December 2011: The Holiday Issue by W27 Newspaper

VOLUME 44 | ISSUE 4 | DECEMBER 2011

THE HOLIDAY ISSUE GIFTS THAT GIVE STEVEN KOLB OF CFDA

PHILLIPS DE PURY BLACK & WHITE & RED ALL OVER

BULLETT MAGAZINE #HAPPYHOLIDAYS!

MASTHEAD

W27

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Taisa Veras Editor-in-Chief Caroline Nelson Samantha Vance Deputy Editors Sarah Dill Executive Editor Georgi Dwiggins Veronica Heras Nicole Tan Venus Wong Senior Editors Fernanda DeSouza Culture Editor Keely-Shea Smith Managing Editor Alyssa Kyle Copy Editor Megan Venere Treasurer Julie Daly Secretary W27Newspaper.com Mollie Yarsike Social Media Manager Advertising Lauren Sieber Advertising Promotions Manager Jessica McClintock Advertising Associate Art Kári Emil Helgason Art Director Alan Chao Deanna Paquette Stephanie Perez Maria Stankevitch Senior Designers

As the jolliest season arrives and we’re all wrapped up in our cozy sweaters, sipping on a delicious Peppermint Mocha Latte, and listening to holiday tunes, it’s also a time to think about giving back to society. This past summer I interned at FEED Projects and it was one of the most rewarding experiences that I’ve had. From writing for the FEED blog to helping promote FEED events and initiatives, it was not only an inspiring summer, but one that allowed me to learn about all the different ways one can help make someone’s life better. For this issue, our editors suggested gifts that you can buy to help a cause. Check out Gifts That Give (pp. 20-21).

Also, I had the chance to meet and interview the CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Mr. Steven Kolb, and was awed by his dedication to designers and the council (p. 22). I was happy to learn that Kolb fully embraces social media (he has a Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter) and he agrees that it is a way for designers to create a personal connection to their customers.

Along the lines of giving back, I had the opportunity to preview the DANNIJO X Falling Whistles collection of necklaces at the DANNIJO showroom. For every whistle necklace sold, 30% of the proceeds go towards the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Turn to page 19 to find out more about this fantastic collaboration.

Cheers,

Lastly, if you’re tired of the old holiday tunes we have selected five refreshing holiday albums, from She & Him to My Morning Jacket (p. 25).

Ruodan Bai Siva-Jack Sernvongsat Emily Sherman Illustrators Samantha Adler Jacquelyn Clifford Photographers Gianna Rovelli Contributing Photographer Chelsea Rizzo Contributing Stylist CORRECTION: Contributors: Francesca Beltran Raquel Rose Burger Colleen Dengel Suzanne Dengel Rich Gilmartin Meaghan Hartland Armah Jones Camilla Mayer Victoria McClellan Marissa Mule Terron Richardson Madeleine Thompson Alessandra Della Vecchia Megan Venere Caroline Whiteley Shaye Winer Amanda Zyta

We would like to clarify that the illustration for Outside Your Borough from last issue was made by Ruodan Bai for W27 Newspaper, and she also made this issue's OYB illustration. We apologize for the omission of the credit in the last issue.

W27 IS PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. John Simone Editorial Faculty Advisor Albert Romano Advertising Faculty Advisor

PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY AFTER READING.

FIT

TABLE OF CONTENTS On the Block 4 4 5 6 7 7 7 8 9 9

Behind the Icon: Daphne Guinness Speaks at FIT Simon Doonan: ‘Being an Icon’ What the Health? Holiday Health Tips To Keep The Pounds Off Staff Picks: Winter Sweaters Future Mode: Shana Warnock The AMAzing Club Diversity Week: DEPESHA Falling Whistles: Peace in Congo, One Whistle at a Time Writing Studio Tutors Attend National Conference FIT’s DECA Diamonds

Dear Industry 10 12 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 15

BULLETT: The Coffee Table Magazine WE ARE SELECTERS Kevin Buitrago: The FIT SELECTER Beauty Buzz: Estée Lauder Dabs into Men’s New York Women in Communications: Tips for Success Beauty Buzz: Estee Lauder Dabs into Men’s Lauren Rich Turns FIT Project into PR Empire Q&A: Todd Wood, Senior VP of Design for Blackberry Q&A: Dexter and Byron Peart Phillips de Pury & Company hosts Mining the Unexpected Panel

Thread Account 23 23

Afingo Fashion Forum: From Inspiration to Execution Gentleman’s Vintage: A Treasure Trove of Style

Holiday Feature 16 18 19 20 22 22

Fashion Editorial: Black & White & Red All Over ShopSquad: Shopping for Profit Designer Profile: DANNIJO Gifts that Give New York City: Your Winter Wonderland Steven Kolb

Haute Culture 24 24 24 25 25 25 26 27 28

Concert: Holy Ghost! Film: Roadie Quidditch World Cup: The Second Time Around Tuning In: Five Unique Holiday Albums Off Broadway: Silence! The Musical Book: The Hunger Games Month In Review Occupy Wall Street: The Protest Continues Outside Your Borough: Hawt Cocoa

FIT Speaks 29 30 30 31

A Happy New Year Letter Crunch Time: Ultimate Stress Busters Black Friday: My Painful Hours in Retail Moop & Mary

Style on 27

ON THE COVER: As a Holiday gift to FIT, W27 produced a special limited edition double cover shot by photographer Samantha Adler, featuring sisters and DANNIJO designers, Jodie and Danielle Snyder in their showroom.

DECEMBER 2011

W27

On the Block

Behind the Icon: Daphne Guinness Speaks at FIT By Mollie Yarsike Fashion Icon Daphne Guinness is one of the most sought-after people in the fashion world. Some of her extravagant apparel collection is on display now at the FIT museum until January 7th. The exhibit reveals Guinness’ favorite pieces from her own collection, showing over two dozen Alexander McQueen garments which have never been shown to the public. Also, some haute couture pieces designed by Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, and many more designers are on view. Guinness doesn’t only inspire fashion designers, but she dresses so she looks like a work of art. The different looks that she wears greatly influence the way others dress and view of fashion in general. Last month, the Fashion Icons and Insiders Symposium began with Daphne Guinness and Valerie Steel, Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at FIT, talking about their passion for over-thetop clothing and accessories. Dressed in tall “heeless” shoes, a black dress, and a black plastic, crown-like cone headpiece, Guinness was gawked at by everyone in the audience. Once sitting, she explained her relationships with different designers, noting how important Alexander McQueen was to her. She first met him when he saw her wearing one of his designs at a film premiere, a very bold kimono with a dragon applique. McQueen came up to Guinness and said to her, “I’m

the person you don’t want to meet.” After this, McQueen and Guinness went out to a pub, skipping the film all together. It was a perfect match of sensibility and personality. Some of Guinness’ statement pieces are motorcycle rings that cover the full length of her fingers. “I started to sort of morph into Karl [Lagerfeld]. I wore motorcycle rings and white shirts,” Guinness said. Though she seemed to dress like the prominent designer, she definitely acted different. Even though 43-year old icon doesn’t seem to be getting older, she says she doesn’t mind aging, “My spirit hasn’t changed. I never thought I was typically a beautiful person. It never crossed my mind to NOT dress this way.” When asked how she decides to part with certain items, whether it is for charity or for an exhibit, Guinness said, “In order for something to mean something, you have to part with things you really love.” In her self-titled book, Guinness talks about how her style developed, and relives her experiences and collaborations with other big names in the fashion industry. Guinness continues to inspire those both in and out of the fashion world.

Photo by David LaChapelle, courtesy of the Muuseum at FIT.

Simon Doonan: Being an Icon By Meaghan Hartland Last month, Simon Doonan, Barneys New York Ambassador-At-Large, came to FIT to speak about ‘Being an Icon.’ He believes fashion icons fall into three main categories: high fashion icons, celebrity fashion icons, and popular style icons. Doonan’s thoughts on what differentiates celebrities between the three categories are rather surprising. Doonan considers high fashion icons to be women such as Daphne Guinness, Bianca Jagger, Isabella Blow, and Tina Chow. These women wear couture for fun, not just because they have a red carpet event to attend. He also said he,“doesn’t think it’s easy to be Daphne Guinness,” because she can never dress down and her appearance is constantly under the spotlight. Celebrity fashion icons and popular style icons are difficult to differentiate between. Doonan considers celebrity fashion icons to be women such as Natalie Portman, Kate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton, because “they are not concerned with looking attractive.” For them it is about wearing what they love and what they find beautiful, not necessarily about

making the best dressed list all the time. These women “care that they look interesting,” said Doonan. In a world where most celebrities employ a stylist, it is difficult to pick out who has their own sense of style. “Elements of style are very subjective,” said Doonan. He believes stylists are hired by celebrities to make sure that their client does not end up on the worst dressed list. However, being on the best dressed list does not make you an icon; in fact, Doonan believes that the worst dressed list is where the fashion really exists. Popular style icons are people who he believes have started trends; these are “The women you see and want to be,” he said. He counts women such as Mary Pickford, Joan Crawford and even reluctantly includes Paris Hilton. These women all have or had distinct looks that were widely copied by the public, which is what makes them icons. A few he doesn’t consider part of this group include Kate Middleton, and even some popular fashion bloggers such as Susie Bubble of Style Bubble, and Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller. He states that while Kate Middleton dresses well, she dresses

Simon Doonan courtesy photo.

conservatively, “but that is her job.” As far as bloggers are concerned, he loves them and admits they are influential, but the status that comes along with being an icon is not there.

He ended his presentation on a high note by stating,“Fashion is its own strange, bizarre, perverse world,” and concluded, “An icon needs to surprise you.”

FIT

What the Health?

DECEMBER 2011

Holiday Health Tips to Keep the Pounds Off

By Sarah Dill

December is the month of giving, spending time with loved ones, and of course indulging in tasty holiday feasts. Touted in song as the “most wonderful time of the year,” the Holiday season definitely is, but not always for your waistline. With decadent desserts and mom’s comfort food ready to be set out, is there a way to really stay fit over winter break? ‘Christmakkuh’ is absolutely my favorite time of the year. Yes, my family celebrates Christmakkuh, so you can bet we have two big feasts with calorie-laden treats, but since most of my family joined Weight Watchers, we swapped out a few ingredients, lowered the sugar intake, and monitored portioning, and it resulted in a healthy Holiday break with fresh new recipes that we pass along and love. This year I have now started my own “fit wish list” to stay on track over the winter season, and have compiled fun activities to do while keeping Christmas cookies off my plate. Enjoy your winter break, have get-togethers with friends and family and be kind to your stomach, because Old St. Nick —not exactly a role model in that regard, will soon be buckling down himself! Baby, Be Active Outside The best way to keep off the extra poundage during the Holidays is to stay active, and take advantage of the winter wonderland outside. (Or if you live in a warm climate, all the more reason to be outside!) Join a gym, work out at home with DVDs, or walk with family and friends after a big meal, or every day if you can. Even 30 minutes of exercise a day will keep your diet from making it onto the naughty list. Deck the Halls with Fruits and Veggies Stock your fridge and table with fresh produce to keep snacking light and easy to fill up on, so you don’t indulge on too many slices of pie. Fresh fruits or vegetables with dip can serve as the perfect appetizer for guests or the perfect pick-me-up before a big Holiday feast.

Food Humbug Make sure to end up not being the Scrooge at the dinner table. Be polite and take tastings of decadent desserts but know your limit. It is probably the only time of the year when you will eat all of these food varieties, so live in the moment and eat a little of it if you want. Santa has his cookies once in a while too.

Dorm Dish Recipe: CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIE BITES

Eat it Slow, Eat it Slow, Eat it Slow Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat two nonstick cookie sheets with cooking spray.

No need to rush through your meal. Enjoy your home-cooked dish, take time to mix and mingle with your family and eat your food slowly. This little tactic will help you eat less and keep you full throughout the night.

Place cocoa, margarine and sugar in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer. Add applesauce and vanilla; beat to blend. In another small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.

Don’t Eat it All on Christmas Day Oy Holy Night Having leftovers isn’t the worst thing in the world, so portion out a small amount of everything you want on your plate and then pack up anything that is left. Your stomach will not feel excruciatingly full and you will have another meal left for the following day. Cheers to saved food!

Not a creature was stirring except for your grumbling stomach. Nighttime snacking is very hard to overcome during the long winter break, but settle your stomach with a warm Chai tea, or snack on a healthier choice such as an apple with peanut butter or a small pack of almonds.

Calories Are Comin’ to Town Joggin’ Around the Christmas Tree Jolly Old St.Nick is back again and with a lot more baggage than you hoped for. Calorie-loaded meals are headed your way and the best thing to do is strategize. Make a list of what you plan on eating, and what you plan on doing to stay busy during your days at home.

Stay on your feet and do as many chores or things around the house as you can. Grab your friend’s coat, greet guests at the door or even help in the kitchen to keep you focused on other things rather then sitting down and scarfing down treats.

Stir flour mixture into cocoa batter with a wooden spoon. 1 spray cooking spray (more if needed) 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup margarine, softened 3/4 cup sugar 4 oz unsweetened applesauce 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp table salt 2 tbsp powdered sugar Recipe and photo from Weight Watchers, weightwatchers.com

Shape batter into 48 marble-sized balls. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to stand for 1 minute. Place on a wire rack and cool; sprinkle with powdered sugar. (Note: Store extra cookies in freezer-safe containers or plastic bags to maintain freshness.) Yields 1 cookie per serving.

ON THE BLOCK

W27

Staff Picks:

Winter Sweaters The weather outside may be frightful, but the attire can be so delightful. From cardigans, knit sweaters, ponchos and capes, sweaters have become the silhouette of the season. To keep warm in the winter, scour the web for these freshly picked seasonal staples and wrap yourself in your newly purchased garment by the fire.

1. Anthropology

1. Anthropology Sarah Dill, Executive Editor "Braving the wintry season won't be a problem with this thick-knit moose print sweater. I love that it's long enough to be perfectly paired with skinny jeans and ankle booties for a "snuggle by the fire" feel but winter-chic look. This sweater will be at the top of my Christmakkuh wish list!"

2. Free People Caroline Nelson, Deputy Editor “This fringe wrap cardigan by Free People will keep you cute and cozy as you sip hot chocolate on a snowy day. It works well with everything from jeans or cords, to a sleek skirt with tights and boots.”

2. Free People

3. J. Crew

3. J. Crew Fernanda DeSouza, Culture Editor “I'm pairing this navy men's lambswool fair isle sweater from J.Crew with my oxford button downs to keep a more classic menswear look this holiday season. Not only can I wear this out to a party by pairing it with a pair of dark jeans and heels, but I can also dress down when indulging myself with cookies, eggnog, and a nice book by the fire.” 4. ModCloth 4. ModCloth Venus Wong, Senior Editor “I love the marriage between a cape silhouette and fuzzy knitwear. This ModCloth sweater cape has a utilitarian color, lovely name, and is the perfect thing to throw on when you want to look effortlessly chic.”

6. Alice + Olivia

5. Alice + Olivia Taisa Veras, Editor In Chief “I’m obsessed with the ‘muppet’ trend and this sweater reminds me of one! You can wear it over a dress for going out or with skinny jeans for a casual look.” 6. J. Crew Camilla Mayer, Contributing Writer "If you're a classic kind of man, a cable knit sweater is a staple. This men’s J. Crew sweater is knit out of renowned Donegal wool, arguably the best Irish wool out there and should last for years."

7. J. Crew

Photos taken from the respective brands’ websites.

FIT

DECEMBER 2011

Diversity Week: DEPESHA By Victoria McClellan

DEPESHA is bilingual Russian lifestyle magazine that comes out twice a year and covers a lot of culture. Stephan R. Rabimov launched this idea in 2005 and took the time to visit the FIT campus during Diversity week in November. He is now the CEO, editor, and publisher. The magazine is created for both Russian and English readers with the intent of providing original and intriguing content.

opposed to what will be include only in Russian. The majority of articles are offered in both languages but, because the information about culture and fashion is more readily available to English speaking readers, sometimes an article is not provided in both languages. Just as the content of the magazine is carefully crafted by Rabimov and his team, so is the selection of bilingual articles.

During Rabimov’s presentation at Diversity Week he discussed the pros and cons of having to manage both the hard copy and the online version of the magazine. He keeps the readers interest up by updating DEPESHA’s Facebook page constantly and by posting content on the web site.

Aside from the bilingual aspect there are many other facets that make DEPESHA unique. There are no ads because the media company wants to be viewed solely as a creative agency. It prides itself on striking the unique balance between being innovative and giving the readers what they want. To do this, the staff works with emerging talents such as photographers and illustrators. According to Rabimov, DEPESHA, both in hard copy and online format are meant to “inspire people to read.”

However, things can get difficult when it comes to balancing between languages. Rabimov carefully chooses what he will include in English and Russian as

Future Mode {SHANA WARNOCK} The AMAzing Club By Marissa Mule

Adriana Lima once said, “Be sure what you want and be sure about yourself. Fashion is not just beauty, it's about good attitude. You have to believe in yourself and be strong.” This month, I had the opportunity to interview not only my best friend and roommate, but someone who will definitely make an impact on her class and career. With high aspirations and good goals, Shana Warnock is not only a Fashion Merchandising and Management major, but also devotes her time to creative projects and fashion shows presented by FIT students. Marissa Mule: Who inspires you and what’s the inspiration for the fashion show?

Shana Warnock: My all around fashion inspiration is Betsey Johnson. She's fun, quirky, and a true expressionist. The theme for the fashion show is ‘New York.’ It's called “The Guide to Five,” exploring New York's most fashionable districts. The five are: The Financial District, Chelsea/Midtown, The Meatpacking District, The Upper East Side, and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. MM: How was the fashion show styled? SW: Well, first off, the decorations are really fun. We had a giant cityscape and skyline. The clothes vary upon the districts. The clothes for the Financial District are business – classy, with a fun twist. Chelsea/Midtown's clothes are artsy and funky. For Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we chose to send out a hipster vibe with the clothes, as the Upper East is completely opposite, with elegant and sophisticated clothing. For the

Meatpacking District, we chose trendy night-life clothing. MM: How did this show come about?

SW: This show is for my creative presentation class. We have to put out a fashion show, and decide what kind of style goes along with our theme. We decided on New York for our theme which presents the most fashionable spots in the city. The project was assigned by Professor Kleinman . It's more about the preparation for the show, rather then the style. We had to do the decorations, invitations, and find our own models. I am really excited to see the end product of what we put together for the show. Its fun, trendy, young, yet sophisticated. That's what New York is all about! MM: Where and when was the fashion show? SW: The show is in room A321, Monday December 5, at 4:00pm. MM: What is your dream job? SW: To be honest, I have a lot of goals. I don't just want to do one thing. I'd like to become a buyer for a store such as Bloomingdale’s or Macy's. I'd also like to do something with furniture. Interior decorating sounds like so much fun!

By Alyssa Kyle In the spring semester of 2011 there were about five members remaining in the club. Since the new president Ron Zeidman came into the picture, the American Marketing Association club has accumulated over 25 new members. “The club’s mission is to supply its members with the best quality of information, experience, and networking within the industry,” Zeidman said. He emphasized how the group is determined to help its members benefit from being a part of the club. The club is not only geared for students interested in marketing, but also the subsets such as public relations, advertising, and buying as well. “Everyone can contribute their time and learn from the club. It’s not only learning about marketing, but also learning to market yourself.” The AMA club is always looking for new ways to become involved. They consider themselves a resource for all clubs at FIT. Currently the group is working with WFIT to promote FIT’s television and radio stations. Helping other clubs is an efficient way for the AMA club to obtain

experience. The AMA club helped run the marketing of music week that began November 14th. The long-term goal is to raise enough money by spring of 2012 to attend the AMA conferences in New Orleans. The group is working to regain the title as an “American Marketing Association Chapter.” This title will get the club the recognition necessary to participate in the AMA’s conferences and other events. This would be an opportunity for the club’s members to cite their work as part of the national AMA organization. In the meantime the group is hosting guest speakers from the industry to speak to the club and getting members involved any way they can. The club meets every Thursday from 1-2pm in room A325. “New members are always welcome and always encouraged,” said Zeidman.

ON THE BLOCK

W27

Falling Whistles: Peace in Congo One Whistle at a Time By Madeleine Thompson Changing the world can be as easy as wearing a whistle around your neck. A whistle designed by the non-profit organization Falling Whistles, is a symbol of protest against the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The whistle is meant to promote peace and help save the lives of war-affected children. Sean Carasso, founder of the organization, traveled to Africa as a volunteer to distribute shoes to children in need with friend Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes. During Carasso’s visit, he ventured out into the wild and stumbled upon the devastating threats to life and the environment in the DRC. He says what he saw has greatly influenced his life. Since 1994, the war in the DRC has killed over 5.4 million people from war-related causes. According to the historical report on the Falling Whistles website, more people have died in this war than any other conflict since World War II. Today, the DRC is the second largest nation in Sub-Saharan Africa—about the size of New Mexico, and those who travel, report or read about the DRC identify it as “the hellhole of the world.” Everything is in ruins from the impact of war. Roads and railways have eroded or are overtaken by jungles. Hospitals and health clinics are almost nonexistent; which explains why citizens are plagued with infectious diseases. Discovering the environmental

destruction in the DRC was only the beginning of uncovering the world’s most deadly war, which most people are unaware of. Carasso’s first day in the DRC, he met five young boys, no older than fifteen, who escaped from General Nkunda’s rebel armies. They went to what they thought was a safe haven, but it turned out to be a nightmare. Carasso found these young boys imprisoned in a military base called T2. In the prison, the boys were brutally abused by guards in the Congo National Army—guards who were supposed to protect Congo’s citizens. Carasso began talking with the young boys and listened to their story. Their nightmare began when rebel armies abducted the boys from their home, killed their families and forced the young boys into war where they had to kill. Carasso learned that in the war zones, those who are too small to carry a gun are given a simple whistle as defense, and sent to the front lines of war. When the young boys see the enemy, they blow the whistle to make enough noise to scare the enemy. As a result, the ‘whistleblowers’ are the first ones to be killed. Disturbed by their stories, Carasso returned to America and wore a whistle to carry the young boys’ stories with him. His unique necklace sparked conversations of interest and questions

A Falling Whistles necklace.

“Falling Whistles gains supporters by touring the country and speaking at schools. A team of passionate Falling Whistles interns visited the FIT campus on November 11 to promote The Face campaign.”

from all who saw it. This inspired Carrasso to start the Falling Whistles organization in 2006. The whistle the boys used now represents a symbol of protest to advocate for peace in Congo. Falling Whistles makes whistle necklaces, which are sold on its web site, and all proceeds are invested in the cause of peace. Falling Whistles gains supporters by touring the country and speaking at schools. A team of passionate Falling Whistles interns visited the FIT campus on November 11 to promote The Face campaign, a campaign where supporters—also known as a

Sean Carasso, founder of Falling Whistles, pasting up fliers of whistleblowers. ‘whistleblowers’—can support Falling Whistles by submitting pictures of their faces, not just giving an impersonal signature. All the pictures will be sent— one by one—overlaid with the words ‘I want peace in Congo,’ to the White House on December 10. You can send your support by downloading the Face application for iPhones at FW+Face or online at www.fallingwhistles.com/face. For more visit www.fallingwhistles.com.

FIT

DECEMBER 2011

Writing Studio Tutors Attend National Conference in Miami By Georgi Dwiggins The first weekend of November, eleven tutors from FIT’s Writing Studio got a chance to escape to Miami to attend the National Conference on Peer Tutoring and Writing (NCPTW). The conference has been held each year since 1984 and is a chance for Peer Writing Tutors from across the country to meet and learn from each other. NCPTW has been held at various colleges campuses throughout the years, but this time it was held at the Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay Campus. FIT’s Writing Studio Director, Dr. Brian Fallon, was the guest keynote speaker to kick off the conference on the first day. His talk was heartfelt and inspiring. Dr. Fallon spoke of the importance of the voice of peer tutors in education and the empathy learned through experiences as writing consultants. Tutors from our Writing Studio gave presentations on a variety of writing and tutoring topics such as blogging, collaboration in writing centers, and even

The tutors pose for a group shot, courtesy of Georgi Dwiggins.

one on making unlikely connections like fashion and food—drawing from their own thesis development. Some of the other presentations, given by students from varying universities, included topics like relating our experiences as tutors to pop culture references or issues of gender, race, and culture in writing studios and how to deal with them. A presentation that was especially helpful was actually given by a tutor who was one of the first at

FIT’s Writing Studio, and now works at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She and a colleague gave tips on how to best explain the value and lessons learned as peer tutors when marketing yourself on a resume. It was a wonderful opportunity to explore different ideas about writing and tutoring and to learn from our peers the value of new perspectives and experiences.

FIT’s DECA Diamonds By Shaye Winer

DECA is a business-simulation club that offers participants real hands-on experience for future endeavors. This past November, FIT’s DECA members attended a Collegiate Leadership Academy in New York City.

Eight members of the club participated in two of five tracks offered: Fashion Merchandising Management and Sports and Entertainment Marketing. This year everyone was split into groups with participants who hailed from different colleges across the nation. The three days were spent learning to work with a team and do projects with people that you do not necessarily know. The members who chose the fashion track went to TJ Maxx and Marshalls early in the morning before opening, and even saw FIT’s museum. The sports track participants went on tours of MetLife Stadium and Yankee Stadium. After the day of exploring, everyone was put into teams and were given scenarios to present realistic business plans for. Participants were encouraged to get as creative as possible, and in fact some of their ideas might be used in reality.

The objective was to make students think about how they would handle the situation presented and then work with other members in their group to create strategies that every member of the group agreed on. This weekend allowed DECA students from all over the nation time to bond. Not only did the members have to come up with innovative projects that werew presented, but they also each received a ticket to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. This was only one of the main events that DECA students participate in each year. The conference in the Spring, which is held in a different state each year, gives members an opportunity to travel and compete. It is going to be hosted in Salt Lake City this year and the FIT DECA Diamonds say they are looking forward to it.

W27

Dear Industry

BULLETT: The Coffee Table Magazine

By Madeleine Thompson “BULLETT is the true outlet for creation,” BULLETT’s Creative Director Sah D’Simone, a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, said while flipping through the glossy pages of The Secret Issue, available now. “The way we started BULLETT was, we wanted to change the industry in some way or another,” stated D’Simone. Changing the industry is an understatement; BULLETT is revolutionizing it by bringing back the Warhol factory days of incorporating unconventional art, giving a voice to the talent, and combining all aspects of art into one quarterly magazine and website. “We really want to use the media platform to really enlighten, inspire, and provoke people by the meanings of art and really bringing art under one umbrella. Back in the day there was only one thing— art. Today, there is music, there is fashion,” stated D’Simone.

As a year old publication, BULLETT has expanded to twelve countries, and plans to keep growing and, eventually, ‘BULLETTIZE’ the world, one step at a time. Nothing can hold back this young publication or the young artists who create the magazine. The BULLETT team brings fresh ideas, and a new perspective to incorporating art in the magazine world. “Because we came into this industry with non-traditional ways, and we are all so young and the magazine is so young, we didn’t have the traditional views that everyone has, we didn’t have the guidelines, and because of that, it is immediately fresh,” D’Simone said. BULLETT differentiates itself from other fashion magazines by collaborating with the talents—actors, musicians, fashion designers—any type of artist. BULLETT gives them the freedom to choose how they want to be portrayed in the eyes of the reader. “It’s such an organic process

that is hard to explain in words, but ultimately it is just about collaborating with the talents, fully, always, by opening a door to something they have not done before,” D’Simone added, “Especially for these actors who are used as mere puppets in their jobs.” “We collaborate from the point that we reach out to them [by giving them our ideas and getting their ideas],” said Idil Tabanca, Editor-in-Chief of BULLETT. “Some people get really involved.” Some talents seize advantage of this freedom by taking self-portraits, such as Jonna Lee, the Swedish singer of iamamiwhoami, for the Secret Issue. In addition to using self-portraits to express freedom, the ‘transmedia’ company uses the original voices of the talents in the articles. Writers ask the talents questions that readers have not heard before, or ever thought they wanted to know the answers to. For example, they have asked what

Idil Tabanca, Editor-in-Chief tells us about BULLETT. All photography by Jacquelyn Clifford.

FIT gives Ludacris the ‘chills,’ and how Patrick Fugit describes God. BULLETT’s website, bullettmedia.com, constantly tries to connect readers to the art published in the magazine by publishing exclusive content on categories such as BULLETT.TV. “BULLETT.TV. is the same idea behind print: to inspire, provoke, enlighten people, but with the use of film,”

you enlightening that fire or becoming part of that project,” D’ Simone said. “We always try to underline that everyone is an artist, everyone has become an individual and by people exploring their artistic mediums, we can go back to simpler ways of living and people will come together.” The magazine is an open door to the exclusive world of the simplistic, unscripted, organic, side of art. As D’Simone explained, “As an artist,

“We feel that everyone has BULLETT in them, it’s just the matter of you enlightening that fire or becoming part of that project.” —Sah D’ Simone—D’Simone said. “The world is a place where young people need guidance, and if we can help be a guide, give guidance to the young audience, then BULLET.TV can be an interesting place for people to come and get their jist.” In the next year, BULLETT.TV is adding an extensive list of channels, such as sports and cuisine, but “always with a political undertone to inspire people and help them think revolutionary, become revolutionary, in any sort of way as an artist,” affirmed D’Simone.

it is our mission to beautify the world,” and the BULLETT team has complied a magazine, a video channel, and website, that does just that. Tabanca added, “We want to take it back to those days where you see Madonna and a plumber on the same table. That’s what New York was back in the day and that is what we are trying to bring back.”

The content published on the site consists of shorter talent interviews and features, such as song playlists, party lists, recipes, and Q&As. Exclusive fashion editorials, and cultural news articles are also included. BULLETT is expanding the website by adding “beauty stories, how-to guides—but not the boring stuff,” Tabanca said with a laugh. “It’s tough to make beauty interesting. We are really working hard to find a way.” Being the bridge for every aspect of art, BULLETT tries to include every type of individual. “We feel that everyone has BULLETT in them, it’s just the matter of

Sah D’ Simone, Creative Director, in front of the inspiration board for next quarter’s issue of the magazine.

Idil Tabanca, Editorin-Chief in her office.

DECEMBER 2011

DEAR INDUSTRY

W27

WE ARE SELECTERS By Francesca Beltran

In a world of widespread communication, and in a time when fashion from around the globe reaches people’s lives wherever they are online, we can sometimes think we’ve seen it all. Online catalogues, online shops, online magazines, online blogs, online look books, online, online, online. It is in this overwhelming online world that WE ARE SELECTERS did the unbelievable—they came up with something new. Solange Carneiro, Ivan de Ramos and Juan Simon, all fashion, art, music, and design workers/lovers, came up with this project in 2010. They thought it was time to bring something new and unique to the people while supporting what they love. WE ARE SELECTERS is an online platform that combines e-commerce and various media such as magazines and radio to give us an online audio-visual experience where young talent can promote their work. Defining themselves as a “club-net,” the WE ARE SELECTERS team emphasizes how personal the project actually is; their likes and tastes are reflected in every aspect and feature of the web site and the magazine. Carneiro described the site by saying, “WE ARE SELECTERS is what we are. All that we have learned is devoted to this personal project; this is a restitution to ourselves, towards our individuality, and it will grow with our ideas about art, society, fashion, music and lifestyles.” For WE ARE SELECTERS, fashion and music go hand in hand and cannot be decoupled. They admit, however, that the project is mainly fashion-focused; it is after all what they sell. They believe music is an essential companion. Both the “Radio” section and the music selection in “We Are” come out directly from Ivan de Ramos’ CD collection. “We are simply being selecters recommending what we like,” said Carneiro, “We do hope to expand the music side of the project in a near future by doing more collaborations, releases and special programs through the ‘Radio.” As for the magazine, the website searches for independent brands and works that have not had too much diffusion, constantly on the lookout out for things and designers that are fresh and new. Art and photography are also essential sides of the project and are shown in the magazine’s content, which disseminates the creative work of artists around the world. It’s “underground content for an underground audience,” said Carneiro. The magazine is available only online except for a monthly collaboration with print magazine Nest Madrid, which translates some of the fashion content to a paper format without compromising the original ideas. Apart from this collaboration, they have no intention on going completely print. Yet. Aside from the audio-visual experience, one of the project’s biggest appeals is the online store. The clothes available online

are the result of a very careful search; the team travels around Europe, Asia and America looking for young talent and original pieces. Although clothing is what they focus on and what they supply the most of, they also offer a wide range of unique accessories, and ship worldwide. “It has been refreshing to see that there are places in this world where industry does not have strict control over the local scenes. We have been able to find young designers and brands capable of selling their creations without having to open their own store. We travel, find and select products for our online shop and we also produce our own collections,” explains Carneiro. One of the many things that make WE ARE SELECTERS stand out is their “You Are Selecter” side-project, which encourages individuals to collaborate with the project by sending a picture of themselves wearing any of the products sold online. If the picture is selected, it will appear on the webpage and costumers could win 100% off the total value of their next purchase. “You Are Selecter” aims to create a website with real people showing their individuality and to directly connect the costumers with the creators. “I AM” on the other hand, is another section on the website where they present and support independent brands. The purpose of this section is for brands to describe themselves in first person, to have the chance to explain who they really are and show their identity. For many upcoming designers and artists, this is a great opportunity to promote themselves and get global exposure. Even though the company is based in Spain, their ongoing mission is to expand to a global market with both merchandise and content. As for America, Solange said they have many American followers, and that actually New York is one of the places where they currently have more customers. “We are still very new on the Internet,” said Carneiro, “we will just keep doing what we love, and hopefully with time and effort we will keep on growing and evolving.” As for FIT students and readers in general, the project encourages all to both collaborate with the project and show their work and the work of others. WE ARE SELECTERS is always looking out for fresh, new talent to become involved. For more visit: http://mag.weareselecters. com/

Kevin looking smashing in his life jacket. Courtesy of Kevin Buitrago.

Kevin Buitrago: THE FIT SELECTER By Rich Gilmartin If students were to walk into the A building of F.I.T. they would be greeted by a thousand faces beset with a preoccupied look. Students are always looking for what is next, so it is always interesting to hear the stories that some of our fellow students have lived out. Kevin Buitrago is currently a sophomore at FIT and the only contributor in the United States for WE ARE SELECTERS. While looking for a way to pass the time when not in class, Buitrago stumbled upon the website and contacted the owners expressing his interest in submitting weekly posts to showcase upand-coming young artists who would like to have their work featured on the website. Kevin, who once aspired to be a curator for an art gallery, searches far and wide on the Internet to find artists he views as suitable for the website. Pasts posts have been from as far away as Australia and as close as FIT. The posts must fit into

the style of the blog, containing a certain element of minimalism and creativity. His passion for the blog is evident as he pauses and thinks carefully about how to represent WE ARE SELECTERS. He sees himself as a member of a community and even wishes to focus more on the blog rather than on himself, a quality most companies strive to find in their employees. The blog, which is gaining much success in Europe, is less known in the States which is Kevin’s main mission to date. He wishes to make it just as big here as it is overseas, and encourages all young artists who thinks their work fits the criteria of the blog and would like to be featured to contact him. If you wish to contact Kevin Buitrago about being featured on WE ARE SELECTERS you can email him at Kevin_Buitrago@fitnyc.edu.

BEAUTY BUZZ: ESTÉE LAUDER DABS INTO MEN’S By Terron Richardson With the Holiday season approaching, gift ideas are on everyone’s mind. One safe and beneficial gift for that special someone or for yourself is the Estée Lauder Even Skin Tone Repair Gift Set. This easy-to-use, but powerful skincare kit protects, and prevents the skin from aging. Originally marketed for women at major department stores like Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, retailers are now pushing this product for men. The gift set comes with a foaming mousse cleanser, a night eye repair (which can be used during the day) and an advanced multi-protection anti-oxidant crème with SPF 15. The product promises results within 2—3 months, but signs of

Photo courtesy of Estée Lauder. improvement can be seen in as early as three days. This product is lightweight but heavy enough to withstand the harsh winter weather, and is for all skin types and all skin conditions. So take a trip to the nearest department store that carries Estée Lauder to try out this gift set.

FIT

DECEMBER 2011

New York Women in Communications: TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Apartment-Hunting Tips for the Winter Season

By Alessandra Della Vecchia

By Sarah Dill Apartment finding can be a difficult process and an expensive venture, but with certain techniques at hand, one can find their perfect place in no time. Knowing the proper guidelines and what neighborhoods to look at is essential for first time apartment lookers to be better prepped for the tricky wheel and deal of ‘New York Real Estate.’ Since the winter is seen as the off season for apartment searching, there are many advantages to finding a new home but tips on how to score an apartment without the high costs and extremely tiny space. Photo from the panel by Taisa Veras.

This past month, I was presented with the amazing opportunity to attend the New York Women in Communications 2011 Student Career Conference. As a selfproclaimed feminist, I love nothing more than the idea of a group of successful women encouraging future generations of accomplished women to pursue their goals, follow their dreams and be all they can be. That is, in a nutshell, exactly what the Women in Communications Career Conference is all about. For those of you who don’t know, New York Women in Communications is an organization of over 1,400 members that empowers women in all communication disciplines, including marketing, film and photography, public relations, advertising, print and broadcast journalism, digital media, book and magazine publishing, to reach their full potential by promoting their professional growth and inspiring them to achieve and share their successes in the rapidly changing world of communications. The conference kicked off with an inspiring Keynote Address given by Ann Shoket, editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine. Though she touched on several topics, the portion of her speech that I found to be most noteworthy was her advice on how to get a job. Her three main tips were as follows: 1. Personalize your Cover Letter by “telling your story,” 2. When interviewing for a position, sit at the edge of your seat, be engaged and come prepared, 3. Always send out a Thank You note but be sure to include specific details from your conversation with the person who interviewed you (it shows you actually paid attention and makes you stand out). Following the Keynote Address was a series of panel sessions that allowed attendees of the event to interact and network with various industry professionals. The first panel I attended was entitled “From Print to Digital.” This panel focused on the evolution of publications due to recent technology and the constant demand for new and interesting information. The panelists consisted of Shelly Banjo, Reporter for The Wall Street Journal; Nicole Bode, Senior Editor for DNA.info.com; Kierna Mayo, Editorial Director for Ebony. com; Mary Skafidas, VP of Marketing and Communications for The Mc-Graw Hill Company, and Brian Stelter, Media Reporter for The New York Times.

When asked what publications need to do in order to survive this overnight transformation from print articles to digital content, Mary Skafidas replied, “You need to think about communicating via all mediums simultaneously.” Kierna Mayo responded similarly with this, “[Publications] need to be exploring new mediums in order to attempt to make a concept resonate with an entirely new generation [of readers].” The panel went on to agree that ideally, a successful publication would have a “marriage between blogger sensibility and great journalism.” In other words, long gone are the days where “you are nothing and your story is everything,” said Nicole Bode. Today everyone has an opinion and because of this “your presentation of yourself counts for just as much as the story you’re producing,” Bode continued. We can thank social media websites for that.

A Money Management: Talk with your parents, future roommates or independently figure out how much you are able to spend and work around the cost range. Make sure to figure in grocery, transportation and other spending costs and make a layout of how much you are able to spend without going hungry. A Borough Buyings: Being a Manhattan native now at FIT, expand your horizons and look into apartments across the river or down the 2 trains. Brooklyn and Queens have become the perfect hubs for students looking for a cheap rent and for those that don’t have a lot of money to shell out with added security deposits, broker fees and school costs, these boroughs are the perfect area for newly graduated students to flock to. A Time Saver: To avoid rushing the searching process and putting a payment down on a place that you aren’t positive on, give yourself and roommates at least two months in advance to look at available apartments and to deal with different brokers. With this time advancement you will be ahead on finding the perfect location and for the price that will fit into your budget. A Web World: Before hitting the streets, browse the Internet for websites such as citihabitats.com, nofeerentals.com or howtorentinnyc.com to see available places and to get a feel of the market. Do your research and tap into what NYC renters had to do to get their own place and look up New York real estate agencies, which provide tips on the rental world.

The second panel I attended, titled “Magazine Writing for Print and Online” concentrated on what it takes to be successful at some of today’s most well renowned magazines. The panel consisted of Allison Baker, Associate Nutrition Editor for SELF Magazine; Sharon Clott, Fashion News Editor for Instyle.com; Rachel Mount, Assistant Food Editor at O, The Oprah Magazine; Anja Winikka, Site Editor for The Knot and Paula Gregorowicz, Career and Business Section Editor for BlogHer.

A Paperwork Proof: Many brokers or tenants have a tendency to try to scam students or new grads but to stay on top and escape deceit, get all your documentation ready to show your landlord. This documentation includes reference letters, proof of income and pay stubs (if you’re already working), your previous address, recent bank statements, and contact information. This well prepared packet will give a landlord a tentative on what you are looking for and show that you really mean business.

“Your presentation of yourself counts for just as much as the story you’re producing.” —Charles Katz—One topic that was highly emphasized during this session was networking. Several of the panelists admitted that they got their first job through a friend, or a friend of a friend, and they continued to stress the importance of periodically following up with your contacts (even after you have a job). One of my favorite suggestions came from Mount who told the audience to “take it offline and meet in person, whenever possible.” She went on to say that networking is, essentially, “the difference between going out and going home and watching TV.” Another

piece of valuable advice came from Clott who commented on starting out at a new job, “Be curious, be confident, be sincere,” and most importantly “be a [real] person… find similarities with those you work with and build relationships.” Lastly, Gregorowicz reminded everyone that the end goal shouldn’t always be work-related. “It’s worth taking time to do the things you love,” she said. How very true. For more about Women In Communications visit www.nywici.org

DEAR INDUSTRY

W27

Lauren Rich Turns FIT Project into PR Empire By Caroline Whiteley

Few college graduates can claim to have started their own company right out of college. Lauren Rich is one of them. During her last semester at FIT, Rich took a special events class taught by Professor Volpe, which would turn out to be the kick-start to her career. One day Zulema Griffin, who had just finished the second season of Project Runway, came in to the class. Simultaneously BrooklynFashion Week was starting and they had asked Griffin to headline.

Q&A: Dexter & Byron Peart THE DESIGNERS OF WANT LES ESSENTIELS DE LA VIE By Taisa Veras & Fernanda DeSouza Where did you draw the inspiration for this collection for BlackBerry? We were delighted to have been approached by BlackBerry as one of a handful of designers excelling in the field of inspirational design. We are consistently inspired by mid-century architecture and furniture, and always strive to achieve a timeless modern classic aesthetic in all of our designs. What design elements did you use for the cases (we loved the mixture of gold and silver zipper)? Named after the Toronto City Airport in Canada, the Bishop Portfolio for PlayBook is a secure zip-around case featuring a document sleeve and two custom pockets for business, credit and reward cards. The Bishop's carefully thought out details includes a custom gold-and-silver YKK Excella zipper — with zip-around function for maximum accessibility. A WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie signature, the bi-color zipper signifies unity through contrast: classic and modern, masculine and feminine, uptown and downtown, past and future. Was it difficult to design for a tech product? No, we actually have many other styles in our collections to house tech products. Like all fine pieces from WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie, the Bishop Portfolio is designed to function individually and also fit effectively into other collection styles for ultimate functionality and simplicity. As the Montreal, Canada-based company name suggests, every item in the collection is absolutely essential, not just every piece, but every detail within each piece.

“She (Griffin) didn’t really have a budget to produce a show on her own. So we did the event for her as our term project,” Rich said, “I saw this as a really great opportunity, being the go-getter I am. And when she asked if anyone wanted to accompany her to the venue that weekend I shot my arm up. We exchanged numbers and I tried to do as much of the work as I could.”

Business Magazine, who referred her five clients in the span of two months. “As time went on I kept taking on more and more intimates and I really found my niche,” said Rich, who decided to specialize in representing intimate apparel brands. Pitching for the same market was a lot more efficient than pitching for all kinds of brands and editors, "It really worked out well," she said proudly.

The project turned out to be a success; one of the girls in Rich’s class had an internship with a PR agency at the time, another person had the runway know-how through another internship and Rich created a press release for the show. After that fashion show, Griffin approached Rich about doing another show for her, this time at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Manhattan. “She couldn’t pay me but I didn’t care, I thought this was a such a great opportunity.” During her last semester, Rich had worked at a hair salon and the owner of the salon, a huge fan of Project Runway, upon finding out that Rich was doing PR for Griffin decided to hire Rich as his publicist for the salon. By the time Rich graduated, she was doing PR for the hair salon and Griffin. She considered applying to PR agencies, but in the end she decided to keep going and trying to add more clients. She conceded, “I really started off on my laptop out of my apartment.”

Rich PR, currently represents eight intimate apparel lines and has worked with brands from Hong Kong, England, Australia and Canada. When asked about her recipe for success, she says, “It was a combination of being at the right place at the right time and maximizing an opportunity. There were 31 students in the class [when I met Zulema Griffin]. Anybody could’ve tried to make more out of it.”

In the first year of starting her company, Rich was trying to build her portfolio and gain more experience. But by the end of that year, the financial crisis hit and with that, Rich lost many clients.

Blackberry recently launched the PlayBook and collaborated with an array of designers from all over the world to create stylish covers for its newest device. Some of the designers that they asked to do a collaboration with were the twin brothers Dexter and Byron Peart, who are the designers behind the label WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie.

However, she found a job on Craigslist handing out magazines at the Lingerie America trade show and eventually became very good friends with the Ad Sales Director at Intimate Apparel

W27 editors got a chance to attend the preview of the launch and interview both the Senior Vice President of Design for Blackberry and designers Dexter and Byron Peart.

Lauren Rich in her office, photo by Fernanda DeSouza.

Q&A: Todd Wood, Senior VP of Design for BlackBerry By Taisa Veras & Fernanda DeSouza How did BlackBerry go about creating this collaboration? The idea emerged as our design team was developing the accessory collection for BlackBerry PlayBook. It was clear that tablet customers needed functional covers and cases, but they also desired personalized style. As a result we imagined a collection of craft and artisan accessories, from brand that we admire, to compliment our industrial designs. We worked with Winkreative to establish and curate a global mix of producers, outlines and styles. Everyone that has seen the results agrees that the collection is greater than the sum of the parts. What were some elements and/or features that you wanted to include for this collaboration? Each brand in the collection had its own story to tell, with their customer in mind. Some brands were more feminine than masculine, and others were gender neutral. Brands like WANT les Essentiels de la Vie and Ettinger delivered on their signature attention to detail and material contrast. Delvaux and Valextra expressed their tradition of craft with very minimal yet elegant pockets and folders with

exquisite stitching. Brooklyn and Ganzo surprised everyone with their dye colours or contrasting stitches. Porter offered distinctly smart and practical solutions and added functionality included zippers, pockets for cards or tickets for the highly mobile traveler. What are the biggest misconceptions that people have about BlackBerrys? That BlackBerry smartphones are all work and no play. Our devices, apps and services are incredibly popular in both enterprise and consumer markets. Behind the scenes we are the device of choice for many creative people and industries, celebrities, fashion and style leaders included. Your BlackBerry is something you carry with you everywhere, and it’s often the first accessory people see when they meet you, so first impressions are important. This is why we spend a lot of time and attention to style — the form, material, the way it feels, the details. We also make sure that practical things like a great QWERTY keyboard, one-handed use, and functional accessories are never overlooked. Getting the balance of form and function right is just as important as the mix of work and play.

What phone do you think is perfectly suited for a college student who's on the go but wants a smartphone that's accessible and fast? What’s great about the BlackBerry lineup of smartphones is that we have a large portfolio of products to choose from. If you prefer a keyboard we have the BlackBerry Bold 9900 with its iconic full QWERTY keyboard and Liquid Graphics touchscreen. If you prefer a large touch screen display we have the BlackBerry Torch 9810 with a slideout keyboard or the all touch BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860 with the largest BlackBerry display to-date. If you want to show off your distinct personality we have the BlackBerry Curve that is available in multiple color choices. All these new BlackBerry smartphones run our new BlackBerry 7 OS and come packed with the best messaging tools including BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) that has over 50 million users and Facebook 2.0 complete with Facebook chat.

FIT

DECEMBER 2011

Phil ips de Pury & Company hosts Mining the Unexpected INTERNATIONAL AUCTION HOUSE SHOWCASES BRANDOLINI COLLECTION Brandolini” collection, and Frenchinspired pictures covered the room as guests were greeted with wine and a complimentary copy of Architectural Digest upon entering. Phillips de Pury & Company, known for championing international designers and for being one of the largest international art dealerships, was showcasing its exclusive “World of Muriel Brandolini” exhibition to celebrate the intricate works the interior decorator. Attendees found their seats as moderator Margaret Russell, Editor-inChief of Architectural Digest, introduced the panelists: Brandolini, Simon De Pury, Chairman of Phillips de Pury & Company, and Clemence Krzentowski, owner of Galerie Kreo.

“Art Collecting is about filling your passion,” said Simon De Pury, Chairman and Co-founder of Phillips de Pury & Company, with a determined fire in his eyes. On Wednesday October 19th, Phillips de Pury & Company hosted “Mining the Unexpected: A Disruptive Approach to Design,” a panel discussion in the flagship auction room. Students and collectors gathered on Park Avenue to take in the taste and vision of interior designer Muriel Brandolini, and learn about the future of art collecting. Photo by Caroline Nelson.

Modern Victorian furnishings, including the designer’s “World of Muriel

Photo courtesy of Architectural Digest.

Perseverance and individuality were the main themes of the discussion as the panelists answered questions about their new ventures and what attracts them to young designers. “I look for something special in the concept of the piece and want to see their own personal universe,” said Krzentowski. Brandolini added to this sentiment and encouraged design students, “The sky is the limit, never be afraid, work completely with your instinct and do what you love”. The panelists agreed that art inspiration is all around, and emerging designers must take this inspiration and emulate it in their own work. “Collections have become stereotypes, so I love someone who shakes it up and makes things exciting and different,” said de Pury.

By Sarah Dill

The panelists noted that inspiration isn’t something you can easily find, but a form of expression that can be picked up from simply exploring. Brandolini explained that she was currently designing her country home and revealed that her unique pieces were created in part from her travels in Vietnam and France. “The landscapes and nature of Vietnam were signs of colors which influenced me a great deal and are heavily shown in my designs with my own style,” said Brandolini. She attributed her innovative designs to a great deal of listening and watching human actions in every environment. Margaret Russell then switched topics and asked the panelists if the online industry has changed traditional art collecting for better or for worse. “Online has transformed and made access to the art market so much easier,” said de Pury. “Online is much more timely and it ultimately improves the knowledge of art through the Internet.” With the growing influence of the iPad and apps, art collectors will be able to scan through art catalogs with a more hands on approach, according to de Pury. With the future in mind, Krzentowski, de Pury, and Brandolini explained that they look for fresh designs and individuality when looking for new artists to collaborate with either in a gallery show, or an interior. “Art collaboration is like a marriage, it should be a shared conceptual integrity to tell a new story,” said Krzentoski. Simon de Pury also acknowledged students, and recommended they visit the auction house to use its the painstakingly produced catalogues for scholarly reference work, and as inspirational objects. Margaret Russell concluded the panel with an audience Q and A session. Brandolini, de Pury, and Krzentowski graciously answered questions and proceeded to enjoy the interest exhibited by design students and other art collectors at the event. “What is in store for me next is to finish my country home and always push myself to the extreme and never be bored,” said Brandolini. “Take risks because it will be for the better and you ultimately learn fast if you make any costly mistakes,” added de Pury.

W27

HOLIDAY FEATURE

On Emily:

Forever 21 blazer Chabella dress

BLACK & WHITE & RED

Moda tank H&M blazer American Apparel skirt On Jessica:

Zara dress H&M blazer

Photographer: Gianna Rovelli

Makeup Artist: Gigi Piesco

Stylist: Chelsea Rizzo

Hair Stylist: Laura Vignola

Assistant Stylist: Jessica Bucco

Models: Jessica Elovsson Emily Palm

Assistant Photographers: Noam Galai Keith Cristal

Special thanks: The Style Shop

FIT

DECEMBER 2011

On Emily:

H&M top Alissa Chapman dress

On Jessica:

American Apparel top Alissa Chapman dress

American Apparel top Topshop shorts On Jessica:

American Apparel top Alissa Chapman dress

American Apparel top Laura Walgenbach skirt

Giorgio Armani top H & M skirt

HOLIDAY FEATURE

SHOPPING for PROFIT By Caroline Nelson

Cyber Monday sales were projected to reach $1.2 billion this year according to CNNMoney. Even if you didn’t purchase anything online, wouldn’t you have liked to earn money from Cyber Monday by driving customers to some of those sales?

“…Jessica Simpson or Kim Kardashian get paid millions of dollars to endorse products, and that makes sense because they have a lot of influence, but you all, as individuals, have influence too.” —Charles Katz—ShopSquad.com could have helped you do just that. The site, founded by CEO Charles Katz and launched last February at San Francisco’s LAUNCH conference, is an online shopping platform that allows shoppers to ask for advice on products and receive recommendations from real people in real time. But there’s a catch; each item that is purchased after being recommended by a person who has a profile on the site—also referred to as an “advisor” gets a percentage from that sale.

“The way that we look at it is that folks like Jessica Simpson, or Kim Kardashian get paid millions of dollars to endorse products, and that makes sense because they have a lot of influence, but individuals, you all have influence too,” said Katz. ShopSquad pays out 75% of the commission the site receives from the retailer to the ShopSquad advisor. Once advisors reach at least $10 in commission they can receive a check or PayPal payment rewarding them for their efforts. By clicking on the “Own” tab on the site, advisors can also create shop tags for products they would own or they can use the “Want” capability on the “Own It”

The “Own It” and “Want It” lists also boost the credibility of the advisors, according to Katz and Zagha. Shoppers can take a look at the purchases and wants of advisors and familiarize themselves with the advisors’ tastes, and product knowledge. Furthermore, the rest of the profile page documents all the products advisors have sold and the questions they have answered. “Unlike other places where you can maybe make up some information about yourself, one thing you can’t really make up easily are the products you’ve actually sold,” stressed Katz. “Everyone gets rated after everything they do on the site, and so it’s kind of self-regulated in that way.” Zagha added, “If you ever give bad advice, you’ll get a bad rating and you’ll be very low in search results.” Successful advisors will be rewarded nicely for their efforts. The top-ranked advisor at press time, user name jayne, recommended over $10,000 worth of products, and generated commissions for most of them, according to her ShopSquad profile.

This site is especially helpful to anyone who’s ever been faced with the daunting task of sorting through the many products for sale online. “I went to Zappos and I wanted black shoes to wear to the office, so I typed ‘black shoes’ into Zappos and I got literally 19,000 search results,” said CEO Katz, explaining what compelled him to develop ShopSquad. Katz wanted to essentially take the customer service aspect of brick-and-mortar stores and recreate it on the web, replacing sales associates with a community of people knowledgeable in everything from fashion to electronics. Those helpful ShopSquad advisors can send product links to shoppers based on criteria discussed through video-chat, instant message or Twitter. The live video chat utilizes co-browsing, a feature that allows advisors to connect shoppers to products on websites without leaving the conversation. The advisors can also create shop tags, or unique, traceable links to products they recommend on affiliate websites. These links can then be posted on Facebook, Twitter, or embedded in an email or blog post.

page to denote products on their wish lists. It can be quite useful this time of year to send a complete, personalized wish list from ShopSquad to family and friends. “The beauty of it is that if your parents go ahead and purchase any of those things that you’ve added to the page, you get commission on it,” said Aaron Zagha, COO of ShopSquad.

The ShopSquad homepage.

Additionally, the myriad of trusted retail affiliates makes it easy to find products to recommend or own. After a period of what Katz called “pounding the pavement,” the site partnered with about 900 online retailers including Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon, and Expedia that provide between three and ten percent commission. “I think right now we’re probably capturing about 60 to 70% of the total amount of commerce that can be done online through our various affiliates,” said Katz. But ShopSquad isn’t finished expanding yet. The site is looking to partner with a total of about 1200 online companies in the near future.

W27

FIT

DESIGNER

DECEMBER 2011 PROFILE:

DA N NIJO By Taisa Veras

Necklaces from the Spring 2012 collection.

Designers Danielle and Jodie Snyder have been the leading ladies behind the luxury jewelry label DANNIJO for the past four years, and not only have they been expanding at rapid speed, but they have also been involved with philanthropy. Their latest collaboration with the organization Falling Whistles, founded by Sean Carasso, helps promote education, advocacy, and rehabilitation of war-affected people in the Democratic Republic of Congo by donating 30% of net proceeds from the DANNIJO X Falling Whistles pieces to the cause. “The beginnings of DANNIJO are rooted in philanthropy, I co-founded a non-profit with my friend Alexa back in 2006 and the idea of the non-profit was to get young people to use their passions and talents to impact change, so Jodie and I designed

All photography by Samantha Adler.

a capsule jewelry collection to help fundraise for the community of Lwala in Kenya,” said Danielle, “so we immediately hit it off with Sean [Carasso] when we met him at Summit Series and he started telling us about his work with Falling Whistles.”

strongly support philanthropy and giving back to society.

“Inspiring and employing women around the world who don’t have the same opportunities we have here is something we’re very passionate about.” Falling Whistles uses a whistle as a symbol for peace. Every person who purchases a whistle from the organization’s web site becomes a ‘whistleblower’ for peace, as all proceeds from the purchase goes towards the warstricken children of the Congo. The idea to collaborate came almost organically as both DANNIJO and Falling Whistles

“We figured we could do a higher-end collection for them [Falling Whistles] and give it a DANNIJO aesthetic, and put it in more stores and outlets around the world to get the message out about the whistles, and what’s happening in the Congo,” said Jodie and added, “We launched the collection with five different whistles, two of them are unisex, so it’s something that we’re really passionate about, and we’ve seen a lot of excitement toward the collaboration.” Aside from the Falling Whistles collaboration, DANNIJO has also collaborated with Indego Africa, an organization that employs women artisans in Rwanda by selling their crafts and returning 100% of profits towards improving their business, literacy, and computer programs. Every jewelry purchase made from the DANNIJO website comes in a colorful printed pouch designed by a woman artisan from Indego Africa as well as her photo and signature. “Part of our aesthetics is bohemian and all of the fabrics are one-of-a-kind and colorful,” Danielle explained.

Sisters Jodie and Danielle Snyder.

Both designers have been role models to our generation of young women who have worked hard and risen to the top, but are continuously giving back to society. “Us, being women entrepreneurs, inspiring, and employing other women around the world who don’t have the same opportunities that we have here is something that we are very passionate about. The collaboration is already so successful that we’re working with Indego about bringing other products into our line and there’s more to come, “ affirmed Jodie.

HOLIDAY FEATURE

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GIFTS THAT GIVE What greater thrill than the feeling of unwrapping a present? It’s not only satisfying to claw through layers of wrapping paper, or feel the silk of the bow unravel along your fingertips, but it also transports you back to childhood when excitement invaded your sleep and how it slowed the clocks until Christmas morning. Now you are an adult and one must remember that there’s a child somewhere who will not have the privilege of receiving gifts. During your shopping spree this season remember that there are gift options that give joy to those who need it the most.

A Polar Bear from World Wildlife Fund By Julie Daly

Last year, I adopted a polar bear by proxy: through the World Wildlife Fund ( WWF) as a Christmas gift for my polar-bear– loving sister. On their site, WWF states that their mission is “to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.” Eighty three percent of the non-profit organization’s funding is allocated to their conservation efforts, including the protection of hundreds of species and their natural habitats. On their web site one can choose from any of the 108 species available to symbolically adopt, including koala bears, sea turtles, emperor penguins, and tigers. The minimum cost of an adoption is $25, but there are different adoption kits available at different costs. Aside from adoptions, there are a multitude of gifts available, perfectly completed with the WWF logo of a panda bear. With all of the hype over the changing state of the environment and climate, it’s nice to know that there’s a gift that will make “ma nature” happy, if not the person I’m giving it to!

Good Shirts by Threadless By Fernanda DeSouza

Clarins FEED 25 Bag By Alyssa Kyle As you sit in your cozy Manhattan apartment shopping on your laptop or iPad, think of all the people starving around the world. According to the FEED website, hunger and malnutrition kill more people than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. Instead of making a purchase just for the sake of getting one more gift out of the way, buy a gift that your friend will love, that will also help starving communities around the world.

www.worldwildlife.org

SUNO Sunglasses by Warby Parker By Camilla Mayer

Just like TOMs, Warby Parker is an affordable eyewear company that has the “one for one” business model. Frustrated with the high cost of bland eyewear, Warby Parker is committed to unique, quality eyewear that will additionally give a pair to those in need. I especially love this Suno collaboration, it’s a great shape, color and pattern for any season. www.warbyparker.com

FEED is an organization that sells apparel, accessories, and bags. “FEED is proud to help FEED the world, one bag at a time,” says the FEED website. With every purchase, a fraction of the cost goes toward programs that help provide food for the hungry. FEED works with UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and has provided over 66 million meals since 2005. Other than online, FEED products can be found at well-known retail stores such as Forever21, GAP, Whole Foods, Bergdorf Goodman, and Clarins. Looking for gift ideas? A perfect holiday gift option would be the Clarins FEED 25 Bag. This 100% organic cotton tote comes with four of Clarins’ popular products including the exfoliating cleanser, body scrub, flash balm, and body lotion. This $90 purchase provides 25 school meals thanks to the partnership of WFP and FEED. www.feedprojects.com

A charity you may not have heard of, Good Shirts, is the result of a partnership between Threadless and UNICEF, that will help relieve the drought and famine crisis occurring in Horn of Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti). Thirteen million people have been affected, including 4 million children. Already, tens of thousands have died and thousands more lives are at risk. The shirts come in various designs that represent the type of aid that UNICEF will be providing to the children. All proceeds will be donated to U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Give—it’ll make you feel good. www.threadless.com/UNICEF

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DECEMBER 2011

Giant Pom-Pom Scarf by Kate Spade & Women for Women International By Sarah Dill

This Holiday season, Kate Spade partnered with Women For Women International (WFWI) in Afghanistan. Since the designer’s seven years of work in economically troubled countries, the company has decided to give back this time by flying to Afghanistan and teaming up with the WFWI team to make their first cashmere collection. The WFWI organization has a serious impact on the standard of living by providing work for women victims of war and rape. This Kate Spade partnership is giving back to those women with a great Holiday gift this year. Afghanistan has been known as the third largest producer of raw cashmere, and with this developed collection the country will be able to benefit more from their luxury natural resource. The cashmere collection offers items including fingerless mittens, berets,

scarves, bangles and knit necklaces. Each item is perfectly crafted by hand with a special touch from the Afghan women, a tag bearing the name of the individual who made the finished piece. Since the majority of the women can't read or write, they leave a thumb-print mark on each hand-knit product to represent their name and make it special. Not only are the hand-crafted cashmere items perfect gifts to give to friends and family but they signify women empowerment and give back to women in Afghanistan by creating jobs. www.katespade.com

Padma Lakshmi Ornament By Samantha Vance This Padma Lakshmi Ornament is only $30. It is a beautiful addition to your tree, and you feel good knowing that 100% of the profits benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I'd say that's $30 very well spent. www.hsn.com

Lomography Fisheye 2 Camera from Gifts That Give By Caroline Nelson

iPhone Case by Children’s Art By Mollie Yarsike

Purchasing a gift that gives back always makes it worth spending a little extra. The iPhone has certainly made an impact and you can help make a bigger one by gifting an iPhone case from ChildrensArt. org. The iPhone cases, priced at $35, along with all other items on the site, help to benefit the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Children’s Art Project. According to the web site, “When the Children's Art Project began funding patient programs in the early 1970s, the focus was on providing cheer and comfort for young patients, most of whom did not survive their battles with cancer. With improved treatments, more young patients survive their disease and programs funded by the project have evolved to include college scholarships, educational programs and other opportunities that prepare pediatric patients for successful lives after cancer.” Each of the items featured on the site have been uniquely designed based on the artwork of pediatric cancer patients. Unfortunately, today nearly everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed or affected by cancer. All sale proceeds from artwork help to support patient programs at MD Anderson, in Texas. www.childrensart.org

Gifts That Give is a website that sells designer products and gives a $1 donation to charity for every $5 spent. When you buy the $70 Lomography Fisheye 2 camera from the site, $14 of the proceeds will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS), New York City Chapter. Now you or a lucky friend or family member can capture all the holiday memories with a unique fisheye distortion twist. The Fisheye 2 has both long exposure and multiple exposure capabilities, and many fun features including hotshoe and built-in flash, and uses 35mm film. Plus this particular package contains extras such as The Fisheye View booklet, Graphic Poster, wrist strap, and lens cover. You can be assured that this gift will make the Holidays bright not just for the recipient but also for those suffering from the blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society invests about 76% of donations in program services that include: patient and community service, research, public health education, and professional education. According to LLS Fast Facts, in 2011, the charity provided over $76 million to research in the US, Canada and ten additional countries. Each chapter also provides educational programs and services for patients, caregivers, and family. www.giftsthatgive.com

iPad Smart Cover by ( PRODUCT) RED By Georgi Dwiggins Apple is obviously known for the latest and greatest, a brand that anyone wouldn’t mind getting as a gift. Obviously the coveted item on this year’s lists is the iPad 2. Tablets in general are becoming the “it” thing of the moment, but as always, Apple was the first. So even though you may not be buying someone an iPad 2, if they’re lucky enough to have or be getting one, you could opt for a red-hot case that does some good beyond just providing protection. (PRODUCT) RED is also a well known organization. They have collaborated with brands such as GAP and Converse shoes; Fighting AIDS in Africa with every purchase. Since its creation in 2006 by U2’s Bono and Bobby Shriver (founder of ONE/DATA) the campaign has raised millions. The proceeds of RED branded products benefit The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. www.apple.com

HOLIDAY FEATURE

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STEVEN KOLB CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America By Taisa Veras Taisa Veras: What to do you have to do to become a member of the CFDA? Steven Kolb: You have to apply to become a CFDA member. Right now we have 407 members and the first thing is you have to be talented. You have to have a point of view that is distinctive. If you have that, and feel ready to apply then the mechanics are: you have to be in business for a minimum of three years, you have to send a portfolio that reflects your work, you have to have significant number of retailers that sell your product, you have to show that you’ve gotten good editorial from the magazines, blogs, and web sites, as well as two letters of recommendation from current CFDA members that work in your field. We have a small committee of about eight current CFDA members that review each applicant and determine whether or not they get in based on that submission. TV: What’s your typical day-to-day like? SK: I get up early and the first thing I do is read Women’s Wear Daily on my iPad to keep up with the news. I typically will have a breakfast meeting with someone,

whether that is a CFDA member, a sponsor, or a potential sponsor, then I get to the office and I interact with our memberships and planning our events. Right now, I’m spending a lot of time on our 50th anniversary, which is in 2012. We have an exhibit, a book, and a number of other projects that we’re deeply involved in. I deal with the Fashion Week schedule and how it interacts with our European counterparts, and a lot of what I do is just individual guidance and support to our designers. TV: How are you involved with social media?

Follow Steven on Twitter @stevenkolb. Photo by Taisa Veras.

SK: We have a very active social media effort that’s run by Christine Olson who works here at the CFDA, and she went to FIT. She came here as an intern first, she then worked as my assistant for a while, and then she got promoted to that job. She does our Facebook, Twitter, and our Tumblr. What we try to do with all of those is not just talk about the CFDA, but give an editorial voice to the CFDA members and the designers as well through those platforms.

TV: What impact has social media had on fashion? SK: Fashion has always changed rapidly and I think that social media influences that even more, so in that the pace of it is very quick, but it gives people more knowledge and more choices. It gives designers and brands a way to interact with their consumers more personally, much like in the past when designers could only talk to customers at trunk shows. Most designers still do trunk shows and personal appearances, but it gives them a way to really connect to a consumer and to know what their costumer is like, and it allows the designer to have a more personal intimate relationship.

NEW YORK CITY:

YO UR W I NT ER WO N D E R L AN D By Francesca Beltran

It’s snowing, it’s freezing, just the idea of leaving your apartment is painful. Well, for those of you staying in the city over the Holidays, fret not; New Freezing York can become the place to be. All you need is a (very) warm coat and a good attitude. After all, you are still in one of the most exciting cities in the world. Like some of you, I chose to stay behind for the winter break and I’ve made it my primary task to look out for interesting places to go while I’m here. Of course there are always nice Central Park visits and Broadway shows, but there are many other places to discover around the city.

Prospect Park in the late fall. Photo courtesy of chabad4israel.org

Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Courtesy of oceanfront-hotels.net

Designed by the same landscape architects of Central Park, the 585-acre, “urban oasis” includes a long meadow, a lake, the nation’s first urban Audubon Center, the Prospect Park Zoo, and Brooklyn’s only forest. The park is located in the heart of Brooklyn and it is very easily accessible by public transportation.

Rockaway Beach, Queens Queens is only a subway ride away. Whether you go with a group of friends or a significant other, don’t forget to bring

music, a picnic, books, a good coat and your camera. Cuddling up on a foggy day at a beach in the winter? Sold!

Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn As morose as it may sound, the cemetery, founded in 1838, is now a national historic landmark. The 478-acres is composed of hills, valleys, glacial ponds and paths and includes one of the largest collections of 19th-20th century sanctuaries and mausoleums. Located on 25th Street, Green-Wood offers both private and public tours, but they encourage you to visit on your own, and there are free maps available there. I would especially recommend going when it’s covered in snow, it’s breathtaking!

Montauk, Long Island If you’ve seen Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, you may have been captivated by the beach that Clementine and Joel visit in the movie. Well, that shore is located in Montauk, Long Island and is only a LIRR ride away. You can take the train from Penn Station and you can even visit the house the couple breaks into in the film, located on Georgica Association Road, Wainscott, NY.

Courtesy of Green-Wood.com

DECEMBER 2011

Thread Account Photo courtesy of Gentleman’s Vintage.

AFINGO FASHION FORUM: From Inspiration to Execution By Caroline Nelson

Gentleman’s Vintage a Treasure Trove of Style By Terron Richardson Liza Deyrmenijian of Afingo and Meredith Kahn of Made her Think. Photo courtesy of Afingo. November 14th, design students and industry professionals alike gathered for the second panel in the Afingo Fashion Forum Soho House series: Inspiration to Execution. The dynamic panel moderated by Britt Aboutaleb, Style News Editor of ELLE. com, consisted of: Liza Deyrmenijian, Cofounder and CEO of Afingo and Shoptoko, Meredith Kahn, designer of Made Her Think, Bethany Mayer, owner and designer of Surf Bazaar, Duncan Quinn, designer of his namesake menswear brand, and Cynthia Vincent designer of Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent. The cozy Soho House library provided the venue for an intriguing discussion about sourcing and production for the fashion and jewelry industries. For rising designers, a tight focus is the key to a successful collection according to Deyrmenijian, a former garment factory owner. “You need to have 12-16 styles,” she said. Fashion designer Vincent emphasized the importance of starting

small and expanding later when she explained how her first collection had 50 SKUs compared to the 12-15 in her latest one.

with a woman in India and has been working with her for 10 years. “You get to do really cool stuff when you make things elsewhere,” she said.

The panelists also heavily discussed sourcing and factory conditions. “Finding the cheapest source is not necessarily the one that gets you what you want to achieve,” explained Quinn, who is best know for this bespoke suits. All the designers agreed that while factories abroad can be cheaper at the onset, if you are not specific enough in your instructions, you might end up paying for botched products. Deyrmenijian cited the ease of producing close to home as a reason to embrace domestic production, even suggesting that because of all the extra work involved in oversees production, domestic could cost the same and be less of a hassle.

No matter where the line is sourced and produced, any designer hopes to become know for a signature piece. “You can’t be known for it if you only do it once and stop making it,” said Quinn, but even he gets tired of including the same product in successive collections. So how do designers battle this style jadedness? The panel addressed that issue as well. Kahn explained how she has modified a double band chain ring introduced in her third season, making small changes to its look every collection. “It’s new to a lot of people who’ve never seen it,” said Kahn.

Working with oversees factories can be beneficial when you have a good relationship with the contractors and factory owners. Mayer built a relationship

Sometimes buyers might want to see a look go away even if it is very popular. Vincent once discontinued a popular style of slip dress only to re-introduce it to huge success. “The consumer is not tired of it, just sometimes the buyers are. The retailer’s not always right,” the designer revealed. The panelists touched on many other topics related to the production process and answered questions from the audience. This panel certainly enforced Afingo’s commitment to providing the best resources for emerging designers to “get it made, and get it sold.” For more about Afingo’s Fashion Forum Series visit www.afingo.com.

The event was well attended. Photo courtesy of Afingo.

For many people just the word ‘vintage’ brings to mind outdated, smelly clothing worn by someone who recently died. Wrong—for starters, that’s what thrift clothing generally means. But the Gentleman’s Vintage Clothing show and sale that was held at the Prince George Ballroom November 4th and 5th, broke every expectation, not only the word vintage but also of menswear as a genre. The assortment was anything but outdated or smelly. It was instead modern, hip and fashionable. The sale offered python skin bomber jackets and leather jackets that would have inspired the great Lady Gaga. In addition, blazers were available in every fabric, pattern and color and ranged from Saks Fifth Avenue private label to Hermes. However, it was the selection of designer ties that stole the show. Vintage Christian Dior, Valentino, Emporio Armani, and Gianni Versace stand-out bowties were priced at $25 each. The back row booths had a tastefully funky theme and displayed old English and Russian uniforms and classic American and English Hats. There was also a nice selection of patchwork Versace loafers as well as yellow faux fur, and leather vests. Over-the-top men’s shearling and fur coats that might be described as “bananas” if Rachel Zoe were judging, were available for purchase. A Tom Ford for Gucci black knee-length fox fur coat was the star of show, being the only item close to the price of a down payment on a 3-bedroom apartment in Tribeca. There was also original artwork for sale as well as two rugged, cabin-inspired couches made of animal bones and fur. This first men’s vintage show was well organized and a huge success. Hopefully this event will be back next year and perhaps other shops can take hint that this is the future of vintage menswear shopping.

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Haute Culture

HOLY GHOST

ROADIE

A Concert Review by Francesca Beltran

A Film Review by Fernanda DeSouza

On November 26, Brooklyn-based electro-pop band, Holy Ghost! played at the Music Hall of Williamsburg for what was one of the best concerts of the year. The impeccable setlist, the adrenalized crowd and the band’s terrific attitude and performance, summed up a night worth remembering.

The title of this film creates a misconception—if you’re looking for a glamorous rock ‘n’ roll movie, you will not find it in Roadie. Landing himself in his mother’s footsteps in Forrest Hills, Queens, the protagonist, Jimmy Testegross, played by Ron Eldard, has just been fired from his 26-year job as roadie for the band Blue Öyster Cult. In the official selection of the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, Director Michael Cuesta focuses on Jimmy’s desperation and grief, as he realizes he will not be rehired. Running into old high school friends at a local bar, Jimmy’s agony leads him to lie about his profession and allows him to showcase himself as having gone through a metamorphic change since high school. His friends transport him back to his teenage memories filled with high dreams, drugs, and rock ‘n roll.

After amazing performances by fellow New Yorkers, Midnight Magic, Eli Escobar and Jessica 6, Holy Ghost! took over the stage at approximately 11 p.m., beginning the show with “Static On The Wire.” The band immediately set the tone and got the crowd dancing compulsively. From that moment on, the sold-out venue transformed itself into a dance floor full of music, rhythm and energy. The stage was covered by an impressive variety of computers and instruments played by no less than six men (from the original two), some of whom actually switched instruments around from song to song. The band was so good that it was almost as if you were listening to the album, only louder and more fun. The eleven-song setlist included my favorite songs: “Hold My breath”, “I Will Come Back” and “Jam For Jerry.”

Photo Courtesy of Taisa Veras

last chord was played. To make things even more extraordinary, all the opening bands joined Holy Ghost! on stage for the last performance. While founders, Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser, started remixing for wellknown artists such as MGMT, Cut Copy, Moby and Phoenix among others, in 2010 they finally launched their EP Static On The Wire, which was immediately praised by critics. Holy Ghost!’s sound is an exquisite combination of electro-pop, new-wave, and disco-funk music that showed, as many bands have before, that the New York music scene still has some very unique things to offer.

Holy Ghost! ended the night with a sensational mix I had not heard before, but that didn’t stop me (and those around me) from staying in motion until the very

Eldard plays the genuine guy with a passion for music but his performance blossomed too late into the film. A large amount of the time is spent with Jimmy and his mother (played by Lois Smith) as they awkwardly rediscover one another. As he comes to terms with the fact that she is suffering from Alzheimer’s and loneliness since her husband’s death, Jimmy once again thinks about why he booked it out of town 20 years prior. The reasons are apparent in the film—suburbia, familial values, bad memories— all things that bring back

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3 people like this. the confines that he could escape from through rockpeople ‘n’ roll (seen a rock ‘n’ roll 3.5 likeasthis. montage that is his childhood bedroom). I gravitated towards the mother more so than Jimmy’s mid-life crisis, because 4 people like this. of her sense of values and contentment with a simplistic, suburban life. She is the root of Jimmy’s core and he’s represented as a map of who she is. peopleby like this. Smith’s4.5 performance far outshines any of the other characters with her witty remarks and words of wisdom, a true mother who believes that everything will be okay.5As Jimmy suffers his lowest point people like this. while abusing both cocaine and alcohol during a wild night with his friends, he firmly believes in himself as somehow pulling out of his situation. Cuestas works his camera at close up angles of all the characters to represent them in their purest forms especially while Jimmy drowns in his sorrows. Drugs, alcohol, failed life goals and a dash of some great classic tunes mixed into scenes that don’t necessary correspond with one another. Roadie left me begging for more substance, for more realizations, and for clearer intentions from the lead character.

QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP: THE SECOND TIME AROUND By Megan Venere

On November 12th, over 50 colleges and universities descended upon Randall’s Island with brooms in hand to participate in the 5th Quidditch World Cup. An intramural sport started at Middlebury College in 2005, the first ever Quidditch World Cup was held in Middlebury, Vermont between Middlebury College and Vassar College. Last year, the World Cup held its fourth championship at DeWitt-Clinton Park in Manhattan. Back in New York for another year, the International Quidditch Association (IQA) upgraded to the much larger location of Randall’s Island. For those not familiar with the sport, here’s a quick recap of how it’s played. The teams are made up of chasers, beaters, and a keeper, like the teams in the Harry Potter books and movies, except all players remain with their feet planted on the ground. To make the game more “authentic,” players hold brooms and play one-handed. The snitch, however, is not

a tiny golden ball that flies around, but rather a very fast person dressed in yellow running around the pitch. Each team scores by throwing the ball, or Quaffle, into one of the three hoops at each end of the pitch, earning the team ten points. The way to win is to “catch the snitch”, or rather grab the ball in the sock attached to the back of the snitch. You can think of it as rugby with broomsticks. While in previous years admission was free, the IQA charged for admission into this year’s World Cup. Day passes were priced at $12 for each person and a weekend pass was $20. The New York Water Taxis transported fans from the 90th Street dock to Randall’s Island, where it was a short walk to the pitches. After the opening ceremony, the games began and different colleges and universities competed on eight pitches. While no one was eliminated on the first day, the Sunday games proceeded in single elimination; it was “March

Madness” all in one day. This year, the final four consisted of the University of Florida, University of Minnesota, Texas A&M, and of course Middlebury College. Middlebury remains the undisputed champion with 5 World Cup victories under its belt. However, the NYU Quidditch team, an underdog, became an official alternative club this year by advancing along with 23 other teams to the playoffs. Now, NYU and their mascot the Nundu (a ferocious magical creature) are ready to take on the Quidditch universe. Anna Brisbin, a player on the NYU Quidditch team stated “Watching the Harry Potter movies as a kid basically confirmed that I wanted to be an actress.” Currently a theater major, Brisbin plays because it brings all different sorts of people together: sports enthusiasts, die hard Harry Potter fans, and people looking to try something different. Everyone on the team is passionate about Quidditch

and plays because they love the sport. “I hope in the next few years NYU is the main competition for the big teams like Middlebury and Kansas,” Brisbin added. Apart from the exciting matches, there were other forms of entertainment for the fans. Food trucks and concession stands sold snacks and typical game food (hot dogs, hamburgers, etc), and there were booths selling Harry Potter merchandise, including wands, scarves, Deathly Hallows necklaces, and quirky tee shirts such as one “Occupy Gringotts” shirt inspired by the recent protests. There was also live entertainment from Wizard Rock bands such as James and Lily, as well as a special surprise performance by Joe Moses of A Very Potter Musical. So whether you plan on playing or just watching, make sure to check out next year’s Quidditch World Cup—it’s sure to be an event you will never forget.

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TUNING IN:

FIVE UNIQUE HOLIDAY ALBUMS By Georgi Dwiggins

If you’re like me, you’re tired of hearing Christmas music before you’ve even recovered from Thanksgiving. It seems that every year the cheerful songs about snow, Santa, and serendipitous sleigh rides come earlier and earlier. While there are classics that can be tolerated more than once, (okay at most three times), I’d like to share some Christmas albums that are a little less known, and in my opinion, a lot more bearable than the usual fare. Here are five albums sure to renew the spirit of the season.

her sing it in the popular movie Elf a few years ago, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” are a few of the highlights.

4. My Morning Jacket Does Xmas Fiasco Style A tiny but memorable EP, this five song album combines the trippy folk sound of My Morning Jacket with a few Christmas favorites. The band includes original songs from some of their other albums, as well as a gritty blues version of “Santa Claus Is Back In Town”, originally done by Elvis Presley. The bands acoustic “mountain man” sound makes this compilation an interesting addition to your Holiday music collection. Plus, the album cover of the band in awkward second-hand holiday suits, and a kitschy holiday vibe make it all the better.

3. Songs for Christmas: Sufjan Stevens

1. A Very She & Him Christmas She & Him have gained popularity for their old-school folksy sound in recent years. They’re now bringing that bluesinspired quality to classic Christmas songs with their recent Holiday album. Released on October 24th of this year, the album holds twelve favorites of the duo. The songs chosen are crooned with romantic melancholy by lead singer Zooey Deschanel. Songs such as “Blue Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and my favorite since hearing

and “Away In A Manger” have poignant warbling harmonies. Though arranged by Oberst, the album features numerous vocalists, giving it an orchestral quality. And on top of that, in the spirit of holiday giving, proceeds from the purchase of this album go to the Nebraska AIDS Project.

DECEMBER 2011

2. A Christmas Album: Bright Eyes Released in December of 2002, this is perhaps the most innovative album on this list. Lead singer Conor Oberst certainly lends his “dark quality” to each track on this Christmas album. Songs such as “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” were reworked with steel drum beats, while “Silver Bells”

Certainly the largest album on the list, Sufjan Steven’s take on the Holiday classics is actually a boxed set of five EPs with Christmas songs that were recorded at various times from 20012006. Classic hymns like “We Three Kings” and “O Holy Night” get his quirky treatment with rambling acoustic guitars, high (sometimes off, but in the best way) pitched choruses, and random instrumental outbursts. Intertwined with the revamped classics are Stevens’ original Christmas songs, boasting titles like “Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)” and “Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!” which create a less romanticized mood for this time of year … not complaining.

5. Belle & Sebastian Peel Session Christmas Party This album is a live recording that took place at BBC’s Maida Vale Studios back in 2002. The indie duo covers classics like “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, but a majority of the album has eerie renditions of older hymn-like Christmas songs. Especially haunting is their take on the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” The singer almost whispers the lyrics in a coaxing way, interwoven with jazzy instrumental interludes, giving the old people like this. song an1entirely fresh mood.

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SILENCE! THE MUSICAL THE HUNGER GAMES

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An Off-Broadway Show Review by Caroline Nelson

“Hello Clarice,” is not a line that generally inspires roaring laughter from an audience—unless that audience is watching Silence! The Musical. This 2005 NYC Fringe Festival’s Overall Excellence Award winner, was composed by brothers Jon and Al Kaplan, with the book by Hunter Bell. Originally conceived in 2002 and released online a year later, this musical parody of the Academy Award-winning movie The Silence of the Lambs, was recently revived at the 9th Space Theater in Performance Space 122 in the East Village. Performed on a minimal stage in the small, dark theater, the show follows Clarice Starling, an FBI cadet with a distinct accent, as she tries to find the woman-skinning serial killer Buffalo Bill with the help of the imprisoned Hannibal Lecter, a psychologist and cannibal. While this basic plot normally instills feelings of terror in viewers, it takes a perversely humorous turn thanks to raunchy writing and a small but enthusiastic cast that includes the Tony nominee and Married … With Children cast member David Garrison as Hannibal Lecter. The packed house roared with laughter as Clarice, played by hilarious Off-Broadway veteran Jenn Harris,

Photo courtesy of SilenceTheMusicalNYC.com

A Book Review by Amanda Zyta

attempted to extract information from Hannibal Lector “Quid Pro Quo,” and Buffalo Bill asked his latest victim “Are You About a Size 14?” while a chorus of lambs danced around the stage. Silence! The Musical is the perfect show 1 people for an audience thatlike loves this. off beat humor and twisted thrills and would rather scream with laughter than fright.

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a fast-paced, exciting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book takes place in a distant future where a nation of twelve districts is run by a cruel Capital. Many of the districts live in grinding poverty, near starvation, while a minority of top districts live a lavish lifestyle, free of worry. As a punishment to those who try to rebel without success, the Capital creates the Hunger Games. Each year, a boy and a girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen are randomly chosen from each district and put in an arena where they must brutally fight until death. The games are televised and used as entertainment for others in the districts to see. When Primrose, Katniss Everdeen’s younger sister, is called to participate, Katniss doesn’t hesitate to take her place even though it is a death sentence. Katniss always puts her sister and mother’s safety first and uses her competitive skills to help keep her family alive. She keeps her questions and hate for the Capital between herself and her friend Gale, the only person she feels who truly understands her. The stress and loneliness of the Hunger Games cause Katniss to find a friend in Peeta, the other tribute chosen from her district. Yet Katniss is hesitant to rely on him, especially after he reveals his love for her live on TV at the start of the games.

Image courtesy of Scholastic

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4 people like this. There are no rules in the game other than “kill or be killed,” leaving the 4.5 people like this. protagonist to fight between true feelings and survival. However, the game takes a turn when the Capital announces a rule change: both tributes from the same people likewinners this. if they district5can be declared are the last ones alive. She realizes she may have to change her strategy if she has any chance of surviving. The Hunger Games is a dark story that provokes a lot of thought and raises questions about authority and human motivations. Luckily, you won’t be left completely hanging since this is the first book of the trilogy. Whether you’re picking up a copy for yourself, or giving it as a gift for the Holidays it is sure to entertain.

HAUTE CULTURE

W27

Month in Review By Nicole Tan

CURRENT OUTLOOK FOR GRADUATES TO BE: THE EFFECTS OF OCCUPY WALL STREET ON OUR GENERATION FROM THE OTHER SIDE The negative: A Although many economists predict a positive outlook for the American economy, they have cautioned that the rise in oil prices and European debt issues still stand as two major roadblocks toward a solid and steady growth. A The labor market is regaining momentum, but not enough to cut into a 9% unemployment rate and promote faster economic growth.

Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and many other financial institutions have made headlines in recent years for all the wrong reasons— those pertaining to the causes of the 2008 financial crisis which in turn, gave rise to Occupy Wall Street. Before, the newly hired would boast proudly of their position on Wall Street, but now those same careers are masked by terms like 'consultant,' for fear of being ridiculed. In addition, bankers are no longer placed on a pedestal. Often forced to work long hours, young financiers, who thought their jobs were secure once their foot was in the door, now contribute to much of the retrenching that takes place. Statistics show that the number of investment bank and brokerage firm employees between ages 20 to 34 fell by 25% from the third quarter of 2008 to the same period of 2011. This tallies to a loss of 110,000 jobs because of layoffs, attrition and voluntary departures. Although it is noted that there have been many setbacks for young financiers on Wall Street (e.g.

Black Monday and the dot.com recession), experts predict that these job losses will not be restored. Leslie K. Hild, a Vice President with the recruiting firm Right Management, stated in The New York Times, "A lot of the positions that are being cut right now aren’t coming back. It’s an emotional roller coaster for almost everyone.” The lack of jobs has translated to anxiety at top colleges around the nation. Although the firms are not going away, hiring has been cut in half. Harvard Business School recorded 39% of its graduates this year going into finance, a 5% decrease from its previous year. Furthermore, the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, known to churn out financiers, had their Goldman Sachs information session cancelled by the firm. Today, many are less inclined to look at firms such as Goldman Sachs as prestigious places to be. Rather, new status jobs point toward technology and companies such as Google, Apple and Facebook.

COLLEGE SPORTS CONUNDRUM AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY Legendary football coach Joe Paterno was fired earlier this month due to pedophilia charges made against the former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky. To date, Sandusky is being accused of molesting eight under-aged boys, with some of the alleged predations occurring on campus. Dubbed "the Sandusky Scandal” by the media, the once-admired institution Penn State University, is now under much scrutiny. Vicky Triponey, who resigned her post as the university’s Standard and Conduct Officer in 2007, had voiced her concern over the school's handling of disciplinary cases involving football players since 2005. Following the scandal, many figures at Penn State have been forced to depart under pressure. Already, President Graham Spanier, Athletic Director Tim Curly, and Vice President Gary Schultz, who was in charge of the police department, have been fired, placed on administrative leave or stepped down. Both Schultz and Curley are charged with lying to a grand jury and failing to report the alleged abuses to police. Sanduskys is charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse.

According to a review of Associated Press stories, there had been at least 35 Penn State players who faced internal discipline or criminal charges between 2003 and 2009. The offenses ranged from assault, to drunk driving, to marijuana possession. One player was acquitted for sexual assault. Former FBI Director Louis Freeh has been hired to lead an internal investigation on the Sandusky case. The NCAA has also launched their own inquiry focused on Sandusky and the use of “institutional control” at the university.

ABOVE: Jerry Sandusky, photo courtesy of NYTimes.com RIGHT: Joe Paterno, photo courtesy of NittanyWhiteOut.com

The positive: A New U.S claims for jobless benefits hit a seven-month low at the start of November. A Permits for future home construction had also rebounded strongly last month. A Despite data showing a decrease in factory activity in the Mid-Atlantic region, workers were still being hired by employers with increased work hours. A Statistics provided by the Labor Department state that state unemployment benefit claims have fallen by 5,000 to 388,000. A Data in retail sales and industrial production point to firm growth, meaning a lessened risk of a doubledip recession.

HAUTE FIT CULTURE

DECEMBER 2011

OCCUPY WALL STREET: THE PROTEST CONTINUES By Colleen & Suzanne Dengel

Helicopters hovering overhead were heard for miles around the Financial District at midday on Tuesday, November 15. Many residents were confused; others knew the day had arrived. Occupy Wall Street’s compound was being evicted from Zuccotti Park. Police entered the park, where 200 Occupiers were camping and congregating, and warned them to leave or face arrest. Upon hearing the news through Occupy Wall Street’s website and social networking sites, over 25,000 New Yorkers gathered in the comfort of their homes to watch the live feed via the movement’s website. In the days that followed the eviction, there was violence from both sides. Witnesses say police were pushing protesters to designated areas; some Occupiers created a barrier around places like Wall Street and pushed forward, getting close enough to brush with police. News stations citywide published reports of businesspeople unable to get to their offices on Wall Street due to mindnumbing traffic jams, and thousands of protesters marching the streets, clogging subway entrances and business entrances alike. So how has the protest changed?

It’s no secret that the impact of Occupy Wall Street has widened, transcending city borders and even going abroad. With the violence reported at UC Berkeley, tensions appear to be escalating. But with the cold weather arriving and the newly imposed evictions, is this protest nearing its end?

at the beginning stages. “There weren’t that many people who knew why they were angry or how to channel their anger,” he said. But then Vohra noticed a change in the attitude of protesters. As he saw what he described as a feeling of unity that had come over them, he felt more comfortable going back in support.

Prior to eviction, it was not hard to spot the thousands of frustrated Americans filling Zuccotti Park with their tents and signs. It was hard to ignore the impressive number of college students that have joined the movement, from Muslim students to Irish-American students, and those of every stripe, ethnicity and nationality.

His friend, Mark Iscander, an NYU student, had also been to the protests at Zuccotti Park. “I was here before and I thought the movement was gaining a lot of strength,” he said.

Amman Vohra, a sophomore at Ursinus College, had only been to the protest a few times. He was there to protest what he believes is the banks’ role in the economic downfall. “I personally am down here because I think the banks, especially the big four [JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America] have bought out our economy,” he said, “and [they] are playing a very dangerous game with the world's economy.” He was put off at first by the high level of anger many protesters’ felt and expressed

Iscander was there to protest the U.S. foreign policy. “I am extremely antiwar and the foreign policy is designed for war.” Unlike his friend Vorhra, Iscander does not believe the anger among the protests has died down. “I think they're still angry,” he said, “The morale has built up a lot more.” On the flip side, George Erhart, 26, joined Occupy because of the impact the protest has made on his values. “I love to watch it grow and I just, I dig it and I think it meshes with my values,” he said. Ehrhart never attended technical school or any kind of university. He is an independent businessman who is currently between jobs. Ehrhart believes people should stop putting a deadline on the protest. He compared the movement to what Chris Hedges said about the fall of the Berlin Wall, “[The people at the time thought] maybe we can get some people across the border in a year or some months and then the wall fell in a couple of hours.” Ehrhart doesn’t know if it will last one more month or ten years, and he’s okay

with that. “These movements have a life of their own,” he said, “we have to see what kind of life this has.” As for the connection between the US protests and those in Italy and other countries, Ehrhart does not believe they are linked. “I think it’s an insult to the culture and to the country to think they have the same values and the same goals as [Occupy Wall Street,]” he said. “I think there is some common ground, but I don’t think we should pretend there’s enormous common ground where there isn’t any.” Do we really understand the objective of this entire protest? Some say we do and some say we do not, and with the added influence abroad and the attention this protest has garnered, it’s no secret that the actual movement has accomplished some of its goals. It has created greater awareness of economic inequalities, stimulated discussion and increased media attention to OWS issues. Judging by the enormous amount of press and followers, this is quite possibly one of the biggest movements in recent U.S. history. Protesters continue to maintain that change needs to happen. One protester summed it up by saying, “It’s time to stop hearing and start listening.”

Photos by Brandon Remler, taken from his blog: brandonremler.blogspot.com/

HAUTE CULTURE

W27

OUTSIDE YOUR BOROUGH: HAWT COCOA Whether going out with friends to go ice skating, commuting to class or simply wrapping up in a blanket on your couch, hawt cocoa is the ideal drink to instantly warm you up. Grab your mittens, chunky scarf, and holiday spirit and head off to the boroughs to get your perfectly steamed cocoa-fix.

New Jersey By Raquel Rose Burger Jersey Freeze 120 Manalapan Ave Freehold, NJ 07728 732.462.3008 This snack stand is decked out in orange and white to ensure it attracts your attention from the highway. Though this hangout offers delicious dinerstyle food, it is by far more famous for its scrumptious desserts. Smooth frozen yogurt, moist fresh baked pies, and creamy cakes are just a few of the temptations on offer. This café gets busiest during the cold winter months and it sure has a reason to— its Hot Chocolate is like no other. Your order comes with an adorable limited edition mug filled with rich hot chocolate, and topped off with a generous amount of whipped cream. Customers love collecting the mugs; it is an incentive to keep coming back and adds a special touch to your warm delight. Jersey Freeze will knock the freeze out of you.

Illustrated for W27 by Ruodan Bai.

Brooklyn

Manhattan

By Julie Daly

By Megan Venere

Cocoa Bar 228 7th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.499.4080

Max Brenner Booth Bryant Park 40th Street & 6th Avenue

One of the best parts of a cold December day is cuddling up with a mug of hot chocolate in hand. Located on a main street of shops in Park Slope, Cocoa Bar is a great place to tuck into a steaming hot cup of chocolate-y goodness, whether it’s to meet up with an old friend or to sit down and hit the books for all those finals coming up. Here, the traditional idea of hot chocolate is taken to a whole new level. Made with steamed milk, one can choose from the following flavors of hot chocolate: spicy, white chocolate, dark chocolate, mint, cinnamon, or “chunky monkey” (made with banana syrup). Offered in one size, you’ll be paying about $4.50. If you are finding yourself completely drained of all energy now that it’s the end of the semester, try a ‘ChocoLatte’ in any hot chocolate flavor, with the added bonus of an espresso shot!

Take a break from your holiday shopping and head to the Max Brenner booth in Bryant Park. Known for their delicious chocolates, Max Brenner sells an amazing Italian Thick Hot Chocolate. You’d think this beverage is super heavy and rich, right? Wrong. The tasty quaff is surprisingly light and tastes just like pure melted chocolate. Although it’ll set you back five dollars and comes in a tiny cup, it is a great way to treat yourself after a long week of finals.

Queens By Venus Wong Martha’s Country Bakery 36-21 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria, NY 11105 718.545.9737 Martha’s is a great place to just sit back, relax and indulge in comforting food and a warm atmosphere. Situated in the lovely neighborhood of Astoria, Queens, the bakery is cottage-themed and offers a wide range of homemade pastries. Both outdoor and indoor seating is offered, making it an ideal spot to have long afternoon chats with friends. The staff is always willing to recommend the best cake to go with the beverage order. Martha’s Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate is renowned for its unique flavor. It has just a hint of peanut butter perfectly melded into melted, rich dark chocolate, and forms the perfect union with marble cheesecake.

DECEMBER 2011

FIT Speaks

A HAPPY NEW YEAR LETTER “ ” By Francesca Beltran

Sometimes change is … everything.

Boy, do I know that. This year, if anything, was all about change. Through much excruciating pain in the past year, I have changed and, hopefully, evolved. I learned that we humans can achieve anything, survive anything and stay above anything. I learned the true meaning of friendship, and without friends, I would be nowhere. Change is a contradicting thing. We all seek for it and yet, we want things to stay the same. Well, I am telling you now: change happens whether or not you want it and accept it. The best thing one can do is embrace it and move on. It’s all about having your eye on the promise. Change is a promise: The promise of something new and exciting, the promise of better things to come along, and the promise of continuous self-improvement. However, I do understand that change is always hard, sometimes painful, and is never easy to deal with. So how exactly do we deal with change? Here is my advice: learn to laugh no matter what. I came across this phrase when I was reading Patti Smith’s Just Kids: “Laughter, an essential ingredient for survival. And we laughed a lot.” I pondered on the quite for a moment, and then it hit me: This is how I survived and go on— by laughing everyday. I urge you all to be happy, for happiness is a choice, albeit a very hard one indeed. Learn to recognize those who truly love you and learn to keep them by your side. There is nothing more rewarding than realizing that even though things have changed, even though you changed, the people who love you are still there.

This year I learned we are all mortals: We can die any day, at any moment and from any cause. As distressing as that was for me to realize, I also learned that love and friendship are eternal: They change, evolve and are the key ingredients for true happiness and strength. Happiness is what keeps you here now; strength from these relationships, on the other hand, is what makes us all go on. I wish you all a year full of laughter and change. Happy New Year! Love, Francesca

Photo courtesy of pdphoto.org.

CHANGE IS A PROMISE The promise of something new and exciting, the promise of better things to come along, and the promise of continuous self-improvement.

FIT SPEAKS

W27

Crunch time: Ultimate Stress Busters By Samantha Vance

It’s that time of year again fellow FITers—crunch time. During the month leading to Holiday break we are juggling the excitement of festivities, decorating, baked goods and papers, projects, and final exams. It’s hard to stay awake amidst all this, let alone focus. December promises weeks of vacation and relaxation but only by first paying the dues of anxiety, stress, and sleep deprivation. Here’s to the caffeine, the all-nighters and staying sane throughout the coming weeks. I know it’s hard not to feel like mocking them when watching those jolly women on TV shopping and decorating without a care in the world. Being a student wreaks intense havoc on your pre-holiday spirit. Try these quick stress busters when you feel like no one in the world can relate to your workload and misery. 1.) Simplify: Cut your to-do list in half. Ask yourself whether the world will end tomorrow if these things don’t get done. Take a deep breath, and work through it. 2.) Prioritize: You probably have a lot on your plate right now, and everything is starting to pile up. Write all your tasks on a sheet of paper and assign them numbers 1-10, 10 being the most important. Rule of thumb: if you get past 8, you’re in good shape. 3.) Think big: In the grand scheme of things, settling for a B instead of an A on a final exam is a pretty small misfortune. Granted it may sting a little, but when you think about the poverty and world hunger, it will seem relatively unimportant. 4.) Laugh: According to Therese J. Borchard, editor for Psychcentral.com, chronic and severe stress can damage organic systems in our body—laughter is the cure. When we laugh, the autonomic nervous system mellows out and the heart relaxes. Laughter also boosts the immune system, and can increase a person’s ability to fight viruses and foreign cells. The levels of three stress hormones are reduced by laughing: cortisol, epinephrine, and dopac. Plus, it’s just fun to have a good time! I realize that it takes an incredible amount of willpower to sit down and relax for a moment, but if you take a breather and think about what you have already accomplished, the whole room would stop spinning and your sanity will thank you. There are weeks lying ahead of you when you don’t have to take a single glance at a textbook! Bonne chance on finals and have a great break, you definitely deserve it!

Ja Young Kim recharges, photgraphed by Deanna Paquette.

Black Friday: My Painful Hours in Retail By Rich Gilmartin Thanksgiving weekend is supposed to be a time to get together with family and friends to reconnect and give thanks for our blessings. But if you work in retail, you know that the weekend is actually a time of sleeplessness, disgruntled customers, and deals so good that people are willing to trample over one another to get them. That’s right, people: Black Friday is here to ruin your entire weekend, and the worst part is that you know it’s coming and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Stores have been prepping for weeks in advance, hoping to take in their biggest sales revenue before the year ends. My love-hate relationship with Black Friday began about a month ago: I woke up at 6 a.m. to be at the Holiday Launch Meeting of the store I worked at, which I was less than thrilled about. After all, closing at 12:30 a.m. on a Saturday night and having to be there the very next morning isn’t exactly giving my social life the boost it needs. After sitting there for about two hours playing awkward ice breakers with the stock people and hearing pointless numbers being thrown at me by a super snobby assistant manager, I was temporarily set free until my eight hour shift began. And it could not have been more stressful: Visual standards for the merchandise during the holiday season has been raised drastically, the assistant manager

was constantly running around making sure that every single customer has been greeted at least five times, and I was scheduled an extra hour—Perfect timing for all the midterms and projects! So after about a month of preparation, the big day arrived. The madness started at approximately 3 a.m. I woke up and immediately realized that the glass of wine my grandmother had given me the night before was a bad idea. I reported to work for my shift, only to find out that they didn’t actually need me to come in that early. But hey, who doesn’t like getting up early without reason, am I right? I finally got to start my first shift at a children’s clothing store, and after four hours of misery and witnessing pregnant women trying to haggle for free clothes, it was time to start my second, and much longer shift. I walked into my store, and found massive chaos: Everything was 40% off and customers were willing to box each other out for the last pair of work pants in their size. Nine more hours for me, standing in one place scanning clothes. Oh, joy. It only took another couple of hours before I found myself judging all the customers standing in line. The people I was servicing were mainly tourists, as real New Yorkers were off to actually spend time with their

families. Black Friday is supposed to be the biggest Christmas gift shopping day of the year, and yet the majority of them were madly buying things for themselves. A distressed couple was the worst: The wife was on the edge, while the husband had stopped caring a long while ago. She gave a public speech on their lack of chemistry, and I could only laugh nervously in response. I looked over to the husband for help, but he was off in Lala land, ignoring the whole situation. Ten minutes had never felt so long! I didn’t reprimand them of course, all I did was grin and hand them their shopping bags. Alas, it was time for me to head home after the grueling 14-hour work day. On my way home, I began thinking of the delicious meal I had on Thanksgiving Day and the sandwich made by my drunken aunt, which sounded pretty good right about then. But I got home only to discover that it had long been eaten by someone else. Black Friday officially sucked. But you know, at least I’ll get a pretty decent paycheck out of all this!

FIT

DECEMBER 2011

THE HOLIDAY ISSUE

STYLE ON 27 Photography by Armah Jones. The winter cold is beginning to creep onto campus, and with it comes sweaters in all shapes and styles. Students can be seen in everything from classic turtlenecks to unique thrift shop finds. Pair your sweater with jeans and boots, or skirts and tights for a look that’s both cool and comfortable.

Arletny Rodriguez | Accessories Design Favorite Fashion Publication? Nylon What made you wear this sweater today? I felt like having my Bill Cosby swag. How many sweaters do you own? 10

Victoria Martin | FMM & Minor in Spanish Favorite Fashion Publication? Women’s Wear Daily What made you wear this sweater today? I was in a very cropped mood. How many sweaters do you own? Literally 50 sweaters

Larissa Zemke | International Trade and Marketing Favorite Fashion Publication? Dazed and Confused What made you wear this sweater today? It is versatile and I can style it in different ways. How many sweaters do you own? 20

Laura Fishman | AMC Favorite Fashion Publication? Vanity Fair What made you wear this sweater today? Bought it to go to an internship. How many sweaters do you own? Two. I lived in Paris all through the Spring.

Tairis Santana | Fashion Design Favorite Fashion Publication? ELLE What made you wear this sweater today? The weather called for it. How many sweaters do you own? 30

Janice Kwon | Art History & Museum Professions Favorite fashion publication? Harper’s Bazaar What made you wear this sweater today? It is very cozy. How many sweaters do you own? 10

Vanessa Bonilla | Textile Design Favorite Fashion Publication? Nylon What made you wear this sweater today? It’s J. Crew. I got from a thrift store for about $4 and I really like the color. How many sweaters do you own? 5

Katie Li | Interior Design Favorite fashion publication? Stockholm Street Fashion Blog, and my blog, ohsokatieli.blogspot.com, where I post my inspiration What made you wear this sweater today? It’s one of my favorite sweaters! I thrifited it for $6 a few days ago. How many sweaters do you own? 11