Strike Magazine Tallahassee Issue 19

TALLAHASSEE | ISSUE 19

Fervor in Form depicts the bodily manifestation of desire. When you admit its presence, this desire cuts through mental noise and reorients you towards creating the life you always envisioned for yourself. Rooted in presence rather than process, it exists after introspection where identity and creativity is no longer restrained, but fully embodied and visible. This visceral instinct releases you into a boundless reality that is indulgent and inherently your own.

Editor-in-Chief

NICOLE JAROSCAK, Valerie Zuluaga*

External Affairs Director

JULIA CLIFFORD

Creative Director

MARCELA NIEVES, Peyton Dominguez*, Ariel Lyden*, Mia Risolia, Yinelys Esquivel, Ryan Ciampitti, Natasha Tanner, Anna Harris, Jennifer Mai, Cassidy Tarr, Lily Lewis, Kayva Akkiraju, Lauren Lee, Arianna Abril, Isabelle Kim, Hannah Seifart, Benjamin Estrada, Victoria Relova

Video

ELLA DENNY, Jackson Tessmer*, Leonardo Rutigliano, Pepe Zuloaga, Katelyn Wexler, Cindy Lam, Abby Bryan, Sophia Ferraro, Avery Ranum, Jenni Cruz, Aubree Moorhead

Beauty

DANIELLA CHANTRA, Lily Schweiss*, Destiny Jacobs, Rayne Blount, Maren Kaymak-Loveless, Vanessa Vega, Gabriella Torres-Mora, Nedjie JeanFrancois, Lauren Van Nostrand, Stephanie Medeiros, Isabella Ulrich, Jazmin Ashley

Productions

NINA VALDES, Camila Ciampi*, Ivana Major, Lauren Gonzalez, Amanda Maceiras, Meagan Hernandez, Gabriella Martinez, Ava Arenado

Finance

ANAGRACE BENNETT, Hajime Sato*, Elisa Chong*, Matthew Snyder, Michael Snyder, Reed Alligood, Braden White, Kate Sousa

Digital

JORDAN MCAVIN, Kristen Barnwell*, Sophia Kelbert*, Mallory Lumpkin*, Christine Ricardo, Jaydaliz Ruiz Cruz, Hadassah Durante, Beth Tingley, Emily McComb, Shannon Kern, Keanu Parsa, London Fields, Ashlynne Smiley, Grace Everingham, Courtney Crabill, Addison Ackerman, Daniella Giron, Kate Palmer

Graphics

RYAN HANAK, Gianna Graziano*, Lexee Baker, Eliza Crawley, Cali Fesler, Ava Liuzzo, Daniela Mendoza, Laiba Mubarak, Emma Murphy

Photo

MARIA PENALVER, Myles Roberts*, Joey Harbour, Juan Martinez, Barbara Kopec-Jewula, Malachi Boles, Jackson Tessmer, Isabella Madaffari, Hannah Tranle, Shi Steiger

Social Media

KELCY COFIELD, Danielle Weston*, Lea Khawaja, Isabel Fateux, Ava Liuzzo, Amber Ryan, Kathy Waryold, Fabiana Capone

Staff

Sales

ISABELLE KIM, Hayley Pollard*, Alexa Buonsanto, Ava Adams, James Boutros, Chloe Tovar, Isaiah Hall, Janna Nohra, Jessica Grant, Kayla Davis, Brantley Gay

Brand Ambassadors

ELLA COBE, Mae Naidu*, Alice Mackenzie, Peyton Rosenthal, Sadie Graves, Madison DiPasquale, Jordan Rosenwasser, Lulu Cartwright, Sophia Butell, Nina Tran, Skyler Jatio, Harper Thurston, Emma Velasco, Julia Clark

Marketing

SOPHIA POLLARD, Ava Berry*, Emily Woo, Shayne King, Alexis Brewis, Jade Chancis, Maria Carrillo, Andrea Medina, Kylea Zinati, Ava Gartland, Genesis Harris, Olivia Walters, Anthony Curto, Laney Wilkins, Gianna Carrano, Brianna LaPella, Carolina Baboun, Natalie Skolmutch, Miles King, Lucy Harris, Lexee Baker

Merchandise

MELISSA AGUIAR, Sydney DeCarlo*, Kya Akins, Hannah Bode, Zara Mendoza, Mae Naidu, Julia Shirazyan

Styling

ISABELA JAHNES, Daniella Acosta*, Camille Marshall*, Madison Grant, Meagan McGinty, Cali Fesler, Amelia Crawford, Sasha Viouchkov, Elle Orchard, Kat Davis, Grace Coombs, Abby Fayette

Writing

DANI HERNANDEZ, Daniela Mendoza*, Salette Cambra*, Melany Rodriguez*, Abby Marshall*, Garrett Discala, Jacqueline Galvano, Parker Snaith, Samantha Goldberg, Grace Myatt, Camila Alvarez, Annaliese Long, Madison Steidle, Sarah Weber, Alexia Cretoiu, Priscilla Rodriguez, Addison Lucas, Laila Simmons, Allison LaTore, Dylan Longman, Sukhi Sodhi, Ava Binkowski

Layout

ANGIE GALLETTI, Ryan Hanek*, Anasofia Godley, Gabby Daddario, Sabrina Fontanari, Ishaa Khosla

Runway

ALLISON BELTRANI, Madison St. John*, Alessandra Battistini*, Alexa Swecker, Stella Dauval, Eva Carbonara, Luna Abella, Kat Davis, Hailee Bouchard, Grace Coombs, Dhanin Balgobin, Lily Schweiss

Events

CAROLINA CASTRO, Angelina Lezcano*, Natalie Quintana*, Paige Zarecor, Micaela Borja-Miranda, Macy Ladle, Ankhet-Nu Whyte, Gina Lee, Annie Bowers, Reanta Garcia, Alexandra Alvarez, Ashley Faris, Ishaa Khosla, Claire Mowry, Daniela Denley, Presleigh Green, Cristina Bailly, Enja Jean, Eva Oklin, Isabella Owen

EIC ASSISTANT VALERIE ZULUAGA

Being Nicole’s assistant this semester has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful opportunities I’ve had during my time at FSU. I’m incredibly grateful to have such an inspiring exec team to learn from, and for my fellow assistants whose constant support meant so much to me. Everyone involved in Strike Magazine made this experience unforgettable, they are truly some of the most dedicated and hardworking people I’ve ever had the chance to work with. I am incredibly proud of Issue 19, and it’s amazing to see how all of our hard work truly paid off.

DIGITAL

JORDAN MCAVIN

Knowing this is my last semester on Strike carries a weight that’s hard to ignore. However, the connections I’ve built and the work we’ve created together are what will stay with me. Being surrounded by individuals who truly share my passion and drive has become the most meaningful part of my time at FSU. There’s a real sense of purpose that comes with contributing to something bigger than yourself. I’m especially proud of everything my team has accomplished this year, and even more grateful to have been part of it.

GRAPHICS

RYAN

HANAK

This semester, I’m so grateful I got to step into the Graphics Director role with such an insanely talented group of designers. They’re creative, supportive, and always down to help out. Collaborating with them (and the other teams, of course) has honestly been the highlight of my semester. I’m just really proud of what we have done together, and everyone else’s amazing work to make Strike possible.

PHOTO MARIA PENALVER

Thank you to my team for all of the dedication, and for proving me right every time I guessed we could make this work. Enjoy the outcomes.

SOCIAL

MEDIA KELCY COLFIELD

It’s such a bittersweet feeling that this is my last semester with Strike. I’m so grateful to have been a part of this family for the last 2 years and I can’t imagine my college experience without it. Thank you to my amazing team and assistant Dani for the endless TikToks, photo sourcing, and Instagram captions. I couldn’t have done it without you guys. Strike, your creativity never fails to impress me and I can’t wait to see how this legacy is carried on.

FINANCE ANAGRACE BENNETT

Thank you to the Finance team and everyone on Strike!!

BRAND AMBASSADOR ELLA COBLE

One of the most rewarding aspects of working with Strike is the opportunity to connect with new people and bond over a shared passion for fashion and creativity. It has been such a pleasure collaborating with such a dedicated team this year, they are the driving force behind what Strike represents: a platform that embodies the magazine’s brand, vision, and lifestyle. I am incredibly proud of my team and colleagues for bringing Spring Issue 19 to life!

MARKETING SOPHIA POLLARD

I still can’t believe that just last year the Marketing Team didn’t even exist. Coming into this brand new director’s role with no foundation was a little daunting, but what made this role was not me in any sense, it was my team and everything they put into it. This year, we changed up a lot and those rejoining or brand new to our largely bigger team adapted amazingly. I am so proud of my marketing baddies and everything we have accomplished from brand collabs, to large events, to out reaching Strike so that it has become something solid and known all across campus. We helped create that brand image and you guys should be so proud! I know I am.

MERCHANDISE MELISSA AGUIAR

I am so grateful to have stepped into the role of Merchandise Director. This opportunity has meant so much to me, and I’m incredibly thankful for my team and everything we have created together. Getting to see our ideas come to life and become pieces that people actually wear and connect with has been such a cool and rewarding experience. A special thank you goes out to my perfect assistant, Sydney, and to everyone in Strike for making this semester one I am especially proud of!

STYLING ISABELA JAHNES

For my second semester as Styling Director, I am thankful for the learning opportunities and growth. I am so lucky to be able to have the people on my team this semester, they were an immense amount of help with their own creative direction. A huge thank you for everyone I worked with and the privilege to be a part of something so amazing.

BEAUTY

DANIELLA CHANTRA

Being surrounded by such creative and talented individuals is endlessly inspiring and I’m grateful to be part of this passionate and driven community. I’m so proud of my team for their artistry, dedication, and the amazing looks they brought to life this semester. I can’t wait to watch Strike continue to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible.

LAYOUT ANGIE GALLETTI

Creating Issue 19 has been such a rewarding experience, and I am incredibly grateful to both my team and our executive board, who worked nonstop alongside me to bring this vision to life. It’s so special to see the amount of talent, creativity and hard work that goes into each piece, and even more meaningful to help shape it into a final product others can enjoy. Thank you to everyone who contributed, you are what makes this issue so memorable!

RUNWAY ALLISON BELLTRANI

It’s hard to put into words what this team truly means to me, especially with this being my last semester on Strike. The Runway team has been such a constant in my life and the people on it have become my family in every sense of the word. Seeing everyone grow as creatives and having the privilege to lead them this semester has been incredibly special. I am so proud of everything we have created together, and I know leaving this team will be the hardest part of graduating. Xoxo

EVENTS CAROLINA CASTRO

This semester has been such a meaningful experience for me, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as Events Director. Being able to plan, create, and bring events to life with such a talented and passionate team. This position pushed me to tap into my creative side in ways I hadn’t before. Through this role, I not only got to contribute to something bigger than myself, but I also discovered a genuine passion for events and realized that this is what I want to pursue in my future career. I’m so proud of everything we accomplished and so thankful for everyone who helped make each moment come together so seamlessly. Strike will always hold a special place in my heart.

VIDEO ELLA DENNY

I can’t imagine my life without the connections and bonds I’ve made within Strike, and with this being my last semester, it makes it even harder to say goodbye. To all the amazing friends I call my Strike family on my video team—I could not have done this role without your support and kindness. Your dedication to improving each semester and your willingness to give your all to every shoot never go unnoticed. I can’t thank you enough for the past three years and everything Strike has added to my college experience!

CD ASSISTANT ARIEL LYDEN

As Creative Director Assistant of this issue, not only was it such a rewarding and enlightening experience, but the memories I had made were life long. From the introduction meetings of this season’s shoots team, to the wrap up of the final shoot, the process of this position is bittersweet yet beautiful. With this issue, working alongside Nicole, Mar, Julia, Peyton, and the members of the shoots team allowed me to learn what it truly means to be an artist. Immersing myself into the lovely world of Strike Magazine was the best decision I’d ever made in my collegiate years; and I forever thank those around me who continue to support, guide, and inspire me every day!

CD ASSISTANT PEYTON DOMINGUEZ

I just want to say how much being part of Strike and especially working alongside this team as the Creative Director Assistant means to me. Getting to support and create with such talented, driven, and genuinely amazing people is something I never take for granted.You all inspire me every day with your creativity, your work ethic, and the way you show up for each other. Even during the busiest or most chaotic moments, there’s always a sense of support and positivity that makes everything feel worth it.

SALES ISABELLE KIM

Throughout the last few months and my final semester with Strike I have had the privilege of working with the sales team to proactively reach out to various local businesses, exchanging for advertisements for support. I’m incredibly proud of this team’s poise, creativity, and drive, their ability to represent Strike with both professionalism and flair truly sets them apart.

WRITING DANI HERNANDEZ

I’ve loved every second of getting to work on Strike, and I am immensely grateful for this experience, the people it brought me, and the creative fulfillment it granted. It’s hard to believe this semester is the end of my Strike journey, I feel so lucky to have gotten to work with such amazing, talented, and superstar individuals. I’ll never forget the connections I made, the lessons I learned, or how special this community is. I’m so proud of everyone, sending love always. Strike Out!

PRODUCTIONS NINA VALDES

Serving as Productions Director for Strike has been such an inspiring and rewarding experience, allowing me to bring creative visions to life alongside an incredibly talented team. From casting to execution, every detail came together because of the dedication and collaboration of those around me. I am beyond grateful for my team, whose hard work, creativity, and commitment made everything possible. I am so proud of what we’ve created together and thankful for everyone who played a part in bringing this issue to life.

D

IRECTOR’S S NOT

A ETTER FROM THE

L EDITOR IN CHIEF

Fervor in Form is a theme I resonate with deeply—not only because it is my last, but because it perfectly captures how I feel about my entire experience with Strike Magazine. Many people struggle to find their passion—that thing that ignites something within them and makes them feel complete. It took time and trial and error, but I found that feeling when I joined this community.

I always knew I loved fashion and creativity, but I never imagined I could turn that into a career until that moment. It felt like a switch flipped. I went from being a college student without a clear direction—freshly stepping away from playing soccer my entire life—to discovering something that filled me with excitement and an eagerness to learn. Strike became my fervor in form, my passion brought to life.

I’m grateful not only for the opportunity to pursue what I love, but for how this experience has shaped me into the woman I am today. I feel stronger, more confident, and more ambitious because I took a chance on this magazine. It has completely changed the trajectory of my life, and I couldn’t feel more fortunate to have found it.

Creating this issue has pushed me beyond my limits and shown me what I am truly capable of. It taught me that fear is nothing more than a barrier and one that can be overcome.

I am capable of creating and achieving anything I set my mind to, as long as I lead with passion and believe in myself.

One of the most meaningful parts of this journey has been the people I’ve shared it with. There is nothing like finding others who thrive on the same energy you do—people who understand the indescribable feeling of turning ideas into reality.

Marcela and Julia, you have been my guiding forces this past year. I feel incredibly lucky to share this passion with you both. The fact that we would drop anything for this magazine is exactly why we’ve been able to create what we have. Talent and vision matter, but it’s the drive— the constant push to exceed expectations and challenge norms—that sets our work apart. It often felt like we shared one mind, and I would do it all over again with you a million times. Thank you for your unwavering support, and for the creativity and heart you bring into everything you do. These past two issues reflect the passion that connects us, and I couldn’t have done any of this without you.

To Valerie, my EIC assistant—thank you for your dedication and for never hesitating to show how much this magazine means to you. People often wonder what it takes to reach this position, and the answer is simple: it comes from that fire within. I saw that in you from the very beginning. In such a short time, you’ve shown a level of commitment that is rare, and it’s exactly what makes you stand out. I have no doubt you will continue to do incredible things.

To our CD assistants, Ariel and Peyton—thank you for the time and effort you poured into bringing this issue to life. Your contributions mean more than you know, and I’m excited to see all that you accomplish moving forward.

Lastly, thank you to every member of this organization. The support, passion, and care you bring to both the magazine and every other aspect of Strike never go unnoticed. It means everything to me.

Lastly, thank you to every member of this organization. The support, passion, and care you bring to both the magazine and every other aspect of Strike never go unnoticed. It means everything to me.

Strike out,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nicole Jaroscak

A LETTER FROM THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

When you let go of all expectation, where does your mind go? How does the world begin to look? What shapes begin to take form? You made them, after all. Every color, every curve, every softness or sharp edge—all born from a place only you can access. I want to see what holds your gaze, what renders you starry-eyed and still. To fully indulge in a vision turned reality.

“Fervor in Form” was born from the understanding that the gap between what we are and what we desire is not as wide as it seems. This gap dissipates through the active pursuit of passion. When we stop waiting for life to happen to us and realize that the one thing we have control over is our actions, everything starts to become much more simple. Decisions feel more intuitive, and beauty begins to emerge in the most unexpected places.

To everyone who brought this vision into focus, thank you. This issue would not be the same without the collective efforts of our incredibly talented community. A special thanks to the Shoots team. From concept to execution, you all worked so hard to bring this issue to life, and for that I am forever grateful.

Thank you to our executive assistants—Ariel, Peyton, and Valerie. Your hard work and dedication speak volumes. You went above and beyond in your roles, and it has been such a pleasure seeing you grow into your positions.

Finally, to Nicole and Julia, I owe the biggest thanks to you both. I still remember how we all joined the Shoots team at the same time. If freshmanyear me knew how far we’d come, she would be in complete awe. Co-leading this magazine with you both has been such an incredible experience. This year has held so many beautiful moments, along with some deeply challenging ones, and through it all, I always knew I could find you right there with me. Though it pains me that this is the last Strike issue we will ever work on together, I’m so incredibly proud of you both and know so many amazing things await you.

Immediately upon joining Strike, I knew this was a space I wanted to fully immerse myself in. The gratitude I feel for every person, experience, lesson learned, and all the growth I’ve experienced here is hard to put into words. As Issue 19 comes to a close, I’m excited to see what visions take shape next.

Strike out,

CREATIVE

DIRECTOR Marcela Nieves

AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

A LETTER ROM THE F EXTERNAL

There’s a recurring notion where the greatest moments in my life slip through my fingers faster than I can remember to grasp my palm shut. It’s as if my hand is full of sand and the harder I hold on, the faster the sand finds a way through. Memories have a funny way of mirroring that sand. Slipping away so fast just to suddenly reappear in the bottom corner of a bag, or in the life I now live. And each time I find it, I remember the way it felt when I first held it in my hand. The warmth. The granular unity. The smooth way it slid into the indents of my hand and left behind a dust that was impossible to forget.

Strike slipped into the indents of my brain the same way the sand slipped in the indents of my hand – with ease to fall in but resistance to remove.

Coming into college, I thought the concept of a passion was a myth. Something people manufactured to motivate themselves to success. However, as soon as I was exposed to Strike Magazine, I knew it was going to redefine the way I lived the next 3 years of my life. For the first time, I found something where there truly wasn’t enough hours in the day to devote myself to it. I was surrounded by people whose creativity was contagious. Those who were addicted to the process, not just the end product. I was lucky enough to realize the significance of that while I was still in the thick of it.

Fervor In Form is the physicality of that feeling. Of finding something so overwhelmingly captivating and all-consuming and letting yourself indulge in the pleasure of that moment – without question, without guilt, without time. Creating this issue was the most rewarding embodiment of the theme itself. Every second was a reminder of what it’s like to not only find what fuels your soul, but to find people who share it.

To my people who share it, Mar and Nicole. My experience here would not have been the same without the two of you. You guys have been my happiness, my push-to-be-better, and the people I’ve never once doubted I can lean on. Through every moment, our connection to this magazine was just an aspect of what our time together has been for me. I feel incredibly lucky to call you guys more than just co-creatives, partners, or collaborators, but some of my closest friends.

To our assistants Valerie, Peyton, and Ariel. It’s rare to find people who not only resist the urge to doubt the seemingly impossible, but instead go all in. The three of you have been far more than supportive, you have made this issue a piece of yourself; and my gratitude for that is impossible to express. To every staff member, director, model, or extra hand, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This magazine is a collection of all of us, and each and every one of you have made it what it is.

And to you, the reader. The countless hours we poured into this issue was not just for ourselves, but for you. I hope that as you take in each page, you go through the emotions this issue represents: where feeling comes first, and finding the things you love most are visceral; where falling into the patterns of that passion are where you find the most presence; where you allow yourself to let go, to release into the indulgence of those very moments; where ultimately, you find for yourself what fervor means to you.

And years from now, when we are reminded of what once was, we can remember what will be, and who we will become because of it.

Last but not least, Strike out.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

Julia Clifford

Visceral

You’ve searched within reflections for so long, It’s no wonder you’ve unraveled. A red exit sign pulses, alive.

VIDEOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHERS

SHOOT

DIRECTORS

SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Peyton Dominguez, Ariel Lyden, Valerie Zuluaga PHOTOGRAPHERS Malachi Boles, Hannah Tranle, Maria Penalver VIDEOGRAPHERS Pepe Zuloaga , Abby Bryan, Jenni Cruz, Sophia Ferraro

SHOOT STAFF Yinelys Esquivel, Lauren Lee, Arianna Abril, Victoria

Relova, Isabelle Kim NAILS Jazmin

Ashley TALENT Cayce Eliott LAYOUT

Angie Galletti, Ryan Hanak

WHERE THIRST ENDS

WRITER Abby Marshall EDITORS Dani Hernandez

The drought is all-consuming. It comes for everyone eventually. At some point, it subjects you to its power, to its torturous, winding ways of being. It is almost enough to break you. Almost enough to force you to beg for release from the stretch of nothingness.

Through it all, there is the guiding light. The mysterious, almost resilient feeling that fuels the search for survival. Despite it all, we exist in the only way we know how to. To keep dragging along that forsaken path, giving every ounce of the soul to find a source of respite.

The search for something else is overwhelming. Incomprehensible unless you have lived through the deficit. That feeling desperately needed to create, to live, to exist truly. It is empowering, it is enthralling, it fills up the void that once was. If we don’t crave the missing piece, the drought will consume us forevermore.

Learn About To Learn

AN INTERVIEW WITH STEFANIA RIVAS

Passion is something that lies within us all, but it’s rare to see someone share that feeling so openly and wholeheartedly. We often think of passion as just an intense or overwhelming emotion, but I’ve always admired the way some people can use that intensity as a driving force to actually build something. I first met Stefania in high school, in a small town in South Florida.

Growing up in the "bubble" that was Weston, she was one of the few people I truly resonated with—we both shared this restless desire for more, a need to eventually leave that familiar perimeter behind. In a place where it was rare to see people express themselves through fashion or art, Stefania was a departure from the mundaneness. Amidst the noise of the expected, we were both part of the few who weren't scared to be different in our style and our authenticity. She always stood out to me, not just for her look, but for her visible drive to chase her dreams.

When she first launched Learn About You to Learn About Me, I knew it had to be in this issue. Beyond the nostalgic feel of the project, there was an immediate connection between the meaning of this book and the theme of the magazine. Inspired entirely by feeling, it’s a book about self-respect, self-love, and the awareness you need to grow through discipline and softness. It’s a keepsake, a creative outlet, and a reminder that when you finally decide to be yourself, everything else aligns.

You, About Me

YOU’VE MOVED BETWEEN MULTIPLE CITIES, HOW HAS THAT SHAPED YOUR IDENTITY AND THE WAY YOU APPROACH YOUR WORK?

“Where I grew up, it had a small-town feel, but my dad always told me from the time I was seven, ‘When you’re 18, you are leaving the house.’ He always knew that was coming, and I just thought, ‘Okay, we can work with that.’

The first time I ever started something was when I started my ring business during COVID. Iconic. Looking back at it, It was such an important step to why and how I feel confident to do the things I want to do today. It gave me full agency and I learned about that side of me that loved taking full control of a project.

Then it just kind of manifested and I decided to go to Seoul. I walked into this bookstore and saw a bunch of these artists and independent writers, whether they were designing calendars or whatever. They were just so cute, naive, and sweet, and they didn’t have that much thought to it. That’s where I found it the most captivating, because it wasn’t that serious. I remember feeling at that moment that I need to write a book. It was something so definitive.”

WHAT WAS THE CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?

“I had my journal on the side and the consistency is really what helped me. I would go through my journal and start highlighting my favorite parts. Going through it again was honestly such a beautiful gift that I was able to give to myself; I found myself with so many amazing realizations, reliving the person that I was only not so long ago.

Here I am, reliving myself eight months ago, alone in Seoul. I was having this super lonely experience, but I was having it with a younger version of myself, which was so fucking freaky. I only had myself, but I had another version of myself.

Little by little, the whole philosophy of the book just started making sense to me. I divided everything by a philosophy that I love. The quotes are divided into chapters and each chapter is five steps. It’s my five steps to loving yourself—realizing what you have to fix, bringing your darkness to the surface, and proving to yourself that you can do hard things. When you do that, you start seeing life in a way where you connect the dots and have more confidence.”

DID YOU EVER THINK WRITING A BOOK LIKE THIS WAS SOMETHING YOU WOULD DO?

“It wasn’t until last year that I thought about writing a book, and even then, it was something I thought I’m going to do by the time I’m 30. But what allowed it to be such an accelerated process was writing it down.

The power of your words has so much emphasis on how things play out in your life. That’s why when I’m writing in my journal now, I just spit any crazy idea out. I was like, ‘I’m going to do it. I don’t know how I’m going to do that, but I’ll write it one day,’ and then it just kind of happened.”

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL WITH THE BOOK?

“I remember coming downstairs one morning and my dad was sweaty from a workout. He said, ‘So you know, this work that you’re doing right now, this is not it. This is just preparation for the bigger thing. The bigger thing hasn’t even come yet.’

I think there’s a part of me that lives this process knowing that something better could wait, and I don’t know what that is. I don’t want to limit any possibility. What’s next is I want to just keep on working with other people. I just want to keep on working. I’m in the process of figuring it out, and who knows where I’ll be two years from now. If I told myself a year ago that I’d have a book, I’d be like, ‘What?’ So, what’s next? A fucking surprise. One thing I love is to surprise myself.”

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

“I am the most passionate about people. I love people. I thrive the most when I’m with friends or at a party. I love relationship building. I’ve read a lot of books that have given me principles on how to build relationships, and putting that into practice is now just part of the way that I approach life. With this project, it couldn’t have been done without the people that were involved. That is what makes me the most passionate.”

THE LOOKFervor

Presence

Heavy metals transude, lifting with the haze, revealing a newfound sense.

DESIGNERS Valerie Zuluaga, Nicole

Jaroscak,Marcela Nieves, Camille Marshall

BEAUTY Daniella Chantra NAILS Jazmin Ashley

TALENT Maya Dreyfus LAYOUT Angie Galletti

PRODUCTIONS Camila Ciampi

MONOLITHIC MONOLITHIC

MONOLITHIC MONOLITHIC

SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Peyton Dominguez, Ariel Lyden, Valerie Zuluage PHOTOGRAPHER Jackson Tessmer VIDEOGRAPHERS Sophia Ferraro, Aubree Moorhead, Jenni Cruz SHOOT STAFF Yinelys Esquivel, Lauren Lee, Arianna Abril, Victoria Relova, Isabelle Kim

STYLING Isabela Jahnes, Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Elle Orchard, Sasha Viouchkov, Camille Marshall, Daniella Acosta, Meagan McGinty, Madison Grant, Abby Fayette DESIGNERS Isabela Jahnes, Elle Orchard, Sasha Viouchkov, Camille Marshall

MONOLITHIC

MONUMENTAL MOVEMENT

WRITER Alison LaTorre, Priscilla Rodriguezl EDITOR

Dani Hernandez

Where her fragmentation ends, her boldness begins. In place of rounded corners for a gentle effect, defiant edges sit in their place. Immovable, we’re shown how it looks to take up space fully.

What emerges is a redefinition of femininity. For so long, it has been tied to softness in a way that demanded reduction– smaller voices, smaller movements, smaller expressions. To feel small, think small, be small enough; uncumbersome to the audience around. In sanding down the self, so much is lost. Reclamation is gained through appearing unrepentant.

Here, softness isn’t erased, but it’s no longer synonymous with shrinking. It coexists with sharpness, with strength, with presence. Feeling deeply, taking up room, being visible– none of it treated as something to apologize for. Unreduced, the figure becomes impossible to ignore. Perhaps not louder, but unquestionably clearer; the wholeness is heard, and the presence is known.

That balance plays out in the details. Structured pieces might reveal moments of fluidity; oversized forms might carry an unexpected lightness. There’s tension, but it isn’t uncomfortable– it’s dynamic. It suggests that nothing has to be simplified to be understood.

This moment’s energy comes from refusing to fit neatly into expectations. Forms extend, edges remain, and the presence is unapologetic. Every moment, every gesture, every curve occupies space fully, without negotiating for comfort or approval. There is freedom in this refusal: the liberation in inhabiting your own scale and rules. When nothing is hidden and nothing is muted to please, the effect is monumental.

The form is powerful by design. By letting go of the worry of imposing, there is suddenly so much more space in the room, freed up to be filled. The fullness of presence draws attention effortlessly. Not asking for approval, but becoming immovable.

To take up space fully is not an act. It is a way of being. It is the joy of moving uncontained, of letting edges remain sharp, of allowing every part of yourself to be seen. In this visibility, there is strength. A monolithic power exists without compromise.

ESSENCE &

GLAMOUR

SHOOT DIRECTORS

FOCUS PULL

WRITER Daniela Mendoza EDITOR Dani Hernandez

Everyone moves toward something. Everyone belongs to themselves. Shoes striking pavement with the clicking of heels and the scraping of soles, cars cutting through avenues like blades, strangers slipping past one another with practiced indifference.

The air, electric with impatience, noise, and urgency, denies all from admiring anything for long.

Until it doesn’t.

A pause in the current. A turn of the head. A look held half a second too long. Recognition moves faster than words, flashing through the crowd. Motion reorganizes itself. Attention gathers, and bodies pull inward. What was, a moment ago, a thousand private directions, becomes one collective gaze. A gaze directed towards you.

What was once noise becomes focus. What was once movement becomes orbit. For a fleeting moment, you’re no longer just passing through the city; you’re the force that changes its rhythm.

Flashes erupt in sharp, blinding bursts; the street turning into something feverish and unreal. Hands reach from every direction, urgent and unsteady, grasping not for you, but the image of you. As if being close might let them claim a piece of what you seem to hold.

Voices overlap, shutters snap, and the air tightens with want. You’re trapped in a wave of attention so total it feels physical; pressing against your skin, following your every movement, swallowing you whole.

And yet, within that fervour, a quieter truth rises. Beneath the flashes, the reaching hands, the hunger of the crowd, only the choice you make in this moment exists.

What felt like pressure becomes possibility. What once threatened to consume is now something moldable. The world moves differently when you step into who you want to be. Others’ gaze no longer defines you; instead, it responds to you.

From there everything opens. You can move through the world as image, as force, as myth, as yourself. The boundaries that once seemed fixed begin to dissolve. The moment you decide for yourself, the world around you rearranges.

The city surges on, but now it carries the shape of your choosing, and suddenly the future feels endless.

Indulge

A vision to some, an obsession to others. Magnetic all the same, waiting to be reignited.

SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSITANTS Peyton Dominguez, Ariel Lyden, Valerie Zuluaga PHOTOGRAHERS Maria Penalver, Myles Roberts VIDEOGRAHERS Ella Denny, Jackson Tessmer

EXPERIENCE

SCULPTING THE SUMMIT

WRITER Alexia Cretoiu & Sarah Weber EDITORS Dani Hernandez

There is a moment, just before the skin begins to sting, when warmth feels like permission rather than a warning. It lingers in that fragile space between comfort and consequence, where the body has not yet decided to resist, and instead leans closer, opening itself to the slow accumulation of heat. In this space, exposure feels intimate, almost necessary, as if the act of allowing something external to press against you is the first step toward becoming something else entirely.

What was once dismissed as overexposure, too much sun, too much feeling, too much desire, is reimagined here as something intentional. A vulnerability shielded by fear is guided elsewhere, into a sphere where it is less essential. Then the fear metamorphasizes, becoming an anomaly only known through hesitation. Once the external sensation changes and leaves its boundaries, death comes to the thing it previously was. Access to the intangible is merely futile, the extension into the unknown is what allows for its existence to be left behind.

The sharp spike sinks into the flesh least expecting. Voices permeate walls thought to be stable, and something new creeps in. The brittle cold of shame is worse than fear. Once the pressure is overcome, acceptance draws false reasoning. So, to avoid retreat, the body denies itself motion. The act of mingling is a dangerous feat, it will be impossible to dance with the flame of complacency for much longer.

When one refuses to push forward, staying within what is easy and controlled, that absence leaves its own mark. It settles quietly into the body as stagnation, a dullness that lingers just as strongly as any excess ever could. Predicated on past resistance, the body cannot develop anew; it is the final cessation, a sculpting of the summit to human form.

Fervor resides in the choice to move toward intensity rather than away from it, to accept the mark it leaves, and to recognize that becoming is not found in holding back, but in allowing oneself to feel, act, and exist without dilution.

DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT

SHOOT

PHOTOGRAPHER Joey Harbour

ASSISTANTS Ariel Lyden, Valerie Zuluaga

VIDEOGRAPHERS Leandro Rutigliano, Cindy Lam, Katelyn Wexler, Pepe Zuloaga

Ashley TALENT

Jazmin

NAILS

Jacobs

Ulrich, Destiny

Isabelle

BEAUTY

Angie Galletti, Gabby Daddario

LAYOUT

Sheppard

Kelcy Cofield, Alana Waddell, Emily

ELECTRIC RADIANCE ELECTRIC RADIANCE

SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Valerie Zuluaga, Ariel Lyden, Peyton Dominguez PHOTOGRAPHERS Myles Roberts, Barbara Kopec-Jewula, Maria Penalver VIDEOGRAPHERS Jackson Tessmer, Aubree Moorhead, Avery Ranum, Pepe Zuloaga

Jazmin Ashley

BEAUTY Gabby Torres-Mora, Isabelle Ulrich, Nedjie Jean-Francois, Destiny Jacobs NAILS

TALENT Izzy Durante, Caron Braggs, Sophia Ferguson, Adam Walker, Mia Gavalas, Ella Eaton, Alyssa Haisman, Zoe Campuzano, Meghan Hubbard, Keanu Parsa, Joselyn Lugo, Natalya Slywka, Lea Khawaja, Leila Katz, Arissa Noele, Jonathan Martin, Julian Soloman, Brandon Cassar, Hank Thorton, Emmanuel Charles, Noah Lambert, Joziah Burnett LAYOUT Angie Galletti, Sabrina Fontanari

THE SWEET SPOT

A TALK WITH SOPHIA VALLARIO

There is a sweet spot many people spend their whole life searching for. For the space in between existence and ascension where time gets lost and every particle of oneself gets lit up by the power of passion.

Other people live in this sweet spot.

I was lucky enough to meet Sophia my freshman year of high school. Our friendship grew in an environment of containment. In a place where a lack of individuality was a strength, and self-expression was subject to discipline. In a period of life where many people’s identity is fluid enough to fall apart, she had a certain assurance in parts of herself. She found stability in the things that were ever changing; a concept so foreign to me that it was a kind of fascination.

As the time we spent together grew, my admiration for her grew aside it. I was able to see how her creativity leaked into every aspect of her life. Years later, many things have changed but one thing has stayed consistent. She was, and still is, the physical embodiment of that sweet spot. She is passion made physical.

JULIA: To me, you were always the most creative person in the room. Do you think you were born with that kind of creativity, or was that something you had to develop?

SOPHIA: I think that creativity is a skill that you can sharpen. It’s like a muscle that you can train. And I think that if it’s something that you really love or you’re interested in, [it grows]. So I feel as though I might have been super creative growing up, [but it is] because that’s what I was always doing, because that’s what I like to do.

JULIA: You’ve been doing it for a while, and you’ve been strengthening that muscle, where do you find that creativity or inspiration?

SOPHIA: For me, personally, I always go inside – internally. I’m always trying to express something about myself. When [you start] a new project, it’s pretty blank and people can get stuck on a theme, which should be the easiest part, but there’s just so much you could do. So what I found that I’ve always done was [ask myself], well why did I want to do this in the first place? What drives my passion for it, is to express something about myself. I feel there’s always more inspiration to dig, and it’s a lot more meaningful and inspirational when it’s personal.

JULIA: As a designer, when you think of different pieces you’ve made or collections you’re working on, do you feel certain emotions based on it?

SOPHIA: I feel there's a lot of intention in the process, and looking back on it after it's done, it just feels like a full thing to be proud of. So my impression of what it is, is content. I'm happy and I'm proud of it. But if I were to explain it to someone, I could talk about it f orever, because there's so much with the details that went into it and that's the meaningful part of it.

JULIA: I love how you say you're content and proud of it because I feel a lot of people in a creative field sometimes step away from something they did, and they're no longer happy with it. They feel as though it is something that was in their past and that's not who they are anymore, so they can’t feel proud of it.

SOPHIA: This is so interesting because all of that stuff really comes down to mindset, and I've seen the differences between me and some of my friends. Whenever I'm making something, I always think that, personally, for my design and the way that I make things, I'm trying different things all the time. Even if it works, I'll do it differently another time, because I love the process of it. But I know that a lot of people are intimidated to go into design because of that. They're just like, “oh, I don't have that in me.” But if that's where your heart is, you can always get better at it.

JULIA: Our current issue, Fervor in Form, is about irrational passion and enthusiasm in life. We really talk about how we wanted this issue to feel very, very indulgent and with no guilt in what you’re pouring yourself into. It’s no longer a state of questioning what you’re doing or thinking about what everyone else is thinking. Are there moments in your creative process where you feel like that, or do you feel like it’s a whole mixture of doubt and then reassurance?

SOPHIA; Honestly? I would say all of the time [I feel fully confident]. All of the time because I just love it. And if I am ever stressed, I remind myself that I am lucky to be doing this.

JULIA: So Full Transparency is the collection you’re working on now…tell me about it. Give me the full rundown.

SOPHIA: Full transparency as a collection is about revealing and showing the different layers to a person. It’s blending formal wear and more intimate and delicate fabrics. In that contrast, in a way to tell a story about how in a professional setting, you see one side of a person, but there’s so many different sides to a person, and I don’t even think that anyone will ever know all of your different sides. I think that I get intimidated in public settings, thinking that I have to be cookie cutter. I’m thinking that I have to be a certain way, especially with this thought of formal wear as a uniform, and I think it’s so funny that when people are nervous in that way, the joke or the thing to say is, “oh, just imagine everyone in their underwear”…And that is so funny, but it’s also showing, I guess, the strength in being vulnerable anyways.

Sophia’s future may look very different than your typical 9-5. She spent the past summer in Los Angeles working for Revolve, spending hours draping fabrics and pinning details into place to send off to manufacturing. And while the title is intimidating, the biggest takeaway she’s learned is simple.

SOPHIA: It’s really just so easy – To just do it. People are intimidated to start, and they think that there’s a bunch of things they need to have, or a certain person that they need to be to start or do something. But sometimes, it really is just as easy as starting.

JULIA: Do you have any advice for people that maybe have those doubts of “how can I start if I don’t know how to?”

SOPHIA: I really think [you have to] just start. But have a good mindset about it. If there’s something that you don’t like about it, don’t be discouraged that it is gonna be that way forever, [you have] to be able to evaluate what you’ve done and see where you can be better at it, and then to have the drive to do it again. Seeing even that slight bit of progress will keep you afloat forever.

The truth is, (in my unqualified opinion) most people don’t find their passion by actively searching for it, they find it in what they are already doing. So if there is one piece of advice you can take from this conversation, its that you already have everything you need to be who you want to be.

Often times, creating the life you’ve always envisioned for yourself is on the same side as where you are now. As soon as you realize that, you’ll find yourself in the sweet spot.

126 SS26 RUNWAY: PERFUSION

128 VOLATILE REFLECTION

Fervor in Form

It burns all around, alive with all you’ve given it. It is beautiful; perhaps it always has been. And it’s been yours from the start.

RUNWAY DIRECTOR Allison Beltrani STYLISTS Luna Abuella, Madi St. John, Allison Beltrani, Katherine Davis

SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford TALENT

Carly Collins, Hailee Bouchard

SS26 RUNWAY: PERFUSION

Reflection

SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Ariel Lyden, Valerie Zuluaga PRODUCTION Ivana Major PHOTOGRAPHERS Hannah Trenle, Myles Roberts, Maria Penalver

VIDEOGRAPHERS Abby Bryan, Sophia Ferraro, Cindy Lam, Jenni Cruz, Pepe Zuloaga

Reflection Volatile Volatile

NOBODY TELLS YOU

WRITER Salette Cambra EDITOR Dani Hernandez

Nobody tells you that freedom has a smell.

It is sulfur and river water, and something underneath both of those things that I do not have a word for yet. It is in my clothes, my hair, the soft inside of my nose. I am standing in the street and the city is completely unaware of what just happened to me, and I find that I do not need it to know.

The sparkler went off. I did not flinch.

That is the whole story, really. I have been flinching my entire life. From noise, from heat, from the size of my own wanting, from the faces of people deciding whether I am too much. I have made myself into someone very skilled at the pre-flinch, the anticipatory shrinking, the getting small before anyone can ask me to.

I have been pressing on wanting the way you do with a loose tooth, that specific, private hunger for the hurt that means something is finally ready to come free. Then tonight, the fire came and the water came and they were both so completely indifferent to my fear that the flinch, the one I had been carrying so long I had started to mistake it for bone, simply released.

My phone is in my pocket. The city is doing what cities do. Somewhere a traffic light is changing for nobody. The city tastes different tonight. I am the only one who knows why.

I am standing in the middle of the street, soaking wet, smelling something that burned. I feel, I think, like a person who has just heard their own name said correctly for the first time. Something that simple. Something that was always theirs.

The water is still dripping off my elbow onto the sand, and I am watching it like it is the most interesting thing I have ever seen because right now it is. Right now, everything is.

The city will be grey again by morning. Right now it is mine, and I am not ready to give it back.

The feeling is low and warm and sits in the chest like the last hour of sunlight on pavement. I can hear myself in a way I couldn’t this morning. I keep waiting for it to become something else, for the other shoe, for the familiar hollowness that usually follows anything g ood. It does not come.

Just this.

Just the wet street and the smell of sulfur and the specific, quiet satisfaction of someone who finally let the fire find her and did not put herself out.

SHOOT STAFF Lily Lewis, Kavya Akkiraju, Benjamin Estrada

DESIGNERS Isabela Jahnes, Daniella Acosta, Camille Marshall, Kat Davis, Amelia Crawford

STYLING Isabela Jahnes, Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Daniella Acosta, Camille Marshall, Kat Davis, Elle Orchard, Amelia Crawford

BEAUTY Maren Kaymak-Loveless, Destiny Jacobs, Rayne Blount NAILS Jazmin Ashley TALENT Seydina Ba, Cassidy Tarr, Samantha Marston, Natasha Tanner, Luciana Magaldi LAYOUT Angie Galletti, Ishaa Khosla

GRAPHICS DIRECTOR Ryan Hanak

GRAPHICS TEAM Gianna Graziano, Lexee

Issue 19 Videos

1. VISCERAL, PRESENCE, INDULGE, FERVOR IN FORM

2. WHERE THIRST ENDS

3. MONOLITHIC

4. ESSENCE & GLAMOUR

5. USER EXPERIENCE

6. ELECTRIC RADIANCE 7. VOLATILE REFLECTION