#fashion industry evolution

[jadeannbyrne]

Rebirth of Wings: Behind the Pink Curtain at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2024 Triumphant Return To Flight

Jade Ann Byrne: The Great Imposter Bringing Wings Back to the Victoria’s Secret Runway By Jade Ann Byrne, Live from the Pink Carpet New York, New York I wasn’t just a spectator. I wasn’t just another press pass dangling from a lanyard. I was embedded, deep within the heart of one of fashion’s most highly anticipated events—today. A mystery shopper in designer heels, slipping through backstage…

[trending-vibes]

The Fashion Industry's Evolution in the Age of Social Media

In the past decade, the fashion industry has undergone a profound transformation, largely influenced by the rise of social media platforms. With the emergence of Instagram, TikTok, and other digital platforms, fashion has become more accessible, interactive, and democratized than ever before.

One of the most significant impacts of social media on the fashion industry is the democratization of influence. In the past, fashion trends were predominantly dictated by high-end designers, fashion magazines, and celebrities. However, social media has empowered individuals from all walks of life to become influential voices in fashion. Through platforms like Instagram, fashion bloggers, influencers, and even everyday users can share their unique style perspectives, garnering large followings and shaping trends in the process.

Moreover, social media has revolutionized the way fashion brands market and promote their products. Traditional advertising channels such as print and television ads have been supplemented, if not replaced, by social media marketing strategies. Fashion brands now leverage platforms like Instagram and TikTok to showcase their latest collections, engage with their audience, and drive sales. Influencer partnerships and sponsored content have become integral components of many fashion brands' marketing campaigns, enabling them to reach wider and more targeted audiences.

Furthermore, social media has facilitated direct engagement between fashion brands and consumers. Through platforms like Twitter and Facebook, brands can interact with their customers in real-time, responding to inquiries, addressing concerns, and soliciting feedback. This direct line of communication has not only strengthened brand-consumer relationships but also allowed brands to gain valuable insights into consumer preferences and behavior, informing product development and marketing strategies.

Additionally, social media has played a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity and diversity within the fashion industry. Historically, the industry has been criticized for its lack of representation and narrow beauty standards. However, social media has provided a platform for marginalized voices to be heard and celebrated. Influential figures from diverse backgrounds, body types, and identities have emerged as trailblazers, challenging traditional norms and advocating for greater inclusivity in fashion.

However, despite its numerous benefits, social media has also presented challenges for the fashion industry. The prevalence of fast fashion and influencer culture has contributed to issues such as overconsumption, environmental degradation, and unrealistic beauty standards. Moreover, the rise of counterfeit products and influencer fraud has raised concerns about authenticity and transparency within the industry.

In conclusion, the integration of social media into the fashion industry has revolutionized the way fashion is consumed, produced, and perceived. While presenting unprecedented opportunities for creativity, accessibility, and inclusivity, social media also poses complex challenges that the industry must navigate. Moving forward, it is essential for fashion brands, influencers, and consumers alike to leverage the power of social media responsibly and ethically, ensuring a more sustainable and equitable future for the industry.

[beingjellybeans]

Julia Barretto named Tanduay's 2024 Calendar Girl

While many brands follow a rigid set of criteria for selecting their calendar models, Tanduay takes a distinct approach. The renowned rum brand looks for women who embody strength, confidence, daring spirit, fearlessness, and a willingness to take risks while still finding time to revel in life’s celebrations. This year, Tanduay has chosen actress Julia Barretto to represent these qualities as…

[briiverse]

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐑

band identity & music

⋆ band name

⋆ signature logo

⋆ members & roles

⋆ band backstory

⋆ personal signature & aesthetic

⋆ stage names

⋆ music message

⋆ music themes & album concepts

⋆ musical influences

⋆ hidden tracks

⋆ songwriting & instrumental process

⋆ band signature sound

⋆ legendary collaborations

⋆ iconic music videos

⋆ band evolution

performance & public image

⋆ stage presence

⋆ how the band celebrates after a killer show

⋆ iconic live show moments that goes viral

⋆ tour life

⋆ relationship with fans

⋆ crazy fan interaction

⋆ first big break into the spotlight

⋆ band’s impact on the music scene

⋆ music charts & sales

⋆ how other artists in the industry feel about you

⋆ how you handle fame

⋆ rebellious & unapologetic moments

⋆ how the band deals with the press and media

band dynamic & industry connections

⋆ how the band works together

⋆ members’ personalities & chemistry

⋆ band’s interviews dynamic

⋆ how the members support each other’s

⋆ inside jokes

⋆ backstage dynamic

⋆ drama and rumors

⋆ friends in the music scene

⋆ secret relationship

⋆ touring with another band

⋆ bands you’re closest with

⋆ friendly rivalries

⋆ other bands covering your songs

defining moments & lasting influence

⋆ the moment when the band knew they made it

⋆ fashion trends you accidentally started

⋆ random quote that becomes iconic

⋆ causes and issues your band is vocal about

⋆ legendary live performances

⋆ being praised by your favorite artists

⋆ influence on other artists/bands

⋆ first magazine cover

⋆ first winning award

note: sooo i decided to make this post since i’m kinda overwhelmed with what to script next in my band dr. i will probably keep adding more ideas to this as i go lol anyway hope this post is helpful <3 muah <3

﹒ 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 © 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 ﹒

[fatehbaz]

hi i love your blog and the stuff you've shared has been really invaluable for me writing my dissertation right now! i was wondering if you've ever read anything interesting about police horses, or perhaps horses working for the state more generally? apologies if you've already made a post about this and i've missed it.

Nice. Don't know if your dissertation is specifically about horse histories; if so, then I'd imagine you already know much more than I do. So I don't know how much help I can be.

I've posted about the history of police horses in Australia before, which is just excerpts from Stephen Gapps and Mina Murray, in their "From colonial cavalry to mounted police: a short history of the Australian police horse" (The Conversation, 28 July 2021; "Horse Patrol" aka "Mounted Police" formally established 1825 after Wiradjuri war, used to round-up escaped laborers and attack Aboriginal communities as crucial force in colonial admin in 1830s culminating in Waterloo Creek Massacre.)

I've made some references to US participation in British campaigns of Boer War. (Apparently there was a micro-industry of the New Orleans port shipping 110,000 horses and 81,000 mules on 166 voyages via 65 British steamships for a cost of like hundreds of thousands USD per month for three years to help Britain.)

Similarly, Steve Hewitt and others write about Canadian mounted police and their role in national power in the Great Plains; twentieth-century counter-subversion; monitoring labor strikes and Indigenous/student dissent, etc.

"The Masculine Mountie: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a Male Institution, 1914-1939" (Hewitt, Journal of the Canadian Historical Association, 1996)

Riding to the Rescue: The Transformation of the RCMP in Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1914-1939 (Hewitt, 2006)

"Fashioning farmers: ideology, agricultural knowledge and the Manitoba farm movement, 1890-1925" (Hewitt, Journal of Canadian Studies, 1997)

"Canadianizing the West: The North-West Mounted Police as Agents of the National Policy, 1873-1905" (Mcleod, The Prairie West: Historical Readings, edited by Francis and Palmer, 1992)

---

Guessing you've already considered this, but a relevant thing I've read might be Breeds of Empire: The 'Invention' of the Horse in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa 1500-1950 (Greg Bankoff and Sandra Swart, 2007), about "the 'invention' of specific breeds of horse in the context of imperial design and colonial trade routes" and "the historiographical and methodological problems with writing a more species or horse-centric history." There was an earlier influential paper about imperial use of horses by Swart, ""The World the Horses Made": A South African Case Study of Writing Animals into Social History" (International Review of Social History 55:2, 2010).

Last year I read Bellweather Histories: Animals, Humans, and US Environments in Crisis (edited by Susan Nance and Jennifer Marks, 2023), and there was an interesting chapter on horses by Marks: "Chicago's 1872 Equine Influenza Epizootic and the Evolution of Urban Transit Technology."

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Have you seen Jagjeet Lally's "Empires and Equines: The Horse in Art and Exchange in South Asia, ca. 1600-1850" (Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 35:1, 2015)? It covers Mughal state power and aristocratic prestige as tied to horses, but also refers to the later utility of horseback mobility in East India Company and British power consolidation.

I used to be in a Central Asia-specific program-type thing and there was a long list of academic writing, most if it not in English, about horses as essential for statecraft in Mongol, Persian, Mughal, Chinese, and Ottoman contexts. So I know that there's a huge amount of writing on the subject, but I did not retain much of it. Jagjeet Lally's bibliography here is helpful. This also brings to mind Alan Mikhail's work The Animal in Ottoman Egypt (2013) and Under Osman's Tree: The Ottoman Empire, Egypt, and Environmental History (2017). Though horses aren't the main focus, they're essentially about "animal labor/capital."

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I think I've seen that you've interacted with my old posts about Sujit Sivasundaram, Rohan Deb Roy, and Jonathan Saha on "interspecies empire"? Saha's most recent stuff includes writing in:

Biocultural Empire: New Histories of Imperial Lifeworlds (2024); Colonial Dimensions of the Global Wildlife Trade (2024); "A Historiography of Great Animal Massacres" (2024); "whiteness, masculinity, and ambivalent British Justice"; imperial use of elephants and "animal agency, undead capital, and imperial science" (2017); Subverting Empire: Deviance and Disorder in the British Colonial World (2015); imperial use of cattle and other livestock in "animals and the politics of colonial sensitibilites" (2015). Sivasundaram covers a lot of that (animality, criminality, imperial imaginaries) but also oceanic thinking.

---

Also thinking of:

The Horse in the City: Living Machines in the Nineteenth Century (Clay McShane and Joel A. Tarr, 2011)

And The Herds Shot Round the World: Native Breeds and the British Empire, 1800-1900 (Rebecca JH Woods, 2017). Though its not really about horses (mostly about sheep and cattle for dairy/meat).

---

But I know there are little niches:

(1) British frontier policing in Australia ("mounted patrols" in campaigns against Aboriginal peoples and keeping them on rangeland labor sites). (2) British metropolitan and urban settings (police horses in industrializing London, patrolling rural periphery during enclosure law era). (3) The settlement of the Great Plains of the US (especially origins of Rangers, the Fence Wars, and policing West Texas). (4) The Spanish colonization of Mexico and especially the Rio Grande Valley (horses in maintaining state power on the northern/desert frontiers; Spanish/Mexican states and Comanche/Apache mobility in southern Great Plains). (5) Argentina's state-building in the Chaco. (6) And then all of that material about Mughal, Mongol, Ottoman horses.

(Also, most recently, I did that annoying silly satirical retelling of horse-drawn sleighs as progenitor of vehicle and pedestrian laws in industrializing Amsterdam, and it alludes to how horse-drawn carriages were important affordances to wealthy aristocrats which shaped industrial urban space in Europe; I don't know much about it, but I know there's a fair amount of lit about both horses-as-vehicles and mounted police in early nineteenth-century Europe.)

Though I'm not really familiar with most of that. In trying to formulate thoughts about "carceral archipelagoes" and "frontiers," I've previously seen titles about the utility of telegraphs, railyards, and police for US power consolidation. But when horses/cattle get involved, I've been scared/disturbed by just how much of that literature seems to be directly produced by "police department museums," "police science" journals, or former police-superintendents-turned-pseudo-historians in their retirement years who study their own noble profession as a novel curiosity.

But I imagine you know better than me if this is true. So please put me back in my place if I've got the wrong impression!

It's my impression that, more recently, the advent of critical animal studies, multispecies ethnography, and critical geography has meant there's a lot of new stuff to check out.

[monstacheol]

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰

Though I am working on my 400-follower celebration (we're actually 40%), and I also have some messages that I can’t see. 😭. If you are the person who messaged me. I’m so sorry I can’t see it. But I had this idea about Hongjoong and if you haven't seen my master list, I will be doing Ateez too (hopefully soon...)

I love Fashion Designer! Hongjoong in my head and here is why. (FYI: This is my favorite HJ headcanon and might be a Full-length fic and this is not edited or proofread. Also, I may or may not have gone a little bit more in-depth with this one being my first and all. It's 1K words. But enjoy. Like, comment, and reblog for support and improvement.)

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who is known in the fashion industry for his avant-garde design because he likes to blend edgy streetwear with high fashion.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who attended one of his spring shows that he had been preparing for months.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who look out in the audience one night at one of his shows and sees you sitting there.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who couldn't stop looking at you during the show and after the show.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who leaned over his best friend Seonghwa, who was standing nearby, and said, "Who is that?"

"Oh, that's Y/N; she's one of the fashion journalists from Aurora. She just started about a year ago. Cute little thing, isn't she?"

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who couldn't answer as he looked at you as you wrote in that notebook of yours, wearing that outfit that looked thrifted but is highly fashionably inspired. The way your hair was nicely done. The jewelry complements your look perfectly. How your curves fit the dress you were wearing like it was made just for you.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who learned that you were filling in for another journalist who had fallen ill.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who was conversing with another fellow designer, was soon interrupted by a sweet voice. "Excuse me," he heard from behind, just to find you behind him.

"Pardon me. Mr. Kim. If you don't mind, I would like to have a word with you and discuss about your recent collection."

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 whose sharp eyes soften as you look at you. He excuses the designer and turns to speak to you with a smile. He can't help but admire you as you clear your throat, holding your notebook and pen.

"So, Mr. Kim, your latest collection, titled Hala Hala, is quite impressive. Each of the designs seems to have a lot of emotional depth and unique creativity. Would you mind sharing a bit of inspiration behind the collection," you asked so sweetly.

"Of course," Hongjoong answered with a smile. "My inspiration behind Hala Hala is finding the strength within the chaos. It's about the fire in us, the motivation to keep moving forward even when things around feel like they are crumbling. This collection embodies the idea of resilience and determination in the face of adversity, showcasing the beauty that can emerge from challenging circumstances. It's a message saying to be the light of change in a world of darkness," Hongjoong explained passionately.

"So it's about embracing the fire within you. It is almost as if you're showing the rawness of struggle but yet also the beauty of evolution," you said, adding your own perspective to his explanation.

Hongjoong gave a small smile as he muttered, "Exactly." He was really impressed by your insight; you explain it so…. Eloquently. It was exactly how he envisioned the message of the artwork being conveyed. You understood the meaning behind the piece in a way that resonated deeply with him. "Your work is really incredible. The way you transform these emotions into something so…wearable. You're not just making fashion. You're almost telling a story," you mention. Hongjoong gives a smile and replies, "Some stories are meant to be told."

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who after weeks of the Hala Hala fashion show, can't get you out of his mind, especially after reading your article title

𝐔𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐚: 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐣𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who manages to find the company card you gave him and called but he didn't think it would be this difficult to get to you.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who asks to talk directly to you. After the third ring, he heard the most angelic voice answer the phone, making his heart skip a beat. "Aurora Fashion Journalism Team, this is Y/N. What can I do for you?"

"Wow. I didn't think it would be this hard in get contact with you. You're a hard one to track down," he chuckles as he finally hears your voice. You were taken back by the sudden voice. "I apologize for the difficulty, Mr. Kim. I didn't realize you were trying to reach me," you respond warmly, eager to assist him with whatever he needs. "No worries. I'm just glad that I finally got a hold of you," Hongjoong says with a relieved tone.

Hongjoong didn't know what to say. He hasn't been this nervous since the first collection he made; he was so lost in thought about what he wanted to say, he misheard you saying 'Hello' a few times and snapped out of it. "Is there anything you wanted, Mr. Kim?" you said so smoothly.

"Yes, actually," Hongjoong responds, his voice more confident now. "I read your article, by the way. Very insightful. Very well-written. Your writing is very captivating and informative. You really caught the meaning behind my story," he says, genuinely impressed. "I wanted to thank you for taking the time to understand my work and share it with others," Hongjoong adds, feeling a sense of validation and appreciation.

"Thank you. I-It means a lot coming from someone as talented as you are. Like I said, your work is really incredible," you spoke. Hearing you say that makes his heart swell with gratitude. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," Hongjoong replies with a smile, feeling encouraged by your words of praise.

"Now is there anything else, Mr. Kim, before I—" "There is one more," Hongjoong added. "I would like to offer a small proposal." Hongjoong bit his lip in nervousness. "A proposal?" you question.

"Yes. Though it is up to you whether you would accept it or not," Hongjoong explained, trying to keep his nerves at bay. He heard a small 'Okay' and his clammy hands; he took a deep breath and proceeded.

"I would like…I was wondering if… You want to go out for dinner with me sometimes," Hongjoong proposes, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "I would really enjoy getting to know you better outside of work," he admits shyly. Hongjoong sits there nervously but at the sudden gasp in your voice, he can tell that you were stunned. Shock ever.

"You…The Kim Hongjoong. Want to take me out to dinner?"

Silence fills the void within the phone call. Hongjoong's heart pounded in his chest as he waited for your response, hoping for a positive answer. After what felt like an eternity, you finally spoke, "I would love to go out to dinner with you, Mr. Kim." His face broke into a wide smile as relief washed over him, grateful for your acceptance. "Great."

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who invited you to a great restaurant and got to know each other well.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who quickly turns into Boyfriend! Hongjoong in an instant after months of constant dates.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who will spoil you with romantic surprises and gifts.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who will call and FaceTime you when he is away, showing all the places he visits. Taking pictures of all of the scenery and the tourist spot to send them to you. Adding little messages, wishing you were there with him.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who found an apartment not far from your job and you two move together after a year of constant dating.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who has an in-home design studio with all of his design sketches, tools, materials, and a sewing machine all inside.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who after sketching and on call and you working all day, editing. You two cook dinner and you talk about how things were going at work and he happily listens as you share your day with him and as he tells you his.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who looks at you with adoration and love in his eyes as you both lay there on the couch watching a movie and you slept peacefully in his arm. He moves your hair out of your face and smiles.

𝓕𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓻! & 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭! 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰 who has an idea for his next collection.

[dyggtheway]

Fashion and the Messaging Machine: Balancing Authenticity🎸

Fashion has always been a dynamic and expressive industry, constantly evolving to reflect cultural shifts and societal trends. However, in recent years, the emphasis on influencing has led to concerns about authenticity. Are these brands prioritizing controversey over substance?

Join Us Down the Rabbit Hole

The fashion industry has undergone significant transformation over the decades. From haute couture to ready-to-wear, and now the dominance of fast fashion, the industry's evolution has been marked by its ability to adapt and innovate. Streetwear culture, with its roots in urban environments, has significantly influenced mainstream fashion, bringing a new level of edginess and relevance.

Streetwear has revolutionized fashion by blending fabrics, labels, and attitude for the daily life. Gaining power from empowering the individual, the antidote to a long history of exploitation that continues to push back.

Messaging in Fashion

In the flurry between the Battle of the Brand crossfire, messaging is vital.Communicating values, social stances, and cultural relevancy. This messaging shapes identity and influences perception. However, with this power comes the responsibility to ensure that messaging is genuine and not just a marketing ploy.

Fashion Marketing Hangovers: Greenwashing-Rainbow Washing-Woke Washing

Greenwashing refers to brands falsely promoting themselves as environmentally friendly.

Rainbow washing occurs when brands use LGBTQ+ symbols during Pride Month to generate revenue without actually supporting the community.

Woke washing involves brands adopting social justice rhetoric, imagery or even labels to seem socially aware and progressive.

Who's To Blame? Brands that feature representation in their ads but lack representation within their corporate structures, leading to the erosion of trust and pain at the bottom line.

Encouraging Authenticity- begins and ends with people. In the People First model we can retrace our roots and regain integrity.

To quote Nemo it's time to break ,"The Code".

Fashion's relationship with messaging is complex and multifaceted. Want in on the conversation? Explore our Free Online Fashion Design Courses and start creating your unique designs today. And when you're ready to bring your creations to life, print them with Unique Boutique Streetwear.

Let's make magic, together!🤘🍑

[underground-archives]

Bbymutha, "Gun Kontrol" 2024

Special Artist Spotlight: In Conversation with Bbymutha (Part 1/2)

For this first Special Artist Spotlight, I had the pleasure to sit down with Chattanooga, TN’s very own Bbymutha to discuss the evolution of her sound, the industry, and the future of hip hop. 

“So,” I begin, “Who is Bbymutha?”

The rapper giggles, “hmm, I don’t know…I guess I’m a rapper, and a mother, and a artist in general-” 

“and a girlfriend too” her boyfriend and fellow artist Fly Anakin chimes in from somewhere off camera. 

I ask Mutha how they would define their music as an artist, and what the driving forces behind it may be. From a sonic standpoint, the rapper states that whatever beats “tickle her brain” and get stuck in her head are the ones that make the cut. Emotionally, Mutha says that she has always used music as a way to vent, and take out her frustration, stating that if she wasn’t rapping, she would be doing things like journaling instead. 

The rapper also mentions the concept of vanity as a driving force behind her music. Though she is not so sure about this particular word choice, I feel like I understand exactly what she means - that “braggadocious” quality for which hip hop is adored as much as it is disparaged. I particularly connect with this point, and mention that that has been one of the overarching themes of the Underground Archives project; the idea of affirmation and manifestation as part of the vast appeal of rap music, even to audiences - especially those outside “the culture” - who may not relate to the circumstances the rappers describe, but relate to the feelings being communicated (which speaks to the power of music, but also makes cultural appropriation/extraction an ever looming threat).

It is no secret that Mutha has deep roots in the South, with Southern hip hop deeply influencing her own music. I ask her opinion on people’s tendency to homogenize the South when it comes to rap music, and if she has an issue with being defined in that way. She responds:

“Of course I’m a Southern rapper but what bothers me is when they try to box you in and say “oh you [only] make trap music”

I thought this was valid, noting that there is a certain stigma that comes with that label - “trap” music - in general. As if her catalogue would be somehow less worthy if it was all “just” trap, though the genre has been so commercialized and oversaturated, that you can understand the tendency to underwrite it.

I decide to pivot and ask the spooky rapper to tell us about some of her influences on her sound and aesthetic as an artist. She names horror movies and game soundtracks as a major inspiration, as well as horror manga like Junji Ito’s. She also adds that her kids are, of course, a major inspiration, and that they keep her “in the loop” with what’s in these days.

Mutha also names fashion as a major source of inspiration, and a key component of her identity as an artist.

“My fashion reflects my music, my music reflects my fashion” 

Anyone who has seen the rapper’s music videos or social media profiles can attest to that, as the rapper is always sporting a look - a mixture of dark and boldly colored; edgy and whimsical - a lot like the rapper’s music. Mutha briefly mentions how she has picked up crocheting in recent years, and has crocheted a number of her own looks, especially for her Sleep Paralysis tour last year. She even has an online storefront for her crochet items (https://freakbastard.bigcartel.com/), though she does lament the pressure to monetize every hobby or creative pursuit she has.

“Im the person that people want around cause I make everybody feel good about theyself but nobody listens to what I have to say”

To describe the influences on the content of her music, Mutha reminisces about her childhood, and what drew her to making music in the first place. She recalls how she would always write poetry, or write in her diary, so making music felt like a natural progression of that expression - simply another outlet. Now, the seasoned rapper’s music has effectively become her diary, but there are new challenges and limitations to that mode of expression due to how public it is.

I tell her I have to bring this up even though it will make her groan

We have to take it back to (almost) where it all began - Rules (Glow Kit, 2016). Mutha’s first big hit. A mega cult classic and fan favorite. And, coincidentally, the song the rapper wishes she could just lay to rest. 

Sure, the rapper was talking her shit. The iconic refrain “you can’t give your pussy to a  nigga who not used to getting pussy ‘cause that pussy gon’ be everybody’s business” is still quoted by fans to this day.

Yet Mutha hates it - and for a few reasons. She is tired of being requested to perform the song, which is nearly a decade old, when she has released so much music (two full length albums and a number of EPs) since. She also describes how the song is not even close to one of her best- in fact, she personally sees it as one of her worst, “the song was literally just a rant with a hook on it.” Most of all, she resents the idea of basically being asked to “turn up to [her] trauma”

I suggest that maybe people love the song so much because it’s such a relatable message, and that listeners may reclaim their power by thinking “oh, Bbymutha went through this too, maybe I’ma be alright” to which she laughs and responds: “don’t do that because you don’t even know if I’m alright for real!”

“If you still want me to be that same bitch then you dont know whats best for me”

There is definitely much to be said about the commodification of the artist and their experiences, as well as the audience’s inability to move on. Mutha certainly agrees that a lot of fans are stuck on her older stuff, like “Rules,” and laments the tendency for fans to try and box her in where she wants to grow. She also notes that she is through talking about men and their drama in her music. 

“I’m tired of talking about men, it's never nothing good to talk about them for” she giggles. Now, Mutha is much more interested in expressing vulnerability on her own terms, and choosing which songs she wants us to turn up to.

Mutha wants to continue along this trajectory, about the commodification and inevitable dehumanization of artists. She is disturbed by the idea of audiences wanting to “vibe” to artists’ real pain (TikTok trends like the dance to Kendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees” is another example that comes to mind). She describes this obsession with stuff like “sad girl music” as a type of emotion harvesting, which unfortunately comes with the expectation that the artist only makes that type of music. But where is the room for growth?

Mutha also believes stan culture and social media is partially to blame for this phenomenon, describing a sort of pressure - from the fans, but also from the labels - to have a viral moment and keep chasing or trying to recreate that moment. 

So, I ask the rapper how she keeps herself grounded while dealing with all this, and how we can open up space to have this conversation with those who are willing to listen.

She laughs as she reminisces about how she used to cuss people out online when they stepped out of line, but admits that she has scaled it back to protect her peace. The rapper keeps her X (formerly Twitter) account “on lockdown” by making her account private, but Instagram is more difficult to navigate because she does not want to make that page private.

One thing that has particularly grinded the rappers gears dealing with social media is the overfamiliarity, especially pertaining to a certain B-word (“Where’s the album BITCH??!?”). She acknowledges that people like this probably just get a little too excited, but she has definitely cussed a fan or two out for it in the past.

I ask her how we can find the balance between humanizing artists but not idolizing them, to which she responds “I would love to know.”

Mutha believes she has put in her 100 hours with all the cussing people out she used to do, and at this point in her career, just prefers to focus on the love and getting to know the people who love the music instead of feeding into the hate and drama. 

“I get it because I’ve done it but it aint really worth it…the fans be feeling important when you go back and forth with  them, when you could just talk to me normal and feel just as important going back and forth with a regular conversation. But they know if they say some negative shit to you that that’s going to get your attention faster”

So, Mutha is much more focused on engaging with the love and choosing what’s really worth responding to. Otherwise, she will just block you and go about her day (though, she will still cuss a b*tch out if need be. Be warned!)

“People gon be people life is life it’s like high school never ends”

[flagellant]

i know you know about fashion, do you know anything about the evolution of runway music? there’s a fairly distinct sound to a lot of the music in runway shows i’ve watched (which admittedly isn’t a ton). how did that develop? what did they do before they invented synthesizers?

oh its basically entirely from drag balls and gay clubs, and modern ideas of fashion shows are younger than synthesizers. it really took basically mcqueen and galliano to turn the industry into what it is today, before that it was a small collection of italian families doing the same thing over and over. if youre interested in how modern fashion was born you should read Gods and Kings by Dana Thomas

[mariacallous]

If the Silicon Valley of the 2000s and 2010s prided itself on an anti-fashion ethos—the hoodie, the New Balance trainer, the uniform of studied indifference to material possessions—then today’s tech billionaires have flipped the script.

These days, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is a jiujitsu-practicing, Richard Mille–wearing, powerlifting tycoon whose aesthetic suggests something between a Bond villain and a UFC champion. Elon Musk, the self-styled messiah of Mars and free-speech absolutism, oscillates between Belstaff leather flight jackets that scream “aging rock star managing his seventh divorce” and all-black Tom Ford suits that suggest “billionaire villain in a sci-fi movie who insists he’s the hero.”

Then there’s Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, once a dorky, fleece-vested book salesman, who has since undergone a biceps-first metamorphosis into a Vin Diesel–adjacent yacht lord. These days, he’s a fixture at Milan Fashion Week, turning up at Dolce & Gabbana shows in impeccably tailored trousers and a D&G leather bomber jacket. The New York Times has gone as far as to label him a style icon. It’s a stark contrast to 1999 when he revealed to WIRED his love for shirts with “hidden snaps” under the collar points for easy tie removal.

The new tech oligarchy, forged in the crucible of Trump-era chaos, has moved beyond the faux humility of Patagonia vests and Allbirds. They are dressing like titans, strongmen, and emperors because, in their minds, that’s exactly what they are. Their outfits do not merely say I have wealth. They declare “I have power, and I intend to wield it.”

Parable of Power

In many ways, this aesthetic evolution tells a larger story about the consolidation of power in the tech industry. There was a time when tech billionaires maintained a carefully curated image of modesty—Elon Musk, for instance, once claimed to live in a tiny house on his sprawling estate. When asked why he wore the same thing every day, Zuckerberg responded: “I’m in this really lucky position where I get to wake up every day and help serve more than a billion people. I feel like I’m not doing my job if I spend any of my energy on things that are silly or frivolous about my life.”

But now, that mindset has shifted. “They’re openly embracing their status as modern-day oligarchs, fully leaning into wealth, power, and influence. And they’re celebrating it with some seriously big watch purchases,” says WIRED’s watch expert, Tim Barber. Nowhere is this shift more apparent than in figures like Zuckerberg, who, while systematically dismantling fact-checking protections across Meta platforms, is doing so with an exceptionally rare $895,000 Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 timepiece strapped to his wrist.

Luxury watches have long been markers of power, but Silicon Valley initially distanced itself from that tradition. Jobs wore a humble Seiko. Bill Gates has never been one for flash. Zuckerberg, for years, followed suit—until he didn’t. The shift was caught on video. At a pre-wedding party for Anant Ambani, heir to one of India’s wealthiest families, Zuckerberg was seen marveling at a sapphire-crystal Richard Mille watch—a brand synonymous with extreme wealth, with entry prices from $365,000.

“I never really wanted to get a watch,” Zuckerberg is heard saying. “But after seeing that … watches are so cool!” Within weeks, Zuckerberg had embraced horology with zeal. Notable additions include a $783,000 rose-gold Patek Philippe Ref. 5303R-001, a $90,000 De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius featuring a blue dial with a depiction of the Milky Way, and a €40,910 FP Journe Chronomètre Souverain Havana. Musk's watch collection is also high-end but more pedestrian, more predictable (Rolex, Omega, TAG).

“This evolution in tech culture mirrors the robber barons of the past. Today’s billionaires, like those of 100 or 150 years ago, appear largely indifferent to public perception,” continues Barber. He notes that collecting watches, in itself, isn’t an indicator of morality. It’s simply that high-end watches have become part of the new uniform. “The equivalent of the understated Apple Watch once worn by the ‘thoughtful, responsible’ tech leader. Now, intricate, ultra-expensive timepieces have become the accessory of the ‘I don’t care’ billionaire.”

The tech billionaires have long been aligning themselves with mythmaking, macho masculinity narratives. In 2018, Musk began working with designer Emily Dawn Long on his new look, supposedly looking to channel macho male icons such as Harrison Ford, Paul Newman, and Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. As a result, Musk reportedly dropped six figures on a vintage Paul Newman Rolex Daytona, a watch synonymous with masculine cool. He also added a Tesla-branded black cowboy hat to his rotation, a symbol of frontier bravado and lone-wolf individualism, evoking the mythos of the self-made pioneer—whether wrangling AI, space travel, or the X algorithm.

It’s not just watches. Zuckerberg’s wardrobe now includes custom T-shirts emblazoned with historical mottos: “Pathei Mathos” (Greek for “learning through suffering”), “Carthago delenda est” (Latin for “Carthage must be destroyed”), and “Aut Zuck aut nihil” (Latin for “Zuck or nothing”). These phrases, steeped in imperialistic and warrior-like rhetoric, suggest a new, more aggressive self-styling that asserts power.

It’s a far cry from his 2018 Senate hearings, where he appeared in an ill-fitting suit that made him look more like a teenager at his first job interview than a formidable tech CEO. “Part of his rebrand seems to be about rehabilitating his standing within Meta and corporate America, through alignment with dominant trends that prioritize charisma over contemplation, machismo over moderation,” says Benjamin Wild, cultural historian and fashion communication lead at the UK’s Manchester Fashion Institute.

However, one of the most striking things about Zuckerberg’s style transformation is how public, deliberate, and immediate it has been, he says. The first sign arrived back in April 2024, when an AI image of a bearded Mark Zuckerberg went viral on social media. After that fake image, Zuckerberg began to embrace a more fashion-forward and assertive style, even prompting Meta's own AI to suggest a new look for himself. He was seen wearing gold chains and designer clothing and sporting a more muscular physique, reflecting his interest in mixed martial arts (MMA) training.

“We cannot lose sight of the fact that this tech billionaire used the AI feature on his own platform to reimagine his look, then committed to it once the image went viral. That speaks to how external validation still fuels self-presentation, regardless of status,” says Jesica Wagstaff, the fashion commentator and author of A Sunday Journal Substack, who adds that it also signals just how much conservative aesthetics have seeped into the American cultural bloodstream.

“Granted, Zuckerberg initially asked for an AI rendering of himself as a ‘streetwear designer in LA.’ But he didn’t just adopt the look; he distorted it with personal signifiers—status symbols, combat-ready aesthetics, and a sliver of dystopian machismo. The effect is an uber-wealthy MMA fighter," continues Wagstaff. “And that’s very much the point. Zuckerberg is no longer just the nerd who created Facebook. He’s a jiujitsu-practicing, watch-collecting, gaming dad who loves his wife and kids—and still finds time to strip online protections from vulnerable users of his platform. We’re meant to see him glow up and ask ourselves, ‘What can’t Mark Zuckerberg do?’”

The answer to that question, of course, depends on who is asking. To his elite peers, Zuckerberg’s latest image signals strength, power, and cultural awareness. To the rest of the world, it may be another reminder that those who claim to lead us are increasingly operating in a world entirely their own.

When Did This New Dress Code Drop?

Personal style has long been a tool in the arsenal of the tech elite. Steve Jobs famously rejected traditional status symbols in favor of a self-imposed uniform: The infamous black Issey Miyake turtleneck, Levi’s jeans, and New Balance trainers. Many of Silicon Valley’s most prominent figures followed suit, embracing a lux-tinted version of understated, utilitarian dressing—embodied in 2017 by $500 Lanvin low-top sneakers favored by the likes of Satya Nadella and Larry Page. Of course, this stripped-down approach to fashion wasn’t an abdication of style; it was a strategic choice.

In an industry that prides itself on disruption, dressing down became its own kind of dominance, while also reflecting the tech ideology of the time: Innovation over tradition, efficiency over excess, and—at least in its early days—a belief that technology existed to serve people, not just profit from them.

Indeed, in the early 2000s and 2010s, tech’s biggest names presented themselves as visionaries on a mission to democratize access, improve lives, and build a better future. The industry positioned itself as an antidote to Wall Street’s greed, and the seemingly casual uniform of T-shirts, hoodies, and sneakers reinforced that distinction. Tech leaders weren’t flashy bankers in tailored suits; they were problem solvers, engineers, and idealists, working toward a utopian vision of progress.

“Zuckerberg’s style shift says something about a specific group of American billionaires who are aligning themselves with what looks to be a new political order within the United States,” Wild says. “These moguls control multinationals, which include Meta, Google, Amazon and Uber, that have an extraordinary capacity to influence people’s decisionmaking, and who are consequently prime figures for politicians to moderate.” While the Biden administration did this via the judicial arm of government and legal courts, it appears President Trump seems inclined to handle these men through his personal court, where they are required to seek his approval.

“We saw this at Trump’s presidential inauguration,” says Wild, “where the invitees constituted a who’s who of American tech billionaires. For me, there are strong parallels with medieval royal courts, where members of the aristocracy competed among themselves, often in what they wore and how they consumed, for the attention and patronage of the ruler. Within America today, these men seem less concerned about their perception among the public, and far more concerned about how they appear to one another, and Trump.”

For now, some tech bros—Sam Altman included—are still clinging to their tees and action slacks, but how long before their look evolves to match the growing power they wield? OpenAI, after all, seems to be getting darker by the day. And then there’s Sundar Pichai, the quiet architect of Google’s AI empire, whose fashion may not be making headlines (yet) but whose policies certainly are. Under his watch, Alphabet just scrapped its long-standing promise not to develop AI for weapons or surveillance.

So what’s next? A titanium Richard Mille built for billionaires with defense contracts? A bespoke Brunello Cucinelli cashmere sweater emblazoned with “In AI We Trust”? Pichai has already ditched the New Balance memo for those Lanvin sneakers, with hype footwear a previous gateway drug for billionaires. (Zuck famously has a penchant for Adidas 4DFWD x Strung trainers.) If the new tech dress code is all about signaling dominance, surely it won’t be long before Pichai and Altman follow suit. Because in Silicon Valley, power isn’t just wielded—now it’s worn.

The Impunity of Reinvention

The curious thing? Few are questioning Mark Zuckerberg’s transformation. Most commentary fixates on the what and how—his sculpted physique, designer accessories, and combat-ready aesthetic—rather than the why. “This emphasizes the persistence of gender inequalities. When Kamala Harris was running for office, her aesthetic choices were scrutinised relentlessly. Yet Zuckerberg’s evolution is met with curiosity rather than critique. It highlights the impunity with which powerful men can reinvent themselves,” says Wild.

For Zuckerberg, the shift from awkward tech nerd to combat-trained, physically imposing leader mirrors the broader trajectory of Silicon Valley itself. The archetype of the hoodie-clad disruptor has been replaced by something more militarized, more overtly aggressive. The new tech oligarchy isn’t just about controlling perception; it’s about controlling entire industries—perhaps even countries. And increasingly, it operates beyond the reach of traditional accountability.

Zuckerberg’s aesthetic evolution coincides with Meta’s rollbacks on content moderation, a move that aligns him with the political right. His embrace of high-status signifiers (luxury mechanical watches, gold chains, a hardened MMA physique) signals alignment with a particular brand of alpha masculinity that is scarily rife among the elite. Moreover, his media appointed “tech bro glow-up” reflects a deeper truth about power: The extraordinary privilege of wealthy men to rewrite their own narratives, shedding past identities at will. Reinvention, in this context, isn’t just self-expression, it’s an assertion of dominance.

Just watch the reaction as a beaming Musk appears as a surprise guest, streamed in on huge video screens to the far-right Alternative for Germany national election campaign launch in January. “You have to make a decision," said the AfD's Maximilian Krah. "Do you want to have the party of [Chancellor] Olaf Scholz and all those eunuchs? Or are you on our side, with Elon Musk and Donald Trump? Which side has more sex appeal?”

If history teaches us anything, it’s this: When the richest men in the world start dressing like emperors, the rest of us should pay attention. Because power, when it rebrands itself, is rarely just about aesthetics. It’s a warning.

[mintyys-blog]

Since steve saw model reader on victoria secret runway . Bet he would see her looking elegant and feirce/fun in haute couture runways . Even modeling for fashion design students when they graduate . Her keeping a photo album memories of the runways she walked for and steve found ones from alexander mcqueen (the designs are bold dark and like the designer quoted "i want the women i dress to be feared and bold")

spin off from this post

VICTORIAS SECRET 2 — steve rogers x model! reader

WARNINGS: none

Steve had always known there was something captivating about her. From the moment they met, she carried herself with a quiet confidence, an effortless grace that made people stop and look without quite knowing why. But he never imagined just how much of the world had already seen what he now called his.

They had been dating for a few months when he found out.

It happened by accident. He had been flipping through TV channels one evening, waiting for her to finish getting ready for their dinner plans. The screen flickered to a fashion segment—something about haute couture, designers pushing boundaries, and the evolution of runway trends.

And then, there she was.

Dressed in something that didn’t look like clothing so much as wearable art, she strode down the runway with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine. The fabric was structured, sharp and imposing, the dark silhouette making her look like royalty—dangerous, untouchable. The commentator’s voice filled the room, mentioning Alexander McQueen’s legacy and how the design embodied his infamous quote: “I want the women I dress to be feared and bold.”

Steve stared.

She had mentioned work, of course, but never in detail. He knew she had an unpredictable schedule, that she often traveled, but he hadn’t realized—hadn’t known—that this was her world.

“You ready?” Her voice broke through his thoughts as she entered the living room, adjusting an earring.

Steve turned, still absorbing what he had just seen. She was breathtaking as always, but now… now he was seeing her in a completely different light. “You’re a model.”

She blinked. “Uh. Yeah?” A slow smirk curved her lips. “Is this the part where I say, Surprise?”

He exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head as he reached for the remote, pausing the screen on an image of her mid-stride, fierce and commanding. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged, leaning against the back of the couch. “I figured you’d find out eventually. Plus, I liked that you saw me first. Not the version on a runway.”

Steve stood, crossing the room to stand in front of her. “So… Victoria’s Secret, haute couture, McQueen—what else am I missing?”

She grinned. “I also walk for graduating fashion students. I like helping them bring their visions to life.”

His eyes softened. Of course she did. Even in an industry built on image, she found a way to make it meaningful.

Steve brushed his knuckles over her cheek, admiration clear in his expression. “I wish I’d known sooner. I would’ve been cheering you on from the start.”

Her fingers curled into the front of his shirt, tugging him closer. “You’re here now.”

He kissed her—soft, lingering. “Damn right I am.”

From that moment on, he made sure she never doubted his support. When she traveled, he sent messages reminding her to eat. When she had late-night fittings, he waited up just to hear about them. And when she walked another McQueen show, exuding power in every step, he sat front row, watching in quiet awe as the woman he loved took on the world.

[quillpokebiology]

Pokemon Crossbreeds: Schema (Part 2)

(Name from @mutsuowo)

Schema is the name for members of the Espurr line with members of the Eevee Line fathers. They get their name from it being a term for psychology and coding, referring to Eevee's multiple evolutions. (First post)

+Glaceon

Schema Meowstic crossed with Glaceon gain pointed patterns instead of the usual circular ones and lighter fur. This breed is rare since Espurr isn't usually found in colder climates. If you want your Schema Espurr to evolve into this version of Meowstic, take it to a cold climate and hope for the best.

+Leafeon

My personal favorite of the Schema Meowstic breed. This variant gains teal fur and the messy patched fluff that resembles Leafeon. This breed isn't uncommon, but it's still hard to get since most Schema Espurr that live in the forest will evolve to have Espeon traits instead of Leafeon.

+Jolteon

This variant gains staticy fur and spiked markings. Schema Espurr most often evolve into this breed during thunderstorms, but u wouldn't recommend purposely trying to get it because it can be dangerous. The breed's fur is more staticy and can give a small shock when touched, but nothing painful.

+Flareon

My second favorite of this variant! Meowstic crossed with Flareon are slightly bigger and a lot more fluffier with larger tails. They also gain flame-like patterns on their bodies. The breed is slightly warm to the touch and is very popular in the fashion industry due to how much they shed. Getting the breed is difficult though, unless your in extreme temperatures), since even if they're in hot weather, Schema Espurr will still most likely evolve into the Espeon variant.

+Vaporeon

Meowstic crossed with Vaporeon going thinner tails more suited for swimming and whiskers that resemble the fins of Vaporeon, though they aren't actually find themselves. The breed is most commonly found near beaches. This breed appears in many Kalosian fairytale as mermaids. While they can do better in the water, they don't gain water typing and can't breathe underwater like Vaporeon can, so be wary if that when training them!

//My designs can be used by anyone if you credit me for the original design!

[morganeactually]

How Björk's avant-gardism breaks the fetichization of music genres beautifully

Hi everyone ! For this week's post, I would like to introduce you to my favorite female artist : Björk. Her genre-melding approach is the reason why I find her musical identity particularly remarkable. In constant evolution, the latter is marked by a fearless exploration of the new and the unfamiliar. Indeed, she refuses to be confined by only one style or tradition and chooses instead to continually redefine her music. Björk's unique sound embodies both cultural fluidity and artistic freedom. Her albums embrace diverse influences such as the British electronica movement of the 1990s, pop music, jazz, classical music, folk and traditional Iceland music, world music, etc.

For instance, in "Homogenic" (1997), she creates, through the mix of orchestral strings with industrial beats, a soundscape that opposes easy categorization. Furthermore, both Asian culture and Björk's Icelandic roots served as inspirations for the album and its cover. They underscore the themes of identity and self-reinvention. On the one hand, her stylized hair and kimono-like dress remind of the traditional attire of a geisha. On the other hand, the minimalist aesthetic echoes the unembellished beauty of Icelandic landscapes : the cold and metallic tones of the color palette resemble its glaciers and volcanic rocks. The futuristic vibe is connected to Iceland's reputation as a land of myth and mystery.

Björk is also known for her experimental approach, breaking new ground with new technologies and unconventional sounds. In the album "Biophilia" (2011), she blends organic and digital elements by integrating nature sounds and interactive apps. She displays her engagement for both nature and technology in a holistic way. Additionally, the artist combines a wide range of global influences (Icelandic folklore, British multimedia apps, Asian and African percussions, European classical music and American electronic music). She doesn't reduce them to stereotypes but celebrates their complexity. Thus, the artist creates a rich and multifaceted album that defies borders and genres at the same time. Björk's dress on the album cover bridges the gap between the natural and the artificial just like her music. Her voluminous flame-like hair gives a visual representation of the album's boundary-pushing and innovative spirit.

Björk's music videos and stage performances are genre-defying as well because they incorporate avant-garde fashion, digital art and theatrical elements like surrealism and performance art. In this way, they connect high art with pop culture. To illustrate, her song "All Is Full of Love" mixes high-tech visuals with a classical string arrangement. It challenges the elitism associated with classical music, making it accessible and relatable. The clip blending robotic imagery with sensual themes proves that technology and emotions can coexist. The lyrics were inspired by love in spring. According to Björk, “The song, in essence, is actually about believing in love. Love isn't just about two persons, it's everywhere around you. Even if you're not getting love from Person A, it doesn't mean there's not love there.“ The video depicts Björk as a robot being assembled in a factory, who kisses another robot passionately. The robots are humanized : they have a heart and are able to fall in love and to express their desires. The clip is considered as one of the milestone of computer animation.

[whomstwedointheshadows]

I am howling at the sky for the look tonight that Harvey Guillén staked to death, spat on, and made it beg on the red carpet. Instead of just ranting to my queer fashion/fandom retail friends again, I took our collective slobber and tears to outline my plea to the fashion gods.

Why doesn’t this man have a ‘mens’wear line in every American mall? There is a gap in the market for adventurous, queer friendly suiting available through a retailer like Macys/J C Penney. Yes, retail is dying and wedding industry more so, but that’s particular to what’s available for consumers as well. Suiting is turned from off the rack into iconic by proper tailoring, but let me tell you from working all sides of the bridal salon, even up-scale clothing lines are getting rude as hell about quality and assembly to prevent tailoring and longevity.

This kid’s Disney charm would be perfect for introducing a plus size, inclusive line of fashion-forward pieces which include, say a QR code video about taking your own measurements, how adjustments work, with pieces designed to be sleek, with enough allowance for tailoring, and minding the lines in the garment to make the adjustments for plus size bodies easier. It’s no more adjustments than are made on straight size bodies, it’s just straight size bodies have more options to find a line which works with their natural shape.

But in my experience, it’s gender non-conforming folks and plus sized folks who get pushed out of finding pieces they can actually use for celebrations or work, much less pieces with actual personality that spark joy. This man has been killing it for years, really getting some clutch looks for events and invites in the fashion world. He’s showing proof of concept every time he steps in front of a camera.

Watching Harvey’s fashion evolution, I trust his fashion team and judgement to create a mid/high line for workwear to events suiting embracing a gender nonconforming audience. I can’t think of anyone better situated to become the ambassador of a brand with *the* formal wear for queer events and special occasions. I was tickled to see he sells his own merch and hope this experience convinces him of the joy working with artists and connecting their visions to a wanting public, dipping toes into the new ethical, sustainable trends in fashion. His looks alone shows he’s done his homework over the years about timelessness and early adopting trends.

For the years I worked selling/tailoring wedding dresses, there was the prophetic ‘someday… along will come the man who revives men’s fashion for events again’ to save the David’s bridal/men’s wear house lines who keep dropping plus sizes like mine and dying off. As the pet butch in the bridal salon I pleaded to the sky for better suiting options. Add that to my butch lezzy ways and trans masc circle of friends I legit spent this past Friday night drunk in a bar with a seam ripper adjusting jackets and darting pants in an unplanned sewing circle for a bachelorette until it was my round of karaoke. This isn’t the first time I’ve spontaneously started tailoring for the queers, I can’t keep up with the demand! Y’all we are in our twenties to mid thirties there should be better options than this that don’t require a vacation to LA/NY!!

I have ethical, sustainable fashion preferences about slipping in a retailer versus an online brand. But for the vision of accessible clothing to the masses pushing the envelope of the kind of quality only vintage pieces are affording the general public, this is the only celebrity really posed with the image, high energy, and bona fides to be the face of it. His connections in the fashion game are only growing as WWDITS wraps up.

If this man opened a pop-up suiting/fashion shop I’d take my limited time and resources to really dig in to the designers he promoted. I’d be howling in the streets for my celebrants to go get a Gullién. There’s no shortage online pattern makers, but there is a shortage of queer friendly shops to really get pieces that pop and it feels safe to enjoy in a retail environment. For average people wanting to engage with fashion that affirms their identity on their special day, there’s too much fucking compromise. Honestly it’s nice that I have a side hustle sewing to pattern, but I’d give it up in a fucking heartbeat for there to be actually sustainable and approachable options. I wish there was an in between of being ‘affordable’ gnc suiting in an American mall but add plus size availability and it gets sad for your most thrifty, creative friends. Someone needs the step in the gap, and why not someone at the top of the game?

Even if it was just a pop up line every few years, I’d fucking salivate over every image in that catalogue two thousand miles away for what it can teach home sewists just by virtue of curating those artisans with the express goal of queer, fat friendly designs playing together. Just the existence of vintage shops like Proud Mary creates a boom across the inter-webs of new sewists per post. Could anyone really imagine if there were actually accessible stores in key cities/supported by an online catalog with a personable, rising star as the brand face?

Please feed us more fashion, Harvey. Keep those stylists and designer friends close. Please. I cannot stress how many mascs/nb-bebes keep dropping your name every fitting consultation across this nation and it’s for good reason.

[historicity-was-already-taken]

History Blog recs

One of my Very Specific interests over the last...idk 10 years, has been reading blogs about the A Song of Ice and Fire series, by historians. I'm not sure what it is about those books: the complex, multi-layered narrative, the author's claim to work creatively with real world history, the micro-arguments contained in every arc, or what, but historians have the most FASCINATING shit to say about those books.*

I've learned so much about the logistics of civilization, the intellectual history of leadership theory, the history of subsistence agriculture, the type of agriculture needed to sustain societies of a certain size, the evolution of military theory, etc from this very specific, Historians Engage With ASOIAF and its Television Adaptations genre of blog.

There is, of course, the late great Steven Attewell's @racefortheironthrone, but I recently discovered this gem: A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry by Dr. Bret C. Devereaux. I just finished his series analyzing, problematizing, and ultimately debunking George RR Martin's claim that the Dothraki "were actually fashioned as an amalgam of a number of steppe and plains cultures… Mongols and Huns, certainly, but also Alans, Sioux, Cheyenne, and various other Amerindian tribes… seasoned with a dash of pure fantasy."

In Part IV, he writes:

... declaring that the Dothraki really do reflect the real world (I cannot stress that enough) cultures of the Plains Native Americans or Eurasian Steppe Nomads is not merely a lie, but it is an irresponsible lie that can do real harm to real people in the real world. And that irresponsible lie has been accepted by Martin’s fans; he has done a grave disservice to his own fans by lying to them in this way. And of course the worst of it is that the lie – backed by the vast apparatus that is HBO prestige television – will have more reach and more enduring influence than this or any number of historical ‘debunking’ essays. It will befuddle the valiant efforts of teachers in their classrooms (and yes, I frequently encounter students hindered by bad pop-pseudo-history they believe to be true; it is often devilishly hard to get students to leave those preconceptions behind), it will plague efforts to educate the public about these cultures of their histories. And it will probably, in the long run, hurt the real descendants of nomads.

Which just. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. Y'all know how deeply concerned I am a. with the outsize influence the entertainment industry has on memory; and b. how little that industry gives a shit about responsible use of its own power. So like, this is my shit. I'm still exploring this blog and it is a TREASURE TROVE.

*I do not include myself in that grouping. My thoughts are like: BUT WHICH ONES ARE THE JEWS DANY IS MY UNPROBLEMATIC QWEEN/AZOR AHAI/PRINCE THAT WAS PROMISED/STALLION THAT'S GONNA MOUNT THE WORLD/ETC I CAN'T WAIT TIL SANSA SHOWS HERSELF IS DANY GONNA BURN IT ALL DOWN AND EMERGE FROM THE FLAMES LIKE THAT ELMO GIF IS ARYA GOING TO RIDE A WOLF WOW I DON'T CARE ABOUT BRAN I THINK THE RHOYNAR ARE THE JEWS WHERE IS THE GODDAMN FUCKING WINDS OF WINTER

**Also, I never watched more than 2 episodes of the show. I hated how it added in sexual violence and nudity for no reason when there was already PLENTY of that in the text, most of it with narrative purpose. But then I read the books because it was 2012 and I wanted to keep up with pop culture.

[lasalebete]

I DIDNT . REALISE YOU HAVE OCS. GIVE

[crawls out of a hole wiht dirt caked up under my nails, covered in blood and coughing up violently] I'm a mentally ill queer on tumblr, of course I have OCs!

i also want to preface this by saying im writing it while watching a show and listening to a song on repeat. dunno how coherent this'll be

Okay, so! There are, like. An endless number of little guys is living in my brain. So. The one I'll present here is the 'verse I've been doodling obsessively for two days and which got beamed into my head during a six hours nap literally yesterday.

So, literally the base for this is that They Have Wings, but, um. Make it complicated.

The first recorded mutations have no really known date, but they've been around for long enough that we had centuries worth of data surrounding them, and so we can observe their evolution. The most common mutation is simply winged individuals, following the schemas of birds found in nature. Therefore, there are multiple categories of individuals based on which species they're the closest to, but they're also categorized by the type of mutations they're affected by, eg if they only have the usual wings, the size and function of said wings, the presence or absence of a tail, having more than one pair of wings, etc.

Mutations are visible since birth, except for some rare ones that develop later in life, although there has been a slight increase of those in the latest years.

Not all winged individuals are capable of flight. It greatly depends on the size, anatomy and placement of the wings. Some mutations also bring out disabilities, like when wings replace the individual's arms, or when a small pair of wings replace the ears and render the individual deaf (regarding this, a modified sign language is available to those people where then can use their wings for punctuation, intonation and such, for which people without this additional feature have to use their face only. This addition makes it easier for people who struggle with facial expressions to communicate).

Regarding wings' sizes, there are MANY existing possibilities. Some individuals have proportioned wings that allow them to fly just fine, those sort of common. Some have small wings that do not allow them to fly, and they are still a major part of the population. Some are subject to gigantoalastia, a pathology that causes a GREAT disproportion, making the wings gigantic. These individuals are capable of flight, which requires a lot of effort, but need to do a lot of stretching and back muscular reinforcement because it causes lots of back pain.

The fashion industry is hell, btw. Like if you have gigantoalastia or if wings replaced your arms, your clothing options are quite limited.

Non-winged humans still exist! Around 12-13% of world population is not affected by any kind of mutation. But! That number is actually decreasing, slowly. We might be looking at an all-winged population in a few days or centuries. Mutations are also starting to make individuals more and more birdlike, with characteristics like tails or bird feet. Some beaked individuals have also started to make their appearance, with characteristics developing after birth. Scientists are wondering what this means for the future of our species, and also begs the question of our ancestors!

Both these questions greatly distress people btw. Religious groups primarily. They're divided in different factions, some think at the beginning we were all non-winged humans and that we're evolving towards something holy, some think that at the beginning we were something Other and we lost our whatever-privileges along the way and are only able to reclaim them now. Ofc then there's also exclusion, thinking that non-winged individuals should all be killed, that certain mutations should be wiped out, yk. All that. Which is not even especially religious but can also just be bigotry/eugenics. YK.

OH YEAH ALSO MALFORMATIONS!!!! Disability has of course been Thought About. Some people are born with malformed wings and so fundamentally unable to fly. Other mobility aids are more or less equal to those we have today but flight ones are harder to come by and also hard to design.

Also also sometimes people like to customize their wings with piercings and such :3 dyes are also a thing but temporary because of. Well. Shedding.

(theres supposed to be like. two main guys but actually i thought about the whole entire world before even finding their names. so all you get to know is that they're gay and in a toxic relationship . because thats my brand)