March 2016

VOLUME 50 • ISSUE 5 • MARCH 2016

MASTHEAD

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FIT

W27

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MARCH 2016

CONTENTS

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

ON THE BLOCK

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

Dan Nissim Digital Content Editor

The road between Hesston and Newton in Kansas is usually a peaceful one. It brings together two bucolic towns that are the paradigm of Middle America.

But in the late afternoon of Feb. 25, Cedric Larry Ford forever changed the way Old U.S. Route 81 and both of those idyllic towns will be remembered when he shot and killed three people before his own life was taken by the police. 14 others were also wounded, 10 of them critically. Now I am somewhat familiar with this story, but I also watch CNN religiously and specifically researched it for this. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was news to some of you and that is quite disconcerting.

Marina Herbst Treasurer Jonathan Lee Copy Editor Hayden Werp Advertising Manager

EDITORS Kaylee Denmead Jordyn Ferriss Dan Nissim Dana Heyward Kaitlyn Gorecki

ART Danielle Gosda Art Director Aoi Fujikawa Carmen Li Rose-Ann Reynolds Senior Designers Joanna Bugenis Faith Eloriaga Junior Designer

CONTRIBUTORS Kayla Renshaw Andrea Navarro Martin Allen Louisa Owen Sonstroem Jordyn Ferris Melissa De Oliveira Lily Wright Kaylee Denmead Allison Hatch Meghan Kane Caterina Nicolini Veronica Marrinan Natalia Pereira Thais Derjangocyan Madeline Grandusky-Howe Professor John Simone Editorial Faculty Adviser Professor Albert Romano Advertising Adviser To see the results of our survey and find out how FIT students plan on voting in the 2016 presidential election, please visit our website at W27newspaper.com

The problem is twofold. On one hand, it is evidence of the fact that gun violence has become de rigueur in this country. On the other, it demonstrates what we are prioritizing and what has become newsworthy. We have become so consumed with the bullshit antics of a billionaire reality-TV star to even pay attention. There was such little coverage of this shooting because media outlets have been focused on the race for the presidential nomination. Granted this race is like unlike any we have ever had and people have been turning up to vote in the primaries in record numbers.

But is it for the right reasons? The petty fights between them have drowned out the issues that the candidates should be debating. Who really cares if Trump has small hands or if Rubio sweats a lot? It’s time to start demanding that the candidates get serious so that when it comes time to vote for our next president, we will be basing our decisions on the issues that matter.

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Beauty Buzz: Color Correcting, Beauty’s Latest Craze

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A Match Made on Seventh

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Parsons Tapped as Top Overall School in Fusion 2016 Show

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BSU Snaps a Picture for Shades of our Heritage

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Servicing FIT: Keeping the Machines, and Knowledge, Alive

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Student Spotlight : Dalton Taylor Brings New York Style To Omaha Fashion Week

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What It’s Actually Like to Attend the Leadership Weekend

DEAR INDUSTRY 9

Interview with Vanessa Jeswani, Founder of Fifth + Ivy

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Kendall Jenner Sues Skincare Company for 10 Million Dollars

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“Vital Signs” Apple’s First TV Show

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From Exclusive to Inclusive: The New Fashion Week

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Interview with Toni Ko: Founder of NYX Cosmetics

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FIT Student Association Elections 2016 Candidate Bios

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Manus x Machina: A Romance

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A Closer Look at the Democratic and Republican Candidates for the Presidential Primaries

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New York Fashion Week Fall 2016 Trend Review

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Cigarettes vs. E-Cigs: Is One Really Better Than the Other?

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Zika: What’s the Deal?

FEATURE

HAUTE CULTURE

“LET US NOT SEEK THE REPUBLICAN ANSWER OR THE DEMOCRATIC ANSWER, BUT THE RIGHT ANSWER. LET US NOT SEEK TO FIX THE BLAME FOR THE PAST. LET US ACCEPT OUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE.”

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‘2oolander’: Really, Really Ridiculous

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Restaurant Review: The Lucky Bee

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Broad City Season 3 Hotspots

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Exhibition Review: Munch and Expressionism

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Album Review: The 1975

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Album Review: The Life of Pablo Kanye West

-JOHN F. KENNEDY

MONTH IN REVIEW 24

The Heroin Epidemic

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Humans of FIT: Kris Oca and Amanda Tirzzino

HOFIT Dara Kenigsberg Editor–in–Chief

FIT SPEAKS 26

ON THE COVER: FIT Student Association Elections

Corrections:

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

Five Reasons Why I’m Not Done Talking About “Formation”

In our February issue, we incorrectly attributed some content. Natalia Pereira wrote the Panic! At the Disco album review and took the photo for the Aaron Carter article. Also, Marina Herbst wrote the Big in 2016 article.

BEAUTY BUZZ

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FIT

BE AUT Y BUZZ

COLOR CORRECTING, BEAUTY’S LATEST CRAZE Extreme contouring, strobing and ombré eyebrows; some trends are better left on our Instagram feeds and not on our faces. The beauty community is always searching for the next big thing and unfortunately this “big thing” isn’t always adaptable to your everyday makeup routine. This was the case until the latest makeup trend came along: color correcting. If you’ve been browsing online at Sephora or the aisles of department stores lately you might have noticed some oddly colored products.

Pink, purple, orange, green and yellow foundations, concealers and powders have been popping up everywhere lately. But what do they do? Slathering on a base of yellow cream before putting on your foundation can seem a bit daunting, but don’t be afraid of color correcting because it’s proven to be a lifesaver for many, myself included. If you suffer from acne scars, dark circles, hyper-pigmentation, etc., then color correcting is for you. The pros have been using it for years and it has finally made its way down into the consumer market. Brands such as Urban Decay, Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent and BECCA have all recently expanded their product lines into the color correcting category.

Has your interest peaked yet? If so, let me give you the low-down on what colors work best for your individual skin tone and specific skin problems.

Green & Yellow:

Orange:

Cancels out dark circles and helps diminish the look of dark spots, works best with light to medium skin tones.

Helps eliminate redness from pimples, rosacea and scarring on all skin tones.

Cancels out dark circles and helps diminish the look of dark spots, works best with tan to dark skin tones.

Red:

Pink:

Purple:

Cancels out dark circles, hyperpigmentation and dark spots on deep skin tones.

Cancels out dark circles and brightens dull skin, works best with light skin tones.

Cancels out dark circles and brightens dull skin, works best with medium skin tones.

Now that we’ve covered the colors and their concerns, lets finish with the products. Here are my top picks for easy color correcting: PHOTO COURTESY: MAKEUPFOREVER.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: RICKYSNYC.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: URBANDECAY.COM

MARCH 2016

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A

SEVENTH

Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid

Make Up For Ever Cream Palette Color Correct & Concealer,

$28

$40

Smashbox Color Correcting Stick,

L.A. Girl HD PRO Conceal,

$23

$5

Whichever product you decide to go with, remember this: less is more. If you use too much green or purple on your skin, you risk having the corrector showing through your foundation, defeating the purpose of the product completely. Color correcting is a discreet way of fixing the small imperfections that foundation alone can’t cover. One last thing; don’t be afraid to play around with product shades to find your ideal color, everyone’s skin is different and sometimes one single corrector doesn’t accomplish all you need it to.

ON

BY KAYLA RENSHAW

On February 11, 2016, students from FIT and surrounding schools in the New York City area gathered in the Great Hall for a not-so-typical college event: speed-dating. The four long tables in the middle of the room topped with candles seemed to be the cherry on top. Everyone had different reasons for attending but everyone could agree that they were there to have a good time.

Before the event started there was plenty to keep you busy -- from pizza to iced coffee (all of which was donated), to an interactive photo booth where you could take a video and have it sent to your phone. The photo booth was promoting the movie, “How To Be Single,” and there were people handing out free T-shirts – yes free!

to sit down - girls on one side and boys on the other.

Since there were more girls than boys in attendance, the girls were asked to move each time. As I met my first “date” I started to second-guess this whole speed-dating thing. But then I started to talk to him I realized that he was a funny guy and everything was going to be fine.

We only had 90 seconds with each person, which was more than I was anticipating. I went into the event thinking that I was only going to have 60

seconds to make an impression. But trust me when I tell you, that extra 30 seconds did not make much of a difference. After about 45 minutes, there was an intermission; finally a chance to stretch our legs and get something to drink. Who knew speed-dating could be so exhausting?

When the intermission ended, everyone was supposed to return to where they were before, but many people relocated. At first I did not have very high expectations, but I had heard that some people had met their significant others at previous events and that made me hopeful.

All in all, the event was very well executed. PRSSA did a wonderful job of gathering donations and the event ran very smoothly. Speed-dating in general is something that you don’t see often on a college campus, so there is definitely a novelty to it. I may not have had much luck this time, but I had enough fun to know that I will be trying again next year.

Naturally, there was a hint of nervous energy in the air. When you put a bunch of young adults in a room where barely anyone knows each other, there’s going to be some awkwardness.

At eight sharp, everyone was asked PHOTO COURTESY: HUFFINGTONPOST.CA

Peach:

PHOTO COURTESY: SMASHBOX.COM

W27

PA R S O N S TA P P E D A S T O P O V E R A L L S C H O O L I N F U S I O N 2 0 1 6 S H O W

BY MARTIN ALLEN Parsons The New School for Design was named Best Overall School at the 17th annual Fusion fashion show on Sunday, March 6 at the New School University Center, breaking the Fashion Institute of Technology’s three-year winning streak. The Fusion fashion show is a competition that features looks from designers at the nation’s top two fashion schools, FIT and Parsons.

There were 29 designers in all (15 from FIT and 14 from Parsons) and each showed five looks. The FIT looks were shown first, with garments ranging from classic gown silhouettes to acrylic ball caps.

Parsons was certainly left with a tough act to follow.

Still, the designers from The New School presented a dazzling array of avant-garde creations that lead them to the title of Best Overall School.

A designer from each institution was also named Best Designer. The accolades went to FIT Junior Suyeon Kim and Parsons Junior James Chapman, whose collections are titled “Love in the Ice” and “Cells Consuming,” respectively.

Kim’s collection was inspired by glaciers and featured a combination of evening and sportswear, where as Chapman’s collection drew inspiration from the four progressive stages of cancer.

The competition was created in 1999 by former Parsons student, James Ramey, who remains the director of Fusion fashion show. The Fusion runway has been graced by garments from acclaimed designers such as Prabal Gurung and Alexander Wang.

The process leading up to the finale show is a long and laborious one, with designers being announced in September and having to show their final looks in March. With all of this on top of their schoolwork, it’s obvious that these students had their hands full.

Those who helped out behind-the-scenes also worked hard to make this incredible event happen. Allison Hatch, Fusion volunteer and W27 contributor spoke more on the work leading up to the grand finale, “The volunteers were all given different assignments and put into subgroups, so the work timeline varied.

Some people were focused on advertising for the model casting call in early fall, while others mostly advertising up until the day of the show. It was nice meeting volunteers from Parsons and working together to produce the show -- they were all quite friendly. From the volunteer’s perspective, I found the days leading up to the show rather calm. We did not adhere to any strict guidelines for day-ofshow operations, but rather took breaks and worked different shifts with one another. There was never any drama, but we actually became friends and shared many laughs throughout the process”.

All the hard work most definitely paid off. The show was comprised of an astonishing 145 pieces and ran about an hour and a half. An incredible array of styles was on display. Whether it was an extravagant, colorful, f lowery ball gown or a minimalist cigarette pant, the designs by these students were nothing short of extraordinary.

The titles of Best Designer and Best Overall School are not just handed out, either. The competition is judged by a heavy-hitting panel of industry professionals. This year’s lineup of judges included Editor-at-Large of Paper Magazine Peter Davis, Global Director of Men’s Trend and Concept at Gap Inc. Damien Nunes, VP of Global Visual Merchandising at Alice + Olivia Daniel Powers and Creative Director of Bill Blass Chris Benz.

With that esteemed group of judges to impress, along with three out of four sold out shows worth of spectators for the two-day event, the designers certainly had quite the task on their hands, and they certainly did not disappoint.

The energy and excitement inside the New School University Center was palpable. The culmination of almost half a year’s work worth of work from 29 incredibly talented student designers is certainly an electric feeling. The amount of hard work, dedication and passion that went into the show was purely moving. It is that which makes the Fusion show so special. At the end of the day, it is not about who wins the competition. It is about the bright future of fashion and letting the voices of the student designers be heard. And on Sunday, they were heard loud and clear.

PHOTOS COURTESY: FUSIONFASHIONSHOW.WORDPRESS.COM

ON THE BLOCK

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BSU SNAPS A PICTURE FOR SHADES OF OUR HERITAGE

FIT

W27

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MARCH 2016

SERVICING FIT: KEEPING THE MACHINES AND KNOWLEDGE ALIVE

BY LOUISA OWEN SONSTROEM

BY ANDREA NAVARRO

In celebration of Black History Month, the Black Student Union arranged to have a picture taken with all of FIT’s students, staff and alumni who identify with or appreciate African and African-American cultures. The open event took place on Feb. 18.

The event was an opportunity for students and staff to come together as a unit, to represent a culture they believe in or are a part of. First conceived

by Chenise Marine Rice, adviser to BSU and Department of Student Life supervisor, the photo is the first of what the club hopes will now be a yearly tradition.

“I wanted to organize something that didn’t cost money to the school or the people participating, just a little bit of their time,” Marine Rice said. “So I thought about it for a while and came up with the idea for the picture. I also liked that it gave BSU an opportunity to introduce itself to other faculty and staff that they normally wouldn’t be able to meet.”

For her part, BSU President Jazmine Williams-Edwards shared her desire to do something to commemorate black history. She stated that there’s no presence of it on campus aside from BSU. “It’s important to me because sometimes you don’t see people in a classroom that relate to you as an individual,” said Williams-Edwards. “It is nice to see that there really are people like you in the faculty and on campus. This was a cool way to get people together.”

Elaborating on that note, Ron Milon, PhD, associate vice president of Academic Affairs and coach of the Diversity Council, said their main purpose was to bring the African-American students and faculty, as well as their supporters, together in order to show that there is a strong presence on campus and that there is a rich and diverse population at FIT. “African-Americans are involved in all the placements and processes here — students, staff, business and administrative,” Milon added.

There were approximately 40 people in attendance, and although the organizers of the event didn’t have any specific expectations in regards to the amount of people coming, there was a certain amount of hope to fill the room, which had capacity for around 90 people. Those who did attend felt like they were a part of something that was truly important.

“I’ve worked here for 17 years, and this is the first time that I’ve experienced a gathering like this,” Monica Williamson, counselor for the Office of Educational Opportunity, said. “It’s amazing. We take our history

for granted, but it’s great to take a moment and to say thanks to the ones who were before us and say, ‘We are here and we matter.’”

Deborah Peyton Jones, Department of Student Life volunteer coordinator and adviser for FIT’s gospel choir, agreed with Williamson’s statement.

“Black history is all of our history,” Peyton Jones said. “This wonderful event chronicles a day, a moment, a second in the life of some of the African-American employees of the Fashion Institute of Technology. We just made a new page in our history.”

Some students even weighed in on the importance of diversity and black history. “I feel like diversity is so important because it can make very different people come together and celebrate it,” said River Rodriguez, an advertising and marketing communications student and member of the Department of Student Life. “It’s like, even if you don’t know the people here and the ones who appear in the picture — it doesn’t really matter.

Everyone is just so nice to each other and willing to have a good time.”

Historically, since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated February as Black History Month as a way to celebrate the achievements of black Americans and acknowledge their central role in the history of the United States. But the movement actually began in 1915, when historian Carter Woodson and minister Jesse Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, an organization whose purpose was to research and promote the accomplishments of black Americans and people of African descendant.

Now known as the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History, the organization held a Negro History Week in 1926, picking the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The occasion inspired schools and universities in throughout the nation to establish history clubs and host performances and lectures, and by the late 1960s, Negro History Week had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses.

The photos of the event were taken by photography student Kevin Ruano under the guidance of Curtis Willocks, adjunct instructor for FIT’s Photography Department. The mood was lighthearted, and laughter filled the room during requests to make silly faces.

Everyone seemed to have a good time and to be looking forward to the next year, the next photo, the next faces who will join them and the next opportunity to celebrate their history together.

When garment manufacturing operations moved overseas a few decades ago, the United States lost more than jobs – it began to lose crucial knowledge of how to keep production equipment going. Today, industrial sewing machine repair is somewhat of a dying art in this country, kept alive by a stalwart few, including FIT’s own Pavel Krigeris.

Better known as “Paul” to those within the fashion design department, Krigeris is the full-time materials assistant for both the womenswear and menswear programs, servicing hundreds of industrial sewing machines as well as machines for the coverstitch, chainstitch, overlock, zig zag stitch and more.

“There is adjusting, setting up, repairing sewing machines,” Krigeris said recently, sitting in a seventh-f loor fashion design room, “As well as fixing irons and dress forms. Also in the shop downstairs, I’m taking care of distillers.”

The work of Krigeris and his part-time colleagues, Bolivar Chavez and Yves Jocelyn is essential to the fashion design department’s smooth operation.

“The role of the mechanics within the department is to keep the machines functional. They are critical to keeping the classroom equipment humming and running efficiently,” explained Eileen Karp, chairperson of the fashion design department.

“We interact each day through the phones in the classroom to the (fashion design) office who reaches out to them on the department issued cell phones,” Karp said. “They circulate from room to room and f loor to f loor constantly during the day, evening hours, and some weekend hours.”

Karp described the diverse responsibilities of the technicians. “They maintain the steam irons and make sure they are filled with the distilled water they create down in the basement distiller. They service the Sergers, specialized machines in each classroom, create the ironing board covers, clean the iron sole plates, assist with dress form wheels, broken stands, missing armplates, etc.,” she listed.

Krigeris and his colleagues monitor machines on the third, sixth, seventh and eighth f loors. Off the top of his head, Krigeris was unsure how many machines he oversees, but the number is great.

“I can’t tell you exactly,” he said. “Maybe two hundred? At least – maybe more.”

Krigeris makes the rounds each day, carrying a zippered tool pouch so he is prepared to tinker with machines as needed. This pouch contains mostly simple instruments – screwdrivers, tweezers, a wrench, blades – and more tools are kept in the basement.

Krigeris said he is pleased when he runs into tricky machines.

“If I face problems, I like problems,” he said. “With problems, I can learn more. You feel satisfaction when you find the cause of the problem.”

He would not admit to having a nemesis machine, but was quick to name his favorite: the coverstitch machine. “Before joining FIT, I worked for the manufacturing company who designed those machines,” Krigeris explained.

He worked at Pegasus, a maker of industrial machines, for 13 years, but when the garment manufacturing work left the United States for foreign shores, so, too, did Krigeris’ job. He began working part-time at FIT before eventually transitioning to a full-time position in January 2005.

Despite the importance of FIT’s technicians to the school, Krigeris said he would not encourage a young person to enter the field of garment machine mechanics.

“I wouldn’t recommend anybody to learn,” he said, shaking his head slowly.

“You know why? Because industry moved out of the country, to China, to Mexico. That’s why I lost my job with the company I worked for previously. I was lucky – I ended up in the school. But I like industry.”

Krigeris acknowledged he has heard some say that garment production is beginning to return home, but he is doubtful. “I heard that, but it doesn’t look like it so far,” he said.

From her perspective as chairperson of the fashion design department, Karp highlighted the importance of the work and the growing scarcity of people who know how to do it. “This skill set is increasingly rare since many of the domestic sample rooms and factories have exited this area,” she said. “Their hands are golden. They are one of the most critical components in keeping our classes running smoothly and enabling the students to learn and grow in their skills as well as enabling the faculty to demonstrate effectively.”

Krigeris was born in Russia, and by the time he came to the United States, he said, he “came with knowledge” of machines, though he was unspecific about exactly how he obtained this knowledge.

“You learn, you know,” Krigeris shrugged, and then he paused to think. “I like machines. I like mechanics.”

One might wonder whether Krigeris, immersed in the creative process, sews as well. “I can’t make garments, but I know how to use sewing machines,” he offered. Krigeris and his fellow materials assistants do some sewing, as they are responsible for creating the cotton ironing board covers at the pressing stations in each room. He said he enjoys fashion design generally, and sometimes watches “Project Runway” on television.

A former FIT student with whom he had been friendly was a winner on the show, he said, and now has her own line. “On Facebook, I congratulated her,” he said.

After all, Krigeris said, his job today may not be in an industry factory, but it offers its own joys, including friendships with the students and faculty.

“I like working with students, to explain to them, to show them,” he explained. “That’s very nice.”

ON THE BLOCK

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DALTON TAYLOR BRINGS NEW YORK STYLE TO OMAHA FASHION WEEK

BY MARTIN ALLEN

MA: How did growing up in the Midwest affect your life/identity as a designer?

MARTIN ALLEN: How have you been preparing for your upcoming show?

MA: How many years have you been designing?

DT: A couple of years. This is my second mini collection. I did a charity fashion last year for NYU.

Taylor’s SS16 collection is not the average, mood-board based, meticulously planned, blueprinted type

DT: I have some orders in for my last season’s stuff. Hopefully this season I’ll get some sales! If my revenue covers costs, then I’ll do another one. It is super expensive to do these for fun. As I said, there is a cash prize at the end, so if I win, I might do another one.

MA: Plans after FIT?

Dalton Taylor, a third-year Production Management student, is showing a 12-piece collection at Omaha Fashion Week later this month. Taylor, who pursues fashion design as a hobby, hails from Nebraska, a far cry from the fastpaced fashion atmosphere of New York.

W27’s Martin Allen sat down with Taylor to discuss his upcoming collection, his creative process and life in the Midwest.

DALTON TAYLOR: A lot of sewing.

DT: I like to draw the tech f lats then go into envisioning it on the form. I like to drape my stuff ‘cuz you can see it… you don’t like something something you just tear it down and start again, block another muslin. It’s more of an evolutionary process. I’m doing it for myself, like there’s no teacher to impress, it’s just for fun!

FIT

of line that has come to be expected in the fashion world. Taylor explains that he’ll often make one piece, and let that set the tone for the rest of a collection.

MA: What were some of your inspirations for this collection?

DT: I make what I like. My collection has a lot of parachute cord, a lot of clips.

MA: Take me inside your creative process.

DT: Not a lot of people obviously, in Nebraska are doing fashion so I think it’s cool that I’m participating in Omaha Fashion Week. They get 30 or 50 designers. They come from all over the place. They started it in 2011 or 2010 to start getting people more interested in more creative ventures in Omaha.

People, ya know, need something to do, it’s just healthier to have creative people. And so they started this thing and there’s ya know cash prizes and they sponsor you for stuff and it’s cool because you get a lot of support from everybody you grew up with. At this moment, there’s 700-800 people coming to my show, and its f***king awesome. Its great to be able to have that much support, going into something that is, ya know, a total hobby.

MA: What’s next for Dalton Taylor, both the man and the brand?

DT: I graduate next year. I wanna work in private-label production management.

I think that’d be cool. Half design/ half merchandising kind of thing. Still very business heavy.

PHOTO COURTESY: DALTON TAYLOR

MA: That’s all I need, thank you very much for coming out!

DT: No problem, man!

The Dalton Taylor SS16 show takes place on March 19th in Omaha, Nebraska. The event is sold out.

W27

9

INTERVIEW WITH VANESSA JESWANI, FOUNDER OF FIFTH + IVY

BY JONATHAN LEE

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR VANESSA JESWANI RECENTLY LAUNCHED HER OWN ONLINE BRAND, FIFTH + IVY. SHE MET WITH W27 TO TELL US ABOUT HER PROLIFIC JOURNEY, FROM WHERE SHE STARTED ALL THE WAY BACK IN COLLEGE TO HER GOALS FOR THE FUTURE, AND TO SHARE ADVICE FOR STUDENTS WHO SEEK TO FOLLOW HER SAME PATH.

JONATHAN LEE: So start out by telling me a little bit about what your business is.

VANESSA JESWANI: So I sought to create a lifestyle brand — it’s called Fifth + Ivy. I loved the look and feel of Kate Spade’s stuff, like her amazing use of typography. It felt like I was yearning for something that was a little bit edgier, a little sassier, not as cute, and so I sought to create a brand in that realm. So our tagline is ‘for the bold, bright and brave,’ which really captures our target market in terms of our demographic target. I think it really arranges across the board. It’s primarily women who do embody that sense of edginess but still love the idea of something a little classy and cute and playful at the same time.

JL: When did you start your business?

VJ: I’d been thinking about it for a while but didn’t actually put pen to paper until about October of 2015, so it’s really new, which is exciting. It’s exciting to build out something from scratch — lots of growing in the last few months.

W H AT I T ’ S A C T U A L LY L I K E T O AT T E N D T H E L E A D E R S H I P W E E K E N D

BY ANDREA NAVARRO If you are a FIT student, you’ve probably heard about the Leadership Weekend at some point.

To put it plainly, the program is a team building retreat organized during both the Fall and Spring terms. Most of us hear about it during our first semester, but not many actually apply to attend to the 3-day getaway. For those of you who are interested, here is a snapshot of what the event is really like.

Before going, all I had heard were vague remarks: “Oh, yeah, it’s really fun”, “It’s a cool thing to do,” and probably the most common of all “The food is so good!”

So if you are the sort of person who needs information that’s a little less ambiguous than that, here’s an inside perspective on a surprisingly amazing experience.

1. THE LOCATION WAS AWESOME. After an hour and a half trip to upstate New York, we arrived to the IBM Center in Armonk and were instantly surrounded by woods, an uncommon sight for the citybound, but a very enjoyable one.

I’m not saying that I was expecting an unpleasant hotel— I just wasn’t expecting a great one (we are working with a state college budget, after all). Each of us got our own bedrooms (no roommates) which were stocked with comfortable beds, highquality toiletries and a permanently-cool fragrance.

There was also a play-room with pool, foosball and ping-pong tables available to hang out and socialize in after activities were done for the day.

2. SO. MUCH. AMAZING. FOOD. If you want to get fed (and maybe gain a pound or two) go to the Leadership Weekend. It’s a testament to the confidence that the Center had in its food that, as soon as we arrived, the first person that talked to us was the head-chef. He told us that, “we were going to eat very well for the whole weekend.” He also assured us that there were plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and that if there was a type of dietary restriction that someone needed to follow, the staff would make sure that those needs were met.

JL: How long did it take you to go from concept to reality?

We had breakfast, lunch and dinner, of course; and then a table filled with snacks and drinks in between of each of those meals. Or if you prefered, you could use meal-time to study, nap or socialize. So if the idea of eating 24/7 doesn’t sound as appealing, know that you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.

3. YOU GET TO KNOW SO MANY COOL PEOPLE AND BECOME CLOSE TO THEM IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. Making friends at FIT can be hard because the city is our campus, and we all tend to go to our classes then sprint to the trains or our dorms immediately after. So if you are looking for a way to connect with students and make friends, this is a great one.

Even though some people went to the Leadership Weekend knowing someone else or having a friend as back-up, many of us (including myself ) went without knowing anyone.

You’re not alone for long though because the facilitators of the trip conducted icebreaker activities that were sure to make us talk to each other and work with one another from the very beginning.

The whole group was not that big (the Leadership Weekend usually takes 40 students, but this time only 36 of us made the trip) so there’s an opportunity to meet everyone. We were then divided in four “core groups” of nine people each, and that group becomes your team for the weekend; the ones you spend the most time working with and learning from.

4. YOU ACTUALLY LEARN A THING OR TWO Remember, the whole point of the weekend is to learn about leadership. The focus of this particular trip was shared leadership -- people leading each other to reach their potential.

Many of the activities called for us to work together to accomplish tasks that were seemingly easy, but proved difficult when asked to coordinate with so many people. Communication, listening and encouragement were key factors in making these activities successful.

Some of the things they taught us were what type of leader you are and how your natural skills and abilities play a part in figuring that out. Task functions, maintenance functions and anti-group functions are also discussed and put to practice to learn how to be a better team player and effectively co-lead in a group.

If an all-expenses-paid mini-vacation and the opportunity to learn about leadership and make friends sounds appealing to you, don’t forget to apply for a spot in next semester’s Leadership Weekend. It’s really one of the best experiences that you can have in your time in the FIT.

MARCH 2016

VJ: It took about a couple of months. I had started a Pinterest board over the summer, and it was like, ‘This is the type of look I want,’ but didn’t actually take the leap until I quit my job in the summer — it was at Estée Lauder doing visual marketing. I mean, it’s a great brand to work for, but I think I was ready for something on my own.

JL: How do you advertise your brand?

VJ: Yeah, so really focusing on social media, especially Instagram. It’s such a visual platform. It makes the most sense for a brand like mine. I’m building out an email list currently, and I think that’s a good way to really capture and build loyalty for a brand. I’ve been testing out some Facebook ads as well, which is always tricky to identify the right target. Yeah, so I’ve seen the most success on Instagram, I would say.

JL: Is your business only online, or do you have a brick-andmortar store yet?

VJ: No, so it’s all online right now. I decided to test things out on the Etsy platform just because they have the right demographics that I was looking for.

JL: Do you design all your stuff yourself, or do you have other designers you work with?

VJ: Yeah, I design everything myself. I pull a lot of inspiration from things that are trending — like, I have some DJ Khaled black T-shirts — so things that I see are popping up in terms of pop culture. I really try to pull those inf luences in.

JL: What is your most popular merchandise?

VJ: I’ve found that my makeup pouches do really well. They have really fun and quirky and sassy sayings, and they did really well over the Christmas holiday, and I see them really trending as bridesmaids’ gifts as well because they can be customized to each of the recipients’ personalities.

JL: I saw on your Etsy that you sell accessories like makeup pouches, fashion T-shirts, decorative pillows and things. What other types of merchandise are you thinking of branching out into?

VJ: Yes. So I’m actually heading to China in April to go to a fair. It’s one of the world’s biggest fairs. They literally have everything you could think of in essentially the size of seven football fields. … It’s called the Canton Fair in Canton. Yeah, so that should be really interesting. I think it will give me a good idea of what other types of products would make the most sense, especially as I grow beyond Etsy, really focusing on bringing new designs and new types of goods to the store.

JL: How do you do your manufacturing? Do you make everything yourself?

VJ: Yeah, so right now, I’m working with a couple of different printers, so I have a mug printer — and these are all external printers, basically — so there’s one company that does mugs, one that does T-shirts, another that does makeup pouches. I’m also looking into other printers in China as well to find ways to keep the costs down for certain products.

JL: Where does the name Fifth + Ivy come from?

VJ: The name comes from a combination of two places I’ve lived in New York. Right now, I live close to Fifth Avenue, and I used to live at a building called the Ivy Tower on the West Side, and I really felt those were my formative years in New York, so it’s a combination of both. I really like what both of those names mean otherwise, the connotation they have. Ivy is like Ivy League. It stands for something that’s really well-done and well-made and strong. The same thing with Fifth Avenue.

It’s the highlight of shopping in New York. And so I really felt those names together stood for something that was of great quality.

JL: You said you’re the only designer. Do you have a staff of people you work with?

VJ: So right now, I’m on my own, which is exciting because I get to do a lot of different things and really have my hands on everything, but I definitely see myself the next year pulling in some people to help out with things as the business grows.

JL: Since this is for a college newspaper, what advice would you give to students who want to follow the path that you’ve taken?

VJ: I think definitely try and get a broad range of experiences in terms of internships. That’s really the place where you can see how things work in a company. There’s no other way to get that kind of experience. And I think talking to people in a variety of industries, too. When I was in college as a senior, I would just look through our alumni database and be like, ‘OK, that’s a cool company. Let me see if this person’s willing to talk to me.’ And I found that people were actually pretty helpful, especially people who had recently graduated because they knew what it felt like to be in the job market, and so they were willing to tell me what things were like on a day-to-day basis, which is not something you can get from a company’s website. So yeah, definitely explore your options while you can before you choose one thing or one path.

JL: Is there anything else that you would like us to know?

VJ: No, I think we covered quite a bit about the brand. I think another interesting fact, I guess, is that it’s my first time being an entrepreneur, and I feel like there’s probably students who are considering that path as well, and I’ve learned so much in the last few months. A lot of it is very personal and how to deal with failure and people saying no and having a really thick skin and not letting that bother you, staying true to your vision but not being afraid of taking advice from people who know, as well.

DEAR INDUSTRY

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FIT

KENDALL JENNER SUES SKINCARE COMPANY FOR 10 MILLION DOLLARS

W27

FROM EXCLUSIVE TO INCLUSIVE:

BY LILY WRIGHT

BY KAYLEE DENMEAD Kendall Jenner filed a complaint against Cutera, a skincare company based in Brisbane, Calif., on Feb. 10. The complaint was addressed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for trademark infringement, false endorsement and violating her right of publicity, according to The Huffington Post. The company used her photo in advertisements, launched in New York before Fashion Week, that stated that acne “completely ruined” her self-esteem and that her now “nearly f lawless skin” is because of her visits to the company for their Laser Genesis treatments.

Jenner is suing the company for $10 million, proving how much her face is really worth, according to CNBC. The complaint stated that “Ms. Jenner’s actual endorsement for a worldwide campaign such as this would command a fee well into eight figures.” Although, the money seems not to be the only thing bothering Jenner, as the complaint also stated, “Setting aside the monetary value, however, it is Ms. Jenner’s choice whether or not to commercially endorse another party’s goods and services. Cutera took that choice away from her.”

Cutera’s laser treatment promises to remove acne scars, razor bumps, fine lines and dark spots and shrink pores among many other skin impurities by stimulating new skin cell growth and collagen production, according to International Business Times. Jenner admits that she has used Laser Genesis products after it was recommended to her by her dermatologist, but she never gave Cutera permission to use her as a spokesperson for their product.

Jenner is the face of many other high profile companies, including another skincare company, Estée Lauder, and has her own clothing line with her sister, Kylie Jenner, at PacSun along with a newly released app. She alleges that Cutera is “misappropriating” her “hard-earned popularity” in order to boost its own goodwill, which has caused her to suffer irreparable harm, according to The Fashion Law.

“VITAL SIGNS,” APPLE’S FIRST TV SHOW

BY LILY WRIGHT

This advertisement has the potential to undermine the model’s credibility with her fans. If the product does not deliver as it states, she inevitably will be affiliated with its failure. Her fan base, largely teenage girls, will suffer from acne issues at some point. They will obviously use what they presume makes Jenner an international super model. If it fails, the trust that these girls have in Jenner will be shattered, losing her both fans and money.

This past October, Jenner opened up about suffering through bad acne in the beginning and middle of high school. “I had such bad acne when I was younger,” she wrote on her blog. “It completely ruined my self-esteem.

I wouldn’t even look at people when I talked to them. I felt like such an outcast; when I spoke, it was with my hand covering my face.” She claims that her dermatologist, Dr. Christie Kidd, is the real reason that her face cleared up. Dr. Kidd now treats almost all of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, according to Daily Mail, and Jenner showcases some of her tips on her website.

Kendall Jenner has a brand to protect and Cutera’s use of her likeness in advertising, without her consent, violates her rights. This case should be a slamdunk win for Jenner — $10 million should buy her Laser Genesis treatments for a long time to come.

THE NEW FASHION WEEK

Fashion week in New York has come and gone, first in men’s styles and then in women’s ready-to-wear. Despite chilly temps, fashion week remained it’s always familiar mix of budding runway trends and street style stunners. Fashion week is known to many as highly exclusive and particularly elite. From Carrie Bradshaw sitting front row during multiple “Sex and The City” episodes and Miranda Preisley proving in “The Devil Wears Prada” that not just anyone can get into the shows, fashion week is known for being exclusively for the top tier of the fashion world. For us fashion students, it was once only attainable while dressed in black and working for free at a show. It looks like all those hours put in volunteering to get closer to the limelight may have finally paid off; fashion week is becoming consumer friendly.

Start with Public School’s recent men’s runway show and the fact that fashion followers, students and gurus who stood outside the venue, braving the cold, were not only able to see the new looks, they saw them first. Models took to the sidewalk first before hitting the runway inside the venue for the star-studded front row. Burberry’s line went from the runway, immediately to their Regents Street store in London, so that consumers could view the clothes in person and order them in advance of when they hit the stores this fall. Tom Ford cancelled his fashion week show this year, opting instead to show in the fall, when his clothing could actually be found on the shelves. Rebecca Minkoff chose to re-show her spring 2016 collection at her show, allowing consumers to see it and get excited about it during the season of it’s release. Misha Nonoo debuted her collection on Instagram, then made it ready for pre-order immediately. Moschino shows six months ahead, yet some

of the collection is available immediately online -- in case you were wondering how all those bloggers got the newest Jeremy Scott creations so quickly. Nautica, Tim Coppens and Cadet, all menswear brands, also had at least something from their line available immediately this season.

These designers all seem to know what the top-notch fashion week has been slow to accept: in an age of social media, online shopping and fast fashion, fashion week just isn’t that elite anymore.

This “see now, wear now” approach is the start of a new round of fashion weeks that look to include customers, rather than just those who are rich, famous and noteworthy. The CFDA hired Boston Consulting Group to take a hard look at fashion week as we know it and see where improvement can be made. For the CFDA, acknowledging this shift and doing their best to understand what needs to change is a huge step towards a new, more inclusive fashion week. Diane von Furstenberg explained to WWD, “We have designers, retailers and everybody complaining about the shows. Something’s not right anymore because of social media, people are confused.” And she’s right. Fast fashion retailers can make lookalikes from the show almost as fast as bloggers can put up the Instagrams that start the need for new trends.

While no one knows just what will change for the next season’s fashion weeks, it’s clear that fashion and style conscious students, Instagram scrolling lusters and blog reading trendsetters are going to play a bigger part. What was once a dream for fashion gurus, is now becoming a reality… Without the need to become Miranda Preisley’s newest slave.

PHOTO COURTESY: GOSSIPCOP.COM

Not too long ago, rumors were swirling around about Apple making its own television. In what could be a step in that direction, Apple has just started filming their first original content TV program. The new show stars rap icon, Apple executive and co-founder of Beats, Dr. Dre, and is called “Vital Signs.” The show is set to premiere on Apple Music, with talks about it going up on the company’s Apple TV device as well. If the show goes well, companies like Netf lix and Amazon will be up for some fierce competition.

Not only is Dre staring in the show, but he is also helping to produce it, according to Hollywood Reporter. Other producers include “Empire” co-executive producer and writer Robert Munic, who was hand-picked by Dre to write and executively produce all six episodes of the show. Paul Hunter, a long-time music video producer, will also help produce the show under his Eye Candy brand.

Each episode is set out to be 30 minutes long, but it is far from a comedy. The show is semi-biographical, and each episode focuses on an emotion that Dre will have to deal with.

In fact, those who have seen the show already

PHOTO COURTESY: ATLANTABLACKSTAR.COM

MARCH 2016

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dub it as a dark drama with no shortage of sex and violence. Sources even told the Hollywood Reporter that they filmed an extended orgy scene for the show.

Dre came up with the idea and pitched it to partner Jimmy Iovine. As of right now, Apple has no TV studio or development team, but reportedly went looking in the summer of 2015. Apple has previously started to try out videos on their Apple Music platform when they streamed a Taylor Swift concert video and DJ Khaled’s radio show, but this is their first major jump into original content.

I NTE RV I E W W ITH TO N I KO : FOUNDER OF NY X COSMETICS

BY JENNY KIM At the young age of 13, Toni Ko moved to the United States from South Korea, not knowing a single word of the English language. Fast forward a little over 10 years and at the young age of 25, she dove into the beauty industry by starting a makeup company, NYX Cosmetics. Since then, Ko has gone on to sell her company to cosmetics powerhouse L’Oreal and is eager to start another business. W27 sat down with Ko and she gave us a glimpse into her world and how she became a successful entrepreneur at such a young age.

JK: Tell us briefly about your new company, PERVERSE Sunglasses.

Toni Ko: I discovered a gap in the cosmetics market between prestige brands sold in department stores and mass brands sold in drugstores, so I created NYX in 1999, with the goal of delivering professional, richly pigmented products at affordable prices.

TK: I’m launching a branded sunglass company and the business model is the same as in my last company, NYX. Great quality, chic, fashionable products — in this case, sunglasses — at wallet friendly prices. I’m a real advocate for consumers. I want consumers to be able to buy great-quality, fashion-forward sunglasses and for them to be able to complete their OOTD [Outfit of the Day] or MOTD [Makeup of the Day] without having to break their wallet. The soft launch is scheduled for March 15, 2016, and I can’t wait for the launch!

JK: Why did you decide to sell NYX to L’Oreal?

Apple’s biggest competition will no doubt be Netf lix. In September 2015, 51 percent of Americans said they use Netf lix, and the company had 43 million subscribers in the United States with another 26 million internationally, according to Fortune. Compare this to Amazon Prime, which only 13 percent of Americans subscribe to, and Hulu, which only 6.5 percent of Americans subscribe to, according to Adweek. The participants of Adweek’s survey are so infatuated with Netf lix that 20 percent said the streaming giant would replace all other entertainment platforms altogether.

There is a chance that Apple could give Netf lix some tough competition. In 2015, 75 million Americans owned an iPhone, according to Statista. That means that there are 32 million more people with an iPhone than subscribed to Netf lix. Apple already has the customer base. Now they’ve got to bring quality, original programming to the table.

Jenny Kim: What made you want to create NYX cosmetics?

TK: I knew from the inception of NYX that I wasn’t in it to build a legacy company and an exit plan had been in the back of my mind from very early on. I need to always be in a business environment where it’s fast-paced and hightouch.

JK: Speaking of selling, your ultimate goal of selling three companies as an entrepreneur is very interesting. What made you want to sell three companies and not keep them?

PHOTO COURTESY: BUTTERVENTURES.COM

TK: As I mentioned earlier, I feel like I always need to be in a fastpaced business environment. I miss that “roll up your sleeve” kind of early stage of the business.

JK: What is your biggest beauty advice?

TK: Always keep up with the latest trends or at least know them.

There’s always a cycle in the beauty business. As a matter of fact, there’s a cycle in every business. Currently it’s all about the color and vividness, but I feel that the time for the nude, muted, natural, Calvin Klein-ish look will slowly come back. There was that moment in the early ’90s where nothing but natural lip glosses were selling. Fashion is full circle, so I suspect we’ll see that trend coming back.

JK: What advice do you have for those who want to be successful entrepreneurs?

TK: The most important advice, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, is to stay focused only on your goal and to think of everything else as just NOISE. Also, nothing beats hard work and being thrifty, especially in the early stage of your business. Don’t spend like a rock star unless you are a rock star. Finally, be mindful of your company shares. Hold on to them dearly. Shares may be cheap now, but later at exit, they become very, very expensive.

JK: Lastly, how do you stay so motivated to work so hard?

TK: Owning and running a business is no walk in the park.

There will always be problems and headaches no matter the size of your business or the type of your business. The only way to be is to accept that there will be problems and only focus on finding a solution to those problems. Also, giving up is never on my mind because I just do not allow myself that option.

FEATURE

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FIT

W27

COORDINATOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

FIT STUDENT ASSOCIATION ELECTIONS 2016 CANDIDATE BIOS PRESIDENT * SCOTT P. GIRVAN Scott is in his fourth semester currently earning his bachelor’s degree in Production Management. Originally from Cape Cod, Mass., he has been living in New York since he moved for college two years ago. There is nothing more that he loves doing than serving on the Board of Directors.

FIT has become a second home to him, and the Student Association has been his family. He truly values the sense of community found from working with his peers as the Director of Student Advocacy. From his experience working with students, he has developed a strong awareness of what they want, need, and enjoy in regard to both advocacy and programming. As President, he aims to continue voicing the sentiments of the student body by bridging the gap between students and administration. Additionally, he hopes to expand our campus culture by promoting diversity, sustainability, and student involvement.

VICE PRESIDENT * LEAH CORIO Leah Corio is a fourth semester AMC major from Baltimore, Maryland. Leah is running for Vice President of the FIT Student Association because she believes in the power of the student voice. As Vice President, Leah will help the student body’s voice be heard. She will use her passion for FIT and student leadership to encourage every student to get involved and take advantage of their voice. Next year she hopes to see student leadership on campus and school spirit grow, so that every FIT student has the most positive college experience possible.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY * REIANA ONGLENGCO Reiana Onglengco is a first semester transfer student at FIT. She transferred from Santa Barbara City College this spring to major in Fashion Business Management. Reiana is a Californian who would like to expand her love for people into a more meaningful way by getting involved in the coordination and management of the student association.

She has the communication and organizational skills to make her compatible with the Executive Secretary position she is running for. She is excited to see the improvements that student association produces.

COORDINATOR OF COMMUTER AFFAIRS JENNIFER CASTRO Jennifer is a 6th semester student in the FBM program.

She was born in Honduras, but has lived in New Jersey for most of her life. Jennifer takes a bus, and train to get to school every day so she knows first-hand what it’s like to be a commuter. This is why she is running for the position of Coordinator of Commuter Affairs for the 2016-2017 academic year. Jennifer wants to work to continue improving commuter week, and also set other events throughout the semester that may be commuter exclusive. Most importantly her goal as the coordinator of commuter affairs will be to make commuter students feel like they are at home on campus.

Election Week is the week of March 8th - March 11th. Students can vote on FITLINK, and winning candidates will be announced on March 15th at the Election Announcement Party in the Dining Hall at 12:30pm. * Positions that are elected by the student body. All other positions are filled through an interview and selection process.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS * ANANYA VIJAYAVARGIYA Ananya Vijayavargiya is majoring in Advertising and Marketing Communications and this is her second semester at FIT. Ananya is from India and she sends good wishes to all her fellow Tigers. Living in a digital age, Ananya has seen the power of digital journalism and social media marketing. It is now possible to directly engage with the audience and enjoy wider reach. She finds emerging media platforms, news dissemination channels and the changing face of advertising to be very fascinating. Ananya wants to keep up with the rapid transformations in the media sector—both print and electronic. From a rookie blogger to a marketing intern in Switzerland, she has assumed many roles so far to broaden her horizons, and that is precisely her goal behind running for the position of the Director of Communications.

If Ananya achieves the honor of being the Director of Communications, she would like to empower each student and our prestigious community and institution.

Ananya would like to give more strength to our diverse population since she firmly believes in the concept of ‘Unity in Diversity.’ She would like to spread harmony and warmth between various organizations, clubs, majors and authoritative positions. Her aim is to build a deeper and more congruent network for the students and the college, as a whole. At large, Ananya’s goal is to promote each individual’s best interest and make FIT a better and healthier community.

TARA LEVY Tara Levy is a first semester Advertising and Marketing Communications student at FIT. She recently transferred from a journalism background, but decided FIT was the better option. Tara is from Westchester, NY, and has lived there the majority of her life. New York is home and always will be. She is currently running for the Director of Communications position in the Student Association.

Because of her previous journalism background, Tara is very interested and versed in the concepts of all things media. She would like to become Director of Communications because she would like to be involved with all of the student-run publications. Tara believes that she can be beneficial to the publications by supplying new ideas, as well ats applying her journalistic and advertising and marketing communication skills to provide helpful insight. In addition, Tara is well equipped in using inDesign to create marketing f lyers, which relates to the Graphic Design aspect of this position. She is very interested in creating more graphics, helping with f lyers and social media. If Tara is elected, she would like to implement more marketing and social media campaigns.

In addition, she would like to create a stronger sense of community between the FIT Student Association and the students at FIT. Through various events and marketing blasts, she believes we can accomplish a united student body and government.

MARCH 2016

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SAUMYA SHARMA

DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY * DAVID WESTERN David Western is a Fashion Business Management major from Richmond, Virginia and he is in his second semester.

He wants to be the Director of Sustainability in the FIT Student Association because he wants to do his part to help FIT and the planet. David’s passions are everything outside and with the combined love of the outdoors and fashion, sustainability is where he sees himself headed in the future.

For the future of FIT, David wishes to organize and motivate the student body to make FIT a more sustainable community.

LOUISE HOGGAN Louise is a second semester associates Fashion Business Management student, from upstate New York. She is interested in running for this position because she has a high interest in the field of sustainability, and would like to implement some of her ideas to help make FIT a more ecofriendly school. Louise has many proposals concerning FIT’s sustainability. Primarily, she is looking to create a no plastic bag policy here on campus. With the everlasting effects on the earth that this toxic substance leaves, its existence in our school should be banned. Secondly, Louise would like to push for more teachers to use Black Board for their only interaction with their students, thus encouraging teachers to have a mainly paperless classroom environment. The unnecessary printing of written assignments and course syllabuses, it would be easy to decrease our impact by reducing printing. Louise believes that these measures could help decrease our school’s ecological impact, and reduce it’s carbon footprint on the world.

MARINA MACQUARRIE Marina MacQuarrie is a second semester student studying Fashion Business Management with a minor in Ethics and Sustainability and she is from Massachusetts. Marina is applying to be the Director of Sustainability because she is passionate about the environment and wants to be as involved and invested as she can be on topics pertaining to the environment at FIT. She is involved in many of the different sustainability clubs at FIT, including the Sustainability and Social Corporate Responsibility clubs, the muslin compost project, esa, and the Fashion Revolution committee. An essential factor in helping the environment is educating others about the environment, that is why Marina would like to bring more awareness to students and faculty so that we can all take small steps to work towards a better environment.

William Rossi William is currently a 4th semester Fashion Business Management major from Long Island, NY. He will begin studying International Trade and Marketing in the fall. William’s minors in Ethics and Sustainability, and International Politics have enriched his studies of the topics and issues on, and off campus. Sustainability is more than just going green; it’s about creating change that lasts.

William plans to directly involve students in initiatives that promote local sourcing, textile recycling, everyday sustainable actions, and more around campus. We need to create a culture that supports the environment not just on campus, in business plans, or at the design lab – but in the everyday lives of our students. He wants to enrich the lives of students throughout their time at FIT so that these practices can follow them beyond their studies and inspire them to practice a sustainable lifestyle. Be good & do good; for you, for the Earth, and for the future.

Saumya is an accessories design major in her second semester. She is from a city in India called Jaipur or the ‘Pink City’. It’s a place rich in cultural heritage including handicrafts, old forts and monuments. Saumya comes from a different cultural background and she feels that can bring an interesting dynamic to the student government.

She is running for the position of Coordinator of Alumni Engagement because she feels like students can benefit a lot from alumni involvement. They share similar journeys and students can get great inspiration by spending time with FIT alumni. Saumya would love to organize events such as the Shadow Program and other talk shows/exhibits that involve alumni in the lives of students more.

She looks forward to getting on board and working with other student ambassadors.

Susanna Mazzoleni Susanna Mazzoleni is currently a 5th semester FBM major transferring into Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing next fall. She is originally from north Italy, but spent half of her life living near Philadelphia, and for the last 5 years New York City has been her home. Susanna is running to be Coordinator of Alumni Engagement in the Student Association in order to strengthen our global alumni network and bring more opportunities to the entire population.

COORDINATOR OF OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS KARINA GROSSMAN Karina Grossman is a suburban girl from Bucks County, Pennsylvania living her dream out in the wondrous city of New York. She has her associate’s degree in Communication Design and is currently a junior in the 6th semester of her bachelor’s degree program for Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design. She would love to be next year’s Coordinator of Off Campus Events because she really likes to improve student life and give back to her community. This past year, she was Coordinator of Campus Day Events for the Student Association and enjoyed being so involved. Karina plans to incorporate many more students in the big ticketed events that are a huge hit like the Rangers and Knicks games.

She also wants to broaden the off campus event spectrum by introducing fun activities or cool restaurants that aren’t regularly available to FIT college students. Karina intends on being a great off campus coordinator by showing the students all that their crazy city has to offer!

MANAGER OF THE CENTER MOLLY DUNBAR Molly Dunbar is running to be the manager of the center.

She is currently in her second semester of Fashion Business Management. Molly is originally from outside of Buffalo, NY, but has made NYC a home away from home. She would like to see The Center become a place for the students to destress, and enjoy fun activities. Molly has confidence in her creative ideas, some are spontaneous, however she organizes and expands on them. She believes The Center should be a positive place where students feel confident and creative in.

Molly would like to see activities that every student would enjoy creating. The Center should not only be a place to create crafts, but to also serve as a place to be optimistic, and to relax and find their Zen.

FEATURE

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FIT

BY MEGHAN KANE

Joanna Mingo is a second semester Fashion Business Management student from Long Island New York. Joanna is outgoing, filled with FIT spirit, and wants to lead and help make the FIT experience the best it can be for the student body. As Coordinator of Digital and Social Media, Joanna plans to beautify and transform the accounts into liaisons between FIT and the students and encourage students to follow them with a purpose.

When he first began the process of curating the show, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute’s curator Andrew Bolton produced it as the machine against the hand, but as time went on, he pieced the facts together and came to the inevitable truth: the machine and the hand rarely work alone – whether it’s haute couture or ready-to-wear.

MONET MICHAEL

Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, which explores how intricately detailed handwork both contrasts and unites with machine-hewn technology, doesn’t open until May 5, timed to the Met Ball. A slew of industry professionals were granted access to a preview during NYFW fall/winter 2016.

To Julia Rubin of Racked, the looks on display at the preview were visually sensational, but she found the concept of the exhibition forced.

TREASURER

TARISHI GUPTA ETIENNE COTE Etienne Côté is a first-semester student in Advertising & Marketing Communications. He is an international student from Montreal, Canada. He has a strong mathematical and financial background, which is why he would like to be part of the FIT Student Association as a Treasurer. He would like to give more voice to the students as he feels many student concerns are never voiced or addressed.

SHIV RAVICHANDRAN ZOE BERNSTEIN Zoe is currently in her fourth semester of Advertising and Marketing Communications and minoring in Psychology and Creative Technology. Coming to the big city was definitely a huge transition from a small town like Freeport, Maine, however she absolutely loves it here. She has a strong passion for photography and social media and would love the opportunity to implement the two to document the activities happening on campus. Her main goal is to raise awareness of the Student Association and their events as well as encourage the student body to become more involved.

MARCH 2016

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART’S PREVIEW OF THIS YEAR’S COSTUME INSTITUTE EXHIBIT

JOANNA MINGO

Tarishi Gupta is a Photography and Related Media major, currently in her 2nd semester. She is an International student and is originally from New Delhi, India. She is running for the position of The Coordinator of Digital and Social Media, because she has had a lot of experience doing this before for different websites and restaurants and being photography major, she can cover all the events and regularly post all the photographs on the website. The changes that she wants to see in the college would be more events for the whole school, and more awareness for the whole school for attending the event.

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MANUS X MACHINA: A ROMANCE

COORDINATOR OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Monet Michael is currently a fourth semester Film & Media student from Texas. She is seeking the position of Coordinator of Digital and Social Media because she wants to be more involved on campus and encourage other FIT students to increase their involvement on campus by connecting to them through digital media. Documenting and promoting campus events through digital media has proved to be the most effective way of reaching FIT students, today. Monet wants to expand her reach to all FIT students to help strengthen the sense of creativity, diversity, and community on campus. She hopes to expand and revamp the FIT Student Association’s digital communication with the student body.

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Shiv is a sophomore in the Fashion Design major here at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He hails from the city of New Delhi, India. Shiv is running for the position of Treasurer because he wants to be more involved in the key decision-making process that affects the campus as a whole.

He believes that every opinion matters and he will act as a voice for the college community. Shiv feels like he has a lot to offer and give back to a community that has benefited him in so many ways.

“The tension between the handmade and the machine-made has existed in fashion for 100 years,” she said. “So, the distinction feels pretty arbitrary.

More than anything, this is a way for them to tie their archive to Apple within a frame that makes sense for a technology company, and they can show off their most impressive pieces whether it’s couture or avant-garde ready-to-wear.”

Regardless of whether this approach is revolutionary are not, Bolton is confident that onlookers will be excited by the notion of a celebratory and authentic presentation of fashion.

“What all of these examples reveal is that the hand and the machine work in tandem in the creation of fashion for haute couture or ready-to-wear,” Bolton said. “By attempting to unravel as well as to reconcile the oppositional relationship between the hand and the machine, the exhibition intends to advance a new paradigm for fashion which is more germane to our age of technology.”

Apple, being the Institute’s partner in this project, is making this more of a tech event than any Gala before it. A writer from The Verge said, “We were made to expect disruption.” Instead, this year’s event will likely represent more of a celebration of technology’s place in fashion than a challenge to the status quo.

beauty and utility, and become all the more powerful in combination.”

The show will feature more than 100 pieces of fashion; a combination of haute couture and readyto-wear. Several handmade couture items, featuring techniques such as embroidery, pleating, and lacework, will be juxtaposed with machine-made designs showcasing new technologies like laser cutting, thermo shaping and circular knitting.

According to Vogue, the exhibition will also have several “in process” workshops, including 3-D printing, in which the public will be able to see these designs take shape.

“I was surprised that 90% of a garment is usually created by machine. Even in my years as a curator, I just accepted that couture is all handmade,” Bolton told Refinery29. “The role the machine plays in construction is so prevalent.”

Manus x Machina attendees are sure to be delighted by the abundance of couture pieces in the exhibit. The gap between haute couture and ready-to-wear is slowly closing and making room for a new, in-between space.

In this more spacious arena, designers have room to be even more creative.

There were a total of 11 looks at the preview including three Chanel ensembles, dating from 1963 to 2015, two Dior numbers, two from Iris van Herpen, and one look apiece by YSL, Issey Miyake, Hussein Chalayan and Christopher Kane.

Bolton said the Raf Simons’ designed 2015 Dior haute couture ensemble was hand-pleated using a pleating mold, a technique that was invented in the 1760s. The 1994 Issey Miyake “Flying Saucer” dress next to it was “a revolutionary departure from traditional pleating because the pleats were applied after the fabric was cut and sewn, so that you construct a garment that is two to three times its intended size and place the garment in the press between two sheets of paper,” according to WWD.

Apple clearly cares deeply about this, and, thanks to the Apple Watch, has the incentive to put its name on whatever merging of fashion and tech is to take place.

HALL OF ART COORDINATOR NATALIE HO Natalie Ho was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Currently in her second semester of the Fashion Business Management program, Natalie has chosen to run for the position of the Hall of Art Curator because she strongly believes that student artworks should be displayed more. If they worked hard to create a work of art, it should get some recognition and praise. In order to exhibit more student artwork, she would like to frequently change the Hall of Art on the 7th Floor of the Dubinsky Student Center on a monthly basis so that more students can display their hard work and dedication. Also Natalie wishes to create events that increase the awareness of all the art culture surrounding us in NYC. She enjoys going to museums and galleries, and she hopes to share that interest with other students at FIT.

“More than ever, we believe that it is fundamentally important to personally work with materials as a means to truly understand their physical nature and to design authentic objects,” chief design officer Jony Ive said in an official statement. Ive is serving as Gala co-chair with Anna Wintour, alongside actor Idris Elba and musical artist Taylor Swift. Although he wasn’t at the exhibition’s unveiling, it’s evident he’s positioning himself and Apple as masters entering a new discipline. According to The Verge, “Far from being mutually exclusive notions, we believe that technology and craft go hand in hand, much like

PHOTO COURTESY: THEGLOSS.COM

An Iris van Herpen dress with hand stitched strips of laser-cut silicon feathers, white cotton twill and hand-applied silicone-coated gull skulls with synthetic pearls and glass eyes was displayed beside an Yves Saint Laurent evening dress with hand-glued bird-of-paradise feathers from the designer’s fall 1969 collection. Bolton pointed out that van Herpen is known to collaborate with artists, architects, scientists, engineers and computer designers, which she sees as 21st century versions of more traditional collaborations between couturiers and artisans.

Also on view was her 3-D printed spring 2010 ensemble in white polyamide with machine-sewn white goat leather and handout acrylic fringe, said WWD. Done in conjunction with the architect Daniel Widrig, this creation features a bodice with nearly 10 lines within one millimeter — which Bolton compared to the details of a fingerprint.

This first glimpse featured the show’s inspiration, an elaborate Karl Lagerfeld-designed wedding ensemble for the fall 2014 Chanel couture collection; a superior example of the handmade and machine made in one ensemble, according to WWD. The design of the train was hand-finished and then computer-manipulated to give the appearance of a pixilated baroque pattern — initially painted by hand, then transfer printed by machine with rhinestones and then embroidered by hand with pearls and gemstones. In total, the train required 450 hours of work, said Bolton, adding that Lagerfeld described the scuba knit dress as haute couture without the couture because it was molded and entirely machine sewn.

At first glance, some may think the exhibition seems blasé; fashion and tech’s repetitive f lirtation seeming monotonous as terms like “3-D printing” become synonymous with kitsch. But they’ve gone together for decades. This is a triumph of fashion – its design, construction, and ongoing developments.

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MARCH 2016

“TRUMP HAS CALLED FOR THE DEPORTATION

A CLOSER LOOK AT

OF ALL UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS AND

THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

TEMPORARILY BANNING ALL MUSLIMS FROM ENTERING THE U.S. IN RESPONSE TO TERRORISM. HE HAS ALSO SAID THAT HE WOULD STOP THE ISSUING OF GREEN CARDS WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT ALL JOBS WOULD FIRST BE OFFERED TO U.S. CITIZENS BEFORE FOREIGNERS.”

R E P U B L I C A N C A N D I D AT E S

D E M O C R AT I C C A N D I D AT E S

BY ALLISON HATCH

BY KAYLA RENSHAW

TED CRUZ

U.S. SENATOR FROM TEXAS

Higher Education: Ted Cruz has stated that he would get rid of the U.S. Department of Education. He often talks about his understanding of the financial burden modern students face, as he had to pay over $100,000 in student loans himself.

However, in recent years, he voted down the “Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, which offered to refinance student loans on lower interest rates,” according to Investopedia.com.

Funding: $104.2 million in total, $49.6 million from super pacs / most inf luential donor of his campaign: Robert Mercer, co-chief executive of Renaissance Technologies ($11.3 million) Immigration: Cruz has attempted to block executive orders that allow undocumented immigrants -- including those who were brought to the U.S. as children -- from receiving citizenship. According to the Washington Times, Cruz said that “the U.S. should deport all 12 million illegal immigrants now here.”

At the beginning of the presidential race the only rational Democratic candidate seemed to be Hillary Clinton. Nine months ago Bernie Sanders was unheard of and now Clinton and Sanders are virtually tied with one another. Clinton clinched the Iowa caucus and Sanders earned a victory in New Hampshire. Just recently, Clinton earned victories in Nevada and in South Carolina.

Gun Control: “You don’t get rid of the bad guys by getting rid of our guns. You get rid of the bad guys by using our guns.” -- New York Times

BEN CARSON

Enough said.

RETIRED NEUROSURGEON FROM MICHIGAN

“AS PRESIDENT, I’LL TAKE ON THE GUN LOBBY AND FIGHT FOR COMMONSENSE REFORMS TO KEEP GUNS AWAY FROM TERRORISTS, DOMESTIC ABUSERS, AND OTHER VIOLENT CRIMINALS—INCLUDING COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECKS AND CLOSING LOOPHOLES THAT ALLOW GUNS TO FALL INTO THE WRONG HANDS.” -HILLARY CLINTON BERNIE SANDERS

U.S. SENATOR FROM VERMONT

HILLARY CLINTON

FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE Higher Education: Sanders tuition free proposal is one of the main reasons he has gained so much momentum with the younger crowd. At most of his rallies Sanders can be heard saying, “Education should be a right, not a privilege. We need a revolution in the way that the United States funds higher education.” The program being proposed would make all state colleges and universities tuition free as well as decrease student loan interest rates for those that decide to attend private colleges.

The project is estimated to cost around $75 billion a year and would be funded by imposing a tax that is a fraction of a percent on Wall Street speculators. As far as loan interest rates go – they would almost be cut in half.

Fundraising: Sanders has raised $96.3 million, none of that coming from super PACs unlike his competitor. Sanders has expressed his distaste for super PACs time and time again stating, “Virtually every campaign for president has a super PAC funded by millionaires or billionaires. Not me.” National Nurses United, National Union of Healthcare Workers and Progressive Democrats of America are just some of the organizations that have backed Sanders. Ed Schultz, Neil Young and Steve Wozniak have also expressed their support for Sanders.

Gun Control: Sanders agrees that comprehensive background checks should be implemented and the gun show loophole needs to be closed. Sanders has different views regarding the topics of Internet sale loopholes and manufacturer immunity.

Sanders believes that manufacturers and gun shop owners should not be held responsible if a firearm they have sold is misused. He has changed his view on the issue slightly and says that he supports making large gun manufacturing companies liable but has doubts about removing those protections for local gun dealers. Sanders has also linked gun control to mental illness issues stating, “We need sensible gun control legislation,” and to “significantly improve the US mental health system.”

Immigration: Sanders has said that he will fight for immigration reform that will lead to full and equal citizenship for all. He has said, “What would motivate me and what would be the guiding light for me in terms of immigration reform, is to bring families together, not divide them up.” He fully intends to take the issue into his own hands if he has the chance, and “will not wait for Congress to act.”

Higher Education: Clinton is opting for a debt-free college education. The program would include easier access to tuition grants, income-based repayments and would allow graduates to refinance student loans at lower rates. Clinton’s plan also requires that students work around 10 hours a week and calls for higher income families to contribute. The proposed program would only cost about $350 billion over the course of 10 years. While speaking at Exeter High School in New Hampshire, Clinton told a crowd of soon to be college students that, “College is supposed to help people achieve their dreams, but more and more paying for college actually pushes those dreams further and further out of reach.”

Fundraising: Clinton has raised $188 million; the difference between the two candidates is almost a third of Clinton’s money has come from super PAC’s.

Regarding endorsements, National Organization for Women, Human Rights Campaign and Women in the World are a few organizations that openly expressed their support for the candidate. James Clyburn, Katy Perry and Vicki Kennedy have also declared their support for Clinton. Both Sanders and Clinton have talented and reputable individuals backing their campaigns.

Gun Control: Like Sanders, Clinton agrees that comprehensive background checks should be implemented and the gun show loophole needs to be closed. Clinton believes that all Internet sales on guns should be banned. She recently spoke about the issue on January 6 stating, “As President, I’ll take on the gun lobby and fight for commonsense reforms to keep guns away from terrorists, domestic abusers, and other violent criminals—including comprehensive background checks and closing loopholes that allow guns to fall into the wrong hands.”

Immigration: Clinton agrees that she will fight for comprehensive immigration reform that leads to full and equal citizenship for all. Clinton has said, “If Congress won’t act, I’ll defend President Obama’s executive actions—and I’ll go even further to keep families together. I’ll end family detention, close private immigrant detention centers, and help more eligible people become naturalized.” Clinton believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to be granted full citizenship.

Higher Education: Ben Carson is against free education, but has referenced the Pell Grants that are already provided by the government to help students pay for community college. Otherwise, he believes that students ought to work to pay for their tuition. According to the Washington Times, Carson wrote an op-Ed in which he said, “It certainly provided some very valuable experiences for me.”

MARCO RUBIO

ATTORNEY AND U.S. SENATOR FROM FLORIDA Gun Control: “Gun laws fail everywhere they’re tried.” -- New York Times

Fundraising: $68.0 million in total, $10.1 from super pacs / most of fundraising has come from smaller donations, rather than significant contributions from few individuals

Marco Rubio is against gun control regulations. In reference to the deaths caused by gun violence in mass shootings, Rubio believes that, rather than enacting more gun control, there should be a greater focus on how the country addresses mental illness (with many of the shooters historically being classified as mentally ill).

Immigration: Ben Carson has supported the idea, according to Ballotpedia, of making English the official language, while claiming that he would be able to secure the U.S.-Mexico border “in less than a year.” The Hill has also reported that he has supported the proposal of giving certain undocumented immigrants the ability to apply for guest worker permits in a six-month window, given they have clean records and a job prior to applying.

Higher Education: Rubio has called for colleges and universities to release information that would provide applicants with an estimated salary for their intended career or major, post-graduation. He has also suggested emphasizing vocational schools as an alternative to four-year universities

Gun Control: “I never saw a body with bullet holes that was more devastating than taking the right to arm ourselves away” -- New York Times Ben Carson is an avid supporter of the right to bear arms and has proposed the government offering free classes teaching gun safety rather than the government taking away guns.

DONALD TRUMP

BUSINESSMAN (REAL ESTATE MAGNATE) AND TELEVISION PERSONALITY FROM NEW YORK Immigration: “I will build a great, great wall on our border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall.” -- New York Times Trump has called for the deportation of all undocumented individuals and temporarily banning all Muslims from entering the U.S. in response to terrorism.

He has also said that he would stop the issuing of green cards with the expectation that all jobs would first be offered to U.S. citizens before foreigners.

Immigration: If elected, Rubio wants to immediately crackdown on security issues between the U.S-Mexico border through ordering deportation of illegal immigrants, hiring 20,000 new Border Patrol guards, and, according to his campaign website, putting $4 billion into new cameras along the border. Recently, the Huffington Post reported Rubio has made attacks at “Trump’s use of undocumented immigrant workers from Poland to build Trump Towers.”

Funding: $84.6 million in total, $34.2 million from super pacs / most inf luential donor of his campaign: Norman Braman, owner of automobile dealerships and former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles ($6.0 million)

JOHN KASICH

GOVERNOR OF OHIO

Immigration: “If they’ve been law abiding over a period of time, they ought to be legalized and they ought to be able to stay here.” -- New York Times Kasich has made it clear that he does not support deportation as the primary action for the issue, but rather imposing fines or back taxes on illegal immigrants.

Gun Control: According to PBS, Donald Trump wants to “ban some assault weapons and extend the waiting period for [gun] purchase.” He has called himself an adamant supporter of the Second Amendment and the right to own guns as self-defense.

Higher Education:Kasich has suggested deemphasizing the role of the U.S. Department of Education, and allowing individual states a larger role in funding.

In Ohio, he has warned public universities against raising costs, or else their funds would be drastically cut.

Higher Education: Donald Trump has not outlined specific policies on how to address student debt and college tuition, but he has acknowledged the high costs.

According to The Hill, Trump said, “That’s probably one of the only things the government shouldn’t make money off — I think it’s terrible that one of the only profit centers we have is student loans.”

Gun Control: Kasich does not believe in stricter gun control laws, but rather focusing on more enforcement of the laws already in place. He also wants the government to reevaluate how it deals with the mental health system, in regards to the mental illness factors that have lead to mass shootings across the country.

Funding: $27.3 million in total, $1.8 million from super pacs / most inf luential donor of his campaign: Donald Trump ($12.8 million)

Funding: $27.3 million in total, $6.9 million from super pacs / most inf luential donor of his campaign: Abigail Wexner, lawyer and wife of Limited Inc. chairman, Leslie H Wexner ($1.3 million) and Wendt Family Trust ($1.3 million)

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NEW YORK FASHION WEEK FALL 2016 TREND REVIEW

BY CATERINA NICOLINI

Twice a year, the epitome of creativity, beauty and innovation is presented at Fashion Week. Spread out into four different branches, fashion week is hosted in the cities of New York, London, Milan and Paris, where brands display their collections according to their nationality. Showing at Fashion Week is the challenge that each designer faces in an attempt to maintain their artistic essence whilst keeping up with the ever-changing trends that are presented each year, through lots of hard work and dedication.

This year’s show has been filled with surprises and refreshing trends, that have ranged in variety and creativity, making New York’s fashion week as intriguing as always.

SKIRTS Because trends are recycled and then amplified or minimized in a way, the repertoire consisted of two previously seen yet innovated specific types of skirts: the midis, which made a metallic comeback as seen in Adam Lippes, Suno, Delpozo and Ralph Lauren, and the A-cut minis that took preppy to a f lattering degree, as seen in Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, Cushnie et Ochs, Jeremy Scott, and Tommy Hilfiger amongst others.

DETAILS It seems that Rosie Assoulin’s ruff le appearance last season successfully amused the public because designers took ruff les to the next level this season. On the catwalks big and exaggerated f loppy pieces of fabric hung loosely from tops, skirts and ends of sleeves. Seen in BCBG, Creatures of Comfort, Christian Siriano, Derek Lam, Jill Stuart, Rodarte, and of course, Rosie Assoulin. And lastly, designers like Prabal Gurung, Monse and Cushnie et Ochs decided to emphasize the typical “f lared” pant this season by including a not-so-subtle slit at the ankles. Bare shoulder slits and bare shoulders are also back: check them out at Carolina Herrera, Tibi, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen, Marchesa and Christian Siriano.

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Colors also play a great role in every collection, which designers usually match to each season, such as muted colors for winter, and bright colors for summer. However, despite this being a fall show, designers opted to radically incorporate what are called “off season whites” into their collections. Check out Derek Lam, BCBG, Tibi, Prabal Gurung and Jonathan Simkhai to get a better understanding.

BY THAIS DERJANGOCYAN

“IN ADDITION TO CONTAINING VARYING LEVELS OF THE ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE NICOTINE, THEY ALSO CONTAIN OTHER CANCER-CAUSING CHEMICALS, SUCH AS FORMALDEHYDE, AND AS OUR STUDY SHOWS, FLAVORING CHEMICALS THAT CAN CAUSE LUNG DAMAGE,”

TEXTURES Fur collars, stoles and shrugs trend year-round, always changing in lengths, colors and patterns, something Diane von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, Michael Kors, Sies Marjan, Altuzarra, Vera Wang and Marc Jacobs know exactly how to do. Designer Atsuko Kudo incorporated latex into his collection.

DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Adam Selman and Rosie Assoulin took the term “texture” to another level with the use of trash-baggy fabrics. Velvet was seen all over Ralph Lauren, Derek Lam, Rachel Zoe and Tanya Taylor’s runways, and metallic tones were faultlessly incorporated into stretchy tops seen at BCBG, Opening Ceremony, Karen Walker, Dion Lee and Jeremy Scott.

GRAPHICS

PHOTO COURTESY: WWW.VOGUE.COM

Fall 2016 New York Fashion Week did not disappoint.. Designers successfully achieved novelty through the unexpected incorporation of trends and styles, leaving the audience in anticipation of next season’s shows. We can hardly wait!

ACCESSORIES The word is that chokers are out, and neck wraps are in! What’s the difference between these two, you may be wondering? Shocker, they’re not as tight and choke-“rish.” Adam Selman, Alexander Wang, Dion Lee, Rodarte, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg and Reem Acra certainly clarified this change.

PHOTO COURTESY: WWW.MEDICALOPEDIA.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: WWW.HARPERSBAZAAR.COM

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CIGARETTES VS. E-CIGS: IS ONE REALLY BETTER THAN THE OTHER?

COLORS

Logos and rough urban looks were presented on the Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone and DKNY collections, probably in homage of Moschino’s branding throughout countless years.

Flowered prints as well as antique looking patterns covered the runways this season as well. Following the vintage-inspired trend set by Gucci’s new creative director, Alessandro Michele, designers such as Anna Sui, Tory Burch, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger and J Crew have loosened up and incorporated this effortless vibe.

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Before vaping that strawberrylicious-f lavored electronic cigarette, you might want to find out a bit more about its effects. E-cigarettes have been on the market for about a decade and are rising in popularity as an alternative to smoking, especially among the younger generation. But are they really a good alternative to traditional cigarettes?

E-cigarettes are battery powered vaporizers that simulate the feeling of smoking, but without the tobacco element. Instead of the traditional cigarette smoke that delivers nicotine by burning tobacco, an e-cigarette user inhales a substance called aerosol, which is commonly known as vapor. The only benefit of this is that it helps to avoid the tar that cigarettes release, which clog the lungs when tobacco is burned, but that’s probably about the only good it does. Most people assume that smoking e-cigarettes has little to no health deficits, but scientists have begun to refute this and have the experiment results to back it up. Scientists at Harvard University have argued that e-cigs can be potentially less harmful than conventional cigarettes when it comes to people who are hooked on traditional cigarettes, but there is still not enough information to show what the long-term effects will be.

A typical e-cigarette looks, acts and feels like a regular cigarette, sans the tobacco. They contain a cartridge of e-cig liquid, which contains nicotine — typically, up to 72 milligrams per milliliter of liquid — and the chemical propylene glycol. This chemical comes in a variety of f lavors such as watermelon and cola, an attractive characteristic for teens and young adults.

“The use of e-cigarettes among teenagers has eclipsed the use of traditional cigarettes and all other tobacco products. … Between 2013 and 2014, the findings show, e-cigarette use among high school students has increased from 4.5 percent to 13.4 percent. Usage also more than tripled among middle school students,” Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Washington Post.

There is some debate, however, whether this increase in vaping leads to more cigarette smoking.

Opponents of e-cigarettes say that despite the fact that cigarette smoking among high school and middle school students is the lowest it has been in years, there is still not enough data to suggest that e-cigarettes are a deterrent to traditional ones.

Furthermore, because the long-term effects of smoking e-cigarettes is still unknown, these could actually turn out to be very dangerous findings.

ConsumerReports.org states that for regular smokers, quitting any form of smoking is always the healthiest and best option, but overall, there is not enough information to back up the claim that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. Any habit-forming form of smoking is not safe, but if smokers who are trying to quit

MARCH 2016

switch to e-cigarettes to ease the process, it may help them out. However, until more information is found, e-cigarettes should not be considered a healthier alternative to smoking by anyone.

The fruitful f lavors of e-cigarettes, such as oatmeal cookie and blue water punch, may sound innocent, but a recent study by Harvard found that they can lead to permanent damage, specifically a condition called “popcorn lung.” These findings by the Environmental Health Perspectives completely contradict the studies that say electronic cigarettes are “95 percent less harmful than tobacco” and suggest that e-cigarettes may cause lung damage that can ultimately lead to the need for a lung transplant.

“Popcorn lung” is a rare condition that was first discovered in the early 2000s after a group of workers in a Missouri popcorn factory began developing similar respiratory symptoms. These workers were exposed to dust particles and buttery fumes caused by the microwave popcorn plant in the factory. Due to this constant exposure, many workers developed a respiratory illness that resembled bronchitis because of the exposure their lungs had to airway obstruction.

The condition develops when small airways become inf lamed and scarred, resulting in the thickening and narrowing of the airways. This leads to shortness of breath and coughing. This same effect was found in 47 out of the 51 f lavors of electronic cigarettes when researched and tested by a science team at Harvard.

“In addition to containing varying levels of the addictive substance nicotine, they also contain other cancer-causing chemicals, such as formaldehyde, and as our study shows, f lavoring chemicals like that can cause lung damage,” the Environmental Genetics team at Harvard said. This finding is just one of many that has the FDA up in arms. They have invested $270 million in 48 in-depth studies on the long-term risks of vaping. However, due to the nature of these studies, it could take up to five years to get any solid data.

Up to this point, most of the studies have focused on comparing the effects of the nicotine in electronic cigarettes to that in traditional ones, but that is soon to change. “The research will include assessing the risks of e-cigarettes by counting the number of puffs volunteers take, combing through Facebook posts to see how people are talking about the device, measuring minors’ level of inf luence based on promotions of the device, along with 45 other tests,” according to HNGN.com.

Overall, researchers and scientists say that even though smoking e-cigarettes may help users steer away from regular cigarettes, it can also help steer them toward causing significant damage to their lungs. With more research to come, scientists hope to get people to see that electronic cigarettes are not the answer to quitting smoking. Until more the long-term effects are uncovered, it is best to avoid smoking in any shape or form to maintain healthy lungs. So put down the mango tango-f lavored e-cig, and inhale oxygen-f lavored air brought to you by nature.

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‘2OOLANDER’: Really, Really Ridiculous

BY JONATHAN LEE

ZIKA: WHAT’S THE DEAL?

PHOTO COURTESY: MOVIEPILOT.COM

The day that many of us have waited more than a decade for finally arrived Feb. 12 when Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson reprised their iconic roles as Derek Zoolander and Hansel in “Zoolander 2.”

BY VERONICA MARRINAN

PHOTO COURTESY: CNN.COM

“RASH, FEVER, RED EYES AND JOINT PAIN MAY BE A SIGN THAT YOU HAVE CONTRACTED ZIKA. STAYING INDOORS AND AWAY FROM MOSQUITOS FOR A WEEK OR TWO FOLLOWING THIS IS RECOMMENDED, AS WELL AS ABSTAINING FROM SEXUAL CONTACT AND DONATING BLOOD, ALL OF WHICH ARE WAYS THAT THE DISEASE CAN BE TRANSMITTED. “

Directed and co-written by lead actor Stiller, the long-anticipated sequel to the 2001 blockbuster “Zoolander” continues to follow Derek (Stiller) and Hansel (Wilson), now a couple of has-been male models past their prime but no wiser with age. The two unlikely heroes unwittingly find themselves teaming up once again to save the fashion industry, this time from a conspiracy to kill “the world’s most beautiful people.”

In most cases, so many celebrity cameos would feel crowded on one theater screen; however, they seem fitting in a film where the point is to poke fun at our star-struck society. The long list of f lashy names includes just about every Hollywood f lavor of the moment from Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Benedict Cumberbatch to teenybopper musician and Instagram whore Justin Bieber. Other fashionable cameos include designers Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Valentino and Alexander Wang and even the queen herself, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour.

Among the main cast, Cyrus Arnold plays Derek Zoolander Jr., the descendent of a bloodline traced

At this point, many of us have heard about the Zika virus and its ramifications across the western hemisphere since it first hit Brazil last May, but the Zika virus is no new thing. It has been circling around African countries in the same way that dengue and chikungunya (which are more painful diseases that are transmitted in the same way) have for quite some time. However, unlike these two diseases, zika has relatively mild symptoms, and only about 1 in 5 people who are infected actually develop them.

As the zika virus has found its way to New York with one reported case, health officials are working to educate the populace before spring— and mosquito season with it— comes in full swing. As the warmer weather comes around, persons residing in the US and other affected areas are being urged to wear mosquito repellent, as well as covering arms and legs if going to marshy areas. Rash, fever, red eyes and joint pain may be a sign that you have contracted zika. Staying indoors and away from mosquitos for a week or two following this is recommended, as well as abstaining from sexual contact and donating blood, all of which are ways that the disease can be transmitted.

Pregnant women are especially at risk, as their child could be born with microcephaly, a neurological disorder that causes severe developmental issues.

While the virus is not widely spread across the US yet, the aedes aegypti mosquito is present in many areas of the country, and the CDC is urging residents to take as many precautions as possible, particularly in eliminating breeding ground for the mosquito.

Standing water should be dumped out, and staying away from stagnant ponds and unmoving bodies of water, where a variety of species of mosquitos often lay their eggs, is recommended in attempts to limit contact with the virus.

But most of this is something we’ve all heard before.

One of the bigger questions being posed is why, since zika has been around for so long, are we only now hearing of a correlation between microcephaly and the virus? The most reasonable explanation would probably be that, aside from the lack of proper health care in many of the areas it is found, the disease is

back to Adam and Eve and Steve in the Garden of Eden. Penélope Cruz plays Interpol special agent Valentina Valencia (Global Fashion Division), whose buoyant breasts come in handy — no pun , intended — despite holding her back from her dream of being a sample-size runway model. Will Farrell, who always manages to steal the show, hams it up once more as madman Jacobim Mugatu, who tricks Derek into helping him break out of fashion prison. His co-conspirator this time is Alexanya Atoz, a botched beauty guru with an indecipherable accent, played by Kristen Wiig. Wiig literally f loats through her scenes in embellished Zac Posen designs. And yes, in case you’re wondering, Matilda (Christine Taylor) returns — sort of.

For a sequel that took 15 years to make, “Zoolander 2” doesn’t disappoint in painting a caricature of today’s pop culture trends, which is spot on — disturbingly so at times. The irreverent humor holds no punches, mocking current issues such as plus-size models and our farcically forever-connected social media culture, in which people have actually been known to take duck-faced selfies right before meeting their untimely demises in real life.

awkwardly uncomfortable. Only the cringeworthy comedian who gave us the unsettling mental image of him milking Robert Di Nero’s nipples in “Meet the Parents” could be perverse enough to put a serious thespian like Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”) in a Cher wig and make him giggle coquettishly to the bawdy line “Do you have a hot dog or a bun?”

(Warning: The runway scene that follows provides high-octane nightmare fuel.)

The fact that disgruntled transgender rights activists circulated an online petition to boycott the movie over Cumberbatch’s gender-ambiguous character, named All, makes it even more of a guilty pleasure to watch.

Free publicity, anyone? Critics compared the former GQ Man of the Year’s representation of “non-binary individuals” — sounds like something created by Ridley Scott for the upcoming “Blade Runner” sequel — to modern-day blackface.

Despite offending some people before it even hit theaters, this frivolously fun film has something for everyone: comedy, action, suspense, romance and even a bit of fantasy. But the real reason to go see “Zoolander 2” is to watch Bieber get pumped full of lead for a good 30 seconds.

While many of the jokes are stale — OK, we get it, Derek’s a moron and Hansel loves drug orgies — Stiller still has a knack for making audiences

a relatively small problem in comparison to the others in those areas. Dengue can lead to plasma leakage and organ failure, while symptoms of chikungunya can be severe and, if untreated, can cause permanent damage. It is unlikely that much attention would have been paid to zika up until now.

Microcephaly is an extremely rare disorder, and when zika came to Brazil, the number of children born with it increased twofold. This lead researchers to find that the virus can pass through the amniotic f luid to the child before he or she is born, causing the disorder. Because of this, health officials are urging many couples to try to avoid pregnancy until a vaccine is created or the virus passes, which may last up until 2 years in some areas. This is a worry for many couples and families in South and Central America, where the population is predominantly Roman Catholic.

As the teachings of their faith do not correspond with the use of artificial contraception to avoid pregnancy, they will have to rely on working around the woman’s cycle to do so.

But if you’re not pregnant, what does this mean for you? It’s simply another disease to be aware of, prevent, and contain if you get it. The symptoms are so indiscreet that about 80% of people who get zika are unaware that they even have it, so being educated on what the disease entails is imperative.

If you know what your symptoms are, you can help prevent its spread.

RESTAURANT REVIEW:

BY DANA HEYWARD The Lower East Side has always been prime real estate for new restaurants to take root and f lourish into some of the most-frequented spots in New York City.

Particularly right off Delancey Street, you’ll find restaurants like Mission Cantina, Pizza Beach and the Meatball Shop all bustling with diverse crowds on any given night. But nestled right on Broome Street you’ll find the new kid on the block, The Lucky Bee, trying to make a name for itself amongst the LES elite.

First thing that should be known is that the place is small; so small you can overhear entering guests being quoted up to two-hour waits all the way from the bar on the other side. Tight spaces in NYC obviously aren’t a rare sight but The Lucky Bee seems to make the best of it’s 50-seater space. From the moment you enter you’re met with bubble gum pink walls with strips of exposed brick, f luorescent lights and art-deco furniture meshed with Chinatown street-market knick-knacks. It’s a strange mix of design but it blends together almost effortlessly. You may be so taken in by your surroundings, you probably won’t even mind brushing elbows with strangers every time you lift your fork.

Though you wouldn’t exactly guess it from the decor, the menu is an ode to Thai street food. Every dish is meant to be shareable making it an ideal spot for dates or (very) small groups. Dishes are either small or large plates with fare offerings such as, salt and pepper chicken, raw oysters with nahm jim sauce, and curry lamb shoulder. The salt and pepper chicken is certainly good — and may even be the best dish there — but it isn’t anything to rave over.

Then the prawn curry packs an insane amount of f lavor, but again, doesn’t leave anything to desire. Even the cucumber salad falls f lat and it makes you wonder how it’s even possible to make a salad less than mediocre.

Once I finished my food and contemplating whether I would’ve been better off just going to just about any other Thai restaurant, I started to question the reason behind the name of the restaurant.

What do bees have to do with Thai street food? Nothing really.

But all of the restaurant’s specialty cocktails are made with honey rather than sugar and $1 of every drink goes to benefit the New York City Beekeepers Association, taking an alternative spin on the farm-to-table concept and seizing a great branding opportunity.

Even some of the drinks have play-on names like the “Honey Bee My Baby” which is made with matcha, vodka, bee pollen and chai.

Let it be known that that single drink alone is worth returning for.

The Lucky Bee definitely has the potential to become a restaurant that can easily become a favorite amongst a young crowd as many there were already treated like regulars. There’s an undeniable convivial and confident vibe that resonates throughout the space that’s a little infectious. But it still lacks what really counts; worthy or even satisfying food. The restaurant definitely seems more invested in it’s interior design (even the bathroom is an average Instagramers dream) and gimmicky drink names than actually creating innovative dishes. Even leaving, I couldn’t help but think the restaurant would work so much better as just a bar/lounge with light plate offerings a la Nite Cap or Booker and Dax. But despite it’s one crucial downfall the place still seems right at home and probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

The Lucky Bee 252 Broome Street

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ALBUM REVIEW:

B ROA D C IT Y S E A SO N 3 H OTS P OTS

“ I L I K E I T W H E N Y O U S L E E P, F O R Y O U A R E SO B E AUTI FU L Y E T SO U N AWA R E O F IT ”

BY MADELINE GRANDUSKY-HOWE

HOORAY! “BROAD CITY” IS BACK FOR ITS THIRD SEASON. TO CELEBRATE, GRAB YOUR FRIENDS AND VISIT SOME OF THE MANY PLACES CLOSE TO CAMPUS WHERE “BROAD CITY” WAS FILMED.

- THE 1975

BY: NATALIA PEREIRA PHOTO COURTESY: @1975 INSTAGRAM

Bed Bath & Beyond, 620 Sixth Avenue Any “Broad City” fan knows that BB&B is Abbi’s favorite place. She even has a secret handshake with the employees.

In real life, writer and star Abbi Jacobson’s mother worked there while she was growing up. It’s just a few blocks from campus, and who knows — there might be a cutting board with your name on it.

Star on 18 Diner Cafe, 128 10th Avenue In season two, Abbi and Ilana visit this Chelsea diner in hopes to revive themselves after a long night out. It’s conveniently located near the High Line, another filming spot.

Revel, 10 Little W. 12th St. In season two’s episode “Mochalatta Chills,” Ilana takes Abbi out for a swanky lunch to celebrate $400 earned in commissions, thanks to the group of unpaid interns she hires. Exterior

shots were filmed at this Meatpacking District restaurant. Visit for dinner or Sunday brunch when you’re celebrating a special occasion.

Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker St. (corner of West 11th Street) Abbi and Ilana spend an entire episode in season one tracking down Abbi’s lost phone. Spoiler alert: They finally track it down at the famous Magnolia Bakery.

But don’t worry, they grabbed a banana pudding for the road.

Grounded Coffee, 28 Jane St. In “Broad City,” this coffee shop acts as a sandwich shop where Abbi has her first art show. In reality, this spot serves up great tea lattes and loads of ambience. Come here if you’re searching for a peaceful place to do homework or read.

Watch “Broad City” Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. Don’t worry, if you don’t have cable access, you can watch new episodes online for free a week later.

PHOTO COURTESY: TVWORLD.INFO

EXHIBITION REVIEW:

MUNCH AND EXPRESSIONISM

BY ANDREA NAVARRO

Located on Fifth Avenue and 86th Street, the Neue Galerie is one of the nine museums that constitute the famous Museum Mile. The Neue specifically concentrates on 20th-century German and Austrian art and design. Recently, it was home to an exhibit on Edvard Munch, the father of expressionism.

Born in Norway, Munch was inspired by the other-worldly, beautiful landscapes of his home country. Though Norway can be seen throughout his work, it was in Germany that he was recognized as the creator of a new epoch.

He gained attention there at the end of the 19th century because of the powerful symbolism of his works — his paintings overf lowing with universal emotions such as anxiety (“The Scream,” “Puberty”), sadness (“Melancholy”) and lust (“Madonna”).

He was interested in showing how strongly people feel emotions and what that looks like. That, along with some of the recurring topics of his work, such as mental illnesses, sexual liberation and the death and sickness that seemed to follow him since he was a boy, were some of the reasons why he gained a huge following of young German and

Austrian artists.

Even though the whole curatorial selection of the exposition is superb, the most remarkable and magnificent part is the printmaking — a technique that Munch mastered in Germany by learning traditional woodcut techniques and then altering them to his own specifications.

The third f loor of the Neue is filled with many prints of the same subjects, all made slightly different by using distinct colors that allow for different interpretations of the same image. One only needs to see the “Towards the Forest I” series to feel immersed in the love, intimacy and limitlessness that the work inspires. Each sentiment is a little different because of the colors — sometimes dark red, midnight blue and pure black, while others light with soft pinks and greens — used for every different print.

Perhaps his most famous work, “The Scream” is part of the collection (though not the original oil on canvas).

It’s still an exhilarating thing to behold, and if you find yourself mouth open, jaws aghast — well, shrug it off before you mimic the artwork.

Sex. Love. Fear. These are only some of the evident themes of the 2016 music scene, especially for Manchester, U.K. band, The 1975. However, this is not just another band, but rather a reawakening period for music. Instead of sticking to a simple, clear-cut genre, The 1975 has rebelled against the boundaries and cut through preconceived notions. If you are a music enthusiast looking to experiment with a newer style, then you do not want to pass this band up.

very risky. So what does this mean for the band’s newest album release?

Lead singer and pop culture icon Matthew Healy recently stated on Annie Mac’s Radio 1 show that “there’s a lot lacking in pop music these days.

It’s such an amazing lexicon and vocabulary of sounds — and there’s just not enough good bands, man, and I’m sick of it.” After starting as an alternative band in the industry, this transition is, in a way, shocking and

The four school friends, Matthew Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, started their alternative rock band as early teens 13 years ago, with various names including Talkhouse, The Slowdown, Bigsleep and Drive Like I Do.

Each of the 17 tracks on “I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It” has its own unique sound.. The band does not believe in one set genre; they believe that genres are no longer in fashion with today’s music industry. With that being said, this array of ’80s pop mashups has set itself far from the rest of the currentday sounds — a bold move by The 1975.

“We’re a band that defines a certain generation at a certain time,” Healy told The Guardian. “Nobody my

ALBUM REVIEW:

“THE LIFE OF PABLO” - KANYE WEST

BY MEGHAN KANE

PHOTO COURTESY: ONEMUSEUMMILE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: REDALTERPOLITICS.COM PHOTO COURTESY: DECONEWYORK.NET

age consumes media in a linear, straightforward way; it’s like a human eye, light coming in from everywhere.

You can expect a 17-year-old girl to be listening to Kendrick Lamar and to Carole King. I think we’re the first band to really embrace the fact there aren’t many rules left.”

This album is different from other music they have produced in the past. In fact, in June 2015, the band completely changed its aesthetics of solely black and white and hinted at a breakup, throwing fans into a frenzy. In reality, it was a start of a new era — a pink, new beginning for The 1975.

The 1975 has abandoned the idea of a set genre, and instead strives to promote the art of music as a whole.

The band shifted to a more pop sound, said Healy, who grew up with large pop inf luences when he was younger

and is finally showing that side in the band’s newer hits like, “The Sound” and “UGH!” Whether you are looking for a post-rock vibe in “Lostmyhead,” a rhythm and blues sensation in “Somebody Else” or even a David Bowie-inf luence in “She’s American,” this is definitely the album to take a listen to. And if being one of the most pre-ordered albums on iTunes for weeks leading up to its release on Feb. 26 doesn’t say something, then the fact that it has already hit the No. 1 spot on the charts surely speaks volumes.

“I’m challenging people to sit through an hour and 15 minutes and 17 songs that all sound completely different from each other,” Healy told NME News. “It’s quite an emotional investment. It’s art.

It’s what I want to do. The world needs this album.”

Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo” is fascinating — the title, that is. West’s self-made comparison to Pablo, whether it be Picasso, drug lord Pablo Escobar, Saint Paul the Apostle aka San Pablo or all three, screams triple-entendre with each repetition.

2” and “Wolves,” are some of the few endearing moments on the album. The transparent presentations of his hopes and fears surrounding his children and wife serve as infrequent human moments, what with his blatantly misogynistic comments about Taylor Swift on “Famous.”

“I feel like Pablo when I’m working on my shoes / I feel like Pablo when I see me on the news /

“Ultralight Beam” is about West’s faith in God. This track establishes strong parallels for “The Life of Pablo” with the life of Saint Paul the Apostle. He was blinded by a light beam from heaven as he was journeying to Damascus to persecute Christians. He remained sightless for three days before regaining his sight and dedicating his life to serving the Lord. Paul told the Corinthians that being a Christian means appearing mad, foolish and out of step with the rest of society at times.

I feel like Pablo when I’m working on my house,” he says in “No More Parties in L.A.” Although the extravagance-based Escobar correlation ends there with “Tell them party’s in here, we don’t need to go out.”

In a lecture at Oxford University, he said, “My goal, if I was going to do art, fine art, would have been to become Picasso or greater.” If West is tantamount to Picasso, “The Life of Pablo” is the moment, after a turbulent life leaving many artistic revolutions and mistreated women in his wake, that the artist finally settles down.

In this adaptation, Jacqueline Roque, Picasso’s final muse and the woman to whom he remained faithful, is played

by Kim Kardashian, and this album is the soundtrack to the artist’s journey, interchangeably personal and creative.

The references to his marriage and his family in songs like “FML,” “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt.

“Paul ... The most powerful messenger of the first century... Now we stand here 20 centuries later... Because he was a traveler...,” West tweeted a couple days after his album’s release.

He’s an innovator. He’s insane. He’s a genius.

He’s an idiot. It’s all been said. The underlying point that so many critics have made is that these “contradictions” are what cause him and “The Life of Pablo” to be so great. But since when have these statements ever contradicted each other when referring to an artist, or an early evangelist for that matter?

“That always sounds so funny to people, comparing yourself to someone in the past that has done so much, and in your life you’re not even allowed to think that you can do as much. That’s a mentality that suppresses humanity,” he told students at Oxford.

Maybe he’ll dangle Saint from a balcony and title his next album “The Life of Michael.”

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THE HEROIN EPIDEMIC

KRIS OCA ADVERTISING DESIGN

PHOTO COURTESY: THEGAZETTE.COM

“Heroin is pummeling the Northeast, leaving addiction, overdoses and fear in its wake,” said James Hunt, special agent in charge of the New York office of the DEA, to CNN.com. The number of users is rising and the age at which people are first trying it is getting lower. The use of heroin has officially become a public health crisis in small towns across the country.

In Philadelphia last year, video was shot of a man shooting up in his hand while riding on a public bus during rush hour. At the Children’s Medical Center in Cincinnati, a mother died from an overdose after shooting up in her baby’s hospital room; the father was found unconscious with a needle and a gun in his pocket. In 2014, a couple overdosed in a McDonald’s there with their children only a few feet away. A McDonald’s bathroom in Maryland was the site of another overdose last year. At a Dairy Queen in Niagara Falls, a man left his child unattended while he shot up in the bathroom. He was found unconscious with a needle in his arm. Most recently, on Feb. 19, another man overdosed in the bathroom of the Cambria County Library in Pennsylvania. And in the tri-state area, it’s getting out of control. “Of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, from 20102013, New Jersey and New York ranked fifth and sixth respectively for heroin use in the past year among people 12 or older,” according to cbslocal.com.

Ithaca, N.Y. has seen overdoses from heroin quadruple in the last ten years. Dealers sell it on the streets and in bars and users shoot up in empty lots and abandoned buildings, discarding their syringes in plain sight. Though the city already has many programs that are centered around drug prevention, Mayor Svante Myrick believes more needs to be done. According to his plan, aptly titled the Ithaca Plan, drug use is seen as a “public health problem rather than a crime, and focuses on treatment rather than incarceration. Central to the plan is a program to funnel people caught for certain petty offences, including low-level drug possession and sales, directly to social services by passing the usual sequence of arrests, courts, jails.

It’s a program started in Seattle that has so far been successful,” states theguardian.com. There is also a strong focus on harm reduction with the proposal for a place where users can shoot up, under

Despite the results, opening a safe injection site will be a difficult battle to win. Ithaca’s police chief, John Barber, told theguardian.com, “I firmly support the exploration of a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (Lead) program for Ithaca, but I am wary of supervised injection sites. As police chief, I took an oath to uphold the law and will not condone the illegal use of heroin, supervised or not.”

According to cbslocal.com, “Long Island is also in the midst of a heroin crisis. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano says at least one person on the Island dies of a drug overdose every single day. In January 2016, the Nassau County Police Department made 49 heroin arrests, and the numbers are even higher in Suffolk County.”

Executives from both counties are implementing a new program that will trace the source of each overdose in an attempt to combat the growing epidemic.

The reason that New York is such a hotbed of heroin activity is because traffickers use state thruways as a pipeline. In February, N.Y. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton stated that in just a few weeks, they had seized over 80 kilograms locally, “a clear indication of the scope of the opioid addiction problem in the New York Area.”

But in no place is it worse than in New England.

In New Hampshire alone, there were 325 opioidrelated deaths last year and 1,900 cases where the life-saving drug Narcan was used to reverse the effects of opiates. According to the New York Times, “The old industrial cities, quiet small towns and rural outposts are seeing a near-daily parade of drug summit meetings, task forces, vigils against heroin, pronouncements from lawmakers and news media reports on the heroin crisis.” And this is greatly changing the way addiction is viewed.

People are no longer taking a hardline position and are beginning to see addiction for what it is – a disease. 32 states now have “good Samaritan” laws that protect people from being arrested if they call 911 to report an overdose. Almost every state has begun programs that make access to naloxone (which reverses the effects of opiates) easy for either emergency medical workers or friends and family of the addict to obtain.

A recent study by the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 4.6 million individuals have reported using heroin at some point in their lives and that the average age of a first time user is 23. The study also found

PACKAGING DESIGN

that “669,000 people over age 12 had used heroin at some point in the year. About 156,000 of those were first-time users, and roughly 467,000 were considered heroin-dependent -- more than double the number in 2002,” according to cnn.com.

Between 2012 and 2014, the number of people who have died from heroin overdoses has just about doubled.

A recent study released by the New York Times states that three out of four heroin addicts used prescription opioids before switching to heroin.

According to the CDC, 45% of those who used heroin between 2011 and 2013 were addicted to prescription opioids as well and those who are dependent on them are 40 times more likely to be dependent on or use heroin. Stricter regulations surrounding the prescription and sale of prescription opiates (like OxyContin) and a decline in the price of heroin due to greater supply from cartels are the two main factors attributing to this resurgence. Greater supply has also led to a recent uptick of heroin use on college campuses as well as in suburban and rural areas. Furthermore, it is so hard to detox from and you can become addicted to it after using it a few times. Much purer heroin is also being sold. In the past, heroin was often cut with so much filler that the only way to get high was through injection. According to Time.

Com, “the purer versions currently available can be smoked or snorted, which make them more appealing to teenagers, the college-educated and people who normally wouldn’t come near it for fear of the needle… When you can snort it as opposed to inject it, it widens the audience for heroin.”

What was once seen as an inner-city problem is now reaching across all demographics. Researchers have found that 90% of first-time heroin users in the last ten years are white. The number of those that belong to the wealthy or middle class is also growing. According to the CDC, “significant increases in heroin use were found in groups with historically low rates of heroin use, including women and people with private insurance and higher incomes. The gaps between men and women, low and higher incomes, and people with Medicaid and private insurance have narrowed in the past decade.”

Andrew, a 19-year old from Pennsylvania who did not want to reveal his last name, overdosed twice, on the same batch of heroin that killed 22 others.

He told cnn.com, “That’s the sick thing about addiction. When someone knows that there are heroin bags that are killing people or making them overdose, then we know that those are the good bags.”

HUMANS OF FIT AMANDA TRIZZINO

BY DARA KENIGSBERG

supervision, without fear of being arrested. Such facilities are not legal in the U.S. but can be found all across Canada and in some countries in Europe.

Each area that has one of these has seen massive drops in the number of heroin-related deaths.

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Where are you going?

“Yes I am, but I’m an advertising design major.”

“I’m going to track practice, we have practice at the Armory, which is where I’m going right now. Today we went to the track on 145th street which is like super uptown, and we worked out. Even when I don’t have practice I run all the time. I love running, because even if you’re having a bad day you’ll always feel better after running. If you’re angry, not feeling well, or sad you just run it out and it always makes it better.

And a runners high is a real thing!

People doubt it, but it’s a real thing. But if you don’t have a good run it’s really sad, but that doesn’t happen often.

What made you choose this profession?

What’s your tattoo of?

“I like pretty things and nine to five jobs just don’t suit me [laughs]. If i did a nine to five job I would die four days into it, I’m just not suited for it.

There’s too much constraint, there’s no freedom in nine to five jobs. My personality is not meant for that; I’m too shameless, vulgar and free-spirited.

Also I want to emphasize the fact that graphic design isn’t just looking pretty, even though I like pretty things. As pretty as something is, if you don’t get your point across then what was the purpose right?”

“I designed it myself it’s of a running shoe and then it says ‘February 1st 2013’, the day that I started seriously and consistently running, so it’s been about three years which is cool. I run three to five miles depending on the day although I’m training for a half so sometimes I do seven miles.”

What book are you looking at?

“Cultural identities book, it’s a graphic design book.”

Are you a graphic designer?

FIT SPEAKS

PHOTO COURTESY: NPR.ORG

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FIVE REASONS WHY I’M NOT DONE TALKING ABOUT “FORMATION”

BY DANA HEYWARD

Beyoncé has often been silent about her own political and social standpoints in the press and since vowing from interviews last year her silence on just about everything happening in the world has been painfully deafening. One could argue that it’s not completely necessary for her to be so outspoken because she’s an entertainer first. But for someone who has been rightfully dubbed one of “the most inf luential people” by TIME Magazine, she certainly doesn’t wield her inf luence in a way that’s effective or promising outside the entertainment world. Last time we heard or saw any new music from Beyoncé, she recorded herself on a Go-Pro whilst spinning around in her underwear with her backup dancers in some hotel. It was great and all, but it certainly didn’t prepare anyone for what would happen a little over a year from then.

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STYLE ON 27

FURRY SE ASON

B Y: C A R M E N L I W H AT ’ S Y O U R M U S T- H AV E I T E M I N W I N T E R ?

R E A L O R FAUX FU R ? W H Y ?

YASMINE MERZOUGUI - FBM

SIFAN CHEN - FD

OZUM AZAK - FD

DYLAN PEINE - AMC

Flash-forward to at approximately 5PM on February 6, everything seemed to come to a halt as everyone momentarily forgoed their Saturday afternoon plans and glued themselves to their digital screens. Why? Because Beyoncé just casually dropped what’s hands-down one of the most politically and culturally outspoken video and song of her career and it involves lyrics about hot sauce and Red Lobster.

It’s been well over a month since the video and song dropped but you know what? Like many, I’m still not over it. “Black Bill Gates in the making” is slowly becoming a motivational motto. I’ve almost memorized the all the choreography and I can’t even dance. But there’s much more to unpack than the lyrics and choreography from the five minute video.

It’s the political statement that no one was really ready for or expecting.

JACKET – THE DESIGN STUDIO, UK

JACKET – COACH

WHITE SWEATER – FOREVER 21

SWEATER – MUIMUI

1. THE LOCATION.

JEANS – H&M

Scarf

Beyoncé is in New Orleans. Let me clarify — not French Quarter, beignets and colorful Victorian houses, New Orleans. No, she’s in “the New Wi’lins.” The New Orleans that still hasn’t recovered from post-Hurricane Katrina destruction. The New Orleans that most tourists would only step into if they made a couple of wrong turns on their way to Café Du Monde. Just based on the setting alone, it was clear that this thing that Beyoncé just released into the atmosphere was going to be all types of real.

SHOES – CLARKS A big, comfortable jacket!!

Real fur. I feel like that real fur has better quality.

JACKET – TOPSHOP Faux fur coat and leather Chelsea boots.

Fake. I’m against animal torturing.

SHOES – ZARA JEANS – &M SWEATER – URBAN OUTFITTER Scarf/ Blanket Scarf Fake because animal are friends <3

Fake, always wear faux! cause I love animals too much.

2. IT’S BOTH CELEBRATORY AND A CALL TO ACTION. Part of “Formation” is a declaration of: “Yes, I’m a global superstar but lest you all forget, I too also enjoy collard greens, cornbread and occasion-worthy trips to Red Lobster.” From Blue Ivy’s natural fro and “ask about me” expression to the “I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils” lyric, it’s clear that it’s an ode to unapologetic Blackness and reclaiming identity.

3. HUMILITY AND SUBTLY GO RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW.

EMILY BARBERA - FBM

BECCA LOVE - FASHION TEXTILE STUDIES

OSHIN BENNETT - FBM

JESSICA CHANG - FBM

The word “discreet” will never be a word to describe “Formation.” The lyrical content in itself speaks volumes, but it’s the video that takes it to another level. Particularly the moment when a young Black boy in a hoodie is seen dancing in front of a row of policemen before raising his hands in the air as they follow to do the same. The screen quickly cuts to graffiti of “Stop shooting us.” It’s an image that’s reopens old wounds in the Black community, but is also empowers them.

4. PEOPLE SAW IT (AND STILL SEE IT) AS A THREAT. From the moment I finished my first viewing of the video I knew people were going to have issues with it. It didn’t “help” that the following day after the release proceeded to follow up the video with a Super Bowl performance where her dancer’s outfits were inspired by The Black Panthers. Tidal (the music streaming service that her husband Jay-Z co-owns) also donated $1.5 million to the Black Lives Matter movement. The most common retorts were that Beyoncé was suddenly anti-police and racist and even former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani chimed in and called it an “attack on police.” Even an unsuccessful “Anti Beyoncé/Pro-Police” rally was formed. I mean she did say, “You know that bitch when you cause all this conversation.” But this brings me to my final point.

5. IT’S NOT FOR EVERYONE AND THAT’S OKAY. As that brilliant SNL skit pointed out; if you didn’t and still don’t understand “Formation” and all its messages then there’s a high probability that the song and video just weren’t for you and you should leave it at that. While the song is clearly danceable, it’s really unlike any Beyoncé song in sound and obviously content. It was made for the masses to hear and watch but not necessarily identify with. Even if “Formation” isn’t about/for you, it’s still fine to cheer from the sidelines but keep it in the bleachers.

What’s most commendable about “Formation” is what this means for Beyoncé in 2016 and future years and if she will be entering a more politically-charged era in her career. While “Formation” will always stand as a highlight of her career, she could easily slip back into her sultry R&B and pop hits and honestly, not many would f linch. All I know is that it’s a start and we needed to both hear and see this side of Beyoncé.

PANTS – ELISABETH AND JAMES

SCARF AND SHOES – ZARA

COAT - VINTAGE FROM TOKYO

JACKET - CHINESE LAUNDRY

Scarf (Normally socks but I didn’t wear them today!)

I prefer real fur because it looks much prettier.

Scarf

SCARF - THRIFT STORE IN MARYLAND BOOTS - ALDO Oversize camel coats

Fake. They’re less expensive and I support animal rights.

Both are good for me, what really matter is the beauty. And faux fur is usually more affordable.

FUR CARDIGAN - CLUB MONACO SHORTS - CAMEO THE LABEL FROM

REVOLVE CLOTHING SUEDE BOOTS - MARC FISHER Over knee boots, leather motor jackets, and wrap coat Faux fur, to protect animals.

MONTH IN REVIEW

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FIT

SESSION 1: MAY 23-JUNE 27 • SESSION 2: JUNE 28-JULY 26

SUMMER SESSION REGISTRATION BEGINS MARCH 31 fitnyc.edu/summer Ming Fashion Business Management

THOUSANDS OF COURSES.

A MILLION REASONS. #436

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