Street-style photographer Liisa Jokinen specializes in capturing fearless acts of self-presentation. The people featured on her two platforms, the 14-year-old Helsinki-based website Hel Looks and the newer NYC-Looks, are the kind of fashion natives who put deep thought into everything they wear. These are the people who can theorize about clothes as creatively as they style them.
Like last season, Jokinen will be covering New York Fashion Week for the Cut for the fall 2020 shows. For day one, she started off at FIT’s “The Fine Art of Fashion and Technology Show” featuring the school’s fashion design MFA students, then stopped by Rui Zhou and PH5. Scroll down to see 17 fashion people — stylists, writers, influencers, and designers — explain how they decided what to wear to the shows.
Shihui Zhou, Artist and Gallery Owner, 29
“I’m wearing a JW Anderson suit jacket and vintage shirt and skirt, Dior clogs, Vans checkered socks, and a Balenciaga Nano bag. My style philosophy is all about mixing and matching textiles! I like different patterns and prints. My style is inspired by movies, texture history, art works, and some of my artist practice.”
Instagram: @cucumber_and_shrimp
Coko Magby, Artist and Model, 21
“My top was thrifted in Tokyo, my blazer was thrifted in Bushwick, my jacket thrifted in Harlem, my skirt is from H&M, and my shoes are Doc Martens. My style philosophy is to wear whatever the hell I want. And take risks.”
Instagram: @enemysalad
Scarlett, Fashion Influencer and Body Activist, 27
“My scarf is Pologeorgis, my shoes are Miss L Fire, and my bag is Jaley. I believe in wearing whatever makes you happy and confident. I get inspired by colors and prints, and I love mixing styles together.”
Instagram: @scarletthalo_
Marc Andre, Artist, 28
“My jacket and pants are by Lenny Vuitton. My philosophy is to be free with yourself.”
Instagram: @marcushizzle
Sakie Nakamura, Buyer for Search and Destroy, 34
“I am wearing an over-sized leopard jacket from 5XL, a vintage handmade hat, plaid pants, a World Industry skateboard T-shirt, and a thrifted corset. My accessories are all Vivienne Westwood except my belt, which is Dior. I start by choosing the most interesting piece to me at the moment and build the rest of the outfit around it.”
Instagram: @sakieyes
Cathleen Sheehan, FIT Professor & Fashion Industry Consultant
“I’m wearing a pink sparkly Sies Marjan raincoat with a Giamba dress over black pants. I’m inspired by vintage and life.”
Instagram: @_girlinthedress
Kristen Bateman, Writer, 27
“I’m wearing a Sies Marian coat, Uniqlo jeans, Saks Potts boots, a Vivienne Westwood top, a Chopova Lowena necklace, and a Miu Miu yellow bag. I dress for myself above all else. Color and texture are my biggest inspiration.”
Instagram: @kristenvbateman
Kaci Floyd, Consultant Analyst at WSL Strategic Retail, 23
“My whole outfit is thrifted, mostly from Goodwills back in Texas. I love bringing life back to older and thrifted pieces. Fashion is timeless — anything can be in style if you make it work. And I’m all about sustainability.”
Instagram: @hippiekaci
Chloe King, Fashion Office at Bergdorf Goodman, 32
“I’m wearing a Maggie Marilyn jacket, Tibi skirt, Cafune bag, and Lanvin vintage boots. My boss has called me a maverick and I think that’s right! I like to change it up all the time, trying new shapes, designers, and combinations to fit a mood. This outfit is about as minimal as I get — but the pony hair boots and vest making it just different enough to feel ‘me.’”
Instagram: @chloe4dayz
Guoshuai Wang, Fashion Designer, 24
“My suit is Chanel, my shirt is Ann Demeulemeester, and my shoes are Maison Margiela. My angel pin is vintage and it is the same age as me. I have no style philosophy. It depends on my mood.”
Instagram: @hadrian_w
Tara Maria González, Style Writer for InStyle.com, 27
“I’m wearing an Equihua jacket with La Virgen de Guadalupe on the back. My family is from Spain and Guadalupe means so much to my grandmother. She prays to her every night, and when she saw the jacket she cried. The coat is basically culture you can carry. Whenever I put it on, I think of how happy my grandma was when she first saw it and I almost cry myself. The shirt is my boyfriend’s that I slept in last night, and my pants are by Telfar. I love them because they remind me of assless chaps. The boots are by New Rock, a brand which I’m pretty sure inspired the Prada boots everyone is wearing. My style philosophy: If everyone is wearing it, I don’t want it. I like to push myself to wear things like no one has thought to wear them. I’ll gladly wear a T-shirt on my head or a pair of pants as a shirt. Life is too short not to try.”
Instagram: @tarigonzalez
Song Rao, Climate Change and Fashion Production Student, 34
“I am wearing extra long double layer jeans from Y Project, a vintage Burberry coat, an old Celine bag, and a self-made upcycled top. I got the scraps after volunteering at Fabscrap. I only wear old stuff. A year and a half ago I stopped buying new clothes. I hope my style is not trendy and that is old-school fashion. I want to reduce my waste.”
Instagram: @raohost
Kiyara Patterson, Stylist and Fashion Consultant, 21
“I am wearing vintage leather bell bottoms with my favourite pair of Demonia boots and a hoodie I thrifted and then customized. I draw inspiration from older movies and music videos. The early 2000s is one of my favorite eras of fashion due to how everyone was experimenting with silhouettes and prints. Own what you do.”
Instagram: @finessetress
Francis Wong, Global Creative Director at WGSN, 45
“I am wearing Kapital jeans, a COS blazer, a Sacai shirt, and a Gucci overcoat. My style philosophy: Mix and match, be eclectic. Inspiration: Art and culture.”
Instagram: @franciswongny