Jewelry Gets Astrological: Sun and Selene
BY AMINA AYOUD AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAMANTHA SON; STYLIST: CHRISTINA VEHAMUA & HAIR: CHARLOTTE FINN & ANNA VANCHERI RICHMOND Va- Everybody needs a go-to jewelry piece. A good necklace or ring can spice up a bland outfit in no time. From gold to silver, with so much to choose from, it can be hard to find that perfect piece. Not to fear, Sun and Selene have got you covered. The Richmond brand aims to bring out the “Modern Goddess” in all of us with jewelry ranging from flashy earrings to rings adorned with beautiful stones in a multitude of metals. Starting in January 2017, Sun and Selene seek to inspire those who wear their jewelry. Brittanny Chanel Deraffele, the founder of Sun and Selene, created her collections based around human history, astrology, and ancient mythology. The jewelry is handcrafted by Deraffele in her studio mostly with the use of recycled materials to create pieces that are one of a kind. Deraffele continues to blend a mix of creativity and culture into every piece she creates with fun and inspired designs to match. Our stylist for the shoot Christina Veha, a freshman, styled with a minimalist mindset, stuck with neutral browns and creams. It was all about the jewelry with the clothes as a backdrop. The muted tones played perfectly with the gold jewelry that was pulled, ranging from statement earrings to midi rings centered around mythology and zodiac signs. There was a clear focus on diversity and inclusion in the native Richmond brand. With each piece catering to people from all walks of life, you’ll be sure to find jewelry that fits your personal style. MODELS: RISHIKA GADDAM, RICKAYA SYKES, ANNIE MILLER
Brick & Mortar Launches Fashionable (and Instagrammable) Coffee Hub
BY SYDNEY HECKMAN AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DOM KHUN; STYLIST: DANIELLA OSUNA & CHRISTINA VEHA RICHMOND, VA– RCFU highlights the local company Brick & Mortar in their newest fashion collaboration. The company is centered around sustainable and philanthropic efforts. They describe themselves as ethical and homemade in addition to other things, “…functional design, sustainable style, and unique works…our vintage selection focuses on timeless, casual, and day-to-day essentials to wear season after season” as described by the owner, Mat. Senior fashion director, Daniella Osuna, styled the shot sticking to the classic vintage look. She curated a neutral color palette and pulled earthy colors to incorporate the ethical approaches B&M takes daily into their business practices. In lieu of colder temperatures, she made sure to include layering to inspire us to layer up as well. Dom Khun, the senior creative director, and photographer decided to use natural lighting and simplistic scenery to encompass the values of the company as well. As of August 2019, Brick & Mortar launched an in-store coffee shop that features a specialty menu from around the globe and multi-roaster that keeps up with high demands. The drinks featured in the photoshoot collaboration included the toasted s’mores latte and regular coffee. The space provides a gathering place for the community and spark up conversations about great denim, local causes, and the minimalistic aesthetics in the store. MODELS: VICTORIA SPIEGEL, OMNI HUBBARD, CIARA RASCONA
Who We Are on Halloween
Written by: Aayesha PoudelPhotography by: Adriana BrownModels: Josh Ricketts, Nima Jawadian, Matthew Schettini In our childhood, October 31st marked the night where we could be the ghosts and goblins that both frightened and excited us. It was the night where we were the beasts we were most afraid of, the creatures we were mesmerized by, and the characters that we hoped to be. As we grew older and those fantasies started to slip away, it remained the night where we could let go of the stress and troubles and become someone or something else. Costumes have no boundaries, from juxtapositioning an innocent doll with a terror beast to a lumberjack who counteracted as a serial killer. It became a phenomenon where we didn’t have to be ourselves- as sometimes that can feel like the most terrifying costume of all. We celebrate the holiday that dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The people who celebrate this day believe that Samhain is the day that the barriers between the physical and spiritual world break down. This would allow for interactions between supernatural creatures and humans. Therefore, when we dress in costumes whether to prance around the neighborhood to receive treats or to enjoy a night as someone else, Halloween allows us to connect with more than just ourselves or our peers: it helps us connect with other worlds.
Your Scorpio Fashion Forecast is Here
The intensity of the Scorpio season is upon us. This placement is arguably one of the more powerful water signs. Scorpio sun natives crave deep conversations and connections and make passionate and loyal partners in love. They are heavily influenced by their emotions and this will always serve them in their professional and personal life going forward. read the full info here At times, the darker side of Scorpio’s emotion can turn into manipulation, so it is smart to stay on the good side of this native. This leads us perfectly into the spooky season of October, and the photoshoot of muted dark tones. The way the photographer used the technique of double exposure when editing the images and gives the photos a more intense look in tune with the aura of Scorpios.
A Look into Fashion Week in Richmond
Written by: Sara AdeliPhotography by: Lorallye Partlow While Richmond Fashion Week may not be as globally acclaimed as New York’s or Los Angeles’, it undeniably conveys a similar sense of vibrancy to celebrate local trends and designers. This is a city filled with history, culture, diversity, and— most importantly— some seriously delicious food. Above all, this city is adorned with an abundance of art, and fall fashion just happens to be this week’s prime masterpiece. The Fall Designer Show took place at the Dominion Energy Center and was the final event of RVA’s Fall Fashion Week. The event was an opportunity to showcase some of Virginia’s top models and emerging designers, as well as a couple of the city’s very own influencers. Luqman Haskett and Caroline Kalentzos, both of whom are fashion bloggers, emceed alongside one another for the show. Most of the featured collections were notable in their unique statements, while others were a bit more uninspired. The MK Vendetta collection was the most adventurous with textures. The garments featured lots of layered, sheer fabrics as well as sequins, studs, and lace. Additionally, it was one of the very few collections that included men’s wear. The brand Inceptual Sara was the star of smooth, glossy fabrics and certainly embraced the elegantly feminine woman. The Tough Cookie was introduced as a line designed for ‘women who cannot and will not be broken’. The garments featured lots of ruched and ruffle detailing, the juxtaposition of contrasting patterns, and two bold signature colors: bright, Ferrari red and electric blue. During the last run of the collection, the designer of the brand strut the runway with gray sweats and a band T-shirt. Her choice of accessory? A young boy and a girl in each of her arms. The designer’s self-presentation relayed a deeply genuine and personal sentiment towards the mission of her line, and it was a touchingly beautiful way to conclude the collection. Undoubtedly, the most memorable collection of the night belonged to Very Ashley. The brand seems to target the entrepreneurial businesswoman full of spunk and personality. Most pieces from the line incorporated traditional business wear with splashes of color or texture. While the apparel was versatile and fashion-forward, the component that made Very Ashley so striking was its inclusion of model diversity, both in shape and color. Co-host Luqman Huskett even commented, “Wow! This is the grown woman line right here.” All of the styled outfits were, without fail, complementary to the body and complexion of that particular model. Through this, it is evident that Very Ashley is doing something that needs to be mirrored within the entire fashion industry. The brand is not merely promoting diversity on a surface level, but they are consciously mindful of designing apparel that truly enhances and celebrates the beauty of all women.
Falling into a New Season with Barnes & Noble
Fall is a time when the leaves are changing colors, the temperatures are dropping and clothes are getting warmer. Fall steers away from bright and vibrant patterns to more simple ones with neutral and subdued colors that look amazing on anyone. At VCU, we pride ourselves on our diversity which carries into our students’ individual styles, ranging from sporty to casual to preppy looks. Stylist Tom Mai wanted to show how easy it is to represent VCU while keeping the fun fall fashion we all know. Barnes & Noble showcases how they have a range of VCU merchandise to fit anyone’s sense of style. Fall is a time where the layering of clothing is a must to stay warm. Having a quick pullover sweatshirt is essential to everyone’s fall fashion. recommended site In this preppy look, there is a light-colored button-up with jeans paired with a warm VCU Rams sweatshirt. The simple layering of the sweatshirt took this summer outfit and made it into a fall one. As fall begins, it is also the beginning of VCU’s basketball season. Who said supporting your team couldn’t be fun and fashionable? The contrast between the white shirt and black shorts has a sense of familiarity while also making the VCU logo the main focus. The white top is loose and flowy to give more mobility to the outfit. However, nothing is more representative of fall than a flannel. In this look, she paired a black VCU shirt with a brown flannel and jeans. This look is stylish while also still having a high level of comfort. None of these styles have to exist on their own. Everyone has their own style that can complement one another to give everyone their own sense of identity. This fall find what creates your identity.
Richmond’s 11th Annual Fashion Week Brings more Inclusivity to the Runway
Story By Aliviah Jones Photos By Stanley Tran When people think of Fashion Week they often think of big cities like New York and Milan but Richmond has a very unique way of showing that exquisite style can be found right here in Virginia’s capital. The 11th annual Day to Night fashion show presented the top designers and models in Richmond and surrounding areas, hosted by NBC 12’s morning news anchors Candice Smith and Anthony Antoine. The collections being shown represented a wide variety of people that the fashion industry tends to not shed light on. The Day to Night runway show took place at Stony Point Fashion Park which sponsors #RVAFW. Each collection was unique in it’s own way but there was a common theme that we don’t often get to see on other runways, Inclusivity. There were so many women and men in different age groups, heights and not to mention the diversity of race. In this day and age, inclusivity in fashion has become a hot topic being that in the past the fashion industry only catered to the size 0 demographic but some brands have come to realize that the average size for a woman in the United States is a size 18 and designers need to put that into consideration. The collections being show definitely proved you can look fabulous whether you are a size 2 or a size 16 or if you are 6”0 or 5”5. Many of the collections shown drew a lot of their inspiration from African-inspired prints with bright colors and designs. The show started with House of Klyde’s ready to wear collection that presented ready to wear day dresses as well as mens wear. There were a lot pieces that had earth-tone colors and bold contrast colors along with silk dresses. The collection by Klyde Wright also had a lot of classic pieces like the LBD, side-cinched tunic, and flared pants. The ToFREEYOURStyle collection by Charisa George proved that you can incorporate bold African prints into everyday wear all the while being sophisticated. The collection incorporated the use of color block with electric blue and yellow garment pieces and black and yellow and red and black.There were a lot of two-piece cropped sets as well that are perfect for a summer night on the town. The Abena Aforo collection also used the boldest colors I think the eye could ever see. Some of the pieces also had a very retro- 1970s vibe with wide-leg jumpsuits, colorful pantsuits. There was also maxi dresses with beautiful prints and frills. This collection is truly for the women who want to make a sophisticated statement when walking into a room. The Wala Afour collection which translates to “All we need is life” in the Ghanaian language by Bernie Adjei proved that there is a place in fashion for everyone. The collection had a lot of garments that were so rich in color, texture and patterns. Many of the pieces by Adjei had a lot of marble-esque patterns contrasted with teal blue, mustard yellow, and electric blue. The collection made you feel like you had just been transported back to the motherland. The Stitch by Chanel collection by Chanel Green was truly a 1970s time capsule. There were a lot of garments with bold colors like coral, and a very beautiful purple one shoulder dress. There was a lot of colorful jumpsuits and who can’t go wrong with a nice jumpsuit for the summer right? There was also some belted pant and top pieces that can really take you from work to drinks with the girls. The High Maintenance collection used a lot of Asian-inspired prints with a bold red and blue jacquard pattern. There were also very rich silk garments from two-piece pants, fuzzy tops and mini silk skirts. This collection sent a message about people often feeling marginalized within the fashion industry. Designer Michaela Bradley was inspired to start High Maintenance because she never felt properly recognized as a woman of color in fashion. These collections showed that fashion is and always will be for everyone no matter of what race, class or gender one may be. A lot of these collections also made it a point to not limit yourself and be bold with what you wear.