TFN SPRING 2024: A Farewell, A Greeting, A Magazine.
Read below for more information regarding new beginnings, Issue #12, and what's to come in TFN!
President’s Letter 2023: William Hohe
Dear The Fashion Network,
It is with immense gratitude that I am writing my final president’s letter in the closing of my time leading this phenomenal organization. In the past weeks onboarding our new president, Alex Limov, and new lead organizer of CFE, Sam Crutcher, I have often been reminded of where my journey started with TFN.
I began my time in The Fashion Network on a whim, seeing the likes of former president, Jessie Peng, and former Photography Director, Isabelle Zhao, at Quad Day my freshman year. Intrigued with the club, I departed for the first shoot, “Modern Western”, with Photography/Videography director and dear friend, Francesca Dumitrescu, unbeknownst to me how important this first shoot would be to my collegiate and professional trajectory.
The immediate sense of creative energy and camaraderie was palpable. In the middle of the south campus fields on a beautiful September day, myself, Francesca, and a plethora of TFN members, who would become some of my closest friends and creative partners in retrospect, departed on a creative pursuit. I felt free and accepted into a creative community that I was yearning and craving to find within the confines of UIUC.
It was a privilege to experience this once, but a true honor to then become an executive board member the following semester. A major thank you goes to Isabelle Zhao for trusting and selecting me to carry on her legacy in TFN.
Fast forward to the spring and working with former president, Rebekah Phaiboun, executive members, Avery Nims and Aliyah Philip, amongst so many other fabulous creative leaders on this campus, I was strongly shaped by the organization, precedent, and ambition set out by our growing executive board. The Spring of 2022 also saw the incorporation of The Circular Fashion Expo (CFE), in its first iteration, at the Siebel Center of Design (SCD), which began the crazed growth of TFN from a once more casual, impromptu collective to a powerful force of creative individuals that shape the mold of fashion, style, and runway on this campus.
It’s hard to distinguish what the best part of the club is, whether it be photoshoots, socials, a casual conversation with another member while waiting at the bus station, or seeing a familiar face while in Chicago or elsewhere. I will always have a soft spot for CFE, the entirety of the TFN executive board(s), Josh Jay James, and the hundreds of individuals who have trusted that vision in its 4 consecutive versions. It remains an event that symbolizes the power of community, art, fashion, and circularity in motion while also providing a symbol of hard work, problem-solving, and sacrificing one’s interests for the communal, collaborative perspective on what’s possible for fashion and the future, even amidst the rural landscape of central Illinois.
This brought me to the role of president of TFN, which saw a brand-new executive board, a third and fourth iteration of CFE to follow up to, and a 500+ member organization, with countless other attendees and supporters outside the realm of direct involvement to integrate into 2023. With that in mind, the year’s work was not an easy pill to swallow, let alone this being one of the most challenging executive/leadership positions I have personally held in my life thus far.
I am forever appreciative and grateful to the lovely 2023 TFN Executive Board. Working alongside Sophie, Nolan, Alyssa, Olivia, Francesca, Khoi, Thomas, Anu, Naina, Cece, Taychelle, Monique, Dalila, Darina, Samridhi, Arianna, Mia, Karla, and so many others not only showcased the power of community amidst some of the most stressful and hardworking weeks, prepping shoots whilst simultaneously outputting things for CFE, but illuminated to me how strong a creative community can be.
Serving as president has taught me so much, and I have been inspired by so many who have led, taught, and impacted my approach to creative direction and collaboration that I would feel silly leaving this letter without some words of wisdom.
All good things, I believe, come in 3. Serving on the TFN executive board and being part of TFN for 3 years has taught me the following:
1. Strength in numbers: You are nothing without those around you. Leading TFN, I am as important as the newest member of our lovely network. Without each and every one of the 500+ faces that comprise the club, there would be no TFN. I am indebted to each friend I have met along the way who pushed me to continue spreading, sharing, and collaborating throughout the past 3 years.
2. Impact on others: It’s a funny thing to realize that the reach of TFN goes far beyond the models, stylists, photographers, and artists that comprise each shoot. It’s even more brilliant to see how impactful CFE has been on other colleges, communities, and spaces beyond Champaign-Urbana. The impact of TFN, CFE, and the culture that is created within these spaces and events does not go unnoticed and there lies a responsibility to each other to execute and deliver something new and brilliant every time, no matter how successful or beautifully fallible the idea might be.
3. Intuition and self-belief: When I did not believe in myself, in my moments of doubt, stress, and failure, I could always count on TFN to have my back and bolster me, as a leader, as an artist, and as a human. The feeling of leading a community such as ours and having the support of veteran members and newcomers alike is something I hold with immense honor and gratitude that I shall forever carry with me.
I often think about where I would be if I hadn’t chosen to listen to Isabelle during the first few days of freshman year. I thank that 18-year-old version of me for seeing something sparkly on the other side of the 3 monogrammed letters spelling out “T..F..N” and I am proud every day of what we have done, what we continue to create, and see what becomes of this lovely organization.
And so, I leave you with this.
“People respond well to those that are sure of what they want.” – Anna Wintour
I often regard Miss Wintour as a chilling presence of leadership in fashion. Yet, I hope to leave you with something less frigid. What I hope to leave you with in my term here is not my love of maximalism, adoration for the unknown, or ability to juggle a CFE, 4 photoshoots, and a publication at once. I hope I showed you a sign of integrity, authenticity, and intuition, because even when I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted, you all believed in me, regardless of the work that lay ahead of us.
Be sure of yourself, and others will find you, follow, and entrust in you.
There is no greater honor than to be part of this artistic, creative, and esoteric community. I will forever thank you for the hurdles, habits, and amazing memories that I reminisce about while bidding farewell to this presidency. Thank you for your trust, your passion, and for your belief. Here’s to the future, to fashion, and the impact that TFN, CFE, and our collaborative love of style has on this campus and beyond.
Endless love & forever a friend,
~William Hohe
TFN President & Lead Organizer of CFE
SP23-FA23
President’s Greeting 2024: Alex Limov
Hello, everyone!
My name is Alexandra Limov, and I am absolutely thrilled to be taking on the role of President for The Fashion Network (TFN) for 2024. The moment I received the news, I couldn’t help but reflect on the times when I was a little girl hosting my own fashion shows, with my brother unwillingly draped in scarves and blankets to act as makeshift dresses (sorry!). The whole production would include my family watching and judging, sparingly passing out 10s across the board, and us strutting down the hallway with our cardboard bangles and heels (obviously repurposed from my Cinderella costume). Throughout the years, this enduring passion for fashion proved to be a constant in my personal development and always one that brought out the best of me. There really is no feeling like wearing something that just feels so undeniably you. Upon discovering TFN here at UIUC, I was astounded to see the extent of opportunities that were available for all interested. Discovering a community that valued and embraced creative freedom signified that I had found a place where my younger self would have only dreamt of being.
Entering the University, I never expected to find a space like TFN that resonated so deeply with my love for creating. My journey with TFN began with my first shoot, "Perhaps Lack of Motif" in Fall 2022, a memory that remains so vivid in my mind, that it feels like it only happened last weekend! I remember getting off the phone with my mom, raving about all of the amazing members I had the opportunity to talk with. I can confidently say that this sentiment holds true to this day. I wholeheartedly thank TFN for reminding me that the world has so much to offer and so much to learn from. I am excited to grow alongside you all this year, and I can not wait to see how we implement all of our ideas. During my previous role as Marketing Director (shoutout exec 2023, I love you all deeply), I have been able to witness the dedication, perseverance, passion, and loyalty embedded within each member, which leaves my heart soft and overflowing with gratitude.
Well, enough about me, what's on the horizon?! Brace yourselves for numerous collaborations with all different sorts of organizations, dozens of workshops, and of course, captivating shoot themes that we are eager to share with all of you. Our recently announced shoot, "Porcelain Paradox", explores the juxtaposition of perfection embodied by vintage dolls yet also highlights the eerie aging and wear that we see on so many of them today. One that clearly showcases the passage of time, and serves as a tangible reflection of their unique stories. This shoot was greatly inspired by the recent Maison Margiela show, where Pat McGrath used a new and distinctive makeup technique to achieve a doll-like/ glass-skin effect on the models. We are so excited to put our own spin on this concept, and can't wait to witness the creativity each member brings to this shoot!
Thank you all for creating this incredible space, and to all new members, welcome! We can't wait to see what you take away from, and give back to this organization. Once again, I can't wait to hear from you all so soon. Thank you William for passing the baton over to me. I have big, fat shoes to fill. LOVE YOU!!!! BYE!
~Alex Limov
TFN President
SP24-FA24
Issue #12: The BLISS Issue
THE BLISS ISSUE
Happiness is felt when doing what lights you up, the very thought of it makes you excited, feel something, and diminishes the perception of time. Happiness is being fully immersed within the present moment, the type of submersion that you’ll come to value more looking back on it than experiencing it then and there, when you forget to take the action into account in relation to time.
Happiness is doing what you love.
No matter how complex, grand, miniscule, or ‘insignificant’ it may be compared to the the vast scale of the universe as we know it to be, the significance of what makes you happy does not depend on the size, nor does it rely on the opinions of others. Happiness is doing what you know to love unapologetically, confidently, and nearly naturally. It is intuitive, it is already within you, it is listening to the voice in your head that is telling you to pursue that thing, take the chance and experience that interest, or explore what you’ve been enticed by. It is acting on the dream you have held onto since childhood and the flutter of excitement, thrill, that rises within your body when it is mentioned, when you put in the work, and engage with something you truly enjoy. It is an immediate yes, with little to no hesitation to pass it up. It is what you can’t pass up without experiencing, while remaining open-minded to things and perceptions you’re due to fall in love with without knowing it yet.
The Fashion Network & The Circular Fashion Exposition allowed me to bond with my sense of self I hadn’t previously given attention to, to the extent I had wanted to, who has forever been encapsulated by the imaginative qualities and limitless creative possibilities fashion withholds. This organization nurtures a community of creatives I am grateful to have encountered and befriend during my time as an active member; modeling, writing, designing, to then upholding the responsibility of this magazine for two semesters, while crafting and maintaining a visual identity of the organization and event. I feel honored to have been trusted with the branding and visual representation of such a unique space for this university, which in return, contributed greatly to my growth and deeper sense of self.
If there is one thing you take away from Issue 12, let it stand as a tangible visual, a collection, of the uttermost creative collaboration TFN welcomes from each and every one who was involved. While this is a fashion magazine that was designed with the assistance of talented designers; Erin Yu, Madison Edwards, Nicole Vestidas, & Hallie Thomas, the message behind this issue has less to do with the aesthetics of the spreads, and more to do with the realization of gratitude that individuals of similar interests came together to make these visuals come to life. It is a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and visually seeing what it is this community was able to produce over the course of the Fall 2023 semester, and part of the Spring 2023 semester - even though it runs deeper then just the visuals. It is within the act of the creating, the hours of runway practice, a model holding a pose for minutes on end, all the components blending together to bring a photoshoot theme to life. To witness everyone bring their own interests to the forefront is such a beautiful thing to see, as each individual brings a part of themself and their own interpretation to the creative process. There would not be a magazine to document the beautiful work of the makeup artists, hair stylists, models, stylists, photographers and directors if it weren’t for all of us, all of you. It stands as proof that even while undergoing obstacles and challenges, you can choose to hold onto your bliss, learn from what arises, and continue onward creating.
Thank you for sharing your energy with The Fashion Network & The Circular Fashion Expo this Spring 2023 & Fall 2023 season, it is because of you that this creative space is more then the organization says to be, it’s an outlet to connect with, discover, and exercise your passions or interests and other creatives while doing so. I applaud all those who dedicated energy into bringing their visions to life, and thank you for sharing with a community. This issue was designed with the intention to bring light to different styles, designing techniques, and aesthetics of different individuals - coming together to create art. Your own interpretation of what is considered beautiful and significant, your own design process, your unique visions, are all gifts, and should never be hindered or squandered in the creative process. You all contribute in your own unique way, with your own interests and artistic styles. I encourage you to continue bringing your style to the table, whether it’s for this organization or in life. I encourage you to develop your own opinions and look to bring your visions to life even if it hasn’t been seen before.
If there is anything you take away from me - listen to your heart, your gut, do what makes you lose track of time, and follow your bliss. My time as the design lead for TFN & CFE was a period of time where I was simply doing what I love, and I am glad to have been able to share some design knowledge with other graphic designers. You have the power to make the most of whatever it is you are involved in. If you want it, by all means get it. There is no one with a story like yours, with a path like yours, with a mind like yours, with visions like yours. Share with the world, be confident in what you offer and who you are.
Thank you for having me as your Creative Director of Design, may Issue 12 communicate more then what is on the pages. I send my love, positive energy, and sincere gratitude to have crossed paths at this time and place with each and every one of you, those within the TFN & CFE community and fellow executive members, my friends, may the universe always work in your favor.
You are the universe, be who you want to be in this life.
Follow your bliss & stay curious.