This article was also published on Resident.com
Teen Vogue Profile
This 20-page profile was a semester-long assignment for my businesses and ethics of Magazine course. In this profile, I interviewed Phillip Picardi, the Digital Editorial Director of the magazine, along with a few other employees.
SWEET TALK: JERK MAGAZINE
A CONVERSATION WITH REFINERY29’S KAYLA ISSACS AND EUMI POK
Link to Original Article Here
Production Assistant Kayla Issacs and Designer Animator Eumi Pok visited us at Newhouse to discuss how their platform is changing the media landscape.
By Staci Soslowitz
Snapchat has continued to be an engaging outlet for publications across the magazine industry. Although Snapchat’s numerous updates have gotten extreme backlash, their discovery page is still an influential way to look at content. Media companies post what Snapchat calls “editions” on a daily basis to the discovery page. Within the editions are stories, videos, quizzes and other fun ways to captivate their audience. Refinery29 has been a leader on the Snapchat Discovery page since they first started posting in 2015.
Kayla Issacs graduated from Syracuse in 2016 with a major in Magazine Journalism, and Eumi Pok graduated from Parsons with a degree in Illustration. Both women work with the Snapchat team to produce the content for Refinery29’s discovery page. The Snapchat team generates content only one day in advance, except for Fridays, when they publish content for the entire weekend. “It’s really, really fast with the turnaround,” Eumi Pok said regarding the pace of production. Working with a social media page, this doesn’t come as a surprise.
Not only does production have to be efficient, but keeping up with the constant updates is another challenge. “We are already starting to switch how we do things,” Kayla Issacs added. With the latest update, the team has been able to produce 13-15 stories per day. These “stories” are not typical long articles—there are “top chats” which are “no article, no video, its just the text you see on one little image,” Kayla explains. This is just one example of how Discovery stories have evolved.
As challenging as it may be to work with a rapidly evolving media outlet, it still can be lots of fun to work there. Isaacs and Pok have been cast in content for other platforms, like having to wear a prom dress to work or a make-up free challenge. Another perk of working for Refinery29 is that they have access to exclusive events like 29 Rooms, as well as in-house collaboration events with other companies.
Both women are quite an inspiration for leading one of the most successful and oldest Snapchat Discovery Pages. Although they continue to engage our generation, we can only hope that there won’t be anymore Snapchat updates.
Eats With a View
Everyone loves a good food Instagram, especially when its captured with an equally impressive view. Rooftop dining seems to correspond with this trend as many scramble to get the best picture of their meal. I decided to gather as much information I could to pick the top 5 rooftop dining options in New York City. I took into account the view, the menu and comments from visitors. These aren’t the only options in Manhattan, however they are my personal favorites. I intend to visit as many of these locations as I can before the Summer is over.
- Mr. Purple- Lower East Side
This Zagat Rated bar features a delicious menu, lavish cocktails, and two different terraces to enjoy the stunning views. One of which, features a pool. Enjoy the all day eats like three different flatbreads, or indulge in their brunch selection in the morning.
2. Catch NYC- Meat Packing
This widely known seafood restaurant features a rooftop dining experience, until 10 PM when it transitions into a lounge. Before then, try the famous “Catch Roll” or the Mushroom spaghetti. Their brunch menu offers even more with cinnamon roll pancakes or classic French toast.
3. Refinery Rooftop- Garment District
Opened year round, this glass enclosed dining experience offers stunning views of the Empire State Building. Enjoy the vast menu, including a large selection of shareables under the twinkling lights. They also have brunch and lunch menus with the same featured dishes available.
4. Kimoto -Brooklyn
Kimoto is an Asian rooftop garden lounge located above the Aloft and Sheraton hotels. From small bites like the spicy tuna pizza, to a variety of special rolls Kimoto offers both Asian and American specialties.
5. Sabbia- Flat Iron
The Italian word for “sand” is a fitting name for the seaside themed seasonal pop-up restaurant. Diners can enjoy a taste of Italy’s best under striped-cabanas and oversized umbrellas. Featured in their menu is a selection dedicated to five different cheeses. They even have a giant boat serving their Massachusetts fresh oysters.
Dior Exhibition- Paris
The works of couturier Christian Dior have stimulated the fashion industry for decades. In celebration of the House of Dior’s 70th anniversary, Musée des Art Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Art) is displaying the designer in their largest exhibition ever. Over 300 haute couture gowns will be featured, spanning two main spaces of the museum’s first floor. The exhibit named “Cristian Dior: Couture Du Rêve” (Dream Couturier) creatively shows the iconic designs through the many years of fame.
Dior started out his career when he opened his own art gallery in Paris. After the Great Depression, Dior sold his illustrations eventually landing him a job in the fashion industry. The House of Dior was founded in 1947 at a time when women’s fashion was filled with overly-masculine silhouettes. Christian Dior is best known for the “Corolle” and “Fin 8” collections, which are more widely known as the “New Look” due to the revolutionary designs. This collection and more from the other seven creative directors of the brand will be shown alongside corresponding pieces of art.
Each space has different themes to showcase the gowns, handbags, and various accessories created throughout the years. Also being displayed are photographs of designs, sketches, advertisements and documents from different periods of Dior history. The entrance to the space gives a glimpse into the life a Christian Dior and the House itself. Literally, there is a replica of the House’s façade greeting guests before changing rooms. The focal point of the first room is the infamous Bar jacket. The jacket’s tight waist paired with a contrasting knee length skirt complete the suited look that changed the way women dressed. Many of these featured pieces originated in the Dior archives and are making their premiere debut in the world.
Each space coincides with the works of the various creative directors and their respected eras. Curator, Florence Müller, says the collaboration gives viewers the, “roots of creation” for the designs
Some themes showcase inspiration from the Renaissance, Surrealism, and the gardens of Dior’s native Normandy. There is even a room where each piece is categorized by color, creating a chromatic display.
The end of the exhibit is dedicated to the company’s famous looks worn by Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Diana, Jennifer Lawrence and more. These gowns fill the expansive ballroom that was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at Chateau de Versaille.
The museum is open through January 2018.
Kacey Shana Waterwear
Bevy Restaurant Article
Where Did You Get That?
New Boutique Broadcasts Up and Coming Designers
Living in New York you are bound to find someone whose style you envy and work up the courage to ask, “Where did you get that?” Most likely they’ll say, “Forever 21” or “Urban Outfitters.” Near the campuses of the cities’ most prestigious fashion universities, however, you are destined to have the response of, “I made it myself!” Where can you purchase something like, if not exact, to the piece they made? That was the question that inspired Tanya Sheikh and Ivan Gilkes to open their own boutique to showcase up and coming designers. “In Support of”, a fitting name, donates their earnings to a different charity each year.
Sheikh claims that the inspiration for the boutique comes from her vision that, “fashion is an art and we should appreciate well made, ethical clothes.” The pair opened their store in 2014 after starting out as showroom owners. They wanted a store to extend their showroom’s inventory and promote new designers in a positive way. Most of their findings of on-the-radar designers are local, however they have found some pieces from all over. Their most recent find came from Hungary and other small regions in Europe. According to Garmentory, the boutique, “supports emerging talent with unique perspectives on design.” (Garmentory.com). How did they come up with such a rare idea? The duo stated that they, “wanted to use the platform we have to bring attention to great causes.” The store is located in the Meatpacking district and strives to sell virtuous pieces that exhibit artistic, yet wearable clothing.
Mix it Up
This article was originally published on Collegefashionista.com. All photos and styling were done by me.
During the fall season, it is likely to be sunny and warm at least a few times before the snow hits. On these days, a skirt or dress with tall boots and a jacket is a perfect go-to outfit for almost any occasion. It works for going to class because the long walk can make you sweat. Simply take off the jacket and tie it around your waist to keep cool, and still look trendy.
This Fashionista executes the warm fall day look perfectly. Her corduroy skirt works to keep her cool, but the fabric and the color works for fall fashion. To keep warm, she wore a simple turtleneck sweater. However, to keep the look interesting she layered her sweater with a long statement necklace. If the day got colder, this Fashionista brought along her go-to leather jacket to give her look some edge. Finally, she completed her ensemble with black booties, a snakeskin cross-body and metallic sunglasses.
This Fashionista’s look can be worn to class, lunch or a fancy dinner. It can be dressed up with heeled booties or dressed down with cute sneakers as well. The look itself is a combination of different styles like the edgy leather jacket and the conservative turtleneck. This is an easy way to make the outfit unique.
Combining different style elements is most useful when wearing summer clothing like skirts in the fall. The next time the weather gets all mixed up, try mixing up your wardrobe for the day and incorporate different styles and staple items for a diverse look.
