South students carried small magazines filled with photos of fellow students posing for the camera, displaying their sense of style. The magazine included photos highlighting fashion trends with bold makeup designs accompanying them. Stitched, South’s fashion magazine, takes a different route from The Oracle, Calliope, and Etruscan: it highlights self-expression.

Stitched was founded by senior Nicole Bim, who had a childhood dream of creating a fashion magazine. Despite having little connection to fashion, Bim said, with all the opportunities South offers, she was able to make Stitched an official publication by partnering with senior Erin Akgun’s advertising club.

“When I was growing up, I saw a movie that was about a lady who ran a fashion magazine and I thought to myself that it  would be a cool thing to do when I’m older,” Bim said. “With all the resources at South and the help from teachers, I made it happen.”

Bim and Akgun decided to combine Advertising Club and Stitched Club, even though  each had different goals to acquire from the magazine. Akgun does not necessarily have a connection to fashion, but she said that the graphic design and editing aspect of the magazine appealed to her.

“When Nicole talked about doing a fashion magazine, I thought we could combine [Advertising Club and Stitched, so that it was] still sort of two separate things but more of a cohesive thing so she could do the magazine she wanted to do and I could edit the pictures,” Akgun said.

Stitched’s focus is to highlight fashion, editing and photography. The first copy of Stitched didn’t have much of a distinct theme, but Bim and Akgun wanted to create an outlet to represent students’ personal style.

“Last year we told people, ‘Whatever you want to bring, whether that be hair, makeup or nails’, it’s whatever is personal to them,” Akgun said. “It’s really about your own personal style.”

Last year, Stitched released one issue in the second semester, but this year, they plan to release two issues, each displaying the fashion trends  at the time of their release. There will be an issue around winter break and an issue around spring break, Bim said. The first issue will have a theme of vibrant colors, while the second will be more of a cohesive background instead of a direct theme.

“[We had a photoshoot] on top of the roof by the solar panels, so for those outfits we [displayed] vibrant colors and color blocking,” Bim said. “Then we [went to] the bleachers and had old school outfits and denim.”

Prior to a photoshoot, members of Stitched begin by selecting a theme for the issue and then plan the best places to photograph the models. Following the photoshoot, staff meetings consist of selecting pictures, editing them and designing the overall layout of the pages. Akgun explained that it takes hard work to put the magazine together, but it all comes together so great in the end.

“[Last year,] the whole printing process took a really long time because no one really knew what we were doing, so we had to figure out how to get the photos lined up,” Akgun said. “However, I think the printing process will be much easier this year since we have had a lot of practice with it.”

Both Akgun and Bim expressed that Stitched is intended to represent South’s style of fashion, therefore everyone is encouraged to be involved in the photoshoots. They explained that it is important to them to be inclusive of everyone’s style at South.

“[Stitched emphasizes] being comfortable with your own unique fashion choices and not being afraid to show it,” Bim said. “It allows everyone to be proud of what they wear and how they express themselves.”