LORI HARVEY and The Zine

Curated by | Chaunielle Brown

The beautiful Lori Harvey is making glittering highlights introducing us to her world and in particular, her latest creation, in partnership with Instagram, where she graces the third cover of, The Zine. The Zine is a comprehensive compilation of what is to come in beauty and style with emerging and niche forms of self-expression, visual aesthetics and more. Hauntingly familiar? Lori Harvey is the adopted daughter of well known and established comedian, Steve Harvey and daughter of Marjorie Harvey.

Lori says, “My favourite era, I feel like will always be the 90s. Like, across the board. I think that was just such alike timeless, effortless era. And you said what trend am I looking forward to? I’ve actually been really into the platform coming back. I’ve been really enjoying seeing them reinventing that. I’ve been really into it so I think I would say the platform.” 

90s Cyber Raver 

As the metaverse continues to blur the lines between the virtual and physical worlds, a digital-inspired, gender fluid fashion trend has emerged: “cyber raver.” The “cyber raver” aesthetic brings together several y2k micro trends, from dramatic cut-outs (a gender fluid way to show skin in an unconventional way), bright neon colors and euphoric makeup for bold eyes to new-wave psychedelic prints, printed gloves and stick on nails. Second skin dresses are also rising, alongside sheer, transparent and shiny fabrics across genders with hyper-textured sets and sky high, over the top mega heels. A major eccentric and euphoric moment, the “cyber raver” aesthetic also lends itself to the communal escape expected at this year’s festival season. Nostalgic pop-punk, colorful wigs and 00s indie sleaze aesthetics, along with novelty prints and looks akin to euphoric dressing will lead youth-centric #festivalfashion that’s giving free expression and inclusive gender and sexual identity.

Last Tuesday night, Lori Harvey celebrated the launch of her cover on Instagram’s third edition of The Zine, inspired by young people who are sparking conversations around authenticity and identity. The intimate dinner took place at LA hotspot, Delilah, and featured one-of-a-kind polaroids, delicious drinks complete with photos from Lori’s editorial and 90s Cyber Raver decor to go along with the theme of The Zine (see HERE). 

The dinner was attended by Lori’s close friends, Ryan Destiny, Jenn Hamer, Khat Brim and Conna Walker, as well as magazine editors such as India Roby from NYLON, Ernesto Macias from Interview Magazine, Asia Milia Ware of The Cut, Darian Symoné Harvin of  Los Angeles Times Image, and Blake Newby of Essence. 

Every day emerging creators, designers, personalities and brands push culture forward on Instagram while remixing and reshaping beauty and fashion as they challenge conventions, encourage inclusivity and push boundaries. From the young creators not shying away from the challenge of reworking and up-cycling to the artists adding dimension to nails with the latest 3D looks, Instagram is the place to discover the latest from the creators and brands you love. 

The Zine’s creative direction and launch dinner was led by SUN-NY SIDE UP, a creative agency founded by Rory Roth and Jill Ferree. Alongside Instagram’s in-house communications and editorial team, SUN-NY SIDE UP selected the Creators behind Lori’s 90s Cyber Raver cover look. See below for each of their roles. 

Jelly, Chunks & Glitter in 3D

Chunky glitter and the glass look is no longer just for your eyelids or your skin. It’s for nails too where creators are drifting into the whimsical and experimenting with fantasy esthetics where they generously apply bold glitter on both their nails and their lids. And for the DIY type going for the glass-like, transparent look but for nails, it’s happening by creating a formula mix of clear nail polish with a pinch of color added to it. Jelly nails are also often combined with other designs and embellishments and while predominantly done with acrylics, it can also be executed on natural nails as well. But if you’re non-committal, press on nails are here to stay. Those flimsy, square-tip, French manicure nails sold at pharmacies in the 90s are a thing of the past. Instead, nail artists are emerging with chunky and jelly-like, 3D designs adorned with overexaggerated jewels typically associated with body accessories, notably tooth gems and crystal eye embellishments.    

Hyper Reality 

Tech is the new style icon, exploding through accessories, decor, a vintage resurgence, elaborate fashion elements and of course the metaverse. The influence of the metaverse and popularity of gaming aesthetics has led to digital inspired streetwear, from oversized silhouettes and computer graphic hues and prints to utilitarian detailing and monochromatic layering. The new streetwear subculture retains codes of tech-wear with technical materials and functional garments to transform the wearer into their dream avatar complete with chunky boots & heels, utility vests, vinyl & faux leather, balaclavas and more. This aesthetic is heavily influenced by techno raves, military-esque looks, video games, and Japanese street style.

Maximalist Hair 

From #freshfades and #braidedponytails to double #mohawks, #cornrows, and #rattails, barber and hair shop aesthetics continue to challenge conventional norms, move away from the mainstream and deepen the meaning of inclusivity. We’re no longer only venturing to the barbershop and selecting a fresh cut from the classic barbershop posters (and salon posters too) followed by the infamous #wavecheck but instead remixing and designing their own hair experiments with brightly colored hair, hair dyes, blunt and bold cuts, intricate designs, wigs, hair pieces and more. With such designer hair experiments, creators are embodying avant garde hairstyles that exemplify anime and video game characters while redefining and challenging, often westernized, beauty ideals. Wig enthusiasts especially are experimenting with avatar (a blend of digital and IRL) like creations that are playful yet experimental with their identities, especially those that are gender non conforming. 

New Work Fusion 

Both emerging and established designers aren’t shying away from the challenge of reworking and up-cycling but with a fresh hybrid approach compared to what we’ve seen in previous seasons. On Instagram, youth-centric Creators are adopting the mix of formal garments with casual pieces to create an effortless look that doesn’t seem overdressed, whether it’s turning jerseys into shorts, tees into corsets, pathworking multiple pairs of denim or hand painting and dip dyeing old sneakers. DIY and customization is intrinsic to streetwear and many youth-centric Creators are also cutting up and adding new elements to the garment as it’s all about experimenting and changing the design to create a distinctly original, re-worked and custom piece from items that would otherwise go into landfills. 

New Romantics

#Princesscore, #royaltycore and #pearlcore are the fresh and new version of last season’s #cottagecore aesthetic. They embody the romantic fantasy of royalty, a desire amongst a female-majority niche audience to experience a time when ‘courting’ was denoted a strict code of conduct. This could be seen as a reaction to dating in 2022, which is often defined by its lack of clarity around what is or isn’t acceptable during the ‘courting phase.’ Contemporary style creators outside of the cosplay community are incorporating staples of a medieval aesthetic to add a little romanticism (and chivalry) to their style. This experimental fashion trend features accessories and clothing items that would be common at a Renaissance Fair such as coifs and headpieces, intricate lacing, medieval style corsets and bodices, ruff collars and large gold chain necklaces. While this trend remains niche, as the weather warms up medieval-style linen and cotton coifs may emerge as a warm weather alternative to the knit balaclava.  

Special Thank You | Matthew Cancel of Cancel Communications