The Science Behind Evan Mock's Met Gala Look with Head of State

May 03, 2022

The first Monday in May, otherwise known as the Met Gala serves as a special time for everyone. Whether you're a stylist assistant running up and down the elevator of the Mark Hotel, tweeting critiques from the comfort of your own home, or you're an atendee, like Evan Mock, a skater turned actor from Hawaii — this day represents a look into America's fine appreciation over art and fashion.

In it's second installment of In America: An Anthology of Fashion, the Met's Costume Institute exhibition returns with a cherished theme: Gilded Glamour. In an age where structured sillouttes, detailed craftsmanship, and a stifling excesss of commodity illustrated the style of it's time, Evan Mock, who tuned to the red carpet with his signature pink do' observed the theme and showcased timeless yet subtle glamour in an unorthdox way. In a sea full of signature black suits seen in meanswear, Evan's disruption came donned in a Head Of State custom cream yellow corset and pantsuit paired with a pearl muslin neck ruffle.

Interview by Tiana Randall
Photos by Sophia Wilson

When it came to sourcing Evan's custom look, Head of State designer Taofeek Abijako says "Evan, a kid from Hawaii — You can't really find any reference of someone like that during the 18th Century that fitted the theme of the Gilded Glamour." Through this, the reimagination of what this time would look like for a kid of color who often prefers street-skating over custom jewels came together to create a world where he could enjoy both. From there, the incorporation of his youthful and genderless aura became the main muse for his look. As he was encased in a structured corset, the pieces pierced to his torso focused on adhering to the true shape of his form, while the borders and fringes of his look curved outward, creating a divergence in shape and silloutte.

Taofeek, who was recently nominated for a CFDA award, is known for his larger than life sillouettes and feminine form comes together with Evan's stylist, Taylor Okata to reimagine gilded glamour through lens of Evan's eye.

In an exclusive interview below, office was able to sit down with Head Of State designer and Evan Mock's lead stylist, Taylor Okata to dissect the science behind his look.

Head of State was started at such a young age, at 17. Do you remember where your head was at that time, and what you were really into?

Taofeek Abijako — It's a good story, I was trying to raise funding for a specific project. So I started off pretty much making t-shirts and hoodies and basic wardrobe essentials. Although I had a much bigger plan to make way more complicated pieces, I had to pretty much take the mini baby steps at that age, because that was my senior year in high school. I didn't have enough money to be able to properly construct a garment. But eventually the brand, just season by season, evolved to what it is today, which is way more sophisticated pieces, but also wearable.

Lagos is home to you. How do we see different components of Lagos in your current pieces?

TA — In terms of Lagos, I was born there and I moved in 2010, and last collection, which was called "Homecoming,"was actually dedicated to this major festival that took place in Lagos in 1977. I've heard so many stories about that festival and in a way, it's me lingering on this nostalgia of growing up in Lagos also made it easier for me to be able to reference what happened back home. I saw what I referenced and what people were wearing. But I pretty much didn't want to reference the literal traditional African wear, so what I decided to do was actually take the silhouette in West African wear and marry it with more Western European wear. And that's much how I came about referencing Lagos specifically. But my latest collection was actually me paying homage to FESTAC 77.

Taylor, how did you learn about Taofeek's work, and how did you come together to create this world for Evan's Met Gala look?

Taylor Okata — I first got introduced to the brand, I actually believe it was probably Lindsey [Okubo], who had told me to keep an eye out for the brand and for Taofeek's last show, which was beautiful and stunning. And so I had already known of his work just purely off of his last collection, and so when it came time for the Met Gala, thankfully, Evan's manager had said, "What about Taofeek?" I had just talked to him at Evan's birthday party, and I was like, "That's a brilliant idea. Can you connect me immediately?" And that's how we started working together.

Taofeek, I feel like a lot of your looks in the past have been quite feminine in structure, but with very bold colors. How are you envisioning Evan for this Met Gala? Will he be tapping to a more feminine look or are you envisioning something completely new?

TA— Pretty much, when Taylor and I started talking, I was like, "Hey, I have an idea of where my head is at for Evan." Because in a way, when I knew I was making a piece for Evan, I think about Evan as a character and where he fits within this theme of Gilded Glamour, which is 18th Century fashion. And in all these images I could find of men during that time period, they were all dressed like butlers. They were all dressed in the traditional black suit and a white shirt. And in a way Evan doesn't fit that, just him being Evan, a kid from Hawaii — You can't really find any reference of someone like that during the 18th Century that fitted the theme of the Gilded Glamour.

So, in a way, we started talking about how can we incorporate his youthful energy. The way you think about youth, you think about counterculture, you think about someone who wasn't doing whatever it is that's traditional to what's happening during that time period. So in a way, Taylor and I started talking and he sent me a bunch of references and stuff with the corsets and a lot of beautiful images that spark my imagination, and we're able to put a little twist and make it suit what the 18th Century Gilded Glamour theme was and make something way more counterculture, I would say. And something that doesn't fit within what you would expect a man to wear during that time period. That's how we give birth to Evan's look. Taylor can touch on that, but that's pretty much how we came about Evan's look.

TO— Taofeek's work is already amazing, and to his point of me just wanting to make sure that it's very true to Evan being young, a skater, coming from the beach, and we're both from O'ahu, every time I dress him I always approach it from context. I want to fulfill the assignment, but I also want to fulfill the assignment for my client, and so it needs to make sense for him, and that's why him and I do such a good job together. It's because we always find that balance of fulfilling what the context is, but also staying true to who he is, because he already has an innate sense of style. He already has this effortless cool about him that nobody needs to touch or mess with.

And so when I started to think about the Gilded Age and the theme of Gilded Glamour, and because Taofeek already does such beautiful feminine pieces and garments, why don't we take a twist on it? And Evan's the type of person that can really carry that genderless definition of what somebody has to wear, even in today's society. And so that's really where I started to pull references from and wanted to push Evan into that realm of taking a risk. It's probably the biggest red carpet in the world, really, and so it's like, why not do it for the Met?

The Gilded age was really a time that made sure that brown kids like us and black kids like Taofeek didn't progress during this time, so for us to really come through and rep like this is so sick

How many revisions were there until you got to the final look? And how much directorial say did Evan have? I know you said you wanted to meet him in the middle, but I wanted to know what he was specifically looking for when crafting the look.

TO— I mean, when I talked to him about it— When it comes to big things like, for instance, the Met, he really trusts me, which I'm really grateful for. He knows that I know him really well. And I just told him, I said, "This is what I was thinking." And then Taofeek had sent over a number of sketches, not a ton, but sent it to me also so quickly it was insane. Say, six variations of looks, six looks that Evan could do. And the one that I really liked out of those sketches was what I presented to Evan. And I was like, "This is where I think we should go, but here's the other options that Taofeek also sketched and can also do." And Evan agreed and was like, "Let's go there."

TA—It was actually so effortless. I found it right away. I literally just sketched it and I was bombarding Taylor with a bunch of texts going, "Hey, this is it." But right away. It was actually so easy right away. We all agreed on one favorite look. There was no back and forth whatsoever, it was like, "We like this over this." It was so neutral and Taylor made my life so much easier, to be honest. And then Evan also having that cool factor, made it so much easier for us to arrive at one conclusive decision.

TO— Even the fittings went really well, because also Evan just has a very easy body type to dress when it comes to existing garments and samples and patterns. And he just wears everything so effortlessly that the couple of fittings that we had also went really, really smooth. So this has been one of the most smooth experiences in my styling career as well, which is so rare, definitely.

That's so interesting that it's for such a big event like the Met Gala.

TO — Right. Taofeek and I are definitely stressed, and of course there's anxiety and pressure, but I think from just doing this before and from past red carpets that I've done and past events that I've done. I also think it's important to highlight that Taofeek is also a young designer, let alone a young, Black designer. Evan and I are both from Hawaii. The Gilded age was really a time that made sure that brown kids like us and black kids like Taofeek didn't progress during this time, so for us to really come through and rep like this is so sick and so full circle.

And so it's like for me to also have that play of, let's stay to the theme, but what can we also do to be like, this is how we do it. This is how we rep. And so I think that's also why it's been such a smooth experience. Taofeek's been one of the easiest designers I've ever gotten to work with, and I'm super, super grateful. I think also why it's been so seamless, is because we respect each other, we give each other our creative freedom, and we meet in the middle. There's no ego. There's none of that. And same with Evan. We're chill guys from Hawaii, so we come in, we're not being divas. I think that's also why this whole experience has also gone as smooth as possible, given the short timeframe.

TA— But yeah, in a way we spoke the same language. In a nutshell, we spoke the same language and that's why it was that seamless. In a nutshell.

Is there anything that's hidden that may not be visible to the public eye that it's a little secret between you three that will be found in the piece that Evan's wearing?

TA— Well, the public would see it, but it's the crack pants.

It's the what? The crack pants?

TO— There's a little reveal. There's a little cutout above the butt that reveals a little butt cleavage, if you will.

TA— I love how Taylor just mentioned in Hawaii, just being a kid, always being in the water and whatnot. I don't want to touch on that, but Taylor can touch on that, but it just draw a parallel to that little cheeky moment, we just added it in the pants. But I would say that, for me, stands out. But obviously, just the look as a look in general, I would just say every little detail was so collaborative that everyone gets to see it. We're not hiding anything. We're not hiding anything from anyone. Everyone gets to see it. But we know this story behind each and every little part of the garden.

TO— There are some hidden, thoughtful, things just to keep the look really clean. Taofeek had a brilliant idea because of that cut out in the back to have almost a built-in underwear, if you will, and same with the jacket to hold the shirt in place, there's going to be these interior little secrets, that's how we are keeping the garments in place versus just using double stick tape or something like that that we would typically use on an editorial shoot. There are some really nice little details on the inside as well that are keeping this look really structured and complete, really.

TA— Shout out to Liz'. We were like, "Hey, we need Evan to wear underwear, but we can't have the underwear showing." There's a secret underwear in the pants, it's a two-in-one piece, and the little hidden buttons on the inside. We know that. No one else gets to see that.

How do you want Evan to feel when steps onto the Met Gala carpet wearing your piece?

TA— to be honest, I want him to feel like Evan. I feel he has such a strong sense of character that we just wanted the clothes to also portray that, and in a way it's you see the clothes and you see Evan, you go, okay, this was meant for his closet. This is Evan at a red carpet event. So I don't want Evan to feel anything else besides him feeling empowered in himself and his narrative and his story and just going, like Taylor said, 'I might not fit within this theme as a person of color, but this is how I shine through." This is what makes me unique as a person. So I just want him to feel himself and be as comfortable as possible.

TO— Exactly. That's perfect. I mean, that's always the goal whenever I dress anyone, I want them to feel good first, because then they will wear the clothes and the clothes won't wear them. I think also more so with Evan, obviously there's a bit of a deeper connection because of him and I having history from both being from Oahu, and me being close with his sister , and we met him before he became this celebrity. And so for me, I looked at him as my family, my little brother. I want him to feel that. I want him to have his moment. I want him to feel really good as soon as he goes out there. I want him to feel like he's on top of the world because everybody deserves that moment. And so as long as he feels good and confident, then my job is done.

Fashion

How Youssouf Fofana and Jordan Brand are showing up for Paris youth

April 15, 2024

Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Nike transformed the Palais Brongniart into the ultimate showcase of Nike AIR, the groundbreaking tech that’s revolutionized athletic performance since its debut in 1978. ‘Nike on Air’ marked the final countdown to the biggest sport stage, offering a moment to celebrate the hard work and technology that brought it all to life, and unveiling the footwear and apparel the brand’s athletes will don this summer. Guests were given an exclusive preview of the 2024 national uniforms and athlete kits set to grace the fields of play in Paris, alongside a glimpse of the latest innovation in Air technology: a sculpted unit in the upcoming Pegasus Premium, slated for release in 2025.

Nike Air extends beyond performance enhancement, it has become a symbol of individuality for athletes and beyond. Growing up in The Bronx, where the swoosh was as ubiquitous as the jumpman, sneakers acted a form of self-expression and cultural identity. Juliana Sagat, lead designer of women’s footwear product lifestyle, explains that Nike’s athletes similarly seek gear that not only optimizes their performance but also reflects their personalities and experiences. For them, the process of designing and choosing gear boils down to three key elements: the blend of experience, expression, and emotion. While Air for Nike is all about innovation, Air for Jordan shows up for the culture, uniquely, its in communities. Like the swoosh, the jumpman means something to people, signifying not only athleticism but belonging.

Text by Sahir Ahmed
Photography by Seth McGinnis

In a similar spirit, Youssouf Fofana, a Parisian native of Senegalese origins and the founder and creative director of Maison Château Rouge and the United Youth International (Union de le Jeunesse), an organization empowering Parisian youth through entrepreneurship, embodies the cultural fusion that Jordan Brand champions. Youssouf's five year long collaboration with Jordan Brand extends beyond fashion; it represents a cultural exchange that transcends borders and generations. As a creative director, Youssouf tells us that he brings his vision of cultural synthesis to life by "looking for the meeting point of our two universes to create something new."

"Synthesis represents the natural assimilation by the sons and daughters of African descent immigrants mixed with the culture and tradition of the country where they settled and grew up; this gives light to a new form of creation, mixing seamlessly heritage and tradition with modernity to design authentically for the diaspora. It is not just about mixing two elements, but it is really a way to create a new natural form of language." Reflecting on founding the UYI, named after his second collaboration with Air Jordan in 2021, Youssouf explains, “What we wanted to do with this collection was to showcase a celebration of youth and the diaspora internationally. For me, as a youth who had a different view of the world and a different idea of how to shape things, I wanted to create a place for others like me to be able to express this, and it was very logical that it took place in the 18th arrondissement in Paris,” a neighborhood that has long been a hub for French-speaking African diaspora as well as some African-American creatives, much like The Bronx.

Recognizing the vast array of African influences that intersect in the 18th, Youssouf creates “a new territory for the next generation to feel at ease in the country that welcomed their parents or those that came before.” And he sees the Olympics, which have always been the ultimate platform for sports, as an opportunity to serve the youth across the city.

Alongside Youssouf, French-American baller, Gabby Williams, a forward in the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and an Olympic Bronze medalist who joined the Jordan brand in 2023, came out to play, debuting the brand’s French Federation kit. Youssouf designed a custom Jordan Brand two-piece suit for Gabby to wear, "inspired by vintage basketball warm-up outfits, synthesized by the silhouette of a suit tailored in the tradition of French know-how." He joined the VisionAir Showcase with UYI members, giving Parisian youth culture a chance to shine on their own terms at the summit. We chatted with them below.

Leni Abdoulaye, 22

Grew up in the 19th arrondissement. Co-founder of streetwear project Outside.

What was the first pair of Jordans you owned?

When I was 12, I put a pair of Jordan 4s in my profile photo on the networks because it was a vibe, I just wanted to, but suddenly all my friends started to roast me because they didn't understand why. [Laughs]

Do you have a favorite Jordan style?

I love the Jordan 3, because I find it really classy, it looks really dressy. You can wear it with everything: jeans, jogging pants, to do anything, out for an evening, it goes everywhere.

Is there an athlete you're rooting for during the games?

Mbappé but hey we’ll see if he’ll be there. I really like his determination. “Don’t talk to me about age” represents his mentality well, there are no excuses.

What does the intersection of sport and culture mean to you?

I feel like sport meets culture outside. Our way of living means that we are always on the move. In France, in the projects we wear tracksuits, because we naturally have a sports mentality.

Marion Gomez, 22
Photographer and Junior Artistic Director

What was the first pair of Jordans you owned?

My first pair of Jordans was a red Jordan 3, although I absolutely wanted a pair of 4s for several years. I thought it was a Jordan 4 model, but after seeing everyone at school and college wearing the Jordan 4 I realized that I had the wrong model, it was ultimately the three but I told myself that it was more authentic and I could have had any Jordan on my foot. The important thing was to have a pair.

Is there an athlete you're rooting for?

No particular athlete, but I have an interest in dance and the fact that break dancing is represented this year at the Olympic Games is very important to me and I want to actively follow this discipline.

How do you think the Olympic Games will impact the city this summer?

The fact that the Olympic Games are taking place in Paris can be an opportunity for the city to be seen from a new perspective. It is an opportunity for the whole world to discover Parisian culture, that is to say a diverse culture, a culture with multiple influences.

Soriba Dambakate, 24
Grew up in the 18th arrondissement. Maison Château Rouge / United Youth International Coordinator

What was the first pair of Jordans you owned?

My first was an Air Jordan 6. My brother worked in a sneaker store in Châtelet and he gave me this pair for the start of 5th grade at college.

Is there an athlete you are rooting for the Olympics this summer?

Victor Wembanyama and Nicolas Batum with the French team!

Do you play basketball?

Yes, I've been playing street basketball since I was 13, playing from time to time with my friends. In high school, there was a basketball court in the playground, and we played during lunch breaks, recess or at the end of classes on a court. During college, I played it with my friends in the square. There is so much access to basketball in Paris also with all the courts like at Square Léon, Stalingrad, Charenton, or Carpentier, etc.

What influence do you think the Olympics this summer can have on Parisian youth?

Today, for me sport is anchored in culture. I think it can encourage more young people to practice sports other than football or basketball, and maybe even participate in the Olympic Games one day. Why not?

Fashion

Dressing the Sixth Annual Pornhub Awards: Briana Andelore on Creating with SEKS

How did you, Will and Abel (the minds behind Seks.llc) meet?

Well, I’ve known about Seks for a really long time just from being in New York and being in the club. They used to be called Seks 5th Avenue a while back. But honestly, I don’t even know how it happened, whether Julia told me or if we just started DMing. I think Julia messaged Abel, then Will and I started DMing and we had a crazy package debacle in LA — because the mail is crazy — so we had a moment and that’s definitely when it all came to life.

What was it like working together to create each of the looks?

It feels like it was meant to happen weirdly enough, because the second that we met there was an instant connection and obsession, I think, for both of us. And this collaboration was almost an evolution of what we've been doing, put to life on all of these girls. So I'm grateful that it did happen because it's just so iconic.

Julia and I have a relationship where we don't have to talk to each other much — we’re kind of telepathic in that way. Abel and I also share this telepathy because sometimes we just read each other's mind and he knows exactly what I want. I don't feel like I've ever found that in a designer. If I show him a couple of pictures or I give him my ideas, it is always executed above and beyond what I ever expected.

Did you create each look with the girl in mind already?

We had the girls in mind, but I also knew that things were going to change because once you meet someone and can feel their energy, you tend to feel differently and are like, Oh this piece works better with you because you have a bubbly energy, or you have a more serious energy, or you have a more fierce energy, or whichever may come into place in the moment. I like to keep things pretty open.

Asa Akira & Queenie Sateen

Was there a narrative arc that brought each of the looks together?

We kind of took inspiration from the venue, [Whisky a Go Go], and individuality within rock and roll culture, this very rebellious, ’I don’t give a fuck’ energy. It’s just whatever it wants to be, not confined to any one thing. Each look was its own personality, looking to recreate the energy of that era in a modern context.

What was it like once you finally saw everyone in their look and the night played out?

The energy was definitely there. It was so electric and it felt like the space was coming alive. Everyone was really partying. Everybody was drinking and enjoying themselves because it was just a night to celebrate, and all of the girls were so amazing and cool and felt good in their outfits. When we were dressing, all of them were like, I love it. You don’t always get that. To make 11 girls feel amazing and happy, feeling their best selves on the carpet and at the party, you know it’s going to be the best night ever.

How hands-on were you in the process?

So, I always work as a team, that’s just how I vibe. Even when Julia and I were doing Franziska Fox, we had our technical designer, and our employees, but we all worked together to build those collections. I feel like working as a team is the best way to do things because that’s when ideas can be thoughtful and full of love. I have my girls now and we all also build all of our looks together. And Abel and I love each other so much, so this is like our love child. We co-created all of it. Abel has all of these technical and amazing ideas, but overall, it showcases things we both appreciate and conceptualized together really.

Natassia Dreams & Ryan Reid

Do you have any memories that come to mind from the months spent working on this project?

There is a story that people don't know about the collection. So Abel actually got really sick earlier this year and had to go into surgery. I got the news of us doing this collaboration a couple days before he went into surgery actually, so we didn't know if we were going to do it. He came out of surgery and it was super hard for him to adjust, as he was in a wheelchair throughout the process of making this collection, but at the same time, it also gave him life and hope. When we were finally finished with the collection, Abel was walking again.

Wow, that gives me goosebumps.

It’s a story that means so much to us and truly a collaboration that is beyond what it came to life as for us internally. Now he’s doing really, really well. He’s basically back to normal now, but this collection — the creativity it gave him — truly healed him. That’s just the power creativity can have.

And community, being surrounded by people that you really connect to and want to work with. Could you see yourself doing similar collaborative projects in the future?

Well, I have a shoe coming out in September so it is something that I’m working on. It’s created, but in sales now. It just takes time to drop. But yeah, I would love to create with Abel again and other emerging designers.

And you also worked with Julia on OMG Fashun which is coming out on E! pretty soon?

Yeah, so I executive produced OMG Fashun, and I styled Julia. The show is so amazing. There are so many talented young designers — and some of it is virtually untapped, similar to Seks when we met and they’ve already come so far. With the show, the world’s going to be able to see all of these incredible designers and they’re going to be able to grow, and that’s my favorite part of it all, meeting all of these talented people and seeing what they do, who they dress next, where the world takes them.

Yeah, totally. And there are so many amazing designers that people have yet to hear about, so that’s exciting.

Yeah, I get to work with a lot of young designers from really everywhere — Paris, Florence, Milan, Amsterdam come to mind — and it’s so great because everywhere, it’s basically caters to their communities. Like here in New York, we have our young designers like Women’s History Month, who have an amazing store where they sells some of their own creations and vintage as well. Then there’s Lucky Jewel, James Valoria, Retail Pharmacy, all of these places that are part of our Downtown community. Retail Pharmacy highlights so many different designers in New York while mixing in pieces from around the world, and similar hubs are popping up all over the place.

Everyone’s also so connected because of social media.

Yeah, the internet is such a great place to tap in. That’s how I talk to a lot of designers. They begin as strangers and then sometimes I get to meet them when I go somewhere in the world, say for Fashion Week. Those moments are just so nice and also just creating this community around the world. I think more people will tap into it, especially with the show coming out, highlighting young designers, sustainability, and buying into that as the cool thing to do. It would be great to develop more with the designers on the show, and others around the world, a place for everybody to go to shop for them.

You should make the new modern day department store, like Retail Pharmacy x100.

Oh my God, that would be my dream. That's like heaven for sure.