Meet Naomi Shimada, the 28 year old NY/LON girl changing the way fashion looks for 2016 and beyond. The model, activist, spokesperson, documentary maker, panellist, and self-confessed "professional loud mouth" epitomises style for us; her positivity is absolutely infectious, she's opinionated, passionate and, not to mention, beautiful.
The half-Japanese super-babe, who was raised in Spain, splits her time between London and New York and is never out of her strictly rainbow-hued uniform. Issey Miyake pleats, berets, crop tops, hella orange and an ear-full of trinkets she collects from her travels have come to mark Naomi's idiosyncratic style. Between bagging Observer covers and travelling the world, Shimada has big career plans. Her Hello Kitty splattered Instagram account is a delight and her work as a body-positive campaigner, columnist and documentarian is awe-inspiring. Over to Naomi...
Name, age, location, occupation
Naomi Shimada, 28. LDN/NYC, model/activist/documentary filmmaker/professional loud mouth/passionate debater/party girl.
If you were an item of clothing, what would you be and why?
I would be a halter top. It just reminds me of cute summer moments and sexy heat and sunshine radiating on your skin!
Favourite item of clothing you’re currently wearing? Living in my cropped Gosha Rubchinskiy high-waisted skater boy jeans!
What item of clothing best sums you up?
My orange Issey Miyake dress. It literally is me in a dress. Orange is my favorite colour and it’s the epitome of what I would wear! Sushine vibes all year round!
What do you love about the city you live in?
I love New York for that feeling of not knowing what's going to happen to you that day when you leave the house. I would say that energy is totally addictive. If you’re that kind of yolo person - NY is the city for you! There’s always somewhere to go and an adventure to have. London still is a hub and source of inspiration for me - it’s where I make all my creative ideas actually happen.
How does it impact your style?
Both cities street style and real community style inspire me every day!
Where’s your favourite place to shop?
eBay, Farfetch and random stores/markets when I travel. Charity shops, Dover Street Market and Uniqlo men's for basics.
What item of clothing are you still hunting out?
This Venus De Milo, Jean Paul Gaultier see-through long top of my dreams.
How would you sum your style up in three words?
Rainbow, unmissable, bike-safe!
What’s your favourite pair of shoes?
I'm a trainers girl through and through. I'm tall and I never wanna be that girl that has to go home because her feet hurt! I'm currently wearing low Nike Air Force Ones and Cortez and high-top Chukka Vans in fun colours. Also just started wearing my pink Converse high-tops again.
What’s your most important beauty rule?
Cleanse, cleanse 'n' cleanse. I’m from Japan and the girls there are super into washing their face- twice - so I’ll de-makeup, tone, wash twice and then do a little peel! Nothing better than a clean face, especially in these cities we’re choosing to live in. They are so dirty. A girl’s gotta do what she can to save that face!
Favourite makeup product and why?
Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro matte lipstick - it’s all a girl needs in this life. TRUST ME!
Weirdest beauty trick you’ve ever tried?
Hmmmm trying to put avocado on my face as a mask because someone told me that was good for my skin, just got bored and hungry then just ate it off my face.
Who do you stalk on Instagram?
Rihanna, @arthoecollective (black young female artists who are just so bomb) @foreignerdigita l (a photographer who has been documenting the jungle and the refugee crisis) @chaninicolas (my favourite astrologer) @advancedstyle is the fashion account I live for - @suitcasemag too.
What's your favourite picture you've posted?
I feel like my favourite photos I’ve posted are the ones that have gotten the least likes! Those ones are truly beautiful photographs…. I feel like the internet just wants to see selfies... come on people!
What's your most liked Instagram?
Probably my Observer cover or one of my Hello Kitty selfies (lolz)
Where are we most likely to find you on a Friday night/ Sunday morning?
Friday night usually dancing to the cute jam somewhere (hopefully somewhere playing dancehall or the new reggaeton jams). Sunday is in the kitchen either making a big breakfast or big dinner. Sundays are for self love; reading, walking, eating and sleeping!
Your favourite place to eat?
That is SUCH A HARD QUESTION FOR ME. I’m such an enthuthiastic eater. I have a Google world map of places to eat; from little window squats to that fanciest date spot that I’ve saved for the last 7 years! But I’m just gonna say Tokyo, Japan. They have the best everything (besides Japanese, obviously). Italian, French, Korean, Chinese- they’ve mastered it all. It’s like food-Disney to me.
What’s your favourite thing to cook?
A simple but delicious pasta because pasta nourishes the soul <3 (sorry 2 the gluten free babies out there! I feel for you!)
Who’s your best buddy?
BLESSED ENOUGH TO HAVE TOO MANY TO NAME <3 MY FRIENDS ARE MY FAMILY.
Where’s your happy place?
New York in the summertime (sexy season) or the mountains of Oaxaca in Mexico.
Your motto?
2016 for me is all about me learning to be open to everything life can offer, it’s about reaching my full potential as a human being and keeping it all colorful so for me my motto currently is - heart open, mind open, legs open!
Your biggest fear?
Store bought triangle sandwiches! Like a Tesco one: eeeeek they just aren’t for me.
Your biggest achievement to date?
I mean on a personal level going through so much change (break ups, moving countries constantly, casual homelessness, feeling so lost on what I was doing with my life) and coming out alive and more passionate than ever is my big current personal achievement… But I guess work wise it would be getting the Observer cover via talking about things I care about. The culture of caring and educating people on an industry that people think they know, but they don’t! The Observer has been my life bible - the only thing that trumps that for me is TIME.
What do you want from your career?
I want to learn how to direct documentary films about the things I care about. I want to make uncomfortable conversations comfortable, connect with people and open up dialogues that we need to have in our society.
Where will you be in ten years?
Hopefully living in Mexico and eating mad tacos every day with my beautiful Spanish-speaking babies, making films and painting my walls pink!
Who makes you laugh?
My siblings and all my besties!
What quality do you most admire in other people?
Honesty and truth of character. BE ABOUT SOMETHING - have an opinion and own who you are. Be free!
What’s next?
I’m definitely still modelling and have a few campaigns coming out, me and my friends Lotte Andersen and Louise Chen are starting a new cute party called ‘Miss World’ and I’m producing a bunch of documentary series right now that are close to my heart! Watch this space I'm coming for you world!
Follow Naomi: @naomishimada
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