High fashion and fraternity houses may not always pair well together, but the staff of Penn’s fashion magazine, The WALK, showed that the combination is not a fashion faux pas.
Last evening, The WALK held a launch party for the release of its winter issue at the Psi Upsilon fraternity house, better known as Castle. The night was filled with different activities including a miniature fashion show, a red carpet-style photo booth and raffles for gift certificates for stores like H&M, Macy’s and Sweetgreen.
Currently, The WALK produces only 2,000 print copies of its magazine for each new issue, and on average, its website receives about 8,000 hits per month. However, the magazine is still working on expanding its campus and internet presence.
In particular, the group hoped that holding last night’s larger event would introduce more students to The WALK and encourage them to get more involved in the publication.
“This is a great opportunity for The WALK to make more of an impact than it would if we simply handed the new issue out on Locust,” said College sophomore Andie Davidson, one of the event’s coordinators.
The theme for the winter issue was diversity, so the magazine featured several articles connecting fashion and social enterprise from places all around the world, including Nepal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In addition, the issue features an interview with fashion designer, founder of the brand Alice Olivia and 1999 College graduate Stacey Bendet, as well as a relatively new section called Penn Speaks, where students not on The WALK’s staff can submit their pictures for publication.
However, it was the issue’s cover photo — depicting two girls, one with darker hair and one with lighter hair, wearing their hair braided together — that seemed to attract the most attention.
“I love the cover,” said College freshman Laura Petro, the senior editor of The WALK’s online shopping section. “The hair braided together seems to be bringing together the two girls. It’s just so natural and glamorous.”
Even guys seemed to enjoy the new issue.
“This issue is really diverse and keeps you engrossed,” College freshman Declan Bright-Emeruwa said.
Stephan Rihs, a senior exchange student in the College, added, “The layout is very professional and I’m surprised that a student group could pull something like this together.”
Overall, the staff seemed impressed by the party’s turnout.
“There are a lot of people having a good time talking and looking through the magazine, and that is exactly what we wanted to see,” said College and Wharton senior and The WALK Editor-in-Chief Emily Sherbany.
This evening, The WALK will hold a general body meeting in Huntsman Hall for students interested in joining the magazine.
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