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Aliquis 8, 2008

FEATHERS & FUR

volume one, issue one

SPRING 2009

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Feathers & Fur is the fi rst and only guide to style in the Bi-Co. As students of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, we came together with the common goal of bringing the big world of fashion to our small suburban community. Inspired by current trends, bi-college style and local stores, Feathers & Fur is the culmination of our interest in the industry. At liberal arts colleges like our own, daily fashion is not always on the top of our to-do lists. Luckily, we are surrounded by creative individuals with unique styles and edgy clothing, and we took it upon ourselves to feature it.

In our very fi rst issue, we feature on-campus street fashion, updates on the lives of alumni working in the fi eld and new ways to spice up our college gear. We include a staff profi le and highlights of local boutiques on the Main Line. One of our most beloved accomplishments is shooting four fash-ion spreads featuring our fellow students as models. We hope to inspire you to be fearless and decide to put on that extra something before you leave for class.

We would like to thank everyone who helped us with this endeavor, including models, professors, the Bi-College News, Jason McGraw, James Weissinger, the local community and everyone else who supported us along the way.

With love,With love,

Rachel Oliner Juliana Reyes Simran Singh

Elizabeth Svokos Darren White

1

table of contentsletter from the editor 1

the fashion show in fi rst position 3haver-goddess 5

the couturier around the corner 15fi nals week is a breeze 17

a blossom on ardmore avenue 27on the prowl 30

simple & chic 31david sedley: economist of pleasure 39

wednesday night lights 41charlie rubin: picturing a model life 49

glam up your gear 53diary of a night out 54

5 17

41 31

It’s not how well you pirouette, but how good you look doing it. Ballet classes used to have a manda-tory dress code: pink shoes, pink tights, black leotard and a skirt that ties directly around your waist so your teacher can tell when you’re not “en-gaging your core.” But dance evolved and grew into new forms. Jazz, lyrical, contemporary, mod-ern, hip hop, interpre-tive, whatever. With those new dance forms came a new way of expression, not only in the move-ments but also in what the dancers wore. “At fi rst I really didn’t care what I wore,” says Bryn Mawr soph-omore Alex Kaplan. “But all of the sudden there was this whole etiquette: rip your tights at your ankles, wear your dance sweater a certain way, there was something you did with the leg warmers.” Fashion in dance classes can be infl uenced by the other dancers’ trends, and to stay hip and look fresh, you gotta jeté onto the bandwagon. Bryn Mawr freshman Aliza Rothstein had similar experi-ences in her dance classes. “The cool thing was to have a leotard with a cool pattern on the back,” she says. “Seriously, all my friends would do that and we’d show them off like, ‘Check out this one!’”

“I started cutting the necks off t-shirts,” Kaplan says. “I picked it up from Israeli dancers I danced with. It was a lot more comfortable to dance in and it just looked sweet.” Inspiration can also be drawn from where you dance. Darcy Kottler, a Bryn Mawr College sophomore, takes dance classes in New York City during the summer. “It was ballet with an urban edge,” she says. “New York style street wear translated over to the dance classes. In the open classes you’d have professional dancers with ribbons in their hair, and

The Fashion Show in First Position

Written and photographed by Elizabeth Svokos

other people would just walk in from the street in their street clothes.” Street style in dance classes be-came more preva-lent as new vari-eties of dancing emerged. Myra Ba-zell, dance teacher at Bryn Mawr and life-long dancer, trained during the early roots of hip-hop. “We started to be able to wear anything we want-ed, it was the fashion of performance,” she says. She wore fl ared pants when she trained in jazz during the ‘70s and fl ared skirts when she studied fl amenco in her teens. Soon her style on the dance fl oor began to permeate her everyday style. “My mom was a costume designer, so that shaped fashion for me.” Like dance, Bazell saw fashion as “a way of communicating.” “Having the freedom to be sensual and shape-shift plays into how you dress,” she says. But ballet is a different story. The body must be shown off, and street pants will cover that killer

turn out. “Ballet is more refi ned,” says Kottler. “There’s an emphasis on creating lines that are aestheti-cally pleasing. I was trained to wear a skirt so you can see the waistline.” Tights, a perfectly fi tted skirt and a plain leotard work together to highlight the dancer’s body as it stretches and turns and jumps and bends in that perfect and polished technique. “Leotards, in my opinion, are attractive,” Kottler laughs. “They just make me feel prettier.” From fi rst to fi fth position, dancers have got style covered. Some dances require certain

outfi ts, and others inspire fashion. (How many of you have ballet fl ats in your clos-et?) Dance is expression through move-ment but as Myra believes, “it’s all about enjoying the freedom of dress.”

4

HAVER-GODDESS

Photographs by Elizabeth Svokos

LustLunt

& Laundry

Jacket, Free People. Top, vintage. Skirt, American Apparel. Shoes, Jessica Simpson.

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Silk vest, vintage. Blue dress, American Ap-parel. Grey dress, H&M. Shoes, Nine West.

Belt, vintage.

Opposite pageTop, H&M. Jacket, Gap. Necklace, vintage.

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8

Silk vest, vintage. Blue dress, American Ap-

parel. Grey dress, H&M. Belt, vintage.

Opposite pageTop, H&M. Jacket, Gap. Skirt, Ameri-can Apparel. Shoes, Nine West. Neck-lace, vintage.

9

10

Top, vintage. Skirt, American Apparel.

Models Thea Rockwell, Ruben Alexis,Joakim Grånemo, Ben Porten, Drew Twitchell & Aidan Un

Styled byRachel Oliner, Juliana Reyes, Simran Singh & Elizabeth Svokos

Makeup byRachel Oliner

Top, H&M. Jacket, Gap. Skirt, American Ap-parel. Shoes, Nine West. Necklace, vintage.

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14

One step into Agostino and a woman feels like she’s fi nally arrived. The cream walls, the fi ne art, beautiful lighting from picture windows, two decadent crystal chandeliers (a holiday sea-son window treatment that has luckily stayed in place) – these decorative elements just ooze with sophisticated, modern romance. And unsurpris-ingly, native New Yorker Frank Agostino’s clothes do exactly the same thing. From black shifts with French lace insets to a tiered satin organza bias-cut cocktail dress that falls with the lightness of a feather in mid-air, these are cocktail dresses that

make an instant and timeless statement. All of these clothes are designed by a man who is clearly a New York transplant. Tall, witty and with an unmistakable accent, Frank Agostino makes it very clear what his clothes are about. “I design for every woman,” he says. “I like feminine clothes, and I like soft clothes. And they’re the most diffi cult to make. It has to be fem-inine and elegant.” Elegant is without question an elemental thread to Agostino’s work. He does ready-to-wear collections each season but also does couture creations for his clients. From gowns for benefi t dinners to power suits for his working women, Frank Agostino is the go-to guy for Main Line women looking for that certain something to make them feel special – at the best friend’s wed-ding or at the all-important boardroom meeting. Agostino has over 20 years of experi-ence doing both made-to-measure gowns and wholesale ready-to-wear for major stores. Af-ter leaving New York City for Philadelphia, Ago-stino got his start on the Main Line working as a buyer for a major department store merchan-dising contemporary sportswear throughout the ‘80s. After tiring of retail, he opened his own showroom in New York City, doing runway pre-sentations during New York Fashion Week and selling wholesale to stores across the country. But as a young designer working inde-pendently in the city, fashion was not easy. “As a small company, a new designer, the abuse that the stores put us through was really just not worth it…just obscene things,” he says about his experience creating clothes during the de-cade of decadence. From chargeback to stock-ing issues, it was a classic case of independent fashion’s David taking on the retail giant’s Goliath. Agostino would soon close the doors to his New York showroom, but that would not stop him from serving his customers. His clients kept requesting couture dresses for special occasions and suits for work, and before long, he was pre-senting ready-to-wear collections again, but his time, he was in Philadelphia. To save himself from the cost of doing a seasonal show, he decided to open his store, which was originally in Ardmore. The original Ardmore store did double

The Couturier around the CornerHOW FRANK AGOSTINO HAS BEEN DELIVERING HAUTE COUTURE TO THE MAIN L INE FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.

A stand out from Agostino’s line.

Written and photographed by Darren White

duty as an art gallery and a fashion boutique, since Agostino was both an avid lover and col-lector of art. After running both the gallery space and the fashion business for nearly seven years, Agostino closed the Ardmore store and headed for his current location in Bryn Mawr. The move was perfect for displaying Frank Agostino’s delicate designs. The store is a testa-ment to classic prettiness that is making a return for fall. One standout is a fuchsia cocktail dress in satin organza. One of Agostino’s favorites is a pleated silk taffeta red bubble dress that moves like water and feels incredibly light, de-spite the heavy detail and dense fab-rication. Another highlight is a dress with a crewneck bodice of the softest cashmere with a golden taffeta skirt. The handcrafted pieces in the store are almost overwhelming in their beauty and internationalism – handsewn lace from Paris, knitted eyelet from Italy and fabrics from across the globe scream ageless glamour. The store also has hand-crafted jewelry from Paris, India and local designers that is made exclusively for the boutique. The same goes for the hand-bags, most of which are made from an-tique frames and luxury animal skins, like python and ostrich, by Agostino’s wife. Nearly every piece you can pick up in the store is handcrafted and construct-ed locally. Frank Agostino and his small staff make all the dresses, which is almost unheard of

in today’s world of fast fashion. He’s one of a few designers to construct in-house, and as some of the best design talent in New York ship their patterns out to other countries and factories to be produced, the craftsman-ship of dressmaking is slipping away as the world’s best couturiers die out, in the case of Yves Saint Laurent, or retire, like Valentino. “We don’t have in our society today the design skills that enable talented young people to construct something,” says Ago-stino. He sees this happening yearly as a lecturer and guest critic for fashion pro-grams at Moore College of Art, Phila-delphia University and Drexel University. “I see a lot of talented young [design-ers], but unless young people realize that they have to know construction and how to put together things and be able to train people to do it, it’s gonna be a lost art.” Even our fi rst lady isn’t immune to the loss of the craft of dressmaking.

When Agostino saw Mrs. Obama’s inaugu-ral ball gown, “the fi rst thing I said to my wife is that an amateur made that dress – too much

skirt, the bodice wasn’t fi tting.” Agostino is old school in the best sense. His clothes are shining examples of the craft of couture. If you’re look-ing for a timeless investment in a piece that will make you feel like a ‘40s big screen siren but still leave you looking like a modern goddess, you’ll be hard-pressed to fi nd any place like Agostino.

Locally hand-beaded clutch.

Handmade Parisian necklace designed and manufactured solely for Agostino.

fi nalsweekis a

breezestyle, self-scheduled.

On CristinaOveralls, stylistʼs own. Bra, American Apparel. Shoes, Charles Albert, altered by stylist.On AmandaShorts, Forever 21. Top, Marciano. Mesh body suit, American Apparel. Shoes, Doc Martens. Backpack, vin-

tage.

Photographs by Elizabeth Svokos17

On ShivDress, H&M. Belt, vintage. Hat, Urban Outfi t-ters. Shoes, vintage. On DavidTop, Michael Kors. Vest, vintageOn LizTop, H&M. Skirt, Urban Outfi tters. Bracelet, Target.

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On ChristinaVest, Urban Outfi tters. Shorts, Urban Outfi tters. Shoes, Miu Miu.On DavidClothes, modelʼs own.On Tom Clothes, Modelʼs own.

Opposite pageOn ChristinaDress as top, American Apparel.Vest, vintage. Skirt, vintage. Shoes, Pay-less. Socks, Express.On DavidClothes, modelʼs own.On Tom Clothes, modelʼs own.

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On CristinaOveralls, stylistʼs own. Bra, American Apparel. Paper, Blackboard.On AmandaShorts, Forever 21. White shirt, Marciano. Mesh

body suit, American Apparel. Backpack, vintage.

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On JoeClothes, modelʼs own.On Amanda

Clothes, modelʼs own.

Opposite pageOn LizTop, Hanes, altered by stylist. Bra, American Apparel. Shorts, vintage Paris Blues.Belt, vintage.On DavidClothes, modelʼs own.On ShivTop, American Apparel.

ModelsCristina Morais, Amanda King, Joseph Shin, Christina Ardila, Tom Carroll, David Fischer, David Daise, Liz Hood & Shiv Nelson Styled bySimran Singh, Elizabeth Svokos & Juliana Reyes

Makeup by

Simran Singh

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Written and photographed by Darren White

Lauren Handel realizes a lifelong dream with Petunia’s Consignment Boutique in Ardmore.

The fi rst time I took serious notice of Petunia’s Consignment Bou-tique, a little gem on Ardmore Avenue, was on a late after-noon trip to Suburban Square to buy a new pair of pants. As I turned my head away from the burgeoning midday traffi c com-ing off of Lancaster Avenue, two things caught my eye. The fi rst: a huge sign that said “CONSIGN-ERS WANTED.” The second: a pair of stunning black leather and wood Chloé wedges from the spring 2006 collection, the last collection before the legendary Phoebe Philo left the company and left the brand in a rut that it has yet to emerge from. When I fi nally entered the store in early April, all of my senses were tended to. The lighting was soft and glowing, Eric Clapton was coming out of the speakers, the store smelled of fresh fl ow-ers and the fi rst thing that struck me was a nearly new Mulberry Bayswater handbag in a brown leather patchwork. “I’m very particular when I call Petunia’s a boutique,” says store owner Lauren Handel, “because that’s really my vision for it. I think that I have been successful at accomplishing that here. It’s certainly not a thrift shop.” You’ll never fi nd Mulberry at the Goodwill. That’s a guaran-tee.Born and raised in Elkins Park, a suburb of Philadelphia, Lauren Handel has made her fi rst retail

Lauren Handel, owner of Petunia’s.

a blossom on ardmore avenuea blossom on ardmore avenue

27

location a must-see destination for any lady looking for an original, high-end de-signer piece at a fraction of the original cost. Unlike many consignment shops in the area, the pieces in Petunia’s are new or barely used. With local shops getting rid of unsold items as consigners and some of the best-dressed women on the Main Line getting rid of things they’ve worn only a few times, Handel has handpicked each item in the store herself, enabling her to give each customer a personalized experience. All of the puzzle pieces have fi t together to create a boutique that has been selling successfully since its open-ing in November 2008, despite the current economic crunch. But Petunia’s is a late, triumphant chapter in a life that reads like an epic novel. Before stepping into the world of retail, Handel started her adult life as a psychotherapist in Southern California. She found her work rewarding but desired to be closer to the people she helped. “If someone had a success and they came to share that with me, my most nat-ural inclination would be to throw my arms around them and scream ‘Yay for you!’” says Handel. “But as a therapist you can’t touch.” Handel longed for what she calls “a more holistic approach” to working with people and soon left her job and So-Cal to return to Pennsylvania, a move that was a lot easier than one might think. “The quality of life is much richer, more delicious and more substantial than it was out in California,” Handel says. “And I loved California.” Upon her return to the east coast, Handel bounced between a number of jobs that she loved dearly and equally, from being a life coach by phone to an international clientele, to work-ing as a marketing director for the prestigious Pine Hill Golf Club in New Jersey. She dropped the job at Pine Hill after three years, baffl ing many of the people around her. But she dropped the position to pursue a new opportunity with her brother that would fi nally indulge her love of fashion. “He was riding in the back of a cab down Fifth Avenue several years ago. And he looked out at the city sidewalk and saw all of these beauti-fully dressed women walking along the sidewalk wearing sneakers and thought, ‘Oh man, there

has to be a much more attractive solution than that.’” With her brother handling the technical de-tails and Handel handling the aesthetics, Lauren Handel began her short-lived career as a shoe designer for Camileon Heels©, the fi rst ever line of designer adjustable high heels. The brand received press from all over, in-cluding Shape magazine and the Today Show. And the brand was even featured in Time’s “Best Inventions of the Year” in 2007. But complications soon caused the brand to be shelved at the height of its success, leaving Handel at a crossroads. “The thought of going back to work for someone again… I couldn’t do it. And so I knew that I need to fi nd a way to create my density or destiny, whichever would come fi rst.” A new chapter in Handel’s page-turner of

an existence would start after waking up one Sep-tember morning, knowing exactly what she want-ed to do with her life. Two weeks later, she moved into her location on Ardmore Avenue. “I wanted women to feel like they were walking into a full retail location, but to be able to enjoy the fashion and the accessories at a third of what it would normally cost them,” Handel says. “I wanted them to know that you can explore and discover new ways of expressing yourself through fashion and not have it cost you an arm and a

leg.”And that’s what she’s delivering to women. The well-furnished boutique is fi lled for women young and old. From short party dresses to great hand-bags, you’ll fi nd something that will leave you speechless. “I never, ever want a woman walk-ing out of this store with something she doesn’t feel great in. I want women to feel a little bit more,” she pauses and contemplates, “delicious.” How can a woman not feel great in

a brand new, emerald green dress by Catherine Malan-drino that’s marked down by two-thirds? Other standouts include a new silver sequined mini-dress by Alice & Olivia cut by almost $300, a BCBG Max Azria dress that resembles chainmail and a summery green Nanette Lepore halter dress. Accessories are an-other draw for customers. A pair of Ferragamo fl ats will surely be irresistible to most customers. Handel is also skilled at pulling in some great bags from Juicy Couture, Pra-da and Louis Vuitton. The ice blue Marc Jacobs handbag is sure to go quickly. “This is my fi eld of dreams,” Handel says. “I always had the sense that if I built it they would come.” With a stick this fresh, the real job will be in keeping people out of the store at closing time.

on the prowl

Caroline Connelly BMC ‘10 Dylan Gasperik HC ‘09 Katie Shetterly BMC ‘10

Hilary Schwartz HC ‘12 Andrew Wee HC ‘11 Jenine Abbassi HC ‘12

campusfashion

simple & chicSummer 2009 ushers in comfort in the form of slouchy pocket tees, the boyfriend jean and sleek white den-

im. National Jean Company, a chain of east coast high-end contemporary boutiques, specializes in the

newest and hottest designer fashions. Thanks to their generous donations, we are able to bring you

the freshest looks of the season.

Photographs by Darren White

Pants, 7 for All Mankind bootcut jeans, $158, www.nationaljeancompany.com.Top, modelʼs own.

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Top, Wildfox by White Horse open-back tank, $78.Pants, Current/Elliott 1957 boyfriend jean, $229, www.nationaljeancompany.com. Shoes, Nine West.

Top, Twen-Tee sheer luxe tank, $72, www.nation-aljeancompany.com. Skirt, J. Crew.

Top, David Lerner organic pocket tee, $66. Jeans, Current/Elliott 1957 boyfriend jean, $229, www.

nationaljeancompany.com.

ModelDanielle Simpson Styled byRachel Oliner & Darren White

Makeup by Rachel Oliner

Pants, 7 for All Mankind bootcut jeans, $158, www.nationaljeancompany.com. Necklaces, vintage and Target.

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David Sedley Economist of Pleasure

David Sedley, a French and English professor at Haverford, can add an-other hole to his belt: fashion extraordinaire. Sedley, a self-described “dandy,” is meticulous about his outward portrayal, even matching his blazer’s pinstripes to his silk pocket squares. Daring as he is with his fashion sense, Sedley man-ages to encapsulate the notion of old-school professionalism. He never falters in his fashion choices, creating a great look with berets, colorful ascots and clean-lined suits. To those signed up for his classes next semester, make sure to sneak a peek at his cuff links and his color-coordinating skills.

How would you describe your style?How would you describe your style?

One description that would apply is “retro.” My fascination started when I discov-ered the clothes pictured in my grandmother’s photo albums and then the ones hanging in her attic.

If you could own one piece of clothing, what would it be and why?If you could own one piece of clothing, what would it be and why?

I would like to have a bespoke suit from Saville Row [a street in central London fa-mous for its bespoke tailoring, which creates a suit from scratch]. I would like that experience of having a piece of clothing built from the ground up. It’s not made to measure, it’s bespoke. You go in not just for one fi tting, you go in for many fi t-tings; it’s a long arduous process that for me would be fun, too.

Who do you dress for? Who do you dress for?

I dress because I like it, period. I tend to like colors that are sort of fun and a little fl amboyant. One can get into all kinds of thoughts about what one’s philosophy of fashion is, such as, “Oh, I need to express my creativity.” I do think there is an economy of pleasure that goes on with fashion. When you dress, it is a very self-centered thing where you do it to please yourself, but you’re also in a way doing it for other people who can appreciate it.

“I got the sense that it was decadent, selfi sh, unrighteous to “I got the sense that it was decadent, selfi sh, unrighteous to pay attention to clothing because what you should pay attention to clothing because what you should

really be paying attention to ‘is the soul.’”really be paying attention to ‘is the soul.’”

Interview conducted byRachel Oliner

What do you think about fashion What do you think about fashion on Haverford’s campus?on Haverford’s campus?

When I got here, I had a lot of people say, “Why are you wearing a tie? What’s with the jacket?” I got the sense that it was decadent, self-ish, unrighteous to pay attention to clothing because what you should really be paying attention to “is the soul.” Clothes are the outward signs of one’s soul if you want to put it that way, at least that’s what people in the Renaissance thought. People say appearances aren’t im-portant, but that’s BS. Ideas are al-ways packaged through the senses. I defi nitely see some fashion here. At Bryn Mawr, I have always sensed sartorial creativity, and at Haverford I see more of it than before. Com-

pared to ten years ago, there’s more room for people who march to their own beat a little bit. People should do what they want, I don’t care whether people dress well or not, whatever that means; I think people should feel okay making a concerted effort to create a look. Or not - of course, so long as they realize that not creating a look is also creating a look.

Who are your favorite designers? Who are your favorite designers?

It depends on years. Some years you walk into Prada and everything looks great; other times, you wonder on what planet the stuff is supposed to be worn. I like Etro and Paul Smith, both of which follow more or less the dandy tradition. You know, the old stand-bys are things like J. Press. I’ll buy a jacket from J. Press and wear it every week for ten years, it’s fantastic. There’s an English brand called Hackett that makes corduroy suits that suit my version of the professor concept.

Thrifting is defi nitely part of the look, part of the fun, and part of what’s necessary for me as a professor with tastes beyond what I can afford. Slowly one can collect pieces that one has for years and years.

Photograph by Darren White

40

wednesdaynight

lights

Photographs by Elizabeth Svokos & Darren White41

Stole, handmade. Dress, Reiss.

Dress, BCBG Max Azria. Bracelets, stylistʼs own.

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Dress, Rebecca Taylor.

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Stole, handmade. Dress, Reiss. Necklace, vintage.

ModelPinky Farnum

Styled byRachel Oliner, Juliana Reyes, Simran Singh, Elizabeth Svokos & Darren White

Makeup byRachel Oliner

PICTURING A PICTURING A MODEL LIFEMODEL LIFE

Photographs by Charlie Rubin

Charlie Rubin: from Haverford to High Fashion

By Juliana Reyes

49

It was a cold, rainy Wednesday night at Haverford College but everyone in Apartment 14 2A was feeling warm. Jadakiss blasted from the speak-ers, fi lling the room with a slight rasp and pumping bass. Solo cups fi lled with cheap beer lined the periphery of the cluttered common room table, ping pong balls bouncing off their rims. Charlie Rubin squinted through the viewfi nder of his 35mm camera, striving to capture the night with one fl ash. “What was really fun about Charlie was that his pho-tographs were a view into his life,” said Rebecca Rob-ertson, who taught Rubin in her Color Photography class at Haverford in the spring of 2008. “He was reserved in class but you got to see hints of this other part of him.” Now Rubin squints through the viewfi nder of his 35mm on the roof of the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills, aim-ing for that familiar snapshot aesthetic, but this time his subject is a model from Click Model Management, her image perfected by his team of stylists and makeup artists. “It’s pretty cool to see him go from taking pictures of me drinking beers to aspiring models,” said Haverford graduate Matt Handel, who lived in Apartment 14 with Rubin his senior year. Rubin, 23, a Growth and Structure of Cities major, graduated from Haverford in 2008. He played varsity soccer up until his senior year of college. Handel called Rubin an “atypical talent” in their group of sports player friends. He took two photography classes during his time at Haverford. He credits his Introduction to Photography professor, William Williams, with showing him that he could create a career out of photography, something he previously hadn’t thought about. Rubin said these classes gave him an excuse to take pictures every week. His favorite subjects were “the people in [his] crazy dorm room” whom he called his friends. “I was the resident documenter, for better or for worse,” Rubin said. Though his friends’ interests were different from his own, he said they pushed him to stick with photography. Even now, Handel said he would like to see Rubin open up a gallery. Maybe in one of the vacant stores in Ardmore, he suggested. “He could just kill it in a gallery.” After Rubin graduated, he thought he might want to work in photography, so he spent his summer days

scouring Craigslist for a job. He eventually found a spot as famed fashion photographer Andrea Blanch’s as-sistant. He worked in New York City, doing everything from photo editing to scanning old negatives to going on photo shoots with Blanch. Watching her put togeth-er photo shoots was his fi rst taste of the professional photography world. Blanch, whose work spans Valentino ads to spreads in Vogue, said that as a photographer, “you absorb things.” This held true for Rubin, who absorbed as much as he could while he worked for Blanch. “It was a big help for me,” he said, “because un-knowingly, I would have to do the same thing by myself in L.A.” Rubin said that working with Blanch made him think he could actually be a photographer. When summer ended, it was his turn. He packed up and left his hometown, New Rochelle, N.Y., for Los An-geles. Rubin, who thrives on being independent, want-ed to do something on his own. He had no set plans. Rubin decided to continue to pursue photography in Los Angeles, working as an assistant to photographers and photographer’s agents. Though he learned fi rst-hand about all that went into a shoot, he quickly real-ized that it was not what he wanted to do and found himself at square one. Alexander Reid, Rubin’s close friend and roommate, remembers having long conversations about which path Rubin should choose. When Rubin would say he just didn’t know what he wanted to do, Reid would en-courage him to do what everyone said he was good at, what he loved: photography. “I’d say, ‘Don’t be an assistant. Don’t get coffee for photographers,’” Reid said. Rubin’s family was also supportive, as he comes from a family of artists. His great-grandfather was the cel-ebrated Danish sculptor and silversmith Georg Jensen. His mother, Ea Georg Jensen, is a textile artist and his sister is a graphic designer. He said that the strong pres-ence of art in his family made him feel like photogra-phy was an accepted form of expression. “I didn’t want him to stay [in Los Angeles] forever and ever,” Ea Georg Jensen said. “But I’m very for what he’s doing.” In order to start doing photo shoots, Rubin had to be a little sneaky. In November he put out a fake casting call on sites like Craigslist and Model Mayhem, asking for models to be featured in an editorial he was doing. After they sent him their photos, he would tell them the booking was already fi lled, but would they like to do a test shoot for his portfolio? It always worked.

50

“I made them believe I was already an established photographer,” he said. “So that’s a good trick.” As he started doing his own shoots, Rubin said his photographs began to lean towards “the fashion side of things.” It was never what he intended. Rubin, who is more interested in photojournalism, sort of fell into fash-ion photography. He knew that in order to get his foot in the door, he fi rst needed to create a strong portfolio. Fashion photography was the answer. The fi rst shoot was a little bewildering for Rubin, who was used to taking shots of scenery or candids of his friends. He struggled with keeping his photographs natural even though he knew the whole scene was or-chestrated. With each click of the shutter, he learned more and more. But even if his photographs turned out great, he realized he needed to step up his subject matter. “He would get girls that were 5’2” and chubby,” Reid said. “The photos were incredible but the models weren’t it.” So Rubin built up his portfolio and in February, he con-tacted local modeling agencies, asking if they needed any photographers to do test shoots. Click Model Man-agement responded. They were struck by his unique post-processing style. Rubin uses brightly colored paint pens to add contours over his photos, producing a whimsical, urban pop-art feel. Royce Mitchell, a hairstylist who frequently works with Rubin, said that out of all the photographers he consid-ered working with, Rubin was the one he remembered because of that distinctive quality of his work. “I told him that could be his ticket,” Mitchell said. “I’ve never seen that, I thought it was amazing.” Rubin knew he needed to fi nd a way to set himself apart from the many aspiring photographers in Los An-geles. “So I just started doodling on my photos,” he said. “I’ve always been a doodler.” After the call from Click Model Management, every-thing else followed. “It was a big break for me,” he said. Suddenly Rubin

didn’t need to trick anyone into working with him. He was able to choose what stylist, makeup artist and hair-stylist he wanted to work with on location. Reid recalls the swift progression of Rubin’s work, which occurred almost overnight. “I’d come home and there were models in my kitch-en,” Reid said. “I was like, ‘O.K., this is getting legit.’” Reid watched as his kitchen transformed into a stu-dio and dressing room all at once. Rubin’s behind-the-scenes team was impressed with his work ethic and professionalism but also his ability to always keep things fun. Mitchell said that a lot of photographers have atti-tude, but there was no hint of drama with Rubin. “It makes the environment more creative,” Mitchell said.

Kaitlin Painter, 20, Rubin’s regular makeup artist for shoots, said if she had the choice, she would always choose to work with Rubin because she knows she’d get quality photos. Vana White, 25, a stylist who has worked on Rubin’s set multiple times, remarked on his accuracy. “Out of 100 frames, 90 are excellent,” she said. “A lot of photographers just start clicking away. Looking through his photos, it’s hard because I have to choose. And I like all of them.” All the work Rubin had been doing, though educa-tional, was unpaid. He admits it was hard fi nancially; he kept a waiting job at a restaurant to pay the bills. “Most people get discouraged doing free work,” Reid said, “but it’s all his portfolio to him.”

“At fi rst I was like, ‘I have to get a paid job.’ But then I realized I could treat photography like an

art.”

Left, one of Rubin’s favorite shots from Color Photography at Haverford College. Right, Rubin’s favorite mod-els in his apartment senior year.

For Rubin, as long as he could bartend or wait and still have time to work on his photography, he knew he’d be happy. “At fi rst I was like, ‘I have to get a paid job,’” he said. “But then I realized, ‘No, I can treat photography like an art.’” But one day all the free work paid off. Four test shoots later, Click Model Management contacted Rubin to in-form him that he was now on their paid photographer list. “It made me feel like an accomplished photog-rapher,” Rubin said. Still, he didn’t sit back. He con-tacted Elite Model Management to begin a rela-tionship with another modeling agency. But just when things are falling into place, Rubin is againdoing the unexpected. He’s heading back home. He’s setting up a meeting with the New York offi ce of Click Model Management. He’s not quite sure what he’s going to do, no set plans. He may have to trick some more models into working with him. But Rubin said he knows the only way to get anything done is just to do it. He’s not too worried. “After graduating you sometimes get lost trying to fi gure out what you want to do,” he said. “I think Ifound it. I’m going in a really good direction.”

Above, Rubin playing soccer at col-lege. Left, image from Rubin’s photo shoot on the roof of the Thompson Ho-tel in Beverly Hills.

For more of Rubin’s work: www.usualpolitics.net

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Two of Rubin’s signature photo drawings, right image featuring Ambreal Williams of America’s Next Top Model fame.

glam up your gearthatʼs so college

Oh, those dreaded sweatpants. You know the ones with the HC/BMC logo on the pocket, the college name running down the left leg? Yes, they are comfortable. Yes, I guess I can tolerate them. Pair with some Minnetonka booties but please don’t cut the seam up the leg. Pair with some L.L. Bean moccasins. You’ll look warm and cozy on a rainy day in the D.C., but please do not sweat-suit it. Add a scarf and a fi tted t-shirt. Add a bangle to your crewneck t-shirt and solid colored legging. Accessorize ladies and gentlemen. Please accessorize.

As college students, we are known to shower rarely, eat constantly and roll out of bed in our sweatpants. But why? College is a place where we can transform from teenagers to adults. We need to start looking, dressing and being in the fabulous twenties that our New Jersey

driver’s licenses say we are. Not to say that appearance is our fi rst priority (or maybe it is?), but it is the fi rst thing people see. Yes, we want to be comfortable. Yes, we want to represent our respective schools. And most importantly, yes, we want to dress with some style. So with that said, here are some tips to glam up your gear. Let’s take those hoodies and crew neck

t-shirts to the next level.

Crew neck t-shirts adorned with our college name. BRYN MAWR COL-LEGE EST. 1886, HAVERFORD SQUIRRELS, GOT NUTS?

We are all proud. But with a little layering, our tees will be tens. Wear your heather gray college tee under a tailored blazer for a relaxed look. Or add a leather jacket to a baggy BMC rugby t-shirt or zip-up Haverford track jacket; pair with leggings and fl ats and you’re out the door.

It’s not like we only try to look hot at a Drinker party It’s not like we only try to look hot at a Drinker party on Saturday night. Everyday is a day to be glamor-on Saturday night. Everyday is a day to be glamor-ous. So hear me out Mawrtyrs and Fords and glam ous. So hear me out Mawrtyrs and Fords and glam

up your gear.up your gear.

Hoodies are comfortable, but boy, are they tight around the neck. Take some scissors and make a little slit in between the drawstrings. Your hood will still work for those windy days walking up the HCA path, but it’ll give you a more laid back look. No one wants to see you choke on those garlic knots in Haffner. Cut it up.

TIP #2: Layer it upTIP #2: Layer it up

TIP #3: AccessorizeTIP #3: Accessorize

TIP #1: Cut it out!TIP #1: Cut it out!

By Simran Singh

Samantha O’Gara BMC ‘12

DIARYDIARYOFOF

ANIGHTNIGHT

OUTOUTstrike a pose, genna!

typical peter

xoxo, gossip girl

photographs by darren white

TIP #3: Accessorize

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“FASHION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT EXISTS IN DRESSES ONLY. FASHION IS IN THE SKY, IN THE STREET. FASHION HAS TO DO WITH IDEAS, THE WAY WE LIVE, WHAT IS HAPPENING.”

COCO CHANELCOCO CHANEL