It saddens me that Chatham will more than likely no longer have a women’s college starting in the Fall of 2015. I feel as though we are allowing trends to determine the type of university that we should be and that perhaps we are normalizing just to stay afloat. YES women do now have equal access to education, YES women now have equal rights, YES we do not NEED to have a separate college for women. However, I will 100% support the tradition that Chatham embodies until all women can safely say that they feel just as empowered, respected, and capable in all other university settings and classrooms. We represent a history of women’s education that should not be given up on but that should remain and furthermore serve as an example of a gender safe environment for the entirety of the higher education system. I do, however, understand the societal and financial circumstances that are pushing Chatham to make this difficult decision. I have hope that this change will allow Chatham to become an equal and safe place for people of all genders and to continue to, as a University, fight against the issues of gender that exist today.
Author: Admin
President Barazzone calls all campus meeting to release news from the Board of Trustees
On Tuesday, February 18, students, faculty, and staff met in the Campbell Memorial Chapel for a Campus Community Update led by President Esther Barazzone with regard to decisions made by the Board of Trustees during their February 12 to 14 meeting.
The Board made three major decisions during their most recent meeting.
First, they unanimously passed the beginning of phase 1B of the construction of the Eden Hall Campus for the Falk School of Sustainability.
Phase 1A of Eden Hall construction, which allowed for the construction of a public venue, field labs with research facilities, a café, and below ground infrastructure, cost $17.7 million.
Phase 1B, which will encompass the construction of a common area and a residence hall, will cost $27.7 million. Construction will begin in April.
Second, the Board passed a 3 percent increase in tuition, board, and fees.
President Barazzone acknowledged the student petition against tuition increase. In reference to the Board, “They are hearing you, but they simply could not honor that request, with great regret,” Barazzone said.
The final decision was to reevaluate Chatham College for Women’s feasibility as a single-sex institution and to vote in June about the college becoming coeducational.
Although the university’s enrollment, endowment, and assets have significantly increased since Barazzone’s arrival in 1992, undergraduate enrollment has not.
Despite a spike in 2008 when 729 students were enrolled, current enrollment is 543, just 25 students higher than it was in 1992. Chatham has experienced an average decline of 9 percent each year since 2008 “not for want of trying.”
Barazzone said a “critical mass” of 800 to 1000 students is “necessary to create a vibrant campus community and provide appropriate numbers of faculty and classes.”
According to current survey records, only 2 percent of high school girls would consider attending a women’s college. Three of every four women’s colleges experienced declining enrollment from 2010 and 2012.
In response to first-year student Margaret McGovney’s question concerning the better performance of women students at single-sex institutions, which gained applause and cheers from students and staff in the audience, Barazzone said, “No matter how perfect a product you have, if only two percent of prospective college students want to come, you need to think about how to solve that issue.”
The Board of Trustees has considered other options, including marketing Chatham as a “transfer school” to which students transfer after community college or doing away with undergraduate programming entirely; however, they saw no options other than going coed as desirable.
Board Chair S. Murray Rust III said, “We’re looking for ways to move forward that best preserve what we have while appealing to a broader group of students.”
Vice Chair Sigo Falk added, “We really can’t think of anything but a major reorganization now.”
“This is not a way of bringing men to Chatham,” Barazzone said. “It’s a way of bringing more women to Chatham.” This statement was followed by a burst of laughter from the audience.
This was not the only scorn about the possible switch to coeducation expressed at the meeting. As the sun set and the chapel dimmed, Barazzone answered many questions from concerned students.
Students brought up issues ranging from housing to sexual assault.
Students including first-year Meg Scanlon and junior Karen Salaverria expressed concerns about possible loss of single-professor departments and dual-enrollment programs.
Others, like first-year Maryann Fix, expressed frustration at the possibility of Chatham going coed because of the “promise” that had been made for four years of single-sex education.
President Barazzone addressed questions and concerns until she had to leave to address alumnae.
Students continued to discuss matters after the meeting concluded, and many took to social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter, to express their reactions.
Sophomore Melissa Garret believes a move away from single-sex education would be a mistake. “This just isn’t what Chatham is about. Women need to know just how successful and empowering they can be.”
A self-proclaimed feminist, Barazzone seems to agree about the importance of women’s education, but she is concerned about Chatham’s ability to survive as a single-sex institution.
“This is an interesting place, and the problem is not enough people have access to it,” Barazzone said. “We have a vibrant university, and we are committed to keeping it vibrant.”
Chatham raises tuition three percent and considers going coed
At 4 p.m., Tuesday, February 18, a campus-wide meeting was called for students and faculty. Very little details were given prior to the meeting, but students speculated it would be about the rising tuition. They would be in for a surprise.
Officially the meeting was a “community campus update.” It was broken down into three sections, first the progress of Eden Hall, second the tuition raise, and last the prospect of going coeducational.
The first two parts of the meeting were expected, however the third part was not. Even the Chatham Student Government was caught off-guard by the proposition to go coeducational.
While the enrollment overall at Chatham has been increasing, the enrollment in Chatham College for Women has stayed stagnant. In 1992, when Chatham first considered going coeducational, the enrollment was 518. Today the enrollment is 542. While there is slight growth, it is not enough to keep the Women’s College viable. Growth in the future is also looking pessimistic. The first year class of 2013 is almost 50 percent less than the first year class of 2008.
Polls of female high schools seniors have shown that “only two percent would consider enrolling in a women’s college.” This puts Chatham in a niche market. With the economic downturn, college enrollment, especially in single-sex institutions has decreased significantly.
Some students believe that going coeducational is not the solution to Chatham’s enrollment problem. “One of the main reasons I decided on Chatham was because it is a woman’s college. If Chatham goes coed it will be going against a main component the university stands for. I think many women who can transfer out will,” junior Katie Roman said. “I think if we’re coed there won’t be as much focus on women’s education and empowerment.”
Chatham has made all the efforts it can to market towards female students. It has spent $4.5 million on advertising for the College for Women, which doubles the amount spent on any of the other Chatham colleges.
2015 is the proposed year for Chatham’s transition. In 2014, there will be male undergraduate students at Chatham with the introduction of the Falk School of Sustainability. Questions on where to house the male students in the future have yet to be answered officially, although the students next fall will be housed in the Hicks Estate.
To keep the spirit of the Women’s College, Chatham proposes to start an “institute for leadership and gender equality.” Female students could still earn a certificate in leadership studies, and study issues involving women.
Alternatives to going coed were suggested. Other suggestions were to lower requirements for transfer students, cut faculty and major programs, or to close the undergraduate program altogether.
Some students understood why these changes were proposed and supported the decision if it meant saving the school. Junior Jade Lawson said, “I’ve been going to an all women’s college for three years and appreciate all that it has offered me. But after watching President Barazzone nearly break into tears after telling us the news, I knew this was one of the hardest decisions for them to make.”
“I have my opinion that I have learned more in a single sex classroom but I also see that single sex colleges are failing. I am excited to see how this works out in my last year with the coed Falk School of Sustainability and how it may play for the rest of our college,” Lawson said.
Other students were quite upset with the changes. Sophomore Kenzie Saunders said, “I think Chatham would be completely treading on every principle they’ve been trying to instill in us by going coed. It would betray every positive aspect of going to an all women’s college. The magic would be gone.”
Three of the Board of Trustees members were present and spoke to support the decision to go coeducational. All three of these board members were male; aside from Dr. Barazzone no female board members spoke at the meeting.
Some students are looking at the positives of having an integrated undergrad. Sophomore Marie Soukup said, “I feel that even though we are a traditionally all women’s college, we as women will still be able to lead in the classroom and it shouldn’t effect how we learn and grow as students. I think it will be good for us to apply what we have learned about being leaders and world ready women.”
While the news about going coeducational was shocking and seemed to be the focus of the meeting, the status of Eden Hall and the rising tuition should not be overlooked.
This year phase 1A of Eden Hall was completed. Dr. Barazzone announced that this phase cost the school $17.7 million. This phase included finishing a public venue for gatherings, and creating a field lab.
Next year phase 1B will start. This phase will be focused on preparing the campus to be used by the School of Sustainability. The living facilities will be prepared to house 250 students. This phase will cost $27.7 million. When all is completed the campus should boast a 70 percent energy reduction and a 100 percent sustainability rate.
It was also announced that the tuition for 2013-2014 will be raised by 3 percent. Dr. Barazzone did note the petition effort by Chatham Student Government to stop the raise, and acknowledged that students are struggling to afford college. Despite this she stressed that a one-time increase will prevent a loss of funding, and that colleges similar to Chatham have increased their tuition by a greater amount. Also, the tuition raise will prevent Chatham from making cuts to faculty and programs.
While it is clear Chatham is considering some drastic changes to keep the undergraduate program alive, until Tuesday, the undergraduate students have been kept in the dark.
By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update
On Thursday, February 13, the Chatham Student Government (CSG) held their weekly meeting in the PCW room, off of Anderson Dining Hall. On the agenda were a variety of issues, beginning with an update from Mareija Bibbs on the status of the Government’s efforts to prevent the proposed tuition increase. The letter to the Board of Trustees, written by the Executive Board on behalf of the student body, was revised and presented to Chatham University President Esther Barazzone, who sent copies to the board members. Additionally, the petition in support of the government’s efforts gained approximately 280 signatures. However, no information has yet been released regarding the outcome of the vote, which occurred on Friday, February 14.
Other areas of discussion at the meeting included updates on the status of the Undergraduate Budget Committee, and efforts to make the Student Organization Forum meetings a more effective platform for the advocacy of student organizations.
Also on the agenda was a discussion of the CSG meet and greet, which will take place in the Athletic and Fitness Center on Friday, February 28. It will take the form of a game night, with the possibility of catering by Parkhurst dining services.
After reports from the class officers, the CSG heard from the various ad hoc committees. Issues at hand included the question of extending the add/drop period, which will be looked into further after the tuition increase issue has been concluded. The ad hoc committee for the tuition increase also spoke, emphasizing the fact that from that point on, it was just a “waiting game”.
In other news, there was also discussion regarding the feedback from the Town Hall meeting, including what types of events students would be interested in. However, the consensus was that further feedback form the student body would be necessary to make any decisions.
The final topic of discussion was the possibility of a CSG newsletter, as a means of increasing transparency with the Chatham students. Ideas ranged from a newsletter published once a semester, to an occasional page in the Communiqué, however no decisions were made.
The CSG meets every Thursday in the PCW room. Meetings are open to the student body, however students must sign up to be put on the agenda if they wish to contribute.
Sweat to Sweets: Kadee Lewis teaches Chatham students how to run a successful business
Once a month, Chatham University hosts the Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series, bringing in female owners of businesses in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. The breakfasts take place on the second Friday of every month, starting at 7:30 in the morning and going until 9:00.
The speaker at the February 14 breakfast was Kadee Lewis, the owner of BodyTech Health and Fitness and co-owner of Bella Christie and Lil’ Z’s Sweet Boutique. While the distance between what each business represents is vast, Ms. Lewis calls it “built-in job security”–have a pastry at Bella Christie and Lil’ Z’s, and go work it off at BodyTech (or the reverse, rewarding yourself for having spent an hour at the gym).
Kadee Lewis is a graduate of Edinboro University in Erie, Pennsylvania, with a degree in health and fitness. When she started out, she was scared of business interviews and decided that it would be easier to open her own business. This led to a job at a gym where she learned the ins-and-outs of business, and eventually learned enough to open her own business. This business became Fitness A La Carte.
Fitness A La Carte was unique in that members could pay for the services they wanted and not for anything else–such as only having to pay for lifting machines, spinning, or a combination of any of the gym’s services–and, as far as Lewis knows, it was one of the first of its kind in the Pittsburgh area. Another unique feature of her first gym was the snack bar, which sold desserts. It was an added stream of revenue and, as Lewis stated at the beginning of her talk, built-in job security.
Lewis’ next venture in the fitness world became BodyTech Health and Fitness. The gym started as a response to filling a niche in the Pittsburgh area before other box gyms such as Planet Fitness and Gold’s Gym could move in and take customers. The business model Lewis used when she ran other gyms changed and eventually became BodyTech. Many of her plans for other businesses adopted a similar “fly by the seat of your pants” style that Lewis joked about during the talk.
Her co-owned bakery business started almost on accident when one of her gym members called and asked for a wedding cake instead of the bite-sized desserts usually sold at the gym. Kristin, Lewis’ sister and partner in the venture, made it happen. The wedding cake was a success, and launched the start of a second joint venture, which eventually became the Sweet Shoppe and Bella Christie and Lil’ Z’s, named after Kristin’s two daughters and her niece, Kadee’s daughter.
The Sweet Shoppe now has two locations in the Pittsburgh area–one in Aspinwall and one in Blawnox. Both shops have a staggering number of items on the menu, and also do custom-made cakes and other desserts, should something not appear on the menu. The majority of the offerings at the bakery are cupcakes or cakes, although numerous other desserts appear.
The businesses are thriving and, as Lewis put it, the built-in job security doesn’t hurt.
Nothing private about their privates: “Vagina Monologues” gets a V for “Very Good”
Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” was performed on February 14 and 15 in collaboration with the Drama Club, Bake Club, Chatham Choir, This is Me, Artist Collective and the Class of 2016.
Their work paid off as “The Vagina Monologues” performance was empowering, resonating, intimate, and poignant. The show opened with three women played by Diana Cabrea, Megan E. Cooper and Tahmina Tursonzadah who introduced the concept of “The Vagina Monologues”.
The monologues are a series of interviews with women of all ages, races, occupations, and sexualities. The women were asked peculiar questions about their privates such as “What would your vagina wear?” or “If your vagina could talk, what would it say?” The monologues are stories of self-discovery, pain and liberation, and are a pleasure to watch.
Photo Credit: Kitoko Chargois
Gretchen Geibel performing “My Short Skirt”
An audience favorite was “The Flood” performed by Catherine “Cat” Giles. From beginning to end she took on the identity of an elderly woman “who’s wondering why a young girl is going around asking old ladies about their down theres.” It was an authentic performance, from the accent, the body language and, most importantly, the delivery of the monologue. We felt her embarrassment and her sadness. We stepped into her life with every sentence. She flooded our hearts.
The monologue, “My Vagina was my Village”, performed by Jessica Chow, can be described as potent. Chow personified a village woman who is mutilated and raped repeatedly by soldiers invading her village. She describes her life before her rape and how her vagina used to be her home. Her face is jovial, full of wonder and hope but then it happens and her face is filled with anguish and sadness. The juxtaposition of these two emotions seamlessly conveyed how she was then as opposed to how she is currently. The performance was riveting.
Other note-worthy performances include “Reclaiming C***” by Meaghan Clohessy. This was fun and energetic, with the perfect amount of audience participation. In this piece Clohessy takes back the derogatory C-word. The word is said in a whisper then in various pitches and pronunciations, ending with shouting the word, accompanied with an echo from back stage and from the audience.
Skyler Wilcha’s performance of “My Angry Vagina” was unforgettable. The line, “dry wad of f****** cotton”, in reference to tampons, would be forever etched in our minds. Ciera’s Young’s recitation of “The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could” told the trials and tribulations of a woman’s vagina and her discovery of how to love and whom to love.
Photo Credit: Kitoko Chargois
Sklyer Wilcha performing “My Angry Vagina”
The show closed with Onastasia Youssef and her monologue “One Billion Rising for Justice”. The monologue was a call to action to stop the violence against women not by staying silent but by speaking out until our voices are heard and changes are implemented. It was a solid way to close the show. All the characters were present on stage with the speaker to advocate in unison for a world that is safe and accommodating for women of all kinds.
Students gather for Chatham Creative Writing Club’s “Spit Reel”
On Thursday, February 6, the chilly evening was warmed by the Chatham Creative Writing Club’s Spit Reel. An audience of about twenty faculty, staff and students gathered in the Welker Room of Laughlin Music Hall.
Photo Credit: Allison Albitz
Courtney Druzak hosts Spit Reel
The event featured three undergraduate writers, and was hosted by senior Courtney Druzak, co-president of the Creative Writing Club. Druzak began the evening with the disclaimer that it was her first time hosting–as the event’s usual host would be reading later in the evening. Regardless, Druzak did a great job of introducing the event and each of the readers.
The first reader was first year Indigo Baloch. She began with a short story based off the beloved children’s tale of Peter Pan. In this story, Wendy is all grown up and fighting the demons Pan created in her. Baloch then read two heartbreaking and beautifully written poems.
Next up was senior Jenna Swisher, who read a delightful excerpt from a longer piece about a zombie’s attempts to propose to his girlfriend–er–zombie-friend. The excerpt has all the makings of a sweet romantic comedy, but is set in a world of zombies. The detail of the piece was staggering, with Swisher using specific vocabulary that aided in creating the zombie-world. It was the perfect combination of sweet, funny, disgusting and terrifying.
The final reader was senior, and co-president of the Creative Writing Club, Meaghan Clohessy, who read a series of short essays from her senior tutorial about her adventures on her study-abroad trip to Berlin. Clohessy’s pieces had the audience nearly rolling on the floor with laughter that was due in part to the content of the pieces, and in part due to the dry manner in which she presented them. Biting with wit and humor, Clohessy’s pieces were, to understate it, extremely successful with the small audience.
Photo Credit: Allison Albitz
Maryann Fix reading at Spit Reel
After the initial readings, Druzak invited those in the audience to sign up for their open-mic portion of the evening, which consisted of five minute sections in which anyone could read any piece in any form (two were read from laptops and one was read from a cell phone).
Senior Catherine Giles was the first up to the podium, reading a piece about her redefinition of the ABCs. Next was Emily Kocian, who read a poem bursting with imagery and metaphors. The final reader of the night was Maryann Fix, who read a deeply personal poem.
Overall, the evening was a grand success, full of wonderful new literature and poetry. And to top it off, a great new crop of writers got a chance to share personal, hilarious, heart wrenching, tear-jerking pieces with an audience of appreciative readers and listeners.
Photo Credit: Allison Albitz
Meaghan Clohessy reading at Spit Reel
Waiting for Intermission: Review of “Labor Day”
Physical space in film functions as a tool of emotional manipulation. These spaces allow the characters to express themselves independent of reinforced societal boundaries. Success of these spaces relies on the film’s ability to enclose audiences within that space and have them experience the same emotional tumult as that of the characters. Director Jason Reitman attempts this with his new film “Labor Day”.
Lonely teenager Henry (Gattlin Griffith) lives with his newly divorced mother, Adele (Kate Winslett) at the edge of a suburban town. Their isolated lives become shaken when escaped convict Frank (Josh Brolin) hides out at their house to avoid the police. As Henry watches love blossom between Adele and Frank, he learns the importance of sex, family, and passion. Despite beginning effort, disjointed narrative elements weaken the power of the space, causing problematic moments in the film. The so-called ‘happy ending’ reigns dominant in the discussion of space.
Reitman establishes space within the first few minutes of the film. Tracking shots lead audiences out of a suburban town and down a long stretch of road, dragging as the houses increasingly become further apart and more dilapidated. These shots slowly transform into tight shots focusing on a house.
The narration of an adult Henry invites audiences into that house, and into the primary space of the film. Henry’s narration demonstrates an incredible vulnerability, drawing in audiences through his poignant observations on his mother’s state of mind following her divorce. This isolation extends into the suburban town. With its central square and grocery store, the town seems to have been taken straight from Updike’s short story “A&P”. The town employs a pastoral feel, making Adele and Henry contagions in this constructed society. By establishing the space, Reitman creates the circumstances necessary for Frank’s entrance.
Paralleling Henry and Adele, society quarantines Frank by having thrown him in prison for the murder of his wife. His isolation is institutional as opposed to the self-isolation of Adele and Henry. The home space allows Frank and Adele to seek solace in their individual isolation. Audiences can develop sympathy for Frank, an acceptance of their love despite literal and metaphorical imprisonment.
Except this sympathy never takes place. The home space falls apart through technical and structural weaknesses of the film. Random plot points arrive but are then never fleshed out. One of these points concerns Henry’s almost Oedipal relationship with his mother. Henry explains through narration that, although he can complete most tasks a husband does for his wife, he could never provide the intimacy his mother ‘required’ in marriage. A follow-up scene later in the film shows a flashback with Adele teaching Henry the emotional power behind making love. Her lascivious pose on the hammock while talking to her son is problematic in its own right, but the movie nevertheless does not resolve this moment.
Another unresolved plot point surrounds Frank’s innocence. Evidence never arises toward his vindication. A moment occurs in the film implying another murder, but the scene quickly jumps forward and is never referred to again. The film expects us to believe in his patriarchal charm. His relationship with Adele demonstrates a ‘sexual awakening’ moment characterizing more conservative gender roles.
Pacing further weakens the film by rushing the ending past these unresolved plot holes. Reitman destroys the original message of his film so Frank and Adele can walk arm and arm into the sunset. The illusion of space disappears in the film and unfortunately never returns.
If you really want to watch films on Stockholm Syndrome, it’s best to stick with the classic. I’m pretty sure “Beauty and the Beast” is on Netflix.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Foodie on the Half Shell: Love potion–the Pad Thai version
With Valentines Day coming and going, it brings me back to thinking about the awkward “V-days” that I had by myself growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania. I was made fun of throughout high school, and never was able to keep a boyfriend for too long. I’d like to say I was the strong girl who dumped those losers, but usually I was the one getting dumped.
I fought on in my path to finding a sweetheart, with wide vulnerable eyes, and a big heart right on my sleeve. Unfortunately, this only ended in heartache. Finally, after trial and error, I realized my mom was right when she said, “guys are pigs, they only want one thing.” They did only want one thing: my cooking.
Looking back, I wish I didn’t cook for just anybody, but I did, and I refuse to regret it! It was a learning experience, and at least now I know the recipes to really lure those fishies in. I’m going to share a recipe that, I know, really gets the kitchen spicy!
It was a summer night in 2012 and I had just met my partner, Ben. We spent many warm nights outside on his porch in the country, or rocking out to some Tom Petty in his kitchen, where I would cook all of my new recipes for the two of us. Eventually, I began getting more adventurous in my cooking pilgrimage because Ben had his own place, and I could take as long as I wanted to in the kitchen.
Because we were so laced with love, we would spend hours together without realizing that we actually needed to sustain ourselves with water and food. It would be nine o’clock at night before I started making dinner, which is exactly what happened with my Pad Thai.
This recipe is spicy, but oh so delicious. Even Ben, who is sensitive to heat, could not stop devouring this bowl full of love-goddess grub. I now make this recipe for Ben’s birthday every year. It is still delicious and still takes us back to a very zesty summer.
This will serve about 4 normal people, and 2 indulgent people.
What you will need:
-1 lb of your choice of protein (I use shrimp)
-1 box of al dente soba noodles.
-1 can of coconut milk (I use the lite stuff)
-1 sliced green pepper and 1 sliced red pepper
-1 sliced large onion
For the curry paste:
-1 chopped jalapeno
-1 large chopped shallot
-1 tbs ginger
-A lot of garlic (whatever that means to you)
-A handful of chopped cilantro
-2-3 Tbs of peanut butter
-1/4-1/2 cup of soy sauce.
-Siracha sauce to taste.
Top with lime juice, chopped peanuts, and cilantro.
The process is simple. For the curry paste, put all of the ingredients in the food processor and grind till it is a paste. In a large frying pan–preferably a wok–heat some oil and add your peppers and onion. When the vegetables become tender, add half of your curry paste. Cook till fragrant. Then add half of your coconut milk. Now add your shrimp. Do not add it at the beginning or it will be overdone and chewy. Make sure they are cooked through, then add the rest of the coconut milk and curry paste. Make sure everything is stirred throughout, then lastly, toss the noodles into the pan and make sure it is all combined. Top with peanuts, cilantro, and lime juice. Enjoy! Thank you for reading.
Little Red Riding Vogue: Luella Bartley makes her comeback at NYFW’s Marc by Marc Jacobs fall ’14
What do you get when you add together Luella Bartley, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and “Alice in Wonderland”? Me—crying.
For those of you who like ridiculously adorable dresses with a lot of spunk and character, I really hope you are familiar with Luella Bartley and her eponymous line Luella. If you’re not, you should definitely become acquainted! Unfortunately, Bartley called it quits for Luella in 2009—to the shock and horror of many rock and roll girly girls like Chloe Sevigny, Alexa Chung, Kate Nash, and Lily Allen. But when one door closes, another one opens. Recently word came out that Bartley would be taking over as design director of Marc by Marc Jacobs—the cute and affordable younger sister of Marc Jacobs.
For those who still aren’t sure what the difference is between Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs is a different line from the same fashion house. It’s a little more punk and aimed towards a younger crowd—which also means the prices are a little more wallet-friendly. Also the fashion on the whole is less couture and more retail—which made it a perfect fit for Bartley’s extremely desirable young adult dresses.
On Tuesday, the Marc by Marc Jacobs fall ’14 runway show aired on Livestream for the viewing pleasures of fashion freaks such as myself. And I must say, the new creative director of Marc by Marc Jacobs, Katie Hillier, knocked it out of the park. The video allowed for live tweeting during the roughly nine-minute-long show and showed an array of front row guests such as Grace Coddington and J. Alexander. Marc Jacobs himself was present of course—with gal pals Chung and Sofia Coppola.
The show began with swelling music from Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”—the models walking on a wooden platform that curved with swirling arches and zigzagged through the audience. Many of the early looks centered on shades of black and red and all of the models had their hair in two tight braids. About two minutes in, the music shifted towards tribal drumming as more colors found their way into the show. Then things got weird with some electronic music that involved an eerie computer voice reading lines from “Alice in Wonderland”.
The music was spot on though. The line obviously drew inspiration from “Alice in Wonderland” and was strongly reminiscent of the video for “Oblivion” by Grimes. There was a unique mix of grungy BMX-ninja girls with loud colors and phrases displayed on their mismatched outfits, and balanced gray outfits with more serious tones and enormous bows. The models generally walked in an assortment of what can only be described as combat and ninja boots or platform sneakers. Some of the outfits featured phrases like “Bunny Hop”, “Revolution”, and “Grrl”. Obviously, Bartley has not lost her inner punk girl.
Masters of accessories, Hillier and Bartley didn’t skimp on extra details. Some models sported bandanas that covered their mouths with images of a skeleton’s teeth. Others toted plaid or striped leather handbags. Headgear was generally limited to Alice-inspired headbands.
At the end of course, Hillier and Bartley greeted the audience in incredible ensembles, laughing and talking as they entered—clearly pleased with the amazing show. Like Chung said after the show, it was inspiring and impressive. In fact, Chung and Bartley both admitted to getting teary-eyed as well. There is so much obvious potential here and I cannot wait to see what else will come from this fabulous duo.
Check out Luella Bartley’s previous work here!