Zipped Magazine Fall 2021 by zippedmagazine

We are independent. The opinions expressed are not those of Syracuse University or the student body.

EDITOR IN CHEIF Yasi Akyurek CREATIVE DIRECTOR Maura Anderson EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nell Schwartz PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Ashley Wachtfogel FASHION DIRECTOR WEB DIRECTOR Anna Morello PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR VIDEO DIRECTOR Malia Riviere Managing Director Callie Podbere

EDITORIAL Josh Lee Ava Leventhal Katie scoville DESIGN Griffin Goldstein Zoë Maxey Molly Mclauchlan Marissa Goldberg Romi Mueller Olivia Valcourt Rachael Elumunor Piper Holland Bianca Franco Belle Kornberg Emma Beauchemin PHOTOGRAPHY Talie Daetwiler Jessica Tran Sophie Cohen Lily Rubenstein Hector Yu Katelyn Hughes Quincy Whipple HAIR & MAKEUP Claudia Varona VIDEO Lena Osso Ashley Girouard FASHION Harrison Mayesh Ray Dilawri Jennie Bull Molly Scheuer Livvy Doe Zoë Boise Caroline Cahill Remi Tsunoda Jacieon Williams Emma Lueders Alvin Chan Caroline Tangang Dominic Brancoli Leah Jones SOCIAL MEDIA Sam Hrncir Fiona Connolly Liv Pines JD Triolo Remi Tsunoda Julia Paperny Nikki Smith PUBLIC RELATIONS Chloe Scopa Audrey Chen Jacob David Laros Brigette Fernandez Lily Koller Olivia Weeks Ashley Broderick Laura Pires FINANCE Cam Wolk Ari Cohen

A LETTER

FROM OUR EDITOR F

ashion is personal. When you’re at a consignment shop, each clothing item comes with a story. Sometimes, you get to hear the

story, other times you create your own through your imagination. It’s fun to pick out a piece that’s lived multiple lives with multiple people. You pick it out because you think it’s special, not because others are telling you it’s “in”. Vintage pieces are timeless. You keep ‘em for a while. Then pass ‘em along to the next lucky thrifter. It’s almost like “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”. It’s a way to turn your closet into your own personal fashion playground. This fall’s publication focuses on the harsh reality of overconsumption in our society. Those who are privileged live in a constant state of material hunger. Craving… craving… and craving without ever reaching satisfaction. Lacking appreciation and always looking for the next big purchase. When in reality, most of the time, the items they’re surrounding themselves with are merely items. Items they have no connection to. Items without stories. Items that can be easily replaced. Before you read this, take out your earphones and listen to “Give It Away”, by Red Hot Chili Peppers. You can’t read the next part until you do ;). Contrary to popular belief, the lyrics are more than just the product of a hardcore rockstar screamin’ away. These three simple words have a lot of meaning. Anthony Keidis, the lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers, was dating Nina Hagen: a German singer/songwriter at the time the song was written. One day he was going through her spectacular, rockstar closet and found a jacket. A jacket unlike any jacket he’d ever seen before. He glanced at it, in awe. Nina proceeded to say “It’s my favorite item in my closet. Take it. You can have it”. Anthony refused, it was too special. Nina replied, “That’s why I gave it to you. It’s important to give things away; it creates good energy. If you have a closet full of clothes, and you try to keep them all, your life will get very small. But if you have a full closet and someone sees something they like, if you give it to them, the world is a better place”. I hope this fall 2021 issue inspires you. My team and I have worked very hard to bring our vision to life. It would not have been possible without each and every single person involved in our Zipped community. Thank you to everyone for turning our vision into a reality, incorporating your ideas, and just being creative. It has been a pleasure to work with each and everyone of you. Most of all, thank you Charlie’s Angels. I couldn’t have done it without all six of you. This is Zipped, Apocalypse.

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Loss Of Innocence but the love for tiktok

_16 FU FAST FASHION and Khloe Kardashian

_28 APOCALYPSE photo shoot ft. FADS

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OVERCONSUMPTION SHOOT photo shoot

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WHY DO WE THRIFT?

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WARPED/NOTHING LEFT photo shoot

LITTLE PLANT LADY Q&A

ENTS

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CREATING YOUR OWN STYLE with the influence of social media

_18 mADISON WILD zipped cover star

_36 THE STRAWS are not to blame

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FASHION: a manifestation of art and life

CONT5

Written by William Khabbaz / Artwork by Marisa Goldberg

THE LOSS OF INNOCENCE

BUT THE LOVE FOR TIK TOK

How Social Media has played a role in early childhood development Growing up in the early 2000s, influential figures on television and online impacted the way children grew up and flourished in this world. Dora taught to seek adventure, Aang taught to find peace, Kim Possible taught female empowerment, but nowadays the only figures children seem to be influenced by are 30 second dance videos on Tik Tok. Addison Rae and Charlie D’Amelio have become the new version of iconic children’s show characters and kids all over the world have used their lifestyles as a trajectory for their own. As young adults consider the cartoon influencers of their past, they now are forced to turn their attention to the new normal of influencers in the social media age, and realize that children growing up now have missed crucial parts of their childhood in order to fit the social mold set by applications such as Tik Tok, Instagram and Snapchat. The concern for children’s over consumption of media first arouse as a preventative measure to protect them from phedophiles, pornography, and sex trafficking in the early 1990s and 2000s. In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Communications Decency Act, which implemented further regulations on communication. Many supported this law as parents during the time feared of their children becoming “perverts.” This law was quickly overturned by the Supreme Court for violations of the first amendment after the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against it. Since this law was removed shortly after being signed, there has not been any major law put in place to combat social media consumption from children. As Tik Tok has grown to be one of the biggest social media platforms, children have used the application as a way to express themselves but neglect the thought that their platforms are being shared with thousands and thousands of adults. With the temptation to receive fame and

fortune from the application, many children resort to leaving their profiles open for the public to see and mimic the same videos major influencers are posting. From the clothes they wear, to the makeup they put on, children are purely mirroring the acts of influencers to gain followers. This has led to many underaged users following trends that are not necessarily “appropriate” for what society considers middle schoolers and early high schoolers to be wearing, doing or saying. For You Pages (FYP) are designed to match an algorithm fit for one’s personal interest and hobbies; It’s used to maximize individuality and give users content they prefer to watch and listen to. This poses a problem when many children mimic very popular videos from influencers, so their content is being placed on FYP of older adults because they interacted with the original post by the influencer. As these videos do appear on the application, it is sometimes hard to recognize the person’s age as they have mirrored looks and make-up trends done by influencers above the age of 18. This misleading look often leaves children vulnerable to online sexual harassment and adult content. As young adults who grew up in the generation before, we have seen how the launch of Tik Tok has given children the misrepresentation of what they need to do to “fit” into society. Even with no big change coming soon, applications like Tik Tok need to take more precedent in creating a safer outlet for their users to post on, especially children. From the evolution of the renegade to the say so dance, children have found their new source of entertainment, but it has stripped away their fundamental right to just be a child. Social pressures to fit in due to social media has made parenting and controlling what children see on the internet much harder. Parents struggle to see all the adult content their children consume as the applications allow for short videos that could be seen once and then

never again. Children are encountering new problems never faced by society before and that is the rise of social media, and as users on these apps get younger and younger, it is the application’s responsibility to find ways to combat underage influencers from being impacted by adult content. As more young children follow fashion trends, it is becoming harder and harder to realize the video a person is watching could be made by a child. Charlie D’Amelio took to twitter earlier this year combating hate she had received on her body weight. She is a 17 year old girl. An underaged girl being acted by adults and children over just the way she appears. This toxic culture is being spread to not only the biggest influencers but to all underaged girls and boys alike. In a world where children are supposed to grow and flourish, Tik Tok has created an environment that promotes children into behaviors usually seen by adults. From the lack of regulation on communication and the rampant number of users, social media has sped up the clock for children to mature into what they believe is the new norm. Adult influencers need to be more aware of the things they post as they lack the knowledge of who watches their content. Children can be impacted for the rest of their lives over just one click of a button. From the words of Charlie D’Amelio herself, “ Sometimes you just need to renegade and move on.”

CREATING YOUR OWN WITH T STYLE

access to. According to CNBC teens plan to spend about $2,165 this year, and among them are young, female audiences in Generation Z.

Influencers play a huge role in spreading trends. According to CHRON, 72% of teenagers are likely to buy a product that they’ve seen on social media. Teens admire and look up to certain influencers and want to emulate their style into their own wardrobe which, in effect, circulates the same trend and eliminates the possibility to be truly different. For example, Emma Chamberlain is a huge social media personality, and many Gen-Zers want to emulate her style, whether it’s buying clothes from her PacSun collection or buying her skincare line, Bad Habit skincare. Taking inspiration from influencers is a good way to create your own style, however, following influencers’ styles closely can be restrictive, and you may not find your true, individual style. When influencers For many, fashion is a take brand deals from stores like form of true expression and a way Princess Polly, teens are going to see to stand out from the crowd. Trends this and want to pick up the same have been a part of society and the pieces, therefore, promoting this fast fashion world for decades. As social fashion store. media has been introduced and has evolved, it is becoming increasingly But following trends isn’t necessarily difficult to branch out and truly have a bad thing. Past trends, such as your own, unique style. It’s okay to wearing claw clips or flare jeans, follow style trends, but know that have made a comeback and many you don’t have to feel called upon to people, namely college girls, have conform. implemented these trends in their

HE INFLUENCE

OF SOCIAL MED

Written by Katie Scoville/ Artwork by Marisa Goldberg

Following trends comes down to a science. We, as humans, are incredibly influenced by our peers, and we have the desire to fit in in all social settings. Fashion is an important example of such influence. Stores like Shein, Zaful, and Princess Polly sell trendy clothes for cheap, and it’s easy for college students to get their hands on. College students are a substantial part of Instagram and Tik Tok’s audience, and are therefore influenced by them when it comes to clothing trends. The circulation of certain styles and trends are all over social media, and college students use these styles for inspiration. The bandwagon effect, or the tendency to go along with the majority, is very powerful and applies to all walks of life. Social media is a major player in the promotion of certain trends and styles, and it’s one of the main resources college students have

everyday fashion. Trends are popular for a reason, and there’s nothing wrong with liking styles that are popular and following convenient and easy styles.

However, there is a time when “trends” shouldn’t be followed just because they’re convenient. Cultural appropriation, the inappropriate use of customs, ideas, or practices of a group in society, used by a more dominant group. For example, Kim Kardashian putting cornrows in her hair when she isn’t a part of the Black community would be cultural appropriation. Other practices such as dressing up as gypsies for Halloween is also considered cultural appropriation.

an associate professor at Temple University, said. Brands like Zara and H&M collaborate with microinfluencers which further spreads fast fashion trends. In addition to the bandwagon effects, group polarization is also at play. According to Psychology Today, this is defined as the idea that like-minded people in a group reinforce one another’s viewpoints. In this case, Gen-Z continues to reinforce the thought that following trends is what’s popular and right. On the other hand, if you’re looking to really differentiate yourself stylewise, stores like Zaful and Shein won’t offer you too many diverse options. Fast fashion stores focus on trendy styles that are in and now. Stores like Boohoo and ASOS are also part of this fast fashion market. According to an Atlantic article, Asos puts out as many 7,000 new products each week. Boohoo, on the other hand, only puts out 300500 pieces to see what catches on. Retailers are creating their own “algorithm” to see what sells and what doesn’t and what can be mass produced. The major influence of social media is preventing teens, especially teens girls, from finding a specific and unique identity. Because teen girls are following the same influencers and the same figures on Instagram, they’re only seeing a specific lens and clothing style that they’re going to want to emulate. For example, Charli D’Amelio has amassed millions of followers and subscribers and if she were to collaborate with Shein or Zaful, girls would flock to these stores to buy her pieces because of her influence.

Fashion should be about feeling comfortable in what you wear and not feeling pressure to conform to trends just because they’re all over social media. Having your own sense of style is a defining characteristic and a great way to express yourself. It’s okay to not follow all of the trends and conform to them. On the other hand, it’s “All of these youth-oriented also okay to follow trends and wear apparel brands have arisen largely popular styles in your everyday life. because of the endorsements afforded to them by their youthful micro-influencers,” Jay I. Sinha,

Photography by Hector Yu

F-U Fast Fashion and Khloé Kardashian Recently, there has been an influx of posts surrounding a new(ish) epidemic: fast fashion. Or I guess it is new to us because we have been pretending that weirdly affordable clothing just happens to be ethically made — ignorance is bliss. Well, the social media sphere has awakened and realized that ten-dollar Shein dresses to wear to Phi Apple Pi’s date night are definitely not made ethically by artisans who are paid fair wages. According to The Economist, the items that Shein sells range from $8 to $30, which is 30-50% less than fast fashion companies such as Zara and H&M, and BBC News reported that Shein workers face a 75 hour work week which violates China’s 40hour workweek labor laws. The result of this realization is Tik Tok after Tik Tok recommending, “10 alternatives to shopping fast fashion,” “How to upcycle your out-of-season clothes,” and “Small businesses you need to support now!” From what I’m seeing, there is a whole army of consumers worldwide uniting under one common enemy-fast fashion.

not mutually exclusive, and any attempt to try to be more sustainable should not go unnoticed, the issue is that sustainable shopping is not stopping consumers from shopping fast fashion. Thrifting can be time-consuming, unreliable, and has become trendy, which subsequently takes away resources from people who really need access to affordable and accessible clothing. To combat that, we have turned to the one-click purchasing powers of Amazon. The normalization of instant gratification that comes from buying an affordable product that arrives the next day has plagued consumers thinking that this should be the way they are shopping. However, Amazon is not the only one to blame. Social media is full of fast fashion companies, whether it be company profiles with millions of followers, ads that pop up while scrolling, or most infamously— celebrity endorsements.

But are they?

Khloe Kardashian x Shein, Cardi B. x Fashion Nova, Ashley Graham x Pretty Little Thing, Cara Delevingne x Nasty Gal, Megan Fox x Boohoo — are a few noteworthy campaigns, according to the Harvard Crimson.

Let’s face it, yes, we all like a good thrift store find and a casual scroll on Depop here and there, but that has not stopped the fast fashion industry from exploding with success. According to Research andMarkets, between 2020 and 2021, the global fast fashion market was projected to grow from $25 billion to $30 billion. While fast fashion and thrifting are

I am not saying that Khloe Kardashian is single-handedly making us shop from Shein, but I am saying that celebrities are consciously using their influence and platform to promote products that they know are made by overworked employees and use harmful products—a CBC News report found that a purse ordered from Shein had five times more lead

than the legal threshold in Canada. And we haven’t even reached the tip of the iceberg. Khloé, oh Khloé, the irony of you creating Good American a company that is B Corp Certified which in Good American’s words, “put people and planet up there with profit,” uses 100% sustainable materials, does not use plastic for shipping, washes your denim with less water, only uses organic cotton, and gives the public access to your eco report card. Your Instagram account shows that you did a whole campaign with a company that caused you to get roasted on Twitter, and Paper Magazine commented on the , “ethical concerns surrounding Shein and similar fast fashion brands, including negative environmental impact, labor violations and ongoing accusations of “knocking off” other designers’ work.”

change our beliefs and values, but you created Good American in 2016 and supported Shein in 2021. From what I can tell, you aren’t strapped for cash, so what I’m thinking is that you did it for publicity. Dare I say you value getting your already known name out over the happiness of small designers, the planet, and the wellbeing of workers internationally that are not being paid fair wages in harmful conditions? I am getting at a bigger point, and Khloe, it’s not just for you but everyone. When are we going to start having real values? Having hills that we will die on, being passionate about something, and not going back on that. I know that we are all stuck in an echo chamber of ideas on social media, and it is hard to stray from the pack, but when are we going to start wanting to make a real change, one that does not pay the most or provide publicity.

Khloé, you might not be the only one So I guess as consumers, there is doing this, but you’re full of shit. really one thing for us to do: not let celebrities and fast fashion companies Really, good job with Good take us for idiots. We cannot let American. You are supporting endless social media campaigns and women worldwide in an eco-friendly super sales sway us from the fact that way and making your mark on the by consuming fast fashion, we are fashion industry. I applaud you. But hurting the planet and the people I am not sure if the good being done making the clothes. As consumers, we by Good American is good enough to can see through the celebrity double outweigh the damage of fast fashion talk, so we need to stop consciously companies like Shein, a company making the wrong choice, so maybe that you partnered with to judge the we choose this hill to die on because works of small designers, to give them who else will if not us? a platform alongside a company that steals the work of other small designers, seems ironic. I do think that we are all able to

Written by Ava Leventhal/ Artwork by Molly Mclauchlan

Written by Yasi Akyurek/ Photography by Rosemary Blake @exhibitionbuffalo

“Passionate,

emotional, creative, cheesy, and loving,” are the five words Madison Wild uses when describing herself. Madison, a social media influencer, has always had an interest in creating content since the age of 12. “I kind of always wanted to do social media. I know that sounds so stupid, but I always enjoyed watching Michelle Phan and those super early Youtubers. I just loved them, and all the little like Bethany Mota, and all that shit. I adored it,” she says. Madison never knew social media could be a job, but when she realized it, she felt inspired to create. She went on to say, “You are able to have your complete creative freedom over your own space, and you basically get to do whatever you want with yourself and share it with people, and make money with it.” Madison started her passion in high school, where she made two videos on Youtube. “I don’t really do that much anymore, but that’s kind of what kicked everything off,” she shares. Her love for social media began in her freshman and sophomore year of college. She then started steering away from Youtube, and began to include Tik Tok and Instagram in her career. “I just try to share beautiful things in my life, things that make me happy…my friends, clothes, food, things like that,” says Madison. We all know Madison for having a 70’s chic, 90’s grunge, 60’s hippie, and a touch of modern vintage in her personal style. How did her style evolve? When did she truly become herself ? “I think the biggest change for me was Covid. I think that’s when my style really changed,” Madison says. Before covid, she felt that her style was similar to people around her, but now she truly finds her own personal style. During covid, like most people, Madison had heaps of spare time, she was able to explore her own closet, and find a style that represents her. She went on to say,“ I had all this time alone, to one, be away from all those influencers. I wasn’t going to parties, I wasn’t around people, I wasn’t with my friends, like getting ready with them. So, I couldn’t base my decisions on what everyone else was wearing, and I was just able to play in my closet.” That’s when her Tik Tok page was born, and it now has over 280k followers. “I think that Tik Tok in general, I think it was a huge part in why everyone’s style changed a little bit. It got a lot funkier,” she says, “...and you think that that’s what everyone else in the world looks like until you go to Target.” If we close our eyes and picture our closets, we all have those few special pieces that immediately come to mind. There may be a story behind the piece, or maybe it’s the best fitting pair of pants you’ve ever owned. When I asked Madison about those few items, she

MADISON WILD

answered, “This is so funny, I could think of these things so easily: green and gold like seventies baroque printed maxi vest…these black Alice and Olivia pants that I got from the Real Real…I have a Penny Lane coat. It’s like a faux fur trim, suede coat. Oh my gosh, it’s like one of my favorite things ever.” It was apparent to me that each item was connected to an emotion. For the vest, Madison says, “Everytime I wear it, I feel like a princess. I know that everytime I put it on, I’m gonna be so happy.” She then describes her Penny Lane coat, “I literally wear it probably every other day. It’s like one of my best thrift finds. And, it was like we were meant to be.” I found it interesting to get Madison’s perspective on buying vintage items, including fashion, art, and furniture. She shares, “There are obviously the obvious things, it feels good to be borrowing something that isn’t new, doing something good for the environment, and the quality of old items is so much better than things made today. Like even fast fashion items, like I have some stuff thrifted from Wet Seal that is insanely amazing quality. Obviously Wet Seal is like shit today.” Besides the obvious, she shares her emotional connection to vintage, “This is gonna be very cheesy, like I said I’m just very cheesy and emotional. I’ve always said this too, and it sounds so stupid, but it’s just so cool that someone with a whole other life and different friends, and who they shared it with, enjoyed it before you.” She then shares her love for old records, “To think that someone listened to it, and enjoyed it, and danced to it before you did, and had it in a whole different lifetime, and a totally different experience. It’s like you connect to them, you know?” She went on to say, “Like that stupid coat I have, someone might have worn it everyday like me obsessed with it. Or they just had it in the back of their closet, like it was a gift from their grandma or who knows, but it’s so cool.” It got me thinking, what makes vintage so special is having the story that goes along with it. Majority of the time you know what era a piece of clothing comes from, but its story is unknown, so you get to imagine your own.

“What I think more is that fashion is such a form of communication. It’s like our biggest non-verbal communication. No one can just be naked. You have to get up, and get dressed, and choose what you want to say about the world.” While Madison’s drawn to the nostalgia behind vintage clothing, she also has a deep passion for the environment. Madison shares,“I, even in high school, was super into environmental stuff, I was vegan, I was like Miss PETA ass bitch, you know, you know the type.” Her environmental concerns all began when she realized how harmful the fashion industry was for the environment. “I was heartbroken because like my little ass loved going to the mall… It was like everything turned. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s so crazy. It was like this instant switch. I used to walk around the mall and be so happy and then all of the sudden it was like a grin and all I saw was the workers and all this dramatic shit,”she shares. Madison began to think about the labor and environmental impact of the fashion industry, which led to her finding alternate ways of satisfying her love for fashion and the environment. She says, “That’s when I found it in thrift stores and found creative ways to repurpose things.” As she thought about the environmental impact and labor concerns in the fashion industry, Madison considered majoring in environmental biology. She then realized this wasn’t for her, and shares, “I knew that I would never be satisfied with that in a way. I was much better at fashion then I was at that. I was like I could never let my passion, oh my gosh this is such a stupid sentence, ‘passion for fashion’ go away. I kind of had no choice, I had to match these two things I loved.” Madison is now studying fashion business, and minoring in sustainability. I asked her how sustainability is becoming more prevalent in the

fashion industry, and she answers, “I’m really excited with where it is going. I think now we’re getting to a point where consumers are not dumb, they have all the access to all the resources you would ever want.” She went on to say, “Social media is so good at logging what they want from companies, and I think we’ve done a really good job with this generation of holding brands accountable for what we want of them, what we want their standards to look like, and they’re different people in the industry, like leaders like Stella McCartney is amazing… We have so many leading designers and pretty much every big company now has a sustainability board.” My face filled with excitement. I was happy to hear about more companies becoming cautious when it comes to the environmental impact of the fashion industry. When we look at environmental impact, we need to look at the idea of overconsumption. We have this constant craving to buy new things. When I asked Madison about this, she shares, “It is so deeply engraved in our culture, associated with the ‘American Dream’ and gives us a sense of belonging, and buying new things. It makes us happier and these things are selling us emotions.” I asked Madison her thoughts about the overconsumption in our world, and she answers, “ I think it’s more of a psychology than anything, because we’re seeing a positive shift right now. We’re having bigger people stand up saying overconsumption is ruining us. Vivienne Westood, she’s one the people a lot of people look up to with all her vintage designs. She’s been a really big component of speaking out about overconsumption. I think it’s up to big corporations, sadly, because as long as they’re still making money, they’re still gonna have manipulative marketing plans that

make you feel like you need the product.” She also says, “Hopefully we can do it in more ethical, conscious ways by making sure the products we are buying new, aren’t exploiting people. Maybe getting people to buy things that are already produced. Reworking the system instead of stopping it.” I asked Madison about where she saw herself in the future. “I think I would like to have my own brand, and that sounded great. Realistically, if I really care about the sustainability problem, for me personally, I feel like I would maybe just be doing more harm. I want to have a greater impact somewhere else…I know I’ll always be doing something creative…I just want to be doing something that I know is having a positive impact…OK, I really want to write a book… I would love to do something research based, fashion industry, maybe something along those lines or maybe even fiction,”says Madison. It was apparent to me that Madison wants to make a difference. Whether it be through advocating for sustainability in the fashion industry or perhaps another passion she’d like to pursue. Madison is a great example of how social media can be used as a tool to share positivity, joy, fun, and the beautiful things in life that many of us enjoy. When I asked her about one of the best things that happened to her this year, she shared that it was moving in with her best friend. She says, “She’s just like my platonic soulmate, it’s the best way to describe it.” Talking with Madison was a pure delight. Her positive energy towards making a difference was inspiring. I’ve always been passionate about the environmental impact of the fashion industry, and meeting Madison was reassuring that others also want to have a positive impact.

WHY DO WE THRIFT? Whether it’s the joy of finding a gem on a rack

of rubbish or the excitement of walking into an untouched store of old clothing, thrifting brings a new energy into the idea of storefront shopping. The buying and selling of old clothes has recently become more of a trend than ever before with Gen Z and millennials searching through thrift shops for the perfect piece that fits them. At its core, thrifting is buying and selling used clothing and other physical products with the hopes of having it find a new owner. It celebrates one of the three R’s of waste management: reusability. But why is everyone suddenly getting into thrifting? Why is it suddenly so cool to wear old jackets and style oversized clothing that looks like they belong to your dad? These days we see a decline in the support of fast fashion companies like Zara and H&M causing

them to rethink their marketing strategies to appeal to this new generation of consumers that are more aware of their environment. These companies’ marketing campaigns have turned more sustainable showing how a percentage of their clothing was made of some sort of recycled fabrics. This sustainability trend that all of these companies are taking sets a new playing field with new things to keep in mind in the industry. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter if you have the best quality clothing or the best looking line. More than before, people have started to take into consideration where their products come from and how they’re made. Thrifting has become a way to give used clothing a new meaning to make it cool to wear unique pieces. We see those who genuinely believe in this message of taking care of the environment through these new trends and movements that push for sustainability. But now, thrifting has gotten to a point in the fashion world where there are people who thrift just to say they thrift - those whose entire personalities are based on thrifting.

Although there have always been thrift shops like Goodwill and The Salvation Army, there are now new and popular thrift shops that offer a curated selection of used vintage pieces for their customers, places like L Train Vintage and 2nd Street being a few. Now we see this community of thrift shops have a hierarchy with used high fashion selections having a higher price point than what most people can already afford. Technically, one can argue that this is thrifting, but I say it falls more into the category of the resell business similar to platforms like Grailed and eBay. There’s no difference between them, just one’s a brick-and-mortar store while the other is online. This introduction of “thrifting” these luxury products have expanded the thrifting community to include not only the lower income shoppers but also younger students and millennials from wealthy backgrounds. One can argue that this is great for the culture of thrifting; more people with more money will come in and put thrifting on this pedestal that will bring it more popularity and growth.

Written by Josh Lee/ Photography by Hector Yu/ Artwork By Zoë Maxey However, there is the argument that people with money who follow this trend of thrifting tend to go overboard in their shopping endeavors by visiting these thrift stores multiple times a week and buying numerous items for their cheap costs. There are several reasons why they buy them: they want to experiment and expand their wardrobe or they want to satisfy their retail therapy. But no matter the reason, there are those with lower income whose reasons for thrifting actually include necessities of shopping there for its low prices instead of just picking out an outfit for the weekend. There are people in lower income communities like parts of Brooklyn and Syracuse that need to shop at these thrift stores because they’re the only clothes that they can really afford. With the rise of prices in thrift stores across the country due to the increase in demand in these vintage products, it’s not unfair to say that this can be negatively impacting these lower income families and communities. Keeping these things in mind can be integral to your thrifting experience and help you even specifically curate

what you really need as opposed to just buying everything you in a thrift store.

see

You walk into any local thrift store, and you can see the different groups of people that roam the store: the locals who know the owners, the regulars who come every week searching for new items, the newcomers who want to experiment with their wardrobe, the people who come looking for a cheap party fit. What’s the one thing that ties all of these different people together?

downfalls. However, it’s created a new community of people that love this part of today’s culture. No matter the reason, they celebrate its existence. This trend has put thrifting on a pedestal, which has brought popularity to local thrift shops that were once forgotten.

Culture. Community. The excitement of finding that specific piece that speaks to you can be felt by anyone who walks into a thrift shop. It doesn’t matter whether you do it because you want to help the environment or because you just want cool cheap clothing. Everyone has a place in the thrifting community, and that’s the beauty behind it. The idolization of thrifting has brought some

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Surya Vaidy: Head Of Photo Committee/ Caitlin Smith: Assistant Head of Photo Committee

Written by Julia Peterkins / Artwork by Molly Mclauchlan

THE STRAWS ARE NOT TO BLAME Have you ever borrowed a friend’s shirt, loved the way it looked on you, checked the tag, and saw it’s from Shein? “Oh,” you think, “I can’t buy it now.” Of course, you’re pleased with your refusal to shop on Shein, and therefore, you can’t be part of the problem … Right? You applaud your rejection of Shein as you sport an Urban Outfitters top, Zara jeans, and Nike shoes. The outfits that walk around Syracuse University’s campus are manufactured by young women in factories, working long hours and with little pay. Their children accompany them to work (developing illnesses along the way), and the workers are vulnerable to corporate violence. The irony of this discussion lies within my complete participation in the harmful production policies reinforced today. It is obvious today’s society is embarrassingly wasteful. The real question is, who’s to blame? Metal straws make me feel like an independent, yoga-obsessed mother of four who lives off of smoothie bowls. I love them. If it were up to me, metal straws would be the only drinking accessory available worldwide. They’re fantastic. Although I could discuss the benefits of metal straws all day, I successfully refrain from slapping my friend’s frappuccino served with a plastic straw out of her hands. Why? Because that one plastic straw is not going to engulf Planet Earth in flames. What will ultimately destroy our environment, however, is the pollution created by big factories in an effort to produce clothing as quickly as possible. Powerful conglomerates convince us to throw away our plastic straws by shoving pictures of choking turtles into our faces. If you’re anything like me, you’ve now switched to metal straws, which, by the way, are probably produced by those same companies.

It has become obvious that my hollow bank account cannot drastically improve climate conditions. Jeff Bezos’ $200 billion net worth may make some difference, though. Just a guess. In the 60s, 95% of American clothing was made in America. Now, only 3% of American clothing is made here. The high demand for whatever’s the newest trend has caused companies to outsource their production factories overseas, exploit young women, and manufacture clothing riddled with lies. We all view Shein to be morally corrupt, as their low prices emphasize the obvious unethical construction principles. But let’s revisit Nike. Like a lot of college students, I consider Nike to be expensive. Their products are well-made, and they own other successful brands, such as Cole Haan and Converse. In December of 2017, Nike announced the “Nike Pro Hijab.” Certainly, a company that caters to hijabi athletes must be deserving of my support, right? Certainly, this company would never force Uyghur workers into a prison-like factory in Qingdao, China, right? Certainly, this company would never refuse workers the right to go home for the holidays, or make them work amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, right? Nike has imprisoned workers as young as 16. Nike orders these workers in the same style I’d order pastries, as they refer to groups as “batches” and a minimum number is set. As a previous runner, half of my wardrobe consists of Nike clothing and shoes. Nike’s encouraging slogans, high quality, and inspirational advertisements did not give me a reason to question the brand. Yet, although they pose a higher standard than Shein, they’re just as bad. While I do not support shopping on Shein,

we cannot win. Unfortunately, most items that are ethically-made might as well be labeled “Syracuse University tuition,” because they are outrageously expensive. And while celebrities consistently team up with factory-run sites, such as Fashion Nova, Pretty Little Thing, and Boohoo, demand only continues to grow. I don’t have the answer. I most likely don’t have the answer because I am a 20 year-old girl studying Television, Radio, & Film, who has no interest in manufacturing clothing. However, they are CEOs and executives who collectively make these decisions. They decide to conceal the life-threatening situations their factory workers are placed into with slow motion clips of a Black athlete running in slow motion, or a happily-blended family making Tik Toks. Many conglomerates control what we see, feel, and think. It’s time to apply pressure to them, as opposed to your mother who has announced her preference towards plastic straws. Be honest about your less-than-favorable consumption habits, while you also acknowledge that every single tomato we eat can be traced back to exploitative conditions. Get angry.

Do better. And for those of you with a few extra dollars, go out and make a change.

Photography by Malia Riviere/Edited By Malia Riviere & Maura Anderson

Photography by Malia Riviere/Edited By Malia Riviere

Photography by Malia Riviere/Edited By Malia Riviere & Maura Anderson

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

W/ 44

LITTLE

PLANT LADY

Written by Yasi Akyurek / Photography by Harper Shadron

“Do I really need all these things, because one day I won’t be on this earth and I won’t be buried with all of these things, so how can I really allow myself to be as free as possible in this very short lifetime that we are given?” I sat down with Bella Griffin, a naturalist and owner of Little Plant Lady, to discuss her lifestyle, philosophy, and her self-made, thoughtful clothing brand. We decided to meet in Vero Beach, Florida for her to share herself with Zipped.

How would you describe your lifestyle? “Very minimalistic in a way that some people find it very hard to understand why we live out of a van, and only have so many things. When you take this step towards realizing that you don’t have to be attached to so many material things, in this short human experience we are given, you really allow yourself so much more space and freedom to roam and to feel space. The less attached we are, the more free we are.”

What inspired you to live a minimalist life? “Very minimalistic in a way that some people find it very hard to understand why we live out of a van, and only have so many things. When you take this step towards realizing that you don’t have to be attached to so many material things, in this short human experience we are given, you really allow yourself so much more space and freedom to roam and to feel space. The less attached we are, the more free we are.”

How would you describe your connection to earth? “I would say it’s very mutual. I’ve come to terms with realizing that our earth is living just as much as we are. And, that the energy that we are putting into her and putting out into the universe essentially comes back to us, like, ‘what goes around comes around.’ My relationship to the earth has become more mindful. More, I guess spiritual in a sense of understanding that there’s so much more than this human experience. The earth provides and takes care of us, and why would we not do the same.”

You are the owner and creator of “Little Plant Lady.” What makes “Little Plant Lady” unique compared to other clothing brands? “I am a slow fashion brand, which means that I don’t have, you know, a factory full of unethical practices and not paying workers what they need to be paid just because I can produce a product cheaper, faster, and make more money. My products are very intentional. They are handmade with love and care, and with lots of intention in mind. What I would say separates me from all of the clothing brands out there is that my products are organic. They are dyed with plants. They are made slowly in an intentional space when I feel I’m in the space to create.”

What inspired you to create “Little Plant Lady?” Why? “A few years ago, when I started my journey of reconnecting to earth, I started reading about what is in our products. One of the ones that really hit home for me was, an article I read by Greenpeace where they were calling out Victoria’s Secret for having harmful chemicals (such as carcinogens in their underwear). When I read this, it really hit me, because I grew up as a young woman who enjoyed going in and having a shopping experience. This company that I’ve been supporting almost my whole life was poisoning our bodies, not only poisoning our bodies, but poisoning our most sacred spaces. Our body is our largest organ. It absorbs everything we put in our skin within 30 seconds. To think that I had worn something that plus years was really a huge red flag for me. I immediately began this search of where I can find underwear that is good for my body,, and won’t harm me and hurt me. It was almost impossible. I mean I was really really disheartened by the amount that I could not find. And, when I stumbled upon one or two that were out there at the time that we were doing it; it seemed like the prices were unattainable. It was 100$ for a pair of underwear, which at the time you go from five pair for 25$, to 100$ for one pair. It just didn’t

make sense to me at the time. That’s where “Little Plant Lady” was born. I was just like, I have to start creating my own underwear so I know where they’re coming from. I know what they’re dyed with. I know what they’re made with. I know that it’s coming from an ethical place. I know that nobody is being harmed. I know that it’s not a company that does not care about its customers, that clearly only cares about the dollars. Since then, it has been public that Victoria’s Secret is one of the most unethical companies out there. We are just ignorant in not knowing what is in our products.”

What does the word “Little Plant Lady” represent to you? “I mean essentially my products are plants. My fabric is organic cotton, which is a plant. My intimates are dyed with plants. Every piece that you see is dyed with all organic materials. “Little Plant Lady” came to me because I’m just a short little hippy, and I’m just the “Little Plant Lady.”

Is “Little Plant Lady” your dream and passion? “Yes, yes, 100%. It definitely found me, and that is how I know that is one of my main purposes on this earth. I never really imagined myself creating clothes, but like I said it found me.”

Written by Nell Schwartz/ Artwork by Maura Anderson

FASHION: A MANIFESTATION OF ART AND LIFE

Alright so let’s talk about slow fashion. The

idea that clothing should be timeless and live for years within our wardrobes. But we seem to all be focused on the next new trend, the new shoe drop, the new “it” dress. Full stop. We need to rethink what our clothing is - art. Why aren’t we treating our clothes like art? In my eyes, art is the intersection of imagination and beauty, and it can be expressed through any medium. For me, clothing acts as that medium. Google describes art as “...a wide range of human activities that involve creative imagination and an aim to express technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of what constitutes art, and ideas have changed over time.” One might say fashion is decorative art compared to that of an intricately made fesco. But if the same amount of artistic expression goes into both creations, to me that is art. Clothing allows us to be creative and express ourselves outwardly, just like a painting or collage or any other artistic expression that makes someone feel any emotion. If clothing allows humans to express themselves and feel something, it’s high time we as a society start viewing our closets like a vessel for artistic creation, instead of a desolate place where our clothes live for a few months and then get swapped out for new ones. According to WRAP, the average lifetime for an item of clothing is just over 2 years. That shelf life is dangerously low, and it’s all due to our society’s mindset about participating in the newest trends and not wanting to re-wear clothes. This constant demand for new clothing contributes to air pollution when the clothing

factories produce an astronomical amount of dangerous carbon emissions while churning out new styles daily. Imagine throwing away the painting on your walls every year! Not only does throwing out last season’s hottest clothes have a damaging and detrimental effect on the environment, but in doing so we have forgotten what our clothing should be. In short, following fast fashion trends damages the environment and does not support what fashion at its core should be. When I think about all the important days in my adult life I can remember almost exactly what I was wearing; the outfit was imprinted and immortalized in my mind because I connected that given special moment with the clothes I was wearing. Now whenever I wear a certain sparkly dress or black booties I will reminisce on the good times I had wearing them. This allows me to build a relationship with whatever article of clothing so that I don’t want to part with it. A white wedding dress tells a story that is universally understood, we look at it and hear wedding bells. An all black outfit often tells a tale of loss and mourning. Service uniforms communicate with society at a quick glance. In a sense, the individual wearing the outfit is an actor, using their clothing and outfit to perform and communicate with those around them. If we all were to view our clothes in this special light we would better appreciate how fashion is a manifestation of art; allowing us to artistically portray ourselves. These three SU students talk about their favorite article of clothing and why it’s so meaningful to them that they will never part with it. Here are their stories:

Briana Gilyard:

Tristan Lamson:

“I thrifted a Tommy Hilfiger windbreaker when I was a freshman in highschool and I haven’t gotten rid of it and never will. I think it’s one of the most unique things I have in my closet. It’s not too flashy but has a special spunk to it. I can’t describe it perfectly but I always feel cool when I put it on. I have always loved jackets and it actually stemmed from an insecurity thing. I used to always cover my upper body but through maturing and growing up I now like to wear jackets and blazers that highlight my upper body as a statement piece. The Tommy jacket now represents something that I am proud of and don’t want to hide from anymore.”

“I’ve held onto this Brooks brothers shirt that my dad gave me for years and despite my style changing in numerous ways, it’s been a constant staple in my wardrobe. I dress it up and I can dress it down and it’s extra special to me because it’s coming from my father. I won’t be getting rid of it anytime soon. Ethical shopping is important to me and I choose to buy vintage to help combat fast fashion issues. It’s really horrible what’s happening within the clothing industry due to the constant demand for clothes coming from stores such as Zara, H&M and Fashionnova, so if people can buy less or thrift more, that can really help.” Sophie Schlosser: “When I was ten years old I did a lot of musical theater...like a lot. I got into this really selective show and I got the part to play Molly in Annie. Getting this part and being in this show was a really big moment in my life because here I was at ten years old and my entire cast was people who were 30 years old who had been on Broadway and in TV shows. During the course of the summer that this show ran I became very close with a cast member named Chelsea. We became best friends despite her being 25. We had sleepovers and she taught me all about life and she really took me under her wing during this time. Fast forward years later and she creates a crochet business where she crochets individual unique bucket hats. I ordered one from her company a few years back and it’s one of my favorite articles of clothing. I always send her pictures of me wearing it and honestly it’s really meaningful to me because it marks a time in my life of major growth and transformation. It’s a person in a hat to me. Chelsea and I are still friends, she’s still hustling on Broadway and whenever I wear this hat I wear it with pride and think of her. So much of my wardrobe is compiled of clothes that have no meaning to me but it’s the pieces like this bucket hat that make dressing up special. I like that I view this hat as timeless and it really does represent something more.”