MA student Marlyse Gakpa recently sat down with some of these future fashion leaders to ask: What is one fashion book or fashion publication you have read recently, and what is something memorable you have learned? Their responses offer a glimpse into the diverse sources shaping their perspectives and the key insights that resonate with them as they prepare to leave their mark on the fashion industry.

Celeste Lee – MA Fashion Journalism & Editorial Direction

One publication I read recently was Perfect magazine by Katie Grand. It’s really different from other magazines because it’s very big and hefty, it’s full of photos and each edition has a few hundred pages in it, so it’s more like a coffee table book. I really loved the fact that it is so different from other magazines. For example, the interviews that they do are really raw and in a  conversational style. They really get to know the person or creative behind the title or the project they’re interviewing them about. I love the photography they do, it’s very punchy and daring. They really go out of their way to break boundaries. They had this spread with Kate Moss in a full latex suit which I loved, and there was this other cover with Rihanna eating spaghetti…I thought that was really cool!

Diya Shah – MA Fashion Journalism & Editorial Direction

I am currently reading the Gentlewoman, a women’s magazine that is really empowering and explores the concept of minimalism, which reflects my personal values in this aspect. I love minimalism and the imagery in the magazine is amazing, the sort of colours that it uses… I love colour as well, as you can see. There is one phrase that I love, “Minimalism is the new maximalism.” A lot of people won’t agree with it but I think I go by that.

Michelle Garten – MA Luxury Brand Strategy & Business

I have been reading Virgil Abloh’s “Figures of Speech”, and a part that really excited me was when he talked about being creative and the need to never compromise on ourselves. As a creative who has several passions, like doing my own nails and makeup, I think it’s really interesting because it’s easy to fall into certain patterns and not always explore other interests, so I took that to heart.

Rebekah Reyes – MA Luxury Brand Strategy & Business

I came across the October issue of Monocle and a feature that stood out to me was on Lorenzo Bertelli. He is the CMO and Head of CSR of the Prada Group. I thought his perspectives were incredibly refreshing when asked what the role of fashion is in addressing environmental and societal impacts. What he said really resonated with me — fashion isn’t just about clothes and trends but it’s one of the most powerful mediums that influences society. He also mentioned that fashion has this unique capability of making important topics like sustainability and mindfulness not just accessible but attractive. So, yes, fashion has its pros and cons and its environmental impact is a big one, but he believes that the fashion industry today should take on that role and its responsibilities.

I found it really exciting and as a student it makes me think of how much change the fashion industry can do.

Images and interviews by Marlyse Gakpa, MA Creative Direction for Fashion Media student.