to be traditional bridal. That’s what I find so important about my job—making the most important dress that a woman is going to wear. It’s a big responsibility, but also a huge honor. Interview by Beatrice Hagney.

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jim gold

President and CMO, Neiman Marcus As the President and Chief Merchandising Officer of Neiman Marcus, Jim Gold certainly knows what it takes to be a great buyer. His 25-year tenure with The Neiman Marcus Group has comprised a diverse array of positions and has exposed him to every possible merchandising channel. And yet, he maintains that the number one thing he looks for in people to hire is just a genuine love of the industry. STITCH: What is your advice for Northwestern students who want to become fashion buyers?

worked your way to President and Chief Merchandising Officer. Can you tell us about that trajectory, and what you learned from it? JG: You cannot begin to predict your career path! Always try to work for the most talented people and people with whom you click. Pursue roles that will challenge you and force you out of your comfort zone. Remain open-minded and flexible. Work hard! S: What have been the most formative moments in your career?

JG: As is the case with most companies, we look for applicants who have demonstrated interest in our field. There are many ways to do so: work in a store, intern in a buying office (even if it is a small, local retailer) or write for STITCH! We certainly donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect the applicant to bring great expertise to the table, but we like to see that they have explored some aspect of our field, and have some idea of what our business is all about. The last thing a company wants to do is invest time and money in a new hire only to find out six months later that the individual has no interest in the industry. Reach out to as many people as possible who work in fashion retailing and pick their brain. Ask them if you can take them out for a cup of coffee and then ask them a thousand questions about their role and their company. This will help you not only determine if fashion retailing is right for you, but also prepare you for interviews down the road.

JG: [My] Department Manager role at age 23 gave me my first glimpse of what was involved in managing people. Learning how to effectively manage people takes years, and truthfully, the learning never stops. When I became a Buyer, it was the first time I had full financial responsibility for a business. This is where one begins to learn about product, the consumer, how to interact with stores, how to manage inventory and drive sales and profit. As Vice President of Last Call I had the opportunity to write a business plan for a new division of our company. It was an extremely entrepreneurial role that exposed me to every division of our corporation, from Store Construction to Distribution Logistics. Lastly, President of Bergdorf Goodman. This was the first time that I had full leadership, financial and strategic responsibility for an entire company, as well as management exposure to every one of our merchandise divisions.

S: You started at Neiman Marcus as an Assistant Buyer, and have since

Interview by Sarah Spellings and Lizzey Johnson.

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"Learning how to effectively manage people takes years, and truthfully, the learning never stops."

jennifer smith hale Founder & Editor-In-Chief, C Magazine As the brains behind C Magazine, a high-end lifestyle publication for California residents, Jennifer Smith Hale keeps her hands busy documenting the largest luxury market in the U.S. and publishing these through 8 issues annually, plus 2 wedding issues, 2 men’s and 2 centered on home decor. The publication is uniquely positioned as the only magazine that focuses on the life and style of California, a state where technology, entertainment, food and nature dynamically interplay. As such, it not only acts as a chronicle of culture, but a direct influence itself. STITCH: Where did the idea for C Magazine come to you? JSH: The idea of C Magazine came to me in 2003, and it took 2 years to take the concept to fruition. California was like its own country and we had no lifestyle magazine focusing on it as a whole. There were city magazines and party picture publications but no top quality magazine focusing on the entire state. I saw an opportunity that no one had tapped into on a lifestyle basis and created the first magazine for the “country of California”....think a national publication in quality and editorial about a special state.

S: What has been the hardest part of founding and running C? JSH: I could write a book about the trials and tribulations of launching a magazine but will save that for another time. I will say, it has been a roller coaster—especially with the world financials crashing in 2008—but we have survived and grown stronger because of it. S: What sets C apart from other fashion and lifestyle publications? JSH: C is still the only statewide publication focusing on the style of California—which is having its own renaissance at the moment in technology, culture, cuisine, and fashion, and we just celebrated our 10 year anniversary. Now, with a slight redesign and freshening up—new type, new design direction but still within our DNA—we look forward to the next 10 years. We keep evolving. Interview by Caroline Bell and Lizzey Johnson

"I saw an opportunity that no one had tapped into on a lifestyle basis and created the first magazine for the 'country of California'.... think a national publication in quality and editorial about a special state."

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christine kopper Textiles student, Savannah College of Art and Design Christine Kopper may be far from her hometown of San Jose, Costa Rica, but she has found a new home at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Kopper, 21, is a senior studying Fibers and Textile Arts, splitting her time between class and the studio, where she is currently at work on her senior collection. Kopper’s pieces, mostly consisting of handwoven vests and jackets in bright, eye-catching colors, are truly one of a kind— her personality and workmanship present in every detail. Resembling souvenirs from an exotic vacation, her work stands in stark contrast to the mass-produced and predictable fast fashion that has recently taken over the marketplace. STITCH: How did you choose to study textiles? CK: During the spring quarter of my freshmen year I first heard of Fibers—I had no idea it was even a major before. I had always been drawn to textiles just because of the appearance and aesthetics of antique textiles specifically. I decided to stay for the summer quarter and try the Introduction to Fibers course, and I ended up falling in love with textiles. I researched a couple of schools after making the decision of studying textile arts and ended up finding out that I was in the ideal place for it. Most of all I fell in love with the courses—the different and very specific classes that I got to choose from. I couldn’t believe I would be doing something that I loved this much every day. Suddenly school did not feel like school anymore. S: What is your favorite part about studying textiles or studying in the fashion industry? CK: Creating the textile with my own hands is by far my favorite thing to do. I am defi26

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nitely a weaver and sitting down on a loom for countless hours and creating a piece of cloth is one of the most rewarding feelings I’ve ever felt. I get to decide if it is going to be a jacket, a vest, a pillow… it can be whatever I want it to be. S: What is your average day like at SCAD? What sort of classes do you take? CK: On Mondays and Wednesdays I have my first class at 8 a.m. called Structures, Materials and Techniques: Applied Processes and Contextual Investigations, teaching several techniques through the exploration of different material types and uses and how these can all be applied into different processes. Then at 2 p.m. I have Computer Aided Jacquard Design, done in collaboration with the Stroheim line for Fabricut, one of the largest, most progressive distributors of decorative fabrics in the world. Around 6 p.m. I get back into the studio to work on my senior collection; this mostly consists of a lot of weaving. On a regular basis I end up leaving the studio around 1 a.m. S: Have you done any internships or been employed in the fashion industry? What have those been like? CK: I did an internship with a London based company called Wool and The Gang. They are a knitting goods company. I loved it there. The clothes were all handmade; It really gave meaning to what we were making. I worked as an intern on the creative team and helped design the upcoming collection. It was a lot of work but I realized when I really like what I am doing the hours go by really quickly. WATG helped me realize that I was really drawn towards clothing design. This is why most of the work I am doing and

“I couldn’t believe I would be doing something that I loved this much every day.” will continue to do for the rest of my time in SCAD is all clothing. I intend to look for a job in the fashion industry after graduation. S: Do you have any advice for people that would like to study or work in the fashion industry one day? Why should they choose textiles? CK: I believe choosing a textile is the first [step] for every piece of clothing. It defines the aesthetics the clothes will have. Choosing the wrong textile could ruin even the most beautiful dress. Studying textile design allows you to understand every aspect of clothing design, in my opinion, because when you learn about the fabric it enables you to design a better product. Studying textile design is a lot of work. Usually it consists of really long hard hours, the classes are not easy, they are very demanding. You must be able to put in the extra work as well, because in textiles craftsmanship is very important. Planning ahead and using your time wisely is always the key to success. Interview by Haley Glazer.

grace hartzel Model, NEXT Model Management In an industry where aesthetics are seemingly the end-all-be-all, personality helped Grace Hartzel rise in the ranks as one of 2015’s most sought after high fashion models. Grace isn’t just a model. She’s a grade-A entertainer, and her plans for the future might just surprise you. Most notably Saint Laurent’s striking muse, Grace is only just getting started. STITCH: You’ve had an amazing career of milestones and you’re only 20! What’s your secret to success? GS: I got to where I am because I was more of a personality, and I would have my own style. I would dress the way I wanted to, I would talk to everyone, I would make myself more known, whereas some models just show up with a black shirt and black jeans, and they just sit there; they don’t really care about becoming the character. STITCH: Once you cut your bangs, you became the muse of multiple couture labels: Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Salvatore Ferragamo. What stands out as one of your biggest achievements as a model? GS: When I cut my bangs that was really big. Then I became the Saint Laurent exclusive for a year and that was a huge deal. Also, when I got the cover for I-D Magazine--where I’m winking--that was a special moment that I had wanted since I began modeling. Being in French Vogue

and American Vogue, those were big ups in my career, too. S: Tell me about one of the most challenging parts of your job. GS: I have to travel a lot and it’s really difficult because you don’t get a lot of sleep. During fashion week, you don’t really sleep. I remember one year in New York, there was a horrible blizzard outside but you still had to go do shows. It was impossible to get anywhere so you would have to trudge through the snow to your six shows a day. Then you would have fittings until 3 a.m. and then you’d have to get up at 6 a.m. and do it all over again.

"My favorite part is the fact that you get to play and become the character."

S: You’re constantly on the move! How many flights have you been on over the past year? GS: Oh my gosh, I honestly don’t even know! Probably… around 100, 150? S: What do you love most about your job? GS: My favorite part is the fact that you get to play and become the character. On set you become the character that [the designers] want to create. You look at the mood for it. I’m good at moving and I love dancing on set. That’s why I’m also interested in acting, because you really become these characters. Interview by Isabel Siedel.

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R.S.V.P.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Alix Kramer MAKEUP: Kathleen Carroll, Madison Blanchard, Christian Maness, and Evelyn Ma HAIR: Amber Cline and Dani Cohen SET ASSISTANTS: Maddy Kaufman and Jessica Onyinyechi MODELS: Lauren Harris, Caitlin Kelley, Ankita Chowdhry and Marianna Kammo FEBRUARY 2016 â&#x20AC;˘

On Caitlin: Dress: Alice + Olivia On Lauren: Dress: Suit Studio

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On Marianna: Dress: NastyGal On Ankita: Dress: Stylist’s own Shoes: Bella Marie On Lauren: Dress: Jeffrey & Dara Choker: J&R Shoes: Shï by Journeys

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On Caitlin: Dress: Zara Shoes: Dolce Vita On Lauren: Outfit: H&M On Marianna: Outfit: Bershka Ankita Chowdhry Dress and Shoes: Model's own

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W ST LA D OR

chemistry couture

from to

WHAT THE FASHION INDUSTRY MEANS TO ME

ll through my childhood I was known for my sense of fashion. It was kind of my trademark, but because I had great style, no one ever thought I was smart. I spent all of high school trying to make people notice that I was not just fashionable, but I also had a brain. I had a knack for math and science, so in an effort to prove to everyone that my wardrobe wasn’t the only thing that occupied my thoughts, I applied to McCormick School of Engineering to study chemical engineering. I thought I would fuse my love for beauty products with science and work in cosmetic engineering, designing makeup and perfumes. I dreamed of working for MAC or Chanel. I imagined I would create the next great beauty staple. But my classes made me realize I would more likely end up designing productions processes than the next must-have mascara. I would be dealing with the manufacturing side of making the makeup instead of getting to create it myself. Plugging numbers into equations to optimize reactions didn’t satisfy my creative needs or my desire to remain plugged into the beauty industry. I was so bogged down by the left-brain heavy curriculum, I started searching for a

BY CHRISTIAN WELCH

way to relieve that creative itch that had gone unscratched. I applied to STITCH on a whim because I loved fashion and was in desperate need of a creative outlet to counteract the dreariness of engineering classes. I quickly realized that filling out the application was the most fun I’d had writing in a really long time. To my surprise, I was accepted to the editorial team. I started to delve into the fashion industry to find things to write about, and writing posts for the website became my favorite part of the week. I became so much more invested in the fashion industry—following fashion magazines, designers and models to flood myself with knowledge of the industry. I spent a majority of my spare time researching fashion trends and trying to stay up to date with the ever-changing fashion industry. I procrastinated doing my homework by reading fashion blogs and writing pieces for stitchfashion. com. I finally realized I’m not half as passionate about chemical processes as I am about fashion editorials and that I wanted to spend the rest of my college years pursuing something I stayed up late to write about. With this spark of passion in mind, I began to think about why I was studying engineering. I had originally chosen engineering because I was

good at science and math. The truth is plenty of people are good at science and math, but not all of them are great at it. I am not great at it. Math and science are not what set me apart from everyone else. I realized that what does set me apart is my keen eye for fashion. It seemed glaringly obvious once I realized it. People have always taken note of my fashion sense and told me I should have a career in fashion, but I was always quick to dismiss it. I underestimated the fashion industry. I thought it seemed kind of frivolous and that it was a waste of my intellect, but fashion requires a different kind of genius. From designers to magazine editors to trend forecasters, the fashion industry is teeming with brilliant creative minds who give us a record of the past and a glimpse into the future—that’s something I can really sink my teeth into. In the wake of my realization, I began the process of transferring from McCormick to Medill. It’s quite a drastic academic change (in fact, my advisor had never had another student try to transfer from McCormick to Medill before) but my love of fashion makes it worth the risk. Although the safety and stability of engineering is alluring, there is no better feeling than diving head first into the pursuit of something I revere in an industry I love.

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“ Fashion is about suspense and surprise and fantasy. It's not about rules. - Wolfgang Joop

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