Johnson & Whales

 Today I listened to a representative from Johnson & Whales University give a presentation about the school and some of its courses. The school has four campuses spread throughout the United states. These campuses are located in Providence, North Miami, Denver, and Charlotte. Each campus is unique in that all of offer a completely different setting than the next. There is also 44 programs in 18 countries to study abroad from. During the lecture I learned not only about the university, but also gained useful knowledge that I can use to get into a comfortable college setting. For example, I learned some things to consider before choosing a college. Some of these things to consider are: urban or suburban, private or public? These things will narrow down the options to ones more specified to my liking and needs. This lecture has tough me things that I will use to navigate through college.

Source: (www.webometrics.com)

Design Vs Function

 This short documentary explored two skateboard companies and their approach to their work.  The two main components to prototyping are design and function. Interviewer Bolanile Mate approached the the manufacturers to find out their prototyping process. First she checked in with skate company Minka skateboards. These boards are embellished with striking and sophisticated patters made possible by laser technology. Minka skateboards puts design first, before function. Later, the interviewer stopped by Baise-en-ville. A South France based company who drew inspiration from France's beach towns. This company engineered a different structure than the normal skateboard. They designed it with a hole through the nose of the board. This allows for adaption and portability. Baise-en-ville prioritized function over design. I think it is important to focus both design and functionality when you are manufacturing because they go hand-in-hand. For example, every time a new model of the Apple iPhone is released, they usually thin out the casing for aesthetic and design purposes and embed new hardware for functionality.

Source: (www.apple.com)

Fast Fashion

 If you have ever purchased a garment from retailers such as H&M or Forever21, you may ask yourself how the company was able to manufacturer and sell its products for so cheap. Well, the truth is somewhere during the production, the clothing is being made for cheap and the workers being paid even less. Many mass producing brands strive to keep their prices low in order to maintain profits. In order to produce their garments low of cost, these retailers have factories in countries like India make it for them. This is the result of manufacturers competing and continuously lowering their rates for their work. These factories are ridden with unsafe working conditions. These environments are harmful to the people working there, 85% which are women. When one women tried to congregate a union for better wages, she was beaten. Executives from the big brands like to defend their position saying things like "sewing inst inherently dangerous." The future of fashion is unpredictable but hopefully we no longer continue to enable these mass producers to make clothing at the compromise of peoples livelihood.

Cyber Monday

 Cyber Monday is the equivalence of Black Friday for online retailers. The Friday after thanksgiving has marked the start of the shopping season since the 19th century. Traditionally, this would mark the start of the shopping season. Over the years with the popularity of the internet and online shopping, Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday was born from apparent statistics that indicated the day was the kick off of the online shopping season. The reason for this is because after people return from Thanksgiving with family and friends, they return to work and shop online for the bargains they missed on Black Friday. Cyber Monday is now a highly anticipated day for all online shoppers. The term "Cyber Monday" was first used by Ellen Davis, an employee at the National Retail Foundation. She used the term in a 2005 press release " Cyber Monday quickly becoming one of the biggest shopping days of the year." I think Cyber Monday is a great thing because it puts online retailers at even playing fields with other retailers during the shopping season.  

Source: (www.gridgit.com)

Black Friday

 Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving where stores host door buster sales to attract an abundance of costumers. It is also the unofficial start to the shopping season. Black Friday got its name because it is the day where most retailers report their highest profits. Businesses record their loses in red ink and their gains in black. Retailers like Macy's in New York and Eaton in Toronto, have been frequently participating in festivals after Thanksgiving throughout the 20th century. These parades would mark the start of the shopping season. I think Black Friday is a good thing because it give businesses an opportunity to have mass sales. I have only participated in Black Friday once.

Warren Lotas

 Warren Lotas is a Massachusetts based designer who quickly gained recognition for his expressive and poetic pieces.  His collections are embellished with DIY paintings that reference culture and his experience in the world. He paints on flannels, jeans, bombers, and hoodies. Although he decides to paint on worn out clothes, his paintings are rooted in the present. He began designing when he couldn't find anything he liked in the fashion industry, " The stuff what I wanted just wasn't around", says Warren. He first gained some recognition when well known model was photographed wearing his clothing. Lotas used social media to his advantage and distributed his clothing to other models who shared photographs wearing his garments on Instagram and Twitter. This opened many opportunities for the young designer including a chance to get his clothing onto A list rappers. His grungy aesthetic has gained him a costumer base. He now has established his own business and sells his collections on his online store.


Source: (www.warrenlotas.com)

Sustainability in Fashion

  Although, fashion is always evolving, it still falls behind in sustainability when compared to other major industries. I think the fashion world is lacking in sustainability because consumers aren't ready for it. Many people do not see the effect in buying sustainably manufactured garments. For example, people understand the benefit of spending a few more cents on a organic fruit opposed to a non organic one, but the message isn't so clear to many when talking about sustainable fashion. Fast fashion also greatly effects how garments are made. The consumers want what they see on social media and they want it as cheap as possible. This means manufacturers are pumping out garments made out of cheap unsustainable fabrics. Some designers even feel a pressure from factories not to go the eco friendly route.

Adele's new Vanity Fair cover shoot

 Vanity Fair, just release the striking new images of Adele for the December 2016 cover. I'm so obsessed!  These photos allow us to see Adele in a way we have never seen her before. In one picture, we see her sitting on a swing under a tree with a gorgeous red gown billowing in the wind. In another, we see her reclining on a pale cushion wearing an embellished tulle dress. These looks would look amazing on the singer for the up and coming Grammys. In an interview following the shoot, adele speaks about everything from her son to her work ethic. But, on recurring theme was how women inspire and play a big role in her life. She speaks about how when she was older, she felt as if women were competitors. Now she sees them as individuals who have walked similar paths in life, and she says "the more women in my life, the better."  

Source: (www.whowhatwear.com)