February 2016 by W27 Newspaper

MASTHEAD

FIT

Dara Kenigsberg Editor–in–Chief Jenny Kim Executive Editor Dana Heyward Managing Editor

A LE T TE R FRO M TH E E D ITO R

Dan Nissim Digital Content Editor

I have been staring at a blank page now for 45 minutes, trying to figure out what to say and the topic that I can’t seem to escape is that of Valentine’s Day. For some it is a joyous time, filled with candy hearts, sexy lingerie and expensive dinners. Others think it that greeting card companies invented it to make people feel like crap while raking in the profits. Given that I am not that pessimistic, as a single girl, I simply think of it as just another day. However, in this age of dating apps galore, I can’t help but think about how much things of changed when it comes to how we meet each other. Face-toface encounters are being eschewed by virtual ones and the way we connect with one another is growing more and more impersonal. We are becoming so disillusioned because of our overreliance on technology. Now, instead of getting to know someone before passing judgment, all you have to do is swipe right. Whatever happened to meeting organically? Certainly love at first sight was never intended to mean seeing someone’s photo on Tinder. So with Valentine’s Day a few days away, I urge you to get off your phones and computers and venture out into the real world. You never know who you might meet! And for those of you that are single but not looking, check out our FIT Speaks pieces on the topic.

Marina Herbst Treasurer Jonathan Lee Copy Editor Hayden Werp Advertising Manager

EDITORS Dan Nissim Dana Heyward Jonathan Lee Kait Gorecki

ART Emma Wood Art Director Danielle Carcione Kayla Scheidel Kelly Millington Senior Designers Aoi Fujikawa RoseAnne Reynolds Junior Designer

CONTRIBUTORS Thais Derjangocyan Martin Allen Andrea Navarro Amber Chae Kim Jordyn Ferris Madeline Grandusky-Howe Melissa DeOliveira Lily Wright Kayla Renshaw Kayleee Denmead Allison Hatch Meghan Kane Veronica Marrinan Madelyn Adams Isabelle Meyers Natalia Pereira

“IN THE FLUSH OF LOVE’S LIGHT, WE DARE BE BRAVE. AND SUDDENLY WE SEE THAT LOVE COSTS ALL WE ARE, AND WILL EVER BE. YET IT IS ONLY LOVE WHICH SETS US FREE.” -MAYA ANGELOU

Dara Kenigsberg Editor–in–Chief

Professor John Simone Editorial Faculty Adviser Professor Albert Romano Advertising Adviser

W27 NEWSPAPER

@W27NEWSPAPER

ON THE COVER: Photos by Amy Miccio

@W27NEWSPAPER

W27 IS PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING. A FIT STUDENT ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION.

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

CONTENTS ON THE BLOCK 4

Fairy Tale Fashion at The Museum of FIT

How To Be A FIT Leader

FIT Skyliners To Take on First International Championship

Student Spotlight: Sara Griffin and Shan Khan

Beauty Buzz: Date-Proof Makeup/ Beauty Launches You Might’ve Missed

Lords of Midtown

DEAR INDUSTRY 8

A Concept Grows in Brooklyn: Kai Avent-deLeon Talks Sincerely, Tommy

CollegeFashionista Founder, Amy Levin, Talks New Podcast Series “Office Hours”

Glum Outlook for Retailers in 2016

LinkNYC: A Brighter Future for the Telephone Booth

A Legacy Steps Down

Jeans of the Future

SOS From EOS

Dude Looks Like a Lady:Fellas Flaunt Feminine Fashions for Fall

Fashion in the 2016 Presidential Race

Barbie Gets A Makeover

Featured Photographer Amy Miccio

Sean Penn: Hero or Villain?

Consumer Electronics Show 2016: Turning Tech Up to 11

Making a Murderer: Steven Avery’s Unfortunate Claim to Fame

Big Things in 2016

Girl Boss: Taiwan Elects its First Female President and Embraces Political Change

FEATURE

HAUTE CULTURE 22

David Bowie In Remembrance

New Era, New Aaron / Album Review: ‘Anti’ — Rihanna

Theater Review: ‘I and You’ / Album Review: ‘Death of a Bachelor’ Panic! at the Disco

Film Review: Pride + Prejudice + Zombies / Review : Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser / Store Review: TicTai l

Restaurant Review: Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beers / Jun-Men Ramen Bar

Adidas’s Attempts to Bring Down Nike

MONTH IN REVIEW 28

Iran Nuclear Deal: For Better or For Worse?

HOFIT

FIT SPEAKS 30

Places to Go if You are Single on Valentine’s Day / The Importance of Taking Yourself Out

And the Oscar Goes to — Discrimination

ON THE BLOCK

FIT

F A I R Y TA L E F A S H I O N AT T H E M U S E U M O F F I T BY THAIS DERJANGOCYAN Walking into the Museum of FIT’s latest exhibition, Fairy Tale Fashion you won’t come across any classic costumes like Cinderella’s ball gown or The Little Mermaid’s tail. Instead you will be greeted by breathtaking designer clothing with a distinctive perspective on the tales we grew up with. Magical, majestic and mesmerizing fairy tales comes alive through high fashion at Fairy Tale Fashion which showcases designs from the 18th century to present-day in a 15-story saga featuring some of our favorite childhood fables and stories. The exhibit displays about 80 pieces

from prominent designers including Alexander McQueen, Prada, Marchesa, Altuzarra and more depicting tales from story writers Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. With no focus on a specific time period, participating designers had plenty of options to draw their inspiration from. The exhibition is a collaboration between FIT’s associate curator Colleen Hill, and architect Kim Ackert with the inspiration being taken from the original fairy tales written because “that is where the fairy tale aesthetic started,” Hill told WWD. The exhibit uses different mediums apart from the garments to bring the magic of fairy tales to life including illustrations, photography and videos accompanied by the designs themselves to give visitors a full idea of the vision behind the pieces. The main exhibit is where you will find the 15 stories ranging from “Beauty and the Beast” to “The Snow Queen,” and in the entrance before the exhibit you will find fashion editorial photography that follow the fairy tale theme.

PHOTO COURTESY: THAIS DERJANGOCYAN

HOW TO BE AN FIT

LEADER BY ANDREA NAVARRO

PHOTO COURTESY: WP.COM

In order to be able to make FIT students understand what true leadership is and how to be committed members of the college’s community, the Department of Student Life has created several programs and opportunities for interested students to not only become a leader, but an effective and successful one.

The programs, which range from a one hour Workshop Series that will reunite throughout the whole semester, and that will cover topics such as “Working Through Conf lict,” “What Kind of Leader Are You?” and “How to Stay Focused and Motivate a Team” are open to all students. Their main focus is to help students develop the leadership skills that they already possess and discover their own abilities and potential to lead.

The Leadership Weekend is a two days and three nights free retreat to Upstate New York that is scheduled to take place February 26-28 for approximately 40 students. It promotes “making friends and learning about leadership.” To join, students are required to submit an application (which are due Friday, February 12) through fitnyc.edu/student-clubs/ leadership/weekend.php The Department of Student Life also added a new paid position this semester. They are looking for enthusiastic students who are interested in becoming Leadership Ambassadors for an entire academic year. The role would officially begin in the Fall 2016 semester, but applications are already available on fitnyc.edu/student-clubs/leadership/ ambassadors.php. The ambassador’s primary responsibility would be to work directly with the Counselor for Leadership Programs to “create intentional opportunities for students to learn what it means to lead at FIT and in their community.” “Leadership is not a position, but a process,” said Christina Ferrari, Counselor in the Department of Student Life and creator of Leadership Ambassadors. “What we want is to create a framework at FIT in which we [the faculty and the Department of Student Life] can continue to help students to find ways to transition into who they want to be when they get out of FIT.”

Using iconic symbols such as Little Red Riding Hood’s cape or Cinderella’s glass slipper, this exhibit hopes to get across the point that the clothing these characters wore were more than just garments. They represent a character’s power, vanity, greed and/ or transformation and play a big role in the story of the exhibition. The exhibit also highlights the importance of the original writers of these fairy tales as they are rarely associated with their stories today. Walking through the exhibit, it is noted that not all the works featured are adhering to the classic fairytale clothing we have become accustomed to. Some of the pieces on display were inspired by actual lines and objects from fairy tales. For example in “Beauty and the Beast,” Belle’s beautiful dress is usually associated with a yellow ball gown, but in the exhibit you will find a dress lined with roses referring to the iconic rose the story is based around. This unique and imaginative approach to the designing of the costumes shows how fashion can be inspired just by words. FAIRY TALE FASHION WILL RUN ON VIEW AT THE MUSEUM OF FIT NOW THROUGH APRIL 16.

To do so, Counselor Ferrari has developed what she refers to as LEAD, which stands for “Learn about yourself,” “Engage with others,” “Act to make a difference” and “Develop during and after your FIT experience.” In response to unmotivated students who don’t actually believe that they could posses the abilities to become a leader, Counselor Ferrari stated, “The key is to pinpoint early on the actual skills that already are in students and develop them so they can have the confidence to actually feel like they can be a leader for their community,” she said,”It could even be something that at first sight might not seem like a skill, like being able to introduce a lot of different people that eventually end up becoming friends or having a great eye for graphic design. The point of leadership is different people coming together to make a change, a difference.” Having a strong knowledge of leadership is vital, both in the work environment and in our every-day social lives. Employers want to hire someone with the capacity to deal with people in a way that is motivational but also inspires respect. So whether you are one of FIT’s ambitious, over-achieving students, looking for a new set of skills, or you are interested in bettering your community, be sure to check out one of the many leadership opportunities that our campus has to offer.

W27 FIT’s a cappella group, The Skyliners, have been selected as competitors in the quarterfinal round of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA.) The Skyliners, which was founded by student Krista Pershinsky (AMC ‘16) and recognized as an official club in 2013, is a co-ed group that performs at various functions both at and outside of FIT. Pershinsky said that “the Skyliners have enjoyed a multitude of opportunities” not the least of which include include performances at Poetry Out Loud, volunteer organization Sing For Hope and even an audition for NBC’s a cappella show, “The SingOff.” The group puts on concerts every semester to showcase new material that they learn. Pershinky, who is the President and Music Director of the group, explained that The Skyliners have “seen many different members with really great talent.” It’s clear that this year’s group is no different. Still, The Skyliners of 2016 are working extremely hard in preparation for their ICCA Quarterfinals turn. “We are holding extra rehearsals during the month of February leading up to the Quarterfinals.” said Pershinsky. “Normally we rehearse on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30pm-7:30pm. So we are holding additional rehearsals on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:30pm-8:30pm in addition to Saturday rehearsals that can last anywhere from 3 to 6 hours” she elaborated. They are focusing on “creating tighter harmonies and producing some stellar dance moves” during these extra rehearsals explained Pershinsky.

FEBRUARY 2016

FIT SKYLINERS TO TAKE ON FIRST INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY MARTIN ALLEN

PHOTO COURTESY: FITNYC.EDU

It seems almost impossible to walk onto any college campus and not see a f lyer for an a cappella group these days. It could be chalked up to the success of unaccompanied singing television shows and movies, like the wildly popular “Pitch Perfect” movies. Whatever the reason, a cappella groups remain staples of American collegiate life.

With the ICCA Quarterfinals at the end of the February, The Skyliners have just under a month to perfect their ICCA routines, and it is nothing short of a grand production. Just by poring over the group’s Instagram feed (@ fitskyliners), one can get a glimpse of all the work besides just listening in for a pitch pipe tone that goes into a competition-worthy performance.

While it may seem like a cappella is just about the singing, that is far from the truth. As previously mentioned, the skills that are required to be a competitive group such as The Skyliners include not only vocal talent, but also a keen musical instinct and the ability to dance as well.

This quarterfinal bid will be the first time that The Skyliners have performed in a competitive capacity. What they may lack in competition experience they certainly make up for in drive, eagerness and enthusiasm. Just from speaking with Pershinsky, the group comes across as an excited, hardworking and of course talented group of students.

They weren’t just handed this opportunity either. In order to be eligible for the competition, the group had to send a video to the directors at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) and then have their video judged by them. The Skyliners will go up against various New York City and Long Island groups, such as Columbia Nonsequitur and The Fordham Ramblers. While some other institutions have multiple groups competing, The Skyliners are FIT’s sole representatives. ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals take place on February 27 at Hofstra University’s John Cranford Adams Playhouse. Tickets are available through varsityvocals.com.

S T U D E N T S P O T L I G H T: S A R A G R I F F I N A N D S H A N K H A N BY AMBER CHAE KIM In the recent Winston Churchill International Design Competition, FIT's own Packaging Design students Sara Griffin and Shan Khan took first and second place with their innovative designs for a Magnum of Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2006 champagne, a personal favorite of Churchill himself. They were among 70 entrants from 200 different countries. Participants were charged with designing a gift box and label for the Magnum champagne commemorating Churchill's life and his inf luence in history. Griffin's sleek drawings and Khan’s interactive timeline of Churchill’s life has earned them both a cash prize and an internship offer from Pentland. Amber Chae Kim: What was the inspiration for your design? Sara Griffin: I was most inspired by Winston Churchill and his life. While researching him, I found out so many interesting things. He truly was an astonishing, multifaceted person. I was also very inspired by the artwork of Joe Fenton, an English based artist, designer, sculptor and illustrator. His work combines many different elements in a beautiful, striking way.

Shan Khan: To serve as a reminder of his many accomplishments, the design incorporates an interactive timeline that takes the viewer on a gold plated journey through the life of Sir Winston Churchill. The design looks to create harmony between the classic, sophisticated image of Pol Roger and the bold, courageous image of Sir Winston Churchill. The package introduces another dimension by integrating an augmented reality application. This generates an interactive timeline — creating an experience that is relevant, responsive and exciting to Pol Roger’s increasingly tech-savvy consumer. ACK: How was your experience with the competition? Were you confident that you would win or did you have moments where you doubted yourself? SG: I never thought that I would win. I had no idea I would be in the top 11 let alone first! It wasn’t that I doubted myself, it's just that there are so many really talented people that you never know how it's going to go. I pushed myself to do the best that I could and that’s all you can really do.

SK: The competition was high and so I didn't actually focus on winning, I concentrated on coming up with a really strong idea and then figuring out how I was going to pull it off. There was a point when I thought I bit off more than I could chew. I had to submit it online, my concept was tough to get across and I had to teach myself an animation software to demonstrate the concept's full potential. I was working on a timeline of an ordinary man who did extraordinary things, and I kept reminding myself that if Churchill could escape the Boar War and go on to be one of the most inf luential leaders of all time, I could teach myself a basic computer software. ACK: Did you have any mentors or friends who helped you throughout the competition? SG: My professors were all really helpful; the packaging design department does a great job at setting you up to do well. There are only about 24 of us in the program so we are all pretty close and really push each other to do our best work and be successful.

SK: I am so grateful for the amount of support I got from my professors and friends throughout this process. Even at the 4 a.m. moment I was telling you about. I was with two friends who were there for moral support and their much needed input on the video, the f low and the sound. My work wouldn't have been half as good without them there by my side. ACK: What are your plans for after FIT? SG: After FIT my only plans are to hopefully get a job. SK: Right now, like all the other seniors at FIT, I'm just trying not to panic. After graduation, I plan to figure out real life. ACK: Do you have any advice for your fellow Packaging Design majors? SG: They don’t really need advice. They’re already all such strong amazing designers. For anyone, I would say just work hard, push yourself and have fun. SK: Every one of my Packaging peers is as hardworking as I am. My advice would be to just keep going. We're very close as a major and we always push each other forward and support one another through our crazy but invaluable major. I can't imagine not coming into our bright orange classroom everyday. It's been good to us.

BEAUTY BUZZ

FIT

D AT E - P R O O F M A K E U P

B E AU T Y L AU N C H E S YO U

BY JORDYN FERRISS

MIGHT’VE MISSED BY JORDYN FERRISS

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, which means it’s time to put together the ideal “date-proof” makeup kit. Whether you’re cuddling at the movies, enjoying a bite to eat at the perfect dinner spot, or getting a little hot and heavy at home, we’ve got you covered. Below are the perfect smudge, food and kiss-proof products you can add to your arsenal this February 14.

3.BROWS: ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DIPBROW POMADE

PHOTO COURTESY: PIXIWOO

1.LIPSTICK: THE BALM MEET MATT(E) HUGHES

PHOTO COURTESY: PIXIWOO

Drugstore brand The Balm is known for their fun packaging and “punny” product names. One of their most recent releases, a very on-trend collection of liquid lipsticks, lives up to the brand’s reputation, appropriately named “Meet Matt(e) Hughes” Matte Hues… get it? So clever. There are eight shades to choose from, from the perfect pink to a more subtle nude. The lipsticks dry matte and do not move, ensuring they’ll last through your three course meal or your three hour make out session. We won’t tell.

When someone needs brow help they often find themselves turning to the brow queen herself, Anastasia Beverly Hills. Pencils and pomades and gels, oh my! With so many options, how is one to know which to choose? Well, if you’re looking for staying power, we’d suggest going for the pomade. This gel-like waterproof cream glides on smoothly, comes in 11 colors, and doesn’t budge, even when rubbed up against by fingers (or faces).

4.BLUSH: BENEFIT COSMETICS CHEEK AND LIP STAINS PHOTO COURTESY:SEPHORA

2.FOUNDATION: MAKE UP FOR EVER ULTRA HD FOUNDATION PHOTO COURTESY:SEPHORA

Make Up For Ever shook up the makeup world last summer when they reformulated their best-selling HD Foundation, paving the way for an updated version compatible with the most high-def cameras. Now called Ultra HD, the foundation still has the staying power of its predecessor, as well as the natural, almost invisible finish the original formula was known for. A favorite of television and movie makeup artists, this foundation will last you all day and night no matter the conditions. So go ahead, lean your head on your date’s shoulder. You won’t have to worry about explaining the giant skin colored stain you leave behind because this stuff does not budge. Available at Make Up For Ever boutiques and makeupforever.com, $43.

1. GWEN STEFANI AND URBAN DECAY

Available at Sephora and sephora.com, $18.

Available at thebalm.com and in drugstores, $17.

PHOTO COURTESY: MAKEUPFOREVER

The holiday season is a busy time for everyone. Regardless of if you’re celebrating with family or just relaxing, around this time of the year we often find ourselves disconnecting from the world for a few weeks. Our phones stay untouched and our Instagram feeds un-refreshed as we enjoy spending time with the ones we love. So, if you missed some of the biggest beauty launches that happened over the last few months we don’t blame you, and we’re here to help. Below are four major beauty buys to snatch up before the rest of the world comes out of their holiday season coma.

If wearing a lot of makeup isn’t your thing but you still want a pop of color this Valentine’s Day, we suggest trying out a cheek stain. San Francisco born beauty brand, Benefit Cosmetics has four different cheek stains in their lineup, all with cute packaging and equally cutesy names (see Posietint, Lollitint). When applied to the face with a sponge or your fingers, these liquid blushes give you a natural f lush without all the fall out and fade of a powder blush. Since they are a stain, they last hours and won’t rub off on clothes or pillows, leaving you to enjoy your Valentine’s Day (or night) without the worry of fading.

Back in the fall, California beauty brand Urban Decay launched their first ever celebrity collaboration with none other than the original Cali it-girl, Gwen Stefani. Their Stefani-curated eyeshadow was a success, and over the winter the brand teased that there may be more to come from the collaboration. Lo and behold, this past month, the rest of the collection has launched, including lipsticks, lip pencils, a blush palette, and a brow box. The gold and black packaging is enough to get us to open our wallets, but having Stefani’s name on the products doesn’t hurt either. We suggest checking out this collection before it’s gone, and in the words of Gwen herself, “what you waiting for?” The collection is available at urbandecay.com and sephora.com. 2. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS GLOW KIT

PHOTO COURTESY:SEPHORA

Available at Sephora and sephora.com, $30. Nothing like a surprise product launch to keep the beauty savvy on their toes. Over the holidays Anastasia Beverly Hills, known for building their empire on brows, launched two new products that had everyone buzzing. The brand’s two Glow Kits, which feature four highlighting powders each, are a great addition to the brand’s growing arsenal of facial products. You can choose from Gleam, which features more cool-toned powders, or That Glow, which leans more towards the warm side. No matter which one you pick, you’ll be certain to have an eye-catching highlight that will be the envy of everyone. You can find your glow at anastasiabeverlyhills.com and in Macy’s Impulse stores.

3. OUAI BY JEN ATKIN

PHOTO COURTESY:USMAGAZINE

Unless you live under a rock or abstain from social media, you probably know who the Kardashian’s are. And if you’ve been keeping up with the famous family you’ll also know they all have great hair. Many of their most fabulous hair moments can be credited to one very talented woman, Jen Atkin. Celebrity hairstylist Atkin is taking her inf luence on hair trends to the next level by launching her very own haircare line, Ouai (pronounced “way”). Styling, treatment and daily care products, Ouai has it all. Of course, celebrities are loving it, and surprisingly you can, too. The product line, which officially launched at the end of January, is affordable with the highest priced item being only $32. Check out Ouai at ouai.com and in stores and online at sephora.com. 4.YSL TOUCHE ÉCLAT NEUTRALIZERS

PHOTO COURTESY:YSLBEAUTYUS

When it comes to luxury beauty there are very few items that are loved as much as YSL’s Touche Éclat highlighter. While the original Touche Éclat remains majorly popular, a new kind of this much-coveted product may soon take over its reign. At the end of January, YSL launched the next generation of Touche Éclat, the Touche Éclat Neutralizer. Coming in three shades, the color-correcting serum takes care of under eye bags, dark spots, and redness. Available in Vert Green, Violet and Abricot Bisque, the Touch Éclat Neutralizers can tackle any discoloration you might have. Of course, with a luxury product comes a luxury price, at a hefty $38 each. The Neutralizers are $4 cheaper than their original $42 Touch Éclat counterpart, so we say go for it, who can deny such a bargain? Treat yourself. Available at yslbeauty.com and Sephora.

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

ON THE BLOCK:

LORDS OF MIDTOWN BY MARTIN ALLEN

For a group of students at FIT, skateboarding is far more than just a mode of transportation. These kids are part of a uniquely stylish subculture, most of whom can be regularly found practicing their four-wheeled craft on the pavement of 27th street and 7th avenue. They are part of a new wave of skaters that focuses on new styles both on and off the board, but also harkens back to skate cultures of the old. This group, however, are not the prototypical, authority-eschewing police bait that you may have seen on TV or heard in songs (looking at you, Avril Lavigne.) They are ambitious, creative and driven students, and skateboarding is one of their unifying passions. Many of this group are not new to the skateboarding scene, at least not in the case of Evan Lesko (AMC ’19), who explains that he began skating when he was five years old after being inspired by his brother to pick up the sport. “I wanted to skate because he did,” explained Lesko. While his brother is the reason he initially began skating, he also spoke about some other figures he looks up to. Lesko cites Spanish skater, Pedro Attenborough as an inf luence, also stating that “A lot of the Supreme crew is really cool, they have really great style.” Lesko is of course referring to the group of skaters sponsored by highend streetwear giant, Supreme. In the company’s first film, 2014’s “Cherry,” many unique styles of both skating and dressing are on display. The film was directed by one of the industry’s most prominent players, William Strobeck, whose work is reminiscent of the of the ‘90s skate scene. Many of these signature styles can be found on the skaters of FIT, namely cropped khakis, Black Converse High-tops and vintage baseball caps. Lesko, who is currently working on a skate film of his own and can often be seen donning a mix of high-street styles and classic menswear, spoke further on the role that personal style plays in the skate scene. “I respect it when somebody puts in effort to dress a certain way.”

PHOTO COURTESY:MYADRENELINE.TV

As is the case with any subculture, personal style and aesthetic play a major role in the identity of skaters. Just simply by walking across campus, you can see the skaters’ myriad ways of dressing. It’s a neutral-colored array of new streetwear and time-tested workwear classics. The new style of skaters, especially here at FIT, is a far cry from the wavy-haired, baggytrousered skaters of the 90’s. Still, while these looks are not lost on the skaters of FIT, they simply wear more practical garments. Much like the comparison of mid2000’s hip-hop culture to today’s hip-hop scene, it seems like skaters are less about f lashiness and more about practicality and basics. It is not uncommon to see these kids sporting a plain white crew-neck t-shirt tucked into a pair of Dickie’s workpants, a style that some call “dad fashion.” But don’t let the paternal-esque look fool you; these kids exude a casual-minded style that is both exceedingly edgy, but also poignantly understated. Still, there is more that distinguishes their way of life than the way these kids dress. Two other mainstays of the FIT skate scene, Communication Design majors Dustin Gehringer (transfer student) and Jimmy Desbiens (’19), both clad in muted neutral colors and caps, also gave their input on style. “It kind of ties in. You could compare it to skating” said Gehringer, this time referring to the importance of one’s style of skating (i.e. movement and how one lands tricks) and one’s style of dress. He went on to cite American skater Al Davis as an example of stylish skating, “If you wanted to see style on a skateboard, look up Al Davis.” A quick look at an Al Davis video clip reveals a relaxed, easy-going, technically-sound skater purely enjoying what he does, certainly reaffirming Gehringer’s suggestion.

Art also plays a role in the skater’s identity. Throughout skateboarding’s history, art has been a key factor, be it the graphics on the boards themselves or the music used in skate films. “It all ties in, definitely all ties in. Nothing too specific,” explained Desbiens, in reference to how visual art inf luences skating. Gehringer then added “There’s a lot of skate art that’s really shitty, so I never try to get into that.” Not only visual art, but music also plays a role in the skate scene. With the advent of the skate video, styles of music like West-Coast pop-punk and ‘90s hip-hop became the de facto soundtracks to such films. “When I’m watching a skate video I prefer some type of music” said Desbiens, “somethin’ funky.” Across the board (no pun intended), with Lesko, Gehringer and Desbiens all in agreement, it’s the hip-hop music of the 1990’s that they all prefer, citing acts like Wu Tang Clan and Big Pun.

It becomes clear that these kids have a very solid sense of what they like, be it in their style of dress, the way they skate or even what they listen to. That is not to say, however, that they’re not open to new aspects of style, skating and art. “I’m still, like, trying to find my own style of art.” said Desbiens. What with the advent of the internet and the myriad digital and print avenues for skate news, it seems easier than ever to find out new trends and developments. While many things in the skate world constantly change, like clothes and board graphics, one thing has more-or-less stayed the same: the boards themselves. Ever since the skate scene accepted the current shape the boards are in, not much has been changed. “It’s been the same, pretty much since like they started making these shaped boards.” Said Lesko. While the skaters of FIT all seem to have their own unique styles of dress, tastes in art and of course styles of skating, there is one unifying factor; their love of skateboarding. These kids defy the, while offensive and general, prototypical skater image. They are not punks, they are not thugs. They are passionate, kind, creative kids who bond over a shared interest, and that certainly is the most fashionable thing of all.

DEAR INDUSTRY

FIT

PHOTO COURTESY: BACKYARD BILL

A C O N C E P T G R O W S I N B R O O K LY N : K A I AV E N T- D E L E O N TA L K S S I N C E R E LY, T O M M Y BY DANA HEYWARD

THE MARKET RESEARCH I LEARNED AT FIT HELPED CHANNEL INTO FIGURING OUT MY TARGET MARKET FOR SINCERELY, TOMMY. WHEN WRITING MY BUSINESS PLAN THERE WAS DEFINITELY THINGS FROM FIT THAT HELPED AND I HAD A HEAD START IN CHANNELING THE TYPES OF PRODUCTS I COULD BUY BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL.

From the moment you enter the concept store, Sincerely, Tommy, perched on the corner of Tompkins Avenue in BedfordStuyvesant, Brooklyn, it’s clear that the spot is a love letter and ode to upcoming designers and creative communities. After opening it’s doors in September 2014, the store has been met with an overwhelming response and a lot of it has to do with the woman behind it. W27 chatted with owner and heart behind the operation, Kai Avent-deLeon and discussed small-business owner woes, staying true and lessons learned.

Dana Heyward: Where did the idea for Sincerely, Tommy come from and what pushed you to pursue it? Kai Avent-deLeon: When I was 16 I started working at a clothing store in Brooklyn that was similar to what Sincerely, Tommy is today. It was ahead of it’s time and I fell in love with the environment. The owners created this space for people to connect with each other and they definitely were very clear of their vision. So ever since then I was inspired to create something like that of my own. DH: You’re a Bed-Stuy native. Why did you feel like it was important or necessary to create a business in your hometown?

KA: I wanted to create a space for people to connect and a space that has a energy. You know, you go to stores like Opening Ceremony and Dover Street Market and you know the brand and maybe over time you know the staff and there’s this sense of community. But there wasn’t anything like that in Bed-Stuy so I felt the need to create something like that back here.

quality of items and knowing how things are made from a buyer’s point-of-view. Also the market research I learned at FIT helped channel into figuring out my target market for Sincerely, Tommy. When writing my business plan there was definitely things from FIT that helped and I had a head start in channeling the types of products I could buy because of the school.

DH: What are the trickiest parts about being a small-business owner?

DH: Is there something that you know now that you wish you could tell yourself 5 years ago?

KA: Staffing is tricky just because there’s so many different things you don’t think about when you open a business. Having to find new team members who are responsive can definitely have it’s challenges. You definitely have to find a balance between being a authority and being someone they can connect with. It was really challenging to entrust someone in being in the space alone when you’re the creator and owner. Also finding time for yourself is a challenge. In the beginning I was there 24/7 doing everything. I was doing the buying, financing, the sales job. So you really have to find a balance and figure out time management to carve out time for yourself because your sanity is important. Now I’m learning to make time for myself in the mornings and afternoons so everything related to the store is done between the hours of operations. DH: You studied Fashion Merchandising at FIT for two years. Do you have any lessons from FIT that you still carry with you today? KA: Well, I’ve learned I’m definitely more creative person than a technical. I also took the high school classes there like patternmaking and accessory design and they definitely play a part in how I view the

KA: This sounds cliche but be yourself. It’s so easy to say you want to do something but actually executing it is where it gets difficult. Being very true to what you want to do and executing it how you want is important. I’ve had this dream for over 10 years and while location might not be ideal for most retail locations there was no changing my plans. The power of thought is really powerful so for me for there was no alternative. I stuck to my vision and I was really true to what I wanted and you definitely see that when you come into the store. DH: What advice do you have for people who are debating job security vs following their dreams? KA: It all depends on the person. There’s definitely people who may succeed more in a structured environment. Having a business is not for everyone but there’s nothing wrong with a nine-to-five job. Some people are born for that and there’s born to have there own business and not work for other people. It’s all about checking in and figuring out what works for you.

C O L L E G E F A S H I O N I S TA FOUNDER, AMY LEVIN, TA L K S N E W P O D C A S T SERIES “OFFICE HOURS” BY JENNY KIM

PHOTO COURTESY: ALLTHEPEOPLE.NET

CollegeFashionista, the site that lives and breathes college campus fashion around the world, finally released a new project that they have been secretly working on. Their new content is a podcast series called “Office Hours” where CollegeFashionista’s founder, Amy Levin, sits down with inspiring fashion and beauty leaders to discuss their stories, their successes and advice they’d like to share. “Office Hours” is free and readily available on iTunes, SoundCloud as well as CollegeFashionista’s very own website. Extremely excited about the new series, Levin chatted with W27 to share more information on what listeners can expect in the future.

Jenny Kim: Tell us about CollegeFashionista’s new podcast, “Office Hours.” Amy Levin: CollegeFashionista’s new podcast series “Office Hours” is the only office hours you will actually want to attend. In each episode, I chat with inspiring fashion and beauty insiders about the industry, career paths and what they have learned along the way. Listeners can expect to gain invaluable insight and inspiration on furthering their own careers while getting access to conversations you won’t hear anywhere else. If you are going to listen to “Office Hours” then get ready to get schooled in style (and learn a thing or two in the process).

JK: What made you want to create this podcast and what is the goal/purpose of it? Also, why podcast and not something else? AL: I think that podcasts are the perfect medium for millennials, including me, because we are always on the go. Podcasts allow us to listen to amazing content while we are doing daily tasks. As for the purpose of the podcast, we wanted a series where listeners could hear good content and true stories from successful people in the fashion and beauty industry. The goal of all the content we create for CollegeFashionista is to inspire millennials and shape their future through the information they learn from our brand, so we feel that the podcast series “Office Hours” will definitely help to further that goal.

JK: Can you tell us some guests who are expected to appear in the podcast, just for sneak peek? AL: A new podcast comes out every other week and our first episode kicks off with the Editor-in-Chief of SELF Magazine, Joyce Chang, on February 2nd, 2016. The second episode will feature powerhouse Hannah Bronfman who is an entrepreneur, model and a DJ. Also, later on, you can expect to hear from Kristie Dash, who is the digital beauty editor at Allure Magazine. Along the way, we have a huge line up of many motivational leaders and we are very excited for our viewers and listeners to hear their stories and their advices.

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

G LU M O U T LO O K F O R R E TA I L E R S I N 2 0 1 6 BY LILY WRIGHT

With 4,516 stores in the United States and 6,290 stores worldwide, there is no question that Walmart is a superhero in the world of retail. As e-commerce continues to f lourish, the glory days of brick-and-mortar stores are dwindling, and slow sales this holiday season aren’t helping. By the end of January, the retail giant will close 269 stores, 154 of which are in the United States, as well as some in Brazil and Latin America. The closings will affect more than 16,000 employees, 10,000 in the U.S. alone, and they’re not the only company who seem to be struggling. These closings are all too familiar to brick-and-mortar retailers all over the country, whose business are being crushed by online merchants like Amazon — which alone accounted for almost a quarter of all retail sales growth last year according to The New York Times. Pricing makes it even more difficult for brick-and-mortar stores to compete with online sellers, as it seems you can always find merchandise cheaper when shopping on the Internet. Walmart has already stated that they plan to use the money from the closing stores to rebuild their online site and hope to get more people to buy online. Unfortunately after the 2008 recession, Walmart had a slow reaction to the growth of online shoppers, turning once loyal Walmart customers into new loyal online discount store customers. Even though the retailer is heavily investing in their e-commerce business now, their online growth still continues to decline.

L I N K N YC : A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE TELEPHONE BO OTH BY DANIEL NISSIM The telephone booth holds a special place in history. In the late 19th/early 20th century, it provided the public access to the burgeoning advent of the telephone — the ability speak to someone as if they were right in front of you no matter the space that may divide you. With the introduction of the cell phone and its near total public adoption, the telephone booth stands forgotten, beaten, broken and abused. Throughout the city, many simply don’t work at all. Enter 2014. Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted a competitive proposal process looking to replace the current, aging public telephone infrastructure with more modern technology. A consortium called CityBridge was selected to meet the task with LinkNYC

Macy’s is also having a bit of trouble, especially after this unseasonably warm holiday season. Due to the warm temperatures, the retailer had to knock down prices on usual high sellers like scarves and hats and coats, losing money on some of their most expensive products — posting a sales drop of 5.2 percent. They’re facing similar struggles as Walmart and are worried about consumer buying habits. Along with online shoppers, Macy’s is facing the fact that young people’s preferences have shifted and they now spend their money on services like spas and restaurants instead of material items. They are also finding that when they do spend money on fashions, they will most likely spend their money on high-end brands that have had their prices slashed, at places like Marshalls and T.J Maxx. In response, Macy’s has decided to close about 40 of their stores throughout the nation. They too are using the money from the closings to expand on their Internet presence as well as invest in more Macy’s Backstage stores to compete with T.J. Maxx.

LinkNYC seeks to replace the outdated telephone booth with modern kiosks. Each kiosk, known as “Links,” host free high-speed (gigabit actually) WiFi, have tablets for searching the Internet and other resources, ports for charging mobile devices and offer free domestic calls including easy 311 and 911 calls. LinkNYC has just entered their beta phase, with only 16 Links as of publication, and plan on having 510 Links installed by July, 4,550 in its first four years and 7,550 when the project is completed. The installation of these Links also bring new fiber infrastructure to the city, which will help provide high-speed internet to indoor public spaces. I ventured to third avenue, currently the only location of installed Links, to test the service. At first I was captured by the sleek design of the kiosks — thin and well-engineered with a beautiful display for advertising (or public service announcements) on both sides. Coming up to the Link, there’s a built-in tablet, a keypad, USB ports for charging mobile devices and red button for 911 calls. Unfortunately, at this phase in the beta, the tablet was non-functional so I was unable to test its features along with the free calling.

PHOTO COURTESY: WALMART.COM

Walmart competitor Target is also feeling the sales pressure. They’re closing 13 stores due to decreasing profitability. After their terrifying credit card breach in 2013 sent customers running, the retailer has been having trouble getting customers back into their stores. Recently, they tried to branch out into Canada and increase their global presence, but the stores only cost them. Target’s spokesperson, Kristy Welker, stated, “The decision to close a Target store is not made lightly. We typically decide to close a store after careful consideration of the long-term financial performance of a particular location.” These closings were obviously foreshadowed by the major 2015 layoffs at their headquarters in Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park when they laid off one-fifth of their staff (2,500 workers).

The main feature LinkNYC is showcasing at the moment is its free gigabit — that’s really f lippin’ fast — WiFi. Connecting to the Link’s network was easy. All I had to do was provide my email address, and I was online. According to Engadget, each Link has a 150-foot range, but with the way they’re so densely situated it shouldn’t be hard to maintain a connection. According to Speedtest, I was seeing download speeds of 87 Mbps and upload speeds of 65 Mbps. In reference, according to the FCC, the average broadband download speed is 31 Mbps (as of a September 2014 test). When an Engadget reviewer tested LinkNYC’s WiFi he received mixed results — which is to be expected with a public network — with highest recorded speeds of 280 Mbps download and 317 Mbps upload. As far as free Internet goes, heck any Internet service in general, that is extremely fast. Customers pay hundreds of dollars a month for that kind of service.

From these closings it is evident that consumer buying habits have changed dramatically over the last 10 years. According to a study done by Forbes, only one percent of millennials would trust a brand more based on advertisements — a hard concept for many retailers to embrace because that is how consumers have always learned about brands and what they stand for. Retailers must find a way to get customers back into their stores and off of their laptops and smartphones if they want their physical stores to survive. Although we cannot blame all of the failure on the Internet, it would certainly help retailers to invest more time and money on e-commerce and social media exposure. They need to learn what makes millennials want to shop at their store and make that their biggest focus since their age group finds it hardest to shop in person. All in all, retailers across the nation need to take a good look at their sales strategies or we could see an even greater shift away from physical storefronts.

PHOTO COURTESY: DANIEL NISSIM

All in all, LinkNYC represents a bright future for the city of New York. It will provide free high-speed WiFi for the public — including many who cannot afford it — along with a slew of additional services. It seems the only thing these Links will be unable to provide is shelter to brave the weather or as a nice, intimate spot to share some one-on-one time with that special someone.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LINKNYC PROGRAM AND LOCATION INFORMATION, GO TO WWW.LINK.NYC

DEAR INDUSTRY

FIT

A LEGACY STEPS DOWN

CODDINGTON, THE ORANGE-

When Grace Coddington steps down as creative director of Vogue, it will be the end of an era. No, she’s not leaving Vogue all together. She will be switching into the newly created position of creative director at large instead. Coddington, the orange-haired model turned creative director, has shaped the pages of Vogue for years — 28 to be exact — and in turn shaped the fashion industry as we know it.

TURN SHAPED THE FASHION

BY KAYLEE DENMEAD

Known not only for being Anna Wintour’s wingwoman, but also as one of the few people capable of standing up to her, Coddington’s fashion career started years ago when she was a young girl living vicariously through the glossy pages of a scavenged fashion magazine. In the sixties, Coddington made her way to London to give modeling a go. During a time when positions were f luid and models ran with only the coolest crowd, Coddington was featured in Vogue’s “Young Ideas” section. Sporting one of Vidal Sassoon’s most famous hairstyles, termed the five point cut, her modeling career was well underway until a car accident ended it at just 26. Rather than run from the business, Coddington became immersed in a different side of it — behind the pages rather than on them.

Coddington was well-versed in styling herself for shoots from makeup and hair to the clothes and accessories. Two years after her accident, she became a junior fashion editor at British Vogue under Beatrix Miller. In what we all hope will be our own ladder to success, Coddington climbed the ranks, landing the role of senior fashion editor by 1976. Eleven years later, she left to pursue a short stint as design director at Calvin Klein — her appreciation for American fashion setting her apart from other fashion editors at the time. In 1988, the almighty Anna Wintour picked Coddington out herself to become creative director at U.S. Vogue, a title as coveted as Wintour’s own. From there, her work is best explained on the pages of Vogue. Her unyielding vision has brought images of fresh and unique beauty to the most well-known magazine in the world year after year. With a focus forever on the clothes, her spreads could be moody and dark or colorful and fun, yet they have the distinct “Grace tough.” Her longstanding position was a hold on fashion as it was — before social media, cell phones and world wide web took hold, never to release their grip again.

JEANS OF THE FUTURE BY KAYLA RENSHAW

PHOTO COURTESY: WWW.KLIK.GR

Denim jeans have become a staple in our society and can be seen almost everywhere. However, the need for long-lasting, durable jeans has become a topic of concern for many consumers, leading manufacturers, such as Levi’s and Diesel, scrambling for ways to improve existing products. In addition to the big manufacturers, designers and fabric manufacturers have also been searching for a way to make a jean that is affordable and will have mass appeal. Salman Chaudry, CEO of ODO Denim, has created a formula that is anti-stain and anti-smell — a formula that has the potential to change denim world as we know it. The inspiration for the company comes from the CEO of Levi Strauss, Chip Bergh, who stated that he hadn’t washed his jeans in more than a year and consumers should be following in his footsteps. Bergh knows the concept is unsettling and even stated, “I know that sounds totally disgusting, I know it does...But I have yet to get skin disease or anything else.” Chaudry took those words to heart and ran with idea. ODO’s jeans are different from the rest not just because the fabric does not need to be washed, but the fabric itself is self-cleaning. Chaudry and a team of various textile brands came up with the concept for the jeans. Through the use of nanotechnology, or Nano Sphere, the nano particles form a build up on

HAIRED MODEL TURNED CREATIVE DIRECTOR, HAS SHAPED THE PAGES OF VOGUE FOR YEARS — 28 TO BE EXACT — AND IN

INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT.

PHOTO COURTESY: NYMAG.COM

Though Coddington’s new position will keep her magical touch upon the pages of Vogue, albeit from a distance, it gives her a freedom she hasn’t had before: time away from fashion’s holy grail. With time to pursue other projects, Coddington will be represented by the Great Bowery group, who will help her manage and develop the pitches that come her way. Already in the works is a fragrance collaboration with Comme des Garçons.

Of the changing fashion industry, Coddington has said, “It’s always of the moment and the moment always changes. I would never want to give it up.” And while she hasn’t given up her reign at Vogue just yet, she has taken a step back. While no one knows who will be the next creative director at the leading fashion publication, one thing is for sure: they have some of the biggest, and possibly the most fashionable, shoes to fill.

ODO’S JEANS ARE the surface of the denim which is made to def lect stains such as coffee, wine and soil. The self-cleaning properties are embedded in the fabric allowing any liquid or solid to easily be brushed off. These technological advancements have taken the concept of simple denim jeans to all new heights. Beyond their stain-free and selfcleaning properties, ODO’s jeans are also odor free. Our clothing smells for a number of different reasons — mainly due to sweat. Although sweat itself does not have a distinct smell, the bacteria that feed on sweat produce an odor which is what gets trapped in clothing. The ODO Denim team has created a technology that uses a 99.9% silver bonded polymer to kill all odorproducing bacteria for the lifespan of the jean. This is the first of its kind to be used in clothing. With sustainability in the fashion industry becoming a growing concern, Chaudry also tried to make ODO’s jeans as eco-friendly as possible. Denim jeans are one of the most water absorbing articles of clothing that people own, which is why Chaudry made it a priority to make the jeans self-cleaning — cutting back on the amount of water wasted to clean denim.

DIFFERENT FROM THE REST NOT JUST BECAUSE THE FABRIC DOES NOT NEED TO BE WASHED, BUT THE FABRIC ITSELF IS SELF-CLEANING. Lucky for the average consumer, ODO’s jeans are being sold at an affordable price — hovering around the $115 mark. The company is paving the way for the whole industry and the technology used may be just the thing they have been looking for. Imagine owning fewer items of clothing per category — pants, shirts, etc. — because they are selfcleaning. Here’s hoping for a brighter, and cleaner, future for fashion.

W27

SOS FROM EOS BY THAIS DERJANGOCYAN

11 According to The Huffington Post, on Jan. 12 a class action lawsuit was filed against EOS by a consumer located in California. The consumer stated that they suffered a 10-day reaction after using EOS lip balm. This sparked hundreds of new cases claiming similar reactions from consumers all across the country. If words were not enough, consumers who suffered through these reactions also posted pictures of their lips on Twitter and Facebook. Despite these “not so smooth” claims against EOS, the company has not removed its products from stores and has not claimed responsibility for the issue.

Imagine putting your trusty lip balm on, one that has been endorsed by Hollywood stars, only to get rashes, blisters and sores all around your mouth a few hours later. That is exactly what happened to an array of customers who had been using the famous eggshaped lip balm by EOS over the past few weeks.

DRY WEATHER, ALLERGIES,

Evolution of Smooth (EOS) lip balm is a global company that makes numerous skin products, but is widely known for its unique and colorful egg shaped lip balms. The company, which prides itself on its all natural products and affordability, successfully made its way into the lip balm market and was positively endorsed by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Hilary Duff — making it one of the most used lip balms around the world.

WHO HAD A REACTION MAY

EXCESSIVE LIP LICKING AND/OR DROOLING COULD ALL BE CULPRITS TO THE RASHES. ALSO, CONSUMERS

BE ALLERGIC TO ONE OF THE INGREDIENTS USED IN THE LIP BALM

FEBRUARY 2016

The lawsuit filed against EOS ultimately wants them to change their advertising to be more clear about what goes in their products as well as admit the damages it has done. EOS is defending its product and backing it up with facts about its manufacturing. A spokeswoman from EOS stated, “We comply with all standards and guidelines regarding ingredient use and labeling — we want our consumers to understand what’s in our products and make informed choices, particularly if they might have sensitivity to a particular ingredient.” They also responded to worried consumers on their Facebook page saying, “Some of you may have seen reports of a lawsuit filed against our company. We wanted to be sure that you, our valued customers and fans, know that the health and well-being of our customers is our top priority. Our products are safe to use, are made with the highest-quality ingredients and they all meet or exceed all safety and quality standards set out by our industry. An independent laboratory puts each of our products through a battery of rigorous testing to ensure this is the case. For these reasons, we firmly believe this lawsuit is without merit, and we will continue to create new and exciting products that delight our customers.”

Dermatologists who viewed these photos are stating that many things could have caused the rashes supposedly brought on by EOS, and it may not be the company’s fault. Dry weather, allergies, excessive lip licking and/or drooling could all be culprits to the rashes. Also, consumers who had a reaction may be allergic to one of the ingredients used in the lip balm which is listed on the product’s packaging. According to The Chicago Tribune, EOS says the allegations against them are meritless, and it will continue to fight a steady stream of complaints until this dilemma is put to rest. The settlement, which took place on Jan. 28, confirmed that EOS products are safe as reported by The Consumerist. In fact, to show that EOS listens to their customers, they will add additional information on to their packaging to keep the customers who were wary at ease. Mature and caring, EOS has left this ordeal both confident in their products and have demonstrated their level of commitment to meeting their consumers’ needs.

D U D E L O O K S L I K E A L A DY FE LL A S FL AU NT FE M I N I N E FA S H I O N S F O R FA LL BY JONATHAN LEE “I DON’T THINK IT’S NECESSARY TO SWITCH TOO MUCH FOR MEN’S AND The fashion world was once divided into womenswear and menswear, but now the line between the two camps seems to be quickly dissolving. From Gucci’s pussy bows on the catwalk, to Marco Rubio’s three-inch heels on the campaign trail, 2016 may be the year that completely redefines the relationship between gender and dress. Last fall, Gucci’s menswear show featured long-haired boys in bow-necked blouses, lace tunics and chiffon. This season, Gucci did it again by sending men out onto the runway in suits with feminine lines and accents such as floral prints. Meanwhile, Rick Owens painted his male models in Geisha-like makeup and garbed them in wide-legged pants that gave the male figure a more feminine silhouette. “I don’t think it’s necessary to switch too much for men’s and women’s because I think that men and women are not so different,” Gucci’s Creative Director Alessandro Michele told Women’s Wear Daily last March. He continued, “They are different, but in some way you can create a world that is for both. I love that a girl can try to be in the dress of a man, and that a man can try to choose something from the women’s wardrobe. It’s quite modern.”

WOMEN’S BECAUSE I THINK THAT MEN AND WOMEN ARE NOT SO DIFFERENT”

Actually, pushing the gender boundaries in fashion is old hat, dating as far back as Louis XIV’s white tights and colorful high-heeled shoes in the 17th century. Androgyny has influenced modern dress since at least the 1970s when the late David Bowie, under the stage name Ziggy Stardust, made gender blurring cool in the age of glam rock. Male runway models, baroque French monarchs and bisexual extraterrestrial rock stars aren’t the only ones embracing their feminine sides. Florida Senator and presidential candidate Marco Rubio toed the line between masculine and feminine in his “high-heeled booties,” as Republican rival Ted Cruz mockingly dubbed them. The Cut compared Rubio’s foppish footwear to that of One Direction boy band member Harry Styles, who placed No. 6 on GQ’s 50 best-dressed men in Britain list this year.

Once reserved for grande dames, fur has also become manlier thanks to the prominently furry costumes worn by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kurt Russell in two machismo-fueled films, “The Revenant” and “The Hateful Eight,” respectively. About 63 percent of designers showing in the European main capitals used fur in their FW16/17 menswear collections, according to the International Fur Federation. In London, Burberry and Coach showcased oversized fur coats. In Milan, Dolce & Gabbana presented over-fluffed shearling coats, and Marni and Giorgio Armani offered fur stoles. In Paris, fur turned up in pelts by Valentino and Louis Vuitton. Speaking of Louis Vuitton, budding style icon Jaden Smith, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s 17-year-old son, recently modeled for the French fashion house’s SS16 womenswear — yes, you read that right — campaign. Dressed in a fringed top and pleated skirt, baby-faced Smith, whose personal style is androgynous anyhow, fit right in with the leggy female models. “He represents a generation that has assimilated the codes of true freedom, one that is free of manifestos and questions about gender,” LV’s Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière said in a press release.

PHOTO COURTESY: DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Ghesquière is right about us living in a generation that challenges gender norms more and more. But is the world ready to cross over completely into unisex clothing? Or is gender fluidity simply a fleeting fad? While it’s certainly an interesting time for men’s fashion, it’s doubtful that we’ll be seeing more guys wearing skirts in the near future.

TOP PHOTO COURTESY: HTTP://ASSETS.BWBX.IO/

FEATURE

FIT

FASHION IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL RACE BY MEGHAN KANE

PHOTO COURTESY: JLCAUVIN.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: NYDAILYNEWS.COM

PHOTO COURTESY:PBS.TWIMG.COM

PHOTO COURTESY:MSNBC.COM

Politics and fashion have gone together since the birth of government; seeing as fashion has always had a correlation to status and economic standing. The 2016 presidential race is full of ensembles worth scrutinizing. Here we see the politics of fashion and the fashion of politics intersect. Sarah Palin’s MILLY bolero jacket was the talk of Twitter on the day of her speech announcing her support for Donald J. Trump. Many faces mirrored that of Trump’s during Palin’s speech after learning that the $695 jacket sold out on the Saks Fifth Avenue website. “In fact it’s time to drill, baby, drill down, and hold these folks accountable.” The slogan Palin popularized in 2008 was once again repeated. Much like this spiky sheath which the former candidate for vice president had worn on CBS Sunday back in November. Donald Trump’s embroidered baseball cap with the slogan “Make America Great Again” is a staple in his presidential campaign wardrobe and is reminiscent of the “normcore” trend. Trump’s unremarkable, paredback accessory is about appearing approachable and “normal” to Middle America. Normcore wearers have been loosely defined as people who do not wish to distinguish themselves from others by their clothing, consciously choosing clothes that are undistinguished – except for a highly visible label to impart inf luence. In congruence with the tired spoofs of designer brands such as Céline and Comme des Garçons appearing on T-shirts and snapbacks galore, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) decided to brighten Trump’s dull saying by selling the “Make America Gay Again” hat and managed to make it cool. Trump has a mixed record on LGBT equality. According to HRC, while he’s been a consistent opponent of marriage equality, he has also supported protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination in the workplace by adding sexual orientation to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That’s a pair of ideas as compatible as a baseball hat with Trump’s signature Brioni suit. Marco Rubio’s dainty heeled booties, too short to be called boots, have been ridiculed and made to look like clown shoes when in reality, their height is not much different from a pair of regular cowboy boots (which have been sported by Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.) With comparisons drawn to the likes of Harry Styles and even Austin Powers, courtesy of MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough of “Morning Joe,” Rubio’s footwear has become somewhat of a sensation.

But what should really be drawing our attention are Jeb Bush’s “debating boots” and their agreement with the trend surrounding personalized clothing. Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and specifically Rag & Bone with those embroidered jackets made popular by Joan and Karlie, came to mind when Bush posted a picture of his “JEB” boots on Twitter last October. It’s no wonder he feels the need to brandish his first name when he has his father and his brother to thank for the implications of his last. When it comes Hillary Clinton and her sartorial choices, there’s not much that she doesn’t already affirm. The former secretary of state is extremely candid about her personal aesthetic; a tactic that has succeeded in making her more likeable, unlike her clumsy attempts to reach young voters with the use of popular lingo. It’s less about the monochrome pantsuits and more about how she wears them. If she were as assured in her platform, she wouldn’t need to constantly play the woman card. But of all the candidates, it is Bernie Sanders and his lack of fashion that truly stands out. His far left approach to politics fits perfectly with his just rolled out of bed look, and his laid back attitude has helped build him a strong following. With a disheveled head of white f luff and rumpled getup, Sanders has become the butt of countless jokes including, “he looks like he just missed his f light.” The look works for him. Sanders’ supporters are drawn to his unpolished authenticity; so much so that an array of T-shirts with slogans like “Talk Bernie to Me” and “Feel the Bern” are being seen on swarms of trendy liberals. His political stances are fashionably avant-garde while his appearance is like a byproduct of his proposed payroll tax increase – a nonprofit employee who just lost his job. Ironically, we’re drawn to people who dress well and present themselves in an appealing manner yet we’re uncomfortable when politicians embrace fashion. Politics is a show, so why not enjoy the spectacle?

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

BARBIE G ETS A MAKEOVE R BY VERONICA MARRINAN

Barbie probably wouldn’t be the first thing you would expect someone to get death threats over. And yet, that is the reality that Evelyn Mazzocco has faced every day since taking over the job of Senior Vice President of Mattel in 2014. Sure, Barbie has always been well known, but not always for the right reasons. Although she’s been re-branded from the bachelor gag-joke she originally was, her unrealistic body has continued to overshadow her stream of continuous careers. Of course a little girl can be anything she wants - but what if she doesn’t look like that astronaut doll when she gets older? Shouldn’t her body be just as attainable as her career? In an era where young girls are finally being told that they can be whatever they want by campaigns such as GapKids’ collaboration with ED, moms and kids alike seem less drawn to dolls that come with a wedding dress and no career. But the hate mail most likely comes from another source: the increased outcry over Barbie’s body over the past few years. Not only is Barbie’s body an ideal, it’s unreachable— simply from a scientific standard. And while Barbie may be a doll, she is not “just a doll,” rather, she’s an icon, and icons have an impact on the values and standards of those that look up to them. Since that consists mainly of girls between the ages of three and 10, many argue that such unrealistic images can only be harmful.

DESIGNING A DOLL THAT IS SO WIDELY CONSUMED BY A YOUNG AUDIENCE BEARS A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY— PARENTS LOOK AT BARBIE AS NOT JUST A TOY BUT AS A ROLE MODEL FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BECAUSE SHE REPRESENTS AN OLDER VERSION OF WHO THEY MIGHT BECOME. With Barbie sales plummeting, Mattel had originally begun to try different solutions — an interactive website for Barbie, movies and clothing. They also introduced a more diverse group of dolls, including more complex hair types and facial features. But as mothers continued to voice their opinion with their money, it became clear that maybe the overall problem really was Barbie’s body type. Designing a doll that is so widely consumed by a young audience bears a lot of responsibility— parents look at Barbie as not just a toy but as a role model for their children, because she represents an older version of who they might become.

When the Lego toy company surpassed Mattel in sales in 2013, the Barbie team sat down for a defining meeting. “If you could start the brand over, with no rules or expectations in place, what would you do?” was the question posed to them. The outcome of the meeting was Project Dawn, an endeavor to make Barbie relevant again through the introduction of new body types. Barbie now will be available in four different body types: the original Barbie, tall, curvy and petite. Girls will now be able to choose not only a doll with their ethnicity, but one whose body is more realistic as well.

But this decision is not without its risks for Mattel. The icon has been taken down from her podium and placed back into the real world, among real body types. There are now two shoe sizes and multiple clothing size options. Barbie’s clothes and accessories will no longer fit all of her friends, and theirs will no longer fit her. Children may get frustrated while playing, and the distribution of multiple sizing is a whole new world for Mattel to tackle. But on the other hand, the need for buying multiple outfits for multiple dolls could bring in a lot more revenue for them.

By finally providing consumers with more options, Mattel shows not only that they are concerned with the example Barbie is setting for young girls, but also that they are a socially aware company. Body positivity has been having a big moment as of late, and companies like Dove, Dear Kate and Monif C. have capitalized on it by expanding their advertising campaigns to include models of all sizes. Aerie, as well as editorial magazines such as Verily, have agreed to stop photoshopping their models for good. Celebrities like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Lena Dunham have been speaking out against fans who put them down over their bodies. Beauty ideals are evolving to accept more curvy silhouettes (see Nicki Minaj and Kim Kardashian). And mothers who buy toys for their daughters are often unwilling to expose their children to more “perfect” body types than necessary.

There is no way to tell for sure what will happen to Barbie now that she’s being so radically rebranded. Many have said that they want to see a difference in Mattel’s outlook, but only time will tell if customers think Mattel has gone far enough or not. Will the price point of Barbie need to change? Will she be less affordable, and if so, will consumers think that the benefits of having a realistic role model for their children lead them to buy her anyway? There also resides the question about whether a toy like Barbie, that has had a history of being marketed only to girls, can stay relevant in the toy market when genderneutral toys have been growing in popularity. Will Mattel begin marketing her to boys? Or will she become an emblem of girl power, with a talk box that talks about the wage gap instead of how hard math is?

By providing other options for their customers, Mattel is showing that they are aware of the social climate their consumers live in. Sending this message to their customer base is beyond valuable— after all, they have to go through two customers to make a sale: the child who wants the toy, and the parent who pays for it. The latter is changing as the millennial mother enters today’s parental group, and it is becoming increasingly obvious that millennials are dedicated to their opinions. Through Project Dawn, Mattel has shown that they are willing to respond to the critique of their customers in a dramatic way.

As put by Barbie biographer M.G. Lord, Barbie was designed to teach women where they stand in society, “for better or for worse.” By making Barbie’s body as attainable as her careers, perhaps Mattel is hoping to sway towards the former.

PHOTO COURTESY: MADISON365.COM

FEATURE

FIT

AMY

MICCIO

WHAT DO YOU SHOOT YOUR PHOTOS WITH?

PHOTOGRAPHY MAJOR

I shoot with a Canon T5i. I have been recently shooting with various disposable cameras as well for a new project Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working on.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY? I took my first photography class in high school, with no intention of becoming a photographer. Photography went from more of a pastime to something that allowed me to express myself. Through creating images, photography has always allowed me to show my emotions.

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WHAT DO YOU ENJOY PHOTOGRAPHING THE MOST? I really enjoy working with kids.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO USE BARBIE?

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE FIT?

I think their authenticity and just sheer comfortability in social situations allows them to be confident and willing to let loose in front of the camera.

I’ve been a creative person my whole life. I have always been artistic but had never looked at it as something I could make a career out of. It wasn’t until I was studying liberal arts at SUNY Purchase that I realized my happiness relied heavily on being artistic and that there was a way of making a career out of my craft. I decided to go to FIT because of its great reputation in the arts. I also recognized FIT as a realistic college that not only taught you creatively but also through a businesslike perspective as well.

Barbie is a very charged icon in our world. She’s the epitome of perfection and has been greatly criticized for this for years. She’s flawed in the sense that she possess no ---- and lacks no familiarity or relatability. There’s a social uproar that constantly surrounds her. I like making Barbie anonymous by never photographing her in her entirety. Through my imagery of her I show that regardless of her distinction she lacks individuality. Although we are all aware of what Barbie is we are unaware of who she is.

AFTER YOU EARN YOUR DEGREE, WHATS NEXT FOR YOU? That’s a great question, one that I ask myself about 5 times a day. I think shooting children’s fashion would be something I would have a lot of fun doing.

FEATURE

FIT

SEAN PENN: HERO OR VILLAIN? BY ALLISON HATCH

ROLLING STONE GAVE GUZMÁN THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW ALL RELEVANT

PHOTO COURTESY: AMCNETWORKS.COM

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn’s 10,000-word article for Rolling Stone about his exclusive interview with drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has managed to rupture social media and catch the attention of millions of people worldwide. On Jan. 9, the magazine released the article online, along with a two-minute video clip of Guzmán responding to Penn’s questions, only a day after Guzmán was recaptured by Mexican authorities. Penn’s secret meeting with Guzmán took place in October with the assistance of Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, which according to CNN, Mexican Attorney General Arely Gomez Gonzalez called “‘essential’ for his capture.” While it remains unclear of Penn’s role in the arrest of one of the most renowned drug lords, disputes over Penn’s misguided article and Rolling Stone’s decision to publish have sparked conversation over the ethics of the piece. Guzmán is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the world’s largest drug rings with, according to Insight Crime, a reach from New York City to Buenos Aires and business in 50 countries. Guzmán became involved in the narcotics business at 15 yearsold when he began working in marijuana and poppy fields in the mountains of Sinaloa, Mexico as a mechanism for survival in an area with few job opportunities. Now, as Penn notes in his article, Guzmán proudly confided, “‘I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a f leet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats’.” Guzmán had been incarcerated twice prior to his capture on Jan. 8. In 2014, Guzmán was caught at a hotel by Mexican marines after being tracked down for 13 months. Much to his amusement, it was revealed that Hollywood producers were clamoring for the rights to a biographical film on his life. Guzmán, however, decided that the only person suited to tell his story was Castillo, who caught his attention after tweeting “Mr. Chapo, wouldn’t it be cool that you started trafficking with love?” along with several proposals for Guzmán as to how ideally his business would serve as a beneficiary to society, rather than being fuled on the trade of illegal substances. Guzmán’s attorneys contacted Castillo, and soon after the actress and drug lord were communicating.

In July 2015, Guzmán escaped the Antiplano prison through a hole dug in his cell shower that lead to a milelong underground tunnel; the tunnel was specially designed by his engineers with training in Germany that allowed them to create a passage with a track for him to ride out by motorcycle, despite low levels of oxygen. He remained in contact with Castillo, and as Penn caught wind of the film project coming into fruition, he proposed writing a magazine story about Guzmán to one of the drug lord’s mutual friends. After pitching the idea to Rolling Stone’s founder Jann Wenner, Penn struck out on a journey to an undisclosed location with Castillo and several others to meet notorious drug kingpin himself. Penn recounts his brief encounter with Guzmán over a lengthy article for Rolling Stone, where he appears to hold the drug lord in an esteemed light. He describes him as “wearing a casual patterned silk shirt, pressed black jeans, and he appears remarkably wellgroomed and healthy for a man on the run.” Aside from his clean image, Penn remarks how Guzmán’s “warm smile” remains for the whole evening, through seven hours of conversation. Guzmán confesses to visiting his mother frequently, adding that “‘I hoped we would meet at my ranch and you could meet my mother. She knows me better than I do’.” Penn compares Guzman to a “Robin Hood figure,” due to the relief efforts he founded in the Sinaloa mountains. Penn’s questions were reserved for the video interview that would take place after he returned to the U.S. due to security threats and the need for Guzmán to remain undetected by encroaching Mexican authorities. And thus, over a month later, they were filmed by one of Guzmán’s men and translated into Spanish, while Castillo translated his responses back to English for Penn. After the interview, Rolling Stone gave Guzmán the authority to review all relevant material before publication, and despite him not asking for any changes to Penn’s work, the journalism world was aghast by Penn’s seemingly insouciance with the crimes carried out by Guzmán and how he paints the infamous drug lord in a rosycolored hue for his report.

Journalists were shocked at the lack of depth and lack of investigative literacy the questions Penn posed. Novelist Don Winslow, who has researched Mexican cartels and the insinuated violence for almost twenty years, was appalled by Penn’s piece and responded with a passionate critique for Deadline Hollywood. After the publication of the article, Penn appeared on 60 Minutes and called his article a failure because of its inability to create conversation on the “war on drugs,” which he said was his intent. Winslow pointed out how in the entirety of the article, the “war on drugs” was mentioned three times, as he disparaged Penn’s article as “a brutally simplistic and unfortunately sympathetic portrait of a mass murderer.” Winslow’s disdain for Penn’s questions and approach were apparent when he remarked: “Seven hours, and Guzmán was not asked about the 17 unarmed people his gunmen slaughtered at a drug rehabilitation center in Ciudad Juarez, again on the suspicion that they were working for a rival cartel. Or, as Oscar Martinez has reported, about the kidnapping, forced labor, mass rape and murder of hundreds of Central American migrants.” Instead, Penn’s inference to Guzmán’s use of violence seems to start and end with: “Do you consider yourself a violent person?” and “Are you prone to violence, or do you see it as a last resort?” With Penn having not proposed questions with more substance, both readers and journalists were enraged. Rolling Stone also has been criticized for their ethics with regards to the article. The magazine is not averse to controversy, with a lead story on a university campus raping incident being scrutinized after it was made known the article made false claims. Members of the press have targeted the magazine for allowing Guzmán the ability to edit and decide on all aspects of the article and interview before being released. Andrew Seaman, the chair of the Society of Professional Journalists’ ethics committee, wrote in a blog post: “Allowing any source control over a story’s content is inexcusable. The practice of pre-approval discredits the entire story — whether the subject requests changes or not.” In an interview with the “New York Times,”

MATERIAL BEFORE PUBLICATION, AND DESPITE HIM NOT ASKING FOR ANY CHANGES TO PENN’S WORK, THE JOURNALISM WORLD WAS AGHAST BY PENN’S SEEMINGLY INSOUCIANCE WITH THE CRIMES CARRIED OUT BY GUZMÁN AND HOW HE PAINTS THE INFAMOUS DRUG LORD IN A ROSY-COLORED HUE FOR HIS REPORT. Wenner revealed that the editing and revising of the article prior to its release were held in secrecy: “‘I was worried that I did not want to provide the details that would be responsible for his capture.’” The confidentiality of Penn’s interview with one of the most wanted fugitives in the world was a part of the deal brokered with Guzmán, though much to the chagrin of U.S. and Mexican officials who had been searching for him for months. Penn affirmed in his 60 Minutes interview that he does not believe his interaction with Guzmán lead to his capture, in which six of Guzmán’s men were killed in a shootout with the Marines. The Mexican officials have not confirmed if Penn’s meeting in October led to the arrest, but in the same month, according to CNN, there were “reported sightings and near-misses.” Guzmán is expected to be extradited to the U.S. While Penn has expressed regret over the direction his article has taken, Castillo has stayed away from the limelight after telling Univision, “If I don’t talk it’s because my lawyers told me not to because the government wants to destroy me.” The confusion and ambiguity entailing Sean Penn’s presence and perhaps role in the arrest of Guzman has not led to any legal allegations thus far, yet the implications of his journalistic approach has aroused critique for his lofty representation of the most powerful drug lord in the world.

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CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW 2016:

TURNING TECH UP TO 11 BY DANIEL NISSIM

“THE GARMENT SENSES DIFFERENCES IN ADRENALINE, BASED ON YOUR SKIN CONDUCTIVITY. A NETWORK OF ELABORATE 3D-PRINTED PANELS AND A CARBON-FIBER SKELETON THEN EXPANDS OUTWARDS, LIKE A MUTANT PORCUPINE HAD WINGS.”

PHOTO COURTESY: ENGADGET.COM

January marks the start of a new year and brings along a more important event: the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The latest tech is unveiled as well as a glimpse of what the future may hold. This year’s show saw the standard announcement of new TVs, computers and other gadgets as well as some interesting VR and 3D printing applications. Here are a few notable announcements: Ultra HD Premium and New TVs New TVs are an annual occurrence at CES, but this year saw the announcement of a new standard: Ultra HD Premium (UHD). Ultra HD (or 4K) merely refers to a minimum resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. According to Engadget “Any device or service with that [UHD Premium] sticker will have to meet certain minimum specs (resolution, color and bit depth, mostly, while TVs need to hit a specific combo of peak brightness and black levels) to qualify, and should be able to show you the best things Ultra HD Blu-ray, 4K streams from Netf lix and Amazon, or 4K broadcasts can offer.” One TV line of note is LG’s new offering 4K OLED TVs — as featured in their Super Bowl commercial featuring Liam Neeson. They’re both razor thin and UHD Premium certified. Liam Neeson isn’t thin, but I guess he could be UHD Premium certified.

VR Everywhere The VR craze is in full swing and leading the charge is the Oculus Rift, which is available to preorder for the cool price of $599. A little steep when you consider the potential cost of upgrading your PC, the Rift will be on the high-end of VR headsets with its OLED displays and precise tracking. Beyond mere headsets, there were several VR rigs for a fully immersive experience. Virtuix first unveiled their Omni VR treadmill at E3 in 2013, but this year they were proud to show off their first fully-functioning model ($700). According to Engadget, the user wears special, slippery shoes with built-in accelerometers that track movement. You’re secured in a harness, which keeps you centered (as well as from tumbling off the platform). The treadmill doesn’t actually move, but the sensors in the shoes translate your movements to in-game movement — perfect for your favorite FPS. Oldies but Goodies While digital media continues to dominate the market, you can’t quite replace the experience you get from listening to a vinyl recording or filming with actual film stock. CES 2016 introduced some new hi-tech physical media gadgets. Kodak, which continues to chug along, unveiled a prototype Super 8 camera. Designed by Yves Behar from Fuseproject, the camera is almost too beautiful to take off the shelf — retro, yet very modern. It has 3.5” viewfinder display with an HDMI output as well as a manual focus ring and variable film speeds. Speaking with Engadget, Kodak CEO Jeff Clarke said, “We're bringing back Kodak consumer products, so we're building a whole package to make it as easy as possible. You buy the camera and the film, shoot it, ship it

in an old school yellow envelope, we process it, scan it in 4K and upload it. It's the way Hollywood operates now. They scan to digital. We also send the film back to you in post. So you have the option to [exhibit your work on film] or you can choose to edit the traditional way, too.” In the vinyl department, Audio-Technica unveiled a bluetooth-enabled turntable. You can skip the amp and speakers and listen to your crispy, smooth tunes with your wireless headphones. Sony unveiled a new turntable as well catering towards high-end customers looking to digitize their collections. Sony’s PS-HX500, can transfer your treasured vinyl collection through USB at DSD quality (really good quality in laymen’s terms). Fashion Last, but not least, fashion continues to make a huge splash at CES showcasing the fusion of fashion and technology. Intel, known for its CPUs not fiber content, unveiled its concept Adrenaline Dress. According to Engadget, “The garment senses differences in adrenaline, based on your skin conductivity. A network of elaborate 3D-printed panels and a carbon-fiber skeleton then expands outwards, like a mutant porcupine had wings. Interestingly, there's no airpump or servos: it uses alloys that expand and contract to heat that are responsible for the movement.” Science,

PHOTO COURTESY: KODAK.COM

ONE TV LINE OF NOTE IS LG’S NEW OFFERING 4K OLED TVS — AS FEATURED IN THEIR SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL FEATURING LIAM NEESON. THEY’RE BOTH RAZOR THIN AND UHD PREMIUM CERTIFIED. LIAM NEESON ISN’T THIN, BUT I GUESS HE COULD BE UHD PREMIUM CERTIFIED.

PHOTO COURTESY: UNITEDNUDE.COM

math, fashion and tech all together in beautiful harmony. The proliferation of 3D printing technology has seen a diverse array of applications. United Nude, in conjunction with 3D Systems, showcased 3D-printed footwear from designers such as architect Zaha Hadid and product designer Ross Lovegrove. 3D Systems also featured their Fabricate app, which works with their Cube 3D printer to apply 3D printed shapes to fabric. According to CNET, “The company's Cube desktop printer lays out a thin layer of 3D-printed material, then mesh fabric is sandwiched in the middle before the final layers are printed on top. The result is a f lexible 3D texture that can be integrated into clothing.” CES is a great time to see where we’ve been as a society and where we’re headed in the future (and beyond that). It is a testament to those who dare to dream — to do that which no one has ever thought possible (or thought of at all). This year’s CES didn’t shine light on any game-changers, but there’s still plenty to fawn over. Boys and girls, be sure to save your nickels and dimes and get ready to say goodbye to your disposable income.

FEATURE

FIT

MAKING A MURDERER:

STEVEN AVERY’S UNFORTUNATE CLAIM TO FAME BY MADELYN ADAMS Netflix original docuseries “Making a Murderer” has viewers obsessed, enticing people to spend their days wrapped in a blanket in a burrito-like fashion, glued to the screen as they watch the fate of Steven Avery play out before their very own eyes. Why, exactly? Well, the series chronicles a noteworthy story of an underdog, and it sheds some interesting light on the validity of our justice system and law enforcement corruption. Steven Avery hails from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, a quaint place where everyone knows who’s who. The Avery family owns an auto salvage yard, and they aren’t well acquainted with other members of the county, making them outcasts of the town. Steven in particular has a troubled past, having been arrested multiple times, including a few burglaries and an instance where he doused a cat in gasoline and proceeded to throw said cat into a bonfire. After a well-respected woman named Penny Beernsten was raped in 1985, county authorities instantly had their eye on Steven, despite his alibi and evidence indicating that he was not the perpetrator. With sketchy evidence and little proof, Steven was locked up in prison for first-degree sexual assault— throughout all of this, he maintained and championed his own innocence. It wasn’t until eighteen years later, in 2003, that Steven was exonerated. DNA evidence proved that it wasn’t Avery who raped Beernsten, but a man named Gregory Allen who had a long history of sexual assaults in the area. Once a free man, Steven became a local hero of sorts, as a man who was wrongfully convicted in the name of justice. An embarrassment to Manitowoc law enforcement and the state, he had a target on his back. After he was set free, a state legislator introduced legislation that hoped to prevent any further wrongful convictions, and Steven sought his rightful revenge by filing a $36 million federal lawsuit against the county, Tom Kocourek (former sheriff) and Denis Vogel, (former district attorney) both of whom had an active role in convicting Steven. Steven’s triumphant win against the justice system then took a sudden turn. On October 31, 2005, a woman named Teresa Halbach was scheduled to meet Steven Avery at Avery Auto Salvage to take photographs of a minivan for an advertisement in Auto Trader Magazine. A few days later, Teresa was nowhere to be found. She was last seen at the Avery property. Her vehicle was found at the auto salvage, but she was not, and there were other indications that a murder took place on the property. On November 11, Steven Avery was charged with Halbach’s murder.

The following court case was a series of— yet again—sketchy evidence, including a blood vial that was clearly tampered with, a lack of DNA evidence and a Manitowoc County sheriff claiming that “It would have been easier to kill [Avery] than frame him.” Every time you think the “evidence” can’t get any crazier, it does. However, much credit should be given to the breakout stars of the series, Dean Strang and Jerry Buting, Steven’s tactful yet passionate defense attorney’s who you would definitely want on your side. Steven’s nephew, sixteen-year-old Brendan Dassey, admitted to committing the crime with Avery, but it was clear that his confession was coerced by investigators. Dassey’s IQ is somewhere between a 69 and a 73, which leaves him just on the cusp of being mentally handicapped. Dassey’s story also changed multiple times, as he danced between admitting to the crime and claiming his innocence. Ultimately, the court held his confession as reliable evidence. Spoiler alert: Avery was ultimately found guilty of Halbach’s murder in March 2007 and was sentenced to life in prison. Whether or not Avery really is a guilty man has been debated by the public, however one thing that we can all agree on is that the fate of Brendan Dassey is the true heartbreak of the series, as he was found guilty of intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and second degree sexual assault. Having captured the hearts and minds of millions of people, the series has also been a hit on social media. After its introduction to Netflix on Dec. 18, 2015, multiple petitions on Change.org and We the People are calling for Avery to either have a retrial or be freed completely. Ken Kratz, the special prosecutor in Avery’s case, has been the joke of many cruel yet hilarious memes, and his Yelp rating has dropped since the series’ premier. People have also been making fun of the Avery family’s constant use of the term “don’t be strange” in their iconic Michigan accent (seriously, look up Seth Meyer’s “Making a Murderer” parody, you won’t regret it). One of the strangest yet oddly hysterical (and slightly relatable) things to come out of “Making a Murderer” is the new phenomenon in which women across the nation are praising Dean Strang, Steven’s passionate attorney and Stephen Colbert look-a-like, as the latest sex symbol. Justice is apparently sexy in 2016, which is hard to disagree with.

PHOTO COURTESY: NME.COM

WITH SKETCHY EVIDENCE AND LITTLE PROOF, STEVEN WAS LOCKED UP IN PRISON FOR FIRST-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT—THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS, HE MAINTAINED AND CHAMPIONED HIS OWN INNOCENCE. If you’re still reading this article and you haven’t watched the series yet, please do so. It is truly an emotional rollercoaster that will, at times, have your blood boiling. You’ll be questioning Avery’s innocence at the turn of each episode, sometimes believing he’s innocent and other times convinced he is a killer. Either way, watch with a critical eye, because the documentary is clearly biased and left out some crucial evidence that led to Steven’s conviction. Despite this, or rather because of it, the docuseries is extremely important having started a national conversation on the justice system, validity of interrogations, the corrupted control that law enforcement can have over a case and the fact that absolutely innocent people are sometimes convicted. 156 death-sentenced prisoners have been exonerated since 1973, and 11 people have been executed when there was doubt in their guilt. There shouldn’t be statistics on innocent people who were sent to death row, and Steven Avery’s 1985 case shows how easy it is to wrongfully convict someone of a serious crime, all in the name of justice.

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FLINT, MICHIGAN WATER CRISIS:

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AND MORE BY MADELYN ADAMS

Flint, Michigan, a town just sixty miles from Detroit that boasts a population of nearly 100,000 people, has been facing a situation almost unimaginable for 21st century America. What was at first an environmental concern and public health disaster has snowballed into a political nightmare. In April 2014, Flint began temporarily sourcing its drinking water from the Flint River in an attempt to cut costs. The city previously sourced its water from Lake Huron, but made the switch while waiting for the completion of a new water tower. Little did they know, Flint’s new drinking water was ridden with lead, and by the time they switched back to its original supply in October 2015 the damage was already done; some residents had been drinking the water for almost 19 months, and the pipes, damaged from corrosive water, contaminated the water that people used for drinking and bathing. In September 2015, days before the switch back to Lake Huron, a group of doctors from the Hurley Medical Center pressed Flint to stop using the Flint River as a water source after discovering that lead contamination in the blood of children under five had nearly doubled and tripled since the city changed water systems. Despite the urgent warning, state regulators insisted the water was safe. Anyone who consumed the city’s tap water after April 2014 was exposed to the lead, including the 8,675 children who live in Flint, according to Census data. That statistic doesn’t even include the unborn children of pregnant mothers who drank the water. According to the World Health Organization, no level of lead in the body is safe, and lead exposure is considered especially detrimental to children and fetuses’ developing brains and nervous systems. Prior to the shocking revelations about the water’s lead levels, Flint residents innately knew something was wrong— complaints about the water’s odd taste and smell became common, in addition to concerns about water discoloration. Even more alarming, some residents reported painful rashes and rapid hair loss, which they attributed to the leadtainted water. However, these concerns were mostly downplayed and brushed off by state regulators, as they insisted that the water was safe. It wasn’t until January 2015 that Flint decided to pursue an evaluation concerning their efforts to improve city water, in order to hush concerns. After the evaluation, the city persisted in saying that the water was safe, which was discredited with the September 2015 lead findings.

In response to the new discovery, on Sept. 29, 2015, Governor Rick Snyder pledged to take action concerning lead levels—this was the first admission by the state that lead was an issue. One month later, on Dec. 29, Dan Wyant, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director, resigned after the department was blamed for the water crisis and apologized to Flint for what happened. On Jan. 5 2016, about 21 months after the water crisis originally began, Snyder declared a state of emergency. One week later the National Guard distributed bottled water and water filters to Flint residents, who had not had safe drinking water provided by the city in nearly two years. Four days later President Obama declared a federal state of emergency in Flint, and $5 million has been provided to the city in federal aid. The Michigan House of Representatives approved an additional $28 million to be included in the state funds. The issue gained even more national notice and political traction when, during the Democratic debate on Jan. 17, Hillary Clinton made a jab at Snyder’s handling of the water crisis, saying she was “outraged” by the whole situation. She accused the governor of “[having] requests for help that he basically stonewalled.” Snyder slated Clinton for “politicizing the issue.” Fellow presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, agreed with his opponent, stating that “Secretary Clinton was right and what I did, which I think is also right, is demanded the resignation of the governor. A man who acts that irresponsibly should not stay in power.” Snyder further responded, tweeting that “Political statements and finger pointing from political candidates only distract from solving the Flint water crisis.”

Just two days after being seriously condemned by democratic candidates, Snyder confessed at the state of the state address: “I am sorry and I will fix it. Government failed you at the federal, state, and local level.” This serious admission that the government failed the people of Flint was followed by a promise to release his e-mails from 2014 and 2015 related to the water crisis, in an attempt to answer questions and soothe minds. Released on Jan. 20, 270 pages of e-mails showed debates over who was to blame, in addition to state officials questioning evidence presenting signs of lead. Also, since the e-mails only offered correspondence to and from Snyder’s e-mail address, they provided an unfinished picture of how the government officials’ decisions concerning the crisis came to be. On Jan. 21, the Environmental Protection Agency admitted that state authorities had failed to react properly to the unending crisis—this was followed by an announcement that Susan Hedman, the agency’s administrator who supervised Michigan, had resigned, becoming the second person to do so in the wake of the crisis. A GROUP OF DOCTORS FROM THE HURLEY MEDICAL CENTER PRESSED FLINT TO STOP USING THE FLINT RIVER AS A WATER SOURCE AFTER DISCOVERING THAT LEAD CONTAMINATION IN THE BLOOD OF CHILDREN

President Obama had choice words on the issue, stating that “What is inexplicable and inexcusable is once people figured out there was a problem… The notion families were not notified immediately, things were not shut down — that shouldn’t happen anywhere.” In reaction to Snyder’s lack of response, the Michigan governor is not only facing calls for his resignation, but he’s also facing protests and lawsuits are being filed against him. Flint residents have been questioning why exactly the government took so long to solve issues that citizens brought to their attention months ago. However, not all is negative in Flint right now. In the face of this crisis, the city has been fortunate to receive help from countless people and organizations. Who Is Hussain, a religious charity organization whose members are mostly Muslim, graciously donated 30,000 bottles of water to city residents. Rock band Pearl Jam also donated over $300,000 to Flint, while Jimmy Fallon donated $10,000 to Community Foundation Greater Flint. Rapper Meek Mill donated 60,000 bottles of water and Big Sean donated $10,000. If you’d like to help Flint, you can donate money to the Flint Water Fund, which was set up by The United Way of Genesee Country. 100% of the donated money will go directly to purchasing bottled water and filters for f lint residents. Rather not spend any money? There is a petition on Change.org entitled “Stop Making Flint Residents Pay for Poisoned Water!”, which calls for Snyder to stop charging Flint residents for unsafe water. With the just click of a few buttons, you’ll be supporting a worthy cause.

UNDER FIVE HAD NEARLY DOUBLED AND TRIPLED SINCE THE CITY CHANGED WATER SYSTEMS. DESPITE THE URGENT WARNING, STATE REGULATORS INSISTED THE WATER WAS SAFE.

PHOTO COURTESY: BLACKSPORTSONLINE.COM

FEATURE

FIT

BIG THINGS IN 2016 BY CATERINA NICOLINI

PHOTO COURTESY: YANNIS VLAMOS/INDIGITALIMAGES.COM

FASHION

TV/FILM

ART

FOOD

We are only one month into 2016 and there is already a lot to talk about in the fashion industry. Menswear collections have been shown in London, Paris and Milan, and critics are discussing both the clothes and the designers that made them. Last year, many designers left the brands they were working at to move on to new projects. Among them were Raf Simons, who left Dior, and Alber Elbaz, who left Lanvin. Both departures came as a surprise, making both of them ones to watch in 2016. Simons, who left Dior on good terms, went back to designing under his own name and presented a menswear collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week. After his presentation he said he was dedicating the show to David Lynch, who inspired his dark, disturbing and brilliant collection and was also turning 70 that same day. His collection was everything the public needs from Raf Simons: skinny pants, oversized jackets and sinister looking models. His collection, entitled “Nightmares and Dreams,” was a good nightmare, which he said is better than a bad dream.

In the past few years, watching TV has shifted from watching shows on an actual television to streaming shows on Netf lix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. These websites are even starting to stream their own shows, completely forgoing regular television. The newest addition to the Netf lix family is the comedian Chelsea Handler. Her show “Chelsea Does,” which premiered on January 24, is a four-part docu-series that follows her around the world, researching different subjects that interest her. Each hour-long episode focuses on a different topic: marriage, racism, drugs and Silicon Valley. For someone who had a talk show and was on TV every night for a very long time, it’s surprising how much more the audience learns about her after just one episode. Handler opens up about her insecurities, her likes, dislikes, her drinking and drug abuse (which she says she doesn’t see as a problem) and her relationship with her father, among other things. The show is not an innovation of any kind but it still is very funny, informative and entertaining.

New York City is known for many things and the art scene is one of them. Galleries, museums, pop up shows and street art, are just some of what the city has a lot to offer. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Museum of Modern Art’s “New Photography” series; a new-talent survey that begun in 1985 by John Szarkowski, who founded the museum’s photography department. For this occasion, MoMA’s curators decided to change things up a bit. “When John Started that series in the mid 80’s, there were very few institutions dealing with photography. There were few photo galleries, very few platforms. Times have changed” said the museum’s chief photography curator, Quentin Bajac in a conversation with the museum’s director Glenn Lowry. Running until March 20, the exhibition will present 19 emerging photographers including single and collective works of art, from 14 different countries with the aim of making the exhibit a biennial event.

Every year has a different food trend. From Kale to macrobiotic cuisine, the culinary world has seen many things come and go. 2016, however, is more about a way of life than a single food. Vegetarianism is now thought of a way of eating healthier, taking care of your body and health and paying attention to what foods you are consuming. In the past year, more vegetarian restaurants opened throughout Manhattan than ever before and even meat-eaters are choosing to dine at these spots. One of the newest additions to New York City’s vegetarian scene is By Chloe; a quickserve vegan restaurant that opened last year and quickly became a must visit. Superiority Burger is another vegetarian spot that New Yorkers have become fond about. It is a counterservice veggie burger joint that can fit less than 10 people at a time. The service is as good as the food is (and the good is fantastic) making Superiority Burger an experience that no foodie should miss.

Come April, HBO plans to release a documentary about legendary photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe. “Mapplethorpe: Look At The Pictures” will be the first full-length documentary about the artist. It will focus on his early years in New York all the way through his death in 1989 due to AIDS complications. The documentary will feature exclusive footage from Mapplethorpe’s body of kwork, original interviews with Carolina Herrera, Brooke Shields, Mapplethorpe’s brother and sister, Debbie Harry, Fran Lebowitz and more artists and people that were part of the photographer’s life.

PHOTO COURTESY: DESIGN.UPENN.COM

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

GIRL BOSS: TA I W A N E L E C T S I T S F I R S T F E M A L E P R E S I D E N T AN D EM BR ACES POLITIC AL CHANG E BY ALLISON HATCH

“HER PHILOSOPHICAL VALUES IN THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG DEMOCRACY WILL APPEASE HER DPP COUNTERPARTS, AS SHE STATED, ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, THAT “‘BOTH SIDES OF THE [TAIWAN STRAIT] HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF INTERACTION THAT ARE BASED ON DIGNITY AND RECIPROCITY’.”

“Whether you are male or female, we have a great deal to learn by studying female leadership qualities. Attentiveness, tolerance, calm, f lexibility and organization — not only women, but every leader should strive for these qualities,” Taiwan’s recently-elected Tsai Ing-wen told the New York Times, Women in the World. Tsai, the head of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) is Taiwan’s first female president. Her popularity in the Eastern Asia island nation was notably confirmed on the Jan. 16 election day, winning 56% of the vote. The election marks the first time the DPP will have the majority of parliament since 1949, with the defeat of the Kuomintang (KMT). In 2008, Tsai took over leadership of the DPP in a protectionist effort to save Taiwan’s faltering democracy in the face of political instability and because of her belief, according to the BBC, that “a strong opposition was crucial for democracy.” The DPP’s guiding principles have revolved around a common theme of independence, or at the very least, more autonomy, from China. Hostility and ambiguity have ref lected the relationship between China and Taiwan since the end of China’s Civil War in 1950. In the 1992 consensus between the two nations, China expressed clearly that there is only one China, inferring Taiwan is directly connected to and ruled by Beijing, the Chinese capital. However, according to The Economist, Tsai “has not accepted that there is such a consensus, and has set out her own conditions: ties with China must benefit Taiwan’s democratic development, promote

regional security and stability, and be reciprocal and mutually beneficial.” Taiwan has maintained a multiparty democracy since the 1980’s. The KMT has long upheld the consensus and supported strong ties to China. With Tsai and the DPP’s victory, questions have circulated as to how the new ruling power of Taiwan will regard the nation’s relationship with the mainland. Despite pro-independence waves in the DPP surfacing with the electoral results, Tsai is expected to defend middle-of-the-road policies that appeal to both parties. Her economic background will likely inf luence her sustaining strong diplomatic ties with China that are crucial for Taiwan’s economy, with China being its greatest trading partner. Meanwhile, her philosophical values in the importance of a strong democracy will appease her DPP counterparts, as she stated, according to the New York Times, that “‘both sides of the [Taiwan Strait] have a responsibility to find mutually acceptable means of interaction that are based on dignity and reciprocity’.” Tsai does not come from a political background, with her father running a lucrative car repair and successful investment endeavors. She studied economics and served as a legal consultant with the World Trade Organization, which led into political involvement. Gender politics have not fixated the Taiwanese with her serving as the first female president of the nation as much as her ability to do so without politics running in her family.

PHOTO COURTESY: KYODO

Tsai upheld the importance of women’s rights throughout her presidential campaign. According to the New York Times, Women in the World, she spoke to an audience of undergraduate women at National Taiwan University about her support of women’s empowerment, including upholding Taiwan’s “Gender Equality in Employment Act.” The act aims to protect women from sexualharassment and discrimination in the workplace, along with maternity leave rights. Her electoral victory has inspired women in Taiwan in their abilities to secure roles and positions with power and authority. The victory has also encouraged the Taiwanese about their status in the political arena. “Having the first female president will make other countries notice us more, and it’s our chance to come into the forefront and lead them into thinking more about the relationship between Taiwan and China. It’s a good chance to show others that we have a strong democracy and good policies. We are all excited about what she will do and how she will change our country,” FIT freshman Ruby Jiang said.

PHOTO COURTESY: GETTY IMAGES

HAUTE CULTURE

FIT

DAVID BOWIE IN REMEMBRANCE BY MARINA HERBST

David Bowie was one of the few musicians who transcended his field to inspire and inf luence countless people in the arts. Bowie’s music and aesthetic inspired generation after generation of musicians, artists, fashion designers and filmmakers while breaking barriers as well as defining and defying genres. Bowie’s career, which started when he released his first record in 1966, includes 27 studio albums, 14 tours, 22 films and one museum exhibition. Through all of the ways Bowie exposed himself to the world, he changed the way society thinks about beauty, music, gender and fashion. His lyrics talk about being an outsider, feeling like you don’t fit in, being sexually adventurous and never apologizing to anyone. They were always thought through, smart, playful, deep, philosophical and overall brilliant. Writing as honestly as Bowie did turned his songs into masterpieces that touched people’s souls. He was not only honest and true to himself in the songs that he wrote, but also in the way that he dressed. Bowie had such an adventurous spirit that allowed him to become a chameleon-like, multipleidentity and risk-taking symbol, which had — and still has — a huge impact in the fashion world. From the beginning of his music career, his image was a strong part of his message, which was always theatrical and outrageous in a perfectly crafted manner. Bowie created more personas than most people can even think of and each persona designated a new a radical look. Since day one, Bowie was a major source of empowerment for gender bending androgyny. His aesthetic was so unique that designers started doing collaborations with him for his different characters and albums. For the costumes in his Ziggy Stardust era, Bowie worked with Kansai Yamamoto, with whom he also came up with the idea of the iconic red mullet that later inspired millions. Celia Philo, the mother of Celiné designer Phoebe Philo, was the art director at the emblematic photo shoot, who saw the lightning f lash and always said it was an impromptu idea that Bowie and the makeup artist Pierre La Roche had during the shoot — one of the many examples that show how Bowie’s creativity worked. He got inspired and, without thinking twice, started creating content — whether it was music, styles or a new character — which then went on to inf luence countless fans.

Many fashion designers wish they could achieve Bowie’s ability to switch from one identity to another at the drop of a hat. The fashion industry’s biggest names, such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Raf Simons, Dries Van Noten and an endless list of designers, have sought him out as a source of creative inspiration, and they will continue to do so. During the spring of 2011, Gaultier presented a collection where the models walked down the runway wearing Ziggy Stardust-inspired prints, makeup and even the mullet. Hedi Slimane recreated the Thin White Duke, another of Bowie’s alter egos, for Saint Laurent’s spring 2014 menswear collection. One of Bowie’s jumpsuits, created in collaboration with Yamamoto, inspired Raf Simons for his Dior spring 2015 collection. Bowie not only had designers recreating his most iconic styles, but also inspired them with new ways of clashing prints, wearing hats, doing makeup and most definitely hairdos. Bowie had such an impact on fashion during the ’70s that he is one of the pioneers of the glam look. Bowie’s impact on fashion was such a huge one that the effects have been appearing on both mens- and womenswear, in ready-to-wear and in haute couture. “He opened the great big gate to our future and sparked in us that creativity that proves vital even to this day,” Van Noten said backstage at his fall 2011 womenswear show, where models walked to a reworked version of Bowie’s “Heroes.” Bowie not only created music, but also he gave the world an excuse to talk about things that were not being talked about. He was the argument for having a different conversation, one where boundaries and gender don’t apply — where people are encouraged to make a stage of their day-to-day lives. Bowie encouraged change and being able to redefine yourself as many times as possible. He put the value in constant reinvention. He firmly believed and always said, “As soon as they recognize you, switch it up,” which is the refrain we hear in the fashion industry nowadays. He was an artist who created such a large body of images that the Victoria and Albert Museum in London made an exhibition with them in 2013. From the mod looks to the metallic and outer space-inspired outfits, from “Space Oddity” to the gender ambiguity of Ziggy Stardust to the monochromatic suit and looks from the Thin White Duke — the exhibition showed them all as the masterpieces they are.

HE OPENED THE GREAT BIG GATE TO OUR FUTURE AND SPARKED IN US THAT CREATIVITY THAT PROVES VITAL EVEN TO THIS DAY

Thanks to his efforts, Bowie paved the way for many theatrical pop artists and masters of reinvention, such as Madonna and Lady Gaga, who came after him. His impact on music inspired all types of artists. He transcended one genre and inf luenced everything from pop music to rhythm and blues. Marilyn Manson, LCD Soundsystem, Pulp, Nirvana, Lou Reed and Mick Jagger are some of the most important musicians in history, who wouldn’t have had their careers if it weren’t for Bowie.

As a society, it is important to celebrate individuals with a unique point of view, idolizing those who don’t adhere to specific standards, looks or trends, but instead forge their own path. Not many people have had such a strong and constantly evolving point of view, and that is why Bowie has been such a role model since he appeared on the music scene in the late 1960s. Being so sure of who he was, what he was wearing, whom he was with and what he was singing about transformed Bowie from a human being to an immortal figure who left a forever-lasting impression in the minds and hearts of many generations — and certainly, of generations to come.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: FLARE.COM

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

NEW ERA, NEW A ARON BY NATALIA PEREIRA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: VAM.AC.UK

If the name Aaron Carter doesn’t ring a bell then the title “I Want Candy” surely will. Carter started as the frontman of his group, Dead End Band, at only seven years old. Two years later he went on to launch his breakthrough solo career, becoming a star in the public eye and opening for brother Nick Carter’s band, Backstreet Boys, as well as Britney Spears on two separate tours. For years, Carter’s name appeared in the media since the pop icon dated Disney star Hilary Duff as well as Lindsay Lohan, had four top-selling albums and had a biography, “Aaron Carter: The Little Prince of Pop,” released all by the time he was 15 yearsold. He was on the top of stardom at Edel Records at such a young age — but where has the 28-year-old been since?

Well, he has been trying to make a comeback. He has made various attempts to get his name back in the media, including competing in season nine of “Dancing with the Stars” with Karina Smirnoff back in 2009. However, according to Forbes, he has also filed for Chapter Seven bankruptcy due to his overdue tax debt he had accumulated from his career as a teen 10 years prior. His time on the show had unexpected consequences. In an interview with ET online, Carter revealed that he developed an addiction to Xanax because of stage fright. He made a promise to become clean after his sister Leslie, who was also addicted to the same drug, died that year due to an overdose.

After not being on the road for eight years, Carter began touring across the U.S. again in 2013, showcasing his newer material, followed by consecutive tours through 2016. However, with new music came a new attitude. On his most recent tour, he made a stop at the Stanhope House, a small bar in Stanhope, N.J., where he performed to a crowd of 40 girls between the ages of 18 and 30. He refused to meet fans who did not pay the $65 for meet and greets or play crowd pleasers from his teen years, such as “Aaron’s Party,” which angered many in the room. In a recent interview on Oprah’s “Where Are They

Now?”, Carter referred to his childhood career as “a joke” and said he wants to show the world his talent and the tracks that he likes as a 28-year-old musician rather than the interests of his past producers. Stepping away from old pop hits, Aaron is attempting a career in hip-hop and hopes that his older fans will join him on this new journey as he releases his new EP, “The Music Never Stopped,” on Feb. 24.

ALBUM REVIEW: ‘A N T I ’ — R I H A N N A BY MEGHAN KANE

PHOTO COURTESY: MUSICTIMES.COM

Rihanna’s latest album, “Anti,” is an act of defiance. As the title hints, the Bajan artist is done with churning out fizzy hits and is finally able to display her lyrical skills — with a writing credit on every song. The long-awaited album is an organic cluster of miscellaneous sounds with corresponding vibes.

Rihanna has long reigned as the queen of unapologetic living and sexual empowerment. Her song “Needed Me” acts as the reminder of that, which none of us knew we required until the self-described fiend haughtily moaned, “Trying to fix your inner issues with a bad bitch/Didn’t they tell you that I was a savage?” Paired with dark synth sounds produced by DJ Mustard, Rihanna’s nonchalant attitude heard through the verses suggests that she’s been down this road before and knows exactly how to put a man back in his place. The vibrato in the chorus, though tiresome, accentuates her ease. In “Yeah, I Said It,” with a boat-rocking tempo reminiscent of Aaliyah, Rihanna assuredly beckons a man to make his move and describes their impending sexual escapade to remind us that she is not afraid to voice her lust.

“Kiss It Better” sounds like the song you wish they had played for the last dance at prom. It details the emotions of someone who has just ended a relationship but wants her former lover back — the sexual tension is electric. As she has established on past albums with songs such as “Rude Boy” and “Cockiness (I Love It),” she’s usually in control. While she is sure of her sexual desires, she needs her past lover in order to achieve the satisfaction she craves. In “Close to You,” a tragic ballad mirroring the vulnerability found in 2010’s “California King Bed,” Rihanna’s desperation for a different kind of lost connection makes her harmonized hopefulness in each verse the highlight of the track. “Work,” featuring Drake, thrusts itself into the the dancehall category, as it possesses a modern Caribbean pop sound In this story, Rihanna seeks a deeper connection while the male character, played by Drake, is only interested in sex. This is similar to Rihanna and Drake’s previous collaborations, “What’s My Name?” and “Take Care,” but strays from the detached disposition she f launts on numerous other tracks on this album.

“Love On the Brain” is a soulful declaration of infatuation complete with references to her abusive relationship with Chris Brown. A delicate falsetto carries the listener through verses of a similar sound to Beyoncé’s “Superpower” until it drops to that low and identifiable drawl. That transition to a raw and raspy chorus is similar to that on another “Anti” favorite, “Higher,” and serves as a glimpse of the new and nonconforming Rihanna we could get used to. “Anti” definitely displays the Bad Gal RiRi we’ve followed over the past decade, and sees her transitioning into a more matured sound with more tracks that lend to the new-wave R&B genre rather than pop. However the inconsistency only reaffirms the notion that it’s still impossible to really categorize Rihanna into a specific genre or style. But “Anti” seems to be a declaration that she is forming a sound that’s completely her own.

HAUTE CULTURE

THEATER REVIEW: ‘I AND YOU’ BY ISABELLE MEYERS

PHOTO COURTESY: NYTIMES.COM

If Walt Whitman were alive today, he would have had the opportunity to see his poetry collection “Leaves of Grass” discussed and magnified on stage in the 90-minute play “I and You” by Lauren Gunderson on it’s opening night last month at 59E59 Theaters. Like Whitman’s poetry, the play is a testament to both realism and transcendentalism — the latter of which only becomes apparent in a shocking plot twist. While the play has seen 20 productions around the United States and the American Theatre Critics Association/Steinberg New Play Award for 2014, it is not a particularly easy play to watch.

The only characters seen on stage are Caroline and Anthony, 18-year-olds trying to find purpose in their existence outside their high school archetypes. Caroline, played by Kayla Ferguson, is too ill to attend school and is defined as the perpetually sick girl. Anthony, played by Reggie D. White, is seen as the athletic and popular high school senior. Both are unsatisfied with their reputations, and Caroline yearns to be a part of the world as more than “the sick girl,” while Anthony wants to be seen as more than “the nice guy.” He finds himself in her room after volunteering to work with her on a school project about Whitman’s use of the pronouns “I” and “you” in the poem “Songs

of Myself.” However, the play would have been better called “I and This Mystery,” which is Anthony’s first line and repeated multiple times throughout the play in reference to death and understanding life’s unexplainable incidents. While Anthony is playing basketball on the court, we learn that a perfectly healthy high school athlete has suddenly died. “All I could think was that line, ‘I and this mystery,’” he says. “‘I and this mystery’.” This mystery is everything in life we as humans cannot predict or understand, and indeed, why Caroline is sick and why this healthy athlete had to die will never be understood — there is nothing groundbreaking in these notions. The surprise ending is the play’s redemption from being a predictable love story between two misunderstood teenagers. Sitting on a purple queen-sized bed above furry carpets and surrounded by cheerful walls covered in magazine clippings and photographs, Caroline’s cruel pessimism is clearly just a defense mechanism that allows her to keep everyone at bay. “After all, what’s the point?” she says. The dialogue becomes a predictable dance. She states her negative viewpoint while scoffing at Anthony’s naive optimism. He gently chides her to try and see it from his standpoint. Again, she shuts him down. This dynamic repeats itself until Anthony finally gets her to realize that her viewpoint is just a defense mechanism. She says, “Like, if I was on my deathbed, I would just be like, ‘Yo,

FIT can I get another bed?’” She claims she has been conditioned to expect death and is therefore numb to its severity. There is no surprise, though, when Anthony finally gets her to exclaim, “Death only wins when I let it win!” If you haven’t already figured it out, Caroline is actually afraid of death and wishes to lead a normal life. Some high points include when he plays her some Coltrane and they close their eyes, envisioning a bustling New York nightlife, or when she shamelessly dances to classic rock ‘n’ roll and collapses on the bed in sudden pain, screaming at Anthony to leave, but finds him responding, “I’m not afraid of your pain. Tell me what you need.” Holed up in her colorful and cheerful bedroom, they try to make sense of death, finding solace in Whitman’s lines: “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love.” If death is truly ashes to ashes and dust to dust, Whitman means he will become the dirt from which the grass grows, and take comfort that “if you want me again, look under your boot soles.” Unsurprisingly, Caroline and Anthony’s mutual understanding of one another turns to romance. “Why did I have to meet you now?” Caroline says longingly to Anthony in reference to her impending death. They embrace, but fortunately, the play’s ending is far less mundane. Whether the shocking end justifies 90 minutes of largely predictable dialogue, however, is up to you.

ALBUM REVIEW: ‘ D E AT H O F A B A C H E L O R ’ PA N I C ! AT T H E D I S C O BY CATERINA NICOLINI

PHOTO COURTESY: PLUS.GOOGLE.COM

Panic! at the Disco, the band from Las Vegas with various inf luences of electronica, rock ‘n’ roll, dance and punk combined, has truly made a mark in the music industry since forming in 2005. With over one million followers on the band’s Twitter and Instagram accounts who have supported this band for over a decade, it is no wonder that their new album “Death of a Bachelor” has been on the top of the iTunes charts since its release on Jan. 15. After catching the attention of DCD2 Records, formerly Decaydance Records, and becoming the first band signed to this label headed by Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, the band has had nothing but continued success. With the new album’s anthems, such as “Victorious” and “Hallelujah,” frontman Brendon Urie tastefully dished out vocals as expected.

Some of the newer-sounding tracks for the band, like “Emperor’s New Clothes,” truly showcase Urie’s theatrical talent. As many listeners have commented,, “Urie’s falsetto? Enough said.” Words cannot even begin to describe nor capture his vocal range. There is no way anyone could deny his passion, which can be heard throughout each and every lyric sung. In fact, Urie has been just as excited about the album release as the fans have been. In an interview with Billboard at the end of 2015, just a few short weeks before the album’s release, he explained his dedication and personality displayed in this new work. He shared that he recorded every instrument on this album, from drums, to background vocals; he even tested the operatic sounds used in the more risk-taking tracks.

In an interview with Alt 98.7, Urie continued to promote the album, saying, “It’s going to be a little bit different. It’s this mix between Sinatra and Queen. … There’s going to be a new energy live.” Those who have followed the band over the last 11 years can truly agree that with each new album, comes a newer, evolving sound, with Urie assuring that no two albums are the same. Also in 2015, Spencer Smith, the band’s founder, officially departed, and bassist Dallon Weekes was also downgraded to a touring member rather than a fulltime member — leaving Urie as the last remaining member of Panic! at the Disco.

PHOTO COURTESY: TICKETFLY.COM

With this unique album rising on the music charts, it is safe to say that Panic! at the Disco’s fifth album has hit the right chord. Being the first album written and recorded by solo member Urie, the stakes were very high. However, the rave over the new music has been so positive that the band just announced a co-headlining summer 2016 tour with friend Weezer. So, if you are looking for a new album to jam out to while getting ready to start your day, check out Panic! at the Disco’s “Death of a Bachelor” for its good vibes and exquisite vocals. You won’t want to miss this one.

W27

FEBRUARY 2016

F I L M R E V I E W: P R I D E + P R E J U D I C E + ZO M B I E S BY ANDREA NAVARRO Ever since Jane Austen’s literary classic Pride and Prejudice was released in 1813, millions of readers have enjoyed it, along with the new editions, modern versions, fan fiction and crossovers it inspired. It speaks volumes about the novel’s appeal that more than 200 years after its publication, people are still interested in the Bennet sisters’ story. Pride + Prejudice + Zombies is an adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s parody novel of the same title in which he has the audacity to credit Austen as co-author. Even though I didn’t read his novel — because there’s only so much fan fiction one can endure in this life — I must say that I thought the film was quite enjoyable — despite the unfortunate casting of Sam Riley as Mr. Darcy. The movie is hilarious because of it’s bizarre juxtaposition — a 19th century tale of ladies looking to find suitable, preferably advantageous, marriages while preparing to fight the zombie apocalypse. The premise is both its strength and its doom. On one side, the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it is not afraid to go for the easy comedy scenes: like the Bennet sisters preparing for the night’s ball (but instead of exchanging laces, they polish weapons) or having Darcy be a zombie-slayer (Blade-style leather cape included).

The problem, however, is that at times the story unfolds naturally and then, out of nowhere, a zombie appears and throws off the plot’s rhythm. It feels as if two stories are going on that can’t quite blend together properly. That, coupled with the actual lack of gore that the zombie-killing requires and a script that has a few good one-liners but mostly is kind of flat, is the adaptation’s biggest problem. A hysterical performance by Matt Smith (Dr. Who) as Mr. Collins and a surprising appearance by Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) as Lady Catherine de Bourgh are the movie’s highlights acting-wise. But the most delightful scenes were the ones where the action was played out amongst humans: the Bennet girls practicing their slaying skills at home while they talk about their daily affairs and an actually shockingly sexy sequence of Elizabeth and Darcy fighting, just after he insults her and proposes. The film is an easy laugh. If you are an Austen fan and can handle to see her classic defiled, or even if you have never read or watched Pride and Prejudice before, there’s a chance that — if it’s a lazy Sunday, you don’t have anything else to do and you decide to give it a chance— you might actually like it.

REVIEW: G LOS S I E R M I LK Y J E L LY C L E A N S E R BY MADELINE GRANDUSKY-HOWE

In January 2015, Into the Gloss and Glossier founder Emily Weiss posed a question to her readers on Into the Gloss: “What’s your dream cleanser?” Almost 400 comments and a year of development later, Milky Jelly Cleanser was born. Glossier, the cool-girl startup skincare brand, first caught my attention with their creamy face masks and Boybrow, a game-changing tinted brow gel inspired by old-fashioned hair pomade. When the company released what is described as the “ultimate daily cleanser,” I jumped at the chance to try their newest product. Milky Jelly’s packaging features a travel-friendly pump and a round bottle with the brand’s pink “G” logo. The cleanser itself is a white, cloudy shade, similar to Cetaphil. Rosewater, an added ingredient, gives the formula a light scent without being too overpowering. At $18 it’s a little pricey for a student, but is still relatively inexpensive when compared to other skincare brands.

S TO R E R E V I E W:

TICTAIL

At first use, Milky Jelly feels more like a moisturizer or serum while still being light and luxe. After drying my face, my skin felt moisturized yet clean. It does a great job of removing excess oil but is gentle on my dry winter skin. Because it also removes makeup, it’s a timesaver; Milky Jelly can even dissolve waterproof mascara without irritating eyes. An added bonus: Glossier offers low shipping costs and cute stickers that come with each order, perfect for decorating your cleanser, your laptop, anything! If you’re looking for a gentle everyday cleanser that allows you to save some time from tediously scrubbing your mascara off, Milky Jelly is just right.

BY ALLISON HATCH

After several successful holiday pop-up shops in Stockholm, Paris and New York, the Swedish online marketplace Tictail opened its first permanent location in SoHo on Jan. 11. Tictail was established in 2012 with the vision of creating a web platform for independent artists, designers and brands around the world to sell their products with ease. In a matter of minutes, anyone can create a shop online to sell their products. One of the missions of the company is to help small businesses establish an audience and have the marketing outlets necessary to help them succeed and compete against giant online retailers such as Amazon. A large portion of Tictail’s traffic comes from its app, which is the first e-commerce app that allows users to create their own shops from a mobile phone.

The Tictail store draws you in with its vibrant colors seen through the windows, and you will not be disappointed upon entering. As one shopper put it, “There is something here for everyone.” Clothing racks line the back wall with a respectable selection of both menswear and womenswear. The clothing ranges from soft graphic T-shirts to edgy leatherpaneled dresses. Swedish brand Bukvy’s luxurious suede and calfskin leather purses feel every bit as appropriate in the space as New York-based Lydo Le’s cheeky greeting cards. And while the prices are well above what the typical college student can afford, they are reasonable. As a shopper, you can be assured that you are paying for the high level of labor and craftsmanship involved in the creation process, along with the affirmation that you are supporting independent stores. As Crain’s New York Business reported, the co-founder and CEO of Tictail, Carl Waldekranz, said, “You’re not just shopping for a product; you’re buying into a story and getting to know the entrepreneur behind the story.” While this statement may seem lofty to some retailers, for Tictail, it is one of the new store’s exciting features. Many of the items sold around the store have cards for customers with further information about the brand or shop, including the country of origin.

“YOU’RE NOT JUST SHOPPING FOR A PRODUCT; YOU’RE BUYING INTO A STORY AND GETTING TO KNOW THE ENTREPRENEUR BEHIND THE STORY.” Tictail’s products available in-store are carefully curated from over 100,000 stores and users on its web platform. The shop will constantly evolve as it looks to showcase new designers and brands in its space, with special events and pop-ups occurring frequently. Meanwhile, local artists will be selected every month to have their work spotlighted and displayed on a wall near the front entrance, along with special events that allow the artists to meet customers. Tictail’s founding principle in connecting customers to small and independent brands globally has helped the Internet startup emerge as a company based on good intentions with a loyal following around the world, and it shows no sign of slowing down.

PHOTO COURTESY: TICTAIL.COM (ALL PHOTOS)

HAUTE CULTURE

R E S TA U R A N T R E V I E W :

FIT R E S TA U R A N T R E V I E W :

BL ACK TAP CRAFT BURGERS & BEERS

JUN-MEN RAMEN BAR BY DANA HEYWARD As you probably know, we’re in thick of winter. In New York it’s a time where we bundle up and stock up on as much Emergen-C and cold medicines that our cabinets can hold. But winter is also the ideal season to tuck into numerous bowls of ramen, and with a city full of restaurants specializing in the toasty Japanese dish, the options are endless. One of the latest additions to the ramen scene, Jun-Men Ramen Bar is making waves for its stylish but straightforward approach.

BY KAYLA RENSHAW I HAVE NEVER HAD A MILKSHAKE AS DECADENT AND ELABORATE AS THE ONE THAT I WAS SERVED AT BLACK TAP.

For the past month or so, foodies in the New York City area have been going crazy over milkshakes offered at a seemingly average restaurant. That restaurant is Black Tap, with two locations that you can check out: one in SoHo and one located in the Meatpacking District. As soon as I heard about the milkshakes, I made it my mission to get one as soon as I got back into the city. My friend and I made plans to go to the location in the Meatpacking District and wait in line for half an hour before the restaurant was set to open. I had heard of people waiting hours to get inside, and I did not want to be one of them. As we approached the restaurant, there were already 30 or so people waiting. We patiently waited until noon but did not make the first cut. At that point, I started to have my doubts about the milkshake and if it was really going to be worth all this trouble. Luckily, we were ushered inside 20 or so minutes later.

As we stepped inside, I noted the music in the background and the allaround atmosphere. The lighting in the restaurant is dim, but the ambiance is very enticing. The restaurant is much bigger than I was anticipating, considering the wait to get in. Originally, Black Tap was known for its burgers, but now three milkshakes have taken the spotlight. The f lavors offered are Sweet and Salty, Cotton Candy and Cookie Sandwich. I’ve heard that the f lavors change quite frequently, so I may have to make another trip in the future. After much deliberation, I opted for the Sweet and Salty shake, which is literally filled to the brim with candy while the shake itself is peanut butter. My friend went for the Cookie Sandwich shake that includes your own personal Chipwich, guaranteed to transport you back to your childhood.

Jun-Men (which translates to “pure noodle”) is one of the only ramenspots in the Chelsea area since opening it’s doors this past Fall. The small restaurant is pretty easy to miss as it sits on a strip on ninth avenue of identical minimalistic storefronts. Design-wise the restaurant is simple to say the least. It’s a quaint 25-seater set against whitewashed walls with communal tables and a bar counter that overlooks a tiny open kitchen. While the set-up is definitely understated it only helps make the food the true focal point. The menu is brief but focused with only four different types of ramen offered; kimchi, pork bone or spicy pork bone, uni mushroom, or spicy miso. The kimchi ramen bowl is probably the simplest of the offerings cooked with roasted pork shoulder, kimchi, kikurage and a boiled egg. Despite it’s typical ramen contents, it packs a f lavor unlike any other that’s harmoniously both savory and spicy. If you’re into the Mazemen-style trend (brothless-ramen), the uni mushroom is the way to go. It blends Japanese and Italian inf luences as the uni is tossed with roasted pancetta, truff le oil and porcini butter. Regardless of what you choose, if you manage to leave most of your bowl bare and finish off a saketail (or two) without feeling full, top off your meal with a slice of their green-tea cheesecake. It’s the perfect light treat to end your meal on a sweet note.

As we waited, I noted how at ease all of the workers seemed to be despite the madness that seemed to be surrounding the restaurant. Finally, the notorious shakes were set in front of us, and I could almost feel the sugar coma I would be entering. The first sip proved that every inkling of doubt I had prior to stepping inside the restaurant was wrong. I have never had a milkshake as decadent and elaborate as the one that I was served at Black Tap. If you love food as much as I do, I highly recommend checking out Black Tap. I did not get a chance to try a burger due to the massive amount of sugar I consumed, but from what I saw, they looked very good. I’m hoping that in a few weeks’ time, the hype will calm down and there will be no lines. But for now, the suffering you have to endure is well worth the experience.

Jun-Men certainly isn’t a Ippudo, Momofuku Noodle Bar, or any of the other numerous ramen spots New Yorkers clamor over. But if you’re fed up with waiting on seemingly-endless lines at those other places and looking for something a bit more intimate, JunMen Ramen is a worthy alternative.

PHOTO COURTESY: JUNMENRAMEN.COM

TOP PHOTO COURTESY: COMPASSANDTWINE.COM BOTTOM PHOTO COURTESY: YAHOO.COM

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ADIDAS’S ATTEMPTS TO BRING DOWN NIKE BY JENNY KIM When it comes to sneakers, many would agree that it ultimately comes down to two brands: Nike and Adidas. While Nike has the biggest representation in American sports such as basketball, Adidas, the German-based brand, has infiltrated the fashion industry, especially in the past couple of years. Lately at FIT, many students have been sporting sneakers for the purpose of looking fashionable instead of wearing them for their athletic purpose. Popular and iconic sneakers such as Adidas Superstars, Nike Roshe Runs, Nike Air Max and Adidas Stan Smith’s are some of the models that students at FIT love to wear. With all of this mind, which company has the upper hand in the fashion industry — Nike or Adidas?

It is safe to say that the competition between Nike and Adidas is real. While 2014 was remembered by some fashionistas as the year of the Nike Roshe Runs (literally everyone had at least one pair), 2015 favored Adidas as it saw the return of the Superstars and was overrun with Stan Smith’s. Will it be the same in 2016? So far, people have been going absolutely nuts for the new Yeezy Boost 350 that came out a couple months ago. Adidas may now be partnered with Adidas, but it was Nike that originally supported them. In fact, Kanye produced his Air Yeezy line at Nike for four years. However, in 2013, he suddenly announced that he was leaving Nike for Adidas. According to Kanye himself, Nike was preventing his creative freedom by not paying him enough and not respecting him as a designer. When the mid-top, grey and white Yeezy Boost 750s under Adidas first came out in February 2015, Kanye hosted a product launch event on Broadway and Fifth Ave. With immense pride he shouted, “We ain't even gonna mention that other company no more, right? We ain't wearing that other company no more, right?” Obviously, he was referring to Nike.

FEBRUARY 2016

PHOTO COURTESY: SNEAKERNEWS.COM

It is also safe to say that Adidas is trying its best to dethrone Nike in the fashion market as well as with mass consumers in America. In 2014, Adidas moved its head of design from Germany to Portland. When Mark King was made head of Adidas North America, he stated that being an American citizen was more important than his experience and education — two factors that are quite important in hiring decisions. King noted, “They were really looking for a few things. One is, they wanted an American. They stressed this because I think, as great as the Adidas business and brand is around the world, it obviously isn’t as strong here [in America] as it is in other parts of the world, and one of the beliefs is that we aren’t Americanized.” To resonate even more deeply with the American market, Adidas moved Paul Gaudio, its global creative director, from Germany to Portland as well.

PHOTO COURTESY: HIGHERSNOBIETY.COM

Soon, it became clear that Adidas’s priority was to back (financially and with their trust) individuals with name recognition in fashion and other industries as well. In addition to Kanye West, the company has partnered with Pharrell Williams, Jeremy Scott, Yohji Yamamoto and Raf Simons, all of who produced collections that garnered positive feedback. Nike fought back by joining forces with Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci and ACRONYM’s Johanna F. Schneider. The real question is, are all these efforts made by Adidas working? Next time you step onto the FIT campus, you be the judge — Adidas or Nike?

MONTH IN REVIEW

FIT

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL: FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE? BY DANIEL NISSIM

OVER THE 25YEAR PERIOD COVERED BY INSPECTIONS, IRAN WILL BE LIMITED, BUT AFTER THAT PERIOD ALL BETS ARE OFF. IRAN IS FREE AND CLEAR AND THE SANCTIONS WILL NOT BE PUT IN PLACE AS LONG AS IRAN DOESN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG (OR GET CAUGHT).

Near the end of his second term, President Barack Obama has sought to forge renewed relationships with Cuba and Iran. With Cuba, the United States has eased travel and trading restrictions, removed them from the “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list and, most importantly, resumed full diplomatic relations. None of the acts can be construed as dangerous — questionable, maybe — but not like the danger a nuclear deal with Iran may pose. The deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was established between Iran and the P5+1 — the five permanent members on the UN Security council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) and Germany. In January, Iran met the necessary requirements for economic sanctions to be lifted and the deal to begin. The Deal – The main selling point of the deal is stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran must reduce its uranium stockpile by 98% (10,000 kg to 300 kg) and can only enrich uranium at 3.67% — well below the necessary 90% for a viable nuclear weapon. It must reduce the number of centrifuges — used to enrich the uranium — at their Natanz and Fordow uranium enrichment facilities from roughly 20,000 to 6,104 for the next ten years. Natanz will be the only location of uranium enrichment and the Fordow facility will be used in the production of radioisotopes for medical, agricultural, industrial and scientific use. Iran will have to use their oldest and least efficient centrifuges for the first ten years of the deal. It’s Arak heavy water reactor will be repurposed so it can never be used to produce plutonium again — no additional heavy water facilities will be built for 15 years. Throughout this 15-year period, and for an additional 10 years (25 years in total), there will be continual inspections and complete transparency. For its cooperation, some EU and other foreign sanctions will be lifted – allowing Iran to profit of its mineral and oil wealth. Other embargos in regards to weapons and missiles have varying time restrictions. If, for any reason, Iran does not cooperate with the program, sanctions can be put back in place.

No one can deny that the deal, currently in motion, will reduce Iran’s uranium stockpile as well slow down their breakout time — the time necessary to create a nuclear weapon — from 2-3 months to a year. Over the 25-year period covered by inspections, Iran will be limited, but after that period all bets are off. Iran is free and clear and the sanctions will not be put in place as long as Iran doesn’t do anything wrong (or get caught). According to the BBC, the lifting of sanctions will give Iran access to $100 billion of frozen assets as well as the ability to make up the $160 billion they could have made in oil sales since 2012. A major concern over this quick inf lux of capital is that Iran will use it to sponsor terrorist groups. First, as per the deal, the United States has not removed the Department of Defense’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Second, according to a press packet released by the White House, the United States government believes “money Iran receives from sanctions relief is likely to be directed primarily towards pressing economic needs given the more than half a trillion dollars in investment and government obligations Iran faces,” and they “will continue to aggressively enforce sanctions against Iran’s support for terrorism, human rights abuses, missile program, and destabilizing activities in the region.“ It’s no secret that Iran supports terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas along with the Assad regime in Syria. Sure, our ally Saudi Arabia is guilty of similar offenses, but they have not vocally opposed the United States and the West like Iran. Recently, a group of United States sailors were captured in Iranian waters. The act of capturing is innocuous enough as the sailors should not have been there. However, it was how this act was carried out that truly ref lects the character of this nation — United States service men and women were forced to surrender and apologize on television as propaganda fodder.

In the past, Iran’s nuclear hopes have been hindered not by deals, but by cyber-attacks. Stuxnet, easily one of best executed computer worms in history, did not attack computers rather the physical hardware controlled by them. No country has openly claimed responsibility for the attack, but a New York Times report claims it was a coordinated US-Israeli effort. The problem was this: how do you destabilize a nation’s nuclear program without them realizing and how do you attack an air-gapped (isolated from unsecured networks) system? Wired reports how Stuxnet was deployed at five outside companies affiliated with Iran’s nuclear program. It would continue to move computer-to-computer via USB thumb drive (and, in a later version, through a print-spooler zero-day exploit) until it reached it’s intended target. It caused the centrifuges, governed by the facility’s PLCs (programmable logic controller), to speed up in such a way that they would continually need to be replaced and nobody knew what the problem was. Business Insider claims that the virus may have destroyed roughly onefifth of Iran’s nuclear centrifuges. Ultimately, it comes down to whether you’re willing to deal with other countries to forge a different tomorrow or would rather play it safe and do nothing. This nuclear deal with Iran is neither all good nor all bad. There is an element of risk, but, for a time, Iran’s nuclear program will be under close watch and strict control. In the Middle East, 25 years goes by in the blink of an eye, and yet the region is so volatile it is unclear what can happen one year or 26 years from now. It is nice to be hopeful and willing to cooperate with others, but one must never forget who it is they’re dealing with. As President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick.”

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FEBRUARY 2016

29 CLAIRE DECHAIRO

“I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO JUST GET A

TE X TI LE /SU R FAC E D E S I G N

BETTER STATE OF MENTAL BEING. I WAS REALLY STRESSED OUT LAST SEMESTER,

BY MELISSA DEOLIVEIRA

HOFIT

A R E YO U P L A N N I N G O N M A K I N G A N Y C H A N G E S I N 20 1 6 ?

I WAS GOING THROUGH SOME STUFF, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THINK MORE POSITIVELY. I WANT TO BE HAPPIER, DO MORE THINGS, CHILL WITH MY FRIENDS, DO LOTS OF ART AND GET CREATIVE. I WAS ISOLATING MYSELF FROM MY FRIENDS BUT NOW I REALIZE THEY’RE WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY, AND MY ART MAKES ME HAPPY AND IT CALMS ME DOWN. AND THAT REALIZATION MAKES ME

FEEL LIKE I’VE

BEEN REVIVED.”

F E R N A N D A A LV E R E Z FINE ARTS I S A N Y T H I N G G O I N G TO C H A N G E I N 20 1 6 F O R YO U ? “DO I KNOW WHAT'S GONNA CHANGE THIS YEAR? I HAVE NO IDEA, THERE’S NO DEFINITION TO THAT YET. WHAT I HOPE TO GET OUT OF THIS YEAR? A LOT MORE SOCKS.”

STE FA N I E CA LLE N D E R A D V E R T I S I N G M A R K E T I N G C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

D O YO U H AV E A N Y N E W Y E A R R E S O LU T I O N S ? “I DON’T BELIEVE IN ‘NEW YEAR, NEW YOU’, IF I WAS DOING GREAT IN 2015 I’M GONNA DO THE SAME NOW. JUST BECAUSE IT’S A NEW YEAR DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF. YOU COULD BE DOING WELL IN 2015 AND IF THAT WORKED FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD STILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU’RE DOING. PERSONALLY I HAVE REAL 2016 ‘RESOLUTIONS’ BUT IT’S JUST BORING STUFF LIKE DRINK MORE WATER AND WASH YOUR FACE MORE. BUT YOU SHOULD JUST HAVE CONTINUAL GROWTH ALL YEAR.”

FIT SPEAKS

FIT

P L A C E S T O G O I F YO U A R E S I N G L E O N VA L E N T I N E ’ S D AY BY JENNY KIM

Being single on Valentine’s Day can be tough. However, just because you are single does not mean you cannot have fun! Here are places to go if you are single on Valentine’s Day:

PHOTO COURTESY: MOVIEWEB.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: INK361.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: TIMEOUT.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: DELISH.COM

G O TO E G G LO O -

CIT Y BAKERY -

V O L U N T E E R AT

The ice-cream shop is opening its doors Feb. 13 at 60 Mulberry St. in Chinatown. If you go on the grand opening days — Feb. 13 and 14 — then you can get a buy-one-get-one-free bubble waff le ice cream cone.

This year, The City Bakery’s 22nd Hot Chocolate Festival runs from Feb. 1–28. The City Bakery has been known to have some of the best hot chocolate around, so go grab yourself a cup — or two, or three — and just celebrate the cold season. Every day will have a unique f lavor of hot chocolate — sneak peek: chili pepper, banana peel and bourbon — so don’t be afraid to make multiple visits, especially on Valentine’s Day.

G O W AT C H “ H O W TO B E S I N G LE” The movie comes out on Thursday, Feb. 11, just a couple of days before Valentine’s Day. The story is about Alice, Robin, Lucy, Meg, Tom and David, who are all single and ready to take on Valentine’s Day in New York City.

5. PHOTO COURTESY: TIMEOUT.COM

FRIED CHICKEN AND DRINKS WITH YO U R F R I E N D S I did this last year and it was AMAZING. Obviously, all of us were single, and there were four of us, so it worked out perfectly. For amazing fried chicken, I recommend a Korean pub called Starry Night on 35th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in the bustling Koreatown that practically parties 24/7.

YO U R LO C A L HOMELESS S H E LT E R O R A N I M A L S H E LT E R Volunteer at your local homeless shelter or animal shelter — If you can’t receive love then go give share yours with someone else. Homeless shelters and animal shelters always need a helping hand and some lovin’, so Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity for you to give back to the community.

T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F TA K I N G YO U R S E L F O U T BY MADELINE GRANDUSKY-HOWE With Valentine’s Day looming over us, the population divides into two groups: the taken and the single. Those in the latter category either race to find someone for the big day or are busy complaining about their current relationship status. However, there is a third option for when you don’t have a significant other in your life — take yourself out.

When you’re taking yourself out, you’re taking a healthy risk and increasing your own independence. It gives you the opportunity to unplug and treat yourself without being dependent or needing a friend or special someone there. Plus, it gives you the freedom to indulge without fear of judgment. You want extra fries with that? No one’s stopping you.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just a regular Friday night, you should take yourself out on dates. Getting yourself a table for one is both a confidence booster and it lets you have some welldeserved alone time. We spend time by ourselves often — in the shower, walking down the street. But do we really take the time to think and be at peace with ourselves? The most important relationship we have is the one with our own body and mind, so we should take the time to nurture it.

The best place to take yourself out is a nice restaurant, especially one that you’ve been meaning to visit but you haven’t been to yet. Try turning your phone off for the evening, order a couple of different things off the menu and really focus on the food you’re enjoying and the thoughts in your head. If this task seems daunting, bring a book or notebook to read or sketch.

Another great solo date is you, a camera and a corner of the city you haven’t seen. Do you really know Central Park well? Have you ever been to Brooklyn Heights? You should really go to Brooklyn Heights. Walk around if weather permits, grab a coffee, capture what you see. Post an Instagram. Your friends will have serious FOMO (fear of missing out). Other favorite solo dates of mine are a cozy cafe or an art museum. The Met and MoMA are free to FIT students, and art is easier to digest when you’re forming your own opinion. Even if you’re in a relationship, taking yourself out is essential to self-love. It proves that you don’t need anyone else to do the things you love. Explore your city! Go to a movie! Buy some shoes! The possibilities are endless. You’ll be too busy becoming more cultured and getting to know this amazing city to feel sad about being single.

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FEBRUARY 2016

AND THE OSCAR G O E S TO — D I S C R I M I N AT I O N BY LILY WRIGHT

As the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences gave out its nominations for this year’s Oscars, people all over the nation were shocked at its decisions. Last year, there were no actors of color nominated for any awards and no female directors nominated, and the Academy has not seemed to change its ways. On Jan. 14, the nominations for the 2016 awards were announced, and again, no actors of color or female directors were nominated. As of 2012, the Academy was made up of 94 percent white people, with very few women, according to the Los Angeles Times, therefore making it easy for society to place all of the blame on the Academy alone. However, the problem is much bigger than the Academy. Although it is obvious that the amount of minorities and women who can vote needs to change, we as a society should look at the bigger picture and question Hollywood’s lack of acceptance and diversity in quality films. Throughout the past 87 years of the Oscars, it is extremely evident that minorities have always seemed to be overlooked, and throughout the 20th century, 95 percent of nominations went to white actors, according to Forbes. Since 1958, only four black actors have won Oscars for Best Lead Actor, and only 20 have been nominated. For women, the lack of nominations is even more severe, with only 10 nominations since 1954 and only one win. Hispanics are underrepresented as well. While they make up 16 percent of the population, they have only been given three percent of the Oscar nominations since 2000. The lack of diversity doesn’t stop there either. With only four women nominated for Best Director in the history of the event, only one has taken home the trophy, and there has never been a female nominated for Best Cinematography.

Many were shocked this year when the only white people were nominated for awards for the films “Straight Outta Compton” and “Creed,” both of which featured extremely talented black actors and directors. Other films that featured black artists who were not even nominated included “Chi-Raq,” “Beasts of No Nation” and “Concussion.” After being snubbed yet again, many minority actors are taking a stand, including Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband Will Smith and Spike Lee, who will all be boycotting the ceremony. Many other celebrities, including Mark Ruffalo and Snoop Dogg, are also showing their support. Ruffalo is currently deciding whether to attend, even though he is nominated for his role in “Spotlight.” In an interview with BBC, he explained his reasoning by referencing Martin Luther King Jr.: “Because if you look at Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, what he was saying is the good people who don’t act are much worse than the wrongdoers who are purposely not acting and don’t know the right way.” In a video by Pinkett Smith, she acknowledged why she will not be going, stating, “Begging for acknowledgment … diminishes dignity [and] power. … So, let’s let the Academy do them with all grace and love, and let’s do us differently.” Since these allegations have become known, the Academy board has taken the first steps to change its ways. President Cheryl Boone Isaac stated to the press last week, after a meeting with her 51 board members, that by 2020 they hope to double the amount of minorities and women who can vote. As of right now, the voters consist of around 6,200 film professionals. To accomplish this, they are changing the voting requirements, recruiting process and structure in order to diversify the board. The most revolutionary change, though, is that both old and new members will be screened every 10 years to ensure that they are still keeping up with the industry. This has many of the older members on edge. The members who are not up to par with the industry will lose their right to vote, but those who have been nominated for or won Oscars are forever guaranteed that right. This past June, the Academy began to diversify the board by inviting a record number of 322 new members to join, but the current membership is still mostly Caucasian and over 50 years of age. Due to membership rules, it seems as if this statistic will hold true, at least for now, due to membership rules. Hopefully, they can try to speed the process along, with Isaac reassuring the public that they “will not wait for the industry to catch up.”

PHOTO COURTESY:THESOURCE.COM

“IN A VIDEO BY PINKETT SMITH, SHE ACKNOWLEDGED WHY SHE WILL NOT BE GOING, STATING, “BEGGING FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT … DIMINISHES DIGNITY [AND] POWER. … SO, LET’S LET PHOTO COURTESY:RYOT.COM

THE ACADEMY DO THEM WITH ALL GRACE AND LOVE, AND LET’S DO US DIFFERENTLY.”

Catching up is exactly what the industry needs to do. There should be more of an uproar about how many movies featuring minority talents are decently written, as well as how many are nominated. If there were more decently written roles for minorities, there in turn would be more opportunity for minority actors and professionals to be nominated. According to The Washington Post, in 2013, only 4.9 percent of movie characters were Hispanic and only 14 percent were African American — and more than half of the films observed in the study did not feature a single African-American speaking role. Many celebrities are speaking out, and their points entirely ref lect the industry because they live it every day. Whoopi Goldberg, who has strong views and major experience in the industry, stated, “The problem is the people who can be helping to make movies that have blacks and Latinos and women and all that — that money doesn’t come to you because the idea is that there is no place for black movies.” Think about the success interracial movies could have. They certainly would portray our society more accurately and could possibly even help some people who have trouble with racial acceptance realize that we should all be treated with equal respect regardless of what we look like.

It will definitely be a shock to the audiences at home this year when the cameras pan out to the crowd and some of their favorite stars are nowhere to be found. Chris Rock will likely bring up the dilemma as he hosts, maybe even make jokes about the lack of diversity and the trending hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. Hopefully, many at home will also realize just how much minorities are overlooked when only white actors are the ones going up to the stage. Hopefully, this discussion continues after the Oscars premier so Hollywood can finally realize just how discriminatory the industry really is.

STYLE ON 27

FIT

STYLE ON 27 B Y: C A R M E N L I W H AT D O Y O U T H I N K I S T H E T R E N D I E S T C O L O R O F T H I S Y E A R S P R I N G A N D S U M M E R ?

SARAH REITER / FACULTY

Buffalo Exchange Glasses – Miu Miu

Jacket – Fover21 Hat – Ralph Lauren Polo Backpack- FJall Raven

i always want to see more chartruce into world. I wanted to feel more orderly. Pink and blue have a formal association for me.

I‘m hoping that bright colors such as yellow and pink would be trendy for SS, as well as pastel colors. I picked black pants and turtleneck to bring out the sky blue of my jacket and choker. I love when colors stand out! I’m wearing my hat because my hair doesn’t look it’s best today, but I love the pop of color it adds.

FASHION DESIGN

DANA PARK

VICTORIA REBKOVETS FBM

W H Y D I D Y O U C H O O S E T H O S E C O L O R S F O R Y O U R O U T F I T S T O D D AY ?

CHLOE SCHNELL FASHION DESIGN Thrift shop! Skirt- Fox and Fawn, acket- Ltrain vintage Shoes- Friend NYC

Jacket- Rothco Shoes- Vans

Red!!

I thought wearing bright colors might bring some warm since it’s cold outside.

Green

People in this city need to wear more color. Brighten someones day!

TO P 1 0 T R E N DY C O LO R S O F 20 1 6 S P R I N G S / S U M M E R N E W YO R K FA S H I O N W E E K

ALASIA ALLEN/ AMC

BY CARMEN LI

Coat & Pants – Zara Bodysuit- Topshop Sneakers- Nike Earth Tones This is actually my basic outfits. My outfit fits the weather today and I love being comfy.

ELENA K ANAGY LOUX TEXTILE DESIG N ALU M NI Skirt – Mandate of Heaven Hat- made by self Sweater- vintage

PHOTOCOURTESY: BLOG.ENREVERIE.COM

With each spring and summer collection, designers try and showcase sunnier and more f loral colors in an attempt to build a young and refreshing atmosphere. They're more enigmatic and calming. The colors are also being used in more unconventional ways, lending to androgynous theme that embodied many of collections. Rose Quartz pink appears in menswear and Snorkel Blue is seen in women's wardrobes. Baby showers will never be the same.

PANTONE recently launched the top 10 trendy colors for spring and summer 2016. They were inspired by every aspect of Fashion Week from the clothes to the hairstyles, to the makeup, accessories and even interior design of the shows themselves. The colors are Rose Quartz, Peach Echo, Serenity, Snorkel Blue, Buttercup, Limpet Shell, Fiesta, Ice Coffee and Green Flash.