In Medias Res: Taylor Okata
- Words Grailed Tea
- Date November 7, 2016
"In Medias Res" is a column in which photographer Chris Fenimore links up with some of New York City's most interesting people to see what they're wearing throughout the week.
Name: Taylor Okata
Age: 30
Occupation: Creative Director & Stylist
Neighborhood: Where the Lower East Side intersects with Chinatown
Favorite shop(s) in New York City: DSM, IF, Labor Skateshop
Favorite restaurant in New York City: Basta Pasta
How did you get into fashion: Growing up, my older sister brought home magazines like Dazed & Confused, Dutch, The Face, i-D, plus all these art-house, foreign & independent films. I remember watching Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 in my freshman year of college and it blew my mind. These influences really drove me to want to contribute similarly. I decided to add Studio Arts to my curriculum instead of International Business, which my family would've better understood. I became infatuated with all things visual: graphic design, fashion, film, photography. Post-university, I decided to only take on work relative to those fields.
How would you describe your personal style: "Post-materialistic," lol. To sum up, I wear things that come from a mindset I can relate to. Growing up in Hawaii, I was raised on Hip-Hop and R&B, but also Punk, Ska, Skate, Surf and Tribal references. All these things have had an impact on my style. I'm multiracial, so I definitely reference various cultures of mine: Japanese, Hawaiian. Living/having lived in distinctive, stylish cities such as LA, New York, Paris and Tokyo has also refined my personal perspective.
Current favorite piece(s) in your closet: 032c merch, Gosha double cuff flannel and Prada trousers w/ contrast stitching
How long have you been using Grailed: When did it launch?
Most memorable Grailed come up: I'm still waiting...
Favorite fashion designers: Miuccia Prada, Raf Simons, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. I also really like Ganryu and Gosha.
Ultimate grail: Nothing as of yet.