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Our students give insight on the fashion and culture going on around our beloved NYC.
Take a break from the serious news coverage that W27 provides each month and indulge in some fun stories by our writers.
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The Voice of FIT.
The Fashion Institute’s Student-run Newspaper
By Grace O’Hanion (FBM ‘26) Photography by Adriana Bolanos (AMC ‘24) Graphic Design by Kaila Donohue (Graphic Design ‘25)
The Chalk Chalk Narrative Narrative Fashion Ave is a bustling, brutalist, fastpaced, sector in the heart of Manhattan. The concrete walls and industrial architecture tower over the masses as hoards of pedestrians crowd the streets. The Fashion Institute of Technology, despite being an epicenter of creativity, is undifferentiated to midtown in terms of architectural design aesthetic. That was until the FIT chalk mural created a noticeable distinction. How did this tradition come to be? Who is involved, and what does the chalk mural represent? Ten years ago Dan Shefleman, professor at FIT and Chair of Illustration, found himself bored whilst teaching an illustration course. He wanted to create a project that was exhilarating and new. Something that would create a difference and excite his students. His solution was to take his students outside and have them gather some chalk. As a group, the class then started sketching on the sidewalk.
FROM FIT TO ESPN
Soon enough, members of the community became onlookers and asked if they could contribute to the joint mural. It became a widespread, public art jamboree. When Dan left the site at around 9 p.m. and woke up the next morning, he discovered that the art had been power washed and decimated. The following day, Dan had a meeting with the dean at the time to discover what had happened. He was told that the public took the chalk experiment to an extreme: vandalizing the campus, and drawing inappropriate designs that were disturbing and offensive. The dean valued Dan’s creativity and his effort to think innovatively. In response, they chose to negotiate and establish what has since become the organized tradition known as the FIT chalk mural. In my conversation with Dan Shefleman, he described the chalk mural by stating “it turns the building inside out.” What he meant was that on the outside, the FIT campus is quite formidable with its concrete, monolithic
P03
Explore how FIT alumni Stephen A. Smith came to be the sports journalist he is today as we recount his achievements and hardships on the way to the top.
appearance. By adding life and color to the exterior of the campus, it breaks down the fortress and gives the public insight into what kind of students attend FIT. We as a community are unconventional, unafraid to challenge the norm, colorful, and vibrant, creatives anticipating our moment to be heard, and arguably passion itself. We are dreamers with opinions and voices that are loud. We want to be heard, we want our message to be shared. This was what Dan Shefleman wanted the mural to represent. Every October, senior illustration students, led by Dan Shefleman and the Illustration department, spend three days utilizing paints, dyes, reality animation, and pure talent in an effort to humanize the campus and leave an impact.
In October 2023, marking the 10-year anniversary of the chalk mural, the selected theme was “Celebration.” Students opted to commemorate their culture, identity, and passions. Senior Pearl Zhang (Illustration ‘24) celebrates her Chinese heritage through her illustrations of Chinese lanterns, while Alyssa (Illustration ‘24) honors femininity by depicting a girl sitting in her bed, surrounded by objects that embrace girlhood. The Chalk mural is an integral aspect of the FIT community. For illustration students, it helps them understand the power of what they do. The mural is our representation, our message for the world, and ultimately what we choose to celebrate as a community.
Residents of Chelsea, tourists leaving Penn Station, and New York locals, stop to turn their heads and observe as students sketch out and execute their creative visions.
INTERVIEW WITH ARMOR GIRL
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The mysterious girl with the wearable armour: who is she? The answer everyone at FIT has been asking since the start of the semester is right here, on P5!
FRESHMAN DORM LIFE
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This investigative piece delves into what it means to dorm at FIT’s freshman dorms. Explore Alumni, CoEd, and Nagler Halls and their different atmospheres!
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