Photos: Drexel’s Annual Senior Fashion Show
On Saturday, friends, family, educators and fashion enthusiasts packed into the Urban Outfitters Corporate Headquarters at The Navy Yard for Drexel’s Annual Senior Fashion Show, presented by the Fashion Design & Design & Merchandising programs in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.
As always, the show presented select garments from its sophomore, junior and graduate fashion design students, as well as the collections of 24 graduating student designers, many of whom have received awards for their work.
This was my second year attending the event, and I must say, it continues to be one of the most enjoyable fashion presentations I’ve seen in this city. This has as much to do with the level of featured talent as it does with the array of apparel categories showcased, including evening wear, men’s and women’s sportswear, lingerie, bridal, swimwear and best of all, children’s wear.
If there’s one thing I could say about the show as a whole, it’s how impressed and surprised I was to find that many of the designers constructed their looks from head to toe, making their own jewelry, accessories, prints and various accents.
Here are a few of the many noteworthy creations that came down the runway:
Holy moly! The video for Major Lazer’s “Bubble Butt” is amazing
A little bee dropped this gem onto mah Facebooks earlier this week, and I wasn’t ready for this jelly. Oddly, “Bubble Butt” was far and away my favorite track on the mediocre sophomore follow-up, Free The Universe, a limp effort compared to the instant classic Guns Don’t Kill People … Lazers Do. Well, the fourth single just dropped from it, and it’s the album’s saving grace (Spin agrees): the Bruno Mars, Tyga and Mystic joint “Bubble Butt”—and it’s got a video. Holy hell, does it have a video.
And not surprisingly, they went with Eric Wareheim to helm this one. You got it: That’s Eric of the Tim & Eric duo. He’s responsible for the eye-bugging daggering-full video for “Pon de Floor,” too—now, two of the best videos in their video-heavy YouTube’s presence. Wareheim’s an Owl, guys! Diplo and Wareheim have one twisted, bugged out visionary partnership, and we are not mad.
I’d like to lift this from Stereogum’s Clare Lobenfeld: “The clip features three girls still riding the #seapunk wave, lackadaisically twerking for Tumblr until they’re confronted with a booty-popping she-giant of sorts. The result is bouquet of bountiful butts bouncing along to guest vocals from 2 Chainz, Bruno Mars, Tyga and Mystic. It is absolutely not safe for work, unless bethonged bottoms are OK in your office.” Which is funny, because I went around the office yesterday and tried to get as many people to watch it as possible.
Song of the summer contender!
Excellent New Menswear On South Street: Ps & Qs, Premium Quality
Last weekend, on a stroll on South Street from the Chop Shop to the Broad Street line, I did a double take at 820 South Street. An unassuming all-glass storefront seemed to house sophisticated menswear with a dozen shoppers checking out hats, jackets, shirts, books and other odds and ends. I scanned the storefront for signage – What is this place?! Didn’t matter – I entered and I spent.
Ps & Qs is a well-curated menswear shop carrying some stellar brands (brands you’d previously only find at Barney’s CO-OP or in a small handful of Old City boutiques): Norse Projects, Penfield, Naked & Famous, Herschel Supply Co., Pendelton, Patagonia, Warriors of Radness, Oakley, Richer Poorer, and more. In the back of the store, they’ve pooled together a collection of classy coffee table books, candles, blank notebooks and objects to smarten up your housewares game. To be clear, the store also just looks sharp. There’s not endless product eveywhere (you may have to ask for help with sizes), there’s beautifully finished wood everywhere, and the whole affair feels very minimalist. They’re not trying to recreate the wheel here, they’re just adamant about offering up quality products.
From a CityPaper story in November (photo pulled here by Jessica Kourkounis), we know that the store’s owned by Ky Cao plus his brother, Rick, and a fellow Drexel alum and bud, Joseph Lardizabal. They also have a tiny little adorable pooch wandering around the store, typically wearing something chill and comfortable. Their focus isn’t on being fashion-forward; most of the clothes in-house aren’t wild styles or colors. It’s more that they’re eager to give South Street a slightly classier pop of style while keeping the focus on well-made and resepectable brands. You may want to drop some serious cheddar in here but your wardrobe, and anyone who observes your apparel decisions, will appreciate the move.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing what they come up with this spring and summer. One of my favorite of the previously-mentioned brands, Warriors of Radness, doesn’t extraordinarily smart spring and summer goods and Lardiziabal urged that they’ve got a ton of W.of.R product coming in for the warmer temperatures. Can’t wait to see what kind of shorts, swimsuits, tees and tanks I’ll be creepin’ on in a matter of weeks. C’mon, spring. Give me a reason to spend more money here.
P.S. They don’t have a website finished yet, but it’ll be up soon. And for now, you can go’ head and like a Facebook page.
Wasteland = Trendy Online Wonderland
For someone who has never purchased a single piece of clothing via Web, I sure do an awful lot of online window-shopping. Yesterday, I sat captivated for almost an hour clicking through the pages upon pages of vintage and vintage-inspired duds on ShopWasteland.com after a friend sent me a link.
A-MA-ZING.
Basically they’re like a cheaper version of Free People—very 70s Bohemian, with a little but of 80s punk rock thrown into the mix. And while there are some pricier designer items, there’s also a lot of surprisingly cheap pieces.
It turns out Wasteland does have three actual locations, but unfortunately, they’re all in Cali. Here’s hoping they migrate to the East Coast!
Anyway, since I spent so much time on the site, I figured I might as well share some of my favorite finds. That way I can pretend as though I was being productive.
Kitty Love: Apparel
If your clothes are already covered in cat hair, you might as well go ahead and profess your kitty love to the world with cat-covered ensemble. Here’s some of the most stylish/bizarre/hilarious feline-centric apparel out there:
Philly Fashion for the Fourth
I think this is the first year that I won’t be stuck working somewhere on the Fourth, and I intend to take full advantage of it by stuffing my face with veggie burgers and turning the back of my boyfriend’s pick-up truck into a curbside pool.
But I think the biggest decision that everyone will have to make (well, the biggest decision next to PBR or High Life) is whether or not to look like you crawled out of the house wearing something made out of an old flag from I. Goldberg.
Lucky for you, I have plenty of great ideas for your BBQ-hopping ensemble, whether you plan on looking like Uncle Sam or not.
Ikat Dress, Art Star // Flag Tank Dress, Urban Outfitters
Zig-Zag Trunks, Art in the Age // Gentleman Tee, Duke and Winston
Adobe Diamond Dress, Arcadia Boutique // Without a Care Dress, Vagabond
Envi Front-Tie Dress, Vagabond
Native Flag Tank, Radlands Clothing // Striped Trunks, Art in the Age
DV Daisy Shorts, South Moon Under // DV Constanza Romper, Arcadia Boutique
Wayfarers, Urban Outfitters // CMMP Flag Tee, Commonwealth Proper
–Christina Brown
Updated: Summer Sale Roundup
Holy crappers! There’s so many Fourth of July and mid-season sales going on that you’d be stupid not to go shopping this weekend. As promised, I’ve added several more to the earlier list.
So here’s the complete motherload:
Third Street Habit: Right now, the Old City boutique is making room for new inventory, marking down prices on a plethora of amazing designer dresses, tops, denim, shoes and accessories. This includes Isabel Marant’s entire Etoile collection, which has been marked way, way down. Stop by this Friday or Saturday and you’ll also score an extra 10 percent off all sale merch. (153 N. 3rd St.)
Zara’s: Both in stores and online, you’ll find prices slashed on all the hottest summer trends (florals, neon, high-low hems and lace) as well as dresses, blouses and blazers.
Three Sirens Boutique: Take 15-30 percent off store wide June 29-July 4. This Saturday and Sunday (12-4 p.m.), you’ll also have a chance to get first dibs on some cute summer duds as they’ll be adding even more goodies to their clearance section.
Macy’s: Although too expansive to list each and every deal, Macy’s annual Fourth of July Sale does entail extra savings on select swimwear (50 percent), home goods (10 percent) and shoes (20-50 percent). Shop online and receive an extra 15 percent off your purchase and free shipping as well as an exclusive 25 percent off clearance. Ends: June 30.
Forever 21: Buy a select sale item and receive a second sale item for free. We’re talking some pretty cute summer dresses for less than $15. This sweet-ass deal ends Sunday.
Express: For their end of season sale, the retailer not only has select fashions for up to 70 percent off, but right now, they’re taking an extra 30 percent off those already reduced clearance items.
Vamp Boutique: Now through Sunday, buy any two dresses and you’ll receive 25 percent off your entire purchase storewide. And considering the Manayunk boutique’s selection super trendy and feminine summer dresses, finding two to your likely shouldn’t be too hard. (4231 Main St.)
West Elm: Besides some rather impressive storewide markdowns, now through Monday, take up to 40 percent off outdoor furniture and 15 percent off mirrors and wall décor.
Old Navy: Now through Sunday, prices will be slashed on hundreds of summer styles both online and in stores, including their signature “Flag Tees,” which start at just $4. Online you can also save an additional 15 percent off your purchase (promo code: ONSAVEBIG).
BUS STOP Boutique: For their “SUMMER Love SALE,” the South Philly boutique will be offering customers 20 percent off summer sandals and shoes now through July 3.
Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale: 75 percent off select items. This includes $3 soaps and sanitizers, $2 select home fragrance and up to 50 percent off select candles, gift sets and seasonal clearance. Lotions and shower gels from their “Signature Collection” are also ranging anywhere from $2.75-$4.
H&M: Select tanks, tees, skirts, dresses and shorts are now up to 75 percent off.
South Moon Under: For their biggest sale of the year, all summer items are now 50 percent off both in stores and online. There’s even a large selection of summer fashions, accessories, housewares and gift items now 70 percent off.
Lacoste Semi-Annual Sale: Get up to 50 percent off select styles and free shipping.
Urban Outfitters: They’re not having just any sale. Oh no. Urban is throwing a “Big Ass Summer Sale,” slashing prices on a massive portion of their merchandise both in stores and online. The retailer is also having a “Bag Sale” with several purses, clutches and backpacks starting at $19.99.
Denim Habit: Tomorrow only, the store will be hosting a storewide pre-Fourth of July Flash Sale with their entire selection of designer denim ranging from 25-50 percent off.
Banana Republic: Save up to 40 percent on select mens’ and women’s fashions both in stores and online. Now through June 27, the retailer is also offering an extra 20 percent off already reduced styles online (using the code: BRSALE20).
GAP: Select fashions now 50 percent off, both in stores and online.