CTRL+ALT+ZINE is a fashion magazine designed in a cookbook format, serving as a guide to early Y2K fashion trends. The project distills key trends of the era into six distinct looks, each representing a unique aspect of the time while highlighting the resurgence of these styles in contemporary fashion. My contributions to the project focused on styling and sourcing clothing, photographing the looks, and designing graphic elements for the final magazine.
Created for
Club Editorial Design
Deliverables
Styled looks, Editorial photography, Magazine spreads
Year
2024
Role
Stylist, Photographer, Graphic Designer, Creative Director
Concept & Planning
The project began as a collaborative zine produced within a creative club at USC called “OK.” Designed in a cookbook format, the publication served as both a guide and magazine about early Y2K fashion, helping readers “recreate” the styles of the era through curated looks and visual recipes. I contributed primarily to the As Seen on TV and Middle School Core spreads, developing mood boards, references, and creative direction for each concept. My role centered on translating nostalgic 2000s aesthetics into cohesive, contemporary visuals that balanced irony, authenticity, and accessibility.
Styling & Sourcing
To bring each spread to life, I curated and styled outfits using secondhand and vintage clothing sourced from local thrift stores. I focused on building looks that represented both the aspirational and everyday sides of early 2000s fashion, from glossy consumer culture to candid middle-school nostalgia. Each look was grounded in color palettes, textures, and silhouettes drawn from the era’s pop culture, ensuring the styling remained true to the concept while still feeling relevant today.
Photography
Once the styling direction was established, I helped photograph several of the editorial shoots. This involved scouting shoot locations, directing models, and experimenting with lighting and framing to match the visual tone of each concept. For As Seen on TV, I emphasized bright, commercial-style imagery with the bright flash of early 2000s advertising, while Middle School Core took on a softer, dreamlike tone inspired by the youthful adventures of kids. I also appeared as a model in the y2k shoot, contributing to the collaborative energy of the project.
Layout Design & Printing
I designed the As Seen on TV spreads in Adobe InDesign, creating two full layouts inspired by the childlike, colorful aesthetic of early 2000s magazines like Seventeen and J-14. Using layered typography, sticker-like accents, and playful color blocking, I worked to capture the energy of Y2K teen media while maintaining a polished editorial flow.
The finished copies were presented at OK’s end-of-year showcase.
