The L Word

          In the world of fashion, collaborations are constantly changing. Standing out from previous collaborations is what makes a collection memorable, which is easier said than done. However, the marriage of two iconic brands from across the ocean, Britain's iconic florals and America's class blue jeans, is a huge deal. The line will first be available at Liberty's London shop in April before heading stateside in May on Levi’s website.

         This 15 piece collection, ranging in price from $90 to $200, combines an exclusively designed Liberty print with Levi's denim, giving the capsule collection a fresh take on the floral denim trend that was seen everywhere last season. The arrangement of fabric pieces stitched on top of jeans and inside of vests and jackets allows for a more playful look which is a little easier to wear than a full-floral look. Be on the lookout for this collection, because it marks the first time Liberty has veered away from its signature tiny blossoms, instead creating what looks like a laser print in a white floral-dot pattern.

Consciously Curated Design

Consciously Curated Design

by Naomi Izen

                                                       Rock Soap, $20 each                 Hui Hui Scarf, $280

I’m not a shopper. That sounds like the start to a funny joke, since I am a design major and have been in love with fashion and interiors since I can remember. Seriously though, I do not like to shop. I find consumerism leads to excessiveness and eventually much waste, which our environment is not equipped to deal with. We are overusing our resources and we need to consciously think about the goods that we buy and where and how they are made. Many people my age tell me they are sick of hearing about the eco-chic trend. I’d like to inform them that this is not a trend, rather a necessity for all companies who produce and manufacture goods. A paradigm shift needs to occur if we want to keep producing at the rate we are producing and consuming at the rate we are consuming.
             Luckily, there are many stores, online as well as brick and mortar stores that feel a strong calling towards being a partner with nature instead of a destroyer of it. My favorite of these eco-chic boutiques is the online store, Beklina. Founded in 2006, it was the first ever online green boutique. According to Beklina they focus on, “emphasizing USA made, well crafted heirloom wares with sustainable ideals.” With a highly curated collection of clothing, jewelry, accessories, shoes and home goods, Beklina is host to artistry and sustainability in all areas of one’s lifestyle. Beklina has a strong desire to promote lesser-known designers who are not only creating but also changing the way that people view design and consumption. 

If I were to spend my precious dollars, I would want to spend it at a store like Beklina, where design and sustainability go hand in hand and where words like fair-trade and organic are not just thrown around aimlessly but rather knowledgably celebrated. Check out Beklina here, educate yourself about your consumption habits and when you do shop, shop smart and shop consciously.

Fash Bash

Fash Bash

It’s award season, and there is nothing more exciting then getting to watch the new fashionable trends strut down the red carpet.  I don’t know which is better though, the actual award show or the Fashion Police television show on E! that picks apart the stars and their sometimes-outrageous style choices.  Now the starts have great fashion sense too, which the Fashion Police do not dare fail to mention, but the worst dressed nominees are always the best to watch get knocked, for their terrible choices and Joan Rivers is the Queen of hysterically criticizing the stars.

To start with the best is usually not the way to go, but in this case that is exactly what I am going to do.  It was agreed that Kate Hudson, Taylor Swift, Claire Danes and Hayden Panattiere were all dressed beautifully. Hudson in McQueen, Swift in Donna Karan, Danes in Versace and Panettiere in Cavali all did it right this award show.  Rivers dubbed Miss Taylor Swift the Best Dressed star at the 70^th annual Golden Globes.  Now moving onto the worst dressed stars of the evening.  The Fashion Police each had their own idea of who was the worst according to their preferences, Lucy Liu in a Carolina Herrera ball gown, Jessica Chastain in Calvin Klein, Halle Berry in Versace, and Lena Dunham in Zac Posen.  There was a toss up with Lucy Liu being a Best Dressed nominee, but Joan Rivers naming Jessica Chastain the worst dressed over ruled all the other nominees.  I would have to agree completely, although the color of the dress was beautiful with its turquoise blue hue, the silhouette made her boobs look saggy and very unflattering for her body. 

Being nominated as a worst dressed star is not wanted by anyone, so maybe next award show these stars should consider watching a Fashion Police re-run to get themselves up to date on trends that work.  Joan Rivers is not afraid to tell you how she really feels!

Pizza and Ice Cream...With a Twist

by Emily Stall

Let me start by saying I’m not a huge pizza person. This statement usually elicits a response of some combination of confusion and disgust, but honestly, the idea of a greasy pizza from the local pizzeria just doesn’t excite me. That being said, I am not easily impressed when it comes to pizza.  But when I heard about Pizza Brain--”the world’s first pizza museum--with an artisan pizzeria attached”--I knew I had to check it out. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also located right next door to Little Baby’s Ice Cream, which serves up unique flavors with vegan and non-dairy options.

My "Jane" and "Granny Divjack" slices at Pizza Brain

Located at 2313 Frankford Ave, Pizza Brain holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of pizza-memorabilia. Pizza Brain is not really what I expected of a “Pizza Museum”--but then again this is apparently the world’s first pizza museum, so maybe I shouldn’t have had any expectations. Despite being small and not so museum-like, there’s something endearing about this quirky space. The walls are covered with “pizza-memorabilia,” my favorite being a portrait of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle eating a slice. My friends and I were warmly welcomed by the equally quirky and endearing manager, Brian. His excitement was apparent as he described the pizza options and offered suggestions, and checked in with us to make sure everything was okay.  

While I wasn’t overly impressed with the “museum” aspect of the trip, the pizza is what really counts. And the pizza did not disappoint. First I had a slice of the “Jane,” the equivalent of a “plain” pizza, though there was nothing plain about this one. Mozzarella, aged provolone, grana padana, fresh basil  with hand-crushed tomato sauce on the most perfect crust I’ve ever tasted.  Thin but not too crispy. The kind of crust even a non-crust-eater would be happy to eat. Now I was impressed. Next, I tried something totally different. A white pizza, the “Granny Divjack” had mozzarella, shaved almonds, caramelized onions, blue cheese, and incredibly thin slices of granny smith apple. An unexpected combination, the apple slices gave the perfect hint of sweetness to this cheesy pizza. 

Though I wouldn’t recommend Pizza Brain for a cultural museum experience, I would strongly encourage anyone--pizza lover or not--to head over to Frankford Ave for a  freshly made pie. This is pizza worth getting excited about. While you’re there, make sure to stop by their neighbors and partners at Little Baby’s Ice Cream for some Chipotle Chocolate or Balsamic Banana ice cream. Both dining establishments are community-driven and offer vegan options, while putting a fresh twist on old classics. Who knew pizza and ice cream could be so exciting?

Anthony Bourdain: Master Of Philly Food Scene And My Heart

By Maggie Reid

I was sitting in my History of Costume class last week when one of my peers told me that an episode of The Layover with Anthony Bourdain (the only man over the age of 40 who I would consider eloping with) taking place in Philadelphia was to air that night. I soon realized that I was probably the last Philly resident to have heard about this event. A number of bars and restaurants around the city had already planned viewing parties of the episode.

I was elated when Bourdain mentioned a few key restaurants and bars that I frequent, such as Paesano’s and Federal Donuts in South Philly, Han Dynasty in Old City, and Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown.  In addition to some of my old favorites, Bourdain mentioned some other restaurants that piqued my interest. Though I typically do not find Mediterranean and Israeli food mouthwatering, Zahav in Old City looked nothing short of incredible. I’m pretty sure my heart skipped a beat, or five, when I decided to delve further into Zahav’s menu and saw that they offered duck kebabs with pistachios and saffron. From the time I was 4-years-old, Vietnamese food has always had a special place in my heart. My personal favorite Vietnamese restaurant is “Vietnam.” However, when Bourdain dived into a bowl of pho from Pho 75 in South Philly, with slices of brisket, flank steak, soft tendon, and beef tripe I began to salivate.

Though I am confident in the date I have planned for Bourdain for the next time he stops by in Philly, I guess I could let him make a few suggestions too.    

"A Million Girls Would Kill for this Job"

By Suphattra Fatlowitz

Drexel’s Westphal College brought Christina Binkley and the world of fashion journalism to the newly finished URBN Center this fall.  Students and professors were jammed into a small lecture hall and eagerly awaited Binkley’s arrival.  Binkley was every bit calm, cool and collected when she appeared before us. 

Binkley has been with The Wall Street Journal for 18 years, however, she has only been writing about fashion for about 8 years now.  Binkley writes On Style each Thursday and contributes to WSJ Magazine, Off Duty, and Weekend as well as other newspaper sections.  She admits that she knew nothing about the world of fashion when she first got the assignment, but her outsider’s opinion gave her column a fresh take.  Prior to writing about fashion, Binkley wrote about real estate scams, gambling and the hotel industry – quite a different subject. 

One of the perks a fashion journalist has is the ability to attend Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.  While there, Binkley attends big name ready-to-wear and haute couture shows, like Vera Wang, Gucci and Givenchy.  It seems as though Binkley has the life everybody in the fashion industry wants.  However, Fashion Week is a grueling time.  She said this is the most exhausting and toughest job she’s ever had.  During these five weeks, twice a year, days will last from 9 am – 12 am.  The writing doesn’t start until 12 am and then the next day is a repeat.

Binkley is a self proclaimed “factory nerd” who visits at least one factory in Europe each time she travels. This fall, she visited the Missoni knitting factory in Italy and said she now understands why the garments are so expensive. They simply take a long time to make, even by maching. She plans to go to a Hermes factory on her next trip.  Binkley has yet to travel to Asia where most of our clothes are being produced.  Her interests lie in rights issues as well as the translation from designer to production.

After Binkley’s personal account of how she began in fashion journalism, she opened up the floor to questions.  Here are a few of those questions.

How do you choose which shows to go to? There are shows I have to go to and shows I want to go to, which are often different.  In Milan I have to see Gucci.  I go to major shows every season.  This gives me less time to go out and explore.  I’d like to see smaller designers.

Explain your editing process. I sleep on it and then come back to it. 

How do you think up what to write about for the different shows?  What do you look for? I didn’t critique collections for the first couple of years.  I didn’t understand it enough.  Now I try to compare lines by critiquing on what they’ve done in the past.  It’s easy for designers to get carried away.  In their mind their client is Anna Wintour, not Neiman Marcus or Saks.  I’ll look for trends consumers want to know about.  I rarely downright think something is ugly.  I keep in mind price versus wearability.  I hate criticizing.

What kind of trends besides fabrics and colors are predominant now? Black & white, stripes, checks, volume – sack dresses, sometimes belted, and full skirts.

What’s your favorite fashion blog? The Cut.  It gives an insider feel.  I ignore some of the most popular blogs. 

Are there other parts of the industry you’d like to explore? Asia, production for mass markets, patternmaking.

How do you balance family time with such a busy career? I live in LA, make sacrifices and have strict rules.  There are a lot of functions I don’t go to unless they’re really important.

What should we (students) be keeping in mind in terms of what to deal with in the industry? People are willing to work their butts off for nothing.  If you’re at an unpaid internship, don’t stay long.  Move on.  A lot of fashion students race out to have the big job before they are ready for it.  I get a ton of pitches a day and I always have to determine if I should waste my time.  I look at where they’ve worked first.  I’ll move on if anything doesn’t hook me.  Get experience to build your resume, abilities and skills.

Why I’ll Give "Girl Meets World" a Shot

By Emily Stall

News of the Boy Meets World spinoff can be found on the social media sites of virtually every 90s kid out there. In case you’ve somehow missed the news, Disney is creating a spinoff of the classic 90s TV show and calling it Girl Meets World. The new show will focus on the daughter of everyone’s favorite couple, Cory and Topanga. My natural first reaction? NO! They’re going to ruin the legacy of the greatest show of all time! However, the news gets better. Not only is the original producer, Michael Jacobs, returning for the new series, but Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel are also reprising their roles as Cory and Topanga. And Danielle Fishel has hinted on her blog (http://dfishel.tumblr.com/) that other cast members may join the project as well. Fishel also writes, “I promise with the entirety of my heart that we will make GMW with the same honesty, innocence, and intelligence that you learned to expect from BMW.”

So, here’s to hoping Girl Meets World can live up to the Boy Meets World legacy. It’s no easy act to follow. What 90s kid doesn’t wish they could have a relationship like Cory and Topanga’s? We all remember the time Topanga pushed Cory up against his locker and gave him his first kiss. Or when Topanga’s family moved to Pittsburgh, and she ran away to Philadelphia to be with Cory. I can practically recite Cory’s speech to his mom to convince her that he and Topanga need to be together in Philadelphia. “She gave me my first kiss. She taught me how to dance. She was always talking about these crazy things and I never understood a word she said. All I understood was that she was the girl I sat up every night thinking about. And when I’m with her, I feel happy to be alive. Like I can do anything. Even talk to you like this.” (Seriously, watch that speech and tell me you don’t tear up.)

What’s so great about Boy Meets World is that it’s not just a sappy teen romance story. There are plenty of other great characters, like Cory’s best friend Shawn Hunter, who grew up in a trailer park. Shawn was always the funny tough guy with great hair, leather jackets and plenty of girls to choose from. But as the show goes on, the characters mature, and we learn that Shawn is a troubled boy who expresses his emotions through poetry. And you can’t forget about Mr. Feeney, Cory’s neighbor, principal, and teacher for every year of school. He even follows him to college! Mr. Feeney was always there to give witty remarks, and also great life advice. Cory’s older brother, Eric, was a great source of comic relief, reaching out to Mr. Feeney with his ever-popular “Feeney call.” “Feen-ay! Fee-hee-hee-hee-nay!”

But I think what really makes BMW great is that it wasn’t afraid to make fun of itself. As a show that could have easily felt too sappy (Full House or Family Matters style), the writers struck the perfect balance of serious content and humor. In one episode, Shawn and Cory compare their school schedules and comment, “Feeney for all of them.” “Yeah, me too.” Cory’s little sister, Morgan, disappears for an entire season and then returns, played by a different actress, a season later. The writers played off this continuity error seemlessly, by making the “new” Morgan’s first line, “Wow, that was the longest time out ever!” There’s an entire episode called “Kid Gets Acquainted with the Universe,” where Eric goes to Hollywood to star in a sitcom that is basically a spoof of the whole series.

If Girl Meets World is even half as witty, heartwarming, genuine, and funny as its predecessor, I’m sure it will have a cult following all its own.