The Book by StyleCircle Vol. 2: Under the Radar by StyleCircle

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE

ISSUE TWO

THE BOOK

BY STYLECIRCLE

CONTENTS 07

Letter From the Editors

22 26

28 56

Personal Style Editorial

Making T-Shirts Great Again Industry Profile

32 68

Fever Photo Essay

Under the Radar Cover Story

Hip Hop & Fashion Illustration

Noreen Flanagan on Power Interview

Butterfly Effect Editorial The Rise of Anti Fashion Editorial

Pret-A-Poverty Essay

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Researching Ryerson Role Models Interview

Late Night Neon Editorial

We Are Everywhere Editorial

Ready to Rebel Editorial

Fashion Gaslighting Essay

Food Porn, Fashion & Gender Essay

Minimalism/Maximalism Essay

MASTHEAD CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF — CREATIVE BRONWYN MARSHALL

CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF — CONTENT MILLIE YATES

ART DIRECTOR LUKE SEVERIN GRAPHIC DESIGNER KATHERINE ZAWADZKI COPY EDITORS KATHERINE ZAWADZKI LAUREN RUDD VP MARKETING HANNAH DOBBIE VP ADMIN JOANNA LUPKER DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY EMMETT CHARUK

MARKETING TEAM HANNAH DOBBIE JOANNA LUPKER LEAH CHAN MARLY BROMSTEIN MEG POWER OLIVIA LEMIEUX TORI HOPGOOD UBAH GULED PR TEAM JOANNA HO JOANNA LUPKER MEG POWER NAOMI BREARLEY

CONTRIBUTORS ALEX WABER ALIA YOUSSEF CHANTELLE BEDA EMILY SKUBLICS GRACE CHOI JOANNA HO KAYA KELLEY KELSEY ADLEM MARY MORGAN OLIVIA LEMIEUX PAIGE FURTNEY SYDNEY WONG VICTORIA ZANDER YASMIN MOMENI THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE THREE

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THE BOOK

PHOTOS BY EMMETT CHARUK

BY STYLECIRCLE

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY SYDNEY WONG

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SYDNEY WONG, TEXT BY BRONWYN MARSHALL AND MILLIE YATES

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Summarizing what StyleCircle has come to mean to us is difficult to capture in a sentence or two. We’ve both been with the publication since our first weeks of university—when we were two first years determined to get our foot in the door of the fashion world. The publication has evolved so much in the last four years it would be barely recognizable to eighteen year-old us. We’ve gone from a tiny team of about eight—to a diverse and committed team of over twenty. We started The Book by StyleCircle with a mission—to give the less-heard voices and emerging talent of the fashion industry a stage to showcase the incredible work they produce. We wanted to disrupt convention and give rise to the facets of the industry

no one talks about. When we were discussing the title of this year’s issue, it seemed only fitting we should choose “Under the Radar”— a theme that pays tribute to the young talent we have the privilege to share classrooms and workspaces with. We are humbled by the talent we’ve had the privilege to feature in this year’s issue, and are indebted to every copy editor, graphic designer, illustrator, interviewee, writer, photographer, stylist, and designer that had a hand in this year’s publication. Without you, there would be no Book.

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THE RISE OF ANTI- FASHION PHOTOS BY EMMETT CHARUK WORDS BY MILLIE YATES MODELING BY NICOLA PLACE

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Innovation and creativity are what drive fashion forward, and the most experimental of looks are often created by luxury designers— they have the means to pursue avant-garde designs and when they show their collections the looks that seem unwearable are often intended for atmosphere, not purchase. The concept behind a collection is important and unique to every designer, and it is through their designs that they communicate their inspiration. As a design student and fashion lover, their means of communication is fascinating to me. Translating an idea into a textile or silhouette is an incredibly imaginative act, and one that is often misunderstood. It is easy to dismiss the work of a fashion designer as insubstantial because of its commercial value. I believe that it is too often forgotten that designers are artists in the truest sense of the word. So what exactly contributes to our rejection of fashion as a form of art? As I have explained, the commercial quality of fashion is a key component in society’s dismissal of fashion, but to me it does not encompass the entire issue. Any system of communication is capable of a breakdown, and fashion is no exception. Like a game of broken telephone, meanings can be misconstrued and decoded in a different way than the designer intended. To put it simply, what the designer has in mind when designing their collection might be interpreted entirely differently by the consumer. Now, this perhaps wasn’t such an issue when the client base (and audience) of luxury goods was smaller. Now, with sales on the rise and social media at our fingertips, luxury brands are encountering scrutiny from every angle—not just from their target market. Instagram has undoubtedly set the stage for many designers, giving them a global digital audience. While there are many obvious benefits to the visibility Instagram provides, it comes with its pitfalls. Now, everyone with a mobile phone and a handle is a critic. People

who wouldn’t ordinarily be exposed to say, a Dries Van Noten blouse in their day to day life can now share a more intimate relationship with the brand through a tap on their screen. This miraculous feat can allow designers to capture a market they might never have imagined for their company, but also exposes them to people who hate their product— and aren’t afraid to state their opinion. Take, for example, a recent image posted by Balenciaga that captures a look from the Fall/Winter 2017 Menswear Line. The photo is sophisticated yet somewhat ironic in its composition—a man stands in the desert in a leather jacket and sunglasses like a nerdy Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. A bright flash illuminates the model, but set against the dark desert it seems almost like a mistake. This shot isn’t arranged like a typical fashion photograph, and the trolls in the comments section have let Balenciaga know. They range from “ridiculous” to “he looks like a stalker” to my personal favorite: “why does he look like a turtle?” Anyone and everyone can now critique what the luxury market is producing. Now, some would argue that a little mass-market criticism might do a brand good. Perhaps for brands like, say, American Eagle or Levi’s, consumer feedback via social media is taken seriously. But these brands don’t cater to every teenager on the block. And sometimes the message isn’t as obvious as it seems. What exactly defines “good fashion” is a very difficult question to answer. “Good fashion” to me is partially subjective — to let a fashion icon or influential fashion house entirely govern the answer is too autocratic of a stance. Surely, what attracts you to a style has to do with a number of factors: personal preference, comfort, social views, environmental views and peer groups, just to list a few. But even amidst the plethora of factors that affect how we perceive a particular style, there still seems to be some consensus. Fit and flare dresses are flattering on most figures. Shoulder pads

are best used in moderation. And some kinds of polyester should be left on the rack. So what exactly happens when fashion starts appearing on the runway that even the most tolerant of person feels is, well, a little cringe-worthy?

///////////// Who immediately comes to mind when considering the idea of “bad fashion” is Vetements and Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia. In the past couple of years Gvasalia has turned the idea of what couture should be on its head. The Spring/Summer 2017 runway featured collaborations with a somewhat perplexing array of designers. Who would have ever thought that Italian tailoring company Brioni would appear on the same runway as Carhaart? If I knew nothing about fashion and was simply swiping by on Instagram I would have dismissed the collection as a bizarre attempt to fuse couture with convention. Some looks were quite strange, and bordered on unattractive (at least in the literal sense of the word). For example, a massively oversized Brioni jacket was paired with an equally large wrinkled dress shirt, accessorized with a belt so long it nearly trailed on the ground. A few looks later was a bright red Juicy Couture track suit worn with velour gloves. My personal favourite look was an elegant red jersey dress worn with a Canada

Goose jacket held to the body via strap and buckle—reminiscent of the complicated snowsuits of my youth. With no context, this collection appears to be a muddled mix of tailoring, evening wear, winter wear and lounge wear. But once you begin to really think about it, his collection is kind of genius. High-end and low-end pairings are a huge trend, and Gvasalia is commenting (and capitalizing) on our love for splicing designer garments with everyday items. Additionally, Vetements menswear collection for F/W 2017 is perhaps one of the most exaggerated examples to date. The collection was based on archetypes and largely reflected common social uniforms. Sociology was a favourite subject of designer Gvasalia, and his understanding of stereotypes shows. Every ordinary person you might think of was represented—from the couch potato in a bathrobe to the European policewoman to the club bouncer. In my opinion, Gvasalia’s collection was a masterful reappropriation of the ordinary clothes we see around us every day.

Or maybe you might look at what John Galliano did this season at Maison Margiela. He took deconstruction to new heights, cutting away virtually all fabric from his garments, leaving only the seams. At first glance, the garments look like raw-edged rags. With a little bit of a closer look you begin to see what exactly Galliano aimed to do—the cutaways force the eye to fill in what has been taken away, resulting in a beautiful meshing of layers. What is important to consider, however, are not only the bizarre and unconventional ways that these designers are dis-

rupting what fashion can be, but also what their particular message might be. Gvasalia’s strange F/W 2017 collection for Vetements was not for shock factor, but actually a commentary on sociology. Galliano’s breaking apart of his garments was not only innovative, but also made reference to the shifting shape of the USA. So the next time you see a look come down the runway that leaves you scratching your head, type a quick search into Vogue.com—there might be more to the story behind the clothes than your initial reaction would have you believe. ◊

FASHION G A S L I G H TING AN EXPLORATION BY EMILY SKUBLICS Many magazines, blogs, and social media accounts with corporate agendas collectively tunnel-vision their readers into a life of self-doubt. Even though I don’t agree with fast fashion, I also feel like I need the trendiest boots to express my true self. I want women and girls to feel empowered by models of diverse sizes, but I still think I would be happier if I was thinner. Despite having realized how highly I value self-expression, sustainability, diversity, and self-love, the fashion media has impaired my ability to live by those values. And I’ve finally figured out how.

aslighting is the process of psychologically manipulating someone into questioning, doubting, and ultimately not trusting their own perception of reality. It doesn’t just cause temporary poor decision-making or low self-esteem, like garden-variety manipulation. As described by psychologist Dr. George Simon, it is “to create so much doubt in the minds of their targets of exploitation” that they “no longer trust their own judgment about things and buy into the assertions of the manipulator, thus coming under their power and control.”

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he concept originates from the mystery-thriller Gaslight (1944) by George Cukor, adapted from the 1938 play of the same name. To distract from his criminal activity, Gregory manipulates his new wife Paula into thinking she is going insane. Paula sees the gas lights in their house dim and flicker because he is turning on the lights in the attic, where he goes to secretly search Paula’s belongings for valuables. He tells her the lights are not changing and pretends to be worried for her mental health. Eventually, Paula stops trusting her own perceptions at all and accepts her husband’s lies as reality. This is what we, as fashion consumers, have been experiencing for years. In 2016, The New Yorker published a piece about gaslighting storylines in movies; TeenVogue and CNN both wrote bravely about Donald Trump’s gaslighting of America; MFA student Melis Agabigum even created her thesis piece to mimic how gaslighting feels. But the concept is never connected to our perceptions of fashion. How we perceive clothes determines how we dress, and ultimately changes the conclusions we draw about ourselves from our appearance. We all know fashion trends are dictated by influencers high and low, from designers at the big four fashion weeks to self-made bloggers on Instagram. Despite the decline of magazines seen in 2016’s brutal cuts at Rogers and beyond, publications still have enormous influence. When influential voices scream that a trend is over, everybody listens, regardless of whether they want to or not. And it changes how we perceive people who continue to wear it, including ourselves.

COLLAGES BY KAYA KELLEY

FASHION AUTHORITIES In November 2016, Vogue UK declared cleavage was “over.” Fashion magazines need readers to buy their publications in order to sustain their business. But you wouldn’t buy a new Vogue every month if the headline was, “Same trends as last year”— and you wouldn’t buy new clothes either, which sustains designers and retailers. Thus, the entire fashion industry is motivated to keep the cycle turning, and the media needs to stay on top of the fashion-authority pyramid or you’ll stop listening (and buying). They declare the beginnings and endings of trends, convincing us all that we are unable to trust our own perceptions of clothing so we must accept the reality they feed us instead.

This means that when Vogue speaks about a trend, it becomes layered into everyone’s perceptions of that trend, irrespective of an individual’s perceptions of how it fits their personal wardrobe, style, and body. In this case, showing cleavage became a social signifier that you a) had missed the memo (embarrassing), b) just didn’t care the trend was over (uncool), or c) decided your cleavage was more important than Vogue’s opinion (desperate). Thus you (a previously fierce and confident person who loved showing off your favourite physical asset) now doubt yourself. Not only that, but if you choose to continue wearing chest-baring clothing, everyone else doubts you too. Without even realizing it (or perhaps while being acutely aware of the feeling but having no words to describe it), we have been gaslit. Presuming we perceived cleavage as attractive, we have now been manipulated to believe that perception is false, and cleavage is not attractive but is in reality embarrassing, uncool, and desperate. This can cause cognitive dissonance, as theorized by Leon Festinger in 1957. When we hold multiple conflicting thoughts, our brain is in a disharmonious state and must balance them by altering one, which can lead to irrational behaviour. For example, valuing sustainability and ethics causes cognitive dissonance against the need to constantly consume to stay on trend; we might

without even realizing it, we have been gaslit. we have been manipulated to believe that our perceptions are false, embarrassing, uncool, and desperate. THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE THIRTEEN

buy the cheap new Zara dress because we have been gaslit to feel that our personal appearance (and how we are perceived by others) outweighs everything else, including sustainability. That’s not to say we all follow blindly; Vogue received substantial criticism for that headline for body-shaming, and 67% of readers voted in disagreement in Vogue’s online poll. But now that Vogue’s stance is out there, it will always be considered whenever we see cleavage, and cause us to question any of our own contrasting opinions.

we doubt our own perceptions from the moment we hear what we like isn’t even likeable.

WHEN IT ALL BEGAN Revelations like these make us doubt our own perceptions about fashion from the moment we first hear the voice of an influencer telling us what we like isn’t even likeable. We buy magazines, read blogs, follow Instagrammers and subscribe to store emails, waiting for someone else to tell us what to like, because we have long since been gaslit to believe that we are incapable of forming such opinions ourselves. We have been collectively gaslit by fashion “authorities” this way since the dawn of advertising. Well-known PR pioneer Edward Bernays did this with full intention — he orchestrated campaigns that convincingly flipped the public opinion about everything from women smoking cigarettes to food workers wearing hairnets. Hired by the bacon-making Beech-Nut Packing Company, Bernays made bacon a staple of the American breakfast by asking doctors if eating bacon and eggs was better than eating nothing, then publishing the (obvious) responses in the morning paper. By overwriting the public’s existing disparate perceptions with singular authoritative testimonials, Bernays gaslit an entire nation into believing bacon and eggs were the healthiest start to their day. “Forecast of autumn fashions,” read the September 1916 Vogue cover. Fashion magazines have always reported what designers sent down the runway. Trend forecasting, styling, and recommendations require the expertise of a fashion editor, and were especially necessary before the Internet made it easy to Google “Balenciaga FW17.” Media outlets with corporate agendas still publish some stories featuring this kind of news—suggestions that allow readers to “apply as needed” to their real lives.

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Gaslighting is different -- it causes serious damage to your ability to read the world around you and trust what you see. So even if we recognize the absurdity of wearing bare ankles in Toronto’s January wind chill, another part of our brains tell us we must be mistaken. Over time, we become certain that we are not able to discern our own preferences, and our brains overwrite them with the “gospel truth” as told by Harper’s Bazaar.

CONTEMPORARY PERPETUATIONS Fashion choices have always been a source of non-verbal communication that translate to information about an individual. This aspect of fashion as a readable “sign” is an entire area of study, owing its roots to Ferdinand de Saussure, who helped found semiotics (the study of signs and symbols) over a century ago. Sociobiologist Desmond Morris wrote in 1977, “It is impossible to wear clothes without transmitting social signals.” Each choice we make about our appearance is therefore a message encoded with meaning. When examining another person, we decode this message based on our own knowledge of that code. There’s nothing wrong with this; it’s how we use fashion as a method of self-expression. The problem arises when individuals are unable to use their own perceptions to determine the meaning of that clothing. In her 2013 book Fashion and Age, professor of social policy and sociology Julia Twigg describes a constant mental duel we face between wanting our clothes to show “social equalization” and “individual differentiation.” Living in a Western society that values individualism creates internal conflict with our craving for acceptance

from our peers. But wearing clothes that differentiate us individually could be acceptable by our peers if we valued each individual’s opinions on appearance equally, making “fashion authorities” redundant. However, Twigg goes on to describe that without a “fashion authority,” “individuals are burdened with the task of creating meaning, and with it, normativity, for themselves,” which is a source of anxiety to most because the “range of people’s self-expression is fairly narrow.” In this way, even modern sociologists encourage us to allow fashion authorities to reign on, relieving us of the “burden” of thinking for ourselves.

TUNNEL-ENDING LIGHT In Gaslight, Paula truly believes she is no longer able to perceive reality and has gone insane, until a policeman visits the house. He assures her the lights are indeed flickering, allowing her to realize her perceptions were correct all along. Once inside a gaslight-fueled reality, it’s impossible to find your way out alone; you need an outside party to pull you out and teach you to trust your own perceptions once more — and this is where grassroots media and social media influencers can change the game. Social media influencers were dubbed the “Buzzword of 2016” by AdWeek, and a study conducted jointly by Twitter and third-party analytics firm Annalect showed that users trust influencers just as much as they trust their friends. With so many more influencers than media outlets, it’s much easier to find genuine people in your own niche without corporate agendas and sales targets. Most importantly, influencers speak as themselves

maybe if we all wear clothing that genuinely brings us happiness, we’ll have an easier time loving the body inside.

- instead of as the planet’s foremost fashion authorities - making it a reader’s choice to agree, disagree, or even ignore them altogether. Magazines like Rookie and TV shows like Girls intentionally celebrate the opinions (and flaws) of everyday people. Media like this encourages its audience to trust their own taste and invent their own rules when it comes to fashion — a step in the right direction, away from gaslighting. Surprisingly, this is barely being talked about. The influence of media and advertising on body image and eating disorders is widely agreed to be a problem, but it is never connected to fashion itself. Maybe if we all wear clothing that genuinely brings us happiness, we’ll have an easier time loving the body inside that outfit. There is an irony to this situation that should be addressed. This very article, published in a grassroots fashion magazine, is the policeman telling you that you have been gaslit. Imagine if we, the consumers, collectively decided to ignore any fashion narratives that overwrite our perceptions? Though Twigg purported this freedom of self-expression would be a burden, it’s also possible it would be that, but with a different name: freedom. The meaning of clothing as described above would be subjective, and like a book whose words mean something different to every reader, it would cease to mean anything at all. For a culture that uses fashion as a means of self-expression, this could be equally problematic. We must therefore find the sweet spot, somewhere in between these two extremes.

ALLOWING IT When it comes in serious forms like abuse, you cannot always save yourself from gaslighting. In the case of media gaslighting, I believe it is possible, if only because the true cure for gaslighting is for someone else to show you the truth like the policeman does for Paula. Once you can see that you’ve been gaslit, you can learn to start trusting your own perceptions. The jig is up; the next time you’re unsure of a piece of clothing, your own haircut, or someone else’s eyeliner, remember: Vogue has beautiful pictures, revelatory interviews, and industry exposés, but you have your own values, opinions and taste that are equally real and valid. You don’t need anyone else to tell you what to think. ◊

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WE ARE EVERYWHERE BY HANNAH DOBBIE FEATURING MICHELLE PARK, KYLIE HANNAH & SYONA ABDEEN Feminists are everywhere. Throughout history women have fought for equality. Today, that fight continues but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only being carried out by one definable subculture. People of all kinds come together to bring their feminist philosophies to fruition and many of them defy the stereotypical conventions of what it means to be a feminist. Michelle Park, Kylie Hannah, and Syona Ab are three such Ryerson students who share with us their thoughts on feminism and how it has affected their lives.

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eminism is generally defined as the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. I define feminism as the act of empowering both women and men to take action in order to ensure equality everywhere.

MICHELLE PARK As a fourth year Retail Management student and a student leader on campus, I find myself appreciating and respecting the women that take on leadership roles in all aspects of their lives, especially at Ryerson. The idea of female empowerment plays a huge role when it comes to my student identity on campus. Growing up in the student leader world at Ryerson, I have seen numerous cycles of men in powerful positions, whether that be presidents or VP’\s of various different student groups. However, I find that the student leadership community is embracing diversity now more than ever. It is truly inspiring to see strong independent female leaders in different positions all across campus. It’s 2017 — as human beings, we are responsible for trying our best to advocate for equality everywhere. “We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” - Malala Yousafzai

KYLIE HANNAH I was in junior high, grade six or seven, and in my music class we were assigned instruments to play. I was given the clarinet, an instrument I had no interest in. I told my teacher I wanted to play the drums. He laughed and said, “Well, we can only have one drum player, and drums are a boys instrument,” then switched me to the flute. I felt angry. I was confused, I resented my male teacher for making me play the flute, and let’s just say I didn’t do well in the class. At fifteen my family and I moved provinces and I began attending a new school. I joined the basketball team. There was only one girl’s team

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and the players were all a couple years younger than me. I had previously played with older women on two high performance teams before I moved, so I quickly realized that I was not being challenged like I used to be. I spoke about these concerns with the coach, saying that I would rather play for the boys team whose players were closer to my age. Because I’m a girl, I wasn’t able to join their team. What is feminism? I was confused by the label until a few years ago when it was being talked about more on social media. I never thought of myself as a feminist until I remembered a time in school when a teacher laughed and said that “women belong in the kitchen.” I went up to her in class and corrected her. When I think of feminism the first thing that comes to mind is equality; giving everyone the same rights and opportunities without basing those decisions on gender. Feminism is courage; it is having the courage to be who you are, to be able to stand up for yourself and what you believe in. Feminism is respect; to be able to go out in public and not be harassed, bullied, or treated with inequality. I also think feminism is opportunity and support. Without these things, I wouldn’t be in school right now because a lot of people told me my chosen field wasn’t a real career path. When I was young I used to think feminism was intimidating because of what was thrown at us in the media. I now have a better understanding of what feminism means, which is so simple; equality of the sexes. Who wouldn’t want that?

SYONA ABDEEN A few weeks ago, I was hanging out with a close male friend. As is normal with me, we started talking about feminism, and the various ways men mistreat women. He was agreeing with me for the most part, but eventually he said the words “not all men are like that.” Of course, I countered this argument in the best way I knew how. I told him about domestic violence statistics, rape culture, and of course, the fact that sexism is so embedded into our society that we often do not see it. However, this encounter made

ARTICLE BY HANNAH DOBBIIE, FEATURING KYLIE HANNAH, MICHELLE PARK, SYONA ABDEEN

me realize the complexity which comes with being close friends with men, especially as an outspoken feminist of colour. While all of the men in my life are comparatively well versed when it comes to the issues of sexism and feminism, there is a certain disconnect when talking about the issues that matter to me most. Because many men are socialized to talk over women, or to disbelieve our lived experiences, it can be a very difficult unlearning process for them. And in the same vein, it can be very exhausting for a woman to constantly extend her emotional labour for the education of a man. There is no straightforward answer to this; because men are socialized in a sexist society, well meaning men can still be sexist. Your father, brother, boyfriend, or best friend can still be sexist. And there is a pain which comes with that realization. People of all genders continue to uphold archaic ideas about the ways that women are supposed to act. Even “male feminists” tend to talk over women on the very issues that affect us the most. While they do this with the best intentions, it is still troubling that some of the largest voices in modern day feminism are given to men. It can be hard to reconcile this reality with your own life. The fact that men, even men you love, contribute to your oppression is quite a heavy thought. Yet it’s this reality that we must fight against, and the only way to fight it is through education. Men need to know of this reality and be consciously aware of the actions they take. They need to educate themselves to stop committing micro and macro aggressions towards women. Because as much as we care about them, they also need to care about us.

Michelle Park, Syona Abdeen, and Kylie Hannah

Feminists are everwhere; Michelle, Kylie, and Syona are three of many. By sharing their experiences and ideas, these women are both exercising their feminist values and broadening the conversation surrounding the issues that affect them. As feminists throughout history have done, they are striving for social change by defying conventions and simply being themselves. ◊

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A NOT-SO-OFFICIAL GUIDE TO

Personal Style Words and Modeling by Olivia Lemieux Photos by Grace Choi

How do you define your personal style? For some of you this question might be difficult to answer. For me, it’s nearly impossible. I can’t really explain my style in words because it changes almost everyday. It’s been a long journey trying to pinpoint exactly how I want to present myself, and it’s far from over. Like most people, I’ve gone through many clothing phases while growing up. I experimented with so many styles that now, as an (almost) adult, I don’t know which of those versions of myself I actually am. As a fashion student, I feel compelled to find a style that defines me because it’s so easy to get lost in the crowd of other fashion students with their own unique dressing habits. If you feel stuck in a similar position, I’ve put together a short list of essentials to remember while trying to uncover your personal style. Find Inspiration Here’s where your style journey begins. If you talk to any artist or musician about their work, they will admit that inspiration is a key ingredient in the creation of a masterpiece... So why should it be any different for fashion? Inspiration can come from anywhere: movies, books, social media, or even strangers on the subway. My favourite way to get inspired is by people watching. Living in Toronto, there is never a lack of people on the streets who express themselves through clothing. I’m also a sucker for finding fashion icons on Instagram and taking note of every outfit they wear. But beware… there is a fine line between taking inspiration and downright copying someone’s style. I myself have inadvertently fallen victim to this fashion crime. Sometimes I become so enamored with someone’s look that I catch myself trying to recreate their outfits right down to the colour of their socks. Instead, try creating a mood-board with your current favourite styles. This will help you pull together bits and pieces of various images while still creating something new and unique to you.

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Key Pieces Everyone’s wardrobe revolves around a handful of staple pieces. Of course they vary from one closet to another, but examples of key pieces can be anything from a good pair of blue jeans to a badass leather jacket. Start building your closet with these timeless, basic items. It doesn’t take many of them. Once you’ve established your trusty pieces, let your creativity run wild with the accessories you decide to pair them with. I personally go crazy with earrings; I have a huge collection of them that I’ve been adding to for years. The clothing I wear changes constantly, but I know my earrings will always be part of what defines my personal style. Disregard Trends In order to discover your own style, I suggest blocking out any current trends that steer your senses in the wrong direction. We often revert back to current trends when we don’t really know what to wear but still want to fit in. The best advice I have is to consider where you shop. Fast fashion stores are stuffed to the brim with items that society has deemed “trendy” for a short period of time. If this is where you shop, you will end up matching with everyone you know even if you think you’ve found something unique. To fix this, I personally recommend thrift shopping. We all know it’s an eco-friendly alternative to fast fashion stores, but it also provides you with 100% original clothing. Go to your local second-hand store and try rummaging through racks of unique items — they all have a story behind them, which can make shopping even more fun! Of course, if staying “with the times” and being on trend is important to you, then I suggest simply taking inspiration from the popular items. There are many ways to adapt styles to make you both stand out from the crowd and look like you belong.

CONFIDENCE! This is the single most important piece of advice I have to give you, and it’s pretty self-explanatory. Whenever I spot someone strutting down the street in a daring outfit, I think to myself “I wish I could rock that”… but wait, why can’t I? It all comes down to confidence. Now I’m not saying I lack confidence, but sometimes I can’t bring myself to leave the house in certain outfits because of the fear of judgment. F*** that! If you’ve found clothing that makes you feel good, go for it! Once you forget about what everyone thinks, the sky is the limit for you and your fashion choices. Finding your style is a long journey. Allow yourself to experiment, and know that personal style isn’t developed over night. Although it’s comforting to be able to identify yourself with a particular style, don’t stress over it. Ultimately, whatever you roll out of bed wanting to wear is the truest representation of yourself. And remember… your style is constantly changing. In the end what you’re wearing now will most likely be different from what you will be wearing a year from now! Embrace the evolution. ◊

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE TWENTY-SEVEN

LATE NIGHT

NEON PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMETT CHARUK ART DIRECTION BY MARLY BROMSTEIN MODEL JESSICA FESS

PHOTOGRPAHY BY EMMETT CHARUK, ART DIRECTION BY MARLY BROMSTIEN MODEL JESSICA FESS (ELITE MODEL MANAGMENT)

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE TWENTY-NINE

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ILLUSTRATIONSBY PHOTOGRPAHY BYEMMETT NATALIE CHARUK, MIZZEN; WORDS ART DIRECTION BY SARAHBYSAID MARLY BROMSTIEN MODEL JESSICA FESS (ELITE MODEL MANAGMENT)

Special thanks to Mama Loves You Vintage for providing the clothing, and Night Owl Toronto the THE for BOOK BYlocation. STYLECIRCLE

INTERVIEWS Researching Ryerson Role Models By Joanna Lupker Photo By Hannah Dobbie courtesy of the Ryerson Fashion Research Collection

Many secrets lay hidden in the walls at Ryerson University’s School of Fashion. The particular secret I uncovered was just some of the rich talent and history found in the pages of scrapbooks and in the stitches of dresses at The Ryerson Fashion Research Collection. Upon seeing a luscious blue velvet dress, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to learn more about the story behind the garment. Through research facilitated by Ingrid Mida, head of the Ryerson Fashion Research Collection, I discovered this dress was designed by one of Ryerson’s very own, Donald Dean Campbell. Not only did Campbell study at Ryerson, but he was the first male ever to graduate from The School of Fashion. He completed his certificate in 1952, when Ryerson was still a polytechnical school. It is not seen to quite the same extent today, but the lack of boys in the Fashion Program is still a common phenomenon, and Campbell himself noticed differential treatment within the school because of the underrepresentation of males. Since 1952, Ryerson has become an established university and its Fashion School has gained international prominence and has been recognized many times. Though the Fashion Program has seen many changes since its origin, the fundmental, practical, and hands on foundations in sewing, construction

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and pattern drafting are still taught today. This skill set is what Campbell saw as the most valuable takeaway from his education. After his time at Ryerson, the young graduate travelled to London, England, and worked under British designer John Cavanagh before launching his own label. Campbell became renowned for creating women’s stylish, classic garments that were of couture quality, without the high-end price tag. His designs became so popular that Britain’s most prominent young ladies were Campbell’s most loyal clients. And to make things even more surreal, Princess Diana was amongst his clientele. Although it is easy to get caught up in the high society lifestyle that fashion often eludes us to, Donald Campbell built his brand on his ability to deliver clothes women felt comfortable and confident wearing. These are the skills that a few years at Ryerson University can provide to students. However, Campbell urges only the truly passionate aspiring designers to continue on in the fashion industry, as he believes it is the devotion to the craft that will truly carry a career forward. Through this brief research project, I have definitely been reminded of my love for fashion and hope one day to be as successful as Donald Campbell. Until that day, I will continue to learn about the greats of Ryerson’s past, and discover more hidden gems such as the Ryerson Fashion Research Collection. ◊

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Noreen Flanagan on Power Words & Photography by Mary Morgan

I asked you to wear something that made you feel powerful. Can you talk about what you’re wearing, and why you chose this outfit? I chose to wear this new Marni top for a couple of reasons. One, I absolutely love this label and I’m very inspired by the designer behind it. I think she has always brought an independent, feminist perspective to her work and she is never one to follow trends, although people try to follow her. She always has this kind of marriage of architectural silhouettes, which to me conveys a certain sort of strength, and she can do these kind of pop-art décor elements. I like the contrast between what might look like a masculine aesthetic with the architectural lines, married with—I mean, I would never wear sequins from any other designer other than Marni; Marni will get me into sequins—a Japanese kind of aesthetic to her work, and that’s something that naturally appeals to me. You can really get that sense in my house as well. I’ve got Shoji screens, I’ve got Noguchi tables, so there is a Japanese architectural, biomorphic quality to it, with a little bit of pizzazz. So my pants, I am wearing a Istanbul designer, and her name is Sibel Saral. And I like them because there’s sort of a boyish duality to them, but they’re sort of coquettish in terms of the length. You know, you’re showing a little bit of skin with your ankle. They make me feel playful but in charge, which I like. The shoes are Pierre Hardy, and I like them because of the architectural line—you’re getting the sense I like lots of lines. I like that they have a strong, but distilled, minimalist point of view, so that’s why I like these shoes. And why do these make you feel powerful? There is a strength inherent in the silhouette. It’s a very confident silhouette. There’s not a lot of embellishment to distract you, which takes a certain confidence to say “this is the pure line that I’m moved by.” I admire people who can wear all kinds of wild sorts of fabrics, ruffles and details. But for me, I find that very distracting. I feel more powerful because I guess it allows me to focus in my head. I was thinking when that all started for me and I remember very clearly, as a young girl, my

mother came home. I was so excited; she had a present for me. I opened up the gift and it was new sheets. The sheets were this riot of purple and pink paisleys, and I just thought, “I can’t sleep on that.” Also, it was polyester so I may have be offended by the polyester. I was just like, “No, no! I just want my white, beautiful soft flannel sheets.” I remember them because they had a very thin red line, and very thin grey line. So, even as a very young girl, I was drawn to zen-like, simple, strong pieces. I think I did try to sleep on it one night, and I did have nightmares, and I remember thinking, “no, I can’t do this!” I’m one of those people where there’s a lot going on in my head, whether it be ideas, thoughts, or conversations, and if I’m wearing something that is loud and distracting, I can’t really think. Like what I’m wearing today; I could wear this to an event or interview, but I could never write in this! If I’m writing I have to be wearing a simple color, usually black. I know it’s kind of a cliché for someone in fashion to be drawn to black. Again, it goes back to my childhood. I remember absolutely coveting a pair of black patent shoes with a beautiful white patent flower—actually a flower quite similar to this [flower on my shirt]—kind of a pop flower, and it had a clip you could take it on or off with. It was white and black. I died and went to heaven when I got those. I’ve been drawn to that, kind of, nun-like color and silhouette my whole life, so it even predated my fashion sensibility. What does power mean to you? Well, a couple of things. When you think of power and powerful people, I admire those that are both intelligent and are confident, but they marry that with a sense of humility and a sense of empathy. That to me is a powerful person, if they have those key attributes. When I think of what it means to have power, I think it means that you have the responsibility, but more importantly you have the power to actually make change, either for yourself or for others. Certainly in my career I’ve been in different roles where I’ve had lots of responsibility and no power, and this is just a recipe for stress, but when you are in a position where you have both the power to make decisions and the responsibility to make those decisions that’s the perfect marriage; same as within your life as well. ◊ THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE THIRTY-FIVE

CHANTELLE BEDA HIP HOP AND FASHION

This series of illustrations was created for my final capstone thesis project at Ryerson. They were â&#x20AC;&#x153;paintedâ&#x20AC;? using Photoshop, allowing me to work with various textures, tones, complexions and light sources and to really appreciate each artist while analyzing them and painting them. I took the knowledge I obtained through the creation of these illustrations, and information about each of these artists and combined it with research about designers, fashion brands, rap artists and consumers to see how they all connected with one another. With all of this information I was able to come closer to answering the questions: How has hiphop influenced the fashion industry? What is the relationship between the two industries? I discovered that in many ways each of these industries need one another in order to survive and they in fact have quite a symbiotic relationship.

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THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE THIRTY-SEVEN

These hip-hop artists are just a small portion of the influencers who have had a major impact on fashion through the hip-hop industry be it with their own brands, unique styles or innovative personalities. To delve further into the subject and grasp a better understanding of the impact each of these artists have had, I analyzed the hip-hop industry using social conflict theory, trickle up/down theories and also looked at consumer behaviour. This led me to discover that although these artists have a large following and hip-hop clothing and trends are extremely relevant within our society, many people who participate in wearing these trends donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually know their origin and who made them popular. Ultimately I wanted to create this project to not only gain a greater knowledge about hip-hop for myself, but to also create a learning experience for the viewer visually and contextually, and stimulate new areas for discussion and appreciation of both the fashion and hip-hop industries. â&#x2014;&#x160;

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THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE THIRTY-NINE

overty is often regarded as one of two sides in a polarized view of available lifestyles. People on the wealthy end of the scale may believe they deserve certain luxuries and that other people – poor people – shouldn’t have these things. Fashion is no exception to this way of thinking. The “homeless chic” look is a style people don’t have to look far to find in a trendy clothing store. From the couture runways to the mass-produced department store fashions, everyone seems to be willing to pay to look like they can’t pay for new clothes. But the reality of the situation is that for some people this “look” isn’t a choice. For some people, digging through dumpsters and rifling through garbage bags is a necessary part of clothing themselves. This homeless chic trend is certainly one that has been seen before – the intentionally ripped and torn fabric, deliberately dirtied outfits, carefully calculated ill-fittings, and fashionably mismatched pieces. This look is not new to the fashion scene and yet designers continue to find new and creative ways to mimic the attire of homeless people. It is bizarre, then, to think that those behind the inspiration – those who are actually homeless – are judged for their torn, dirty, ill-fitting, and mismatched clothing. The fact that they didn’t choose to dress like this, and that they didn’t pay to dress like this, seems to be the reason for the harsh treatment. Fashion shows with beautiful models walking the runway in expensively destroyed couture make it easy to be caught up in the glamour and style and accept these fashions at face value without looking any deeper into where the inspiration came from or the negative impact of this type of representation. While inspiration for fashion can come from anywhere, these high-gloss interpretations of the impoverished can be condescending, tactless, and insensitive. The couture shows often feature models dressed in homeless chic styles and made-up to look tired, starving, and frostbitten – a trivialization of the fact that people are actually starving and freezing to death on the streets.

PRET-A-POVERTY BY VICTORIA ZANDER

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While representing people in poverty on such a large-scale platform as this could possibly draw attention to the fact that these people are in peril, the distorted image often depicted shows deliberately dusty, mismatched, and destroyed garments adopted by beautiful people. Looking at brands like Kanye West’s Yeezy line, and its mass market reproductions, it is easy to point out the features that make these looks homeless chic. The fact of the matter is that homeless people are ignored, most people don’t see them, and when they are acknowledged they are condemned and

berated. Those who can afford to live are put off by the idea of a homeless person “masquerading” as anything other than impoverished – they are expected to dress as a reflection of their social status but are judged for dressing as such out of necessity.

trend? Perhaps a misguided effort to draw attention to the reality of a social issue? Whatever the answer, it’s hard to imagine that such a wide-spread trend would be a conscious affront to the poorest social class, and that these brands profit from the glamorization of the homeless with little acknowledgment to the truth behind their muses. Fashion shows like the Vivienne Westwood fall 2010 menswear show, or 2000’s John Galliano haute couture show for Dior really highlight this extreme aestheticization and make ragged looks seem cool. Selling this homeless chic look enforces a polarized view of social class consisting of two extremes on the spectrum of wealth and status. When it comes to this issue, the fashion industry walks a fine line. On one hand, the representation of homeless people on a global scale could do great things to raise awareness of such a wide spread issue. On the other hand, if the representation continues to be distorted in the way it so often is, the living conditions of much of the population will be trivialized in order to turn a profit. It is easy to dismiss all the debate in favour of a simple explanation – that there isn’t anything to read into, or that this really is an innocent source of inspiration. The reality is that by popularizing the homeless in fashion, the fashion community contributes to the normalization of poor living conditions. Showing this lifestyle in a light where it can be considered trendy and cool does not do much to eliminate homelessness as an issue. More specifically, the sale of this look promotes the idea that homelessness can be worn as a costume of sorts by

this has been seen before — the intentionally ripped and torn fabric, deliberately dirtied outfits, carefully calculated ill-fittings The idea that fashion brands should profit from aestheticizing a life from which people would give anything to escape is baffling. Has the fashion world really managed to distance itself enough from the issue to ignore what the United Nations estimates at 100 million homeless people worldwide? Or is the portrayal of this poor standard of living a way of easing the guilt of those who do nothing to help? Using the homeless as an inspiration for a clothing line may just be a way to acknowledge their existence without actually having to do anything to help them. At this year’s New York Men’s Fashion week, Japanese brand N. Hollywood sent a “homeless youth” inspired collection down the runway. The designer defended the style as a form of social reflection, a reminder of these distressed people, but a reminder doesn’t provide much aid to those in trouble and the company still profits from the pieces priced between $55 $500. While this kind of inspiration and recognition can soothe public guilt for ignoring the struggles that people face on the streets, there is still no escaping the fact that those who can afford to dress in upscale homeless-inspired styles have the choice to do otherwise. This is where the main issue lies because while fashion brands can glamorize the homeless “look” as much as they want, marketing it as “homeless chic” means that actual homeless people will never be truly considered fashionable. Because the homeless dress as such out of necessity, those who can afford to dress in homeless chic styles can be comforted by the knowledge that they choose to dress like this and, should they choose to, they could dress in a different style. This difference is what allows the consumer the comfort that they are different from – and essentially better than – those who are really homeless. So what justifies selling the look of a homeless person for hundreds of dollars? Could it possibly be a reflection of global financially tight times? Is it an unintentionally insensitive

PHOTO BY NOLAN ISAAC COURTESY OF UNSPLASH

the living conditions of much of the population are trivialized in order to turn a profit wealthier patrons of the brands who are producing this look. It is important to recognize that the shows that feature fashions inspired by tired, frostbitten, starving, homeless people are inspired by real people whose lives are usually a far cry from the runway depictions. The glamour and style surrounding the marketed homeless chic look are a great device to create a safe distance from the truth of the muses for the style. While consumers can afford the choice of a different type of dress, those who inspire the trend have no other options and are, in some ways, negatively affected by the impacts of the aestheticization of their lives. While there is a certain intent to bring awareness and aid to this issue through fashion’s social influence, the result is often more harmful than helpful. ◊

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE FORTY-ONE

Ready to

REBEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALIA YOUSSEF

The time periods of first and second wave feminism come together in the fashion story, Ready to Rebel. Inspired by the beautiful colours of the Mackin House, a heritage house in Coquitlam, BC, I wanted to create a themed photo shoot that brought together the ideas and style of both the early 20th century and the 1960s. I decided to produce a 1960s inspired shoot about a woman who has conformed to the traditional female gender role but is preparing to rebel. The sixties vibe mixed with the authentic heritage decor came together perfectly to achieve my vision. FORTY-TWO WWW.STYLECIRCLE.ORG

ILLUSTRATIONS PHOTOS BY ALIABY YOUSSEF, NATALIE MODEL MIZZEN; MEGAN WORDS JENKINS BY SARAH SAID

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ILLUSTRATIONS PHOTOS BY ALIABY YOUSSEF, NATALIE MODEL MIZZEN; MEGAN WORDS JENKINS BY SARAH SAID

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PHOTOS BY ALIA YOUSSEF, MODEL MEGAN JENKINS

Model: Megan Jenkins Hair/Makeup: Shermin Nikravan Assistant: Allison Barton Youssef Special thanks to Coquitlam Heritage at Mackin House

MAKING T-SHIRTS GREAT AGAIN Beauty in simplicity with Toronto-based menswear brand, KOTN. Words by Yasmin Momeni Photography by Paige Furtney FORTY-EIGHT WWW.STYLECIRCLE.ORG

“Y

ou should not be afraid to wear a white T-shirt,” says Mackenzie, pausing to take a sip of her coffee, “so it seemed kind of crazy to us that there were two extremes of high and low when it was just a T-shirt. Why couldn’t we make a T-shirt that has the same fit and quality as a designer T for way less?” The coffee machine behind us screeches and the barista turns to quiet the milk steamer as I sit talking with KOTN founders Mackenzie Yeates and Ben Sehl. The coffee shop is stripped down and simple, filled with people fervently typing away on laptops at surrounding tables - a rather ordinary scene for a Toronto café. It seemed rather befitting of the brand’s philosophy: to create clothes for ordinary everyday moments.

KOTN was born from the desire to bring quality and thoughtful design to ordinary items. Canadian founders Mackenzie Yeates and Ben Sehl were living in New York at the time and wanted to partner together to begin a creative project. “Ben especially had so many T-shirts in his wardrobe. Brands like Hanes that were lower quality, for every day use, and then a few nice T-shirts from Rag and Bone or James Perse that were the THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE FORTY-NINE

designated going out Ts.” It was there, right between the Hanes & James Perse T-shirts that the opportunity lay for Ben and Mackenzie to fill the gap by creating the perfect middle ground T-shirt. The T-shirt has been an ubiquitous item in the wardrobes of Canadians since the 1950s. You will often see it as the basis of an outfit thanks to its prominent reputation. Yet the simplicity of the crisp white fabric and clean cut lines allows it to play second fiddle to the most memorable of statement pieces. Regardless of the role it plays, the T-shirt has been and always will be an essential, a forever piece. But the T-shirt is not exempt from the problems that the fashion industry is currently facing. Consumerism is at an all time high since fast-fashion has become the new norm, with brands like H&M and Zara at the forefront of this epidemic. KOTN, however, is working to interrupt the relentless push of poorly made on-trend items. “When you talk about fast fashion brands that have lower prices, they’re not magically finding out better ways to save money. It’s that the people at the lower levels of the operation are getting squeezed more,” explains Ben. “So when we wanted to do this - and do it right - we knew that we had to change that process. It took a lot of setup but ultimately we were able to create something that worked a lot better for us, for our suppliers and for our customers.”

“We didn’t set out to be sustainable. We did set out to build something that we would be proud of. The current process is terrible, so it was imperative at this point to be socially conscious, because where is our world going if you are not?” The Northern part of Egypt where green reeds float on small isles scattered through sapphire waters, is known as the Nile Delta region. The Nile Delta is the section where the river fans out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea, covering 240 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline from East to West. This is where the cotton that is used to make KOTN’s products is grown, harvested, and woven by Egyptian farmers. “Egypt was a total fluke,” says Ben, “Our friend Rami is Egyptian and happened to be in Egypt when we came up with the idea for KOTN, that was basically it.” “We never could have established connections without him,” adds Mackenzie as a look of ap-

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preciation flickers across her face. For Rami, making connections with the farmers was as much about building business relations as it was about building trust. Despite Egyptian cotton being the best in the world, production in Egypt is only 5% of what it once was in 2001. The cotton industry has been greatly exploited not only by the government seizing farmers’ subsidies, but also from having their seeds poached and planted elsewhere. Various corporations throughout the world are able to claim that their products are composed of Egyptian cotton, but whether that claim is true or not can be overlooked since Egyptian cotton is not an official trademark. One of the major ways that KOTN remains ethical is by subsidizing 14 farms in Egypt where their cotton is sourced. “Before the growing season begins we give the farmers money for seeds, fertilizer, agricultural consultants — whatever they need for the season. We also make an agreement with them about how much cotton we are going purchase beforehand so they know that they will get a guaranteed sale at the end of it,” says Ben, as he and Mackenzie begin to explain the process behind the creation of a KOTN T-shirt. KOTN is headquartered in Toronto, but their products are manufactured in Egypt. “When we started trying to piece together how KOTN would function as a business,” explains Mackenzie, “we looked into manufacturing in Canada as well, but it was harder to find consistency – they really do the best job in Egypt. Aside from tourism, cotton is their largest industry.” For most businesses, even at the most direct level of factory-to-consumer relations, markups are still made at every other checkpoint — farm to yarn mill, to dye house, to cut and sew, to distributors, and finally to consumers — during the manufacturing process. Designer’s products can be marked up at least 20 times the original price, and that is just a starting point. By having the entire manufacturing process completed in Egypt, KOTN is able to sell high quality products at a lower price by simply cutting back on transportation, and thereby reducing fuel costs – not to mention fuel emissions. “From farm to factory it takes about 60 days to make a T-shirt,” says Ben as he excitedly maps out the route on the wooden table. “There is a lot of love and care and people involved in making items that are thoughtlessly thrown away, so it’s important for us to make a product that reflects the amount of work involved. So far we are pretty happy with the results.” Once a sample is completed, Rami collects it from the pattern maker in Egypt and sends it to Mackenzie and Ben for approval. From there the full shipment gets sent to Canada and distributed from Toronto. “As a company we straddle being Canadian and Egyptian. But I

“We just love Canada and want to show the rest of the world what Canada is about and the different things we have to offer.” think that in itself is inherently Canadian since most people in Canada are mixed nationalities.” While planning the launch of KOTN, being recognized as a Canadian company was essential to Ben and Mackenzie. For most of the world the mention of Toronto is not synonymous with style. Instead, the focus is on something such as ‘Toronto’s best exports.” Even on the best-dressed lists found in Canadian magazines, many of the figures that grace the glossy pages do not live in Canada. “I always felt that it was really sad that people had to leave Toronto to make it,” says Mackenzie. “There is so much amazing talent here. We just love Canada and want to show the rest of the world what Canada is about and the different things we have to offer.” Toronto is an incredibly diverse city and is increasingly building its reputation as such. Just last year the Queen West strip was recognized as one of the world’s coolest neighbor-

hoods by Vogue. Now more than ever Toronto is reaching its peak and showing the world just how much it has to offer. “We have been given a lot and we just want to give back. Toronto is part of our identity so we want to be true to that,” adds Ben with a smile. KOTN’s flagship store is scheduled to open this year at Queen and Niagara, but a store opening is just the beginning. The company’s main goal is to turn KOTN into an overarching lifestyle brand, a brand that focuses on ordinary moments and treating them with as much respect as a glamorous Saturday night outing receives. Having a product that is not only functional but will also enhance the quality of everyday life for the wearer is Ben and Mackenzie’s mission. “I think slow fashion is a term now – I would say we probably fall into that category. We are not chasing trends; our products are items that are going to be around for 30 or 40 years. Hopefully they will last that long as well.” ◊

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE FIFTY-ONE

UNDERSTANDING THE LINKS BETWEEN

WRITTEN BY MILLIE YATES

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ood porn refers to foods that are so appealing to the consumer that they take on a near pornographic quality. It is a fascinating subject for its complex relationship with gender and sexuality, and these intersections are a topic of increasing interest among sociologists (Brady, Power, Szabo, & Gingras, 2017, p. 83). It is of interest to me for gender’s close liaison with fashion, my area of study. The portrayal of food porn on contemporary television, social media and advertising features a high-stylized, intensely graphic approach that mimics the techniques of male-gaze dominated fashion photography. As noted by Parekh and Schmidt (2003) many women cite the fashion industry as a source of unreachable beauty standards. When food porn is paired alongside sexualized female fashion figures, the effect is intensified. It is an incredibly important topic to fashion, as the industry also enforces and repels hegemonic principles surrounding gender. I was interested to find out what exactly links food porn and gender within popular culture, and whether fashion played a role within the relationship. Through an analysis of relevant journal articles on the subject, it was determined that food porn and gender are often interrelated and can reinforce gender norms through the sexualisation of the female chef, the fashion-like staging of the ‘food body’ and the graphic, highly-gendered content of food porn imagery. Tisha Dejmanee offers a fascinating take on how food porn relates to Western society’s obsession with the female figure. She explains that food porn celebrates “these contemporary consumption disorders while doing little to challenge the overwhelmingly rigid standards to which women’s bodies continue to be held” (Dejmanee, 2016, p. 433). While food porn promotes the idea of creativity, the feminized imagery placed alongside it continues to conform to a rigid set of gender and beauty ideals. Dejmanee offers a particularly compelling example with television personality

THE PORTRAYAL OF FOOD PORN IN CONTEMPORARY TELEVISON, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADVERTISING FEATURES A HIGHLY-STYLIZED, INTENSELY GRAPHIC APPROACH THAT MIMICS THE TECHNIQUES OF MALE-GAZE DOMINATED FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY.

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Nigella Lawson. Lawson regularly appears on her cooking show, Nigella Bites, wearing sexy jersey dresses while preparing sumptuous dishes full of calorific, rich ingredients that perpetuate the over-the-top meaning of food porn. Even Lawson’s behaviour on the show is highly sexualized, as Dejmanee explains, “These closeup shots are also useful for revealing the delight on her face as she sucks cold noodles off her fingers and licks chocolate batter off mixing spoons” (p. 434). The relationship appears ironic, however, considering the current rhetoric surrounding the feminine body and food studies. For example, Brady et al. (2017) identify a relationship between “society’s obsession with the thin body” and the way it has “disciplined women and regulated their relationship with food” (pp. 84). On first impression, this would imply that women on cooking shows should not be eating the rich foods they are preparing. Lawson’s role is not only to promote gendered notions of food work, but also to position herself as a sex object through her behaviour, dress and choice of language. This is a powerful statement because as Johnston and Cappeliez (2017) explain, cultural schemas (such as gender) can affect food behaviour on an unconscious level. An even more explicit example of objectification through food porn is seen in the Dolce and Gabbana advertising campaigns of Spring 2016. The brand pays homage to their heritage through food porn-like images of Italian cuisine alongside exceptionally thin models. The women are seen posing alongside the rich Italian foods and even feign eating it for the camera. Their thin figures promote the unattainable Western standard of beauty responsible for “profound dissatisfaction among women about their bodies” (Brady et al., 2017, p. 82), yet their interaction with the food suggests that keeping a slim figure while indulging in calorific food porn is possible. Parekh and Schmidt (2003) find that the presence of thin and often emaciated women in fashion imagery has been significant in promoting Western body ideals to the female population (p. 222). Even more compelling is the Carl’s Jr. television advertisement featuring

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model Nina Agdal. Agdal wears a skimpy bikini on the beach that shows off her slim figure while she devours a fish burger. The pornographic quality of the advertisement is three-pronged: the physical perfection of the burger, Adgal’s method of eating it and the clothes that she is wearing. These examples enforce the paradoxical relationship between food and thin bodies that sends women the message that their sexuality and appearance is paramount to their role within society. Dejmanee’s concept of styling the food body is of particular note for its relevance to fashion design. Her theory refers to the hyper-stylization and staging of food within the food porn category. Where else does this kind of stylization occur? Dejmanee (2016) would answer that, “‘Food porn’s’ elaborate settings and mood building allude to the treatment of the female body in fashion magazines,” (p. 443) proving that the techniques used to render ‘food porn’ appetizing are not all that different from the methods fashion photography employs. Ray (2007) agrees in saying that “cuisine has a lot in common with haute couture. Cuisine happens when food enters the fashion cycle, where its fluctuations are described, debated, contested, predicted, and awaiting in magazines, on television, on the Web” (p. 443). The obsession with a ‘perfect’ shot has pervaded the food industry just as it has the fashion industry.

WHAT IS MOST TROUBLESOME ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF FOOD PORN IS THAT IT PERPETUATES THE SAME MYTH AS FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY; THAT PHYSICAL PERFECTION IS THE MOST DESIRABLE QUALITY AND THAT A WOMAN UNABLE TO REPLICATE FLAWLESSNESS HAS FAILED.

Dejmanee (2016) offers that the use of popular props, bright colours and tableware contribute to the food porn scene just as fashion trends colour what the average consumer sees in magazines and store windows. Cruz (2013) too asserts that food porn represents an unattainable standard, as most do not possess the ingredients and culinary skills required to create such fantastical images. Food porn trends circulate just like fashion. This interest in creating a perfect scene that is on trend correlates directly with traditional views of femininity and feminine consumption. For food to be appetizing, it must be airbrushed, unblemished, and fresh. McBride (2010) confirms food porn’s disassociation with reality in saying that “portrayals of food have been so transformed by food styling, lighting, and the actions of comely media stars that food does seem increasingly out of reach to the average cook or consumer” (p. 38). Food then, like fashion photography, becomes a complete fantasy. What is most troublesome about the photography of food porn is that it perpetuates the same myth as fashion photography; that physical perfection is the most desirable quality and that a woman unable to replicate its flawlessness has failed. The example of food porn baking provided by Dejmanee is particulary effective in supporting her argument that food porn is closely linked with the female body and sexuality. The voyeuristic quality of the cakes revered on image-sharing sites like Instagram and Pin-

AS A WOMAN, TO ABSTAIN FROM FULFILLING THE EXPECTATIONS OF PERFORMING FOODWORK IS TO RISK “ILLEGITIMACY AS A PROPERLY GENDERED INDIVIDUAL.” terest offer a “peek into the ‘flesh’ of the cake” (Dejmanee, 2016, p. 440). None of these cakes, however, is more telling of the relationship between food porn and gender than the gender-reveal cake. According to Dejmanee (2016), “This idea that binary gender is contained ‘inside’ the body is baked to realized through the Surprise Inside Cake” (p. 441), showing that the popularity of such cakes at baby showers actually reinforces hegemonic gender ideals through its food porn like quality. Dejmanee (2016) elaborates, explaining that, “These whimsical objects become visual cues that serve to celebrate a conservative and uncomplicated understanding of gender as innate” (p. 442). The troublesome nature of the gender reveal cake is furthered by the idea that its excess is linked with the excess of fashion, thus cementing the relationship between food porn, gender performance and fashion.

CITED WORKS

Brady, J., Power, E., Szabo, M. & Gingras. J. (2017). Still Hungry for a Feminist Food Studies. In Koç, M., Sumner, J. & Winson, A (Eds.), Critical Perspectives in Food Studies (pp. 81-91). Don Mills, Canada: Oxford Univeristy Press. Cruz, A. (2013). Gettin’ Down Home With the Neelys : Gastro-porn and televisual performances of gender, race, and sexuality. Women & Performance: A Journal of Feminist Theory, 23(3), 323-349. doi:10.1080/0740770x.2013.853916 Dejmanee, T. (2016). “Food porn” as postfeminist play. Television & New Media, 17(5), 429-448. doi:10.1177/1527476415615944 Dolce, D. (Photographer). (2016). Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2016 Advertising Campaign Inspiration 01 [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www. dolcegabbana.com/discover/dolce-gabbana-summer-2016-advertising-campaign-inspiration/dolce-gabbana-spring-summer-2016-advertising-cam paign-inspiration-01/ Johnston, J. & Cappeliez, S. (2017). You Are What You Eat. In Koç, M., Sumner, J. & Winson, A (Eds.), Critical Perspectives in Food Studies (pp. 34-48). Don Mills, Canada: Oxford Univeristy Press. Mcbride, A. E. (2010). Food Porn. Gastronomica, 10(1), 38-46. doi:10.1525/gfc.2010.10.1.38 Parekh, F. S., & Schmidt, R. A. (2003). In pursuit of an identity – fashion marketing and the development of eating disorders. British Food Journal, 105(4/5), 220-238. doi:10.1108/00070700310477022 Ray, K. (2007). Domesticating Cuisine: Food and Aesthetics on American Television. Gastronomica, 7(1), 50-63. doi:10.1525/gfc.2007.7.1.50

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE FIFTY-FIVE

EVER Photographer: Alex Waber Stylist: Kelsey Adlem Words: Joanna Ho

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PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX WABER, STYLIST KELSEY ADLEM, WORBS BY JOANNA HO

Jacket & Pants: Sara Armstrong

Jackets & Pants: Sara Armstrong

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PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX WABER, STYLIST KELSEY ADLEM, WORBS BY JOANNA HO

Top & Skirt: Evan Ducharme “Origin” 2016

Jacket & Pants: Sara Armstrong

The inclination to use sex as a marketing technique in advertising has always been a hot topic — one that touches on other social issues such as body standards, rape culture and the objectification of women. Due to their highly explicit nature, many ads that touch on sexuality have even been banned in numerous countries. Still, it seems to be a well-known fact that sex does, in fact, sell quite effectively. Is it because such vivid representation demands immediate attention and desire for more, or because we still believe in “buy this, get this,” imagery? Are we, as humans, automatically wired to always have a primal interest in sex, or is it because our fashion decisions are often subconsciously dictated by our desire to make ourselves sexually appealing? Amidst the many speculations, it is generally recognized that the suggestion of sex in advertising causes consumers to first lust over and then feed their desire for the product. What appears to be increasingly popular, however, is fashion advertising entirely devoid of conventional sexual imagery. Fashion powerhouses like Celine, Burberry and Balenciaga are opting for less sexually-charged campaigns that instead highlight the garments first. It is not that these images are sexless — it is that they do not put women in positions of submission. It is refreshing to see that these campaigns work as effectively, if not more so, than sexualized advertising, and that women are rejecting male gaze centered fashion photography. With the increasing popularity of labels like Celine, it is only a matter of time before the rest of the industry takes note.

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PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX WABER, STYLIST KELSEY ADLEM, WORBS BY JOANNA HO

Dress: Community Thrift & Vintage

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Dress: Community Thrift & Vintage

PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX WABER, STYLIST KELSEY ADLEM, WORBS BY JOANNA HO

Shirt: Community Thrift & Vintage, Pants: Forte Forte (Gravity Pope), Shoes: Acne (Gravity Pope).

Makeup Artist: Paula Lanzador (Nobasura) using MAC Cosmetics, Makeup Assistant: Maxine Munson, Hair Stylist: Erin Klassen (Nobasura) using Kevin Murphy, Models: Sara from Liz Bell Agency & Alexis from The Family Management.

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE SIXTY-THREE

MINIMALISM AS INTERPRETED BY A CLOSET

MAXIMALIST IS IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH OVERSTUFFED CLOSETS TO FOLLOW THE PATH TOWARDS MINIMALISM? AUTHOR KATHERINE ZAWADZKI WANTS TO FIND OUT. It’s 2017. Minimalism has never been more popular. With political, cultural, and social shifts happening left, right and centre it makes sense that we want to simplify our lives and minds in any way we can. That’s something minimalism claims to offer – a simplified mind. Sounds appealing to me! In a culture that is busy, busy, busy, all the time reducing the visual clutter of material possessions can definitely reduce stress, and people who follow a minimalist lifestyle have only positive things to say about how minimalism has increased their quality of life.

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In the realm of fashion, minimalism can be seen in the form of Capsule Wardrobes. These came into Vogue (literally) during the post-war 1940s, and are seeing a resurgence in popularity today alongside the minimalist lifestyle. One example of modern minimalism is Project 333. It was started by Courtney Carver in 2010 as a personal challenge to reduce the clutter in her wardrobe, and has grown into a thriving business, resource and workshop service. The gist of Project 333 is to narrow your wardrobe down to 33 items (including shoes, accessories, outerwear, and jewelry) each season, and store the rest of your garments away. Every 3 months you can trade out items to suit the coming season (33+3, get it?). It’s not a purge, and you don’t have to throw away anything you really love or would wear in a different season or for special occasions. This Project is a way to consciously minimize the clutter in your closet to make room for things that matter. Carver emphasizes kindness above all else, noting that this is “not a project in suffering.” And people absolutely sing its praises – just look in the comment section of each post Carver publishes on her site Be More With Less. I, too, can only imagine the ease of dressing in the morning with only a few carefully selected pieces to choose from! Now, for devotees of Project 333, dressing seems to be an essential but creatively unimportant part of the day. Dressing for necessity, but not fun. For me, however, dressing is a key facet of my identity – I enjoy trying out different styles from day to day! I enjoy having choice, even if it

means hanging three garments on one hanger for them to fit in my closet. I enjoy experimenting with shape and texture and accessories. I enjoy collecting vintage! Basically, I enjoy having a LOT of clothes. You could probably call me a maximalist. But minimalism appeals to me in its simplicity, and I want to incorporate some of its principles into my own life, which is why I have decided to look into why I love collecting fashion items, and how I might be able to shift my maximalist behavior to be a tad more minimal.

WHERE IT BEGAN I’ve been collecting things since I could pick them up – I started small, with pebbles and novelty erasers, and have moved my way up to teacups, art, and old, pretty books I will probably never read. According to an article in the Psychiatric Times my compulsion to purchase every collectable spoon I set my eyes on cannot be justified by aesthetics alone, even if I think I need it just because it is pretty... There has to be something else to it. If this is true, then what is the reason for collecting and keeping fundamentally useless items? I may have found an answer. For her PhD thesis at Rice University,

I enjoy having a lot of clothes, but minimalism appeals in its simplicity

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE SIXTY-FIVE

Carolyn Babula was so interested in the reasons people covet and collect vintage fashions that she looked into the relationship between fashion, wardrobe, and memory. She narrows it down to memory – we collect clothing to create new memories, but also to hold onto the past. When you think of it that way, vintage stores transform from thrifty & cheap retail outlets into dreamy three-dimensional scrapbooks, each rack like a new page with its own memories. Each garment has had a past life; each is a snapshot of a past era. I think this enhances its value in a way fast-fashion cannot replicate, and also appeals to people like me who attach additional value to material goods. Because of this emotional value I add to my clothes, reducing the number of items in my closet from 300 to 33 seems impossible. Acting like Marie Kondo and holding worn out sweaters in my arms to assess whether or not they bring me the correct amount of joy seems impossible – even if something makes me sad I want to keep it because there will surely come a day I’ll be glad I held onto it. Isn’t that what Lorelai said to Rory about that box of stuff that reminded her of Dean? On the contrary, Babula also addresses the functional appeal of vintage clothing to consumers, offering craftsmanship as a reason for why people collect vintage clothing.

thrift stores are dreamy, 3D scrapbooks full of memories

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This too holds true in my own experience, for I find that even garments made in the 90s and 00s are of a better quality than what you could get today from H&M or Zara. It is true that many people Babula interviewed cited memory and nostalgia as a reason for collection, but they were not the major points. Style, function, and cost savings were the top three explanations for why participants purchased and held onto vintage clothing. It’s a perfect example of a good investment, because the cost of vintage is low and the return in longevity is high. Why would you rid your closet of such a good deal?

PLANNING AHEAD Another reason why I can’t get rid of my unworn things is because I’m convinced that my future children/nieces/nephews will want to wear my soon-to-be-vintage clothes. I’ll never forget the heartbreak I felt when my mom told me she’d gotten rid of an amazing oversized jacket that I was admiring while going through her photo albums. Why hadn’t she held on to it? Didn’t she know full well that one day her daughter would be looking for the exact same coat 30 years later? Trends are cyclical, as any fashion student could tell you, so I don’t want my kin to experience the same trauma I felt every time I heard the words “I used to have something just like that…” This is why I have my favourite outfits from 2002 onwards tucked neatly away in a box at my parent’s house waiting patiently, to save me from uttering the same words my mother said before me. You’re welcome, future mini-me’s! While that is a quirk I will never be able

to fix, what I think I could utilize to minimize my closet clutter is Carver’s seasonal storage technique. Tucking away long-sleeved shirts and turtlenecks in the summertime makes so much sense I can’t believe I haven’t done it before! This exercise would also allow me to “forget” items that I think I need but don’t actually use – if I go to a box months later and don’t remember what I put in it, donating the items inside will be much easier than if I just had to reach into my closet and make a split second decision. Over time the items that stay in my closet will become the items I cherish and keep, while the things being stored away will become less important. Like remembering to take vitamins, keeping something in plain view makes it harder to forget.

REFLECTIONS Aside from this single technique, I really don’t think I can minimize my wardrobe like I wish I could, and that’s pretty tough to admit. My research only assured me that there is reason for my madness, and that I’m not alone in ascribing meaning to my clothing beyond its basic function. I’ve learned that vintage garments, with their winning duo of nostalgic and functional qualities, will be harder to get rid of than, say, a $2 tank top from Forever21, and that’s why I think I have a harder time minimizing my wardrobe than the average shopper. There’s just so much emotion in my closet! That, and I’d also rather binge watch TV shows than pull everything out of there. Who knows, there could be a doorway to Narnia hidden behind my wall of polyester! For now I’m content with not knowing. It’s 2017. I am a maximalist. And that is just fine with me. ◊

like remembering to take vitamins, keeping clothing in plain view makes them harder to forget

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE SIXTY-SEVEN

RADAR UNDER THE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMETT CHARUK CREATIVE DIRECTION BY BRONWYN MARSHALL, LUKE SEVERIN AND MILLIE YATES MODELS BRONWYN MCGUINNESS, HEATHER RATTRAY, AND MIGUEL MONDESIR FEATURED STUDENT DESIGNERS: DA THAO CHU, MILLIE YATES AND MINA KIM

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMETT CHARUK, MODEL HEATHER RATTRAY.

SIXTY-NINE THE BOOK BYOutfit STYLECIRCLE by Millie Yates.

Outfit by Mina Kim.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMETT CHARUK, MODEL MIGUEL MONDESIR.

Outfit by Mina Kim.

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE SEVENTY-ONE

Outfit by Millie Yates.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMETT CHARUK, MODEL HEATHER RATTRAY.

Outfit by Millie Yates.

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE SEVENTY-THREE

Outfits by Millie Yates, Da Thao Chu & Mina Kim.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMETT CHARUK, MODEL HEATHER RATTRAY, BRONWYN MCGUINN SESS & MIGUEL MONDESIR.

Outfits by Mina Kim, Da Thao Chu & Millie Yates.

THE BOOK BY STYLECIRCLE SEVENTY-FIVE