Williamsburg Fashion Weekend Magazine
Editor In Chief Gina Tron Founder Arthur Arbit Contributors Bob Bland Rebecca Bratburd Jessee Egan Tatiana Johnson Tamara Laine Justice Marchi Matt Mikas Mickey Woods
Photographers Nick Childers Jena Cumbo Leila Morrissey Brian Schutza
Assistants/Stylists Jennifer Smith Mikalena Kenyon
Design
Ron Kretsch
A Letter From the Founder photo by Ely Kay
The holidays are always a time for me to reflect on the past year. Having a bit of time
to relax with my thoughts, I assess what I’ve done right, what I’ve done wrong, and make decisions based on that going into the New Year.This year however it is not so personal, as I am concerned with the state of our planet more than ever.
Iotherwise believe itthecouldn’t planetsupport is a living thing, life the way
it does, and thus it must have emotions and feelings. When I empathize with the planet, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture: humans killing each other, humans killing animals, humans destroying the environment, this can’t go on. Searching my soul for answers, for the correct road out of the chaos humanity has created for itself I look to civilizations that gave us the great cornerstones by which to live. We stand on the shoulders of the truths those great creators left to us, but we have perverted their doctrines, and now we pay the price. Even the holydays have been twisted by unscrupulous minds to perpetuate dogma, consumerism and other agendas.
We are all a small part of the large organism that inhabits this planet, when
we hurt or cheat a person or anything (animals and plants and rivers included), we are hurting ourselves, for we are a part of them and they are a part of us. The way out of the mess we made is to go back to the principles laid down by the great sages of the past. Not one of them, whether they were from India or Egypt or Greece or Ireland or China or Palestine, ever preached consumerism, warmongering or competition.
The small elite who are perpetuating the demise of moral standards are happy to
have us at each other’s throats (keeps us off theirs) or in a mind fuzz, with a myriad of sedatives, stimulants and the like (keeps us from thinking deeply about the issues). Until we realize there is a system in place designed for our destruction we are all sitting ducks going on with what “we are supposed to do” instead of thinking for ourselves and doing what we know deep inside we must do to fix this planet.
—Arthur Arbit
Despite the overwhelming number of apparel shops in New York it can be difficult
, to find your niche, especially when striving for environmentally- and socially-conscious fashions. But fear not! We’ve done the legwork to help you put your best foot forward when it comes to consumerism you can feel good about. Here, you’ll find a guide to some of New York’s best boutiques carrying local designers’ apparel and jewelry, vintage and thrift stores actually worth your time, best picks for upcycling and DIY creations, and outdoor flea markets. Happy shopping! — Rebecca Bratburd • Map By Jessee Egan
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Vaute Couture 234 Grand St., Williamsburg vautecouture.com Brooklyn Denim Co 85 N. 3rd St, Williamsburg brooklyndenimco.com Eco Closet 230 Grand St., Williamsburg shoptiques.com/eco-closet The Brooklyn Circus 150 Nevins St., Gowanus thebkcircus.com Moves Concept Store 419 Graham Ave., Williamsburg movesbrooklyn.com Treehouse 430 Graham Ave., Williamsburg treehousebrooklyn.com Lingo 257 W. 19th St., Chelsea lingonyc.com Better Than Jam 123 Knickerbocker Ave., Bushwick betterthanjamnyc.com In God We Trust 129 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg ingodwetrustnyc.com In God We Trust 265 Lafayette St., SoHo ingodwetrustnyc.com Loren 80 Nassau Ave., Greenpoint lorencronk.com Brooklyn Collective 212 Columbia St, Columbia St Waterfront District brooklyncollective.com Union Max 110 Union St., Columbia Street Waterfront District 10 Ft. Single 285 N. 6th St., Williamsburg AuH2O 84 E. 7th St., East Village auh2oshop.com No Relation Vintage 204 1st Avenue, East Village ltrainvintage.com Village Style 111 E. 7th Street, East Village villagestyleny.com Guvnor’s Vintage Thrift 178 5th Avenue, Park Slope guvnorsnyc.com Odd Twin 164 5th Ave., Park Slope oddtwin.com Housing Works (12 Locations) housingworks.org/locations/category/thrift-shops What Goes Around Comes Around 351 W. Broadway, SoHo whatgoesaroundnyc.com Housing Works 157 E. 23rd St. Gramercy housingworks.org Housing Works 143 West 17th St housingworks.org Housing Works 245 W. 10th St., West Village housingworks.org Housing Works 122 Montague St., Brooklyn Heights housingworks.org Fort Greene Flea Saturdays, 176 Lafayette Ave brooklynflea.com Williamsburg Flea Sundays, East River Waterfront brooklynflea.com Hester Street Fair Saturdays, Hester St. at Essex www.hesterstreetfair.com Artists and Fleas 70 N. 7th St., Williamsburg www.artistsandfleas.com A Thousand Picnics 171 S. 4th St., Williamsburg www.speciesbythethousands.com Salvation Army 436 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill www.use.salvationarmy.org Salvation Army 208 E. 23rd St., Gramercy www.use.salvationarmy.org Goodwill 258 Livingston St., Downtown Brooklyn www.goodwillny.org Goodwill 1100 Fulton St., Clinton Hill www.goodwillny.org Goodwill 220 E. 23rd St., Gramercy Park www.goodwillny.org Beacon’s Closet 88 N. 11th Street, Brooklyn beaconscloset.com
Manufacture New York by Tatiana R. Johnson photo by Gina Tron
Designers, especially independent designers, rejoice! Finally an incubator space and access to all
designer tools and classes in one place. No more need to outsource to six different factories in order to make one shirt! Director Bob Bland is turning the idea of Manufacture New York into a reality. “Right now the main focus of Manufacture New York is independent designers and getting them the production they need,” says Bland. Manufacture New York is a new fashion incubator dedicated to providing independent designers with the resources and skills to make small productions into large ones. Bland is just the person to make this happen, having 8+ years of experience in the fashion design and production industry working with such companies Ralph Lauren and Triple 5 Soul. She has spent some months in China only to witness children working 12 hour factory shifts. She described the experience as “eye opening” despite it being the norm in that area. Working on her own American-made line, Brooklyn Royalty, she found the process frustrating. New York does not currently offer reasonable options for emerging designers. She found herself using multiple factories for one product. This ignited a desire to create Manufacture New York, a system that would nurture newer designers and benefit the community as a whole.
With the lack of so many manufacturers
in the garment district of New York, Brooklyn will be the primary location for the new incubator. “Brooklyn is the perfect place to facilitate Manufacture New York because of the warehouse space” says Bland. She is currently using the Brooklyn Fashion League as a headquarters along with co-founder Kaci Head who runs Brooklyn Fashion League. Head offers a full space for designers to produce their designs, and offers classes and workshops taught by independent local artists. Manufacture New York will be an extension of this idea. There is an application process already in the making so it’s important that anyone that wants to be involved get involved now. “Members can create their own role, it’s such a big movement of designers and creatives”, explains Bland. Bland has also been raising money for various Hurricane Sandy victims and getting designers involved as well, with silent auctions and parties.
There is a planned launch for Manufacture
New York in Spring 2013. “Whether you’re ethical or not we need to bring jobs back to America.”
Made i n NYC A factory thrives in Greenpoint by Bob Bland • photos by Brian Schutza
Dodgi ng traffic across McGuiness Blvd in the industrial section of North Brooklyn was
worth the effort to visit Greenpoint Design and Manufacturing Center, the granddaddy of all NYC’s incubators. Incorporated in 1992, this visionary group of repurposed factory buildings are home to over 300,000 sq ft of industrial space, 100 small businesses and 500 artisanal workers.
Inside the Factory We had the rare opportunity to tour the apparel
manufacturing operation of Alan Ng, whose company Dynotex Limited was founded 13 years ago in the Garment District of Manhattan, and moved to
GDMC in 2003. Dynotex is a good choice for independent designers who need small runs because they provide quality woven & cut-and-sew production, cutting, patternmaking and grading- all in one 5,000 sq ft facility. Throughout the interview we could tell that Mr. Ng is proud of his employees and facilities, answering every question and demonstrating totally transparency while walking us through the garment making process. Designers should allow 8 weeks of lead time and order 100 pieces per style for the best pricing, though smaller orders and rush jobs are accepted, as time allows. The biggest advantage of producing locally is that easy communication & ability to visit the factory floor ensures that designers can make better fitting & higher quality garments that are true to their original intention. Fashion is not an automated process, and whether in a Brooklyn sample room or a huge Shenzhen factory, every aspect is done by hand. To produce locally at a competitive price, “…the designs have to be novel, and everything has to be high-quality,” said Mr. Ng.
Challenges The public transit system is crucial for manufac-
turing workers, who might be traveling from outer boroughs where housing and living expenses are less costly, to the factory. Dynotex has struggled with this in the Greenpoint Design and Manufacturing Center, which is only serviced by the G train. They even arranged shuttle buses to the factory for a while, because Greenpoint transit is so difficult. The Labor Department of the US government does strict examinations to ensure quality work conditions, reasonable hours and wages, and no one can bring work home. One of the biggest challenges is the overhead- because of regulations and high NYC rental costs, $.21 of every dollar goes to the government. Despite these difficulties, Dynotex has thrived- retaining 65% of the factory employees for eight years or more. Based on my experience, this is a much better turnover rate than most design houses.
Why Buy American? “People still buy clothes made in Italy at a much
higher price [versus made in China],” said Mr. Ng, and that statement raised a good point: why exactly should people buy American, and how do we build “Made in America” back into an internationally-loved brand? Our fabric selections are usually much better quality, and the process is artisanal, not mechanical. NYC designs are often cutting-edge, our graphics & street style unparalled. But we can’t just rely on the consumer to look at the label and buy locally because it’s “the right thing to do”. As an industry, we can cut waste and make apparel manufacturing in NYC affordable by only producing the most interesting and sought-after designs, on less frequent production cycles, taking the time to educate buyers, retailers and customers on what a USA-made purchase really means and why its so valuable.
Feast of the Beast Photo: Brian Schutza 2 front dresses: SDN Marcus Hicks Pink Mini Dress: King Gurvy Arthur’s Ties: Bweela Steptoe Arthur’s Outfit: King Gurvy Debauchery Armored Suit + Tie Guy’s Suit: SDN Marcus Hicks Jewelry/Armor: Bibiana + Black Cabinet Accessories Stylist: Jennifer Smith Hair and Makeup: Lauren Ondersma
Holiday Shopping Spree Photos By: Nick Childers Dress: SDN Marcus Hicks Hat: Shock Vintage Jewelry: Black Cabinet Accessories Assistant: Mikalena Kenyon
There’s No Place Like Rehab For The Holy-Daze By Gina Tron Photo by Leila Morrissey • Dress by Desira Pesta • Jewelry By Bibiana + Black Cabinet
“I’ll be institutionalized for Christmas...if only in my dreams” - Bing Crosby
While sitting in the festive throne of my uncomfortable office chair, I try to
imagine what it would be like to spend a December day roaming the hallways of a packed suburban mall. A mall packed to the brim with bloodthirsty consumers cutting each other in line at Forever 21 while Nicky Minaj’s autotuned version of “Deck The Halls” is pumped through the tinny overhead speakers. When I fantasize about this, my brain immediately begins to think of death, as a practical defense mechanism.
IYeah, don’yeah. t much like the holidays anymore. Everyone knows the holidays are
commercial as fuck. It’s so damn hip to say that the holidays are commercial, that I think Spencer’s Gifts may be selling a shirt with that phrase. It’s 50 percent off til next Tuesday, so don’t forget to trample your neighbors to death en route to scoring that deal!
The holidays are a melting pot of bullshi t and potential domestic disaster. For example, watching your unfaithful aunt attempting to make up for her lack of dignity by showing off her ability to buy Looney Tunes-themed Christmas ornaments. There exists a myriad of shit that will lead you to potentially prefer to spend Christmas in a mental health center.
The holidays are rough, even on the seemingly sanest and most rational of people. All this media-induced pressure to have a merry good time just serves to emphasize the emptiness of that Disney-sized, peppermint
candy-coated merriness. There is no time like the holidays to shine a heat light on the radiant flaws of your life.
This holiday season, we at Williamsburg Fashion Weekend would love to shine a light
on the flaws of the fashion industry. It’s easy to hate on the mainstream industry, much like its easy to freely indulge in mocking the child star gone mad in the media spotlight. Though, we don’t hate this sexy kid that is the mainstream fashion industry. We love that bitch, and we love the potential that lies deep within her. But she has some problems, some major problems. She made some poor decisions with her outsourcing addiction. She also appears to have lost her luster for life, incapable, apparently, of letting loose these days. We want to shake the shit out of her, and bring her back. The fashion industry needs a bit of rehabilitation. We need her to prosper properly so that we all can too.
Everybody needs a little reboot here and
there. Sometimes destruction is construction if carried out properly. Reevaluate your flaws, and try to improve them. Better yourself not just for you, but for everyone around you, for the community as a whole.
With New York City having undergone
its own mini-apocalypse, destruction has literally blown into our backyard. So this holiday season, reassess what’s important, and shop local. Give the gift of rehabilitation to the fashion industry.
Pop Levi by Justice Marchi
In a world where good music has become more occult in both senses of the word, Pop
Pop Levi: Yeah amazing. Love the flair.
Justice
Justice: Where do you buy your clothing? Pop Levi: I like to buy almost all vintage clothing and then alter it to a greater or lesser degree. Justice: Shoes? Pop Levi: Cur rently white plimsolls and the Maurice Gibb version of the John
Levi is a voice of what popular music should be if we lived in a musical utopia. He has compiled and created a mod funk psychedelic soup of primal as well as ‘elegant medicine’; (his most recent albums title) for us to remember. This being WFW we wanted to ask Pop his thoughts on fashion and the current state of culture. : One of the main things that separates you from most musicians right now other than your music is your sense of style.
Pop Levi: Well the TV and all that commotion has told them what to do hasn’t it. It’s been a slow dive since 1989 in popular culture.
Justice: Do you have any fashion icons? Pop Levi: Sun Ra is honestly one of my serious fashion icons. His clothes are beautiful and homemade and I’m a big fan of that.
I don’t know if I’d call him and her an icon (for myself) but I really love what Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood did when they had their shops in the 70’s on The King’s Road. Combining clothes and music. Brilliant idea. Lets design clothes for these kids with this music. I love that. It’s like a step on from Warhol. I know what I like. I like to design things but I don’t really know about brand names. Prince is another fashion icon of mine. It’s not necessarily that I love all his clothes but I love the way he only wears his own clothes.
Justice
: One of my favorite fashion icons is early Brian Eno from Roxy Music and his first few solo albums.
And you know who else. Gabriel. Early Genesis. Fun, very funny but really weird, because he doesn’t seem to have a sense of humor. When I look at him I’m like fuckin’ hell that’s brilliant.
Lennon’s shoe. Maurice had it designed like John but in brown suede with red interior lining.
Justice Pop Levi: 1984. Justice: You think it’s just straight up 1984? Pop Levi: Sure why not, pretty spot on. Justice: Aleister Crowley? We can’t overlook how you spelled the title of your first album : What do you think of politics and the world body outside of music?
The Return to Form Black Magick Party.
Pop Levi Justice: You have a great sense of humor. You have a lot of fun in your music. Pop Levi: Well yes, but what I’ve noticed that people don’t really get sense of humors anymore.
: A raving genius. Imagine him in the internet age.
It’s such a sick vision that its quite hard to get people in it but once they’re in it they love it.
Ssion by Matt Mikas
Gay people, of course, are much cooler than us straight people, which, is something that I’m quite fine with accepting. Take for instance the idea of getting drunk and having a killer dance party in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday. - They came up with that shit! Its called T-dance and its about time you recognize. You see, while most straight guys out there test the patience of the women in their lives by sitting around a television with one another drinking beer, and eating fried food, while farting and yelling at images of super-butch dudes in tight-assed pants chasing a ball around and piling on top of each other, their more civilized gay counterparts are wringing every last ounce of fun out of the weekend by having another Saturday night out, one which starts out early enough on a Sunday so that everyone can get a good night’s rest in before carrying on with whatever bullshit gets them through the upcoming work week.
Sunday afternoon T-Dance started in discreet gay operated speakeasies during the
1950’s where non-partnered dancing was slowly beginning to evolve. You see, it was illegal, once upon a time in America, for men to dance with men, or for women to dance with women while in a public establishment. Therefore, in the event of a raid, gay men and lesbian women would quickly change partners to form temporary mixed-couple arrangements (sort of like celebrity Scientologists do these days). Plus, it was also illegal, in those dark ages, as well for bars to ‘knowingly sell alcohol to homosexuals’ and besides many of those clandestine venues catering to the gay population of the day were not necessarily licensed as ‘night clubs’ or to even sell alcohol, period. So, in order to avoid attracting undo attention, afternoon “tea dances” (influenced by the genteel Victorian customs of the garden party and afternoon tea) were promoted. With the proscription against same-sex dancing in effect, organizers were
forced to institute ‘no touching’ rules on the dance floor. And when there were no lesbians around to change partners with, gay men began to develop the “dancing apart” style that regular old straight folk and club-goers everywhere now take for granted. - So there you have it, now nobody has to bother learning how to work their partner up from a foxtrot to a Lindy-hop or tango like an Argentinian dictator just to get some juices flowing. You can now do whatever the hell you feel like doing on the dance floor and its quite alright: Thanks to Gay People!
So, now that your history lesson for the day is over, here’s your weekend assignment:
Go, right now, invite all your friends over this coming Sunday afternoon after brunch. Tell them to bring booze and fresh fruit. Your job is to buy the new full length release from Cody Critcheloe’s incredibly fabulous synth pop project, Ssion. Its called, Bent, (available on 180 gram vinyl as well as boring old mp3) and it features so much post-disco, Korg-driven pop perfection that when you play the thing a few times you might think you’ve somehow traveled back in time to a balmy Sunday afternoon on Fire Island, circa, 1982, or something... Hey! Look over there! Is that Boy George and Freddie Mercury sharing a bottle of Rush?! Is the DJ playing some killer remix of New Order by Georgio Moroder that I never heard before?! Is this the most awesome day of my life?!
No, no, it’s just that second pitcher
of fresh lime daquiris on a Sunday afternoon starting to kick in. But anyway, hurry up, let’s flip the record over again, I want to get the fuck down to “Luvvbazaar” and “Earthquake” with you all one more time before I’m stuck in a cubicle with only the mp3s shuffling at random through my ipod while I make fucking excel spread sheets for the rest of the god damned week.
Team Spirit by Tamara Laine
The new wave of Rock ‘n’ Roll wears black
and denim- at least that’s how the band Team Spirit rocks the stage. This new “trans-Atlantic” band is the best of British and American rock together with loud guitars.
“We always get in a competition, about what
country produced the best music,” lead singer and guitarist Ayad Al Adhamy admits. The fusion of the two countries gives way to the hip rock ‘n’ roll sound of Team Spirit.
The band is composed of four members
Ayad Al Adhamy (Lead Vocals and Guitar- Team Britain), Cosmo Kilburn Di Giulio (GuitarsTeam America), Roman Tobias Pettigrew (Backing
Vocals and Bass- Team Britain), and Mike Addesso (Drums- Team America).
Their new album, to be released next April
, will undoubtedly shake the monotony of heavy metal lyrics. Deafening influential bands like Thin Lizzy and Metallica shaped the strident tracks of their upcoming EP. The idea that life exists in a paradox between good and evil stands out in their songs. Jesus, He’s Alright is a song about “how shit gets fucked up,” says Ayad. “Team Spirit has a shrediness that mixes elements of our childhood into pop.” Ayad comes from a religious background, which comes out in their music. When it comes to fashion, however, the band has a less than orthodox perspective. It should always be “free,” says Ayad, or “optional,” according to Mike.
Class Actress by Mickey Woods
Long before Elizabeth Harper became super-cool frontwoman of decadent dance-pop the trio Class Actress, there was capital-g Glamour. And
sometime between the dawn of Glamour and Harper’s rapid ascent to indie royalty, she was the lone style freak in high school who dared to play dress-up in her grandma’s mink furs. Fast forward to now, where L.A. native Harper has realized the New York artsy lifestyle she’d long romanticized. About that decadent dancepop: “I can’t imagine going on stage and not throwing the ultimate dance party,” Harper says this with a warm, full-hearted laugh and a sexy self-assurance.
That personality colors debut album
, Rapprocher. Of course, I had to ask her what that title’s about. It’s a derivation of the French word rapprochement, which can psychologically describe casual relationships. Harper’s take: Who knew cordiality could be both complicated and sexy?
Harper thusly applied rapprochement to her own tug-of-war with intimacy. This informs album
standouts like the woozy closing ballad, “Let Me In,” and the shimmery “Love Me Like You Used To.” “I just wanted to learn how to get close to someone,” Harper says. “And once I finally did, it was the most surreal pain and pleasure. I wouldn’t change it.”
Lately, Harper’s been writing the next record, whose sound veers harder-edged. (“I can’t believe I let myself be treated like such shit!” she says.) She’s also been researching culture; reconsidering Glamour.
“It really is whatever makes you feel sexy
, whether its short shorts or diamonds,” she says. “But I’ll always have a soft spot for New York’s Studio 54 days of old: you know, hanging out with Bianca Jagger while she did lines of coke, meanwhile, everybody took the time to look so damn good.”
New Years Aftermath
Photo: Jena Cumbo Shirt: Nathalie Kraynina Makeup: Jessie Sung Hair: Lauren Ondersma Earrings: Younikness
Holiday Market December 15th + 16th 343 Grand St