Copyright © 2020 The WALK Magazine. All rights reserved. Stories edited by the editorial staff will carry bylines of the original author. Unless noted otherwise, all content is produced by The WALK teams. Please report corrections to thewalkmag@gmail.com. We will post corrections on our website, at www.thewalkmag.com. The University of Pennsylvania’s premier fashion magazine, The WALK was founded in 2006 as a student initiative and continues to be a student fueled organization. The WALK Online was launched in 2010 as a sister to the print edition. The WALK aims to satisfy our community’s widely-demanded fashion fix year-round. To get involved or learn about advertising and partnership opportunities, please contact us at thewalkmag@gmail.com.
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Lauren Tappan Editor-in-Chief
Caroline Gibson Creative Director
Claire Marucci, Gracelynn Wan
Krishna Sivakumar
Michelle Xiong
Anna Jellinek, Kennedy Benjamin
Design Directors
Finance Director
Video Director
Marketing Directors
Varshini Gali
Natalie Sadjo
Caitlin McNamara
Caroline Gibson
Sarah Llewellyn
Editorial Director
Operations Director
Social Media Director
Photography Director
Website Director
EDITORIAL
Fashion Editor Amy Marcus • Features Editor Lisa Yang • People Editor Karen Pan Copy Editors Bella Ozomaro, Selin Segvi Okcu, Sloane Kapit • Writers Tyler Lawson, Bebe Hodges, Emily Liu, Alexandra Nichols, Eliana
Waxman, Sarah Llewellyn, Mehek Boparai, Addie Brown PHOTOGR APHY
Photographers Sky Karasik, Oceania Eshraghi, Shirley Yang, Nathaly De La Paz, Gracelynn Wan, Erica Xin, Sudeep Solanki Bhargava,
Shinyoung Hailey Noh, Julia Deng, Adrianna Brusie, Sharon Kuo, Intel Chen, Biruktawit Tibebe, Christy Wu, Sarah Yoon, Preston Heard VIDEO
Videographers Joy Leeswadtrakul, Pia Singh, Rhea Saggi
DESIGN
Assistant Art Director Sudeep Solanki Bhargava
Layout Designers Christy Qiu, Shiqi Kitty Chen, Sharon Kuo, Alissa Liu, Lexi Ling Illustrators Jessi Olarsch, Catherine Liu, Naomi Boruchowicz, Alissa Liu, Lexi Ling
ST YLING & BEAUT Y
Fashion Director Paolo Nasr • Beauty Director Giovanni Sena • Apparel Coordinator Bela Betsch
Apparel Stylists Samantha Braffman, Jen Ahn, Ania Swider, Amy Win, Bo Ku, Ally Pisacane, Annie Ma, Megha Raman, Ellen Manford, Cecily Nishimura, Yanet Wossenseged, Vincent Paik, Christina Wittingham • Beauty Stylists Emily Yang, Nicole Ng, Keri Alexandera Zhang, Aaila Rasheed, Olivia de Rezende
FINANCE
Corporate Sponsorship Chairs Michelle Yeung, June Perteet, Ana Hallman, Lily Druker, Odyssia Sifounaki, Katie Yang, Linya Liu, Tram
Anh Tran, Amanda Cohn, Winni Zhang, Rithu Rajagopala, Niva Baniya, Liliana Clarkson, Rebecca Yang OPER ATIONS
Operation Coordinators Grace Wu, Emily Liu Social Chairs Michelle Mahecha Perez, Catherine Liu, Erik Mucollari • Merch Designers Misheel Soyol-Erdene, Yanling Sun, Christina
Wittingham, Elizabeth Powell THE WALK ONLINE
Web Managing Editor Tyler Lawson • Web Manager Adeleke McMillan Fashion Editors Javier Perez, Bebe Hodges, Bella Ozomaro • Health & Beauty Editor Adriana Richmond • Culture Editor Del Patel • Fashion Writers Vicki Li, Kennedy Benjamin, Anushree Aneja, Emma Sheldon, Katharine Larson, Alexander Zhang, Julia Deng • Health & Beauty Writer Lana Salloum • Culture Writers Rebecca Yang, Karynton Crawford, Rekha Marar, Sia-Linda Lebbie • Features Writers Marina Gialanella, Jamie Song • Beauty Stylists Nicole Ng, Ennie Gantulga • Apparel Stylists Marina Gialanella, Amanda Cohn, Shawn Byabato • Photographers/Videographers Erica Xin, Savannah Stone, Aseal Saed
MARKETING
Brand Outreach Coordinators Olivia de Rezende, Sofi de la Sierra, Sofia Graziano Event Coordinators Caroline Kaplan, Lily Druker, Jojo Cotto, Eliza Penn, Ava Cruz
SOCIAL MEDIA
Events Manager Margaret Lu • Engagement Managers Lily Clarkson, Rithu Rajagopala, Charlotte Jiang • Content Producers Amanda Simpson, Liana Kaye-Lew, Lindsey Randall, Maya Sherwood, Jaya Krishnan, Chae Kim, Mahaa Ayub, Catherine Liu • Photographers Jonathan Song, Mahaa Ayug, Oceania Eshraghi, Vivi Pham, Aseal Saed
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En Vogue PHOTO ESSAY
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From Parvati to Picasso An exploration of surrealism in Hindu artwork
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Introspection PHOTO ESSAY
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From Fashion Runway to NYFW, Phildadelphia Designer Nancy Volpe Beringer Brings Inclusivity to the Runway Whether on a reality TV show or in the comfort of her studio apartment, Philadelphia designer Nancy Volpe Beringer incorporates kindness into everything she does. Now, she challenges the fashion industry to do the same.
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Basking in Blossoms PHOTO ESSAY
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Out with the Class, in with the Sass Sassy commentary combats classism on the big screen (kind of)
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Shimmering Through Obscurity PHOTO ESSAY
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Haute Couture Exploring how the storied history of several distinct African cultures influence high fashion today, and paying homage to the groundbreaking African designers who pioneered their crafts.
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Innovation Indoors PHOTO ESSAY
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Out with the New, in With the Old Vintage enthusiast Sarah Llewellyn shares her thrifting journey, and drops some helpful tips and tricks along the way.
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Twitter to the People! While most of the world remains stuck to their couch, online activism has been bringing waves of change to a new generation.
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Let’s Get Away PHOTO ESSAY
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From Penn Students to Penn Heroes A college club that offers a spark of light to those who are suffering through dark times.
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Senior Spotlight A tribute to the The WALK Class of 2020
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Cover Look: ECLECTIC The WALK’s gorgeous cover photo was selected from the Eclectic Issue’s fourth photoshoot, “Shimmering Through Obscurity”. The theme “eclectic” called for The WALK’s team members to draw inspiration from various aspects of culture, and this particular shoot embodies the notion of persevering through darkness. The imagery of this gorgeous shoot radiates with breathtaking iconography.
View more on page 36.
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LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR A
s I write this letter, our nation is combatting a global pandemic, while simultaneously experiencing one of the largest social justice movements in history. Many of us are tirelessly working together to mend the fractured fragments of our society, at an unusual time that calls for us to be apart. Consequently, this unprecedented situation presents us with the agonizing challenge of managing the obscurity of our daily lives. Nevertheless, in moments of darkness, we often discover light through creativity. Throughout the past couple of months, our team has constructively channeled our feelings of uncertainty into something positive, by filling the pages of our publication with meaningful content. As we collaborated together, we acknowledged our responsibility to utilize our voices— in view of the fact that fashion magazines have the undeniable power to reflect, and critique, our society in a way that uncovers relevant truths and significant interpretations. Although I chose the theme, “eclectic” before I became aware of the events that would soon transpire, this particular word became emblematic of what we wanted to achieve through this publication. During the process of producing this magazine, we collectively derived our inspiration from the various aspects of our contemporary culture. This method of extracting ideas from a multifaceted range of sources to create a comprehensive piece of work is eclectic in itself. Despite the fact that we remained separated in our homes on opposite sides of the country— and the world— we surmounted
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the challenge of disconnection. We conducted online photoshoots across the globe through Zoom, and we shifted the content of our publication to incorporate the impact of the global pandemic. It was not an easy task, but it was certainly worth it. The imagery of the Eclectic Issue encompasses a wide range of intriguing topics. “En Vogue” embodies an editorial essence— exploring the quintessential imagery of fashion magazines, and reflecting the beauty of expressing ourselves through clothing. “Introspection” analyzes the ways in which the pandemic has offered a unique time for us to look deeper within ourselves. “Basking in Blossoms” examines our yearning to enjoy the season of summer— a concept that seems so distant given the predicament of quarantine. “Shimmering Through Obscurity” explores the notion of finding light in darkness— an essential concept of this Spring Issue. “Innovation Indoors” calls for us to discover creativity during dull moments. And finally, “Let’s Get Away” metaphorically uncovers our desire to escape the troubling times of our reality. Furthermore, the articles within this publication also draw inspiration from the many distinct facets of our culture. In “Out with the Sass,” Emily Liu addresses how films are increasingly providing more commentary on class divisions in our culture. Varshini Ghali’s “From Parvati to Picasso” considers Hindu aesthetics and the notion of surrealism in the Indian context. In “From Project Runway to NYFW”, Bebe Hodges scores an exclusive interview with Nancy Volpe— a top contestant from America’s most beloved fashion reality television show. Beyond these articles, there are so many more wonderfully written pieces that present a diverse collection of fascinating perspectives.
Overall, I hope this stunning magazine will take you on a journey— through the many features of our culture. I implore you to continue to ask important questions, partake in difficult (yet necessary) conversations, and explore the world around you with an open mind and a loving heart. Most importantly, I trust that this shimmering piece of artwork will serve as a reminder that we can always find glimpses of hope in moments of desolation. Stay safe and well. Much love,
Lauren K. Tappan Special thanks to Anna Jellinek, Caroline Gibson, Claire Marucci and Gracelynn Wann for assisting me in producing this magazine throughout the summer months. I could not have done it without this fantastic group of dedicated creatives!
online THE WALK
HIGHLIGHTS THIS SPRING
Top Left. “Kim, There’s People That are Dying.” by Sia-Linda Lebbie Top Center. Rihanna’s Multimillion-Dollar Beauty Empire by Rekha Marar Top Right. Fashion Podcasts to Binge When You’ve Finished Netflix by Kennedy Benjamin Middle Left. Hues of Her by Julia Deng Middle Center. Out of the Ordinary: How I fell in love with The Ordinary Products #SkinspoByLana by Lana Salloum Middle Right. Here’s How I Slay Flashy and Stay Classy by Julia Deng Bottom Left. Why the Fashion Industry Must Redefine to Survive COVID-19 by Marina Gialanella Bottom Right. Face Masks You Need Now by Suzanne Liu
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EN VOGUE
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ONLINE PHOTOSHOOT. Directed and styled by Anna Jellinek, Caroline Gibson, and Lauren Tappan. Styled, makeup, modeled, and photographed by Naeche Vincent and Tolu Adebayo. THE ECLECTIC ISSUE
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FROM PARVATI TO PICASSO AN EXPLORATION OF SURREALISM IN HINDU ARTWORK
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here’s something uniquely sublime in the surreal. Like reading a storybook but with every other chapter ripped out, or trying to assemble a puzzle but with each piece the same color. Perhaps even the stylistic equivalent of dividing by zero. I find myself drawn to the aesthetic not because it represents the unknown but rather because of my inexplicable familiarity with it. To me, surrealism is evoked not only through melting clocks or landscapes of unbalanced perspectives, but also through the fantastical iconography of my Hindu heritage. I grew up surrounded by a world of motifs seemingly absurd to the unfamiliar eye: the coalescence of man and animal in depictions of deities like elephant-headed Ganesha and lion-headed Narasimha; the flippant disregard of the rules of anatomical proportion in the drawings of the ten-headed villain Ravana; the vibrant blue skin of Krishna and Vishnu. These images, found everywhere from Indian children’s comic books to miniature statues resting on every Hindu family’s mantle, illustrate how the aesthetic of the surreal transcends time, geography, and culture. Here, I aim not to confine Hindu art to the Western-constructed label of “surrealism”, nor to trivialize it as a spectacle or exhibition of exoticism. Instead, I seek to expand surrealism as a category to include varied cultural viewpoints and to celebrate the otherworldly elements of the Hindu aesthetic. Surrealism has existed in Indian art from time immemorial. According to renowned Indian art critic Sovon Som, surreal aesthetics reflect the “human predicament in the Indian sensibility.” Artists then and now preserve the history and mythology of the world’s oldest religion through iconography both profoundly alluring and beautifully bizarre. The religiosity of the art form is a critical part of its construction, and its storied history lends it even more significance. Look closely in the Vedas (or if you happen to have a Hindu grandmother, ask her) and you can find an explanation of why things appear so odd: the god Shiva achieved his blue complexion as a consequence in the creation of the universe, and the villian Ravana’s ten heads come from a sacrificial ritual gone awry.
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The rich history behind the visual aesthetic evokes a deeply personal experience, providing a means of solace to those who seek to be grounded by a higher purpose. Spirituality and art have always been intertwined, and Hindu tradition is no exception. I myself have fond memories of celebrating festivals in my youth, sitting next to my mother as she taught me how to draw rangoli, the geometric patterns chalked at the doorstep of a residence to symbolically welcome gods inside. Though my designs were amateur, I had always found the process meditative, not unlike that of the art of mandala. Mandala patterns, so popularly found as tapestries in college dorm rooms, date back to Hindu and Buddhist practices of meditation and ritual practice from the first century. The abstract nature of these images helps provide escape from the realities of the material world, allowing for an odd sense of constancy amidst the chaos of reality. European surrealists may have aimed to evoke similar feelings in their own work, which formally emerged as an artistic movement during the aftermath of the first world war. As noted by museum curator Mark Scala, artists imbued their pieces with the “language of dreams, free association, and Freudian psychoanalytic theory,” in order to “help transform both themselves and a society that seemed inescapably bound for fascism and war.” Perhaps processing this turmoil through creation was its own unique mode of spirituality for these artists; a way to craft their own mythology by paying homage to themes and motifs of everyday life. For Hindu and Western artists alike, depicting the surreal was a way to weave meaning in a world in which reason eluded them.
For Hindu and Western artists alike, depicting the surreal was a way to weave meaning in a world in which reason eluded them.
Despite their disparate origins, surrealist artworks from around the world share several nodes of common ground. A common motif found in Hindu iconography is the idea of dualism: Shiva, one of the holy triumvirate of gods, and Parvati, his consort, are famously depicted as the same being, called Ardhanarishvara. Without Shiva’s masculinity and Parvati’s femininity, the being is incomplete, highlighting the harmonious balance of the two sexes. Perhaps Rafał Olbiński was thinking along similar lines when creating “Tales of Love (Hat)”, a Magritte-inspired illustration of the intersection of masculine and feminine faces. The contours of man and woman, joined as one, ask us to ponder whether we can truly draw a line between them. The two movements of art also show similarities in technique, such as the use of the color as a vehicle for symbolism. A prominent example is the color blue, which Pablo Picasso employed almost exclusively in a series of artworks spanning the years 1901-1904. The color imparted
a melancholic tone to the illustrations, reflecting the artist’s somber mood during a particularly difficult part of his life. The symbolism of the color is also significant in Hindu art, but for a different reason: blue signifies divinity, righteousness, and proximity to heaven, as represented through the azure skin tones of prominent deities. If for nothing else, surrealism allows us to truly appreciate the range in imagination of the human mind. Interpreting the absurd—or simply just leaving it uninterpreted—is a universal challenge. Unlocking the surrealist gaze may not come easy, but the ability isn’t limited solely to a few elite artists from the twentieth century. Undercurrents of the surreal exist everywhere: in the vibrant iconography of Hindu mythology, yes; but also in the mythical beasts of Abrahamic religions, the impossible perfection of Islamic geometric art, and through facets of every culture known to man. All it takes is a moment to close our eyes and dissolve the illusion between real and surreal.
BY: VARSHINI GALI C’20
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INT ROSPECTI ON
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ONLINE PHOTOSHOOT. Directed and styled by Anna Jellinek, Caroline Gibson, and Lauren Tappan. Styled, makeup, modeled, and photographed by Rithu Rajagopa.
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FROM PROJECT RUNWAY TO NYFW,
Philadelphia Designer Nancy Volpe Beringer Brings Inclusivity to the Runway
HOW VOLPE BERINGER’S LATE ARRIVAL INTO THE INDUSTRY— AND HER RESULTING ECLECTIC VARIETY OF LIFE EXPERIENCES—ARE SHAKING UP THE FASHION WORLD.
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hen thinking of the fashion industry, kindness typically isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. To consumers, the fashion industry is notorious for propagating unrealistic body expectations. In the manufacturing world, fast fashion necessitates from miserable sweatshop conditions and steep environmental costs. And for the designers, anyone in the industry will tell you fashion is a cutthroat business. Heidi Klum reminded us of this fact in every episode of Project Runway she hosted with her signature phrase: “As you know, in fashion, one day you’re in. And the next day, you’re out.” But local Philadelphia designer and finalist of Bravo’s Project Runway Nancy Volpe Beringer staunchly challenges this disconnect. Volpe Beringer’s approach to fashion is rooted in kindness. She creates for everyone; no specific face or body exists in her mind as she designs. This inclusive approach is reflected in her aspirations
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Whether on a reality TV show or in the comfort of her studio apartment, Philadelphia designer Nancy Volpe Beringer incorporates kindness into everything she does. Now, she challenges the fashion industry to do the same. as a designer. “My goal is to be a relevant designer,” Volpe Beringer tells me over Zoom while in her studio at home. “And that’s…empowering people through my fashions and through supporting their organizations.” In her apartment near Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Volpe Beringer sits a few feet from her sewing machine, where she can gaze upon a variety of people—diverse in age, gender, ethnicity—race up the Rocky steps. For a designer, her outfit is subdued. She wears yoga pants and a bright orange sweatshirt that reads “new beginnings.” But her accessories, which include snakeskin glasses, mis-matched feather and star earrings, and a NOH8 [No Hate] bracelet, are a fun, unexpected, hodge-podge of style. At 64 years old, Volpe Beringer became the oldest contestant ever on Project Runway. She didn’t even start designing until 61 years old. But her late arrival to the industry—and all the life experience that came with it—led her to become the groundbreaking designer she is today.
Volpe Beringer was raised in Levittown, Pennsylvania. Here, at the age of twelve, she learned to sew. She saved up money by ironing and mending people’s clothes at fourteen years old, and in high school, she stitched her own prom dresses and outfits to wear to football games. But as Volpe Beringer got older, she found herself reaching for the sewing needle less and less frequently. As a 30-year-old single mother of two young boys, she enrolled full time at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) and graduated with a degree in business education. She worked primarily as a teacher, but after supplementing her income with several part-time and freelance jobs, Volpe Beringer traded in a teaching career to become an advocate for teachers’ and school employees’ rights. However, throughout this journey, Volpe Beringer
fell victim to cruel words and unkindness, both in her personal and professional relationships. She describes this experience as adult bullying. “Those words, they hurt,” she told me, reflecting on her past. “When you talk poorly about somebody behind their back, that’s bullying. And when you’re in the [same] room, and you don’t stand up or say something, you are now part of it. There are no innocent bystanders in bullying.” Though Volpe Beringer advocated for others during her career, she struggled to stand up for herself. Longing for a creative outlet, Volpe Beringer decided to change careers again. At 3 a.m. on one sleepless night, the 57-year-old asked herself the life-changing question: “If I was young again, what would I want to learn?” “And so it was fashion design.”
If I was young again, what would I want to learn?
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In the course of three years, Volpe Beringer moved to Philadelphia and obtained a Master of Science in Fashion Design at Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at the age of 61. During the program, Volpe Beringer explored various techniques and design areas, from adaptive design, to evening wear, to children’s wear. If classmates asked her to pin down what she wanted to specialize in, she chose not to answer. “I said, ‘I don’t know. I know I want to be a relevant designer,’” she explained to me. “And I told you what I meant by relevant, by giving back to the community.” As it turns out, the world eagerly accepted Volpe Beringer’s unconventional approach to fashion. Her designs entered the racks of Philadelphia luxury boutique Joan Shepp. She furthered her studies at a renowned international fashion school, London’s Central Saint Martins, and dressed rapper Tierra Whack at the 2019 Grammy Awards in a twopart ensemble consisting of a flowy gown with graphic art and a coat covered in a rainbow of feathers. Amidst this success, she stayed true to her goal to give back to the community and became a teacher for the Refugee Women’s Textile Initiative, sponsored by Mural Arts Philadelphia. Her life was completely changed, however, when she received the phone call that she had been named a cast member for Bravo’s 18th season of Project Runway.
it was intentional or not, I was feeling left out, which was triggering my past experiences as a victim of adult passive aggressive bullying,” she told me. During the fifth challenge, a team challenge, Volpe Beringer started to feel isolated. Whether or not the designers intentionally made her feel this way, Volpe Beringer could not deny her feelings, which ignited painful memories from the past. But this time, she resolved to stand up for herself. “To two of the designers I did address how I felt. I didn’t accuse them of anything…but I did acknowledge my feelings of feeling left out and not respected,” she said. “That was a milestone…When I was a victim, I could not do that. I could advocate for all those other people, but I never could do that.” As the weeks passed, Volpe Beringer stayed focused and true to her design aesthetic in the competitive environment. By the eleventh challenge, she was the only designer left without a win. But it was in this challenge that Volpe Beringer shone the brightest. For this challenge, each designer was asked to create a custom garment for a USA athlete. Four of the athletes were to compete in the Olympics as well as two in the following summer’s Paralympics. The concept of designing for a build that is not commonly seen on the runway is an intimidating task for many designers. But when Tatyana McFadden, a gold-winning Paralympian who competes in wheelchair track and field, entered the runway, Volpe Beringer literally jumped out of her seat, ecstatic. “I asked Tatyana, I said, did you see me staring at you?” she motioned to me with her hands cupped around her widened eyes like binoculars. “I was putting every piece of energy in the universe. I need you.” The universe gave into her demands, and Volpe Beringer was randomly selected to design for McFadden. She wanted to bring to life the athlete’s “fantasy” ensemble, in both appearance and functionality. In 24 hours, Volpe Beringer created a custom evening look including a full-length skirt, beaded embellished bustier, short train, long detachable train, removable overlay skirt of novelty organza, and a matching hair piece. The design also featured Velcro panels so McFadden could easily put the dress on. Volpe Beringer embraced adaptive design, defined as “the re-engineering of clothing for people with physical, cognitive, or sensory issues,” according to the Washington Post. Volpe Beringer won the challenge. But more importantly, she discovered her mission. “It was a one-day
When you grow up, you don’t always feel included. You feel on the outside…I think that’s showing in my fashion how important it is to be inclusive. I have the journey [that’s] allowed me to be the type of designer that I am.
As the oldest designer in the show’s history, Volpe Beringer was already different. But little did she realize how she would disrupt the fashion industry during the course of the show. At the very beginning of the competition, Volpe Beringer expressed her inclusive instincts. When the sixteen designers were tasked to create an innovative design inspired by the future of space exploration for their first challenge, Volpe Beringer thought about the concept of unity. “Automatically I was thinking, the silhouettes didn’t matter,” Volpe Beringer said. “For me, the future meant more inclusion…we were one gender, we were one human…race, that got along. So attitude was the future for me, a positive attitude.” Her partner for the team challenge, Marquise Foster, didn’t quite share her eagerness for the idea, but the pair got along well. Scrapping Volpe Beringer’s initial idea, they compromised on creating coordinating outfits: a dress and a jumpsuit, both made of black neoprene. They were safe. As the competition ensued, Volpe Beringer struggled with time constraints and choosing the right fabric, like the other designers. But she faced a unique challenge. “Whether
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I was putting every piece of energy in the universe.
I need you.
challenge. And I had five pieces. And it was crazy. But it changed my life. It changed my life as a person but also as a designer.” Although her eagerness to be kind and inclusive was always simmering underneath, it took her until the eleventh challenge to realize this is what her destiny called for. All the time before she became a designer and all the hardships she faced in the interim made this possible. “You know, [inclusive design] isn’t something I sat down and said ‘I am doing this.’ I think it just came from within,” she said. But “when you grow up, or through adulthood, you don’t always feel included. You feel on the outside…I think, having felt excluded, and on the outside, and felt different and not always fitting in, I think that’s showing in my fashions how important it is to be inclusive. Because of [my] age…I have the journey [that’s] allowed me to be the type of designer that I am.” By the end of the competition, Volpe Beringer was one of four finalists who presented a collection at New York Fashion Week. Impacted by her experience with McFadden, she designed a collection titled “Sustain-Our-Ability,” which, along with zero waste design, promoted inclusivity with diverse models and adaptive design. Now, about a month and a half after presenting at
New York Fashion Week 2020, Volpe Beringer has settled back into her Philadelphia apartment. Quarantine brought her a new project of sewing masks for healthcare workers in Philadelphia. She also continues to gather research on how to make her clothing more adaptive and encourages individuals with unique fashion needs to contact her with suggestions. Although Volpe Beringer didn’t walk away with the title of Project Runway winner, she is proud of her personal win— leaving a message for the fashion world about inclusivity. “That, to me, is a winner that’s going to survive past the show,” she said. Already this has started to prove true, as Volpe Beringer has received multiple messages lauding her approach from fans around the world. As for the show, well, Volpe Beringer watched it. She was elated to see the joy in her face on screen as she pursued her passion as a fashion designer. This joy solidified a belief already formed in her mind: fashion was the right decision. “The whole point of this journey was that…instead of surviving life…[I’d ask] what is your authentic life?” she said. “By answering that question, that is how I am living my life now.” And as for her goal in life? Well, “if there’s one thing I want to do,” she said, “[it is] to share kindness.”
BY: BEBE HODGES C’22
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ONLINE PHOTOSHOOT. Directed and styled by Anna Jellinek, Caroline Gibson, and Lauren Tappan. Styled, makeup, modeled, and photographed by Sofia Graziano, Nuri Jung, and Grace Wu. THE ECLECTIC ISSUE
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Out with the Class , In with the Sass 2 WAN C’2 N N Y L E Y GRAC ATION B ILLUSTR
SASSY COMMENTARY COMBATS CLASSISM ON THE BIG SCREEN (KIND OF)
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BY: EMILY LIU C’22 Think about the biggest movement in Hollywood in the last decade: what comes to mind? There’s a high chance most people would say the #MeToo Movement. It seems that Hollywood has started to actively call out the triple “-ism”s: sexism (not really), racism (to an extent) and classism. But one -ism that they’ve truly turned a critical eye towards is classism. We now find that more and more movies providing scathing commentary on class divisions are hitting the big screen and scoring major awards. Renewed attention towards classism gained traction after the 2008 financial crisis, the worst recession since the Great Depression, when millions became jobless. The poor became poorer, and the rich became richer, creating an income gap that is incredibly hard to close. In fact, this is something that is reflected here at Penn, with about 70% of the student population being in the top 20% income bracket. The film industry is no stranger to this trend either.
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In both foreign and domestic films alike, we see similar depictions of the wealthy; epithets such as “leeches”, “self-serving”, and “wolves” have been thrown around freely (for good reason, if you ask me). In Todd Phillips’s 2019 hit Joker, a key focus of the film is the growing frustration against the upper class as the city of Gotham becomes dingy, dirty and desolate. Anger mounts and a riot ensues, with chaos and screams of “Eat the rich!” This seems revolutionary until you think about who directed, produced, and marketed the film— white men, and not just any white men, rich white men— the same rich white men that Joker denounces. In fact, news outlets praised Warner Bros. Studios for spending a “modest” $62.5 million to make this movie and earning back a much higher return. It all seems a bit disingenuous that the rich are writing about hating rich people when money is at the core of every movie. Not to mention that it exploits workingclass issues and portrays the same one-dimensional narrative, over and over and over. Constantly, we are given images of wealthy actors dressed down for the part of a working-class man, struggling to earn enough money to support their families in a perennial unhappy state. This perpetuates a narrative that money and morality are interconnected and that a person’s value is defined by the value of their belongings. It’s fueling a sense of economic despair that ultimately leads to a sense of inferiority in those unable to reach a certain level of economic success. The rich, especially the people who fund these movies, are exploiting the feelings of the lower classes and making a quick buck out of it. But that’s the thing about the film industry; if there’s an issue, they’ll monetize it and milk it for all its worth. Even the darling of the 2020 award circuit, Parasite, can’t fully escape from this. Director Bong Joon Ho creates a beautifully written satire about the relationship between the rich Park family and the impoverished Kim family, calling out the parasitic nature of wealth. But the irony is that the arts always require a patron. The movie industry cannot escape the call of money, and even Parasite had to
be funded by one of Korea’s largest conglomerates: the CJ Corporation. With its subsidiaries, CJ ENM and CJ E&M, the CJ Corporation has its hands in various industries such as food services, biotechnology and entertainment, totaling $62.9 billion in assets and placing 463rd on the list of 2018 Fortune 500 companies. Like with Joker and its Warner Bros., Parasite found its support in a company with the ability to invest the equivalent of $10.8 million USD into making the film. That may seem significantly less than Warner Bros. Studios and their $62.5 million, but $10.8 million is still a lot compared to low-budget indie films making their rounds at Sundance and other independent film festivals. In fact, a larger budget means more advertising and exposure, which can define the success of the film—making the success of Joker and Parasite much more predictable and explaining why we tend to know these big-name films over the smaller indie films. Smaller indie films often have trouble finding funding and don’t usually end up on the Hollywood big screen, so they’re not as popular as box office hits. But, indie films have something that larger films don’t: creative freedom. In fact, they are often passion projects and are being produced for the sake of storytelling rather than for monetary value. They bring humanity back into filmmaking and fight the capitalist aspect of it, unencumbered by the restraints and demands of a major film studio. You see all kinds of representation in indie films: LGBTQ+, teen moms, controversial figures, and teenagers growing into their skins that larger films would decry on account of being too disputed and a cause for bad press. But at the end of the day, the rich support the rich. The film industry has become such a place where wealth is used to create films that criticizes the “haves” to the “have-nots” in a bid to be “relatable” and “woke”. Instead, this becomes an endless loop where issues become commercialized, marketable and exploitable. But maybe films like Joker and Parasite have a point... maybe it’s time to “eat the rich”, but that’s a discussion for another day.
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shimmering through obscurity
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Directed and styled by Natalia Rommen and Davery Joso. Styled by and Makeup by Paolo Nasr, Giovanni Sena, Bela Betsch, Samantha Braffman, Jen Ahn, Ania Swider, Amy Win, Bo Ku, Ally Pisacane, Annie Ma, Megha Raman, Ellen Manford, Cecily Nishimura, Yanet Wossenseged, Vincent Paik, Christina Wittingham, Emily Yang, Nicole Ng, Keri Alexandera Zhang, Aaila Rasheed, and Olivia de Rezende. Modeled by Eiman Eltigani. Photographed by Oceania Eshraghi, Sudeep Solanki Bhargava, and Julia Deng.
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HAUTE Exploring how the storied history of several distinct African cultures influence high fashion today, and paying homage to the groundbreaking African designers who pioneered their crafts. BY ADDIE BROWN C’23. ILLUSTRATION BY JESSI OLARSCH C’21.
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t El Badi Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco, Karlie Kloss and Lupita Nyongo’o sat front row while candles and bonfires lit the makeshift runway. The evening of April 29, Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri presented the label’s ‘Common Ground’ collection at the Dior 2020 Cruise show. This isn’t the first time the fashion house connected with the city of Marrakesh – both Christian Dior himself and John Galliano created designs inspired by the city during their respective tenures as creative directors. However, Chiuri opted to take a different approach to incorporating traditional Moroccan design into her collection. Chiuri collaborated with anthropologists and local artists for the design and creation of her collection, reinterpreting classic Dior prints with traditional African textiles. Uniwax, a studio/atelier from the Ivory Coast, created custom-made revised versions of fifteen classic Dior prints like Tarot and toile de Jouy. These designs were then either incorporated into silk jacquards or cotton that had been grown, spun, woven, and printed in Africa. Chiuri said before the show that part of her goal was to highlight the fact that “couture” shouldn’t only refer to the work of an atelier in France, rather it is about culture and the history of human labor in fabric-making and design. However, Chiuri’s venture also brings up the issue of commodification in Africa. Many critics were quick to point out that the entire affair operated through an underlying tone of neo-colonialism. Given that the buyers of these pieces might not even understand their meaning or cultural significance, many criticized a luxurious European company built on colonialism and classism for continuing to exploit and profit from cultures suffering from deep histories of injustice. The concept of ”haute couture” has always been dominated and defined by the traditional European labels of high fashion throughout history. As a result, African designers have much less of a platform for their creations than those in the Western world, resulting in a scarcity of
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their artistic visions in the global arena. Just this past January, Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi became the first African designer to debut at Paris Fashion Week. It took 28 years for the now 51-year-old to convince the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to open its doors to Ayissi after rejecting many of his applications due to their strict rules and regulations. His show was set in a Paris hotel to traditional West African music, showcasing his contemporary Western-style designs that were made from faso dan fani, a cotton cloth from Burkina Faso. Ayissi also aims to destroy false conceptions about Africa and highlight the fact that it is not a unilateral nation but a continent composed of many diverse countries with distinct cultural histories and traditions, which he said should not be overlooked as African fashion emerges into the sphere of the western world. “Africa isn’t a country, it’s a continent! We deserve better than these simplistic clichés, which sadden me,” he explains in a British Vogue article. “It’s my mission to show how hugely diverse our cultures are.” Kenneth Ize, a Nigerian designer known for his label “Ize,” worked with weavers of Asoke ( handwoven check designs from Nigeria) to incorporate into his collection that also debuted at Paris Fashion Week this year alongside Ayissi. With Naomi Campbell closing for his show, the successful presence of African designers in the traditional haute couture arena is a significant milestone in the industry. Prior to this year, African designers had never been considered in the same category of haute couture. Also hailing from Nigeria is Lisa Folawiyo, who transformed the traditional Ankara cloth of West Africa into prints even more unique and alluring through the use of embellishment. Her pieces have been showcased at New York Fashion week and even worn publically by celebrities like Solange Knowles. The garments are handcrafted by expert artisans, a long and painstaking process that can take up to 240 hours. Folawiyo believes that embracing the collaboration of traditional African fabrics and
production processes with influences of the Western world is what is turning Lagos into the fashion capital it is today. Avoiding transforming African fashion into a commodity for neo-colonial exploitation means handing back traditional African design the respect and admiration it deserves. African designers deserve the same platform to present their creations alongside the traditional couture brands of the fashion industry. Collaborating with Western influences and designers is not out of the question, but it must be done so with careful consideration to ensure it does not result in commodifying African art as a product. Creating a bridge between African design and the global fashion industry will hopefully encourage the diversification of fashion and eliminate the gap between designers hailing outside of Paris, London, or Milan.
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ONLINE PHOTOSHOOT. Directed and styled by Anna Jellinek, Caroline Gibson, and Lauren Tappan. Styled, makeup, modeled, and photographed by Grace Wu and Naomi Boruchowicz.
innovation indoors
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OUT WITH THE NEW, IN WITH THE VINTAGE ENTHUSIAST SARAH LLEWELLYN SHARES HER THRIFTING JOURNEY, AND DROPS SOME HELPFUL TIPS AND TRICKS ALONG THE WAY.
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y obsession with vintage clothing began in my junior year of high school. I was one of those teenagers who spent countless hours on Pinterest, and it was there that I discovered vintage fashion photography. I’d pore over these pictures as if I could absorb the models’ impeccable style through my eyes. Although my prom dress that year was vintage, it wasn’t until the past couple of years that I’ve started to incorporate old clothing into my everyday wardrobe—and now I can’t get enough. One of the fuels to the fire— that is my vintage obsession— has been my overall dissatisfaction with current “new” clothing options. For the most part, I’ve noticed the same styles at every store, prices keep going up, and quality keeps going down. And I really don’t want to wear the same clothes as everyone else that shops at Urban Outfitters (yes, I am a hypocrite, and I do own things from Urban, but still!). Personal complaints aside, I’ve also become more aware of the environmental impact of buying new clothes. From the resources it takes to manufacture clothing, potential wastes created during the process, and emissions from transportation of these goods, a lot of harm can be done to the planet––it’s estimated that the fashion industry is responsible for about 5% of total global carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, there’s very little transparency in the sources of clothing at big-name stores from an ethical perspective. I have no idea who is making these clothes and what conditions they are working in, and I can’t really ignore that anymore. With all of this in mind, shopping at fast fashion stores just doesn’t seem appealing to me. I’ve done my time at Forever 21 and have almost weaned myself off of Zara. Now what? For me, the answer is to buy vintage and secondhand clothing, and to support sustainable companies when I have to buy new things. Luckily, we seem to be in the golden era of secondhand shopping. Thanks to the internet and social media, there are countless ways to buy vintage and resale clothing. To clarify, secondhand clothing is any item that someone else purchased when it was first sold as new. Within this category, resale clothing items are nearly-new and were often purchased in the last decade, while vintage clothing is anything older than that. My personal favorite platform to buy vintage is Etsy––I think of it as an elevated version of eBay, the O.G. resale website that has always seemed a bit sketchy to me even though my mom has been buying items there since the early 2000s. TheRealReal is another great website that specializes in the resale of designer clothing, shoes, and handbags. If an app is more your speed, Depop (modeled after Instagram) is hugely popular
OLD
with over 15 million users. The draw to Depop is that you can search for specific pieces, or follow users that have curated the cutest clothing out there, often sourced from thrift stores. I’ve downloaded it, but have yet to purchase anything because it can be a challenge to hunt out a good price. Instead, I prefer shopping at thrift stores themselves, mostly for the deals but partly for the experience. If you’ve never been thrifting before, you might want to reconsider. To get an idea of the joy thrifting can bring, watch a “thrift haul” video on Youtube. There isn’t anything quite like the rush of finding a great piece of clothing amid racks of questionable items (fair warning: a bit of digging and patience is necessary for a successful thrifting experience). For anyone with a strict clothing budget, thrifting is a godsend. At the suburban thrift stores I’ve been to, nothing is over $10. In contrast, vintage shopping can sometimes have a hefty price tag, but in my experience, it’s usually at or below the price of new clothes. So, thrift shopping is basically a no-brainer. The idea of sorting through other people’s clothing to find buried treasure may seem overwhelming, so I’ll offer a few guidelines to start. First, it’s good to have an idea of what clothing pieces you’re looking for. Is your wardrobe seriously lacking in cute, casual tops, or structured trousers? Keep those keywords in mind as you’re searching. This will depend on your style as well. The next step would be to identify your budget, which will determine whether thrift shopping or online shopping would be your best option. If you’d rather spend around $15 or less on each piece, then I would opt for thrifting, but if you’re willing to spend more, go online! Admittedly, it’s harder to find specific items at thrift stores, but most of the time you’ll walk away with amazing things you didn’t even know you needed. Another thing to consider is just how old you want your clothes to be, and this is completely based on personal preference. To me, clothing from the ‘80s or older is vintage, while anything newer than that is what you are most likely to find at thrift stores or resale sites like TheRealReal––Depop has a mix of all eras. Finally, my last piece of advice would be simply to have fun shopping! If you’re still on the fence about it, the global impact of switching to purchasing pre-owned clothing is undeniable. Considering the fragile state of our environment in the midst of global warming, shopping sustainably by buying secondhand clothing is one way that we can contribute to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. And if you find a new hobby along the way, that’s even better.
BY SARAH LLEWELLYN C’20. ILLUSTRATIONS BY CATHERINE LIU C’23.
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TO THE PEOPLE!
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While most of the world remains stuck to their couch, online activism has been bringing waves of change to a new generation.
“I
get most of my news through Twitter,” Naomi (C’20) proudly proclaims. Though some may cringe at the thought, Naomi is far from alone. About two-thirds of American adults get at least some of their news through social media, and one-fifth get these updates from social media “often.” Among college students, the percentages are even higher: a staggering seventy-two percent of college students get their daily news from social media. Many young student activists have capitalized on the democratization of our media to share their voices on issues that matter to them. Especially recently, social media and activism have become inexorably intertwined, as students use functions such as ‘story’ on Instagram to raise awareness and encourage action. There is no doubt that the advent of the internet, and more significantly, social media, has dramatically altered the news media landscape from the print and television days. For decades, television and print news dominated the nation’s media cycles, forcing most Americans to consume media from the same sources. The higher barrier to entry of television and print news meant that so-called, “outsiders” had a difficult time entering this realm. This fact has historically complicated social movements, as grassroots organizing can be difficult if a news source doesn’t report on a social movement. Notably, during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, civil rights organizers brought the media to photograph the extreme instances of police brutality. Even then, local Birmingham newspapers refused to document the violent suppression of the civil rights protests, despite the fact that the brutality occured only steps from the newspaper’s front doors, and that these civil rights protests were front-page news in national newspapers. Blackowned newspapers also played a pivotal role in civil rights, risking their personal safety to support community organizing and share the truth of the brutality that ruled in their cities. However, since then, the emergence of social media has allowed for a very different type of organizing. Modern movements no longer require a single iconic leader to rally the people. Rather, a bottom-up movement has emerged. In an interview with ‘The Atlantic’, DeRay Mckesson, a leading organizer against police brutality, emphasized the focus on community in online activism. While social media activism can be portrayed as useless outrage, Mckesson argues that social media allows for people, rather than a single figure, to become the voice of the struggle. While he admits the difficulties that come with policymaking involved in online activism— such as the decentralization of social media activism hindering the action of setting specific goals and enacting policy— Mckesson emphasizes how individual people can “come together around things they believe are unjust”, and “build a community around addressing these issues.” The flat hierarchy of social media allows various perspectives to be heard, and real change can occur on the heels of building a strong community. The very nature of social media platforms, composed primarily of videos lasting less than a minute or tweets shorter than one hundred forty characters, often requires humor and creativity to capture their audiences. Dan Savage, a twitter activist, champions progressive policies on LGBTQIA rights in witty sardonic tweets perfect for one hundred
forty characters. Similarly, Gabe Ortiz, a prominent immigrants’ rights activist, mixes humor with activism to keep his audience engaged. That said, social media activism, in order to enable real-life change, requires a call to action. Whether that be calling upon fellow social media users to educate themselves, donate, or contact their elected officials, the short, punchy format of these platforms is well suited to produce these calls to action. Social media, thus, becomes the stepping stone to reaching a broad audience with a clearly articulated need. More specifically, Tik Tok— a short video-sharing social media platform— has skyrocketed in popularity for its dance and humor videos, but recently has garnered attention for its ability to address social issues. From political commentary to climate change, teens are taking to the app to share about the problems affecting them. While it is largely dominated by comedy and dance videos, many young people turn to the app for activism because the light heartened nature allows them to be activists without the full weight that comes with activism on other platforms. For example, TikTok users recently have turned to changing their profile pictures to a black fist in order to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. This activism comes in spite of accusations of TikTok promoting white content creators over their black counterparts in their sorting algorithm. Raishia Doumbia, a twenty-year-old with almost seventy thousand TikTok followers, emphasized the focus of this movement to combat the anti-blackness propagated by the app’s programming. She gained most of her followers after posting about racial injustice in light of the George Floyd protests. Lowering the entry barrier to activism has changed the playing field entirely. No longer do people need to fully commit to a singular activist lifestyle. Rather, this democratization of the media has upset dominant power structures. Instead of relying on key media leaders to be the voices of activism in this generation, each one of us is empowered through social media to champion for the causes important to us. Furthermore, this new landscape means young people are exposed to political causes much earlier. Gone are the days of politics being an abstract, inaccessible concept. Politics and policies govern all of our day-to-day lives, and your ability to influence them comes right from your fingertips. In recent weeks, the death of George Floyd as a result of police brutality led to a flooding of social media with calls of ‘#BlackLivesMatter’ as well as concrete ways for audiences to enact change from books to donations. These posts produced tangible results--the Minnesota Freedom Fund, one of the most promoted organizations for donation, raised $20 million dollars in four days. Given the social distancing protocols in place all over the country, online activism has emerged as an increasingly attractive option for those seeking to effect change from the comfort of their home. From empowering individuals to fight for the issues close to their heart, to serving as a more inclusive media platform, social media activism allows for the proliferation of diverse motivations and opinions and readily accessible calls to action. So, next time you log into Tik Tok, instead of adding another ‘Renegade’ dance to your drafts, consider speaking up on wealth inequality.
BY ALEX NICHOLS E’20. ILLUSTRATION BY NAOMI BORUCHOWICZ C’23.
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[LET’S GET AWAY]
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ONLINE PHOTOSHOOT. Directed and styled by Anna Jellinek, Caroline Gibson, and Lauren Tappan. Styled, makeup, modeled, and photographed by Shirley Yang and Emily Liu.
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FROM PENN STUDENTS TO PENN HEROES A COLLEGE CLUB THAT OFFERS A SPARK OF LIGHT TO THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING THROUGH DARK TIMES. BY: TYLER LAWSON C’20 ILLUSTRATION BY GRACELYNN WAN C’22
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very community service based club on campus hopes to be a hero to the people they serve. Penn Heroes, however, takes that mission to a whole new level. Founded in 2019, Penn Heroes is an organization full of students who enjoy wearing costumes just as much as they enjoy making people smile. Members of Penn Heroes volunteer at children’s hospitals visiting patients as princesses, superheroes, and other childhood characters to bring joy to the children and their families. Penn Heroes was inspired by an organization at the University of Pittsburgh that allows students to dress in costume and visit children’s hospitals. Founding members of the club, Baotram Nguyen, Ouen Mali, Sarah Khan, and Daniel Rodriquez, noticed a void among the vast sea of Penn clubs that served the community in this way. Several community service clubs at Penn help children in the Philadelphia area: however, none of them provide a service that allows children to interact with their favorite characters as they undergo treatment. The fact that Philadelphia has an abundance of children’s hospitals proved that this idea would be a meaningful way to bring joy to the surrounding community and help those who are enduring difficult situations. At any local children’s hospital, you can find members of the club dressed up as superheroes, princesses, or even the popular Pokémon character Pikachu. The Penn Heroes volunteers do their best to brighten up a child’s day, and they even manage to escape the oftentimes overwhelming pressures of Penn through this creative outlet. The organization lacks the pressure of the high-stress, rejection riddled, deadline driven clubs in place for a relaxed, family and children oriented volunteer-based club. And not to mention, buying costumes on Halloween’s off-season is always a fun bonding activity for the members. Samantha Turner (C’23), the club’s publicity and design chair, joined Penn Heroes during her first semester at Penn, and has found it to be a life changing experience ever since. “[Joining] completely altered my career experience. “I have spent several Saturdays working at events for kids
and getting to know all the other volunteers. I absolutely love getting to volunteer with the kids,” Samantha says. She recommends this club for anyone who is looking to come out of their shell, or learn how to be a leader in their community. From personal experience, she found that dressing up as Supergirl helped her emulate all the confidence her character is praised for. She began to collaborate better with her classmates, connect with children, and become a more outgoing leader. After all, how many opportunities in life do you get to dress up as an actual superhero? In terms of the Penn community, Penn Heroes is one of the smaller and newer clubs on campus, as they were just founded in the 2018-2019 school year. However, the appeal of ditching Penn face for a superhero mask attracts more and more students to this unique volunteer club. Each semester, Penn Heroes finds that their name has more recognition and more visibility. This club also prides themselves on having deep connections with their members by bonding over their volunteering experiences and ensuring a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes any Penn student feel accepted. Nevertheless, Penn Heroes would like to see the club grow even further. When it comes to volunteering, club members believe that most students should volunteer if they have the time. But campus life can get busy, and students often struggle to find a way to volunteer that meets their own needs. That’s a problem that Penn Heroes hopes to solve in the Penn community. The club offers a low commitment, innovative, and caring way to engage with the surrounding Philadelphia community. Samantha says that Penn Heroes would like to see a volunteer community at Penn— where community service is a high priority among the students. While life at Penn may get stressful and busy, if you have even the smallest desire to step off campus and give your time to the community, clubs like Penn Heroes are waiting to help you serve in a fun, creative, and rewarding environment. And if you see someone in a Pikachu costume strolling down Locust Walk, know that they’re wearing it for a good cause! THE ECLECTIC ISSUE
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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: CLASS OF
2020 A TRIBUTE TO THE THE WALK CLASS OF 2020
The WALK would be nowhere without the expertise, vision, and initiative that our seniors bring to the team! Each of these wonderful individuals were integral to producing the website and magazine that we’ve all come to cherish, and their personal contributions brought life and spirit to The WALK’s legacy. From their stunning sense of style to their passion and drive, the seniors of The WALK inspire our staff every day to excel at life and look fabulous while doing it. Here’s a tribute to our Class of 2020...
CAROLINE GIBSON MA JOR Biological Basis of Behavior POSITION Photography Director PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? I’ll be doing healthcare
consulting at ClearView Healthcare Partners in Boston.
BEST FASHION/ST YLE TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
I don’t remember where I heard this or from whom, but it was something along the lines of “Don’t wear something only because you think other people will like it. The only opinion you should care about is your own.”
ONE TREND YOU WISH YOU TRIED? I kind of wish I tried the big chunky sneaker trend, but I also am kind of glad that I didn’t. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE WALK? I learned
a lot about the type of leader I am and how I work with other people. I’ve learned how to improvise when things don’t go exactly as planned and how to be okay with that.
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CLAIRE SHIN MA JOR Fine Arts POSITION Co-Art Director PLANS FOR NEX T YEAR? Hopefully working for a
graphic design studio!
DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC IN A SENTENCE Tweed
jacket meets Air Jordan 1s.
BEST FASHION/ST YLE TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? You CAN in fact mix gold and silver jewelry. ANY MESSAGES YOU WANT TO PASS ON TO YOUNGER READERS OF THE WALK? Take pride in
your work. You’re a lot more competent than you think.
EMMA JABR MA JOR Architecture POSITION Design / beauty stylist PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? I don’t know yet WHO’S BEEN THE MOST INFLUENTIAL IN YOUR ST YLE? Zoe Kravitz / Olsen twins WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL STILL BE WEARING IN TEN YEARS? Heels ANY MESSAGES YOU WANT TO PASS ON TO YOUNGER READERS OF THE WALK?
Start trends, don’t follow them
GIOVANNA SENA MA JOR Biology POSITION MAKEUP Artist Director PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? I plan on taking two gap years before attending medical school. BEST FASHION/ST YLE TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? Dress up so that when you’re
walking on the street people will wish they own your closet. When in doubt overdress. Set yourself apart. FAVORITE DESIGNER? In terms of makeup Patrick Ta and Hung Vanngo and in terms of
fashion Alexander Mcqueen
FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET? Gray overcoat and my gold hoop earrings
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JAVIER PEREZ MA JOR Biochemistry and Biology POSITION Fashion Editor for Web PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? I’ll be taking a gap year working and working in a research lab at Penn while applying for med school WHO’S BEEN THE MOST INFLUENTIAL IN YOUR ST YLE? My shopping buddy and
best friend, Sarah Llewellyn, the web editorial director!
FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET? A white mesh top from Alexander Wang! I have
so many good memories and fun moments from Penn in that shirt.
LAUREN TAPPAN MA JOR Communications, minor in journalism POSITION Editor-in-Chief PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? Moving to NYC to pursue a career in fashion journalism! FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET? The answer to this question changes everyday
for me. As of right now, my favorite piece in my closet is a cream silk top that I recently bought from Zara. FAVORITE DESIGNER? Olivier Rousteing ANY MESSAGES YOU WANT TO PASS ON TO YOUNGER READERS OF THE WALK? Let your intuition guide you. Trusting yourself is extremely essential—
especially with regards to finding your passion and discovering your way through life. Don’t forget that mistakes are always lessons learned, and most importantly— love yourself unconditionally.
MARINA GIALANELLA MA JOR English, minor in journalism and fine arts POSITION Features Writer and Apparel Stylist PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? Hopefully working in the fashion industry after graduation! DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC IN A SENTENCE I would say it is a combination of street-casual
and rocker-chic.
BEST FASHION/ST YLE TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? Take pictures of your favorite outfits
and file them in an “outfits album” on your phone so you can reference them later.
ANY MESSAGES YOU WANT TO PASS ON TO YOUNGER READERS OF THE WALK? If
you want to go into fashion, don’t be afraid! Know that although it may not be a popular path at Penn, it is totally acceptable and you should go for it. The WALK is a great place because you can find people that also may want to go into retail after graduation and you immediately feel like you’re not alone anymore in wanting to do something different. Go after your dreams, and the rest will work itself out.
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SARAH LLEWELLYN MA JORS Biochemistry and Biophysics POSITION Web Director & Writer PLANS FOR NEX T YEAR? I’ll be taking a gap year then applying to
medical school.
FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET? Literally any of my vintage
sweaters--they’re my babies.
BEST FASHION/ST YLE TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? If you won’t
wear it, don’t buy it!!! It took me years to learn this.
ONE TREND YOU WISH YOU TRIED? I’ve always wanted to get into
hats, from berets to casual baseball caps, but I just can’t commit. I wish they looked good on me!
T YLER LAWSON MA JOR Political Science POSITION Web Managing Editor and Editorial Staff Writer PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? Work at a law firm and prepare for law school DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC IN A SENTENCE Colorful floral prints one day and rose
gold with marble the next.
FAVORITE DESIGNER? True Jackson from True Jackson VP WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE WALK? Don’t be afraid to be bold with your
style. You only get to strut down locust walk for 4 years.
VARSHINI GALI MA JOR Health and Societies POSITION Editorial Director PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? Starting medical school at Weill Cornell Medical
College
FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET? my Warby Parker glasses DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC IN A SENTENCE Just a bit more effort than no
effort
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE WALK? Fashion is just one facet of
the beautiful world of art and culture that surrounds us--take the time to learn and love and create!
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WANT MORE? thewalkmag.com • @thewalkmag The WALK Magazine Spring 2020 The Eclectic Issue Copyright © 2019 The WALK Magazine. No part of this publication may be altered or reproduced without the express written consent of The WALK Magazine. For all inquiries, please email thewalkmag@gmail.com. All rights reserved. TW/S19-100A
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