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The fate of the great American university

The preeminence of the “great American university” is at risk, argues Provost and Dean of the Faculties, Emeritus at Columbia, Jonathan Cole. On Wednesday night, Cole and other notable figures in higher education explored the preeminence of American research universities and the threats they face today in an event hosted by the Heyman Center for Humanities. These issues are detailed in Cole’s new book, The Great American University: Its Rise To Preeminence, Its Indispensable National Role, Why It Must Be Protected.

Although many view foreign universities as the threat, Cole argues that “the enemy is us.” He criticized post-September 11 federal investigations into American university research as “government interference with knowledge.” He also cited visa restrictions as impediments to the progress of research universities. “We cannot depend on our own talent base at this point in time,” he said.

Today, the most pressing threat to American research universities is the imposition of religious and ideological values on science, according to Cole.  Limits on research “imposed by the government [have] devastating effects on universities,” he said. Cole stressed that if these threats are not combated, American research universities will cease to be at the forefront of the world’s higher education.

To further explore Cole’s thoughts on Columbia’s past and future, read the recent Eye article here.

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kmcneirney

February 17, 2010

The Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation was established to support the careers of young, promising designers by offering seven designers in four different categories $25,00 grants to create a fashion shoe during New York Fashion Week in February. This year’s winners were Joseph Altuzarra, Phillipe Rollano, David Trujillo, John Patrick, Prabal Gurung, Irini Arakas, Rose Menuez, and Siki Im. Tribal prints, embellished dresses, and ostrich feathers repeatedly made their way down the runway; these three key pieces can bring the sartorial flair of the talented designers to campus this fall.

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cdaniels

February 15, 2010

Tony Cohen fall/winter 2010

by Helen Chen

Tony Cohen’s Fall Winter 2010 collection was designed for the quintessential New York woman. Born in the Netherlands, designer Tony Cohen grew up around fashion; his grandmother sold vintage second-hand clothing and his father worked in women’s fashion for 35 years. It seems Cohen was always destined to become a designer.

Cohen’s collection featured luxurious silks, cashmere, lambskin, and wool. Draped and hand-pleated dresses, which are quickly becoming his signature, were done in shades of black, grey, and burgundy. This is a distinct contrast to the bright chartreuse and white from the designer’s spring collection. The looks were accented by a leather wrap belt and black leather booties.

While the first portion of the collection was predictable with head-to-toe black looks, Cohen later mixed it up by incorporating different textures, from leather to fur to stone.

By far the standout pieces of the collection were the accessories. Cohen’s embroidered sleeve-gloves and embroidered leggings elicited audible gasps from the audience. While mesh leggings may not be practical in New York’s bitter winter, they could be easily layered over other leg-wear. Cohen also showed well-cut wool coats and an asymmetrical leather jacket, providing hope that this trend can outlive its biker origins.

Cohen showed a solid collection, reinterpreting his aesthetic for fall/winter without compromising his signature draping. While it may not have been the most original or provoking collection, the pieces could be easily incorporated into one’s wardrobe. The clothes were just that—clothes. They weren’t trying to be something monumental and that, in a way, was more refreshing than the sky-high heels and crazy get-ups people have come to associate with fashion.

Posted by

hchen

February 14, 2010

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Commonwealth Utilities fall/winter 2010

Designer Anthony Keegan and business partner Richard Christiansen chose yet another eccentric location to showcase the Commonwealth Utilities fall/winter 2010 menswear collection: the deteriorating lobby of a 1903 French Renaissance building on the corner of 28th Street and Broadway. With its peeled paint ceiling (some fell on the runway during the show) and exposed tangle of wires, the space felt like a ghost town, miles from the buzz and hype of fashion shows held at the tents at Bryant Park. Guests were served hot cider to stay warm pre-show as heating has yet to be installed in the building (which will become The NoMad Hotel in 2011).

Fleet Week was the inspiration for the collection, which was dominated by marine looks in a navy and grey palette. Not so subtle were the show’s opening and closing sweaters, emblazoned with “officer” and “gentlemen”, respectively. The rest of the show made up for these kitschy looks. Models boldly strutted down in skinny long-johns, the male version of the legging. These were a bit risqué yet quintessential of Keegan’s use of casual staples in dressed up collections. Blazers in distressed plaid, a perfectly cut black leather trench coat, and the tuxedo-stripe skinny jeans stood out as the sharpest pieces. Keegan knows his fans well as much of the audience wore a mix of casual and dressy. For the Columbia “gentlemen”, the collection is an inspiration for students who want to look spiffy in class wearing sweatpants – just add a blazer and scarf for some flair.

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Helen Werbe

February 14, 2010

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Moncler Grenoble fall/winter 2010

With its Moncler Grenoble Fall/Winter 2010 collection, famed skiwear brand Moncler launched a new line meant for the city as well as the slopes. As far as presentations go, this one can be rightly considered a spectacle. It featured 100 models on four layers of scaffolding at the Pier 59 Gold Club, neatly divided into groups by outfit. Throughout the presentation, bouncing spotlights hovered on different groups of models in time with the music.

The clothing was to be expected of Moncler, but it had a more striking, fashionable bent than the brand’s traditional skiwear. Indeed, while the collection incorporated the traditional shiny down material it’s known for, there were also slim-cut trousers and three-quarter zip pullovers for après ski, as well as an assortment of hats, gloves, boots, and winter shorts for men.

Women’s coats were markedly more inventive than usual. One resembled a 50s-style dress with a tightly cinched waistband and another was a modern-day shrunken fall jacket in puffer form. As for color, most pieces were rendered in a deep brown, with charcoal grey and standby black close behind.

Considering that the presentation took place outside on the chilly evening of St. Valentine, most models were lucky to be quite comfortable in Moncler’s sleeping bag-like coats. The coats retain human heat, making for a rather cozy experience. Some models, however, were solely in slim-fitting fleece gear and soon couldn’t stand the cold. They hurried off the scaffolding before a man could make the rounds handing out small hand heaters.

Despite that hindrance, the outdoors was a nicely thought-out setting for the brand, who prides itself on warmth. The shivering guests, including the fur-coat clad Carine Roitfeld, were presumably chilled into wanting to buy a Moncler to avoid future cold.

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Anna Cooperberg Gonzalez

February 14, 2010

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A new style for Chinese New Year

“This is weird. I mean, it’s just that in Ohio, no one I knew celebrated Chinese New Year. It was a thing I heard in passing.” remarked Kyle Robertson CC’13, as he walked into John Jay Dining Hall for lunch on John Jay Chinese New Year Day. The entire dining area was decorated with hong bao (red envelopes) and red lanterns, while students chomped on stir-fried vegetables and Cantonese music of the 1960s played in the background. Chopsticks were optional but abundant.

Just as Columbia seeks to celebrate the diversity of its students, the fashion industry is finally embracing the talent to its designers of Asian origin. Designers such as Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Jen Kao, Jason Wu, and Prabal Gurung are known for their artistry and skill — not for being Asian. The separation of their identity as Asian Americans from fashion designers is a stark contrast to the perception of designers of an older generation, such as Vivienne Tam. The new generation of designers aren’t trying to display the influence of their Asian culture on their collections through modified qipaos (a traditional Chinese dress); instead, they are proclaiming to the world that they are not defined by the constraints of Oriental stereotypes.

In the midst of Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, Asian American designers present some of the most highly-anticipated shows of the season. With Chinese New Year right in the middle of it, one cannot help but wonder what some of our favorite designers are doing to celebrate.

Posted by

Noel Duan

February 14, 2010

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