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The Word 10 March 2016 LIFESTYLE thekennedyword.com One of the biggest fashion events of the year, New York Fashion Week, happened recently to unveil the Fall 2016 collections from the most prominent design- ers and clothing brands. Fashion bloggers, writers, and lovers alike went to watch the various shows either in person or on live streams. Here at Kennedy, some stu- dents take inspiration from the assorted Fashion Weeks that happen every year. One example is senior Julie Rodriguez, who bases her wardrobe choices on the latest designer collections. “I use them as inspiration,” Rodriguez gushed. “I can’t af- ford the expensive designer clothes, but I like looking at them to influence what I wear with my own clothing.” This year’s New York Fash- ion Week displayed collec- tions from the most well known brands such as Alexander Wang and Diane von Furstenberg. DVF traded in the traditional style of having a runway show for a “cocktail party” to display the designs. The clothing was very feminine with lots of glit- tery maxi dresses but still very chic with many fitted pant-suits. The presentation also contained A-List models like Gigi Had- id, Kendall Jenner, and Karlie Kloss who wore the 70s inspired looks. Von Furstenberg called the collection “Love Power” as it was “inspired by...dancing.” One surprising collection was by Alexander Wang who used to work with the brand Balenciaga, his last collection with them was very white, crisp, and pure. Now focusing on his own brand, Wang brought a more gothic look to Fashion Week. The de- signer staged the show inside of a church and models came down the runway with choppy bleached hair. The collection consisted of thick leather collars, graphic tops, and studded ankle boots. When shown photos of some looks by Wang, senior Mindy Sivabor- vorn wasn’t very pleased. “It’s cool, but it’s not really my style,” she admitted. “It’s very dark.” Even celebrities got involved in this season’s festivities. Superstar and Puma creative director/brand ambassador Rihanna show- cased her collaborative collec- tion “Fenty” to a great reception from fashion fans. The clothes proved she is the queen of street wear with oversized fur jackets, coats connected to backpacks, and men’s sweatpants with open panels at the knees. After Fenty was launched, Puma’s sales rose 11.5% demonstrating Ri- hanna’s influence on fashion. “I never even paid attention to Puma until Rihanna started working with it,” Senior Carmela Takeda confessed. “The ‘Creep- er’ sneakers are super nice! They’re sold out everywhere.” One of the most ethereal col- lections this season was Marche- sa’s. The brand is known for its beautiful and opulent gowns, and the Fall collection (designed by Georgina Champman and Keren Craig) lived up to Marchesa’s reputation. Elegant pearls, gold- en threading, and intricate jewels made for a stunning and dazzling show. The gowns truly looked like walking works of art and a few celebrities even wore them at this year’s Oscar’s ceremony. New York Fashion Week was truly a diverse event that did not leave fashion lovers disappoint- ed. There was a collection for everybody and fashion focused students at Kennedy loved this. by Vanessa Perez New York Fashion Week from a Student’s Perspective One of fashion’s biggest events of the year Special Features Editor From a very young age, many children are told that they need to go to a four-year university in order to grow up to lead suc- cessful lives in the future; the fact of the matter is that there are many high-paying jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. The term ‘sneakerhead’ is de- fined on Wikipedia as a person who collects, trades or admires sneakers as a hobby . What this definition lacks though is the ex- periences and stories that truly make up being a sneakerhead. The shoes that sneakerheads tend to love are much more than the basic Roshe that is in every mall. Sneakerheads tend to go crazy over the shoes that have been talked about on sneaker blogs like Complex and Nice Kicks for months before they re- lease to the general public. Weeks before they release, sneakerheads try to purchase from people who managed to get early pairs. Days before the shoes release, peo- ple camp out in front of pop-up shops that are only there to sell shoes the day they drop, or they wait in lines that can get up to an hour long to enter into a raffle for a chance to buy the shoes. The Yeezy 350/750 Boost, the Air Jordan 11 ‘72-10’, and the Just Don x Air Jordan 2 ‘Beach’ are only some of the latest releas- es that have had sneakerheads go- ing to extreme measures to obtain. While the drastic measures that sneakerheads go to may seem far too complicated and impractical to the average person, it has be- come the norm in sneaker culture. Kennedy Alumni Lorrie Reyes recalled, “The most extreme I’ve gone (online) was for the first Jor- dan Spizike that released in 06. There was only like 2000 made and they were only being released on the East Coast. I spent all day on the phone trying to find a store that had the shoes and that would sell them to me and ship them to me over the phone. In person I’ve driven around to multiple stores in different malls/locations to see if I could snag my size and I’ve camped out, but I don’t think that that is too extreme. It kinda just comes with the territory.” Sneaker culture, like every other culture, has changed since it first emerged with Michael Jordan and his iconic Air Jordan 1 release in 1985. Platforms like social media, apps, and sneaker blogs have brought the culture to the mainstream. “You can enter chances to win a pair of shoes by reposting a picture on Instagram, there’s traveling con- ventions dedicated to sneakers. It’s blown up, even more than it used to be,” Reyes explained. A secondary market that allows people to buy shoes that are no longer available online or from retailers has become very lucra- tive in its own right. This second- ary market has spawned a group known as “resellers” who buy shoes, not to wear, but to sell. . It’s hard to describe exactly what makes sneakerheads go to the measures they go to buy their favorite sneakers or what makes sneakers so loved, but it’s been a love that has spawned an en- tire culture. Sneaker enthusiast Gary Baines fawned, “Me liking a shoe is not a logical conclusion There’s just an immediate part of my brain that makes me go ‘I want to have those on my feet’.” dental hygienists hold an associ- ate’s degree in applied science in dental hygiene. After this short period of schooling they pass a written National Board Den- tal Hygiene Exam and comple- tion of a clinical board exam. Shabnam Dastmalchian, head dentist of Americare Dental, stated, “I pay all of my hygien- Technical schools and associ- ates degrees offer a good al- ternative to people looking to finish their schooling as soon as possible and get out into the workforce. Some jobs that pay well but don’t require much schooling include dental hy- gienist, mechanic, plumber, and postal-service mail carriers. Dental hygienists have a me- dian salary of $70,210 and the projected job growth is 33% over the next 10 years. Most ists very well because they play a vital role in my practice. Without them I wouldn’t be able to see half the number of patients that I see.” Mechanics generally make be- tween $42,000 to $55,000 per year. It is recommended that me- chanics get an Automotive Ser- vice Excellence certificate in or- der to hone their skills and show their trustworthiness to clients. There are many technical schools that offer training programs. Faramarz Sheyoie, a local tow- truck driver, explained, “In my younger days I was a mechanic, and I also worked in a junk yard. I think being a mechanic is a very rewarding job because of the sense of accomplishment you get after you finish working on a car.” The annual salary for a plumb- er can range from $37,000 to $67,000 depending on the hourly rate that is charged. There are no formal requirements to becom- ing a plumber. It’s completely possible to just get clients off of word-of-mouth for those who are skilled at their jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, postal-service mail carriers make a median sal- ary of $57,200 per year. In ad- dition to being paid well, the USPS workers have great calves from all the walking around. One anonymous user on indeed. com stated, “The best part of be- ing a postal mail carrier is the co-workers. It’s like a family.” by Ashkan Ghiassi Unlikely High-Paying Jobs Jobs that pay well, no college degree required OP/ED Editor by Andrew Hernandez For the Love of the Shoes Understanding the phenomenon of sneakers News Editor Three looks from the Fenty x Puma Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear collection designed by Rihanna Young boy, Amar Singh, aspiring to one day become a mechanic
