Toronto’s own Desire Kaniki has been turning heads whether it’s at one of his themed parties or self styled photoshoots. The Stylist, Art director and Party Planner dishes the dirt when it comes to what exactly is in his closet, the secret to throwing a successfully stylish soiree and what influences his delightfully dapper style.
FELICIA: For those that don’t know, who are you and what exactly do you do?
DESIRE: My name is Desire and I am an Artist.I don’t like to put labels on the things that I do. I write and produce music, I do art direction and styling in the fashion industry. I dance and choreograph, so and on and so forth. We are in the age of the multi-tasker and the more you do, the better you are at your craft. So an overall artist is what I would label myself as.
FELICIA: What influences you not only with your personal style but work ethic?
DESIRE: I am most heavily influenced by everything! I know it sounds really cliche, but really, everything I see. I was taught never to close my eyes and too always absorb everything around me, because you never what might inspire you. It could be the most simple thing that will spark up an idea or thought, a photo-shoot concept, a song …..sorry I sound like such a nerd right now.
FELICIA: Lets say if your house was on fire and you could only take one item from your personal possessions with you – what would it be?
DESIRE: If my house was on fire I would run back inside to save my laptop! My whole life is there and I cannot function without one and probably my iPod too. Clothes, I can always buy back. No worries. But I depend on technology!
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Diddy, Mary J Blige and Kelis have all turned to him for his sharp fashion sense and versatility while a legendary music and fashion icon has recently turned to him to help him re-vamp his wardrobe. Atiba Newsome sat down with me at the Shoreham Hotel in midtown Manhattan looking dapper and effortless in a Alexander McQueen wool sweater, Ralph Lauren denim shirt, Nudie Jeans and Christian Louboutin sneakers with vintage shades on and his fedora tipped. We talked June Ambrose, Puffy and how he turned a love of shopping into a lasting career.
Felicia: As a child what did you want to be when you grew up so to speak?
Atiba: I always said I wanted to be a lawyer because I heard they made a lot of money and because I always loved pleading my case. We did court in high school and I did well but when I found out how long I would have to go to school for I wasn’t having any of that idea anymore. I had a career counselor come to my class and asked me what I loved to do. I was 13 so I said that I liked to shop. So she told me that I could be a buyer and once I heard how you can get paid to shop- I thought this was for me. I was never one for school because I am a hands on type of learner. I see a lot of stylists that have their assistants doing a lot of the work but I am more in the way that if I want something done right now I will just do it myself. I’m the one that is going to get scrutinized if it doesn’t look right- I am the one behind the look so I might as well do the work on my own. I like when my assistants or interns experiment but I usually like doing things on my own.
Felicia: What was your earliest fashion memory? I remember being 4 years old and watching my mother put on her big gold earrings and red lipstick with very short jet black hair. I think that was my a-ha moment in regards to fashion, what was yours?
Atiba: My mother is very demure and classy , so I was really into labels in middle school and I was in her closet and that’s where I started learning about labels. I remember being in fourth grade wearing sharkskin suits from Saks. When you are a kid you don’t realize what you have till you don’t have it anymore you know? I was always dressing up as a kid and then my mom said you gotta get a job. I remembered the value of a dollar but with fashion I always got around everything when I was a kid- I remember being into Guess and wearing a shirt once and returning it. Tricks with the tag and all of that shit! (laughs) I found a way of sliding the tags out! I lived across from Macy’s so I did have access to that stuff.
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