FIT
NOVEMBER 2018 Volume 51
Issue 2
November 2018
1
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MASTHEAD
Mason Auman Editor-in-Chief
W27
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Sophia Ostapenko Managing Editor Jenna Henley Treasurer
EDITORS Thuy Anh Dang Ishna Bisht Alivia Matthews
ART Erin Tucker Art Director Lara de la Torre Photo Editor Alexander Lopez-Guevara Thuy Anh Dang Jackeline Portillo Ariana Paino Jenna Henley Dawn Bauer Designers
CONTRIBUTORS Hannah Krebs Mary Helen Guastello Jenna Henley Alexander Lopez-Guevara Brittany Evans Rachel Seligman Dawn Bauer Ashley Freundner Sophia Ostapenko Lara de la Torre Erin Tucker Yajie Niu Megan Lissner Ariana Paino Ellen Davidson Alexandra Mann Faculty Editorial Advisors
Professor Albert Romano Faculty Advertising Advisor
After the successful completion of our November issue, I would like to - once again - thank everyone involved in the production of W27. The nature of this group continues to impress me and I cannot truly express my gratitude for effort and dedication of the writers, photographers, artists and contributors that form the newspaper staff. As I type this in a Starbucks in Paris, France, I feel compelled to recognize that the coordination of what you’re holding in your hands took place almost entirely with me being in a different country, which isn’t so much a reflection of my own ability but the ability of the team of people around me. As we continue to grow and improve, I look forward to the inclusion of more work from the students in our community. Thank you for reading and engaging with us. Enjoy.
Sincerely,
Mason Ryder Auman President and Editor-in-Chief, W27
ON THE COVER: Shot by Erin Tucker Yoga student Samantha Bruno
Editor’s photo shot by Steven Molina Contreras
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FIT
NOVEMBER 2018
contents CAMPUS LIFE
4
The Economic Divide in NYC Higher Learning Institutions
5
Barcelona, the City of Bed Bugs
6
How to Host the Best Friendsgiving on a College Budget
7
Art Through the World of Augmented Reality
CULTURE
7
A Beautiful Brutality: “A Little Life” Is an Immersive Masterpiece
FEATURES
12
HOFIT
16 17
We Can All Be Spiritual Gangsters
9
Film Review: “The Hate U Give” / Film Review: “Colette
19
10 Restaurant Review: Llamita 11 15
CHNGE is Beautiful
Abused Waves: That Tiny Microplastic is Everywhere, Though You May Not Know It
W27 is PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING. A FIT STUDENT ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION.
Brittany Evans
OP-ED
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NYC
Humans of FIT
THE GALLERY
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and Amazon Take Over Your 10 Snapchat Online Experience
Yoga, Meditation and Their Effect on the FIT Community
“You Talk Too Much” How complicated teen girls finally got the coming-of-age movies they deserve Our Obsession with Aesthetics
STYLE ON 27
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Style on 27
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CAMPUS LIFE
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The Economic Divide in NYC Higher Learning Institutions BY HANNAH KREBS
When I enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), I knew what I was getting into. My father, grandparents and co-workers all warned me about the financial obstacles that I, like most college students in New York City, would be forced to face. But, it was my dream to study in one of the fashion capitals of the world, so I took my chances.
“transportation, books, supplies, off-campus housing and personal care,” which are considered indirect costs. The grand total of direct costs and indirect costs is $34,000 for an out-of-state student. While this appears to be a high price, SUNY institutions are recognized for their affordability and are cheaper than most state universities in the United States.
One reason that FIT caught my attention was because it is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, which advocates financial values that might not be provided at private institutions. According to the Fashion Institute of Technology’s website, the annual cost of tuition in 2018-2019 for an out-of-state undergraduate student, such as myself, is $14,690. Factoring in fees and the cost of the dormitory, the total reaches $30,000. However, this is only a calculation of the direct costs of the university, which are paid directly to FIT and do not include expenses such as
While hundreds of students from around the world travel to New York City to attend FIT each year, many more come to study at prestigious private universities, such as New York University (NYU) and Columbia University.
to become wealthy adults. To most, these statistics do not come as a surprise, but the median family income in the United States in 2016 was $59,039, not much more than FIT’s annual cost of tuition.
As reported on NYU’s website, the annual tuition and fees in 2018-2019 for an on/off campus undergraduate student are $51,828 and room and board are $18,156. The total for direct costs is $69,984. Estimated cost for books and supplies are $824, transportation is $1,110 and personal expenses are $2,758. The annual tuition and fees in 2018-2019 for an undergraduate student at Columbia University is $51,640 and room and board and other expenses are $15,591 according to collegetuitioncompare.com.
The New York Times also reports that the median family income for students at NYU in 2016 was $149,300, among the highest in New York, and 62% were from the top 20%. About 3.6% of students came from a poor family but grew up to become wealthy adults. The median family income for students attending Columbia University in 2016 was $150,900, among the highest in New York, and 62% were from the top 20%. About 3.1% of students came from a poor family but grew up to become wealthy adults.
As a public university student, I am often told that one of my school’s best attributes is its financial value. Coming from a middle-class family, when it was time to choose affordable creative colleges, there were not many available options. So, when I heard about FIT, I was overjoyed. Before arriving on campus, I assumed that most students at FIT were in the same financial situation as me. I thought that wealthy families would send their children to Columbia or Barnard, not to a public school like FIT. According to The New York Times, the median family income for students at FIT in 2016 was $98,000, among the highest for selective colleges in the United States, and 45% were from the top 20%. About 3.6% of students came from a poor family (income of $25,100 for a family of four in 2018, as provided by healthcare.gov) but grew up PHOTO COURTESY HANNAH KREBS
When analyzing the data, it is obvious that there is a financial divide between public and private colleges in New York City, regardless of the level of selectivity. The average annual cost of tuition for the outof-state undergraduates enrolled in SUNY schools is $16,650, fees are $1,610 and room and board are $13,310, according to suny.edu. Cuny.edu states that the average tuition for private school students in New York is $38,630, fees are $830, housing is $12,000 and meals are $4,230. It is also clear that the median family income of students at FIT/SUNY student is greater than that of the average American household but less than the household income of students attending private colleges in New York.
FIT
NOVEMBER 2018
Barcelona, the City of Bed Bugs BY MARY HELEN GUASTELLO
I always imagined the first time I’d encounter bed bugs would be in my hypothetical 400 square-foot studio apartment in New York. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and tiny sesame-seed-sized vampires would be digging their fangs into my precious, sweet blood. But in the form of a devious surprise, this vision transpired elsewhere – in Barcelona, Spain. Studying abroad in Europe allows for the convenience to travel to other European cities for relatively cheap prices. After clicking through what felt like thousands of Google Flights, my friends and I decided to spend a weekend in Barcelona, Spain - the city of Gaudi - nicknamed after Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi. I wasn’t familiar with the city whatsoever, except for what my twelve-yearold brain recalled from the movie, Cheetah Girls 2. My recollection had little merit besides the iconic scene where the four soul sisters strutted – yes, that is a reference to “Strut like you mean it” – through the streets of Barcelona, climbing atop a colorful mosaic masterpiece located in Park Güell. I will spare readers superfluous details of this vacation as Barcelona is nothing special. Long story short, the Cheetah Girls lied. Barcelona is nothing like the Disney Channel Original Movie portrayed it to be. While it could have been because there were four of them and five of us – we give off a Spice Girls vibe anyways – I think it had more to do with the city itself than with whom I traveled. I mean no offense to those who see beauty in Barcelona, but I have never seen a city so dirty. No wonder I came home with bed bugs. Granted, part of what could have brought these bloodsucking creepy crawlers back to Paris with me was the hostel we stayed at, although I can’t say that staying at a hotel would have resulted in a different outcome. Terrified by the red welts forming on my arms and the incessant itching of my scalp, I was confident that by the time I snuggled into bed after returning to Paris, bed bugs were crawling deep into my mattress. Despite using an entire bottle of disinfectant spray and washing all of my clothes at the highest temperature possible, the pesky microscopic demons, scheming where to lay their eggs next, burrowed into my mind. Happy Spooky Season - I guess there really ain’t no rest for the wicked, especially when they are on the hunt for blood.
I woke up the following morning covered in red spots, my body resembling a pepperoni pizza. I couldn’t stand it any further. I feared that it would become some sort of Halloween horror story where the bed bugs would start crawling out of my mouth. This was getting out of control and the experts needed to be called upon. I knew if I contacted housing, they’d charge an exorbitant amount of money, about €1,000 to be precise! Considering I didn’t want to fork over half of my savings, I searched for an alternate option.
mask, akin to Bane in Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and sprayed gaseous pesticides everywhere, sending the bed bugs into a state of suffocation. While this may have been one of the sketchiest transactions I’ve ever made, I returned to my apartment after full day of classes to a bed bug free home!
After calling four different pest control places and there being no answer on the other line, I felt like maybe I had to accept my fate - I was going to turn into a bed bug by the stroke of midnight and there was nothing I could do about it. I finally received a phone call 45 minutes later. “Bonjour,” I said. “Bonjour,” a man with a heavy French accent responded, followed by a baffling line of French that I only partially understood. “Je parle un petite peu Francais. Parlez vous Anglais?” I asked. The man informed me that he did not speak English. He kept mumbling, “What’s up, what’s up.” I thought either he was asking, “What’s up?” or was suggesting we communicate over the messaging app, WhatsApp. Turns out he had an English-speaking colleague who was going to assist us with our parasitic infestation. I booked the appointment for 7:30AM the next day and a sense of relief flooded through my body That sense of relief disappeared as I received a cryptic phone call from a man who spoke decent English, demanding me to trust what he had to say. “Cancel your appointment with company you booked tomorrow. Don’t tell him I called. Just cancel appointment.” I was both scared and confused by his strange request and curious as to how this man obtained my phone number. After inquiring why to trust him, he informed me that he was the same man from the other company, but was going to perform the extermination independently, providing me with a discount of €50 off, under the condition that I pay €350 cash. With hesitation, I agreed, wishing for this whole situation to be over. I woke up at 6AM the next morning, walked to the ATM, and withdrew the euros – it had quite a hefty conversion fee - and met the exterminator back at my flat. He explained the process thoroughly and informed me that I was allowed back into the apartment 4-6 hours after fumigation. He put on an extermination
PHOTO COURTESY MARY HELEN GUASTELLO
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CAMPUS LIFE
W27
HOW TO HOST THE BEST
FRIENDSGIVING ON A COLLEGE BUDGET BY JENNA HENLEY
November is here and everyone is gearing up for the end of the semester. This is the perfect time to take advantage of hosting a Friendsgiving. It has been over two months since the beginning of school, and it is valuable to take a moment to appreciate the new friends you have gained thus far. Since this is Friendsgiving; this is everyone’s chance to go all out with new and creative dishes and decorations. Here are some easy ideas for your next Friendsgiving party that are just as budget-friendly as they are enjoyable. Consider throwing Thanksgiving out the window. Half of your friends probably don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, and the other half don’t even want Thanksgiving food because they’ll feast on it with their family. It’s time to think creatively. This could be your chance to cook a dish that you have perfected over these last couple of months. Consider also creating a dinner party with a theme. For instance, a fun fiesta night, or breakfast for dinner. Those themes would provide a variety of recipes that are original and simple.
Lara De La Torre shares and explains two fantastic recipes that are not your normal Thanksgiving dishes, but they are effortless and delicious.
tomatoes. It can be a part of your meal plan that you probably weren’t going to use for the week anyway. Fun Decorating Idea
The best thing for a host to do is to ask their friends to contribute a dish to the party. It will save you from the stress of having to cook and prepare everything for everyone. Even though there might not be a kitchen in your dorm room, here are easy ways to contribute something to your next gathering. Trader Joe’s sells a variety of fall treats that your friends are probably dying to try. A highly recommended indulgence is the Pumpkin Joe Joe’s which are basically oreos made of a pumpkin cream for only $1.99 a box. Another option is making one of the Trader Joe’s dessert mixes, such as their Pumpkin bread or Brownie mix. There may be some extra ingredients that require a kitchen, so make sure to ask a friend with a kitchen to help you out. If you would like to make something but don’t have the ingredients for it, head to the dining hall and get your necessities there, such as a cup of milk or cherry
Take a large pumpkin and divide it up into sections based on the number of friends. Have one friend start drawing on one section of the pumpkin. Draw a little bit over the second section so the second person knows where to begin drawing. The first person’s drawing should eventually be covered by each friend. Continue this process until the remaining people finish up their design. Reveal each section to see all of the individual designs come together. Make your new pumpkin your centerpiece for the kitchen table. If it’s too big, place it right outside of your dorm room. It’s a great eye-catching piece for anyone coming over, and it will be filled with all of your Friendsgiving memories.
PHOTO COURTESY JENNA HENLEY
FIT
NOVEMBER 2018
7
ART THROUGH THE WORLD OF AUGMENTED REALITY BY ALEXANDER LOPEZ-GUEVARA If you’ve been entering FIT through the D Building’s new marvelous entrance, then surely you’ve passed by one of the murals on the old concrete walls. That mural, created by students, Tiffany Tang and Nate Restrepo, is one of the many murals designed by the seniors in the Illustration department at the School of Art & Design. It is a part of a senior assignment—one of many—delegated by a Mentorship class. Developed by Professor Daniel Shefelman, Chalk FIT (as the assignment is called) has given seniors an opportunity to showcase their art and abilities to the sea of New Yorkers that flow through 7th Avenue. The goal is to capture the attention of New York in its usual rush, in the hopes of developing some kind of relationship that entertains, entices and sets the stage for possible promotion. This year’s theme for Chalk FIT asked the students to interpret the prompt: The Future is…The Human Experience. Some students created concepts around the future and advancing technology and dabbled in political/ controversial themes, while others developed visual puns that were as brilliantly executed as they were funny. FIT Alumnus, Victor A. Saint Hillaire (VASH, as he likes to be called) and Angel García—two great muralists—returned to offer their insight and time to help this year’s seniors develop their designs for Chalk FIT.
What is especially great about this year’s Chalk FIT is the installment of the Augmented Reality (AR) feature. That means that the designs the students create will, with the assistance of the Arilyn app, come to life through a simple scan with the phone. Multiple pieces have already been tested to show the success of this feature and the goal is to add another layer of involvement for the audience that stops by to admire the great murals. Most of the works involve barrages of moving color, figures and shapes all over each 3 by 6 foot canvas.
there’s no better class to have introduced AR and Illustration to the dynamic audience that is New York City.
It has been greatly rewarding and enlightening for many of the seniors that partook in this year’s Chalk FIT—despite the troubles that sprung up regarding bad weather, timing, and placement. Students were expected to knock out the assignment in a week, while also balancing other tasks and stresses that come with senior year. In the end, Chalk FIT gave the seniors a chance to step out of the classroom setting in order to perform for a dynamic audience. But the support and excitement between the students resulted in the execution of some of the best art 7th Avenue has ever seen. Hopefully AR becomes instilled in the tradition that has pushed the Illustration department to the forefront of FIT’s Art & Design school. This year sets the precedent for such a feature, and
PHOTO COURTESY ALEXANDER LOPEZ-GUEVARA
A Beautiful Brutality: “A Little Life” Is an Immersive Masterpiece BY BRITTANY EVANS
The book opens on four young men, a group of unlikely friends, approaching life post-graduation. Scrounging for loose change, eating the bare minimum, living in a barely-there apartment on Lispenard Street, the four men attempt to establish themselves in the hustle and bustle of New York City in their respective careers. They make a motley crew. Willem Ragnarsson, the son of a midwestern rancher; Jean-Baptiste Marion (affectionately referred to as JB) who is a receptionist for a downtown art publication; Malcolm Irvine, the son of affluent Upper East Siders working at an architectural firm; and Jude St. Francis, a lawyer and mathematician, exceptional in his crafts but reserved, with a childhood and background filled with great pain, of which his friends are unaware.
PHOTO COURTESY BRITTANY EVANS
The first fifty or so pages are dedicated to acquainting us with the foursome. The friends attend parties, date around, work long hours, scrounge up cash for cheap Sunday meals together, grapple with their identity, put deposits down on apartments,and start to see inklings of their hard work paying off. In many ways, the characters function exactly as you’d expect freshout-of-college, 20-somethings do. We look forward to seeing how they will succeed and they do. When JB’s first art collection receives buzz, we sigh with relief. When Willem lands his first acting gig, we whoop and we holler. The book’s tone shifts on page 67 with Jude running into Willem’s bedroom in the middle of the night, holding a towel wrapped hand close to his chest. He convinces Willem not to take him to the hospital and is instead brought to Andy, his doctor and friend from college days. We are quickly made aware of the fact that this injury was self-inflicted and that over the last few years, Jude has brought countless of these injuries to Andy. Over the course of the next pages, we are made aware Jude’s body has been scarred for many years and each week there are new lines on his canvas for Andy to tend to. We come to find out this tendency of Jude’s is not only a symptom but a coping mechanism for what he has had to endure. After this pivotal moment, the plot-line gradually becomes entirely centered upon Jude, who we come to find out was abandoned as a child, deposited in a dumpster and discovered by a local catholic parish. His foundling background is but the tip of the iceberg to what he has had to absorb during his life. In a gorgeous unraveling of his personal tale, Yanagihara unearths trial after trial that Jude has gone through and displays how life
has dealt him a particularly brutal hand. We get to know Jude at the same pace as the friends do. As he becomes more transparent with those around him, great healing occurs in the spaces and areas that have never seen the light. The beauty of this tale is in its realism and honesty in depicting life, exactly as it falls out. Without historical or current event context, the book takes on a forever present-day reality, and in this generality, its message and plot line become applicable to today, tomorrow and years from now. A Little Life is a substantial epic and not for the faint of heart. Reading through laced fingers and tears, I fell deeply in love with the character of Jude, becoming intimately acquainted with his emotions and the brutality of past-days. This novel is an ode to life, of the darkness mingled with the light, the closed doors and the open ones, the sweeping highs and the crippling lows. The book is open in my lap. It is Friday morning. Bright and early. I am sipping the first coffee of the day. Yanigahara’s whimsies transporting me from the cafe on 26th to a house on Greene Street with characters that more closely resemble friends than fictitious fabrications. He takes two steps. And it is only two sentences later and I am weeping. Not even a minute had passed. Oh, life, the text seems to say, how brutally beautiful you are.
Trigger Warning: It should be noted that the book covers topics related to depression and sexual assault.
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W27
We Can All Be Spiritual Gangsters BY RACHEL SELIGMAN
Spiritual Gangster, the most coveted brand in athleisure and activewear, has single handedly created the modern movement of yoga. Spiritual Gangster promotes an edgy, free-spirited and enlightened lifestyle with underlying values of love, light, gratefulness, and mindfulness. These values are projected on products, ranging from kimonos to sports bras, which often sell out instantaneously after being released. Spiritual Gangster transforms outdated, stereotypical yoga connotations into a hip and gritty subculture, assisting in sensationalizing the practice of meditation and yoga. By emulating Spiritual Gangster’s values, the concealed promise of the quintessential healthy, happy and peaceful lifestyle generates a cult-like following. Spiritual Gangster culture has forged an entirely new “hip-hop yoga” market for millennials and older generations alike. The founder of the prominent yoga brand, Ian Lopatin, hates yoga. Or at least he did as a child, before he knew where his career path would ultimately land him. Lopatin grew up surrounded by yoga culture due to his mother’s frequent hosting of neighborhood yoga gatherings. “I thought my mom was crazy,” Lopatin tells Yoga Journal, “I didn’t have a regular yoga practice growing up.” Little did Lopatin know that several years later, after graduating from law school in California, he would find himself sitting next to Bikram Choudhury, a legendary yoga influencer, on an airplane. Bikram Yoga, founded by Choudhury, is a series of 26 yoga poses and two breathing techniques performed in a 104-105 degree room with a humidity level of 40%. Choudhury alone advanced the yoga platform by providing a rigorous practice that requires tenacity and a strong will, providing an athletic aspect along with finding Zen. Lopatin practiced with Choudhury daily after the sudden spark of friendship and claims, “One thing led to another.” Soon enough Spiritual Gangster was born. Lopatin’s yoga endeavors began with the founding of At One Yoga in Phoenix, Arizona where his future wife,
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS
Vanessa Lee, worked as the retail buyer for the studio. Teaching yoga along to hip-hop beats was a concept unheard of at the time for a yoga practice. At One Yoga completely reinvented yoga to align with “cool” 21st century youth culture. The individuality of hip-hop yoga was proven when a yogi told Lopatin after a class, “You’re like a gangster… a spiritual gangster.” Soon enough, Lopatin and Lee crafted the Spiritual Gangster clothing line based off of “high- vibration” themes brought about from the At One Yoga studio. The name of the brand is credited to “a gang of spiritual people who want to make a difference,” Lee explains to Trend Hunter. Spiritual Gangster donates a portion of profits to sustainability projects and major organizations, such as Make a Wish, and the Cambodian Children’s Fund. For each item sold, Spiritual Gangster directs proceeds towards providing a meal to fight hunger along with Feeding America. To date, over 10 million meals have been donated. The couple chooses to be transparent with the company’s good-hearted nature because, as Lee discloses, “Yogis generally care about the environment and come together for causes we believe in.” Riding the wave of Spiritual Gangster’s intriguing momentum, yoga is being positioned as the key to happiness and healthy living. American culture places ongoing pressure to achieve a “perfect” lifestyle. Setting standards for successful images, social lives, and financial matters is further objectified by constant social media streams. Becoming both mentally and physically stronger can be done on a yoga mat, away from constant technology, providing a daily escape and a rebellious nature. Spiritual Gangster helps prioritize yogi values, such as positivity, kindness and connectedness, for an impactful influence on otherwise intimidating societal pressures. Who knew a (instantly sold out) hoodie had the power of enlightenment by preaching “I stopped looking for the light. I decided to become it instead.” Namaste.
FIT
NOVEMBER 2018
Film Review: "The Hate U Give" BY DAWN BAUER By far the best book I’ve read this year has been Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give.” The narrative is sincere, provocative and absolutely heartbreaking. Since reading, every time I’ve been asked for a book recommendation, my answer has been this novel. Especially considering the political climate we find ourselves in today, I can see no better book to educate yourself with on the subject of police brutality, if not completely alter your perspective on the topic, than this one. That being said, director George Tillman Jr. had a lot to live up to when adapting this incredible story into a motion picture, and, thankfully, he nailed it.
“The Hate U Give” follows Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a 16-year-old girl who sees her friend Khalil (Algee Smith) get shot and killed by a police officer after getting pulled over for changing lanes without signaling. The film catalogs Starr’s struggle of being Khalil’s only witness. She is the most valuable person who can stand up for him, but to find the strength to do so is immensely difficult. Though fictional, this movie is an intimate look into the harsh reality of our too regularly violent society from the point-of-view of a first-hand witness. Each performance from the cast was as powerful as the last and further immersed you into the compelling story. From the color pallet to the dialogue to the soundtrack, it’s tragic and harrowing, yet beautiful in its hope. This film is the utter definition of a mustsee movie.
PHOTO COURTESY ERIKA DOSS
Film Review: “Colette”
BY ASHLEY FREUNDNER
Keira Knightley struggles to be rid of her oppressive husband’s grasp in the period drama “Colette.” Based on the life of Sidonie-Gabrielle, “Colette” starts when Claudine moves to Paris and marries Willy. Claudine, played by Keira Knightley, finds herself in a relationship that abuses her writing talents to make a profit for Willy. Through each book and the process of writing them, we begin to see a shift in the way Claudine presents herself to the world. Throughout this journey Claudine challenges societal ideals of women and their power. Through exual encounters and simple ways of life, Claudine must explore who she is before she gains the power to separate from Willy and claim her place. Learning the power that she holds, she begins to find herself harnessing the knowledge she has in order to concentrate it on her writing. This movie, having taken over 10 years to bring to life, couldn’t have been shared with the public at a more appropriate time. “Colette” explores the concepts of gender, sexuality and equality in a way that resonates with the viewer - showing how far those in the LGBTQ+ community have managed to come in the time since Colette was thriving in Paris. If you’re looking for or have been waiting for a gay period drama with Keira Knightley as the star, look no further than “Colette.”
PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT VIGLASKY
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W27
Snapchat Amazon BY SOPHIA OSTAPENKO
Snapchat and Amazon have recently combined forces to create a new way to shop and bring back popularity to Snapchat by using the platform for what it does best: taking photos. If a Snapchat user sees anything that they may be interested in, such as a pair of earrings, jeans worn by their best friend who won’t reveal where they are from, or a new cozy couch that looks appealing but costs a fortune, Amazon will allow that person to shop for either the exact same item or a look-alike piece. According to Laura Heller at Forbes, the new striking partnership will allow Snapchat users to “scan an image or barcode and snap a photo,” and then if the item is available on Amazon, “a card will appear and the user can click through to Amazon, review and buy.” For some consumers, this partnership might be reminiscent of The Hunt app, which was once a highly-advertised app on platforms, such as Vine. The Hunt, which allowed users to go on a “fashion hunt” by snapping photos of clothing items and accessories
AND Take Over Your Online Experience
on people in exchange for finding out where to find the exact or similar piece, has now faded away along with its consumer base. It is still available for download, but its ratings, which are now 3.1 instead of a 5.0, and usage have significantly declined over the past three years. For Snapchat, this new partnership could bring over three million users that were lost by the most recent update which led to numerous users leaving the app as it was difficult to use. For Amazon, on the other hand, this opportunity is just another cherry on top, which allows the e-commerce giant to continuously grow their number of users, especially the ones who are interested in Amazon services, such as the Prime membership. The Snapchat feature is currently undergoing testing in addition to the company working on other features for the app as well. Amazon has not put out a statement yet, but it should be worth paying attention to the direction of this potential new way of shopping.
PHOTO COURTESY SNAPCHAT
Restaurant Review:
PHOTO COURTESY LARA DE LA TORRE
Llamita BY LARA DE LA TORRE
You find yourself stepping through a glass door, a skylight above filtering in the day’s light. An array of plants form a half-halo around this entranceway, leafy vines cascading down to greet guests. Pale stucco walls of pastel peach and seafoam green guide you into the restaurant that is Llamita. This fast-casual spot, nestled in the West Village, recently landed on my radar through various Instagram posts from platforms such as New York Magazine’s food news page, Grub Street. As per our generation, it was the photos that drew me to the restaurant; images of golden brown rotisserie chicken, sprinkled with herbs and coated by rich, crackly skin; posts about sandwiches on crusty rolls dripping with all manner of delicious things such as creamy sauces, melting cheeses and meats fresh off a grill. I couldn’t take my eyes off these visuals, much less stop my mouth from watering at the sight of them. After doing a little research, I found out that Llamita is Chef Erik Ramirez’s second take on Peruvian cuisine; his first being Llama Inn in Williamsburg. Open since July, this counter-service restaurant proved itself to be so much more than Instagram hype. During my visit, the staff were super attentive and very
friendly - obviously eager to share their food with anyone willing to sit down long enough. After struggling to choose off a menu that is by no means long, but instead, offers a select number of options that all sound equally attractive, I settled on their calamari sandwich (aji panca, aji amarillo, charred scallion). After a first bite, I found myself devouring the rest of the sandwich unattractively quickly - I couldn’t help myself. The bread, a warm, fragile shell, hid the smoky charcoal flavor of the grilled calamari underneath; tender meat with just enough bite to be satisfying to chew. The scallions, crisp and tasting of the Earth, were next to be registered by my palate. Their gentle bite provided a respite from the richness of the garlic sauce that was satisfyingly creamy and left you wanting a container of it to take home. Overall, my experience at Llamita is one that will have me going back again and again until I’ve tried everything on the menu. No matter what, though, that calamari sandwich is always going hold a special spot in my heart…stomach… whatever.
FIT
NOVEMBER 2018
11
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Beautiful BY JENNA HENLEY
It is more than a T-shirt. CHNGE is a small retail company founded in 2017 and based in New York City. They sell gender neutral merchandise with empowering phrases printed on their shirts. The world is a dangerous place filled with hate and injustice, so what CHNGE provides their consumers, according to their mission statement, is “an outlet to make a positive impact in the world through their purchases.”
Their most recent collection on their website features a shirt stating, “Women don’t owe you shit” in both black and white. Their description for the shirt, according to their website, is “Women don’t owe you shit, They never have and they never will.” What’s so special about this shirt is they collaborated with Activist Whitney Bell to benefit the Malala Fund. The Malala fund is all about progressing women’s rights, so CHNGE decided when a consumer bought this shirt, they will donate 50% of the profits to the Malala fund. Not only do they donate from this shirt, but they have fully pledge to donate 50% of all their net profits to other organizations such as Acumen, Charity: Water, Pencils of Promise and Stand for Trees. The company believes if other multibillion dollar corporations followed their way of dividing their profits, world problems such as poverty, education and water supply can experience significant improvements and the businesses will still have profit left over. Their focus is three main colors which are black, white and red. The red symbolizes love but also wrath. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone bleeds red. With all the issues in the world happening right now, the company wants everyone to be united and to love one another. They open their hearts to all races and gender through the simplest form of a T-shirt. Customer Service Representative Henry Eisenhart was able to give insight on the what inspires the company, and any future goals CHNGE is striving for.
PHOTO COURTESY CHNGE
CHNGE centralizes their overall brand with sustainability, transparency and philanthropy. They do that by vowing to only use sustainable materials such as 100% organic cotton for their merchandise. Their organic cotton allows them to save 500 gallons of water and use 62% less energy. Fashion is one of the top five polluting industries, so CHNGE strives to put the planet before profit when deciding what materials they produce with. The company makes sure to let their consumers know where and how they get their products as well as who makes them. Their organic cotton production locations are all over the world which consumers can be informed on because CHNGE provides details of each factory. Jenna Henley: Why and how did the brand start? What is the overall mission? Henry Eisenhart: The inspiration for CHNGE was all of the problems in the world today and all of the issues we saw in the fashion industry in particular. We were able to start the business with a round of capital that we raised from five investors who hail from different countries in Europe including Poland and France. They believed in our mission from the start as they have a passion for sustainable businesses. Our team consists of nine people. Three women and six men. Ages 23-62. Our team consists of black, white, Latino, Asian and European people. We have Mexican, British, American, French and Korean folks making CHNGE everyday. You cannot find any information on our team on the site as we believe CHNGE is not something individuals should get credit for. It is something we all need to work together on. Our supporters are the real driving force behind CHNGE. As a simple business, we can’t change the world on our own. But we hope to prove to consumers that they have a choice, and inspire other companies to strive to be a better option for everyone. JH: What is the inspiration behind the T-shirt phrases? HE: We want to give people the opportunity to express their views of the world through their purchases. We look at protests from past and present to see what people are trying to get through to the rest of society. When we find an important and powerful message that resonates with us and we feel
will resonate with our base, we try to find a creative way to incorporate it into our designs. JH: What future goals does the company plan to do in the upcoming years? HE: Mainly, we want to flip fashion on its head while giving our customers an outlet to express their views. We plan to do so by pledging to give as much as we make, by donating 50% of our profits to organizations and individuals creating progressive social and environmental change. Our garments are produced at the most ethical factories around the world, made from only the most sustainable fabrics. We produce timeless pieces that are built to last and we offset all CO2 emissions from our production and post-purchase. CHNGE is a company who gives a shit. They believe the world could be a better place based on the choices humans make. They make impactful messages through their original shirts and unconventional models. They know that a simple T-shirt will not solve every world problem, but it welcomes people who want to help and care. Their goal is to encourage people to break from fast fashion retail and to consume differently. Be the CHNGE. CHNGE is currently only an online store at chnge.com. Merchandise goes from $25 to $99. The best way to get news about incoming merchandise and projects is to follow their Instagram at @chnge.
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W27
FEATURE
Yoga, Meditation
and Their Effect on the FIT Community BY ERIN TUCKER
Teaching at FIT for 45 years, Professor Stephanie Bird helps students in all aspects of their lives through her Yoga and Meditation classes. Towards the end of meditation class last semester, she mentioned the idea of this feature to me. Instantly I knew I wanted to create it. My meditation practice, and essentially what she has taught me, has helped me more than I could’ve ever imagined. I want her comforting words to help others as well.
an anxious person and I didn’t really know how to relax. After the teacher training, I just said to myself, “this is so good, I’d like to do this the rest of my life.” So, it really has been my life.
Professor Bird has a beautiful archive of student papers. They illustrate her work in how Yoga and Meditation has healed so many students. She mentioned the idea of including quotes from the students’ work, which are scattered throughout this spread. And what follows is a candid conversation between her and me. She speaks on an upcoming Health and Wellness minor, a cut in the department, and relating her classes to President Brown’s emphasis on civility, all while illustrating a look into how yoga and meditation have positively affected her life, and how it can change yours.
Erin Tucker: So to start, could you explain who you are and what you do? How long have you been teaching at FIT? Professor Stephanie Bird: My name is Stephanie Bird. I began in 1973. My love is really helping people to become healthy in ways that they understand. I view health as a very broad spectrum. Not just fitness of the body; but also the mind, emotions and how a person relates to their environment. My yoga class is not just a single exercise class, but an awareness. The meditation class and the yoga class, particularly, over the years have changed lives. I have stacks of papers, saying the yoga class has saved their’ [students’] lives; if they didn’t have that in their semester, they wouldn’t have made it through. That is very rewarding to me. I feel quite honestly that my gift to the world, and making it a more peaceful world, is helping the students to be peaceful with themselves, understand themselves, and make these differences. I found that most students are very anxious, cannot sleep, focused on future or past, and so the meditation class helps them right now, in the moment. And it’s just
ET: What would you recommend to someone just wanting to start out in meditation or yoga?
made a tremendous difference to them. I take real enjoyment in having them come to my class. I love sending students on their way. To find their own way. To try to ignite that excitement for their own peace, their own health.
ET: How did you get into the practice of meditation and yoga? How old were you? Did you do any yoga teacher training elsewhere? SB: In my apartment on 17th street, I had a bicycle and I had a job and everything, but somehow I wasn’t too content. I thought “hmm what’s this all about?” So I began doing little personal exploration. I have my mother to thank for getting into yoga. I went with her to a local high school and she was taking a combination of ballet and yoga. We did rest relaxation, and I thought “oh what’s this, I’ve never felt this before. This is terrific.” I was always very coordinated, I enjoyed moving my body. And in yoga you have relaxation, you have focusing the mind, a little of everything. I thought that was great so I got started in 1972. I did get shots to go to India, but I decided to do it a little closer to home, so I went to Canada and took a teacher training course there for a summer. That was a very good introduction. And meditation, I didn’t know what it was. And then they would do chanting and I had no idea what that was. So I vowed, if I’m ever gonna teach it, I’d try my best to introduce and explain to students. Not just open my mouth and start chanting away.
ET: What does your meditation and yoga practice mean to you? How has it changed your life? SB: Changed it completely. At one point, I wasn’t really happy, I was also growing up. I was kind of
SB: Relax. Breathe. Feel your body. Get in touch with your body. Know that the mind’s nature is like a monkey, it jumps around. Patience with yourself, know that it’s not easy and the best meditators can’t always have a great experience. Don’t compare a wonderful, calming experience that you had yesterday with today. Today’s a new day. It’s a whole new experience. You can always start again. And I think what makes our experiences unique is actually doing them, feeling them in this body, being aware of them, without judging yourself in your mind, in your emotions. You know, we’re not perfect. We have thoughts and things that happen to us that we’re not happy with, but they don’t need to pull us down year after year. ET: It’s really just all about being kind to yourself. SB: Isn’t it. And that’s where it starts. If you can feel that warmth and kindness to yourself, then you’re more patient and compassionate with those around you.
ET: What would you say is your favorite or most rewarding part of teaching these classes here? What do you hope your students get out of them? SB: My favorite part is the students, actually. I really enjoy relating to them. It was a difficult time in my life, when I was 18, 19 and 20, so I have a compassion for all my students at that age. And I
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semester. But I don’t feel the title is strong enough yet, I have to work on the wording of why it is a unique minor and the benefits of it.
PHOTO COURTESY ERIN TUCKER
ET: I’ve heard from one of your current students that FIT is cutting the budget, would you like to talk a bit about that?
always say, I know you have loads of projects to do, but just do your best and try to incorporate some of the peaceful things you’ve felt here into your life in small ways. And they’re at a wonderful time to experiment. I have such respect for all they’re doing. I really love my students. And the final papers they write just give me goosebumps.
ET: (A tall stack of past students’ papers sits in front of us) I really loved how you would sometimes have us write how we were doing in the class, and read them aloud anonymously. I remember one time at least half of the class mentioned how meditation helped them with anxiety or depression. I think that was really powerful, and helped me realize I wasn’t the only one feeling those things; I’m sure other people related as well. So I just wanted to ask what your intention in these notes are? Do you plan to do anything with them in the future? SB: Well I’m thrilled that I have an opportunity to share them now with you. I kind of feel I’m sitting on a gold mine. And I feel a little bit all by myself. I feel like all of FIT should really realize what the students are getting from these classes. I’m not leaving here until somebody notices that these classes make a tremendous difference. I did talk to President Brown years ago. It was very hurtful that we lost the opportunity for students to have two credits. And now thanks to FBM and AMC, they’re required. But I just wish that somebody would understand the value of what we’re doing, and that more majors would require just one credit. My students say they’re so happy they had to take 15 weeks. All I know, is that on my deathbed, I’ll probably feel like I would take all these papers and put ‘em on my chest. My contribution to the world. I can’t sit with them just by myself anymore.
ET: Last semester, you wrote on one of my papers to look out for a health and wellness minor, can you explain what it will be about and what people can look forward to? SB: Well, I’m working on it now. It’s a very broad concept of health and fitness. But I’m searching for a title. I’m forming the minor with courses that are already at FIT, sustainability, some psychology courses and nutrition. I’d love to get it done this
SB: We no longer have a department. Health, dance, physical education, we’re under the umbrella of film, media and performing arts. We’ve lost our identity as a department. Quite honestly the only thing that saves us is film, media, and performing arts; if you want to think of movement as a performing art. Now the dance minor, we have some excellent dancers, is still there. I never give up hope. I would like people to recognize the value of what we do and take us seriously. Our class offerings have been cut more than in half. I think that we should have courses that run with much less number of students, that we don’t have to have 25 in a class. It would be safer and more individual. And my question is, why can’t you have a class that has 15 in it? And then offer some more classes. My main disappointment is that we’re not recognized for the gifts that we give to students. It’s more than P.E., physical education. That’s an old fashioned term. I’m very thankful to the FBM and AMC departments, that they bother to look at the whole student. They have this health for the rest of their lives. They may not be working in this field, but they’re gonna have their health. We all have our health till the day we die.
ET: Do you know why only business majors are required a P.E. credit? SB: It’s up to the chairperson of those departments. I remember when I was on a curriculum committee, I was so fired up, I stood up and got a round of hands because of what I said. What happened was that there was a complaint that students have too many credits to take in a specific major. And so, what would they get rid of, oh one credit in P.E. The one credit that saves students’ lives actually. The one that helps them with everything else. And so, it’s been a major disappointment. FIT is unique. Everywhere you go, it’s a unique place, so my thing is, why couldn’t they be unique and embrace the need for self care?
ET: With President Brown’s current emphasis on civility, respect, imagination etc., I think these qualities are directly linked to what you discuss in your classes. Would you want to elaborate on this? SB: They are and they’re practiced. (Referencing the ad for Civility Week) Respect, compassion, acceptance of yourself, open mindedness. I think doing a headstand changes your perception. It opens your mind to seeing the world a little differently. Anyway, these are just so important to the human experience. I think we’re really right on target when it comes to civilness and kindness. We’re doing a great service to the students and I want the school to know that. To recognize it.
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ET: And lastly, where can students find you and why should everyone take one of your classes? SB: They can find me in the sub basement. In an office that’s filled with student artwork. It’s bright and somewhat cluttered. AX18 is my specific office. I just love to teach students and open their eyes and minds to their own gifts. I have a Master’s in special education, so I’ve got loads of patience. I’m here to help the students, and not to make things hard for them. So why should they take my classes? Because I want to teach them. (laughs) It’s not me teaching them but it’s opening doors, opportunities and different thoughts for them. I love what I do and I wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t feel I was giving something special and nonjudgemental.
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FEATURE / NYC
W27
PHOTO COURTESY JENNA HENLEY
Earn up to 4 credits in 3 weeks. Welcome to an Unconventional Winter Break at FIT. Registration Opens November 1 Winter Session • January 2-17, 2019
fitnyc.edu/winter
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Abused Waves: That Tiny Microplastic is Everywhere, Though You May Not Know It BY YAJIE NIU
The event was organized by TOPPI (Textile Ocean Plastics Pollution Initiative), a student-organized educational initiative that aims to expose the current pollution problems that exists and continue to become serious, because of the plastic waste that is released into the ocean. Student directors of TOPPI, Mari K and Louise F had attended the IMDC (International Marine Debris Conference) in San Diego in March, where they realized how much harm microplastics are to the environment, and that the textile industry is most responsible for it. In order to raise awareness in the industry and encourage textile development students to make a change, TOPPI was founded. The Jamaica Bay cruise is the very first event organized by TOPPI, opened to TDM students only, but Mari and Louise are definitely hoping to curate similar events in the future and open up to any major students who are interested in learning about the topic. Most people might think the plastic in the ocean comes from beach trash that is washed into the ocean by the waves. During the cruise we surely spotted some plastic candy wraps and a Doritos bag discarded in the ocean, but that amount of plastic is seriously underestimated. Why? Because of the microplastics that exist. What are microplastics? As explained by Professor Sakar, they are plastic that are less than 5 millimeters in length. These are hardly recognizable, however they can be deadly to marine life and the environment. Because of their tiny size, they attract other toxins that are released into the water. When marine animals are feeding, they unconsciously absorb the plastic and toxic. The animals (fish in most case) then get consumed by larger predators or humans, the plastic continues to accumulate in their bodies. Researchers have proven that over 80% of seafood in the market contains plastic, and it’s not just seafood, microplastics are in livestock, even in roughly-filtered tap water which may not be able to get rid of all microplastics, think about the amount that exists in humans. Microplastic comes in the following forms: microfibers shredded from synthetic material, microbeads used in cosmetic production, degraded macro-plastic debris and resin pellets. Compared to the other microplastics, microfibers are the least talked about. The biggest culprits are synthetic textiles, especially woven polyester. Polyester is the mostly used textile in numerous industries especially the fashion industry. Fast fashion companies like H&M use 100% polyester in a lot of their garments, at the end of the season the leftover stock is destroyed, usually not in an environmentally friendly way, releasing plastic fibers everywhere in the environment. When people wash garments that consist of polyester, they shred in washing machines, the shredded polyester fibers are later released into water systems. Another source of microfiber is from ghost netting: large fishing nets are stretched over mass surfaces for fishing, the fishing nets are usually made of polyester and nylon ropes. The poly nets which are soaked in water for long periods of time shred seriously as time goes on, the concentration of microplastics found in fish caught in the nets tend to be the highest, and where do they go to? Back into human bodies. The nylon ropes can accidentally entangle larger marine mammals such as whales or dolphins, so some species could be highly endangered. Professor Kopelman talks about the marine mammals he has seen or rescued that were accidentally involved with plastic during the duration he was working with
marine specialists: hunchback whales entangled in nylon ropes, dolphins with shredded plastic bags around their fins, turtles that had plastic poking out of their nostrils......the images were absolutely heartbreaking to witness. The turtle with the straw caught in his nostril is not just a social media post: this is happening. In New York. So close to our life. The program enables the TDM department to work closely with Scientists from N.C. State, by utilizing their scientific resources and lab equipment to create innovative textiles that are environmentally friendly and sustainable, combined with FIT’s market access. According to Dr. Venditti, featured spokesperson from N.C. State, students test out different fabric samples in the lab, such as yarn strength tests and abrasion tests. They analyze the constructions, fiber content, properties of fibers in order to determine the advantages and disadvantages of a certain fiber, thereby working on producing a sustainable version of the textile. I was able to engage in an interesting conversation with Mari K, Louise F and Dr. Venditti. Yajie Niu: As textile major students and as consumers, do you tend to purchase garments that contain polyester in their fabric content? Mari K: I rarely do, I try to shop items with natural fiber contents as much as possible. Louise F: I used to, but after learning about the harm synthetic fibers can do to the environment, I stopped doing that. When I go shopping I usually feel the fabric and look at the fiber contents to make sure they do not contain synthetic fibers.
YN: Is it costly to do research and produce innovative textiles like this? Dr. V: Yes, very. The resources are not expensive, however it needs to undergo multiple chemical processes for it to turn out the way we want. During which we need to ensure that the processing itself doesn’t cause environmental damage. YN: Do you think eventually the fashion industry will stop using synthetic fabrics? MK: I don’t think synthetics will disappear from the fashion market, but definitely more consumers are aware of sustainability and the harm synthetic fibers do to the environment. Dr. V: I am positive that such a thing will happen in the future, in 5 years or so maybe. The government has already banned the use of plastic beads in the cosmetic industry which is a good thing. It just depends on how the government is going to pose regulations regarding the use of plastic. Actually, there are some big companies already cooperating with us to replace the polyester they use in products with our bio-polymer version. What can we do to reduce microfibers? Professor Sakar provides us some useful tips: 1. When doing laundry use fabric softeners, they can mitigate the shredding of fibers 2. Several products such as the Guppy Bag and the Cora Ball can collect microfiber lint during washing, thereby preventing microfibers from polluting the waters
YN: What is the TDM major about? How is it different from the Textile Surface Design major?
3. Front loaded washing machines can reduce shredding 7 times less than top loading machines since it creates less friction while washing
MK: Compared to them, the TDM major is more technical or scientific. For example, we analyze different fibers, we learn about the fiber content, the textile production, the finishes of different textiles, costing, etc.
4. If you cannot completely refrain from synthetic fabrics, try to pick out garments that consist of natural and synthetic fiber blends. The blended textiles significantly reduce the number of microfibers the same garment made of 100% synthetics would contain
YN: How costly is it to produce textiles that contain polyester? LF: It really depends on factors such as hardness, number of courses, finishes... but in general the cost is lower than the production of textiles with natural fabric contents.
PHOTOS COURTESY YAJIE NIU
A Friday afternoon was well spent for FIT’s TDM students as they boarded American Princess for a three-hour cruise on Jamaica Bay, observing marine life and learning about the impact microplastic fibers can bring to the environment.
YN: How long has N.C State been working with FIT? What projects have been completed? Dr. V: We have been collaborating for a year, one project we’ve completed is the environmental lifecycle analysis (ELA). It’s a tracking system that can determine whether an object or garment has been treated in an environmentally friendly way during production and whether the raw materials used are sustainable or not. It also gives suggestions on what can be improved or replaced during the production process. Another thing we’ve been working on is producing biopolymers. In general they are fibers that consists of the properties of polyester, but instead are created by processing natural cellulose fibers such as wood pulp. Think of it as polyester that is bio-degradable and not harmful to the environment.
Student directors Mari and Louise with head of TDM dept: Prof. Silberman
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HOFIT / THE GALLERY
VEGAN EDITION
W27
HoFIT HUMANS OF FIT BY JENNA HENLEY
HOLLY FISHER FASHION BUSINESS MANAGEMENT How long have you been vegan? I don’t really know for sure. I think since grade 12, so about two years. What made you decide to go vegan? How difficult was it for you? I started as a vegetarian and then I just naturally started to cut out dairy and eggs. It’s kind of difficult sometimes when I see treats and baked goods. But in general, there are a lot of good vegan alternatives. But I do feel healthier and I am saving the environment. What is the first question someone asks you after you tell them you’re vegan? And what is usually your answer to it? I think it’s pretty normal nowadays, people who are vegan. There are those people that will ask how do you live without ice cream or cheese. I
usually tell them I had never eaten ice cream or cheese before I turned vegan. There are also pretty easy dairy alternatives to find. Actually, my favorite dish is a vegan mac and cheese. You can just switch out the cheese, and I put in smoked paprika and truffle oil. Do you have any vegan restaurant recommendations here in New York? ByChloe is really good. There are always vegan options at Italian restaurants that are amazing. Many restaurants have pasta dishes that don’t have any dairy products in it. Another great one is Kobeyaki right on 27th street. They are not a vegan restaurant but I usually get the udon noodles with Tofu.
ASHLEY GRAY INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND MARKETING How long have you been vegan? I have been a vegetarian since middle school and I’m about to be 2 years vegan. What made you decide to go vegan? How difficult was it for you? I went vegan for the animals. I became aware of how the milk/cheese industry treated cows and I knew I had to go vegan and I couldn’t be just vegetarian. There is a lot of things we aren’t aware of as consumers that the meat/dairy industries hide. Until you do your own research you never really know. When you eventually do take the time to figure out what you are putting in your body it’s extremely shocking
save over 100 animals by being vegan. I think it’s hard to see what you can personally do on a day to day basis but when you remind yourself and tell people the huge impact they can make by going vegan I think it changes people’s mind. Do you have any vegan restaurant recommendations here in New York? V-Life is right by FIT and has the best vegan junk food. Also Champs Diner in Brooklyn is probably one of the best vegan restaurants in the New York area.
What has been the best thing about being vegan? The best thing is knowing every year you can
NATALIE PRZYBYLSKI FASHION BUSINESS MANAGEMENT How long have you been vegan? I think it is coming up on two and a half years. I started May of my junior year of high school.
PHOTOS COURTESY JENNA HENLEY AND ERIN TUCKER
What made you decide to go vegan? How difficult was it for you? How long have you been vegan? I have always been obsessed with Youtube and watching vegan Youtubers. I was really influenced by hearing different people’s experiences. I thought of the idea for a while actually. My biggest fear is death so I was figuring out how to not die. My number one way to avoid that was becoming a vampire, but that’s a little less achievable than being vegan. It was the easiest thing ever. For some people it might not be, but I think you need to be in a certain head space in your life. Once I made the decision at the right time, it was the best decision I ever made and will continue to make. My favorite part about being vegan is how happy it makes me.
What is the first question someone asks you after you tell them you’re vegan? And what is usually your answer to it? They usually ask me what about protein and what about bacon. I have perfected my protein answer over these two and a half years and it’s all whole plant foods have all three macronutrients which are carbs, fats and proteins. If you eat enough plants, then you eat enough protein. People also ask me what do I miss most after going vegan and usually I say nothing and my faith in humanity. Do you have any vegan restaurant recommendations here in New York? My two favorite places are Little Choc Apothecary in Brooklyn and Bombay Sandwich Co. which has various locations.
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Each month, we feature artwork from FIT students. Whether it’s something you’re pursuing professionally or just trying to have fun with, nothing is too big or too small for The Gallery.
THE GALLERY postcards | volume 2 Brittany Evans
PHOTO CREDIT DAIGA ELLABY
Brittany Evans about Him there is a thunderstorm in my belly shaking the stars out of my skies, slow rumbles rattle the cage of my heart electric dashes, piercing triangles of light, as logic traces through feeling, through thought attempting to find the surface level on which to rest. the clouds are heavy and the air clogged with electricity internalizing you. i could have played that game forever, with you. i could have done it, could have done forever, with you.
it was a prayer to the ones who simply didn’t a plea a white-knuckled macrame’d rosary that i sifted through each day. it is the words collected in the corners of my mouth the way dirt settles beneath fingernails and dust pools beneath sandal straps the words wouldn’t come out the feelings wouldn’t erupt, they simply nestled into the spots i couldn’t reach with a washcloth festering between folds of flesh old sweat, old wounds, old words, a stagnant being. each day clean water swam down the drain a clean tongue spoke as eloquently as she could clean. see? no dirty. healing is so dirty. so ridden with murky waters and aching joints and medicine bottles pushed to the back of a cabinet, bottles emptied down the sink instead of down my throat: knowing what the next step is, but looking behind first. so each month i bettered myself, understanding what it meant to sleep spiritually alone i planted peonies and daffodils within the caves of my atrium picked a rose bud from my lips and put it behind my own ear wrote a love letter between the lines of palms but it always took them away, it keeps taking them away some days i find i am embittered toward it this city, with its unreachable skies and it’s dirty. and i am too. and that is hard and that is good.
In Celebration of Her Brittany Evans femininity to me has become less about the rose and more about the summation of the thorns and the petals: equal parts tender and strong, harder than iron, softer than silk, the cliches always say it best: we are so human, and so strong. the day i watched my mother’s world break at the kitchen sink, i wrapped myself around her and pressed my head into her heartbeat and what i heard was the resilience of living throbbing beneath her ribs. equal parts strong and weak, flexible and defiant: this is the summation of the petals and the thorns. a rose is a rose is a rose, a woman is a woman is a woman. strength. power. dignity. we, together, laugh harder without fear of the future because to be a summation of tender and strong is to coast through time itself, Would you like to see your artwork weathered but not beaten down. featured in The Gallery? Send us an everyday, i celebrate the resilience of us. everyday and today. email to w27_newspaper@fitnyc.
edu for a chance to have your work featured in our next issue.
PHOTO COURTESY JULIANA ARRUDA
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OP-ED
W27
“YOU TALK TOO MUCH” T
he teen-focused, “coming-of-age” movie has long been a standby of Western/ American entertainment. Whether it be the raunchy, gross-out humor of films like American Pie, Superbad and Fast Times of Ridgemont High, or tear jerking, emotionally dense films like The Breakfast Club and Rebel without a Cause, the narrative of experiencing all the emotional plateaus and valleys that come with adolescence is a popular one, to say the least. Like any other genre that has withstood the test of time, its content and format have had to evolve in accordance with the temperature of culture in that given moment, in order to stay relevant and watchable for the average viewer. And though, despite a steady progression of increasingly modern and progressive coming of age films, most of which were created with the intent of connecting with as many members of its teenage audience as possible, there has, until recently, been an objective lack of these movies that focus on the nuances and experiences of teenage girls. On a surface level this claim may be seen as unfounded or a mere generalization; plenty of coming of age films, new and old alike, have female characters who are essential to the narrative’s plot and have distinctive personalities. While this is true, the key element here is that in none of these movies are girls serving as protagonists, but instead strictly sisters, mothers, friends, or most commonly as love interests. Never do we get to see the inner workings or realizations happening in this character’s mind. At best, it seems this female character is framed as holier than thou, our male protagonist’s guiding light, the catalyst that brings about the life changing realization it took all of high school to notice. At worst, the character is simply an arousing object, the bikini shot coming out of the pool or the tightest cheerleading uniform on the team. It seemed until recently, movies refused to show these two extremes’ middle ground, you know, the girl that would actually exist? That is, until what’s now being considered “the golden era” of the coming of age film, movies that have the nerve to showcase complicated, budding teenage girls as protagonists, able to embrace their bitchiness, anger, charm and emerging sexuality, as they attempt to lay claim for themselves in a world that can otherwise be violently uninterested in them. Funnily enough, this character isn’t entirely new to audiences either, she’s always been present, just relegated to the background, forced to forfeit the storyline to the endless amount of straight white boys pinning over unavailable girls and trying desperately to lose their virginities. But thankfully, with the advent of an increased amount of female writers and directors having their voices now heard, we are afforded a frank and nuanced depiction of female adolescence so many of us audience members have been starved for. The introduction to this new form of coming of age film began roughly in the last decade. A particular film that marks the onset would have to be the 2007 indie darling Juno. Bold, brash and unapologetic, protagonist Juno Maguff navigates the emotionally uncharted territories of teenage pregnancy in her own refreshing and
How complicated teen girls finally got the coming-ofage movies they deserve.
matter of fact way. Rather than framing Juno as a bystander or victim of her BY MEGAN LISSNER circumstances, it shows her as an active participant as she messily and crudely deals with situations, as she puts it, “way beyond my maturity level.” The most refreshing aspect of Juno is its anti-moralistic standpoint. The movie doesn’t intend to serve as a PSA, or an extreme cautionary tale condemning Juno for her sexuality or choices, it merely aims to tell her individual experience in all its clumsy, sweet, cringe-worthy glory. And clumsy it is, another major refresher this film is its allowance for Juno to behave in the unsavory, try-hard ways all teenagers do in attempts to grapple for their own identity. Whenever we as the audience watch Juno make insensitive remarks to her baby’s potential adopted parents (“You’re lucky it’s not you who has to get this big” and “I’ll have a maker’s mark, please. Up”) or wait patiently on her love interest, Pauli Bleaker’s, lawn before school to alert him of her pregnancy (“Like our moms and teachers?”), we roll our eyes and cringe at these antics, but we recognize it’s the confused musings of a teenage girl attempting to discover herself in the midst of unbridled chaos. If Juno is the starting point of the reimagining of the coming of age dramedey, the films Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015) and Lady Bird (2017) are where the genre really hits its stride. Both almost a decade after their predecessor, these films latch onto the seedlings of ideas planted in Juno and run with them to entirely new and uncharted places. Though Diary of a Teenage Girl and Lady Bird differ in individual sensibilities, they both do a great job of delving into their female protagonist’s sexualities in a rare, non-exploitive way, and showcases their characters loud mouth, off beat tendencies in an affectionate and balanced way. Diary of a Teenage Girl, which is based on a semiautobiographical graphic novel, is set in 1970s San Francisco and centers on 15 year old Minnie, an aspiring cartoonist and avid diarist who begins sleeping with her mother’s 30 something year old boyfriend, leading her to embark on a personal sexual odyssey of sorts. With subject matter this controversial, it’s a wonder none of the movie came off as exploitive as one would expect it to in the hands of any big budget production company. But thankfully, Diary of a Teenage Girl is a far cry from being considered the next Lolita, and that’s all due to the fact that Minnie’s thoughts and desires are paramount in the narrative, allowing the viewer an intimate and complicated insight into her sexual awakening, uniquely and individually described by herself. Minnie wants sex, and likes sex, and while she hasn’t been taught that sex with a man more than twice her age is wrong, the movie never wanders into territory of didacticism, or lifetime movieesque lessons. Instead, it explores the ways in which subjects like consent and desire can be entwined and complicated. After years of beholding exclusively malecentric explorations into awkward, eager adolescent sexual experiences it is nothing short of revolutionary for the spotlight to now be shown on the entirety of the female experience,
showcasing their wants and desires which are able to travel the spectrum of thoughtful and nuanced, to as crude and aggressive as their traditional male counterparts. These themes are explored just as thoroughly, but through an approach that relies more on subtleties than the latter, in Lady Bird. Lady Bird follows 17 year old Christine McPherson, aka “Lady Bird,” as she navigates through her senior year of catholic high school in Sacramento, all while attempting to steer an intense, but loving, relationship with her mother in the right direction. After an unfortunate mishap with her first incredibly well meaning, but secretly closeted boyfriend Danny, (which produces one of the most tragically hilarious lines regarding adolescent sex ever heard: “I don’t want to touch your boobs because I respect you too much”) Lady Bird sets her sights on Kyle, her attractively aloof, Howard Zinn reading classmate. When she finally does have sex, Lady Bird tells Kyle how happy she is for the pair to have “deflowered” each other, only for him to tell her she’s about the sixth person he’s slept with. Incredibly upset by this news, Kyle attempts to assuage her by bluntly telling her, “you’re gonna have so much un-special sex in your life”. Right when you think he now has the upper hand, Lady Bird manages to have the last word, and snatch it right back: “I was on top for my first time, who the f*** is on top for their first time?” As she retells the story to her best friend later, she concludes that “dry humping is better”. The scenes depicting sex and sexual encounters in Diary of a Teenage Girl and Lady Bird are not shot in a way that merely plays for cheap laughs, (once again, think American Pie) or in an uncomfortably slick, almost pornographic way, (think, Wild Things) but in a very earnest, real, and occasionally sweet way (despite unsavory circumstances) that is able to explore the topic of these young girl’s sexuality, without exploiting it as so many movies have done before. The sexual frankness of these heroines goes hand in hand with their bluntness. These girls are loud, mouthy and make seemingly consistent stupid decisions. Lady Bird is full of quips and retorts, literally ducking and rolling out of a moving car to avoid a conversation about her shortcomings with her mother. She insinuates her adopted brother, who is latino, got into UC Berkeley because his name is Miguel. In Diary of a Teenage Girl, Minnie jokes about getting raped and decides participate in a threesome with her best friend and mother’s boyfriend. These misguided attempts at expression, humor and independence are all unavoidable parts of the teenage experience. What girl hasn’t assumed the world is falling down around her, when in reality she’s just experiencing normal life? These filmmakers suggest that such subtle emotional evolutions have value, that there doesn’t need to be a big lesson, or a sinister the-more-youknow PSA. They show that the result of having sex or being loud or awkward or rude isn’t imminent death or pregnancy or suicide or social ostracization. Sometimes these experiences can just be necessary growing pains. Girls who talk too much, act too loudly, or who can be infuriating, can be the stuff of film stardom, too.
NOVEMBER 2018
OUR OBSESSION WITH “AESTHETICS”
PHOTO COURTESY PINGUINO K
FIT
BY SOPHIA OSTAPENKO
Aesthetics, a term which Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines as “pleasing in appearance,” have taken over our lives. Aesthetics could now be found in everything: coffee shops, movie theaters, brick-and-mortar stores, Instagram feeds, interior design, etc. The popularity of the word has risen significantly in the past decade thanks to the Millennials and Generation Z, who are active on social media platforms and prefer anything that is “aesthetically pleasing.” The reason being? The more attractive something is, the more likely it is to be out on social media, especially more visual platforms, such as Instagram. With the rise of social media usage, especially Instagram, more and more people are on the active hunt to find locations, objects and settings that would be appealing to the eye. Indeed, it has become such a massive trend that more stores, cafés and restaurants are rebranding themselves into more visually appealing spaces, hoping that more visitors would visit the place and spread the word on social media. This growing obsession with pretty things has resulted in numerous pop-ups. Pop-ups are not museums neither are they installations; they are simply there to be captured on camera and shared on social media. They are not meant for educating visitors as the most recent exhibit at the MET might, nor are they highly entertaining. They are there for Instagram. The trend of pop-ups was originally launched by Refinery 29’s, “29Rooms,” which provided an “Instagrammable” space, including 29 rooms filled with random objects and decorations. The experience was highly successful on the East Coast last year, and has since been brought into to West Coast as well. Refinery 29 advertises 29Rooms as “an interactive exhibition of creativity that’s rooted in storytelling, created in partnership with visionary artists and partners, and powered by you.” Although 29Rooms is a fun thing to visit with your friends and take a few Instagram photos for an organized feed, it does not leave you with anything of substance but photos. Arguably, there is no extensive experience other than the experience of walking around in a space and asking your friends to take a photo. But, the question remains: does it give anything of value besides aesthetically-pleasing photos? The 29Rooms experience launched a firecracker series of pop-ups. The Museum of Ice Cream, which opened up in 2016, currently has four locations: New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco. The “museum” does not provide any historical information about ice cream nor anything in regards to it. Instead, it offers a “Pint Shop,” a “tasting room,” and a pool of sprinkles. It is all pink and colorful; just the right combination of colors and shades for the perfect Instagram layout.
Thus, the two pop-ups began a trend. Color Factory, Candytopia, Rosé Mansion, Museum of Pizza, Nightmare Machine presented by Dream Machine and Wonder World are just a few pop-up experiences that have launched within the past two years. Most of the pop-ups feature the same things: ball pits, colorful walls and props, and everything that could be perfect for the most Instagrammable photo. They are more like Disneyland rather than any kind of museum, but without the rides and memorable experiences.
The current state of society is in an interesting place. There is an immense desire to discontinue the obsession over looks and appeals of human beings. Yet, when it comes to Instagram, it is a whole different world where the appeal of something counts just as much, if not more, than what we have to offer.
Millennials and Generation Z look for transformative, unforgettable experiences, and the pop-ups believe that they could offer it all. “The most that these spaces can offer is the facsimile of traditional pleasures,” writes Amanda Hess in her piece, “The Existential Void of the Pop-Up Experience,” for The New York Times. “They take nature and art and knowledge seeking, flatten them into sight gags and stick them to every stray surface.” Indeed, these experiences have nothing to offer but pretty Instagram photos. On one hand, the pop-ups provide jobs to many people within creative industries. If you are an up-and-coming artist, or are truly passionate about a project that you would like to feature but might not be able to submit it to the Guggenheim just yet, pop-ups allow for youto play with their craft. “The South Korean artist JeeYoung Lee stood surrounded by piles of New York City trash: 4,500 plastic water bottles, 1,500 wine corks, dozens of sheets of cardboard and recycled newspapers,” writes Melena Ryzik for her piece, “29Rooms Is a Creative Playhouse for the Instagram Set,” for The New York Times. “Her message — environmental disaster atop environmental disaster, some of it made by humans — may resonate on Instagram, where images of her project are certain to be shared.” In the case of JeeYoung Lee, 29Rooms is more than just a pop-up; it is her channel to obtaining a higher level of exposure when it comes to her work. An installation such as that allows visitors to not only witness it, but also have some food for thought. Yet, for most pop-ups this is not the case. The other, previously-mentioned pop-ups aim to sell products or be featured on social media, which results in more people purchasing tickets to visit the venues. The Museum of Ice Cream, for instance, has released a collaboration with Sephora, which features quirky makeup brushes, a charm bracelet which has lip balm in some of the charms, an eyeshadow palette, and a set of lip glosses. In addition, the museum collaborated with Target to release a kids’ clothing line, along with the signature pints from the Pint Shop.
PHOTO COURTESY PINGUINO K
Aesthetics are taken into consideration with everything that is put out into the Internet void. Could this photo be edited to match the general feed? Could we go into the Rosé Mansion to lay in a bathtub filled with rose petals? Could we cover ourselves in sprinkles in order to look happy in a photo for the ‘gram? And the answer is: photos may disappear, Instagram might fade away, but the experiences from the pop-ups? They won’t even exist. As much as we like appealing things, we should also find them in places where we could absorb more than just the looks of something. Museums, films and exhibitions still fulfill our desire for aesthetic pleasure, but they go beyond the colorful feeds. Maybe save that $45 you were planning to spend on a ticket to enter a “transformative pop-up experience” and buy yourself a few visits to the MET and MoMa.
19
NOVEMBER 2018 20
FIT
style on 27.
BY ARIANA PAINO
KAREENA A. AMC
“I don’t want to take all the credit; I actually saw this top underneath a jumpsuit on a mannequin in Forever 21 because that’s where I get all my inspiration. So, it was a different jumpsuit, but I thought I would try it because I like to try things with what I see on mannequins but with what I have in my closet. So, I thought I’d try it with this jumpsuit instead.”
DANIEL ENGLANDER FBM
“Marie Antoinette meets street style. I usually do a button up, denim, and comfortable, cute shoes.”
There are many prime locations for “people watching” in New York City, and I personally feel that our campus should be recognized as one. For once, I tore my eyes away from my cell phone and actually looked around at the students of FIT. Everyone comes to school wearing either the latest trends or showcasing their own unique style. So, as I observed from my spot in the Breezeway, I asked people what the inspiration behind their outfits and how they picked it out.
NOOR A. AMC
“I always like to follow like glam or glamourous style, like Rihanna, who is literally everywhere for inspiration. But yeah, I really like to glam out simple outfits with diamonds and all this bling.” [showing her bracelets and earrings]
IOLA KILLIAN AMC
“For today’s outfit, I found this top at Buffalo Exchange, and it reminded me of Studio 54 disco nights, and I thought it would look good. It kinda reminds me of a disco ball and I was like maybe I shouldn’t wear it during the day. It’s more of a nighttime thing, but then I decided why not. That’s my inspo – disco balls.”
ANA PASTOR FBM
“I know that the color [of the pants] goes really well with my Bowie shirt and it’s just one of my favorite shirts ever because I thrifted it and it’s just so unique and... I just love it. Not a lot, but mostly from what I see around here. That’s my main inspiration.” [In response to where she gets her style]
FREKKA H.
FASHION DESIGN
“Hmm, I just got this jacket and I... I just put it together. I wanted to be comfy but still chic.”