Turn the page to take a look at the future of the fashion industry with Brendon Babenzien...
When we think of the titans that are constant- “Noah is a label that is truly pioneer- ly spoken of within the menswear industry, ing new practices within the fashion names like Virgil Abloh and Matthew Williams industry, while only strengthening is come to mind, designers that are relatively new social standing as we move into an era to the industry and have created an almost in- fluencer-esq, cult following of a clientele who of conscious consumerism.” are hooked on a name. We don’t often think of the people that actually put in place the back- -Sam Liebling bones of the menswear industry for what it is today, or what they’re doing to ensure that it is In 2015, Babenzien left Supreme to relaunch able to continue to exist. We don’t often think his personal menswear label, Noah (after a of people like Brendon Babenzien. rocky start in the early 2000’s). Noah is a menswear collective based out of their flagship We’ve all heard of Supreme, and subsequently location in Soho (New York City), and aims to the social hype or clout that comes with pur- blend classical men’s fashion with skate, surf, chasing looks from the brand. But consumers and music cultures. The key aspect that sets don’t often question the roots of the label, Noah apart from other labels is the brand’s or even vaguely understand who’s behind commitment to sustainability, humane labor the exclusive drops and outrageous collabo- practices, and outspoken social and politi- rations. If they did, the name Brendon Baben- cal beliefs. zien would be at the forefront of everyone’s mind within the menswear industry. Noah’s goal is to lead by example: to set a new industry standard for sustainability and con- Brendon Babenzien began his career with scious consumerism, one that needs to be put Supreme in the mid 90’s as the brands creative in place if the fashion industry has any hope of director, helping to turn the label into the surviving the coming decades. On Noah’s web- streetwear giant that it is today, and arguably site, you can find pages of the fabrics the label one of the world’s most influential brands utilizes, along with where they were sourced to ever exist. However, Babenzien’s work at and their technical aspects. The website is also Supreme isn’t what sets him apart from other home to an outspoken blog, which Babenzien creatives. and the company use to voice their beliefs about issues spanning from sustainability within fashion to the decimation of the whale population within our oceans. Noah is a label that is truly pioneering new practices within the fashion industry, while only strengthening is social standing as we move into an era of conscious consumerism. 51 F/W/2020
Brendon Babenzien relaunched Noah on the It is through works like these that Babenzien sets premise of sustainability and leading by exam- himself apart from other business owners and ple, something he’s felt obligated to do ever the fashion industry as a whole, and it seems that since having a child. Babenzien recounts that his Babenzien is one of the only people within shift towards increased consciousness within the this industry that truly lives their ideals with- fashion industry was the result of feeling as if he out compromising any part of themselves. was obligated to leave the world a better place When asked about the integration of increased for those he brought into it. In an interview with sustainable practices within the fashion indus- Put This On magazine in 2019, Babnenzien try Babenzien doesn’t hesitate to say, “I don’t remarks, “Having a child completely changed want to abandon things that look good. We the way I do this. If I act irresponsibly, it will can take things symbolic of a certain lifestyle have an impact on young people’s futures. and reappropriate them. The same way youth Most people live with ‘I’m just doing the best culture has always taken traditional clothing I can, I don’t get to decide how things work.’ and made it punk. You don’t want to leave That’s not true for business owners. They dic- good things behind; you just have to reinvent tate the behaviors of business. Through those how people think about them.” choices, they dictate the use of resources. How people are treated. All of it. I have a choice.” Brendon Babenzien has been at the forefront of the movement pushing fashion towards a more Babenzien has utilized his role as a creative consciousness structure, and shows no signs of and business owner to raise awareness of the stopping. As the world moves into increasingly malpractice and negative environmental effects dire circumstances surrounding climate change, that the fashion industry has historically had on it is imperative that designers, business own- our planet, and he is setting a trend as to what ers, and creatives such as Babenzien step up to other business owners should be doing, or, as the plate and not only change the industry, but he would put it, are obligated to do. Recent- change the way that the industry is thought of ly, in 2019, Babenzien unveiled an exhibit at and consumed.• Galeries Lafayette Champs Elysées in honor of Earth Day. The exhibit was entitled Apology to Paris, and was commenting on the fact that the United States is planning to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in 2020. The exhibit held six atriums, all containing a copy of a letter formally apologizing to Paris on the United State’s behalf. “Having a child completely changed the way I do this. If I act irresponsibly, it will have an impact on young people’s futures. -Brendon Babenzien Photo Via Heddels.com 52
2 aiming to set a new standa for the fashion industry, an s5utset axtheenvironment.
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1. 25 Sustainable Textiles Hemp Hemp is a natural fiber with low environmental im- pact. Using little to no irrigation and less fertilizers than other crops, hemp helps to replenish vital nutri- ents within soil and prevents erosion. Hemp fiber is durable, comfortable and breathable, and has been the focus and material of multiple new prod- ucts from outdoor clothing brand Patagonia™. Linen Linen is a lower impact 2. textile made from flax, that is strong, breezy, and hypo-allergenic. Linen requires nearly no water con- sumption during production, and emits ¼ of the carbon as cotton per pound of fiber. Although linen is used widely and has been for decades, it is often overlooked when investingating sustainable textiless. 3. LYOCELL by TENCEL™ Lyocell is a sustainably manufactured and by Tencel™ sourced fiber that can be combined with many commonly used textiles. TENCEL™ creates their fibers using raw wood materials; resulting in a textile that is extremely gentile on the skin, durable, and allows for versatility and unique fabric applique. 55 F/W/2020
4. 25 Sustainable Textiles Modal by Tencel™ MODAL by TENCEL™ is another sustainably manufactured textile from TENCEL™, created using raw materials and wood fibers. TENCEL™’s Modal can be combined with almost any textile, decreasing the use of traditional, high impact materials. Modal is designed to enhance the softness of existing textiles and can be integrated with industry standard technol- ogy. OCrogttaoninc Organic cotton does not 5. allow the use of genetically mod- ified seeds & restricts use of many chemicals, making it less impactful on the environment than nonorganic cotton. Organic cotton is also grown using crop rotation to sustain land, eliminates the use of synthetic pesticides and chem- icals; supporting biodiversity and protecting ecosystems. 6. Recycled cotton comes from RCeocyttcoenld repurposed pre/post-consumer waste that otherwise would go into landfills; extending the lifespan of fibers that are already created. This saves envi- ronmental resources, as one pound of traditional cotton takes 173 gallons of water to produce. Circus 001 56
7. 25 Sustainable Textiles Viscose Rayon Viscose is a woven fiber traditionally made from wood pulp. Sustain- able viscose is created from cellulose fibers of used cotton garments and ag- ricultural residue in an effort to decrease deforestation, save endangered species and decrease waste. Brands like Refor- mation and Stella McCartney have utilized this material in their effort to decrease their environ- mental impact.. Microsilk™ MICROSILK™ is a syn- 8. thetic spider silk created by Bolt Threads, a biotech company based in California. Spider silk is known for its high tensile strength, elasticity, durability and softness. MICROSILK™ carries less potential to biodegrade and environmen- tal impact than traditional silk, and has also been utilized by Stella McCar- ntney in recent collections. 9. Re- Recycled cycled cashmere can Cashmere 57 be a great alternative to the traditional textile. Cashmere has an extremely high environmental impact, about 100 times greater than wool’s. Because of demand, overgrazing in Mongo- lia has become a significant environmental issue, and it takes four goats to produce the fiber for a single cashmere sweater. On average, 1kg of recycled cashmere has an 80% less environmental impact than normal cashmere. F/W/2020
10. 25 Sustainable Textiles Alpaca Wool Alpaca wool is a substitute for traditional wool, carrying a much smaller environmental impac. Alpaca wool saves 400lbs of CO2 & 1,500 gallons of water versus conven- tional wool; and can be manufactured at sustainable and ethical Peruvian family farms. Brands such as Reformation have begun to utilize this new textile alternatile. Recycled Recycled down is reclaimed 11. Down from cushions, bedding and other items that would otherwise go to landfills. Down has consistent- ly led to cruel, live plucking practices, and recycling the down that is already in existence greatly has a greatly reduced environmental impact. For Patagonia, this material has reduced CO2 emissions by 30%. 12. PIÑA- Piñatex® TEX® is a synthetic leather developed using the 58 long fibers of pineapple leaves; providing an alternative to mass-pro- duced, petrolium-based synthetic leather. Using a waste product requires no additional raw material. PIÑATEX® offers a closed loop production system, where the residual leaf biomass is converted into fertilizer or biofuel and no chemicals arre present in production. Circus 001
13. 25 Sustainable Textiles Mylo™ MYLO™ is a leather alternative developed from engineering mycelium cells to assemble into a supple, durable, leather-like material. The textile is able to biodegrade and has a significantly lesser impact than traditional leather. MYLO™ is produced in days, while leather takes years and far more resources to be produced. The finished product is tanned and dyed like real leather, giving it that classic buttery look and feel. Recycled Re- 14. Polyester cycled polyester is a petrolium material alterna- tive, utilizes waste, reduces green- house gas emissions and promotes recycling of polyester clothing. Recycled polyester is usually made from recycled plastic bottles - this is what Patagonia uses for their fleece. Even recycled polyester should be handled with care. Synthetic materials shed micro plastics into washing machines that end up in oceans. 15. Yulex Yulex natural rubber is a Rubber 59 renewable rubber alternative to neoprene, one of the most impactful textiles utilized in today’s industry. Yulex is tapped from the Havea Tree, which can produce the substance for up to thirty years. Yulex rubber varies from normal rubber in that it’s manufacturing process emits 80% less emissions during manufacturing. Yulex is also lighter weight, faster drying, and softer than traditional neoprene, and is currently being used in wet- suit production. F/W/2020
16. 25 Sustainable Textiles Deadstock Materials Deadstockmaterials are one of the most sustain- able textile options. Companies purchase old, leftover or over-ordered fabric from designers and warehouses. These materials are reused and diverted from landfills. Textile waste accounts for 6% of trash entering landfills on a yearly basis. Sustainable womenswear retailer, Reformation, currently makes about 15% of their products from deadstock material. Recover™ RECOVER® 17. produces sustainable yarn made from old clothes and recovered waste fabric. In 2016, RECOVER® upcycled more than 2.8 million kg of textile waste. Their production is free of hazardous substances and releases no harmful chemicals. Brands such as Reformation have begun to utilize RECOVER®’s yarn in an effort to decrease the environmental impact of knitwears. 18. Econyl is regener- Econyl™ ated nylon made from 100% recycled nylon, using zero new resources and creating no new waste. Econyl is often made from nylon found in our oceans, including fishing net, fishing lines, carpet fluff and industrial plastic waste. Econyl is also Oeko-Tex Certified, meaning no hazardous chemicals are used in the dying process. Circus 001 60
19. 25 Sustainable Textiles Cork Cork is a renewable, sustainable material harvested from the phellem layer of bark on Cork Oak trees; a process that does not require cutting down any trees. The versatile material has taken on many new uses in home decor and fashion, where it’s often used in place of leather. It can be produced into flat, fabric-like sheets to be utilized in bags, shoes, jewelry, aprons and more. Coffee S.Café® uses 20. Grounds sustainable manufac- turing to create their versatile, by S.CAFE ® coffee ground based yarn that creates textiles with quick moisture transfer, odor control, water-resistance, breathabil- ity, comfort, wind-resistance and warmth; some serve as an alternative to petro- leum-based products. S.Café’s® textiles in- clude P4DRY™, Mylithe™, AIRNEST™, Eco²sy®, Sefía™, AEx Technology™ and AIRMEM™; most of which are USDA biobased prod- uct certified. 21. Kombucha Kombucha leather is a bio-mate- Leather 61 rial leather alternative made from fermenting cellulose fibers grown from yeast. The material becomes thick, flexible and leather-like. It can be dried into a sheet to be cut and used as a traditional textile or molded into a form during the drying process. Although this material is not used on a large scale, it has the potential to provide a more eco-friendly alternative to ani- mal-sourced leather. F/W/2020
25 Sustainable Textiles 22. 23. Bamboo is a soft, 8-Bit Knit is an inno- affordable textile; often com- vative knit textile developed bined with TENCEL™ into Bamboo by BYBORRE. They specialize in Lyocell or blended with Linen. As one of experimental and forward thinking knit- the fastest growing plants on earth, bam- wear; operating under a sustainable and boo is an extremely renewable material with conscientious ideology; emphasizing func- minimal environmental impact. The plant tionality. Functionality includes versatility, uses minimal water, does not require fer- durability and comfort - keys to long-term tilizer or pesticides, purifies air quality, sustainability. Taking on a quality over removes toxins from soil, regenerates quantity approach encourages con- without replanting and prevents sumers and brands to use and soil erosion. produce less. Bamboo 8-Bit Knit by BYBORRE 62 Circus 001
25 Sustainable Textiles 24. A typical pair of jeans Sustainable produces about 1.7 million Denim tons of chemicals and 2,000 gallons of water. Sustainable denim practices vary from Levi’s® Water<- Less™ jeans that utilize a unique finishing process to Patagonia’s exclusive use of 100% organic cotton in their denim and natural, low-water dyeing system. Addi- tionally, denim is a highly recyclable material and can be reused in a variety of applications includ- ing insulation. Polyamide Untreated Polyamide 25. 6.6 6.6 is a microfiber used in the Guppy Friend Washing Bag. It is de- signed to be used in home washing ma- chines to filter micro waste(plastics) from shedding off synthetic clothing during washing and eventually getting into rivers and oceans. Micro waste harms ecosys- tems and can eventually be consumed by humans through fish due to bioaccumulation. Sources Bolt Threads: Microsilk™ & Mylo™ Highsnobiety “How…BYBORRE is Reformation: Our Stuff BYBORRE Revolutionizing Knitwear” S.Café®: Function & Sustainability Design Boom “Eco Textile Fashion” feat. Suzanne Lee Levi’s® Water<Less™ Stella McCartney: Materials and Innovation Dwell “Crash Course on Cork” Parsons “How to Grow Kombucha Leather” TEDTalk “Grow Your Own Clothes” Eileen Fisher: Responsible Fibers Patagonia: Materials Tencel® Everlane Pinatex® The Eco Hub “Sustainable Fabric Guide” Guppyfriend Recover Textiles Yulex 63 F/W/2020
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SALETEERKNAITNIVGESExploring the ethical intersection between food and fashion. Written by SAM LIEBLING and ELIZABETH HAMBLETON No industry operates completely independently. Stella McCartney emerged as one of the early We live in a world of over-sharing; access to an front-runners in sustainability within the high oversaturation of information that results in sig- fashion industry. During the brand’s early stages, nificant influence and interactions between indus- much of the industry doubted that they could tries. Particularly within fashion, which has always be successful in the high fashion market without reflected the Zeitgeist whether subconsciously or using real leather and fur (1). Despite doubts, as not. One of the driving trends of society for many a long-term vegetarian, McCartney was inspired years and still today remains the concept of sus- to integrate the values she upheld in her diet into tainability and ethics. This trend was first born her company; setting an example for the indus- due to the state of our climate and selfish habits, try. Through their success, Stella McCartney has resulting in a need to change our actions. For many demonstrated “how a luxury fashion brand can people, sustainability has become a value and push the boundaries to make products that are concept that is prevalent in multiple aspects of life; beautiful, sustainable and cruelty-free” (1). The resulting in a universal consumer demand for more brand is completely vegetarian, using no real fur sustainable, ethical and transparent options across or leather. In addition they ethically source all all industries. My personal interest and passion of their other materials including re-engineered for ethical fashion originated in my transition to cashmere, organic cotton, recycled nylon and poly- a vegan diet where I became more aware of envi- ester, and hand-selected wool (1). Since 2013, Stella ronmental issues and animal welfare. My passion McCartney has used alter-napa as an alternative to is able to transcend into different facets of my real leather. It is made from polyester and poly- life (food, fashion, etc.) due to common industry urethane with a recycled polyester backing and 50 trends driven by the Zeitgeist. percent vegetable oil coating (1). 69 F/W/2020
However, for many, even this is not enough. Some SOURCING may find Stella McCartney’s efforts to be a vege- tarian brand to be hypocritical due to her use of PINEAPPLE LEATHER cashmere and wool; other animal-derived mate- rials. Some may say the same about her pledge of Pineapple leather provides a sustainable, ethical sustainability, considering her use of a polyester/ alternative to conventional animal-derived leath- polyurethane-composed leather alternative. er. It is composed of the long fibers of pineapple leaves, a waste product from the food industry; Exploring the intersection of food and fashion, forging a new connection between fashion and particularly in relation to the labels of “vegan” food. No additional resources to source the raw and “cruelty free” is surprisingly met with a lot material. PIÑATEX®, developed by Ananas Anam of controversy and strong opinions, especially is the leader in pineapple leather, having worked from members of the “vegan” community. Many with brands including Hugo Boss and Puma. Their individuals believe someone cannot call themself production method requires no chemicals; with an “vegan” if they wear leather shoes, regardless of emphasis on transparency (2). their diet. But what about the fact that most faux leathers are petroleum-based and harmful for the GROWING environment? - A direct contradiction to one of the vegan movement’s main values: sustainabili- MUSHROOM LEATHER ty. What about purchasing leather second hand? Some say this is an ideal option for vegans because Mushroom leather is another eco-friendly leather you are not directly supporting the industry by alternative developed from engineering and ma- instead giving life to a pre-existing, under-utilized nipulating Mycelium cells. The cells are assembled garment. But by doing so, some would say you’re to grow into a thick, flexible, leather-like materi- perpetuating the use of leather and indirectly al that is later tanned and dyed like real leather. supporting it regardless of where it was purchased. Mushroom leather can be produced in a matter of This lose-lose debate regarding ethics and animal days, compared to the years and overwhelming re- welfare across food and fashion has inspired a new sources that go into raising animals for leather and innovation category: leather that is cruelty-free the production that follows. Bolt Threads, a leader and vegan, sustainable, renewable, and sometimes in innovative and sustainable textile development, even derived from a waste product that would oth- released a mushroom leather called MYLO™ that erwise be discarded. has been featured by Stella McCartney and several other collaborations (3). MycoWorks is another frontrunner in mushroom leather production. Circus 001 70
CREATING BIO-FABRICATED LEATHER Biofabrication is a concept that is deeply con- nected to the food industry as it began early trials simultaneously with lab-grown meat; a potential meat alternative grown from animal cells. Similar- ly, biofabrication produces leather without animals by using DNA to produce a collagen, making up the basic fiber structure of leather. Layers of cellu- lose are then placed into molds of different shapes and sizes; allowing them to reduce waste by only creating exactly what is needed (4). Modern Mead- ow, the leader in biofabrication, supports that this process is “environmentally responsible, efficient and humane” (4). Their particular tanning process is also far more eco-friendly than conventional methods; using “less water, less energy, [and] less chemicals” (4). Aside from bio-fabricated leather and lab-grown meat for consumption, similar con- cepts have been utilized in the creation of other textiles including Bolt Threads’ MICROSILK™, a synthetic silk derived from spiders (5); and Cerato- tech’s rhino horns formed from keratin and DNA to combat animal poaching (6). • (1) “Sustainability: Materials and Innovation.” Stella McCartney. (2) “Piñatex.” Ananas Anam (3) “Mylo™.” Bolt Threads. (4) Hay, Mark. “Anti-Poaching Idea...” Make Change, 3 Aug. 2017. (5) “Microsilk™.” Bolt Threads. (6) Goodchild van Hilten, Lucy. “Cruelty-Free Fashion: Growing Leather Without Animals.” EcoWatch, 13 Nov. 2018. 71 F/W/2020
Image Here LARGE PORTRAIT IN MASK Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME
E S C A P EExploring the systemic flock to escapism as a I S Mresponse to turmoil in the United States. As well as understanding the fashion industry’s role as both a business and means of artistic expression. by SAM LIEBLING When it was light enough to use the binoculars he Dystopian fiction is a form of escapism that system- glassed the valley below. Everything paling away into the ically surges in response to political turmoil in the murk. The soft ash blowing in loose swirls over the black- United States. The threat of the Soviet Union, Ronald top. He studied what he could see. The segments of road Reagan’s election and most recently, Donald Trump’s down there among the dead trees. Looking for anything 2016 presidential victory. Following Trump’s inaugu- of color. Any movement. Any trace of standing smoke. ration in 2017, there was a surge in popularity for dys- He lowered the glasses and pulled down the cotton mask topian fiction, particularly George Orwell’s 1984 (2). from his face and wiped his nose on the back of his wrist Notes of dystopia were seen not only in the escapist and then glassed the country again. response to Trump, but in his personal rhetoric and - The Road, Cormac McCarthy (1) that of his followers.“The very idea of‘Make America Great Again’is about finding our way back to utopia”; In his novel The Road, Cormac McCarthy paints a picture said Nicholas Junkerman, Skidmore college professor of a bleak dystopian future built on isolation and surviv- (2). The psychology behind our fascination for dysto- al. The current COVID-19 global pandemic and political pian worlds is nothing new. environment in the United States has given us a taste of what living through a dystopia may feel like. (1) McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. Radiant Heart Publishing, 2014 73 (2) Locke, Charley. “The Real Reason Dystopian Fiction is Roaring Back.” Wired, Conde Nast. 22 Feb. 2017. Circus 001
Throughout history, society has turned to art forms Sustainable fashion has quickly grown to become from music to fashion to literature as a means a mainstream concept. More than ever, consumers to escape troubling times. This “morbid strain of are raising their expectations for the sourcing, ma- escapism” (2) is one way of convincing ourselves terials and labor practices of the companies they that the world could be a lot worse; which can be buy products from. Brands’ rush to reform their therapeutic and comforting. However recently, practices in alignment with evolving consumer we have seen that it also brings about an awaken- values has ultimately resulted in greenwashing and ing that sets people to action (2). Consumers and a new strain of “sustainable” consumerism which companies alike have begun to recognize the power in itself is a sort of dystopian idea. On one hand, that today’s decisions will have over the state of sustainable fashion can be buying eight shirts from our future. fast fashion brand H&M’s Conscious Collection because they’re cheap and trendy; “conscious” must The theme of dystopia has grown to become an mean it’s sustainable and ethical, right? Sustain- important consideration in fashion. As one of the able fashion can also go as deep as sewing your major causes for pollution, waste, ethical violations own clothing from second-hand materials. and overall environmental degradation; the indus- try has been forced to awaken to the impacts of their practices. (2) Locke, Charley. “The Real Reason Dystopian Fiction is Roaring Back.” Wired, Conde Nast. 22 Feb. 2017 Image Here CANDID WEARING MASK Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME
Photographer NAME Photographer NAME Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME Model NAME Model NAME Image Collage Here Photographer NAME Photographer NAME Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME Model NAME Model NAME Photographer NAME Photographer NAME Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME Model NAME Model NAME Circus 001 75
Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME Image Here CANDID WEARING MASK True sustainability within the fashion industry will be found through restructuring the industry’s standards and transitioning to a quality over quantity outlook centered around a circular business model. True sustainability requires an evaluation of what is truly important, and gaining a deeper understanding of your impact. “Happiness is based on a just discrimination of Actions are taken that are bound to make our what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor future better, more ethical, more sustainable. But destructive, and what is destructive” (3). Quality, could this dystopian future we read about be in- durability, versatility, comfort. The ideals that evitable? Are our efforts too late? Possibly, we are must be ingrained into the industry are not new; not as invincible as we like to believe. In the past but instead a reconnection to our old values that couple months, we have witnessed a global pan- have gradually been traded for low price tags, demic uproot lives in nearly every way imaginable. cheap materials and short-lived trends. People dying without the opportunity to say good- bye to loved ones; hospitals overflowing; schools, Fears of a dystopian future act as motivation. Con- churches and businesses shutting down; grocery sumers are inspired to make more ethical purchase store aisles empty; millions of jobs lost. decisions; companies become more responsible for their impact. (2) Locke, Charley. “The Real Reason Dystopian Fiction is Roaring Back.” Wired, Conde Nast. 22 Feb. 2017 76 F/W/2020
The COVID-19 pandemic will serve Image Here as a lasting reminder that no matter how strong our efforts to preserve CANDID WEARING our future, we do not have as much MASK control as we think. What role would fashion play in a dystopian world? This question becomes even more import- ant to those of us whose livelihoods depend on it; in a time where dystopia and reality begin to blur. It is in these times that we remember that the fashion industry is more than a business. It is in these times that fashion serves a purpose that is not much different than George Orwell’s 1984. Throughout history, people have turned to dysto- pian fiction as a means to escape and feel better about their reality – this same form of escapism is seen in our relationship to fashion. The Great Depression inspired the lavish, feminine evening wear of the 1930’s as people searched for distrac- tion; the youth of the 1960’s used fun, playful clothing as an outlet for their unrest about the United States social and political climate; Camp [highlighted in the 2019 MET Gala, Camp: Notes on Fashion] has served as a means of fashion escap- ism throughout history. It is true that doctors, politicians, lawyers, law enforcement, government workers save lives. But possibly even more importantly; artists, authors, musicians, designers are the people that make life worth living. • Photographer NAME Location BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Model NAME Circus 001 77
R UN Shot by Jordan Martinez
A A WY Written By Sam Liebling
A glimpse into the dystopian reality of a high school senior in 2072 and his outlet for escapism. How will our response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shape our future? D ust particles dance in front of my 5:43 - After arriving home from work I head straight to my room. I log onto eyes like fireflies; lit up by the morning my tablet and check on my school as- light. I turn to my side. My eyelids feel signments. Since I don’t plan to work in like sandpaper. My chest is heavy. I must the medical field or politics, my for- have left the window open. I reach over mal education will be over in just two and slam it shut. Causing a cloud of months when I graduate from grade 12. thick dust to balloon over me. I roll out Attending school is one of the things I of bed with a sigh and a heavy cough. 7:46 wish I could experience most from the - I guess I also forgot to set my alarm. “good days”. My parents tell me stories I throw my pajamas into the corner of of sitting in classrooms full of students my room. First comes the thick pair of their age, eating lunch together, sports leggings and a tight turtleneck to keep games, dances. If only that was my edu- out the dust. I pull on my heaviest socks cation, instead of sitting in my bed on and tie up my dust-covered hair; no time my tablet every night. I daydream a lot to shower today. I pull a pair of baggy about the past, about all the stories trousers over my leggings and grab a I’ve heard about the way life used to be. sweatshirt. The air looks particularly Going to eat at restaurants, outdoor hazy today so I put in my protective con- music festivals, amusement parks, flying tact lenses. 7:52 - I dash out of my room; on airplanes and going on vacations. putting on my coat and mask as I head It sounds like a dreamworld. A utopia. out the door. No one else in the house is “Goodnight!” I hear my mom shout from awake yet. Thankfully. Jumping on my bike the other side of my closed door. “Good- I head to the market where I do grocery night” I mutter as I close my laptop and deliveries. most people avoid leaving head to take a shower. their homes at all costs. I take any op- portunity I can to get out. The streets are especially empty today; dusty, eerie, uncomfortable, windy, hot. 80 F/W/2020
10:42 - My parents and sister are asleep. That means the best part of my day is just beginning. I cough as I pull a heavy trunk from under my bed and a cloud of dust erupts in my face. Shift- ing through vibrant colors, bright patterns, heavy jewelry; I decide an outfit and quickly throw on a thick, long coat hat and mask; darting out of the back door silently. Most state governments enforce a 11:00 curfew but you always seem to get away with it unless you’re seen in a group or without a mask on. The air quality is better at night when the temperature cools down. Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Model NOAH “NEZ” NETTLES Bright headlights blare in my eyes as a truck speeds past me and I turn the corner into a dark alleyway. I approach a heavy, metal door and duck inside. Bright lights, laughter, fog and mist, blasting music. Amidst the chaos I see a group of boys in their late teens shout my name. As I meet up with my friends, we quickly melt into a crowd of at least sixty people. Well above the government mandate that banned gatherings of over 40 people a couple years ago. Dancing, swaying, singing, hugging. We all know what a risk it is to be here. maybe that is what makes it so fun. In a world of bleakness and isolation, this club has become my only escspe. Circus 001 81
Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
BACKSTORY Following the quarantine of the 2020 years before the carelessness that COVID-19 Pandemic, industries surged emerged after COVID-19. The report their manufacturing to make up for said what many expected to be true lost time and money. Much of the already. Something many were simply progress surrounding sustainability waiting for. It was too late. The world faltered as plastic packaging only had warmed four degrees celsius. Water increased, manufacturing expanded levels had risen nearly a foot. (1) contributing to more pollution, and As the planet reached uncharted tem- a tremendous amount of waste was peratures, disease flourished in the created due to overproduction. Un- warm, humid climate. Greenhouse emis- ethical labor conditions in all fac- sions reached levels resulting in unsafe ets also surged. People were happy to air quality. People were forced to stay work any job they could get, willing home in order to avoid getting sick from to put up with unequal pay, harass- other people or simply from the air. It ment and poor, or even dangerous, was a slow, agonizing fall. working environments. 2060; exactly forty years after the Throughout the next COVID-19 pandemic, a new novel Coro- twenty years, as an entire planet charged naVirus swept the globe, killing over ahead without looking back, governments and one million people. The United States corporations did everything they could to government, along with most of the make up for lost time. world, instituted a ban on gatherings of fifty people or more. No more clubs, On March fourth, 2041; a British sci- bars, restaurants, festivals, parades. By entist released a report to the United the time a cure was developed; due to Nations. Scientists, scholars, envi- the degradation of our environment and ronmentalists, doctors, even philos- resources following the years leading ophers, had been warning the world up to the greed that emerged after 2020, for years (1) the planet had no resources to rebuild. People around the world were left unem- (1) Battistoni, Alyssa. “Everything to Lose.” Nation, vol. 308, no. 16, 3 ployed, sick, homeless. June 2019, pp. 13–18. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost 84 F/W/2020
Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON This period of time brought about a reliance on technology like never before. School is all on- line. Most people work from home. And as production for “frivolous” things including fashion, art, literature is forced to halt; technology also acts as people escape. However, as history proves, people will always find a way around the rules. During the 1920’s United States prohibi- tion, people escaped to Speakeasies (2). Drugs, guns, exotic pets, alcohol, social gatherings; people will always find a way (2). The underground nightclubs emerged in the late 2060’s as young people searched for an escape other than technology. These clubs became a place of art and culture. Young people, many hav- ing never lived in a time where they were allowed to be in groups of fifty or more, gathered in crowds of people, dressed up in colorful clothing, drank together, played games, danced to music. They were the ultimate manifestation of escapism. A colorful, flourishing utopia within a dystopian world. (2) Clark, Larry D.“‘Can’t Someone Find Him a Stimulant?”.” Theatre History Studies, vol. 29, University of Alabama Press, June 2009, pp. 122–147. Circus 001 85
Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Photographer Jordan Martinez F/W/2020 Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 88
Circus 001 Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 89
Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Note from the Editor: This piece is decicated to Noah “Nez” Malik Nettles; a true creative and friend. Nez Passed away in early 2019; A victim of gun violence in Seattle, Washington. As we use the quiet times of quarentine to reflect on the lives we once took for granted, nez’s story serves as a reminder to live every day to the fullest. NE Z Photographer Jordan Martinez 91 Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Circus 001
Photographer Jordan Martinez Location SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
U pnext Photos and Text by Corey Wilson, Graphic Design by Sam Liebling F/W/2020 94
“I’m Cory Wilson, 21 years Corey Wilson is a 21 Year Old Fashion Designer living in New York City, currently old existing in nyc, born and raised in Seattle. influenced heavily from working with Nicole Miller Studios. He is Seattle’s early grunge era, I was from Seattle, WA and emphasises craft, quali- born with the diy mentality and it clearly translates into my art and ty, and innovation within his work. design. That being, in this word nobody’s gonna give you shit and you gotta go out and take it on your own. So, that’s what I did, I moved out on my own with nothing to louse in chase of these dreams of mine. After too many people telling me I needed to find a real job, that creating was just a hobby, I finally found some direction in my own life and started working as a model and designer here in the city. I manifest- ed. I cried.And I guess I just stuck to my craft”. “I find individuality in fashion most interesting and I think that’s what draws me to it is: the idea that whatever I create can’t exist with- out “me” and the Parallels I and we exist upon can be brought together with a garment I create. I’m learn- ing how to tell my story, and I’m slowly finding my voice more and more everyday. I’m not sure where I’m going, or necessarily where I’m at in life currently but I know if it’s meant to be it’s up to me.”• Circus 001 95
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