LegendaryExpressions

SUPERSTARDOM IN THE WORLD OF BABYLON
By Adia Barboza

The doors to Babylon Cartel’s clothing release party at the Draught Horse flew open at 11 pm on Saturday night. Within the first ten minutes, Temple students had rushed in two by two sporting nothing less than vivid colors and mini skirts, despite the fact that the temperature in Philadelphia had dropped below 39 degrees Fahrenheit that night. Everything about the release was urban chic, from the ladies in fishnet stockings and red painted lips to the guys in brown leathers. DJ Qlassick added to the zestful mood of the celebration by spinning one hit after another, and designers Gianni Lee and Brandy Staton bounced from one side of the Cherry Pit to the other making sure everything was running smoothly for their big night.

The Babylon team decided to take their designs to the next level this year by branching further into women’s clothing. Since women deserve the best in high fashion and vintage couture, Gianni said that the line was a challenge. Bassador, an underground musical artist, said he was most excited to see the new line designed for women. This year we can expect to see more feminine skirts and jackets.

But one thing hasn’t changed. Babylon Cartel’s merchandise is as full of dynamic colors as the party was with New York fitted hats! Gianni said to me that the best theme song for Babylon’s newest clothes would be Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar.” With lyrics like ‘If you are what you say you are, a superstar / have no fear, the camera is here,’ I can understand why. The sexy pouts on the models’ faces as they strutted around the party and the graphic tee’s they sported all sent a message to the partygoers of ‘look at me, I’m a celebrity.’ When I asked Brandy if she could pick one piece as her favorite, she took a minute to decide, but came to a graphic tee with the phrase “the 80’s is dead” printed on it.

The mood of the party only got better as the Temple football players entered the building. Hype off of the team’s victory, Brian Sanford, a sophomore who plays defensive end, said, “I heard the last party was hot and I like their clothes.”

After speaking with both Gianni and Brandy, I was better able to understand the mission statement of their line, Babylon Cartel. Brandy explained that the name Babylon Cartel was chosen because of its rich meaning. The land of Babylon was the location of the Hanging Garden; which is now one of the 7 Wonders of the World. In ancient times Jewish people were exiled to Babylon for not fitting the mold. There they found a luxurious life wrapped inside of corruption. Since the duo wanted to create something that would be nondiscriminatory, the name seemed to be a perfect match. The designers say that most of their creations are things they have thought of themselves, but there are other inspirations as well. Gianni’s closet is full of Jordan’s, premium denim and sweaters. He also envies celebrity styles like Pharrel Williams and David Beckham, for their ability to turn something casual in to street chic.

So what’s in store for Babylon Cartel? Brandy and Gianni are planning to just go with the flow, and we here at UrbanLegend wish them the best of luck!