FRINGEWashINGtoN squaRE NEWs

PRESENTS

FRoM thE EDItoR

Every issue of the Washington Square News is like a trial run for

everyone on the editorial team. For those of us interested in pursuing a

career in print journalism, it’s the perfect incubator for learning about the

daily mechanisms that go into producing a print news source. FRINGE is

similarly a fantastic practice arena for us young editors, stylists, writers

and photographers who aspire to enter the fast-paced world of fashion

editorial. This issue certainly does not disappoint in that regard.

Conceptualizing content, pulling together a styling team, requesting

samples from P.R. agencies and sometimes being ignored by said P.R.

agencies: These are just a few of the essential tasks that go into producing

FRINGE every semester. Hiccups were encountered, but expected. The

occasional scare that a $400 sample might be missing sent us into a

tizzy. But, within a larger perspective, this issue of FRINGE has been an

overwhelming success.

Our shoot, which took place on a beautiful Saturday in April, was

unquestionably one of the most productive (and fun) days I’ve had this

year. We laughed, we joked and generally had a great time with each

other: models, photographer, stylists, editors. While I hate to perpetuate

stereotypes about the industry, I’m sure most Vogue shoots aren’t nearly as

stress-free and enjoyable to produce. Everything that has made this issue so

great — the high-quality photography, the beautiful clothes, the impeccable

styling, the eloquent writing and the contagious positivity during production

— was the result of some incredible teamwork. Had a single person been

missing from the equation, I’m certain the issue would have suffered. And

with that in mind, I’d like to thank the wonderful team that made this issue

possible. To our models, thank you for looking gorgeous and putting up

with a bunch of crazy people for an entire Saturday. To Katie, our deputy

managing editor, thank you for invaluable insights and dealing with all

of the logistics of putting a fashion issue together that no one else could

handle. To Francis, our creative director, thank you for making this issue look

beautiful and dealing with my delirium towards the end (and for providing

coffee and donuts at the shoot). To Allison, Emily, Jacobi and Jake, our

stylists, thank you for being so detail-oriented and creating such unique

and original looks. To Michael and Michelle, our photographers, thank you

for making this issue look so fantastic with breath-taking photography and

exquisite lighting. To our writers, thank you for producing such well-written

and intriguing content. And to our managing editorial team, thank you for

giving me the opportunity to put this whole thing together. Special thanks

to the Cooper Square Hotel for providing the venue for our first spread,

and to anyone I may have forgotten on this long list. No offense intended.

I’m just a little tired.

— Jake Flanagin, Fashion Editor

(previous page)ON HEARTlEIGH: Vivienne Tam (dress)ON AuRORA: Vivienne Tam (dress), Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz (necklace)ON KATIE: Vivienne Tam (dress)ON AllEy: Vivienne Tam (dress), American Apparel (scarf)

DAVID lIN/WSN

WoRDs oF WIsDoM FRoM INDustRY INsIDERs

Q: WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR DEVElOPING GIlT GROuPE?A: The concept for Gilt Groupe was inspired by the excitement of the New York City sample sale and wanting to bring that excitement across the U.S.

Q: HOW DO yOu ExPlAIN THE RAPID SuCCESS OF GIlT GROuPE COMPARED TO OTHER COMPANIES OR RETAIlERS THAT OFFER DISCOuNTS ON DESIGNER ITEMS?A: We work very hard on getting the best brands and invest a lot of time and money in securing top photographers to ensure our members are going to be inspired. Plus, we only stock ready-to-wear. For that we have a big team of merchants and buyers, and they’re very picky about what we feature on the site. We only accept a fraction of what is offered to us. We cherry-pick.

Q: WHAT MADE GIlT GROuPE RECESSION-PROOF?A: We started right before the recession hit, right before Lehman’s collapsed in 2008, so we were in the thick of it. But we built a very loyal fan base of shoppers, as well as brand partners. The loyalty only got stronger when the recession hit, because customers didn’t want to pay full price for anything anymore. Our brand partners became very loyal because we kept a lot of designers afloat when the department

by SARAH KAMENETz and JAKE FlANAGIN

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson is a founder and chief merchandising officer of Gilt Groupe, the company behind the massively successful online discount luxury retailer, Gilt.com. After graduating from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, Wilson spent three years in investment banking before managing large-scale retail operations at Bulgari and louis Vuitton. WSN spoke to Wilson about Gilt.com’s success and the future of fashion retail.

aLEXaNDRa WILKIs WILsoN founder and chief merchandising officer of Gilt Groupe

EMILY WEIss Vogue fashion assistant and editor of IntoTheGloss.com

stores were returning excess inventory they couldn’t sell. We stepped in and our brand partners aren’t going to forget that. And as the economy heals, our prices are still preferable to full prices.

Q: WHAT DO yOu FORESEE FOR THE FuTuRE OF ONlINE, HIGH-END FASHION RETAIl?A: I think we’ve really paved the way for a lot of full-price and discount retailers in terms of the quality of our photography and how we approach our brand partners. We really listen to our customers about where they’re spending their money and what they want. That affects how we run our site and other types of sites we launch. Jetsetter was established because our members travel a lot. We’re also launching a menswear site this summer. But we try to stay true to our core.

Q: WHAT DO yOu FORESEE FOR THE FuTuRE OF BRICK-AND-MORTAR RETAIlERS?A: I think a lot of brick-and-mortar establishments are hopefully investing time and money into online platforms and e-commerce. It’s pretty obvious at this point that that’s the future. It may seem daunting, but it’s really important for all product categories to move into e-commerce even if they’re wary at first.

Q: WHAT’S AHEAD FOR GIlT GROuPE?A: In September we launched Gilt City, which provides discount to city-specific retailers and establishments in New

York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago and Tokyo. Gilt City sites for other cities are currently in development. The rest I can’t talk about, so stay tuned!

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF yOuR FAVORITE DESIGNER lABElS? ARE THERE ANy OTHER RETAIlERS, BESIDES GIlT.COM, THAT yOu FREQuENT?A: I love Chanel, Lanvin and Yves Saint-Laurent, but I have a deep respect for Zara and H&M. I think they’re smart business models.

Q: WHAT, IN yOuR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEuRS WHO ARE lOOKING TO BREAK INTO FASHION TO KEEP IN MIND?A: Take advantage of student networks and the NYU network of teachers and alumni. Spend time getting to know professors and classmates above and below your year, because you never know who’s going to be a useful contact. If you were to start a business, is there anyone you could start one with? Look for complementary skill sets: What are you good at? What are you not good at? Where can people help you out? If you want to start something online, meet some engineers, because they can help you with the math and computer skills that are required to develop one. I would also say don’t be afraid to fail. Sometimes, people learn the most from failures. Lastly, take time to figure out what you’re passionate about and pursue it.

Sarah Kamenetz is a staff writer. Jake Flanagin is fashion editor. Email them at fashion@nyunews.com.

Q: HOW HAS yOuR Nyu EDuCATION EQuIPPED yOu FOR A JOB IN THE FASHION INDuSTRy?A: I was a studio art major at Steinhardt and a communications minor. I’ve always been a super visual person, so studying art was a natural direction for me. I honestly think that there’s no better training for the fashion industry than hands-on experience, so, to be honest, I interned more than I went to school. I was typically at Teen Vogue for three days a week and crammed all of my classes into two days. To each his own, but that’s the formula that worked best for me and allowed me to have a great training while getting an education. My only advice would be to enjoy freshman year before jumping into an internship. Even the least “collegiate” student needs to experience a little full-on college. In fact, the best four months of my life were spent just studying abroad in Florence.

Q: IF yOu HAD TO IDENTIFy ONE ElEMENT THAT CONTRIBuTED MOST TO yOuR SuCCESS, WHAT WOulD IT BE?

by AMANDA RANDONE

She dashed across Washington Square Park to make it to class at the Steinhardt building on time. She strutted the chic hallways of Teen Vogue’s New york City office. Now, fresh off the plane from Fashion Week in Paris, she’s ready to take on Manhattan once again. Nyu graduate Emily Weiss has certainly established herself in the fashion industry. While you might recognize the 26-year-old as lauren Conrad’s ambitious competition on “The Hills,” Weiss has since amplified her presence in the world of fashion. After a three-year internship at Teen Vogue, the bold Bobcat went on to be a fashion assistant at W magazine. In addition to her current job assisting Vogue editor Elissa Santisi, Weiss is taking on cyberspace with her edgy style blog, IntoTheGloss.com. Here is what she has to say about her speedy transition from Nyu student to fierce fashionista.

A: There have been so many people and experiences that have helped me achieve what I wanted to do in terms of work so far — my family and friends, of course, and my mentors. You also have to find strength within yourself to accomplish things. We can be really eager and ambitious and also our own worst critic. Learning how to act, how to react and generally good decision making are real arts and things I’m always trying to get better at. I’m naturally a very “why not?” and “sky’s the limit” type of person, so taking chances and forging ahead have definitely led to some positive developments and will hopefully continue to propel me forward. I’m a full-on Aries in that way.

Q: lOOKING BACK ON yOuR SuCCESS SO FAR, IS THERE ANyTHING yOu WOulD CHANGE?A: So far, there’s nothing I would change. I truly feel that everything happens for a good reason. Each experience, good or bad, is important because it helps you decide what you want and don’t want. It points you in the right direction.

Q: WHAT ADVICE DO yOu HAVE FOR OTHER Nyu STuDENTS HOPING TO “MAKE IT” IN THE FASHION INDuSTRy?A: There are several pieces of advice I believe are really important for starting out. First of all, the fashion industry is tiny and sort of has “classes” just like school, like “Class of 2007.” That means a lot of the same people you intern with will be climbing the corporate ladder alongside you. It’s important to treat everyone well, be supportive and really forge good relationships with your peers and not just your higher-ups. More often than not, they will be the ones recommending you for jobs, telling you about openings or asking you to collaborate down the line. To that point, your reputation is your calling card and precedes you: Make an effort to be courteous, respectful and hard-working, even if you know your current role isn’t for you. It may not be forever, but impressions can be. And don’t put personal pictures or anything incriminating online! Facebook was just heating up when I was at NYU, and now, it’s almost scary to me how easy it is to access information about someone online! What’s that line from “The Social Network”? “The internet isn’t written in pencil, it’s written in ink.”

Amanda Randone is a staff writer. Email her at fashion@nyunews.com.

VIA GIlT.COM

COuRTESy OF EMIly WEISS

the hIGh LIFE

ON MICHAEl: Brooklyn Industries (shirt), H&M (belt), H&M (trousers), Bass (brogues)

ON AllEy: Richard Chai (dress), Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz (necklaces), stylist's own (gloves)

ON KEllAN: American Apparel (shirt), Warby Parker (glasses)

ON AuRORA: Richard Chai (dress), stylist's own (gloves), BCBG (bracelet), stylist’s own (headpiece)

PhotoGRaPhY BY MIChaEL GEoRGE

LIGhtING DEsIGNER MIChELLE Watt

the hIGh LIFE

ABOuT THE VENuE

The Cooper Square Hotel graciously permitted us to use their beautiful, second-floor bar and patio as the backdrop for “The High Life.” Situated on the Bowery, on the east side of bustling Cooper Square, the hotel is a tranquil oasis of modern luxury in its vibrant setting. The tower itself is an ultra-modern glass monolith designed by Carlos Zapata, reaching a total of 21 stories. All interiors were designed by the celebrated Milanese decorator Antonio Citterio.

With 145 rooms, the Cooper Square Hotel boasts a sleek, modern aesthetic without forfeiting the warmth of world-class accommodations. The setting was the perfect environment for “The High Life,” and we’re nothing but grateful to the helpful staff. Look out for more information regarding the Cooper Square Hotel in our Graduation Issue this May.

ON HEARTlEIGH: American Apparel (scarf),

claudia e. (shorts), model’s own (shoes), Warby Parker (glasses)

ON KATIE: model’s own (scarf), Ray-Ban (sunglasses), H&M (shirt), H&M (floral romper), stylist’s own (shoes), stylist’s own (necklace)

ON MICHAEl: L.L. Bean Signature (blazer), L.L. Bean Signature (shirt), Brooklyn Industries (chinos), Warby Parker (glasses)

ON KEllAN: Brooklyn Industries (sweater), American Apparel (shirt), H&M (shorts), Seiko (watch)

BEautIFuL & VERsatILE

CLassIC

ELECtRIC

by EMIly MCDERMOTT and SARAH KAMENETz

photography by DAVID lIN

BEautIFuL & VERsatILE

In the world of cosmetics, no single look will suffice. As the seasons change, the makeup you choose should reflect the atmosphere of the occasion. With that in mind, we've compiled four distinct looks modeled by the beautiful Jacqueline

that will prove useful for any number of events.

LuMINEsCENt FREsh

by JORDIN ROCCHI

1. JuSTIN TOWNES EARlE—“Harlem River Blues”

2. BEST COAST— “Crazy for you”

3. EllIE GOulDING— “lights”

4. THE NAKED AND FAMOuS— “Passive Me, Aggressive you”

5. TAllEST MAN ON EARTH— “Sometimes the Blues is Just a

Passing Bird”

6. The Dum Dum Girls— “He Gets Me High”

7. JENNy AND JOHNNy— “I’m Having Fun Now”

8. RAPHAEl SAADIQ— “Stone Rollin'”

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

MoDIsh BEats

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

These eight artists aren’t just some of the hottest musicians on the scene – they are also the epitome of style.

day tripperPhotoGRaPhY BY

MIChaEL GEoRGE

ON AllEy: Alice + Olivia (blazer), American Apparel (bow), H&M (T-shirt), American Apparel (tights), American Apparel (socks), Bass (saddle shoes)

ON AuRORA: Peter Som (blouse), American Apparel (petticoats), Bass (pumps)

ON MICHAEl: stylist's own (sunglasses), L.L. Bean Signature (shirt), H&M (belt), Brooklyn Industries (shorts), American Apparel (socks), Bass (brogues)

ON KEllAN: St. James (shirt)

ON HEARTlEIGH: Warby Parker (glasses), H&M (top), claudia e. (shorts)

ON AuRORA: Peter Som (blouse), American Apparel (petticoat), Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz (earrings)

ON MICHAEl: L.L. Bean Signature (shirt), H&M (belt), Brooklyn Industries (shorts), Barbour (jacket)

by CARRIE COuROGEN

College students are typically on a tight

budget, but for Nyu students, sticking

to it can be more difficult. living in the

city subjects us not only to a higher cost

of living than our peers tucked away in

college towns, but to more expensive

clothing as well. New york shopping is

both a fashionista’s blessing and curse:

good for her style, but bad for her wal-

let. But if you work hard enough, you

can employ some little-known tips and

tricks to look great without busting your

budget.

JOIN STORE MAIlING lISTSWhen the cashier asks you for your

email address, your first instinct prob-

ably is to say “no thanks.” With all the

listservs you’re already attached to,

you don’t need any more spam fill-

ing up your inbox. But if you’re a loyal

customer to the store, you may want

to think again. Store-sent emails of-

ten give their recipients insider deals

— this means coupons, discounts

and first dibs on sale items. Go for it

— they’re more of a help than a nui-

sance in the end.

ASK STORES IF THEy OFFER STuDENT DISCOuNTS

your Nyu ID picture may be a tad

embarrassing, but if you flash it at a

J. Crew register, it will save you 15

percent off your final purchase. Simi-

FRuGaL FashIoNIsta: DEaLs oN thE DoWN LoW

lar perks can be found at stores like

Madewell, Rugby by Ralph lauren and

Topshop. If you’ve purchased a $20

Student Advantage card to get money

off travel expenses, did you know it

comes with retail perks, too? Although

only available online, cardholders

are offered discounts at Bluefly.com,

Macy’s and Target. But be sure to ask

around — many stores don’t openly

advertise their student discounts.

GIVE CONSIGNMENT SHOPS A CHANCE

Why pay $80 for a brand new la-

coste polo when you can buy it gen-

tly used — or even better, new with

tags — at a consignment boutique for

a quarter of the price? If you’re will-

ing to wear someone else’s clothes for

that vintage vibe, why not apply it to

contemporary wear? New york is filled

with shops like Buffalo Exchange that

can be great resources for basics and

accessories. Keep in mind that em-

ployees hand pick every item they buy,

so what you’re getting is quality — be it

brand new or very gently worn.

BROWSE THE CHIlDREN’S DEPARTMENT

Smaller girls would be surprised at

how much money they can save if they

skip the petites section and head over

to kids. Comparing measurements on

sizing charts will show that large and

extra-large youth-sized items are of-

ten very close to the adult extra-small

or small equivalent. A girls’ North Face

Denali jacket is just $99, while the

adult counterpart runs at $165. Same

goes for footwear — if you’re plan-

ning on investing in a pair of Hunter

rain boots to deal with April showers,

try on children’s sizes. A youth size 5

or 6 will fit up to a woman’s size 7,

and they’re $50 cheaper. While kids’

clothes can be great steals, don’t for-

get to try everything on first.

CHECK OuT DISCOuNT DEPARTMENT STORES

Tourists load up with bags from Cen-

tury 21 all the time, and they flock to

the mega discount department store

for good reason. Stores like Century

21, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s may stock

some things that are slightly last-sea-

son, but if you’re looking for name-

brand basics, look no further. Amaz-

ing deals can be found if you search

hard enough. Michael Kors heels for

just $45? What more could a fashioni-

sta ask for?

Carrie Courogen is a staff writer.

Email her at fashion@nyunews.com.

modelsthe

modelsthe

aLLEY LIaNG

auRoRa BELL

hEaRtLEIGh LIttLE

KatIE suMMERFIELD

KELLaN PEaVY

MIChaEL MENDIEta

MoDELsAURORA BELL

JACQUELINE GONZALEZALLEY LIANG

HEARTLEIGH LITTLEMICHAEL MENDIETA

KELLAN PEAVYKATIE SUMMERFIELD

stYLIstsALLISON BECKER

JACOBI HOLLINGSHEDEMILY MCDERMOTT

JAKE SAMMIS

PhotoGRaPhYMICHAEL GEORGEMICHELLE WATT

DAVID LINDO HOON BAE

aDVERtIsINGBUSINESS MANAGERREBECCA RIBEIRO

SALES MANAGERSTEFANIE YOTKA

CIRCULATION MANAGERMEAGAN DRIVER

ADVERTISING COORDINATOREMILY CHEN

UNIVERSITY SALES COORDINATOREMILIA MIRONOVICI

sales representatives SOPHIA AIZIN

KAITLYN O’BRIENMELISSA YNEGAS

aDVIsINGDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

DAVID COSGROVE

EDITORIAL ADVISER

KEITH LEIGHTY

EDITORS-AT-LARGERANDY KREIDERMATT MARGINI

RICHA NAIKSARAH NGUYEN

ERIC GREGORY PLATT

WEB CONSULTANT MICHAEL STRICKLAND

About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Kelsey Desiderio at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

NYuNEWs.CoM

Editor-in-Chief JAYWON ERIC CHOE

Deputy Managing Editor

KATIE THOMPSON

Assistant Managing Editor

RUSSELL STEINBERG

Creative DirectorFRANCIS POON

Fashion EditorJAKE FLANAGIN

WashINGtoN squaRE NEWs

PREsENts

FRINGEsPRING 2011

Managing Editor | PrintKELSEY DESIDERIO

Managing Editor | Online

ARIELLE MILKMAN

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