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VCUarts Fashion Brings A Lovely Shimmer To Main Street Station

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The annual VCUarts Fashion Show is catwalking into its 50th year.

This dean’s-level event is well-attended, not only by students but by members of the community and esteemed guests as well. It will be held at the Train Shed at Main Street Station on Wednesday, May 8 for the second year in a row, according to Patricia Brown, chair of the VCUarts department of fashion design and merchandising.

The show has been hosted at a variety of venues over the years, both big and small. Most recently the VCUarts Fashion Show was hosted at the VMFA, but in the last couple of years, the department developed a need for a larger space.

“This venue gives us more space,” Brown said. “We have more room, which creates its own challenges, but I think it’s a really great dramatic space to have it in.”

Photo: Steven Casanova. Designer: Johana Nasreen

Among the guests filling the Train Shed will be design duo Abdul Abasi and Greg Rosborough, whose pieces, Brown said, have reinvented the men’s suit with a utilitarian take. VCUarts alum and fashion illustrator Richard Haines will also be flown in from New York to see the show.

In an effort to have a more straightforward show, the number of designs shown will be limited to around 125, as opposed to last year’s nearly 175. The department aims to keep the show around an hour, Brown said.

Photo: Steven Casanova. Designer: Johana Nasreen

Of the approximately 125 designs to be shown, most junior and senior design students will be represented, along with the expertise of merchandising students, who comprise the majority of the 360-strong department. The show will feature women’s sportswear, dresses, menswear, denim, embellishment/luxury, and surface design, all created by hand or with the assistance of industry-standard machinery.

The VCUarts Fashion Show is juried, and garments are selected by a group of local fashion businesses and influencers. A mix of fashion industry people and retailers including Ledbury, Alton Lane, Frances Kahn, and Pam Reynolds are just a few members of the 12-person jury who will be judging the show. Working with their assessments, they will come down to final number of pieces for the show.

Not only is the show juried by local fashion icons, but it is also locally sponsored.

“The community is really supportive of our show,” Brown said. “We’re so thankful. We have a lot of gratitude for their support.”

Photo: Steven Casanova. Designer: Conner Karlen

To celebrate its 50th year, the show has been dubbed “Shimmer,” a title bearing a triple meaning.

“It was alluding to the celebratory feeling of it being the 50th anniversary,” Brown said. “But, it also has a little nod to modern shimmer technology, and just being more tech-forward. And also, the shimmering faces of graduating students who are showing their work.”

This dean’s-level event can be viewed in-person or by livestream this year. Tickets are available for purchase online starting at $30, with discounts available for fashion students and their families.

“For this year, we will have a much broader range of prices for show seats,” Brown said. “While we need to keep some of the higher cost front-row seats in order to cover our costs, attending the show can also be more affordable this year.”

The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Train Shed in Main Street Station. For more information, visit the VCUarts website.

Top Photo: Steven Casanova. Designer: Maryam Al-Majid


Pollinating Richmond: Anther’s Kim Jones Is A Maker With A Mission

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A designer by nature, Kim Jones not only crafts handmade statement jewelry, but also works to pollinate the work of fellow artisans through her nascent small business, ANTHER.

What started as a passion project stemming from her love for painting expanded into the curated jewelry business known and loved by empowered Richmond women, and inspired by women around the world.

Jones first began experimenting with jewelry as an undergraduate student at the University of Scranton, and honed her practice during her time at the Savannah College of Art and Design. At first she described her curiosity with jewelry as an “arts and crafts thing,” and did not know her hobby would turn into anything.

Her ring design required careful attention — and a great deal of time. While learning the trade and after moving to Richmond, Jones took a couple classes from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Art and Design. Then, she dove into the huge arts community here.

“It was incredible how much [Richmond] grew my design background,” she said. “Being in an arts community like that just had so much influence. It felt like my people.”

She then began creating the rings she now produces for ANTHER by metalsmithing with sterling silver.

Everything goes in steps.

Wrapping the stone, plating stone, plating wire, and soldering all of the pieces are only parts of the process in creating the ring. Much like her craftsmanship, Jones’ inspiration and eventual business creation, ANTHER, was created in steps.

When she felt inspired to share her craft, Jones decided against selling her product on platforms such as Etsy due to her background in web design and the already competitive and saturated market that existed.

“It made sense to own what I had, and expand on it,” she said.

And so, with a deep passion for craftsmanship and encouragement from friends and family, ANTHER was born. Sarah Tombes, a part of the ANTHER crew, became an early supporter of the brand while working with Jones at their full-time jobs together at CapTech, an IT service management company. They spent a lot of time together and discovered their similar aesthetic, and Tombes encouraged Jones to jump into the creation of ANTHER with a “just do it” mentality.

“There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t know about running a business, but you just learn along the way. If you have the passion for it, you’ll figure it out.”

For Jones, ANTHER was not just about creating and selling her own pieces, but rather allowing a platform for small, emerging artists to sell their product.

“The name ANTHER comes from the part of the flower that pollinates,” Jones said. “It works really nicely as a metaphor for what we do and what we stand for — which is helping these small artists pollinate their brand.”

And not just any small artists — Jones is determined to empower women through her brand, and make a place for them in the market. Between traveling and visiting craft markets, Jones meets artists in places such as Croatia, Peru, South Africa, and Mexico — where many of her clay pieces are curated from. Being able to take beauty from across the world and give it an opportunity to be seen by women here in Richmond is ANTHER, Tombes said.

Despite interest from big-box companies, Jones has stayed true to her roots. Rather than giving priority to highly exposed jewelry brands, Jones’ goal is to find small artists that aren’t sold at the big-name stores and allow them to grow.  

“As much as I’d love to carry them, they’re already big,” Jones said. “Our customers are the reasons we exist, and I feel like they get forgotten in large retail spaces.”

The process to find artists is tedious, but Jones takes the time and care to provide quality products to her customers. Jones orders pieces to test the quality before telling potential artists that she’s interested in working with them, checking for the things you can’t tell from pictures, such as weight. In ordering the bone pieces pictured below, Jones ordered several before inviting the artist to join her brand.

“I honestly value quality so much,” Jones said. “So, that’s one of the things that I look at first.”

Jones seeks handmade, artisan pieces that are made from long-lasting organic material. But one of the most important, intangible qualities she looks for in her artists is the story that accompanies the piece. Jones’ story, for example, is her own heritage, having family roots in Spain and Cuba. The bright, beautiful colors and architecture of these two places inform her strong, yet minimalistic, style.

“It’s almost a little bit of everything,” Jones said speaking of her style. “It’s eclectic. It’s sometimes simple. It has a lot of personalities.”

Just like her personal line, she looks to artists to tell an interesting story with their work.

“It’s answering that question: Who’s made what I’ve worn?” Jones said. “I think that’s a cool story aspect of what our business is about.”

Jones compared her jewelry line to the many personalities of Richmond that she discovered while moving here following her time at SCAD in 2010 and uncovering the vast local arts community.

“Richmond has also attracted a lot of personalities, and I think that’s helped in regard to establishing my customer base,” she said. “I feel like I have so many different styles. I think it’s cool because it shapes people. It’s definitely part of what shaped ANTHER.”

Tombes echoed Jones’ sentiment about Richmond’s many personalities, adding that it’s often a misunderstood place.

“I think one of the most attractive things about Richmond is that although we have a very classic, old money, very preppy side to the city… it’s becoming a true melting pot of a city,” Tombes said.

Despite the differentiated personality and style of the brand, there’s consistency in the mission — to empower women. When Jones started ANTHER, she felt unsure about the launch of the brand, but discovered the strong mutual relationships among female-owned businesses across the city.  

“You’re seeing so much diversity, so much culture, so much excitement, so many women-owned businesses, too,” Tombes said. “What’s so beautiful and so exciting about what ANTHER is that it’s saying, ‘Let’s be feminine, let’s lean into what’s so beautiful about being a female, and let’s do it in a powerful way.’”

With luck and networking, Jones garnered a mass of opportunities for pop-up shops to introduce her brand to the Richmond community. Through showcasing her product at places such as Dear Neighbor and Someday, Jones honed her business, and her genuine connections with customers. This face-to-face interaction with her customer sets her apart from big-box retailers and deepens the mission of the business.

“Being in person and doing a pop up is magical,” Jones said. “It’s insane. You get to talk to people in person. You get to see their faces. You get to understand your customers. There’s just so many benefits to seeing people. Just seeing their appreciation for your work or for other people’s work that you carry.”

As a supporter who regularly assists in planning and executing ANTHER events and pop-ups, Tombes describes her experiences with the brand as “contagious.” Jones takes the time to notice people and help them make their purchasing decisions, all while pushing people to their best, Tombes said. This contagious energy expands far beyond ANTHER events, and is rather a way of life.

“Just because you’ve got huge, gorgeous earrings on doesn’t mean you’re any less of a force to be reckoned with,” Tombes said.

To celebrate her customers’ stories, Jones said she planned to create a series on her website called AntHER, which would feature customers and learn more of why they’re making their purchases.

“The idea of giving confidence is so big for me,” Jones said. “I love the idea of providing that to our customers. That confidence is empowering. Having that perfect piece of jewelry is empowering.”

Although brick-and-mortar may not be in the immediate future for ANTHER, the curated line can be found online or at local pop-ups for now. Jones said she would know when it’s time to open a shop, and that she wanted to make decisions very carefully based on the need of her customers.

Not only has the brand grown during its nascent period, but so has Jones herself. Tombes said she’s a true ANTHER woman to the core; she’s a woman comfortable expressing herself in whatever way she needs to and wants to, without asking for permission to do so,.

“Yes, her pictures look beautiful and yes, this stuff is gorgeous, but she’s finding it in these really unassuming places. She’s finding the gem and bringing it out,” Tombes said. “I’ve watched it grow her confidence as well, and I think that’s what’s really important for other women.”

This confidence and authenticity, paired with empowerment, is the note Richmond female entrepreneurs are following, succeeding where other entrepreneurs may fall behind.

Photos courtesy Kim Jones

Fashion East to West

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*This article originally appeared in RVA Mag #34, on the streets now at all your favorite spots. 

As intricately embroidered blouses, vibrant floral kimonos, and brightly-colored tasseled earrings decorate department store racks this season, an Eastern flair is undeniably recognizable. 

Summer trends saw runways and boutiques chock-full of delicate stitching and embroidery techniques, pom-pom embellishments, and bejeweled bangles — all of which are carrying over into fall. But these trends aren’t exclusive to the West.

Age-old designs, cuts, and prints of the Southeast Asian countries—including Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh—have recently crossed over to the U.S., taking over well-loved summer and fall trends.

“A lot of block printing,” said Rupa Singh, owner of local mobile boutique, Love This RVA. “And a lot of hand-stitching on top of block-printed dresses.”

A staple of Southeast Asian wardrobes that exploded on the fashion scene this summer and hasn’t faded yet is the “kurti,” or tunic. These knee-length, loose, flowing lawn tops are everyday wear for the women of Pakistan, India, and other countries in the region. Typically featuring intricate embroidery on the chest and sleeves, “kurtis” dominate Southeast Asian women’s clothing.

“Handmade details,” said Singh when describing traditional Indian clothing. “Whether there’s pleating here or cuffing in the back, it’s only done when something is handmade.”

PHOTOS: (left) Sandwa Long, Murkash Collection, available at lulusar.com. (right) Jen Dress, Sapana Amin, available at studioeast6.com.

Wrapping and draping techniques characterize most Southeast Asian suits. The traditional Indian “sari” (also spelled “saree”) consists of a little less than 10 yards of fabric, skillfully wrapped around the body to create a draped skirt-and-top style. Similarly, the Pakistani “salwar,” or pant, and “kameez,” top, two-piece suit combination is commonly worn along with a “dupatta,” or long fabric piece, draped along the chest. These draping and stitching techniques are recalled in Western fashion by skirts, dresses, and tops.

Another Western favorite brought over from the East — paisley prints. Paisley find origins in Kashmir and Persia, over 2,000 years ago. Now, the print typically adorns silky, flowing blouses and will be a staple for fall accessories — especially scarves.

The West has simultaneously adopted accessories as well — dangling hoops and pom-pom details are only the beginning of a list of Eastern-style accessories adorning American models. Particularly appearing on earrings, shoes and occasionally on the trims of tops and pants, pom-pom and tassel details have ornamented Eastern clothing for centuries.

South Asia isn’t the only region Western fashion trend pull inspiration trends from, though. “The [American] streetwear craze is directly Japanese fashion,” said VCU student designer Shana Cave, who traces her roots back to China.

On a recent trip she took to Tokyo, she noticed overwhelming similarities between American streetwear and everyday clothing in Japan. The outrageous proportions and cuts, as well as monochrome looks, have become staples of U.S. streetwear brands such as Supreme and Yeezy Supply.

“Coming back to America and seeing the dad-shoe trend, all the colors in streetwear, the logos, the long lengths and the unfitting clothings,” Cave said. “That’s a very Japanese influence.”

The West has similarly adopted the cultural aspects of other East Asian countries, such as Japanese kimonos, Lao stitching and weaving techniques, and Thai two-piece outfits. 

But the Eastern-influenced fashion dates back much further than recent years, according to VCU professor Jackie Mullins.

“It’s something that became much more mainstream in the 1970’s,” Mullins said of Eastern stitching and embroidering techniques. “You see a lot of those Eastern mending techniques taking over during the 70’s, and even earlier.”

Mullins, who teaches the history of contemporary fashion to aspiring student designers, said that while the blending of these cultures into mainstream fashion has become incredibly common, it can come very close to disrespect if executed poorly.

“There’s a very fine line,” Mullins said. “With every iteration [when adopting] clothing there is that fine line of having respect and going over it, and not understanding the meaning of why something might be worn culturally, simply making it into an accessory for beauty. And I think that’s where a lot of the trouble comes from.”

The adoption of Eastern clothing elements that typically have cultural and religious significance, is sometimes met with opposition when true appreciation for the culture and religion at hand is not given — deemed “cultural appropriation.”

“We see it happen on the quite often on the runway,” Mullins said. “Where people just sort of pick something up as a trend, not understanding the cultural meaning behind it.”

Sustainable fashion advocate and photographer Aditi Mayer defines cultural appropriation as “the continuation of misrepresentation, misuse, and theft of the stories, styles, and material heritage of people who have been historically dominated and remain socially marginalized.” The absorption of minority cultures by a dominant culture — typically by means of colonialism, oppression, or other power imbalance — creates a disconnect between the traditional item and how it is re-represented.

PHOTO: Arrow Print Top, Dhoti Pants, Payal Singhal, available at studioeast6.com.

For Singh, the latest summer trends have confused her — especially those poorly executed to mimic South Asian and Latin American blouses with floral embroidery across the chest.

“Lately I’ve been seeing those white tunics with brightly embroidered flowers. To me, I feel like it doesn’t make sense,” Singh said. “It’s their actual cultural wardrobe. This is what the women wear [in Latin America] on a regular basis. But then just to pull that out of their culture and just make a shirt that’s maybe a different cut or maybe [minimal] embroidery, just for a trend.”

One of Singh’s favorite East-West fusion brands, Victoria Road, navigates the blending of cultures well.

“There is that voice of the person who made it, ” Singh said of Victoria Road. “There’s this idea that you can wear something that’s made for the Western world and this print is so beautiful and timeless that it [respects] where it came from.”

Cave agreed that the implementation of a lot of these fashion ‘trends’ in the West is not always the most respectful.

“Asia is like this landmine that a lot of people don’t know about,” Cave said. “So if you’re an influencer and you’re interested in it, it’s yours for the taking. It’s like this thing people can steal from without having to credit.”

As a child, Cave said she felt the need to suppress the half of her identity that was Chinese; making the trends that have crossed over from Asia all the more ironic.

“I started wanting to dress more American,” Cave said. “I would go to China and come back with clothing that was Chinese and kids would make fun of me. I was definitely judged for being Asian.”

The best way to navigate the “cultural appropriation” discussion, according to Singh, is simply asking and learning about the meaning behind certain clothing elements.

“Fashion is so far from asking questions of why, who, what,” Singh said. “Most people can identify something that is from another country, but I don’t know if they would care to [ask] — why do they embroider their clothes? Why are their shirts always white? Why are the [garments] all cotton? Why are they cut this way? Everything has a reason.”

Fashion with a bit of Eastern flair is far from leaving the industry. So as the West continues to infuse Eastern elements into everyday clothing, it’s imperative to ask that question — why? Exploring other cultures, and understanding where certain cultural and religious elements come from, is necessary in order to be respectful while also admiring their beauty. 

Bursting at the Seams, Need Supply Co. Makes Move to Scott’s Addition

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Well-loved Carytown staple Need Supply Co. is expanding its footprint in Richmond, moving its headquarters to a much larger spot in the bustling Scott’s Addition neighborhood.

While the store’s longtime Carytown retail location at 3100 W. Cary St. will remain open, the headquarters shift is a response to the company’s substantial growth in recent years.

Image may contain: 1 person, standing and shoes

“Richmond has an amazing and ever-growing creative community that has been important to our growth over the years,” said Nora Morris, Need Supply Co. special projects manager. “As our business expands, we look forward to continuing to welcome more of those innovators, creators, developers, disruptors and strategic thinkers into each department within the company.”

The esteemed apparel company opened its doors in Richmond back in 1996, selling nothing but vintage Levi’s. Since the launch of its online store in 2008, Need Supply Co. has transformed into a global e-commerce business, offering a variety of clothing, accessories, and home goods for men and women.

While the fashion company is expanding in Richmond, it isn’t the first time its experienced a growth spurt. The company has also expanded with locations in Los Angeles and New York.

The 20,700 square-foot space in Scott’s Addition is located in the former Evatran Group Inc. office, a manufacturer of wireless charging stations for electric motor vehicles, within the HandCraft Cleaners Building at 3301 W. Moore St.

Need Supply’s new spot will allow for more office space and a photo studio, which are being moved from a smaller spot in the neighborhood.

“Although we’ve outgrown our existing Scott’s Addition [office] location, we’re looking forward to continuing to be part of the evolution and revitalization of this neighborhood,” said Christopher Bossola, CEO of Need Supply Co.

Tripling the size of its previous headquarters above its flagship retail shop in Carytown, Need Supply Co. will use the new location to satisfy the company’s increased staff and existing e-commerce photo studio. Finding property large enough to meet Need Supply Co.’s demand for space, however, was not an easy task.

“We had some unusual requirements, such as finding traditional ‘Class A’ office space alongside unfinished warehouse-type space for our photo studio,” Morris said. “The property search, which led us around the city and into surrounding counties, was extensive.”

While the company expands its office and studio teams — including its operations, information technology, human resources, customer service, and photography —  the retail operations will not change.

“The relocation was imperative to accommodate additional, planned growth over the next few years,” Bossola said. “While also providing more modern and collaborative workspaces, lounge areas and a substantially larger photo studio for our current teams.”

Need Supply Co. plans to have the new headquarters up and running by the fall.

 

The Revival of Streetwear Brand Damaged Kids

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Confused. Questioning. Hoping for a brand that didn’t pull through. That’s how hundreds of supporters were left when local streetwear clothing brand, Damaged Kids, disappeared back in 2016.  

Fueled by creative mind Oliver Bierman of local pop-punk band Broadside, Damaged Kids gained a large following through its direct link to the Richmond pop-punk scene.

Lauren Versino

The brand took off with an unconventional take on streetwear clothing at the time. “Back in 2015, streetwear, in my opinion, had a really big ego,” co-owner Lauren Versino said. “You had to have money, and wearing it had a certain social class statement. It was hard to enter into because it seemed pretentious at times.”

So instead of playing into the showy, pricey streetwear clothing they were used to, Bierman and Versino made simple streetwear designs that in Versino’s words, embodied the idea, “the clothes didn’t make you cool, you made the clothes cool.” As the brand grew larger, Bierman and Versino worked hard to get t-shirts out, covering all of the production costs out-of-pocket. “We did this all ourselves,” Versino said. “We paid for it all ourselves for a long time.”

But as shirts became popular, they sold out quickly, and the two had to make bigger runs – which got more expensive. To find the upfront money, Bierman and Versino created a Kickstarter campaign at the end of 2015 which rolled into early 2016.

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In addition to production expenses, the Kickstarter played a role in mobilizing Damaged Kids’ move to Los Angeles, where Bierman and Versino hoped the brand would take off. As the manufacturing capital of the country, L.A. was the place to go to make Damaged Kids bigger than just a Richmond streetwear company. So Bierman and Versino attempted to move the brand to L.A. – but they didn’t get the launch they were hoping for.

“Then we moved [to L.A.] and…nothing happened,” Versino said.

Once Damaged Kids flopped in L.A., the brand struggled to find its footing and not long after that founder and co-owner Bierman ended the company, surprising Versino. “When Damaged Kids ended abruptly [in 2016], I read it on Twitter,” Versino said. “I didn’t know before then. I have as much information as everybody else did when that popped up on the Internet. I just knew all of a sudden I didn’t have a job anymore.”

The struggling company’s sudden ending was a surprise to its co-owner, supporters, and GoFundMe donors. To this day, Versino is still not completely sure why Bierman ended Damaged Kids. Her best guess is the move from Virginia to L.A. was a lot, and maybe at times too much, to handle. The two moved in together in L.A. and Versino thinks the strain it caused on their relationship definitely played a part.

“There was a weirdness after we became roommates,” Versino said. “We had always just been friends, nothing more than that. But he kind of grew distant. We stopped talking a lot even though we shared a space and eventually we had to go our separate ways.”

While Versino isn’t curious to find out why Bierman suddenly ended Damaged Kids, she’s decided to offer her side of the story. Two years later, she is relaunching Damaged Kids to give supporters the answers they didn’t get back in 2016. And this time, the brand is all her own. “It’s just me this time around. I’m in control of the information,” Versino said. “I’d like to turn this shitty story into a good one.” The 27-year-old Virginia native is doing things differently the second time around to make sure Damaged Kids supporters and fans get the products they loved in 2015.

“I always felt it was wrong that those people gave to this GoFundMe and had this expectation that they were going to get all these designs,” Versino said. “They were investing in it…and they never got anything back.” For the Damaged Kids temporary re-launch, Versino is offering five different designs in a multitude of cuts, colors, and price ranges; most of which are reprised of the designs people were familiar with before. And instead of attempting to cover all production costs with her own money, Versino is taking the safer route, using a t-shirt company called “Threadless” for help with manufacturing. Local to Chicago where Versino lives now, Threadless enables artists to easily produce apparel designs, handling the manufacturing, shipping, and customer disputes.

“One of the major things that I took away from my experience with Damaged Kids was understanding the responsibility of saying something to a consumer base and having to follow up on what that is,” Versino said. “Because sometimes, your heart’s bigger than what’s possible at the time. I [know] how wrong something can go when you overpromise and underdeliver.”

Even though the brand will be based out of Chicago this time around, Versino hopes to clear the air with fans of the brand who were disappointed two years ago. And in addition to bringing back well-loved designs, Versino is doing what she and Bierman wanted to do the first time around, by donating a portion of each sale to community organizations.

Back in 2015, Bierman wanted to donate to organizations that helped increase access to mental health tools for everyone, especially young people who might not know where to turn. At the time, the passionate pop-punk singer told RVA Mag the concept behind Damaged Kids came from wanting to support those who are suffering. “I just really wanted to take the idea of [how] right now it feels like the end, but it’s not,” Bierman said. “You’re just damaged, not broken.”

Damaged Kids never made enough profit back in 2015 to be able to donate to any mental health organizations. But now in 2018, Versino projects enough profit off the relaunch to donate a portion of each sale to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an anti-sexual assault organization. Versino made sure to set up the relaunch so her profit would allow her to make donations to RAINN, an organization very close to her. “It’s a service that I’ve had to use in my life. I kept their hotline number in my phone for two months before I actually found a resource to go to therapy,” Versino said. “It gives them [victims of sexual assault] a resource to talk to somebody. I would love to give back, and I wanted to keep that spirit alive with this re-release.”

And despite what supporters may think about the temporary relaunch, Versino said she isn’t in it for the money or out of spite for her ex-business partner.  “I just really want [Damaged Kids] to have the ending I think it deserves,” Versino said. “And actually following through with what was promised, even if it’s two years later.”

You can check out Damaged Kids apparel at laurenversino.com/damaged-kids-2018.

Building a Bigger Catwalk: Rudy Lopez Brings His Vision to Richmond’s Fashion Scene

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During his first year as a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, Rudy Lopez helped orchestrate the largest end-of-year showcase the fashion department has ever seen, held at the Main Street Train Shed. This is a dramatic achievement for Lopez, who, even a year ago, thought working as a professor at VCU was far from likely. After years of failed starts and stints in retail to pay the bills, he’s at the forefront of campus fashion, and branching out city-wide.

This article originally appeared in RVA #33 Summer 2018, you can check out the issue here, or pick it up around Richmond now. 

Lopez, originally from the Philippines, grew up in a family of achievers. His father was a doctor, his sister a financial executive; another sister went into the arts and became a sculptor. He came of age during the 1990s East Coast skateboarding scene. Although he loved to draw from his earliest years, he really explored his creative side while playing in bands and traveling to hardcore punk shows in DC. When it came to a career, he wasn’t sure where his many interests and energy would lead.

Lopez took his first shot at college at George Mason University, where he quickly partied his way to academic probation. The summer after his first year, while talking about his future, a friend asked if he could see himself drawing more. Lopez immediately thought, “Yes, of course.” He researched art schools and sent in five drawings to VCU; his journey through art school started that fall, in 1998.

The words of Dean Richard Toscan during orientation shaped him in ways that probably weren’t expected — he still remembers them today: “If you think you are the hot-shot artist in [your] high school, look around; you’re one of 500.”

“I felt way over my head,” Lopez said. “I wasn’t that artist.” Self-fulfilling or not, his prophecy turned out to be right — but something good still came of his struggles through the school’s foundation classes, which he called “art bootcamp.” The summer after that first year, Lopez received an invitation to help out with a fashion show in New York, hosted by Organization for Returning Fashion Interest (ORFI).

“They needed help putting on the fashion show, filling out model sheets, organizing garments, sending invitations; the grunt work,” Lopez said. He hopped a train to New York, where he went 48 hours without any sleep.

“I was surrounded by creatives,” he said. “I felt this overwhelming wave of passion.”

Photo By: @rudyhlopez

When he returned to VCU, he turned to the fashion department to merge his newfound interest with his desire to be creative. He pursued the Fashion Merchandising track, thinking he could study design later if he wanted. Future internships led him to new contacts in New York and revelations about his career path. After graduation, Lopez attended Parsons School of Design, where he studied fashion graphic design.

From Parsons, he worked his way back to Richmond’s Need Supply Co., where he worked as a store manager before opening Henry, a streetwear shop on Broad Street, in 2006. Although the store earned acclaim, and is seen as the foundation for the current streetwear scene in the Broad Street Arts District, it didn’t survive the economic downturn, closing in 2008.

Lopez was discouraged. “It got to a point where I hated the Richmond fashion scene,” he said. He and his wife decided it was time for a break from the city, returning to Lopez’s native Philippines for about five months. However, he came back for a position at VCU, as a manager at the campus technology store.

While there, an assistant professorship opened up at the Fashion Department in VCU. “They asked me to interview,” Lopez said, and he went for it, despite thinking it was a long shot. Fortunately, he got the job, and said he couldn’t be happier with the work, especially mentoring students like himself who struggle to find their passion.

“I love it — teaching, guiding, and mentoring,” Lopez said. “Looking back at my own path, I always liked giving younger, up-and-coming people advice. I loved helping them and giving them whatever I could.”

He described the team as “a great blend of analytical and creative backgrounds,” looking to “create well-rounded people who can think in a variety of ways.”

Enter Lopez. He hopes to encourage an increasing level of collaboration among departments in the school and with businesses in the community. He says the community is ready for it. “Everyone says, ‘I don’t follow fashion,’ but every single person is dressed,” he said. “You’re part of the cycle.”

During the end-of-year fashion showcase, Lopez invited friends to create music, bringing the community to the campus. Joe Davenport, who performs as DJ Bobby La Beat, laid out live beats.

It’s just a first, small step toward his goal of uniting different communities. “Collaboration this year is not as extensive as I would like,” he said. “When you look at the production of a fashion show, there are so many elements: we have music we need to curate, the Department of Theater could create backdrops for the fashion show, there’s opportunity to work more closely with the designers as they create their collections.”

The physical impact of his presence could be seen in the innovative runway design for the 2018 showcase. The venue selection gave students space to create a runway that welcomed three times as many guests compared to previous years. Compared to a typical 70-foot runway, Lopez said, this year’s runway snaked through the train shed for nearly 500 feet.

“People were caught off guard when I said the fashion show could be bigger,” Lopez said, about an event that was already dramatically larger than prior ones. “It could be bigger not even in terms of people, but to be inclusive of people outside of VCUArts and fashion.”

Ultimately, he does this work because he wants the next generation of fashion students to be as proud of Richmond as he is. He said his work is “a reflection of how proud I feel graduating from the school, and the students coming after me.”