STRAYING AWAY FROM THE MALE GAZE

Let’s face it. No blueprints are written to achieve the ultimate “cool girl” status. It does not matter how often you rewatch Amy Dunne’s Gone Girl monologue or how long you spend deciding if the clean girl aesthetic is better than the coquette one. We all still circle back to the same invisible enemy that has kept us in a chokehold for centuries. That big scary elephant in the room with us is none other than the infamous patriarchy! Many of us know what the “male gaze” is, and we hate it with everything in us. Nothing will stop us from subconsciously wanting to fit a mold designed to provide an imaginary ideal of how women should act. Notwithstanding, this ideology would work if it were 1950 and not 2023.

Think of those moments your loved ones criticized you for how much makeup you wore. Think of the moments you were told that no man would respect a girl who wore a dress or mini skirt like that. We have all been programmed to consider a man's needs before our own. Now is the time to stop rolling over on our sides and taking assigned gender roles without biting back. Women are now straying away from the male gaze more than ever, and we have never been happier. Cheers to dressing and doing your makeup to appease yourself only!

Succubus Chic

a sullen, sultry, vampy woman who adores skinny brows, jet black hair and a Kubrick stare.

Succubus chic is what Dazed Digital has coined, a new term referring to the contemporary grunge style that has overcome many of the most prominent it-girls of the moment. A succubus is defined as a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. The style revolves around thin, barely-there eyebrows, light eyeshadow, and sunken eyes rode in eyeliner, all tied in with a Kubrick stare. To coin a look like succubus chic just tells me some of you have watched Jennifer’s Body one too many times. According to the blogs, this look is straight from hell, but to me, it’s just women catering to the female gaze. For centuries beauty standards have been ruled with the idea that being soft and submissive is the only way to true femininity. However, this new aesthetic is multiplying rapidly. It threatens patriarchal ideologies through edginess, grunge, and the latest it girl, out with Alix Earl, in with Gabbriette Betchel.

The main character initiating this grunge girl-style resurgence has been none other than this former rock star. Gabriette, a vegan chef and now up-and-coming model, has given a new look to cool girl sex appeal. Her rise to fame was almost instantaneous once she began to grace social media’s presence with her I.AM.GIA and Heaven by Marc Jacobs campaigns. Her jet-black hair, pale skin, and thin brows, grouped with a deathly stare, embody succubus chic, as the blogs call it. Gabriette has simply rebirthed the vintage grunge aesthetic that was most popular in the nineties. I paid close attention as the current it-girls followed in her footsteps. Their hair gradually became darker, and brows were soon plucked to the edge of bare existence.

It is essential to note that Gabriette is not the first grungy muse to set trends. If anything, she was inspired by the original it-girl Angelina Jolie. She was talked about and gawked at in the media for being out of control and watering down her personality throughout the years. Jolie clearly has left a mark style-wise in the fashion world. All because she catered to her own identity, which she gained a lot of hatred for.

The vampy grunge aesthetic has made a complete comeback in the modern-day trend cycle. With the help of social media, it caused a drastic shift from the infamous clean girl trend many have obsessed with over the past few years. The girls seem to be over the health and wellness and in the mood for a more messy indy sleaze approach.

I have seen thousands of videos of women demonstrating soft girl tips with high buns that lack a single strand of hair out of place, all plastered against their scalps with gel. While I agree women need to realize catering to themselves is essential. I wonder if we recognize the agenda behind these soft girl trends to push a particular image of how a woman should always act. Women are expected to be approachable and put together at all times, catering to the ideals the patriarchy upholds for women in society. Yes, do your skincare routine and beat your face, but never be afraid to experiment or be a little chaotic.

We can be our own worst enemies, but the male gaze encourages us to keep ourselves in a box that promotes fear of the beauty we were born with. Regardless of whether it was intentional, we have actively contributed to maintaining the male gaze. People often judge others for how they look or act based on the patriarchal radar that keeps our identities subdued. Many of us do not realize how hard it is for women to have their unique style; some will be too stubborn to understand. We must uplift one another and enforce creative expression that does not need to abide by society’s checklist of what women or men should be. Simply pity those who dim their individuality to suffice for what Chad will tell them when they leave the house. But console those actively trying to stray away from the patriarchy’s projections on identity.

WRITTEN BY GAEL LAGUERRE ART AND LAYOUT BY RAJAN GARG

The fashion industry is one of the most ever-changing in the world. For a long time, fashion shows, fancy after-parties, and private exhibitions were reserved for only the wealthy, well-connected, and industry veterans. But in recent years, outsiders being accepted within the industry has become a growing trend. One of the biggest outsiders making a name for himself is someone who lacks one. Simply known as “Enigma” (@enigma.curation), the anonymous curator has been building a reputation for himself off social media exploring things like archive fashion, interior design, architecture, fine art, and so much more despite never showing his face or revealing his name. Having known him for around a year and a half now, I can confidently say people like him are the cornerstone of the fashion industry. Just recently returning from Paris fashion week, I discussed with a jetlagged Enigma his experiences there, his duties as a curator, and more.

Rajan Garg : Introduce yourself and tell us what you do. Enigma Curation : I’m Enigma. I run @enigma.curation on Instagram and Twitter. I guess I would consider myself a curator, but the reality is I do creative consulting with my team of other people, including designer and Yeezy alumni Abel Paul George, jeweler Ian Delucca, cinematographer Vaughn “V-Rob” Robinson, and graphic designer Brenton Lockett. We’re working behind the scenes in the industry and helping people create these cultural moments, whether that’s ghost-designing or setting up pop-ups, redesigning store locations– anything that has to do with the artistic spin on design. We’re essentially creating new moments and designing the future. I always put it in a way of like, “Yeah, we’re curating, but it’s not in the traditional museum sense; we’re curating the future.” But it’s not just me like I’m Enigma; Enigma is much bigger than me. I just named a few people, but we have a team that runs deep.

RG : Why do you choose to keep your identity a secret?

E : I think that it’s important to view art, design, and creation in a vacuum. I never want anything to be about me. I never want it to be like, “Oh, look at that guy; look what he’s doing.” It’s about others. On my platform, I don’t show any of the work I’m doing. I don’t show anything that’s paying the bills. I’m not a blog page out here taking payments for paid promotions; I’m not doing any of that. And I think It’s important that this isn’t about me; this is about building community, pushing designs and creativity forward, and giving the people who I think are talented the platform. I’d much rather see everybody else shine. I think for people to connect with art and find what they enjoy in it, it shouldn’t be about personalities. It should be about creation. Questions like “What does creation mean on the public scale and the public-facing image? But also, “What does creation mean on a one-to-one basis?” If I sit here and look at a piece of art, am I feeling emotional? What emotions am I feeling? And why am I feeling this? How does it connect to me? It’s not about “Yo, this is fire because they’re Instagram famous,” or whatever the f*ck. None of this is about me. I will never show my face because it will never be about me. It’s about community and pushing the culture forward.

Written by Rajan Garg

RG : Explain your role as a curator and what exactly it entails.

E : To curate is to organize and select things and put them in the right spot so it looks good, feel good, or creates a space. I like to take that simple concept and use it for everything. So if somebody comes to my team and says, “Hey, I’m building this collection, and I need help designing.” Or “I need help figuring out how to deliver something to the public and do a pop-up around this.” I’m the one that’s like, “Okay, we’re going to curate this experience. We’re going to craft this in a way and build this narrative. We’re going to make sure this collection is seamless.” That’s what curating is; that’s what my role is. That’s my day-to-day. Publicly, it’s putting things together in a way that makes sense, attaching ethos. If you look at my {Instagram} feed, it’s one color every day. It goes from furniture, architecture, design, fashion, and then it goes to art. I want to ensure that each row has the same feeling, the same ethos, the same color, or even the same form. It’s curated daily on my platforms, making sure the page itself is cu- rated on a larger scale and making sure it makes sense from top to bottom. It’s making sure you (the viewer) can understand where the taste is, where I’m pulling things from, or even how I’m feeling when I’m doing this. Everything is in the moment. When it comes to my platform, I’m not planning posts four days in advance. It’s usually within ten minutes before posting I get a feeling that’s like, “Yo, maybe I should just look up this piece. I’ve been thinking about it; I know it’s in this color. Let me go find images of it.” Or sometimes, right before I’m about to post, I see something that inspires me and fits, so I run with it. Nothing is ever planned. It’s pure emotion, and it just connects. Like the first post of the day, I know the color, but I need to feel what it is. And then, based on that, I feel the next post, and I run with it. There are two sides to it, but overall, it’s organizing and establishing a connection with everything I do, whether it’s private life, work, or the public platform.

RG : You’ve been working in the fashion industry for quite a long time, what’s the best way somebody can acquire connections and move up in the industry like the way you did?

E : This is such a cliché answer, but you kind of just have to push through and make it out of the mud. Meeting people, being outgoing, and being passionate is important. As long as you have passion, you’ll succeed. I started out working in luxury retail, but I had a passion for what I was talking about. It wasn’t like, “I’m gonna go sell this thing, and that’s it.” I’m gonna be passionate about the collections I’m showing or the product I’m showing. And then, when I’m not at work, I’m gonna be passionate about everything else. I’m gonna be passionate about designing; I’m gonna sit here and sketch furniture, design clothes, paint, or do whatever. Having that passion and moving through your life with that passion, you’ll meet people, and people will respect and understand that passion. And then you’ll start to build connections through that basis. It’s supposed to be seven degrees of separation, but in the digital age, it’s more like three. I think as long as you’re your own biggest fan, work hard, and just do what makes you passionate; it’s gonna work. Even if it doesn’t work out on the first day, the first week, or the first year, it will come. You just have to be a presence. Let people know, “I’m about this! I love this! And you’re not gonna stop me!” There will be people who follow behind you, support you, and love what you do. It sounds super cliché, but that’s the best advice I could give. In 2018, I was sleeping in my car. I would have to go to the gym in the morning, shower, put on my suit, and clock in at my job at Louis Vuitton. But I just had that passion. I had no money and was living in my car and was wearing Rick Owens’s “Memphis” pants. Like I was homeless wearing Rick Owens trousers. That’s the kind of passion you have to have. Don’t be like me, don’t be that dumb, but that’s what it is. You really have to go all out for whatever you want to do. If you care enough, you have to make sacrifices. That’s what makes it happen.

RG: I saw you were at Paris Fashion Week, how was it and what were some of your highlights?

E: Ah man, Paris Fashion Week is one of the greatest experiences ever. I’m so blessed to be able to go and be able to work and meet people and do so many things. It’s a beautiful experience. It was amazing. Going to the Louis Vuitton show was one of the craziest experiences I’ve ever had. Like I just said, I was homeless and working there. I had nothing, and I used to work there selling $40,000 trunks and then went to sleep in my car. Suddenly, I’m in Paris, sitting courtside at the LV show, recording it on my little VHS camcorder. That wasn’t just a highlight of Paris Fashion Week but one of the highlights of my life. Like, that’s a complete 180. Life completely flipped on its head. There were other great experiences, too. I met with a bunch of amazing people that I respected and looked up to for a long time. I got to interview some amazing people. Me and my team got to go out there and shake things up. But sitting at the LV show was definitely one of the highlights of my life.

RG : Anything you didn’t like?

E : I feel like this is a dumb answer, but no, I love it all. Even if I go sit down at a runway show, and I think the collection is bad or I don’t like the designer or whatever it may be, I can’t say that I don’t like anything because it’s such a blessing to be out there and talk to people. Even with inner-industry politics, it’s all worth it. It’s all a beautiful experience. I know it’s not the most exciting answer, but I’m not gonna put anybody down. It’s beautiful.

RG : Who are some of your favorite emerging creatives in the industry right now whether it be in fashion or any other medium?

E : Oh man, I could go on and on. Whether that’s clothing, art, or whatever, ANTONY RiDDLE (@antonyriddleforever) is like my brother. He is pushing the boundaries. HYBRID Clothing (@hybridclothing) is doing their thing. I love it. Shit, I love Adam Small (@byadamsmall) and Badson (@ badson.us). Abel Paul George, some of the best quality, most affordable garments I have ever had in my life. Shit, I’m gonna have to give you more because I could just keep rambling. I have a whole list. Thomas Stokes (@txstokes) is a phenomenal artist. Alexander Digenova (@alexander__ digenova), FFFPOSTALSERVICE (@fffpostalservice), HJR Digital (@hjr.digital), Frank Dorrey (@frankdorrey). These are f*cking amazing artists, and I could go on and on.

RG : What are some things about fashion week that the general public doesn’t really know about?

E : It is work! That’s all I’m gonna say. It is f*cking work. I think a lot of people just think, “Oh, you know, you get dressed up, you stay somewhere nice, you go to these little shows, and then you go to these after-parties.” But it is f*cking work. Even if you’re not working for the brands. If you’re a buyer, a stylist, or press, it’s work. We were waking up at 8 am getting the day started, making sure we got everybody ready, missing out on meals, going to meetings, creating content, handling all the business behind the scenes, etc. Next thing you know, you have to go to the after-party because you have to keep networking and keep talking to people. It’s fun and exciting, but next thing you know, you’re home, and it’s 4 am, and the next show you have to go to is at 9 am, so I have to be up and out of the house by 8 am. I know people are gonna say, “That’s not real work.” but it’s work. It is exhausting. That’s what people don’t know. It looks great and glamorous on social media, and it’s a good time, but it’s f*cking work.

RG : These people you named, why are they your favorites?

E : I appreciate everyone that’s pushing the boundaries and working hard at all levels. Whether that’s a designer who has a 100,000 square foot warehouse and is still busting their ass making new designs or artists who have sold $100,000 paintings and are still in their studio painting 14 hours a day, all the way down to the dude that’s shipping out of his garage, putting his last dollar into pushing the boundaries and hoping he gets a sale. He’s making it because he’s passionate and knows how to make patterns; he knows how to cut things. If you’re doing it, pushing the boundaries, and being true to your ethos, I can see that, and I can feel it, and I’m gonna support you. That’s what it is. In design, we need to remove the idea of clout. All that bullshit needs to go. We need more “I’m doing this because I love it, and I’m gonna change the industry. I’m gonna change how things look; I’m gonna change how materials feel; I’m gonna change how we view art.” Or even how we look at furniture, how we sit in a space. I’m gonna innovate. I’m gonna keep trying to push and curate the future. I’m designing so our future is curated in a different way. It exists differently. So if you’re operating within that space and that mindset, I’m gonna support you. That’s it. I could name names for days, but if you got that “it” factor right there, you’re gonna be successful. I don’t care if you just got started or what it is; if you keep doing that, you’re gonna be successful. That’s what we need. We don’t need this stagnant, paid promo, printed tee shirt, blah blah blah. We need passion and people who want to change the landscape of what design is and how people interact with culture in their lives and their day to day. That’s what we need.

RG : What do you see yourself doing in the future?

E : Man, this. This is but at a larger scale. I just want to keep running this up. I want to be able to give that platform to people. Just more and more. I want to be able to help people with whatever it is. It all goes back to these same points. As a community, as a group of people, and as creatives, let’s build and create the future. Let’s just keep pushing it forward. If I could be the person that “doesn’t exist” and just silently move this forward, that’s the dream. That’s all I care about. If I could take 15 fashion designers and help them build their business, if I could take artists and give them a space to create, If I could take furniture designers and help them manufacture their pieces and get them placed in places, that’s what I’m gonna do. That’s the only future I see. I know my team feels the same way. I know we all want to do that and push things forward. As a community, let’s push it forward and change the landscape. That’s the only future I want.