About

About Us

Z Magazine is a fashion and culture magazine made for Gen Z by Gen Z. In 2019, the three of us creators, Chloe Dowling, Claire Hardesty and Ife Ibraheem, came together to make a magazine, website and blog for the youth of today. The three of us wanted to create a platform for teenagers to express their opinions on certain topics and showcase their unique styles. Today, it has become common for teenagers to wake up and put on a pair of leggings or sweats and a comfy sweatshirt for school. And, because of this, teens often don't have the time or an accepting environment to wear clothes that highlight their personality and identity through fashion. The Z Mag team hopes to bring people together through fashion, art, and culture and create a space where all individuals feel like they can be the most authentic versions of themselves.

In the 21st century, the world has become extremely technology based, so the Z Mag team wanted to bring fashion back to its roots with a print fashion magazine. Due to the circumstances of everything going on with the Coronavirus, we were not able to get our first issue printed, but we still wanted to release an issue during this time, which is why our first issue is online! But, we look forward to eventually having the opportunity to print our future issues. The benefit of creating a print magazine, in this day in age, is that it gives people a break from their constant screen time. We also wanted to bring all body types, genders, races, ethnic groups and sexualities together, to create an open and accepting environment for all. We stand behind our motto "Z Magazine is made for all letters of the alphabet, everything from A to Z". We are excited for you to join us on our fashion, artistic and cultural journey. We can't wait for you to read about teens opinions and hear from the voices of the future. Welcome to Z Magazine.

M E E T T H E T E A M

Our Creators

Ife Ibraheem
Creative Director/Fashion Director

Hi everyone! I'm Ife and I am currently a junior in high school. I believe that crafting our own sense of style is one of the very few things we have control over and fashion provides everyone with the opportunity to explore their unique aesthetic. It allows us to freely express ourselves by creating looks that truly speak to who we are and that’s the very reason I fell in love with it. From studying the leaders in the industry to watching documentaries about its history and pulling inspiration from my experiences, I am constantly finding ways to expand my knowledge and point of view of the fashion industry. I hope to study fashion at NYU or FIT and eventually land a job as the creative director of a fashion house or magazine. I am so blessed to be apart of this team and work with such amazing creatives who are constantly inspiring me. As Fashion Director of Z Mag, I creative directed every element of the outfits you’ll see in the magazine to ensure it aligned with our stylistic approach. My goal was to create looks that not only incorporated trends but also tapped into the individualistic style of each model. When it comes to the future of this magazine, fashion wise, I would love to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with props as well as avant-garde statement pieces. My hope is that through this magazine I will be able to inspire others to pursue their passion, take risks, be bold with their sense of style, and most importantly, stay true to who they are!

Claire Hardesty
Editor-in-Chief

Hello! Welcome to Z Mag. I’m Claire Hardesty and I’m the EIC or Editor In Chief of the magazine. I edit articles for both our blogs and for the print, I also put together and design the layout for the actual magazine. I have always had a passion for writing as long as I can remember so when I got to high school, I was immediately drawn to the school newspaper, The Point. I was the sports editor for The Point as a junior and currently am one of the EICs. I can’t wait to explore more people’s individual life stories, talents, and styles through both The Point and Z Magazine. My passion for journalism stems from not only my love to write but also my interest in learning people’s stories. Writing has taken me into the lives of so many amazing people, and allowed me to share their stories to the world. With Z Mag, I hope to be able to continue doing just that. I want to dig deep within our models and features to see them for what they truly are, to see the greatness that can be uncovered simply by listening to their stories. It is my promise to myself, my fellow creators, all the readers of Z Mag, that I will continue to share amazing people’s stories with all of you and shine light on the uniqueness of Gen Z. We are young, but nevertheless capable of impacts so great, the world can’t help but notice.

Chloe Dowling
Creative Director/Photo Editor/Graphic Designer

Hi everyone! My name is Chloe and I am a current Junior in high school. I have been involved in my school's photography program for three years now and have always had a love for art. I am also the president of my school's Speech & Debate program and am additionally on my school's Varsity Cheer team. I hope to study biology in college with a double major in photography/fine art. I am so excited to be apart of the Z Mag team because I hope to use this opportunity to use art to bring people together. Z Magazine continues to grow as a community where all individuals have a space to discuss topics of importance and come together to demand change. I hope to use art and photography as a form of social activism, designing pieces that question the status quo. As the Photo Editor, I bring this same desire to Z Magazine. I photograph and edit all the photos and graphics in the magazine. I work closely with Claire and Ife to make the graphics as colorful, modern and youthful as possible. I am excited to expand my skills in photography, art, and graphic design with this magazine! I also hope to use my photography skills to capture the beauty and authenticity of Gen Z. We still have so much to learn but the three of us are so excited for you to be apart of this journey with us!

Our Staff

Sarah Liu
Deputy Editor/Writer

Hey! I’m Sarah Liu, and I’m the Deputy Editor for Z Magazine. Most of my job involves working on the print side, whether that’s pitching ideas, editing articles, or designing layouts. On the side, I edit some of the content you see on Instagram, make graphics, and create issue drop playlists just for fun.
Previously, I was a reporter for Sports Illustrated Kids and was a News editor for my school newspaper, where I now serve as the Editor in Chief. I’ve also hosted and produced podcasts for my local paper, and run my school’s “Humans Of” page. One thing that connects my range of experiences is my love for uplifting the stories of others.
As menial as some people may believe fashion or beauty is, I think how we present ourselves to the world is a powerful story on its own. From dressing yourself each day to watching how stylists dress others, how Gen Z sees the world and how the world sees us deserves to be reported on and highlighted.

Evelyn Driscoll
Editor/Writer

Hi everyone! I’m Evelyn Driscoll, and I’m an editor and writer for Z Magazine. This means that I help create layouts for the print issue and contribute articles. As a current senior in high school, I am the Print Editor in Chief for my high school’s newspaper The Eagle Eye. I joined journalism my sophomore year and became News Editor my junior year. I’ve always loved writing, and I have a passion for journalism because it allows me to write for a purpose. I also love highlighting and celebrating different voices, something that is part of Z Mag’s mission. Being a part of Z Mag also showed me how much I love to design! I love to play with color and aesthetics to make a page pop. I hope to pursue journalism in the future, amplifying the public’s voice and bringing necessary information to all people. Z Mag has been an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to continue on this journey!