MODASummer 2012

Rachel Reid & Caroline WangCo-Editors-in-Chief

Charlotte SmithPhotography Editor

Fatima Ibrahim & Sara HuppWriting Editors

Tara AnantharamStyle Editor

Special Thanks:Student Fine Arts Fund

MODA BoardThe Chicago Maroon

Front cover photographed by Rachel ReidBack cover photographed by Terence Lee

MODA’s Summer 2012 Issue was printed by The Mail House, Inc.

02 MODA Spring 2012

MODA Summer 2012 Contributors:

Photographers:Nabila Abdel Nabi, Fatima Ibrahim, Jasmine Kwong, Terence

Lee, Rachel Reid, Charlotte Smith, Anita To, Zoe Steinberg

Stylists: Nina Coomes, Lyn Han, Felicia Harris, Lauren Kelly-Jones, Ann

Li, Rebecca Liu, Nerjada Maksutaj, Cathay Zhao

Models: Jenna Bekeny, Coral Dabarera, Erica Fagin, Bethany Fixsen,

Alexis Fowler, Felicia Harris, Lyda Harris, Ann Li, Helen Li, Naomi Mine, Lena Sparks, Maggie Zhang

Makeup Artists:Victoria Huang, Isabelle Langrock, Zoe Steinberg, Cathay

Zhao

Writers: Colin Bohan, Amelia Hawkins, Sara Hupp, Fatima Ibrahim,

Grace Lin, Sean McClelland, Kathryn Mitchell, Jessica Sheft-Ason, Cassandra Walker

Layout Staff: Lily Dasso, Sara Hupp, Fatima Ibrahim, Kelsey Reid, Charlotte

Smith, Rachel Reid, Caroline Wang, Cathay Zhao

As U of C students, we understand that fashion isn’t always a priority around here. It’s not easy to stay fashion-focused when you’ve been in the Reg for 72 hours. But we believe that fashion has the potential to bring some perspective into our hectic lives and force us to pay some extra attention to how we treat ourselves. In our best efforts to help you enjoy the benefits of a fashionable summer, we reached out to some of our favorite voices in the industry and asked for their best styling tips. We even caught up with our fashion-savvy neighbors at SAIC at their annual fashion show! Led by our fantastic style editor, Tara Anantharam, our team of stylists went out to some of Chicago’s most popular stores and asked for a sneak preview of their summer collections. In Princess and the Prints we take a look at Topshop’s most impressive prints, and in White Wash, we showcase Zara’s summer whites. We’ve had a great time putting this issue together and we hope that our new additions to the magazine will help you guys get excited for summer 2012! We’d like to thank everyone who helped out, and especially the Student Fine Arts Fund for giving us the opportunity to print this season. Happy summer!

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

— CAROLINE & RACHEL

MODA Spring 2012 03

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OLIVIA PALERMO: The people and clothing that inspire this fashion icon

MODA Contents

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1012

SUMMER PRODUCTS: Find out how to get perfect sum-mer skin!

SKETCHBOOK: A behind-the-scenes look at Uchicago students’ designs

VOICES OF CHICAGO FASHION: An interview with two Chicago bloggers

FRESH PERSPECTIVES: Coverage of the 78th SAIC Fashion Show14

16 MEETING HABERDASH: Advice from a Chicago Menswear store

PASTELS: Dressing in summer’s softer shades

3420

30

38 INSTYLE WITH HAL RUBENSTEIN: A feature on 100 Unforgetable Dresses

WHITE WASH: Crisp whites from Zara’s new collection

STAYING NEUTRAL: This season’s tones bring us back to basics

MODA Speaks

MODA FeaturesPRINCESS AND THE PRINTS: Fun prints from Top-shop, perfect for a garden party26

MODA Shoots

42 STANDING OUT: Make a statement with bold jewelry22 PAINT IT BLACK: The

evolution of the iconic “Little Black Dress”

14Nicole O’Malley, SAIC designer

Jordan Larson in White Wash

— CAROLINE & RACHEL

34

04 MODA Summer 2012

Our FavoritesRachel’s Picks

CHLOE FOR KIDSThe line of childrenswear puts dress-up back in the adorable hands of those who do it best. This year’s summer collection is filled with tiny jumpers and eensy denim jackets that I wish I could fit into. www.chloe.com

LUSH’S TURKISH DELIGHT is a body polish that’s hand-made using crushed rose petals. Put it on before you shower and you’ll come out smelling like a rose! www.lush.com

ZARA PUMPS These mint green pumps from Zara are the perfect style and color to go with all the pastels I plan on wearing this summer! I love everything in Zara’s new collection, check it out at www.zara.com

ASHLEY MADEKWE Actress-turned-fashionista, Made-kwe has become my personal style icon. Every outfit she puts together is classy and coordinated, but nowhere near boring or expected. I check her blog constantly to find great shopping links. www.ashley-ringmybell.blogspot.com

MODA Summer 2012 05

Caroline’s Picks

MODA Speaks

HERE COMES THE SUN So it’s time for a new pair of sunnglasses right? Waiting for the Sun Sunglasses’19.G natural lunettes are the perfect neutral color and shape to match any summer wardrobe.

HERRIOTT GRACE a father and daughter duo that create beautifully hand-carved wood-en collectibles for the home, not to mention an adorable blog at herriottgrace.com/blog

CINEMAGRAM My new favorite app allows users to take a video and animate a small portion of the image. Before we know it, there will be an app for 3-D holograms...

RUN IN BROOKS Summer, for me, means ditching the treadmills in the gym and running outdoors. With an unfortunate flat feet problem, I suffered from shin splints and other running injuries...until I found Brooks. Comfortable and supportive, these shoes also come in fun colors. Glycerin 9 $130.00

SUMMER BEAUTY PICKSFrom moisturizer to blush, for him or her, check out the favorites of MODA’s executive directors.

text by colin bohan and jessica sheft-ason

06 MODA Summer 2012

HER

LOTION: PALMER’S COCOA BUTTER, $9.00

The best (and cheap-est!) moisturizer I own. The sweet scent lasts long on my skin and it’s great for making your tan last longer.

SUNSCREEN: SKIN-CEUTICALS SPF 50, $28.00

I love this tinted sun-screen because its liq-uidy texture literally melts into my skin. It can also double as a primer and has the best UV coverage you can get.

BLUSH: NARS BLUSH in GAIETY, $28.00

I love the look of a cool-toned pink on tanned skin and this blush adds just the right amount of pink to my cheeks.

NAIL POLISH: ESSIE in ORANGE, IT’S OBVIOUS, $8.00

A great summer color that stands out from your traditional pinks and corals. I’ll wear this all summer right up until Halloween.

MODA Speaks

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HIS

MOISTURIZER: NIVEA EXPRESS HYDRATION, $6.99

Make sure your skin is swimsuit ready before you hit the beach. This lotion dries about as fast as you can apply it. It has a very light scent and is great for all skin types.

SUNSCREEN: MALIN AND GOETZ SPF 15, $48.00

You might not forget to put on sunscreen at the beach, but did you know that day to day UV exposure can be just as damaging? This face moisturizer keeps my skin silky smooth while reducing the risk of fine lines and UV damage.

RAZOR: GILLETTE MACH 3 TURBO RAZOR, $10.00

If you aren’t com-fortable with the straight edge razor, you should try this razor. It boasts a close shave, and it should —Gillette spent over $750 million on its development!

Keep your shave nat-ural and fresh with this light foam. It keeps my face mois-turized, shave after shave.

SHAVING FOAM: ALBA FOAM SHAVE ALOE MINT, $7.99

MODA Summer 201208

TOPSHOP LAUNCH Olivia Palermo poses with writer Fatima Ibrahim at Palermo’s Topshop Web site launch party in Chicago.

MEET OLIVIA PALERMOThe fashion icon shares her style influences on her new Web site.

text by fatima ibrahimphotography by emma arnold

S tyle icon Olivia Palermo became a familiar face in fashion while on MTV’s “The City.” She began to emerge as a trendsetter, photo-graphed for magazine covers, edito-

rial spreads and as the face of numerous UK brands. The fashion icon recently launched a blog and Web site, www.oliviapalermo.com. As a fashion outlet, Palermo’s Web site allows her to share the influences she picks up abroad and the style tips she has with her readers. “I’m always on the lookout for in-spiration [on my travels] and I love sharing them,” she says.

When getting dressed, Palermo does not follow any fashion rules. She wears what she is in the mood for, while ensuring her en-semble is appropriate. “[What’s important is feeling] comfortable in what you wear and then pushing yourself to be a little adventur-ous too,” she says. At the Chicago Topshop launch party for her Web site, she showed off her adventurous nature by wearing a pair of blue, electric pants and a chunky, black and white sweater.

During college, Palermo tended to experi-ment more with fashion and mixed differ-ent styles and trends. “One of the wonderful things about Topshop is that there is some-thing here for everyone,” she says. “You can incorporate their pieces with the items you already have in your closet.”

Palermo’s partiality for experimentation

is evident in how she’d style a student for an interview. “[For an interview, I would dress a student] in a great pleated skirt, a turtle neck, beautiful tights and a pair of fantastic heels,” she says. Instead of wearing a full suit, she be-lieves that applicants can combine great piec-es to recreate the desired professional look.

When it comes to festivities and parties, Palermo uses “individual pieces” to stay true to her love of mixing and matching. For the Chicago Topshop launch party, Palermo cre-ated several head-to-toe looks from Topshop’s newest line. Each outfit featured a must-have item with some flair. Palermo says she would finish each styled look with a red lip, a smoky eye and the hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her favorite outfit was a head-to-toe black look with a maroon, velvet bootie for a pop of color. “You can have a velvet shoe for years and it will always look new,” she says. “It will never go out of style or become outdated.”

Through her various experiences working in the fashion industry, Palermo has collabo-rated with many figures who have inspired her. While filming for the MTV reality show,“The City,” Palermo worked with Diane von Furstenberg and as a contributing editor at Elle magazine. Palermo spoke fondly of her experiences with von Furstenberg and praised the incredibly inspiring designer’s business and marketing skills. “She is all about em-powering women and supporting each oth-er—two great ideas I love,” she says.

MODA Speaks

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SKETCHBOOK

interviews by amelia hawkins and cassandra walkerillustrations courtesty of designers

I t’s not every day that student designs are featured on the runway alongside those of established designers and retailers such

as Ann Taylor. That, however, was exactly the case at the MODA Spring 2012 Fash-ion Show, held downtown at Union Station’s Great Hall. We wanted to provide readers with a backstage look at what went into pro-ducing the fashion show this year through the designer’s original sketches and inspira-tions.

FRANCISCA SONDJAJAYEAR IN THE COLLEGE: 3RD YEARHOMETOWN: JAKARTA, INDONESIA

[I started designing] in elementary school, when I was fascinated by the classic 80’s manga about Marie Antoinette, called “Rose of Versailles”. I wanted to make Rococo dresses for my Barbie dolls, but with only minimal hand-sewing skills... I failed miserably. I did not think too much about fashion design for a long time...Eventually I dis-covered Lolita fashion, which got me started in sewing again, and later, avant-garde street fashion.

10 MODA Summer 2012

MARY ELLA SIMMONS YEAR IN THE COLLEGE: 2NDHOMETOWN: WINTER PARK, FL

I’ve been sewing since middle school, when my mom signed me up for a sewing class over the long summer. Designing has been a more recent challenge, and a way to take my sewing to the next level. [For my collection], I was inspired by peacocks, which are the symbol of my hometown and classic old Hollywood design. When the audience viewed my collection, I hope that the words “power” and “glamour” came to mind.

FATIMA IBRAHIM YEAR IN THE COLLEGE: 4THHOMETOWN: CHICAGO, IL

My Spring 2012 collection was inspired by my current tastes in fashion and my exposure to media. Without realizing it, I was inspired by the stewardesses of Pan Am. My designs are true to who I am. Each can be worn by any body and be flattering. Each design is timeless, classic and feminine.

KAITLYN LEEYEAR IN THE COLLEGE: 2NDHOMETOWN: LONGVIEW, WA

This year, I was inspired by the ocean and how its many aspects can be evoked through fashion. This also allowed me to play with some recent trends, like the peplum and teal. Designing for MODA is one of those activities where the reward is proportional to the input effort. It’s hard to avoid the last frantic rush to hem this or fix that before the show, or the long nights at the sewing machine between problem sets, but it’s all worth it when you see your work come to life on the runway.

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MODA Speaks

VOICES OF CHICAGO FASHIONAn Interview with ChiCityfasion and TrèsAwesome

text by fatima ibrahim, grace lin & kathryn mitchellphotography by charlotte smith

Gambaccini wears a Proenza Schouler shirt, Rag

and Bone pants, Chanel shoes and a Bvlgari watch.

Her jewelry includes pieces from Sofia, Possessionista

and Nina Nguyen.

12 MODA Summer 2012

TrèsAwesome

MODA: What is TrèsAwesome? EMMA ARNOLD: TrésAwesome is a street style fashion blog I started as a side project while being an art director during the day. I am obsessed with fashion, designers, photography and personal style, all of which I get to integrate on my blog.

M: How did you begin blogging?EA: I was at school at the Art Institute of Chicago for graphic design and had several different jobs including advertising. I started at [the advertising agency] Leo Burnett about 3 years ago, but since that wasn’t fashion-oriented I got a DSLR a year later and I started my blog!

M: What excites you most about the fashion world?EA: Overall, fashion has become more democratized in the advent of the internet.Now, being an influential member of the fashion world is possible anywhere outside of New York.

M: You’ve worked with the likes of Toms, Michael Kors and TopShop. Which collaboration was most memorable?EA: My work with Topshop was most memorable. I’ve done a lot of photography for them in the past, including taking pictures of Olivia Palermo. [They also featured me as] the Chicago Fashion Insider for their holiday city guide.

M: Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?EA: Taking pictures of stylish people and growing TrèsAwesome … One thing I would love to do is fashion advertising which would meld my interests together!

MODA Speaks

MODA Summer 2012 13

I n the world of fashion, it’s rare to go a day without receiving information, inspiration and insight from a fashion blogger. MODA sat down with well-known Chicago fashion and streetstyle

bloggers, ChiCity Fashion and TrésAwesome and asked them about their work.

ChiCityFashion

MODA: How did you start ChiCityFashion?JENA GAMBACCINI: I was bored second semester in college and I started a twitter account. I began tweeting about pieces and how I’d style them. It soon came to the point where 140 characters just wasn’t enough. Someone sent me a direct message suggesting I start a blog and recommended a platform.

M: What’s your favorite thing about the Chicago fashion scene?JG: I love watching it grow. I started going to events in Chicago after I graduated from college in 2010 and the events keep getting better. There’s great talent popping up.

M: What is the most exciting event that has resulted from your blog?JG: During New York Fashion Week in September, Tommy Ton took my picture and I love him.

M: What advice do you have for bloggers? JG: You have to stay authentic and be true to yourself. Don’t be too influenced by others and bring something unique to the table.

M: Where do you want to be in 5 years?JG: I like what I’m doing now with my blog and as the Social Media Coordinator for eDrop-Off. I’m not sure about the future but, I want to be involved in fashion and still be in Chicago.

MODA Summer 2012

DESIGNERS (clockwise from top left) Andrew Cruz, Lana Spodek, Alex Ulichny, Natalie Burton, Compton Quashie, David Cantu, Irene Koan, Ciara Lee Conner, Nicole O’Malley

14

FRESH PERSPECTIVEStext by fatima ibrahimphotography by jasmine kwong

C inderella, the sensibilities of X-ray imagery and schizophrenic tendencies were just some of the inspiring ideas behind garments at the 78th annual School of the

Art Institute of Chicago fashion show. Amidst the magnificent architecture of Millennium Park, over 300 garments waltzed down the runway creating a spectacle and commanding admiring ooh’s and aah’s.

A procession of the sophomore class’ all-white wear began the show. Architectural designs mixing hard and soft textures set each white on white look apart. The junior and senior class collections followed with a rainbow of colors and beautiful fluidity. An overwhelming number of designs gave a nod towards end-of-world ensembles and futuris-tic fashions with rugged minimalism and pol-ished neons. Huge stripes, fascinating poste-rior designs and majestic looks trended from one collection to the next.

Fabric choices and elaborate accessories stood out on the runway. Material hand-knit with large needles and huge fiber made rugged tops and dresses. Braided hair exten-sions became decorative additions to corseted dresses and were intertwined into headdress-es. Sophia Khan’s geometric handbags, sway-ing beside pieces made from various polka dot prints, popped off the runway. Other

standout accessories included slings, back-bags and full face masks.

Student jewelry and fashion designer, Ni-cole O’Malley, was inspired by globalization and different cultures. “I’m half Korean, half Irish, so I feel a connection to a mist of cul-tures,” she says. Her collection featured her handmade Echo Boomers custom acrylic jewelry and blended fabrics she obtained online from China and India. With aspira-tions to become “an entrepreneur and create a business for herself ” in fashion and music, O’Malley’s senior collection was a great step in the right direction.

From beginning to end, numerous mens-wear options impressed viewers. While some designs, like a three-layer blazer, were tradi-tional with a slight twist, others, including a masculine sheath dress, were unconventional. Accessories were also prevalent, with pieces like Natalie Burton’s metal and knitwear chain accents. Most menswear was clean, full of interesting asymmetrical cuts, and did not shy away from bold colors.

The designs from the remarkable night were created by SAIC’s Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates and more than 40 graduating se-niors. This next generation of up-and-coming designers delivered a fresh perspective with impressive cutting-edge designs and bold concepts.

MODA Summer 2012 15

Coverage of the 78th SAIC fashion show

MODA Features

36 MODA Spring 201116 MODA Summer 2012

Phillip WIlliams, Director of Sales at Haberdash, stands outside the store at 607 N. State St. in Chicago.

Old Town to a spot in River North and has also expanded its offerings by opening a sec-ond shop on the same block dedicated to menswear accessories, EDC.

Adam Beltzman, the store’s founder, thinks that the impetus for these recent de-velopments in menswear has been twofold. “[Men] can relate better to classic menswear than to trendy or slick fashion,” he says. “It’s familiar and comfortable because they have seen it before, either in pictures of style icons from the past or it was how their dad or grandfather dressed.” As such, any store that wants to appeal to this new male consumer must provide offerings that can legitimately claim to stand the test of time.

At the same time, Haberdash has benefit-ted from the huge rise in men’s style blogs. “[The blogs] provide men with tons of re-sources to source out style tips, reviews and pictures of new products,” he says. This means that consumers come into the store with a deep knowledge and appreciation for the quality of the wares sold by Beltzman and his crew.

At Haberdash, what men look for is a well-

MEETING HABERDASHA Chicago menswear store provides insight into enhancing the shopper’s experience.

text by sean mcclellandphotography by nabila abdel nabi

“What a guy chooses to carry with him is in itself a form of self-expression,” a sales associate at Haberdash’s EDC store says. Haberdash is a menswear store in Chicago that has capitalized

from an increasing interest in tailored mens-wear clothing in recent years. Style blogs, street-style Tumblrs and fashion magazines have become increasingly central to the lives of many men who, just years ago, went with-out such a community of like-minded gentle-men. One of the biggest effects of the emer-gence of this community is the coincided rise of shops dedicated to serving these gentle-men. Old-school haberdasheries that have been around for decades are not the only such stores benefitting from men’s renewed inter-est in the classic look; modern versions of the classic menswear shop have also gained a con-siderable foothold.

One such shop in Chicago is Haberdash, wherein classic style is deftly blended with newer, seasonal trends to create an aesthetic that is at once modern and solidly grounded in the traditions of decades past. Founded in 2005, Haberdash has recently moved from

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MODA Features

18 MODA Summer 2012

curated selection of sharp-casual and relaxed-tailored jackets and the ability to talk intel-ligently with sales associates about the cloth-ing they will soon be purchasing. “We’ve seen a rise in tailored clothing—specifically soft constructed jackets,” Beltzman says. Brands like LBM 1911—an Italian line renowned for its soft-shouldered sports coats—have be-come central to Haberdash’s success.

To Beltzman and the Haberdash team, however, it is not simply enough to offer these articles of clothing. Haberdash must also provide the customer with a knowledge-able dialogue about the products. To appeal to the heritage menswear folk (who are cen-trally interested in recreating the high quality garment construction of years past), stores must be extraordinarily well-versed at the construction, fabric and fit of the articles of clothing they sell. At Haberdash, every guy behind the counter is more than happy to de-scribe the details of the selvedge denim of a pair of Baldwin jeans or the welting process of the store’s selection of Alden wingtip shoes.

Associates here will describe in great detail the most useful way to tie a tie (“go for the four-in-hand”), the correct amount of po-made to spread through your hair (“roughly a pinky’s worth”) and the highest number of bracelets a man can wear (“three or four but usually none”).

In effect, it appears as though men have identified classic clothing as a facet of style that transcends time while at the same time being influenced by a vanguard of well-dressed men on the Internet. Haberdash has capitalized well on these developments in men’s style. Indeed, Chicago menswear blog icons are some of the most vocal supporters of the store. Bloggers like Ryan Plett (of you_have_broken_the_internet) have featured Haberdash on their sites. Though, at Haber-dash, S/S 2012 may seem similar to S/S 2011, when you look closely at their vision and per-sonality, it’s clear that they’ve been more than capable of keeping up to date with both the minute changes in the “classic” menswear scene and the menswear revolution currently taking place on the blogosphere.

Ultimately, Haberdash is pitching to men who have always shied away from trends, but are deeply interested in cultivating their own manner of dress. As far as Beltzman and Haberdash are concerned, “Fashion is a broad term that is more about clothes in general and their relationship to a particular period in time. It is constantly changing as society and the population change. Style on the other hand is personal – it’s more about the wearer. Style is really an individual’s way of putting themselves together. Style is expressing one-self through clothing.”

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(clockwise from top left) tie display of Haberdash’s private label; Alden shoes from Haberdash; details of an outfit worn by Haberdash sales associate, Jason Mason.

MODA Features

20 MODA Summer 2012

INSTYLE WITH HAL RUBENSTEINThe fashion director of InStyle magazine curates 100 iconic dresses in his new book.

text by alexandra mcinnisphotography by fatima ibrahim

W hat is the driving force behind shifting cultural standards of beauty? Hal Rubenstein, the fashion director of InStyle maga-

zine answers, “dresses.” However, his answer is more complex than just a physical gown. In his latest tome, 100 Unforgettable Dresses, he chronicles the most famous (and infamous) dresses in recent history. Rubenstein defines memorable dresses as individual stories with lasting social effects.

“[In the book] you see the impact that the dresses had, either on the person who wore them, or on the way it changed how women dress,” Rubenstein says. “If the dress moved the needle in any way, to me it was unforget-table.” It is not just the dress that is notewor-thy, but the woman wearing it as well; togeth-er they form an image that creates a sensation, challenges our current ideals, and progresses societal standards of beauty. “It really is the right woman in the right dress at the right time,” Rubenstein says.

Rubenstein was extremely meticulous in his selection of dresses. He understands the construction of each individual garment (for

example, Rita Hayworth was really wearing a plastic bodice under that slinky Gilda gown, and the front bow was tacked on to conceal her pregnancy), as well at their specific influ-ence (Elizabeth Taylor’s white dress in A Place in the Sun became the blueprint for every prom dress in the 1960s and 1970s). Ruben-stein therefore makes a convincing case that the seemingly simple image of a woman in a striking dress can revolutionize our cultural standards of aesthetics and enable women to redefine how they want to be seen.

However, this change does not come eas-ily, as many of the dresses in the book were initially met with harsh criticism, implying a complicated relationship between society and aesthetics. Rubenstein cites red carpet style as an example of clashing ideals. “The problem is that we say that the red carpet, Oscar night, is the biggest fashion show in the world, but that’s really not true,” he says. “The public comes to the red carpet with a preconceived notion of what glamour is, and it’s very much influenced by the movies, which means we want to see sparkle and flow.”

Rubenstein cites Tilda Swinton’s one-shouldered black velvet Lanvin gown from

MODA Trends

MODA Summer 2012 21

the 2007 Oscars as an example. “At that time people were uncomfortable with asymmet-ric dressing and she was criticized,” he says. “They said she looked ridiculous...Albert [El-baz] was going to get fired from Lanvin… but is there any more popular dress designer in the world right now than Albert? The same thing when Nicole Kidman wore the char-treuse Galliano haute couture dress on the red carpet. It’s so amazing, the way people hated that color because they had never seen char-treuse on the red carpet. It was “icky”; it was not a pretty color, you heard all these things, but it raised the whole bar of putting haute couture back on the red carpet, and it basi-cally brought up a whole level of sophistica-tion from then on.”

Rubenstein notes that as a designer, push-ing the envelope can be frustrating, but it is ultimately rewarding. “It’s the designer’s job not just to give the public what they want, but to give the public what they didn’t even know they wanted,” he says. “The idea is that the new is frightening, but the new is also thrilling.”

Although Rubenstein is a proponent of change, he has many consistent views on how

women should dress. For example, he believes that taking full advantage of youthful skin should be a priority when young woman se-lect formal-wear. “Youthful skin is the great-est accessory any woman can ever have and it’s not yours forever,” he says. “No doctor will ever give it to you, no pill you swallow, no cream you buy on the shelf…so don’t hide it. Don’t cover it up; don’t bury it in jewelry and don’t bury it in makeup. Simplicity is key, and just let yourself glow.”

According to Rubenstein, women should also maintain perspective and practical-ity when getting dressed. “The reality is that 99.9% of us never go to the Oscars,” he says. “Wear a dress that you’re going to feel com-fortable in for a whole night.”

In describing his work at InStyle magazine, Rubenstein says, “you have to truly believe what you put on the page. If you believe in what you put on the page, the reader will be-lieve you.”

In 100 Unforgettable Dresses, Rubenstein has printed his personal beliefs of what wom-en should wear through the stories of 100 iconic dress, the same way he adds a personal touch to Instyle magazine.

MODA Features

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22 MODA Summer 2012

ON LENA (this page and pg 24)dress, Modcloth; necklace, Pam Hiram; sunglasses, Joia

photography by anita tostyled by rebecca liumodeled by alexis fowler & lena sparksmakeup by victoria huang

PAINT IT BLACKtext by sara hupp

T he Rolling Stones ballad “Paint It Black” may not make explicit ref-erence to the quintessential little black dress, but when Mick Jag-ger croons, “No colors anymore,

I want them to turn black,” it certainly cap-tures the essence of the female population’s love affair with the style essential.

Often abbreviated as simply LBD, the little black dress has made a permanent mark on the world of fashion for women as that one, universally flattering item that is suitable for almost any occasion. Popularized primarily by the late Coco Chanel, the LBD is a go-to piece for the likes of everyone from Victoria Beckham to the everyday working woman.

To achieve its current notoriety, the mod-ern LBD has undergone decades of evolution. One could even call the process Darwinian in nature.Though in constant competition with the other defining trends of each era, the now timeless little black dress continuously under-went natural selection—albeit at the hands of some of fashion’s most prolific designers. Over the years, its shape changed as it adapt-ed to the style environment of the day, yet the LBD, like all species looking to dominate, has retained its defining features: An understated elegance and sophisticated wow-factor.

As far back as the 1920s, celebrities and society women donned the little black dress. A longer, handkerchief hem, higher neckline, drop waist, and perhaps most importantly, beaded art deco details set their version of

the frock apart. It was a style that The Great Gatsby’s Daisy very well might have worn to a wild West Egg party.

Jumping ahead to the mid-1950s through the 1960s, iconic figures ranging from Mari-lyn Monroe to Audrey Hepburn brought the little black dress to the forefront of pop cul-ture. Hepburn’s Hubert de Givenchy LBD, which she wears with black sunglasses and double-stranded pearls as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffanys, has been immortalized in the pop art works of Andy Warhol.

Karl Lagerfeld of the House of Chanel gave the little black dress its classy oomph back in the 1980s. Over the years, Lagerfeld would continue to modernize the classic little black dress as one of high fashion’s most iconic de-signers.

The 1990s and 2000s saw a host of styles, from absolutely edgy to downright demure. Icons from across the globe—think of the late Princess Diana, current First Lady Michelle Obama, and fashion tycoon Heidi Klum—graced the glossy pages of magazines, wearing various versions of the little black dress.

Such celebrities may be the public faces of the LBD, but just as important are the in-numerable women who turn to the little black dress for occasions ranging from Sun-day brunch to office parties to formal soirees. When slipping on a little black dress, it is as if the stylishness of its decades of development is suddenly transferred into one person, mak-ing her the epitome of class and fashion.

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The evolution of the iconic Little Black Dress

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ON ALEXIS (this page)dress & belt, H&M;

necklace, Modcloth;bracelet, Charlotte Russe

26 MODA Summer 2012

ON BETHANYswan print skirt $68lattice sleeve blouse $98 lioness blonde wood sandals $170 black leather pushlock satchel $170,Topshop

THE PRINCESS AND THE PRINTS

photography by terence lee styled by lauren kelly-jones, nerjada maksutaj & cathay zhaomodeled by bethany fixsen & naomi mine makeup by victoria huang

MODA Summer 2012 27

28 MODA Summer 2012

ON NAOMIsleeveless drape front top $60

morphed tribal shorts $70, Topshop;

bandeau, Vintage

MODA Summer 2012 29

ON BETHANYvectra studded slippers $56 wrap jersey maxi dress $76, Topshop

Pastelsphotography by zoe steinberg

styled by felicia harrismodeled by erica fagin & ann li

makeup by zoe steinberg

MODA Summer 2012 31

ON ERICAcrop top, American Apparel;black leather skirt, Forever 21

32 MODA Summer 2012

ON ANNtank, Rory Rebecca;short, Delia’s

MODA Summer 2012 33

36 MODA Spring 201134 MODA Summer 2012

Wwhite wash

photography by rachel reid styled by ann li modeled by jordan larson

MODA Spring 2011 37MODA Summer 2012 35

ON JORDAN shirt & shorts, American

Apparel36 MODA Summer 2012

blazer, ZaraMODA Summer 2012 37

Staying Neutral

MODELS felicia harris & maggie zhang PHOTOGRAPHY charlotte smith

MAKEUP zoe steinberg STYLIST nina coomes

MODA Summer 2012 39

ON MAGGIEskirt, AKIRA;

bandeau, Aritzia;scarf, Lush

38 MODA Spring 201140 MODA Summer 2012

MODA Summer 2012 41

ON MAGGIE (left)wrap, skirt, bandeau & belt,

Salvation ArmyON FELICIA

dress, vintage;wrap shirt, AKIRA

photography by anita tostyled by lyn hanmodeled by coral dabarera & lyda harrismakeup by victoria huang

make a statement this summer with crystals, pearls and tribal jewlery

42 MODA Summer 2012

STANDING OUT

MODA Summer 2012 43

ON LYDA (opposite page): gold floral necklace, Club Monaco; pearl necklace, Forever 21; earring, H&MON CORAL (this page): hair piece and earrings, vintage from singapore

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