In Style: Senior Lior Ayalon Shows the Fashion World What He’s Got

BY KYLE NELSON AND SAVANNAH KEYSER

There’s a type of unity in diversity, and CCHS Senior Lior White has made it his mission to flaunt this in the coalition of colors that is his debut fashion line, Equipt Color.

Many people know White to be at the center of social happenings, and many times leading them, but this wasn’t always the case. Throughout his middle school years he was very timid and he kept to himself much of the time. With the help of some key people, though, White soon found himself being pushed out of his shell and into the world.

“I really became the social butterfly that I am today [in high school],” White said.

As he entered freshman year, White was just as lost as any other ninth grader is. He began to find his way when his English teacher, Natalie Flaten, introduced him to the Student Government Association. His decision to join SGA was the push he needed to propel him into being the socially involved student he has grown into today.

“Throughout [the] time, I have been fortunate enough to watch Lior grow from someone who tended to be reserved in his manner to a young man who has come into his own and has allowed himself to venture into the creative aspect of his personality,” Flaten said. “I have no doubt that Lior will fulfill his dream as long as he continues to be audacious enough to pursue them.”

Like most high schoolers, White experienced a lot of turbulence throughout his high school career. One of his lowest points was in his junior year. Between social and academic pressures, he was in and out of the hospital for severe stomach pains caused by the amount of stress he was experiencing. White didn’t let any of this stop him. Now, in his senior year, White is on the SGA executive board, taking on an important leadership role in the Kindness Project. He is also a member of DECA and does graphic design for many of the clubs around CCHS.

Most notably, however, White is also about to release his own clothing line.

White has been known to break the social norms of someone his age, but with his fashion line, Equipt Color, he has taken it to an entirely new level. In the beginning of junior year, White started working towards creating a clothing magazine called Field Play, which basically surrounded around the youth and their influences. Throughout his process of creating the magazine, White began drifting from the printing clothes on the pages to creating his own, called Equipt Color.

“I was doing all this research on brands and influences,” White said. “I ended the magazine and it was just like the death of Field Play and the birth of Color.”

White choreographs his models in preparation for the CCHS Fashion Show. Photo by Ben Milgram

To set his idea into motion, White had to overcome many obstacles outside of simply creating designs: he had to find designers willing to invest in his product and in order to do this, he had to take his ambition to the next level. White took the initiative and found an internship at a designer sunglass store called Specs in New York City where he would be able to fully immerse himself into the fashion world.

“I would go with my cousin, who is actually producing her own clothing line, and she really taught me a lot of stuff,” White said. “We would look at hoodies and sweatshirts and knits and fabrics, and I would really catch an eye for them.”

While living in New York over the summer, White was introduced to different fabrics and designs that would influence his collection. White found inspirations for his designs from Virgil Abloh, Kanye, and Alexander Wang  – but White uses his clothes to exhibit his personality and who he is. A self proclaimed professional amateur, he says the beauty in his designs is the imperfect perfection.

“I like the idea of being a professional amateur,” White said. “I’m really good at not being that good. If you look at all my designs, like my shoes for example, it’s all words and phrases and written all over. They’re ugly, but they’re like a nice ugly. The beauty within them is the crooked handwriting and the weird phrases and stuff like that.”

Equipt Color’s Eye Play will first be showcased in the school fashion show, on February 23rd.

Outside of being an aspiring fashion mogul, White does admit that he takes a lot of time to just be himself with his friends. Whether it’s weekends at the beach or study sessions on Tuesday afternoons, White is sure to be a good friend to those people he’s built a connection with.

“He’s a great friend and is always looking out for me,” Senior Brogan Ness said. “He is very driven and puts his blood sweat and tears into his clothing line. He is very creative and I love all of the designs he makes.”

As White ventures into this next step in his life and career, he hopes to find his footing in the New York City and Paris fashion industries, working with designers and spreading his influence all over the world. A very driven and focused person, he sets his goals high and achieves them, undoubtedly, White will not be giving up any time soon.

“I feel like I could change the world, fashion-wise,” White said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The feature subject’s legal name is Lior Ayalon, but mention of his name was changed to White as per the subject’s request.

Featured image by Ben Milgram.