Through the Archive | Kiana Sakamoto
A modern-day American in Paris. Kiana made her way to Paris from Redondo Beach, California. Now living in the French capital, she splits her time between her role at a French ready-to-wear house and her work as a model and creative.
With a wardrobe built almost entirely of vintage and secondhand treasures, Kiana’s approach to dressing is thoughtful, timeless, and deeply personal, shaped by family heirlooms, instinct, and years of intentional collecting. ‘As I get older, I increasingly think of pieces as potential heirlooms. Not in terms of their value but in terms of their quality and emotion’.
What’s your earliest memory of fashion?
I have very distinct memories flipping through Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar Magazine with my mom at the dinner table. It was my first introduction into the world of luxury fashion, editorials, and brands. My mom would look at me and say, ‘If you can pick anything from these two pages, what would you pick?’ and I’d pick whatever spoke to me at that moment not really understanding how much anything cost at the time. It was simply our way of daydreaming, bonding, and window shopping together.
How would you describe your style?
Minimalist. Timeless (I hope). Elevated.
What do you keep in your wardrobe season after season, your essentials?
In Paris, life here is very seasonal. So for Spring/Summer, my go-to is always my collection of vintage white dresses I’ve collected over the years. For Fall/Winter, I rely on my collection of second-hand coats to keep me warm. A trench coat is a must for the transitional seasons and my favorite piece is my vintage Burberry coat.
What are your style signatures, anything we’d see and instantly think of you?
Any minimalist black and white outfit. My friends know me so well. They know I love an all white look. I think pearl earrings have also been one of my signature styles. I’m always wearing my drop pearl earrings by Chan Luu.
You own and wear a lot of vintage. When did that start?
In high school one of my friends introduced me to Crossroads Trading, it’s a secondhand clothing store chain with stores throughout the US. I don’t think I took to thrifting immediately, but slowly I started to discover brands that I otherwise couldn’t afford and then it all started to click. Now, I’m addicted to the treasure hunt and my wardrobe is 90% or more secondhand or vintage.
In what ways has vintage influenced or shaped your style?
At first, it’s really easy to get caught up in how affordable vintage shopping is compared to retail, so it’s easy to start impulse buying because things feel ‘cheaper’, but over time I’ve started to become more and more intentional about the pieces I buy.
I love that vintage shopping is beyond the current trends. You can find things from every era of every decade. There are limitless possibilities when it comes to fit, tailoring, and silhouette. In fact, a lot of my vintage pieces are my mom’s. Since 90s fashion is so popular these days, I love being able to restyle and rewear pieces that my mom has had in her closet for decades.
When shopping vintage, I also think: Is this something I want to keep forever? As I get older, I increasingly think of pieces as potential heirlooms. Not in terms of their value but in terms of their quality and emotion.
Any style inspirations or references?
I’m a big fan of personal style by Christie Tyler, Andrea Ricci, Sophie Khanh, Carina Cornelia Nicklas, Jenny Walton, Nicole Warne, and Orion Carloto. My mom is also my forever style reference. My fashion DNA and passion for dressing as an extension of my values and self-expression all came from her.
What are some of your greatest vintage finds?
My slip dress from Ojai, CA. I bought it during one of my best friend’s bachelorette trips at a small local store. It was a very unassuming store so this vintage find was all the more exciting. I once found a vintage Louis Vuitton wool sweater that was part of an employee uniform. I think it was never supposed to get released to the public because I assume most luxury brands make their staff return their uniforms, so it’s a real gem to have it.
Is there a piece you’ll never sell or give up?
My dad’s Hugo Boss blazer, my mom’s Ferragamo shoulder bag, and my Grandmother's overcoat with brass buttons. Also my Grandmother’s gold fan necklace. It’s really special. Sorry, I couldn't pick just one (smiles).
What pieces are currently on your wishlist?
As of now, I’m really happy with the pieces that I own so if I buy anything it’s only to replace something that I’m giving away or I can’t wear anymore.
But, if I were to splurge, I’d love to own a vintage Cartier Baignoire Mini watch. Currently, I don’t wear a watch but I feel like it’s something both chic and functional that I could wear everyday and keep me from looking at my phone to check the time. Also, I’d love to own a vintage pair of Tabis. Maybe they’re too mainstream by now, but I’m just so curious about the feeling of wearing a split toe shoe and everyone says they’re so comfortable.
Do you have any rules when it comes to styling yourself?
I’m guided by a feeling when it comes to styling myself. But in general, I just want to look and feel ‘put together’. For me this usually means neutral pieces where I build a look based on my plans for the day. If I’m going to be out all day, I’ll probably wear something that I can go from day to night whereas if I’m just going to a dinner, I’ll be a little more dressed up.
My personal style rules might be considered rather niche and strict, but as it stands now, they are as follows. One: typically I stay away from colors and prints since I find it’s easier to build a look when my pieces are mostly neutral. Two: shoes must be comfortable. Paris is a walkable city and it’s always a bummer when you can’t enjoy the city because your feet hurt. Three: I never leave the house without my jewelry: a family ring, earrings, and my dainty gold chain. Four: fit and tailoring is everything! I’ve added ribbons and pins to pieces just to make sure the fit is just right. A safety pin goes a lot further than you think.
What’s your biggest style pet peeve?
Wrinkled clothing. I’m also my own worst enemy when it comes to this. Sometimes I’m just too lazy to steam my own clothes and sometimes you just can’t avoid getting wrinkled on the go. But ever since I’ve worked as a stylist on set, I can’t stand to see wrinkled clothing. Even the oldest, cheapest piece of clothing looks so much fresher when it’s pressed.
Kiana Sakamoto as told by Aina Velasco
Find Kiana @kiana.sakamoto and ellakol.com