For some time, I’ve wondered about the importance of presence. When I write, I enter a space of complete stillness. I listen to the leaves outside as warm light pours through the window. I feel the pressure of the computer keys on my fingertips, and like clockwork I click the delete button more than the space. I breathe and become one with my thoughts, as if I am typing with the beat of an orchestra. The time changes ever so quickly when doing the thing I love most. Presence is a very important thing that I practice everyday. When I wake up in the morning, I set an intention of peace. I am not a spiritual person, but there is something very healing about reminding yourself to take it day by day. When trying to be one with my inner peace, I find myself always trickling down a path of familiarity and watch continuous videos of runways in the 90’s. As I set forth with my day, I channel my inner Calvin Klein Spring 1994 Ready-To-Wear Collection and the effortless pieces that Matilda Djerf and Eve Meloche put together, reminding me that sometimes less is more and chicness is all the presence in the world. You don’t have to wear the loudest pieces to be heard; sometimes those who ever so swiftly wear subtle articles of clothing are the ones who those want to listen to most. 

As I wrote earlier this fall in my “Lexapro, Leopard Print, and Acting Like A Lady” article, I emphasized the boldness of prints and faux fur coats as a symbol of power. While I stand behind those sentiments, I am shifting my mindset from what I once stated, down a mellow route of simplicity and timelessness. I take great inspiration from the archives of legendary designers like Miuccia Prada and Calvin Klein, where I make an achievable outfit its own, through the art of accessorizing and body language. I layer necklaces, chunky rings, and bangle bracelets but pair them with minimalist clothing and monochromatic outfits. As I study the essence of the 90’s and early 2000’s runway shows, I make it my duty to portray the energy booming from corner to corner in these shows. I have found myself carrying this energy everywhere I go, even to lecture halls and the small recitations that only last one hour. But make no mistake, what I am saying doesn’t have to be attained through constant participation and talking over others; it can simply be done through presence.

Take it from the iconic Carolyn Bessette-Kenedy, who was known for her definitive black pea coat that ties at the waist with a dark denim jean, along with a boat line sheer long sleeve top with small glasses and a tortoise shell headband. Simple. Or, take it from Halle Berry when she fashioned a chunky platform, a fitted white blouse and a blazer with oval shades. Simple. There is something so admirable when one can be themselves without the need to fit in a room of the same copy. When I was wearing overpriced sweatshirts that were never my style and shoes thousands of girls were raving about on social media, I was hiding from my true self. I now realize I wanted to blend in for so long that I forgot what it meant to stand out. In a way, we’re all victims of this tendency, of utter boredom and no excitement about clothes anymore. Fashion is being tainted by the poison of dullness, and frankly, I have had enough. 

Presence comes within one’s capability to candidly be themselves. I am not writing this to tell you “how to do this” or “how to achieve that.” In all sincerity, it’s appalling to read material revolving around being something you are not. Miuccia Prada once said in an interview with Vogue for the March 2024 issue, “I want culture to be attractive.” For me, Prada embodies the portrait of a risk-taker and a spark among somberness. Her brand is about the company of usefulness, composing pieces filled with life and a force of ease, going against the standard of typical designs. Let’s be real, simplicity is sexy. If you do it right, presence can be articulated through current pieces; pieces that are not just meant to be on display, but to be worn when receiving a diploma, to be buttoned before saying “I do,” and to tie when moving into your first apartment. For my last thought, I’ll leave you with a quote by Miuccia Prada herself, to which the spirit of being calm, cool, and collected lives within all of us, you just have to seek find it: “What interests me most is when a work of art is no longer just an object, but also touches reality and life.” 

As someone who has always appreciated the construction hundreds of designers have presented on runways, storefronts, and campaigns, something always felt off to me. Forced, in a way. Forced to understand the deeper meaning behind the designs, forced to understand the complexity of the story trying to be told, forced to like something when really it was just so confusing to me. I have been yearning to be consumed by a feeling of overwhelming love for a designer. I have flipped through my many magazines, I have scrolled on Vogue Runway, and I still feel as though none have fully completed me. However, I come to bring you good news, news very much needed now more than ever in the fashion world. As I discover more and more designers, taking in all that they have to offer, we have found our runway princess and her name is Sandy Liang.

I first discovered Liang when I was watching new collections on Youtube for the Spring 2023 season and was scrolling through, lost in the space of innovation. I became more and more intrigued with the power designers illuminate within pages they want to tell to their audience. Whether that was among the corners of the Swiss Alps or the open museum of Rome, I was becoming a character in the fictional world of fashion. This time, I was becoming a schoolgirl in the auditorium of Pace University, embodying my inner Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and effortless 90s chicness while appreciating the pieces that came from Liang’s childhood for her Spring 2023 line. 

Sandy Liang Spring 2023 Ready-To-Wear

Sandy Liang works and lives in the Lower East Side, where New York serves as her biggest inspiration for her collections. From a young age, Liang’s curiosity was driven by the idea of how clothes were vain and served no significant purpose, causing her to become even more eager to be surrounded by its presence. However, she was steered to take the safe approach where she enrolled in a specialized math and science high school where she then ended up at the  Rhode Island School of Design, studying architecture. As someone who wanted to leave the city, it didn’t take long for Liang to realize how much significance the cityline had on her. In an interview with Salomon TV, she discusses her unique upbringing as a young girl in the city wanting to be a name in the fashion world, while also being vulnerable about the steps it took for her to be where she is today. “I wasn’t used to being away from my family. I felt so alone. I want to be on the seven train with tons of people. I want to feel safe.” After realizing where her heart belonged, Liang came back to the city and began her future.

As a young designer, all that one knows is the constant hustle of sketching, researching, erasing, and more erasing, all while climbing a mountain of refining and making your way. But what is so commendable among the minds of young innovators like Liang, is that there is no risk when one pulls from a space of comfort. The force of familiarity stands out when one makes the past present. “Chinatown grandmas were one of my core inspirations, just the fact that they are so effortlessly cool and they all look great and they don’t care what they are wearing,” she said. Liang grew into her own footing as a young fashion designer who held great pride in her work ethic, contradicting the standards placed on her ever since she was a young girl. So many young minds are being filled with societal pressures revolving around the fact we must have everything in order to be successful and happy, when in reality this is what is driving dull ideas to be born. The art of risk taking is an amicable spirit that so many designers, artists and photographers have endured in order to create the pieces we love so much. Nonetheless, Liang is more than a risk taker. She is simply herself – one of the hardest things a person can be. 

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“My childhood is a constant source of inspiration to me. I feel like you access that core childhood part of you and then it unlocks something within you that’s like being covered by years of being an adult.” As of Liang’s new collection, Spring 2025 Ready-To-Wear, the trend of a uniform was a strong vocal point, more specifically, spy wear. Liang is most known for her influence on the coquette and nostalgic hemispheres of fashion go-ers, collaborating with brands such as Baggu and Salomon, a shoe brand where her heritage is celebrated through sneaker wear and ribbon. However, this is a new path for Sandy Liang girls everywhere, a path where we are moving on from schoolgirl pleated skirts to uniform wear. Including short-sleeve blazers, printed capri sets, and cropped puff sleeve blouses colored in the Barbie pink, candy apple, and baby blue palette. The versatility and affordability between skirts, mini dresses, and even kitten heels that Liang produces is like no other, influencers and musicians such as the Carlson sisters, Ruby Lyn, and Clairo all adore her work, crowning her as our modern day runway princess.

Sandy Liang is a refreshing new wave of creativity that will impact the hearts, minds, and souls that drives our generation to create meaningful art for so many to appreciate. As a closing statement for her most recent collection, Liang says, “Each piece is password protected; only you can unlock it”.

Sandy Liang Spring 2025 Ready-To-Wear

Since 1983, J.Crew has been a beloved and well-known fashion company that in recent years, has grown to become a brand built on responsibility and consciousness. The brand announced a rebrand in 2021, emphasizing corporate social responsibility and promoting sustainability. This movement, called “Re-imagined by J.Crew,” guides customers on new ways to add to their wardrobe while planting a mindful seed for our planet. 100% of their main fibers are sustainably procured, including 100% of their cotton. If more brands reimagined their fabrics and clothing production while also eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers pesticides, there would be a significant difference not only for the planet, but also for the betterment of the fashion industry itself. 

In today’s society, our generation is being presented with articles of clothing that are not made to last forever. In the moment, it’s trendy, affordable, and “stylish” but, at what cost? In an article written by Aaron Baar, Derek Yarbrough, chief marketing officer for J.Crew, emphasized the importance of lasting pieces that are made to stay. “Think about some of your favorite wearable heirlooms: that softer-than-soft cashmere sweater, those perfectly broken-in jeans – we want our customers to pass those on when they’re done wearing them, but unfortunately, 73 percent of pre-owned clothes are sent to landfills, instead of being reused or recycled.” In a generation where online shopping and fast-fashion floods the carts of millions, the contribution of greenhouse gas emissions, microplastics, and textile waste are at an all time high causing our environment to crumble.  As these waste mountains grow taller, our soil and water supply grow dryer. “Keeping clothes out of landfills by shopping preloved J.Crew pieces allows our customers to not only shop sustainably and help the environment reduce carbon waste… but empowers them to clean out their closet and say goodbye to clothes that have fallen out of their rotation,” Yarbrough said. Many retail stores can follow J. Crew’s new movement and use their brand as a platform for influence and change.

In a statement made by “The Geneva Environment Network”, “In the last 20 years, global fibre production has almost doubled from 58 million tonnes in 2000 to 116 million tonnes in 2022, and is expected to continue to grow to 147 million tonnes in 2030.” For 40 years, J.Crews brand has been built off of consistency and ownership, communicating with their customers that the quality of clothing is made from the heart of those who want to bring awareness and care for our environment. As the fashion industry continues to be the second-largest consumer of water, while being responsible for 8% of the global carbon emissions in our environment, J.Crew’s mission can be the beginning of change. The beginning of living. In an extensive report done by J.Crews brand and creative team, they articulate the evident research and findings that provide a deeper insight on the true message of sustainability. When vocalizing on the importance of durable clothing, it must start with biodiversity and the movement of regenerative agriculture. “We rely on the healthy, functioning ecosystems needed to produce these fibers and recognize our responsibility to protect and restore critical biodiversity, which refers to all the living organisms within our natural ecosystems.” With this, 84% of J.Crew’s fibers come from land-based sources, a new way of life, a life where there is a foreseeable future. A future that starts now. 

Over a year ago, I started to realize the amount of harm I was providing to the environment as I bought from multiple fast fashion brands, obliviously buying my 5th pair of the same old graphic tee so many girls around me were praising. As I bought these pieces, I was contributing to the rise of fast-fashion and harmful toxins in our air. I would be lying to you if I said all my life I’ve shopped sustainably. I haven’t, we are all victims to the grip Tik Tok has over us on the lastest Garage tank tops or Zara sheer skirt. But we must steer our focus to the corners of second-hand stores that hold loved pieces and vintage brands that hold the greatest stories. We must think secondhand first. We must be the ones who start a new movement of shopping, a new way of styling, because if we don’t our future will no longer have the strength to hold up our closets and we will be buried by the landfills we have added to for years.

From the early ages of “Nikkie Tutorials,” “LaurDIY,” and “MannyMUA,” to the hundreds of influencers flooding our screens with new contour wands, under eye creams, and “get ready with me” videos, the power of makeup has caused Gen Z to grow up with the overarching idea that if you don’t have the newest product, you’re missing out (i.e. ultimate beauty FOMO). However, when did makeup become dull? Has all the artistry disappeared? Millions of young people in this generation have conformed to the industry’s opinions of what “true” beauty is. But can beauty really be “true” when it is tarnished by over-consumerism and cruel intentions? The presence of colors, shimmers, and blending of bold tones has been painted throughout editorial campaigns and runways by photographers and designers to portray a story that is revealing and daring. Yet, so many beauty companies are pushing a narrative of being stereotypical instead of expressive. The art of makeup was born to tell stories amongst the frames of a million faces. Yet, as a society, our stories are being forgotten through corporate manipulation and the pressure to move on to the next best thing. Our brushes are being tainted by a standard that is unattainable and expensive. This standard plays on the heartstrings of so many young people who want to be themselves rather than the typical mold so many of us “add to our cart.” 

Social media influencers profit from views and likes when advertising a product, an incentive that leads them to push the product as a “must-have.” And while we may already have 20 lipsticks in our makeup drawers, it can feel impossible to resist influencers’ clever advertising. Yet, what is most shocking is that influencers will test high-end lines of skin care or beauty products, but use them for only a week. As soon as the novelty of the product fades, or another content creator gains attention from a new item, these influencers immediately jump ship to the next product. Boredom runs deep when a generation is driven by rapidly changing influences, such as the “clean girl aesthetic” in comparison to the infamous 2016 “full-beat” look. In a report done by Nordic News, a selection of students were asked a variety of questions regarding the usage of products and spending habits on a day-to-day basis. The study found that 30% of respondents reported their buying habits influenced by trends, with 22.7% saying their habits were also impacted by influencers. If these statistics proliferate, as they very well may, the meaning behind makeup as an art form will disappear and become nothing but a dollar sign. 

Makeup has been used for centuries by people all around the world for celebration, culture, and self-expression. So, at what point has it lost its purpose? Instead of participating in such a beautiful art form, so many people in today’s society are divided by this stigma that less is more, or more is too much. Many influencers are manipulating their audiences into spending hundreds of dollars rather than communicating a genuine message. For example, Mikayla Nogueria, beauty influencer, has received backlash for promoting the “L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara” in a deceiving way. Viewers caught Nogueira only pretending to apply the mascara, although she simultaneously applauded its benefits. Doesn’t add up right? Makeup has lost its authenticity and meaning. It was made to connect with others, help us feel confident in our skin, and highlight our natural beauty. Makeup can paint a picture of hope. A picture of heartbreak. A picture where stories can be told through no words and just imagination.  Creativity is now only present among those who are brave enough to fight against the stereotype, because without perseverance, we might as well blend like the makeup we so carelessly buy. 

I, like so many people who appreciate the art and community makeup brings, am searching for makeup looks that are more than just Pinterest-inspired. True creativity is told when no words need to be said. If we want the power of makeup to stay alive, we must break the boundaries placed around us and fight against the pressures of social norms. The driving force of so many designers and artists in presenting powders, glitters, and shades through imagery is solely from the heart of passion and vulnerability. As a generation so active among the political, economic, and social corners of our country, why should we tolerate what is deemed to be safe, rather than bold? All these questions, and we still dismiss the clear answer: stay true to yourself. Paint your face with the most vibrant colors. Be the narrative that erases the placed one. If you don’t, the disappearance of makeup will be lost forever.