Reimagining Philadelphia
All images are courtesy of Anthony Furber
It was a Friday afternoon, in March, when I spoke, over Zoom, with Erin Winward, a recent BFA Fashion and Apparel Design graduate from Moore College of Art and Design. A framed fashion sketch on her wall, which was her own, depicts women wearing bustiers, flared pants, a transparent poet-sleeved blouse, and slip dress and trench in tones of red and black, à la the 90s. Her portfolio looks professional and shows aesthetics that range from Victorian, rock-and-roll edgy and hippy silhouettes. While her taste level also seems suited for success, she doesn’t currently have a position in the industry. Struggles and obstacles of this nature are common amongst Philadelphia’s fashion professionals, but why is this the case?
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Despite possessing commonalities with New York, including a bustling art scene and a plethora of retailers and niche businesses, Philadelphia has yet to fully invest in the fashion arena. Philadelphia doesn’t lack talent and once had a stronger fashion presence, but in its current state, a few additional steps will need to be taken for this field to thrive. The current pandemic has ushered in a focus on digital presentations. With the industry less bound to traditional fashion capitals, now is the time for Philadelphia to prove that it can be a contender. With a little finessing, combined with the passion and efforts of hard-working local professionals, this city can reach this potential.
Philadelphia was once a production location, between the 19th and 20th centuries, and also possessed professionals in the tailoring, hat, and garment construction industries, as detailed within Google's exhibition slideshow “Philadelphia In Style.” In the late 1800s, John Wanamaker and his business were significant to this city’s role in fashion, as observed and detailed in the PBS.org article, “Who Made America? – John Wanamaker.” As an early purveyor tied to the establishment of “department stores,” he created Wanamaker’s, which sold a variety of goods, intended to address the needs of high-end clientele, as detailed by PBS. Unfortunately, as discussed in the article “Fashion,” by Clare Sauro, changes occurred in production and “trade,” causing Philadelphia to lose its footing within the industry.
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However, an interest in fashion has resurged in this area, due to a few developments. Philly Fashion Week was established in 2006, according to Elizabeth Wellington’s article “Philly Fashion Week Starts Soon in the New Fashion District. Here’s what you need to know.,” and now has a designated fashion venue. At this location, the Philadelphia Fashion District, the community can shop for major and local brands and attend fashion week. There are also educational opportunities at institutions including Drexel, The Made Institute, and Thomas Jefferson University that have fashion programs. There are also organizations such as Fashion Group International and Philadelphia Fashion Incubator connecting professionals to important resources, networking, and information.
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Gregory Jerome, an image consultant, embodies the fervor that Philadelphia’s professionals have regarding the city’s potential to be a fashion industry titan. Jerome has a vibe about him that exudes experience, and his look suggests professionalism, but without being too business formal. While we were speaking, he was sporting a Ralph Lauren tan cotton safari jacket, paired with a rust-colored sweater. When discussing the challenges that Philadelphia’s fashion industry faces, Jerome expressed that many in his community “fail to value their appearance, their personal brand, and even sometimes their company brand.” He then adds, “It is a challenge to persuade people to understand that their brand and image are highly important to personal and professional success.” However, Jerome admits that financial constraints also factor into whether or not people participate in this effort or are able to seek styling services.
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Elisha Carter, the designer of HerFineBasics shapewear, a collection consisting of neutral colored leggings, undergarments, and leotards, faces another set of challenges within the industry. Carter feels that Philadelphia is a difficult market to break into due to its expensive retail spaces, and the hesitance that local retailers have when it comes to taking a chance on selling products from lesser-known brands. She also adds that local publications are not highlighting local companies enough and tend to instead focus on big brands.
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Elissa Bloom, the executive director of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator, whose resume includes experience in product design, and an accessory line of products such as coin purses adorned with whimsical human depictions, addresses similar concerns regarding the industry. The organization she works for trains designers for a year and helps provide them with mentorship, business strategies, and retail opportunities. According to Bloom, when building a business in this area, fashion designers face challenges that relate to the need for continuous “access to grants, funding, and selling opportunities.”
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Despite these challenges, there are some positive aspects that Philadelphia has to offer. Regarding Philadelphia’s assets, Carter states, “I love how inclusive they [Philadelphia’s designers] are; every race, every size, males, females, transgenders, and that’s something we haven’t seen in a lot of New York Fashion Week shows. They could learn a little something from Philly and what they’re doing.” As for another strength of Philadelphia, Bloom and Jerome both feel that there is an established community of fashion professionals already present within this area. Bloom adds that the Philadelphia Fashion and Garment Industry Task Force, to which she is “a founding member,” also is working to address industrial sustainability and help designers find manufacturers.
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Where does Philly go from here? Jerome suggests that the fashion industry could benefit from emphasizing the significance of the industry and establishing a local aesthetic identity, as other fashion destinations such as New York have done. He states, “I just believe Philadelphia needs to… try to re-identify” itself, “ how does that look? How do you represent this city? What is this city known for? Can you transform it?” While Jerome addresses Philadelphia’s stylistic identity, Winward expressed that the city needs more networking opportunities, to expand its fashion district, and make better use of technology.
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While there is room for improvement, with additional resources and affordable retail spaces needed, Philadelphia has the ability to become a bigger fashion influence, given the recent industrial innovations. These changes can also address the city’s flaws in its talent promotion. As the business focuses more on digital presentations, due to the Covid19 circumstances, there is a chance for areas beyond the fashion capitals to establish their presence in this market. Philadelphia has numerous universities that offer artistic programs. Individuals with a background in areas such as graphic design, photography, and videography could collaborate with local fashion professionals to create innovative presentations for promotional purposes. With the assistance of individuals that have experience in social media, these efforts could bring national-level attention to Philadelphia’s fashion industry.
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Winward explains, “I think they have a lot for fashion. I think you just kind of have to find it. It’s more hidden than say, New York.” Even though she is still looking for employment within the industry, having previously held merchandising and fashion retail positions, she acknowledges that it is possible to establish a career in fashion here. The progressions made thus far, including the city’s developing fashion district, programs for nurturing talent, and the Philadelphia Fashion and Garment Industry Task Force, demonstrate that this city is on the right path.
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Works Cited:
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Carter, Elisha. HerFineBasics. Squarespace, n.d., HerFineBasic.com, Accessed 20 Mar. 2021.
Google Arts & Culture Editors. “Philadelphia in Style.” Google Arts & Culture, Google, 2016, https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/philadelphia-in-style-the-robert-and-penny-fox- historic-costume-collection-at-drexel-university/RgLytiVLvSYgKw?hl=en, Accessed 20 Mar. 2021.
PBS.org Editors. “Who Made America? – John Wanamaker.” They Made America, PBS, n.d., https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/wanamaker_hi.html, Accessed 20 Mar. 2021.
Sauro, Clare. “Fashion.” Rutgers University, 2017, The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, WordPress, https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/fashion/, Accessed 21 Mar. 2021.
Wellington, Elizabeth. “Philly Fashion Week Starts soon in the new Fashion District. Here’s what you need to know.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 18 Sept. 2019, https://www.inquirer.com/things-to-do/philly-fashion-week-2019-events-kevin-parker-kerry-scott-20190918.html, Accessed 22 Mar. 2021.
The images seen here are of Philadelphia’s Fashion District, which serves as a shopping and event venue. Philly Fashion Week shows take place here. Under this roof, shoppers will find a combination of established brands, local companies, and vendors.
(Images by Anthony Furber)
Self-Care: the Most Neglected Item on our Checklists
Image by Kat (Jayne) Smith/ Pexels
How does fashion, beauty, skincare, hair, and fitness routines help your mental health, confidence, and more?
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A glance at a notebook, laptop, or smartphone often reveals the daily checklists that are formulated to organize our lives. Panic can strike at any moment causing one to erase or cross out items that are deemed “less important,” as one observes time accelerating by. In this process, self-care routines, including fashion, skincare, beauty, haircare, and fitness rituals, are usually the first things to go. According to the People magazine article, “2020 Made Americans Even More Excited to Practice Self-Care, According to a Survey,” self-care routines made up “only…65 minutes per week” of “the average person (‘s)” life, which amounts to less than one percent of a seven-day period. These activities can play valuable roles in our health, self-esteem, mindset, and productivity level. These benefits may explain why Amanda Pauley, noted in Professional Beauty magazine, during January 2021, that the term ‘“self-care routine”’ was a significantly researched item on Google, resulting in a “250%” uptick “since the first lockdown in March 2020.”
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Self-care is one aspect of our lifestyles that is often taken for granted and ignored in favor of accomplishing more goals in a day. Yet, ironically, regimens that relate to self-care can help us build our confidence, relieve anxiety and depression, improve our mood and quality of life, including productivity. For example, fitness, one subcategory of self-care has been shown to improve mental health, according to The Lancet article, “Exercise Linked to Improved Mental Health, but More may not Always be Better.” The Lancet states that “A study” which consisted of “1.2 million” Americans revealed exercisers as “having 1.5 fewer days of poor mental health a month,” versus non-exercisers.
The mental health benefits of skincare, another self-care activity, were explored in the article “It’s Official. Science Says Having a 3-Step Skincare Routine Can Decrease Stress,” by Amy Lawrenson. According to Lawrenson, a study on patients who battle acne, conducted by Kathy Fields and Katie Rodan MD, and printed in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, found that there was a decrease in “cortisol levels,” which relates to stress, amongst the participants who took on “a three-step skincare regimen twice a day,” during a two-month period. With these findings in mind, maybe we need to stop cutting these regimens from our daily checklists and prioritize them, especially during the trying circumstances of the current pandemic.
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Jewellee Williams, an esthetician, and owner of Crown Jewel Esthetics wearing her company’s logo t-shirt at the time addresses these common circumstances stating, “Everywhere else in the world values self-care,” and proceeds to note that in the United States full work schedules are placed as a higher priority instead. Jewellee goes on to share an unfortunate truth, which is that “people” in this country may be called “selfish” if they take time out for these rituals. Her astute observation could explain the small percentage of the time, less than one percent, as previously noted, that “…the average person…,” spent on such activities, detailed by People. On a positive note, however, People also mentions that there is now increased awareness of the importance of self-care, and its positive implications, since the pandemic.
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Self-care-related activities are beneficial to one’s emotions and mental health. Ettore Mastroddi, a silver-grey-haired master stylist at the Rittenhouse Spa and Salon in Philadelphia, notes that the absence of such services, during the pandemic, impacts clients on an emotional level. As a result, his home salon is the means by which he was and still is, able to help lift their spirits and offer them these services, outside of his main workplace. Kree Willyumz, one of the owners of The Journi, personal styling, and concierge service, notes that he and his business partner and brother Keith Reed Jr., see the renewal of “hope” within their clients daily as they resume self-care-related activities.
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Regarding specific scenarios in which self-care can have an emotional impact, Hope Dolchin Nagy, a certified professional in the field of personal training and owner of MotivateHopeStrength.com, relays her experience stating “On a personal level, fitness (one form of self-care) became so important to me on so many levels. I have used the gym as an escape when life has thrown some mad times at me. Too many...a bad marriage, bad divorce, a surprise heart defect, and open-heart surgery, and most recently breast cancer.” Nagy notes that these activities have assisted in her ability to bounce back from setbacks and mentally navigate through her breast cancer diagnosis.
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Routines of this nature also can impact one’s confidence level. While self-care services have obvious aesthetic benefits, their impact goes beyond the surface. A client named Kate* explains, in regard to this topic, “If I like the way I look it helps the way I feel.” Another client named Patrice DeMoss notes that she feels “Confident, self-assured, (and) ready to start the day” after receiving self-care services. People notes that within a surveyed group, “64%” felt more confident after they began to participate in “…self-care…” regimens.
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Patrice Williams, a makeup artist, licensed esthetician, and owner of MU8, was drawn into the beauty and skincare industries because of their ability to uplift others. Regarding the mental health, confidence level, and other lifestyle benefits of self-care, Patrice Williams remarks, “I think that at times, you have to, especially if you haven’t felt good in a while, sometimes you have to look good to feel good. All of those things, fashion, skincare, and fitness, are all very visual or aesthetic things to participate in, but they have such a huge return internally.” Overall, she expressed that when one feels that they look good, often this can enhance their confidence in other situations, such as a job interview, and help them to exude it to others around them.
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As one’s confidence level raises, during the regimens of self-care, this can have broader implications attached. Patrice Williams notes that activities such as fitness can demonstrate to you that you can overcome obstacles, first on a workout level, but then within other aspects of your life, as a result. Another client named Cynthia* states, “Practicing solid fitness and nutrition habits allow me to feel strong, healthy, and focused.” Cynthia notes that, overall, “Carving out time for self-care makes” her “feel productive.”
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Kate’s personal trainer and “long-time friend” Nagy, encourages her to get “out of” her “comfort zone” and realize “the importance of hard work, basic nutrition, and strength.” Reed, who is wearing a powder blue suit that has three-quarter length sleeves, that are cuffed back to reveal a grid print, paired with a palm leaf-like printed blue and button-down, asymmetrical black glasses, and a brown silk pocket square, expressed a similar sentiment, although in this case about style. Reed states, “I love fashion because it makes me understand, elevate, and evolve into the person that I know that I am.”
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“I love fashion because it makes me understand, elevate, and evolve into the person that I know that I am.” - Keith Reed Jr.
However, in order to experience these benefits, one needs to make these activities count. Mastroddi notes, “There is a rule if they come to my salon and I treat their hair, I say ‘Don’t disappoint me and go home.’” He notes that he encourages them to go somewhere and enjoy the benefits of this self-care, in this case, haircare, routine, and states that he tells them “‘Flaunt your look today because you look amazing. I don’t want to hear you went home and took care of the kids. Take 30 minutes for yourself.’” He then adds, “You need those little moments for yourself.” Jewellee Williams and Mastroddi try to encourage their clients to take the moment away from their normal stresses and enjoy the experience of the services.
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It’s a fact, there is no substitute for mental health services. Self-care activities, however, can benefit one’s life by enhancing one’s quality of life, confidence, mood, outlook, and propel one to conquer other tasks, as a result. These routines go beyond aesthetics and allow people to decrease their anxiety and feel capable of tackling tasks and challenges in a more confident position. While the self-care professionals all acknowledge that their services are brief, they all hope that their clients experience long-term positive effects, in conjunction with the short-term benefits.
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Work Cited:
The Lancet Editors. “Exercise Linked to Improved Mental Health, but More may not Always be Better.” The Lancet, 8 Aug. 2018, ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180808193656.htm, Accessed 4 May 2021.
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Crown Jewel Esthetics Editors. “Our Mission: Self-Care with Results.” Crown Jewel Esthetics, Crown Jewel Esthetics, 2021, https://www.crownjewelesthetics.com, Accessed 9 May 2021.
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Lawrenson, Amy. “It’s Official. Science Says Having a 3-Step Skincare Routine Can Decrease Stress.” Byrdie, Dotdash, 22 June 2020, https://www.byrdie.com/skincare-stress-5069384, Accessed 9 May 2021.
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MU8 Editors. “MU8 by Patrice Williams.” MU8, Squarespace, n.d., https://www.mu8bypatrice.com, 9 May 2021.
Pauley, Amanda. “Online Searches for ‘“self-care”’ soar 250% During Covid-19.” Professional Beauty, Professional Beauty Group, 11 Jan. 2021, https://professionalbeauty.co.uk/site/newsdetails/searches-for-self-care-soar-during-covid-19, Accessed 6 June 2021.
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People Staff. “2020 Made Americans Even More Excited to Practice Self-Care, According to a Survey.” People, Meredith, https://people.com/style/2020-made-americans-even-more-excited-to-practice-self-care-according-to-a-survey/, Accessed 6 June 2021.
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Image by Madison Inouye/Pexels
Image by Daria Shevtsova/Pexels