Ayaka Takao |
There are moments when the world feels smaller and connected and crossing paths with Ayaka was one of these moments. While we still had a retail shop in Brooklyn and right before the pandemic we were planning to host a natural dying workshop with Bokeum Jeon, a textile artist and designer we had met through the shop. Fast forward to me moving back to Hawai'i, I was putting out some feelers for support for TCP and Ayaka responded to the post with their interest as they studied fibers degree from MICA. It also happened to be that they were good friends with Bokeum! Small world... Ayaka found herself in the east coast for school but was originally from Hawai'i and moving back home as well.
Since our meeting, I've taken an amazing ceramics class (which you can find a range of workshops that they teach here) from Ayaka and seen their development as an artist and educator here in Hawai'i which is inspiring. Many local artists and creatives leave the island and don't come back, but being gone for so long and then being back myself, I've realized the impact that can be made by coming back home. :)
Ayaka is spunky, not afraid of the unknown and exploratory in their work so I was excited to have them styled in TCP. It was natural and playful all at once. I styled them in our wide leg rework denim patchwork pant and a new design coming soon, a button down tank!
Below is a short video clip on how Ayaka embraces the "uncomfortable."
Ayaka - I'm glad to have met you & glad you're back home.
Make sure to check out their work here or if you're local take one of their workshops!!
Photography by Brandyn Liu