NYC Study Tour: WGSN

Part 1 - Research:  

WGSN is the worlds leading trend forecasting agency. They do thoughtful research on color, styles, silhouettes, and other themes that will be seen in fashion, lifestyle design, packaging, and furnishing. Their trends are forecasted two years in advance so that brands can develop their lines and products before trends hit the market. 

Part 2 – Observations:  Thoughtful observations and reflections made during the appointment itself.  What did you learn about the industry?  Specific jobs?  Your own potential career path?              

I really enjoyed this visit. WGSN is a service that we use so often in all of our fashion merchandising classes. We are also required to take a class in trend forecasting which is what WGSN does so that was pretty amazing to see it translated into a career path. I think that trend forecasting is kind of a hard industry to wrap your head around. It's difficult to grasp what ways there are to predict trends that haven't happened yet but I think that they did a really great job of explaining how they research and identify core trends that have an overarching meaning but can be interpreted differently. I found that it was really interesting to hear about how WGSN influences not only fashion trends but also trends in home and lighting design, to food, to luxury hotel experiences. I thought what Ellie had to say about her job was really really interesting. I feel like often I find that merchandising can be really creative and I want a way to use more of my academic skills like writing and reading and researching. So when she was talking about her projects that she works on that involve weeks of reading and diving deep into a product category I felt like that could be a good medium for me. I love doing that sort of thing but its also a way for me to still be within the fashion industry in some capacity. Plus she gets to stay in luxury hotels every now and again which wouldn't hurt. I also loved the short tour we got to the WGSN office. I am beginning to see that a corporate office can still be fun and playful and relaxed. A lot of the employees wore jeans and had a fun desk setups. I mean who doesn't love an office twining board?!

Part 3 - Weekly Question:  Discuss something Sean or another speaker said that resonated with you.

I loved that Sean went over the new trend concepts with us. I believe they were for 2019, which would be two years in advance. I really loved getting kind of an insider preview of them and also going through and hearing what he had to say about them all. I really enjoyed the global trend that talked about the new creatives. While scary, it's so intriguing that they’re seriously considering how robots will take over manual tasks. But the jobs that will remain are the ones that involve you being creative because that's something we cant program robots to do yet. It was so bizarre and such a great general idea that I could really see inspiring some shifts in fashion. 

Dear Grace, - A letter to Grace Coddington

It's hard to separate when my life started from when my obsession with fashion started. But I'm guessing both started around the time I learned your name.
When I was in eighth grade I started following Tavi Gevinson of her then titled blog, The Style Rookie. I admired her knowledge of pop culture, art, music, and all things fashion so much. She was crazy and eccentric and I wished to have such daring and unique style. As an inspired 12 year old I decided to start my own blog also. It's a little Blogspot URL that still exists today. While I'm too embarrassed to reveal the internet address I will tell you one thing, it was an ongoing list of your photo shoots mixed with a few of my own. I shot photos of thrifted outfits in my bedroom on my mom's old digital camera. I even got my cousin into dressing up and having photo shoots with me. My bedroom walls were plastered with your Vogue editorials. My whole little eighth-grade heart loved your whimsical worlds. You inspired me to start dreaming up worlds to photograph. Narratives that could live in photos.

me in my childhood room in front of my magazine mural - 2011

a photo from my eighth grade blog - 2010

Its probably because of your wild imagination and ingenious creativity that I chose to be a Creative Director. I love writing a story for clothes and creating a scene for them to live in. Mixing outfits and scenery and picking location and props. It really is directing a little moving image. I love pairing the photos to make spreads, and seeing how they look in a magazine layout or within a blog.

I've always wondered how you gather your inspiration for these shoots. Where do you start? After reading your memoir its clear to me that your upbringing probably influences your perspective. Growing up in the lush landscape of Wales was probably a magical experience in itself. I also love imagining what your life as a young model in the UK must have entailed. You describe in your memoir your encounters with photographers and industry professionals. But what is even more inspiring to me is how you overcame so many obstacles in your life. Through death, divorces, and tragedy you still allowed yourself to find beauty and creativity.

This shot is from a photoshoot my cousin and I created - 2011

When I first watched the September Issue I was enamored by your personality and wit. My favorite shoot of yours is the 1920s inspired story that we get to see you create in the movie. But the best part of The September Issue is seeing you encouraging a model to eat a little tart. I think about that scene so often. Especially as I was growing up as a teen while dipping my toe in the modeling world. It was such a small scene but it had an everlasting impact on me. You've taught me to be a creative person but you've also taught me to be a strong person. 

My brother studied photography for a short period and snapped this photo of me while on vacation - 2009

I just want to thank you for being more than a name on a masthead and continuing to be an inspiration to me and other young girls who are pasting up your pictures in their bedrooms. I can only hope I create something half as beautiful as you one day. 

Thank you, Grace

NYC Study Tour: Material Connxion

Part 1 - Research:  Briefly research and describe the company. 

Material Connexions is a sourcing library that catalogs new and innovative materials that can be used in all sorts of construction. They work with apparel designers, packaging designers, architects, interior designers, and even engineers to give them a few index of new materials that may be useful in their respected trade. Because Material Connecxons believe that materials don't have to have a defined use they categorize them by makeup instead of use. That way they challenge the people who use their library to think outside of the box. 

Part 2 – Observations:  How are innovative materials relevant and/or impactful in the fashion industry; what role might new materials play in supporting sustainability and/or transparency in the manufacturing process.

The fashion industry is always about being new and innovative. It's always changing and evolving and growing. In recent years the advancements in technology that surround materials, like laser cutting, 3d printing, and so much more have changed the way we see fashion. One of the most iconic examples of this is the Zac Posen dress that Claire Danes wore to the Met Gala. The dress was made with material that lit up to create a really magical red carpet moment. Another big factor that has become a part of the way we see fashion is our new want as a society to be sustainable. A lot of the materials we saw in the Materials Connecxion library were either made of recycled material or had a positive impact on the environment. One really interesting one that I remember was a cup that was made from used coffee grounds. I thought it was really interesting to see how innovative these materials were. 

Part 3 - Weekly Question:  Choose one material you saw at the library.  Give its name, details, and a visual description.  Discuss why you find it interesting, innovative, or inspiring.  You are not limited to only fashion materials or applications, choose anything that inspires you.

The material that I thought was the most interesting was in the natural section (6129-03). In my job at home, I work in leather production. So I work daily with leather hides and I see just how much waste there is when you work with a natural animal skin. This material is a stiff thicker leather that is made from recycled leather scraps. In the leather industry, there are two different kinds of leather, top coated and full aniline. The top coated leather is created when you shave off the top layer of a hide and then coat it with a thin layer of polyurethane and emboss a natural leather print onto it. This type of leather is not considered genuine leather anywhere other than the U.S. Whats good about this kind of leather is that there is almost no waste because it all has a uniform embossed pattern. However its cheap and often looks cheap. Full aniline leather is beautiful and keeps the integrity of the hide but shows the natural scars and imperfections. Which means more scraps and waste. This leather, while technically top coat, I could get behind because in a sense it is still genuine and also environmentally friendly. I would be really interested to hear more about how this leather is made, like its dying process, and how much water it uses to create it. 

NYC Study Tour: American Eagle Outfitters

Part 1 - Research:  Briefly research and describe the company. 

American Eagle Outfitters is a clothing retailer that was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh. Over the years American Eagle has become a staple of young adults wardrobes across the US and has reached a global market as well. After becoming popular in the 90s and early 2000s as a young adult or “teen” brand the company kind of struggled to stay relevant as time went on. In recent years American Eagle has rebranded itself and successfully kept and grown its audience. It has expanded into women’s sleepwear, intimates, and swimwear with its brand Aerie which gained popularity for its #aerieREAL social media campaign. 

Part 2 – Observations:  What did you learn about the industry?  Specific jobs?  Your own potential career path?  

I was really impressed by the American Eagle trip. I have to be honest, as a millennial college student, I feel like our generation really resents corporate America. Walking into this appointment I was ready to dislike the culture, the jobs, and the workspace. But little did I know there would be coffee and muffins waiting in the huge conference room with big windows and comfy chairs. If this is what corporate America is like I guess I could get used to it. But in all honesty, I have to start thinking more about what I want to do when I graduate from Kent in just seven months. Having a job like the ones that we heard about at American Eagle could be a really great starting point for me. I would love to see their Pittsburgh office as well because I feel like that is close enough to home but also far enough away. The people we met on this appointment were also so interesting. I loved that they asked us our opinions on trends we like and our own shopping habits. their backgrounds were also really crazy, I could talk to each of them for hours just about the places they've worked. 

Part 3 - Weekly Question:  Read the article and share your thoughts on American Eagle staying relevant to their target customer in today’s teen retailing landscape.

Before even reading this article it was apparent to me that American Eagle has been taking steps in the right direction to stay relevant. Their hashtag campaigns (#weallcan and #aerieREAL) have been wildly successful at putting their name back on the map as a young and creative brand. In this day and age making clothes relatable on a higher level is important. The youth of this generation don't want to blend in, they want to make a statement about who they are and stay genuine to that. They want to be authentic. That's what these hashtag campaigns are bringing into American Eagle, authenticity. The #weallcan campaign was a great way to showcase young influencers that teens look up to as the cool fashion icons they are. Even this short video makes me want to go by a pair of American Eagle jeans and make them look as cool as they do here. The #aerieREAL campaign has expanded into college campus days and has really reached a target customer that will continue to buy. Not to mention this campaign inspired similar ones from competitor Victoria’s Secret. I think American Eagle is doing everything right. So much so that after our visit to their offices I went down the street to one of their stores. 

Fashion Publications - A Venn Diagram

Let's be honest, the US has an obsession with Europe. Our friends across the pond have such chic and effortless style and we've been borrowing their trends for years. Whether it was our love for all things mod in the 60s, or our admiration for eastern European embroidery in the 70s. We've been using Europe as a source of inspiration in all things fashion.
However, there's one area of fashion that we seem to be standing alone - magazines.
I decided to look into the differences between international and American fashion publications, and of course created a Venn diagram

I wanted to keep this a fair fight so I chose two magazines that appeal to the same audience. Nylon is an American publication that started in 1999. It is a more progressive and young publication that usually has edgy editorials and content. The issue I reviewed was actually the last print publication that Nylon put out and will be transitioning to all online media. This issue's cover star is St. Vincent, my ultimate role model. I've been following her music since I was in eighth grade and I love her as much today as the day I discovered her in 2010. Her new album MASSEDUCTION is coming out on October 13th, and the single 'New York' couldn't be more fitting to my life at the moment. Her style and personality embody the essence of Nylon so its only fitting she is their last cover star. 

However, Nylon does a lot of things that are "typical" for an American publication. They include editorial stories that feature trends for the season and offer several ways for you to pull the trend off yourself and the pricing for the pieces. They also have quite a bit of event coverage, featuring a spread on the Dior runway show, and the opening of a retro nail salon in Brooklyn. 

i-d magazine is a great representation of a young British fashion publication. It was started in 1980 by the ex-art director of Vogue, Terry Jones. This magazine is way more art focused. The editorials are about creating unique and inspiring images rather than focusing on capturing the trend. The main story "No Rivals" features over 10 creative actors, artists, and musicians and their stories. We need more of this raw, unfiltered content in American publications. Its stories like these that get me excited about fashion. 

Pros and Cons - International Fashion Week

Milan, Paris, and London are the international fashion capitals of the world. They are home to the world's oldest fashion houses, and newest bright designers. Their collections are show-stopping and trendsetting. Between these three fashion weeks, there are major trends, good and bad. To make international trends simple, I've narrowed down my favorite and least favorite fashion trend and even picked my favorite show for you. So, here's the pro and con of international fashion week.

Pro: low heels are here to stay

Top row: Dior, Chloé, Chanel

Bottom row: Simone Rocha, Dior, Dolce & Gabanna

As a girl who is almost six feet tall, low heels are my best friend. They're comfortable, they're chic, and now, they're in. I am in love with these Chloé boots and will probably obsess over them for the rest of my life. It is my ultimate dream to one day have a Chloé bag, and maybe now to have a pair of chic french boots to match. Chanel and Dior both showed similar low heeled knee high boots. Both were sheer and paired with a variety of bottoms including long pants and skirts. I love that tall boots with long skirts is coming back into style. It gives the looks a touch of 70s flare which we all know I can't get enough of. Simone Rocha showed a few different looks with low heels, including these embellished sandals. And Dolce & Gabanna stepped into the trend with these low heeled sling-backs with a cute clock charm so you're always stepping in time. 

I can only hope that retailers start selling more low heeled shoes. While I've seen a few pairs at Zara, and Aldo recently, I could always use more. I mean what girl doesn't need a few dozen kitten heels in her closet?

Cons: oversized and exaggerated

Gucci, Chanel, Marni

Sometimes I hope fashion doesn't make its way off the runway and into our real lives. This is one of those times. The bag lady shapes of these looks accentuate all the wrong places on these women. I thought we had our fill of broad shoulders in the 80s. And since when is it okay to dress a slender chic women in an outfit that makes her look ten sizes larger? There is a way to do oversized shilouettes that's interesting and flatter and there's a way to do it that is all wrong. I'm sure we won't be seeing these exaggerated shapes off the runway anytime soon. 

My Favorite: Valentino

There is nothing more inspiring than seeing a fashion house as old as Valentino put out amazingly fresh and new shows like this. It still has the unique characteristics that make it "So Valentino" like the classic Valentino red, and the stunning embroidery. It is modern but still has a touch of old-world Italy. Its young but could still be worn by chic older women. Its feminine and soft and pretty and glamorous and edgy. And it has an amazingly creative and cohesive color palette. I love this collection and I think it displays a lot of the trends we are going to be seeing in the upcoming season. Some more utilitarian styles, touches of holographic and shine, and turning blush pink into a neutral. I love every look and detail in this collection, right down to the fanny packs and embellished sneakers. 

NYC Study Tour: World Textile Sourcing Inc.

Research:  Briefly research and describe the company/brand.  

World Textile Sourcing Inc. is a Peruvian sourcing agency and garment manufacturer. They work through their headquarters in Peru and in New York to make garments from the highest quality Pima cotton, Alpaca, wools, and other natural fibers indigenous to Peru. They mainly work on developing knits and blends for designers. They specialize in T-shirts, fleeces, and knit sweaters. A lot of the designers that they work with are creating lower-priced labels to be sold at retailers like TJ Max, and Marshall’s. So the work they do is mainly creating knits that have a luxurious hand but are still within the client's price range. They also work with artisans in Peru to make handmade items like custom weaves, garlands, and hand painted objects. They've been expanding their company a little more in that direction over the past few years.

Observations:  Thoughtful observations and reflections made during the appointment itself.  What did you learn about the industry? 

Sourcing is such a large part of the fashion industry. Considering fabrics, their composition, and the factories that our agreements are being produced in all factor into the cost of a garment. So working with a sourcing agency can really help to manage a budget and still get a quality product. I really love Study Tour because it is such a great way for us to experience see real jobs in the fashion industry. Sourcing is something that we talk a lot about in school but it's hard to really understand and have a handle on it until you hear about it from an expert. It is also a job I never would have considered unless I had this experience. 

Weekly Question:  What did you learn after hearing from an established KSU Fashion School alumni?

It was really interesting to hear from an established KSU Fashion School alumni. The fashion school program has really grown and changed over the years. So it was cool to hear about how much better the programming is now and think about how well Kent State sets up for success. Another thing I really enjoyed was hearing about Alexis’s career path. She was actually a design student and ended up being an assistant, a menswear designer, and a product developer. Hearing how people jump around in jobs and eventually find a really good place is so reassuring. Especially as a college student who is about to find herself a graduate and needs to choose a career path. Its also really reassuring to know that girls from small towns can make it here, especially if you're really focused and know what you want. Alexis also shared with us that she has a family and a house and she's living the life she always wanted to in both respects. I think that I am very hesitant about wanting to move to New York because I do want those things eventually so that was really awesome to know that you can in a sense “have it all”. 

A Week in the Life

There's always something happening in New York. Living here for the past month or so has been such an adventure. But every time my mom calls me to check in she asks, "whats new?" and I forget everything I've been up to. So I documented my life for a week in hopes I'll have talking points ready the next time she calls.

Life in New York is crazy. Let's get into it.

Monday

Everyone and their mother hate Mondays. But honestly, they're one of my favorite days of the week. Probably because they're one of the only days I get to wake up a little late and get my life together. I do my laundry, run errands for school, clean my apartment, and tie up all the loose ends of the week before. I also have classes on Monday. This week we watched a documentary about the one and only Bill Cunningham. If you don't know Bill, you might know his work from the style section of the New York Times. He was one of the greatest photographers in the world and the most renown street style photographer. Bill, unfortunately, passed away a few years ago but his love for street style photography lives on. After watching this beautiful film about Bill and street style photography I left the Kent State studio to walk home. And no joke, as I turned the corner a street style photographer snapped my photo. I was flattered and humbled by the most amazingly ironic situation to ever happen to me. I didn't get to catch the name of the photographer or the blog he was shooting for, so I'm still searching the web for a photo of me in an off the shoulder blue top. If you see it let me know. 

I love to use Monday as a way to look for motivation and inspiration. All my inspiration this week stemmed from street style photography and the documentary we watched about Bill. Another really unique thing Bill did was that he only shot in the film. So to honor Bill and do things the Bill Cunningham way I decided to only take pictures on film this week. I wanted to do a little bit of street style photography but I also wanted to snap pictures of anything that inspired me. 

Asking strangers if you can take their picture is a lot harder than it looks. So I tried to be more discreet and just camp out on a street corner and snap pictures while people weren't looking. I was hesitant to only shoot in film this week because I was nervous the pictures wouldn't turn out the way I wanted them to. But I think they turned out great! I love how the film adds more of a vintage feel to all of these 70s inspired outfits. Ponchos, prints, and warm tones are on the street in New York, and they're giving me all these 70s vibes. After shooting these looks on film it's more obvious to me why Bill chose to shoot this way. It makes you so much more aware. If I was shooting on a digital camera I would have had my head down after every shot trying to make sure it was focused or that I got the shot I wanted to. But shooting on film you don't have the luxury of knowing what the photo looks like right away. It's also very high pressure because you have a limited number of shots. You have to be more selective and you have to look up more. 

Tuesday

I pass by these stacked chairs on my way to work every Tuesday morning. They remind me of Europe and have a really nice texture and color palette. 

Wednesday

I found this vintage motorcycle parked on 39th and I thought it had a 70s flair with the orange pinstriping. It looks even more amazing on film. 

Thursday

Whats more New York than eating take out on your stoop with a friend? We also had our picture taken by a photographer who was walking by. He was in from Seattle and wanted to capture the people of New York on his vintage film camera. Little did he know he was actually photographing two Ohio girls giggling too much over Shake Shack. 

The Weekend

This weekend my beautiful friend Hayden came to NYC for a couple of different events! She invited me to hang out with her at the first ever Vegan Food and Drink festival on Randall Island. It was amazing. The people, the style, the food, the whole thing. 

Over 13,000 people made it out to try all of New Yorks best vegan restaurants and enjoy a perfect Sunday in the sun. Randall's Island was the best little escape from the city. It was the most beautiful backdrop for this festival. 

The highlight of my entire week (and probably my entire life) was the kid's dance competition. There's something innately cute about kids that are first of all raise vegan, and second of all growing up in New York City. I don't know how these kids could get any cooler. They had the best moves ever and the crowd was cheering them on the whole time. I think they dragged this dance competition out for almost 45 minutes but I loved every second of it.

And the food was amazing. amazing amazing amazing. We only made it to half of the vendors because the lines were so long but we got to try a great assortment of things. Vegan mac and cheese with tofu fried chicken nuggets was a big hit, pictured to the left. We also waited in line for an hour to try this vegan egg waffle and ice cream, pictured in the middle. And gave sushi tacos a try because why not. 

The street style at this festival was also amazing. There are so many intersections between veganism and other cultures. There was a very large African American community in attendance, and also a large Latino community. So it was really cool to see how those cultures were meshing and the kind of style people brought to this event. New Yorkers show up when it comes to style and a festival is a perfect place to show off. 

It was the perfect weekend for this event. I had such a great time with my friend and I'm sure we will be back next year. It was one of those weekends where you just feel rejuvenated afterward. It was just what I needed to feel more inspired and motivated to take on another Monday.

Well that's one week and one disposable camera later. Onto the next.