Sophisticated with a dash of swagger—these local trendsetters prove that style is indeed a state of mind.
Nok Suntaranon
CHEF-OWNER, KALAYA THAI KITCHEN
The face behind Philadelphia favorite Kalaya Thai Kitchen dishes up far more than just shaw muang and a rainbow of curries. In fact, the James Beard Award finalist is known for her colorful outfits, always complemented by her best accessory: a bright, cheerful smile.
WAKE UP TIME: DEFINITELY NOT A MORNING PERSON
NEMESIS: PEOPLE WHO SAY MY FOOD IS TOO SPICY
ESCAPE: PARIS
WEAKNESS: SHOES
MY AESTHETIC: SASSY GLAM
UNIFORM: ISSEY MIYAKE
CHERISHED ACCESSORY: MY POMERANIAN
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH: ALONE TIME WITH ZIV, MY HUSBAND
WORKOUT: WALKING IN THE RESTAURANT
LAST MEAL: MY MOTHER’S NOODLES AND STEAM CHICKEN WITH HER SPICY SAUCE
MOVIE: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
MENTOR: MY MOTHER
STYLE ICON: JACKIE ONASSIS
SHOES: ROGER VIVIER
LIPSTICK: RED, ORANGE, PINK FUCHSIA. ANY BRAND THAT LASTS MORE THAN 24 HOURS ON MY LIP.
BEST ADVICE: ONE STEP AT A TIME
PHILANTHROPY: USING MY BUSINESS TO GIVE BACK TO COMMUNITY
MANTRA: START YOUR DAY WITH POSITIVITY AND KINDNESS.
CURRENT OBSESSION: PROGRESS ON MY NEW RESTAURANT
APP: I TRY TO STAY OFF MY PHONE.
COCKTAIL: SUPER SPICY BLOODY MARY
SOULMATE: ZIV, MY HUSBAND
SKINCARE ESSENTIAL: ANYTHING FROM DR. ERIC BERNSTEIN. HE IS A TRUE GENIUS.
ZODIAC: CANCER
BEDTIME: AFTER MIDNIGHT
BEDSIDE READING: COOKBOOK
THEME SONG TO MY LIFE: THE BUZZING SOUND OF KALAYA’S BUSY DINING ROOM
BAG: BIRKIN
SIGNATURE SCENT: I LOVE A.N OTHER PERFUME. IT’S VERY UNIQUE.
Daniela Holt Voith
FOUNDING PARTNER, VOITH & MACTAVISH ARCHITECTS
Philadelphia has over 10,000 historic buildings on its register—but who keeps them looking up to par? Enter Daniela Holt Voith, founding partner of Voith & Mactavish Architects. Behind the preservation of some of our area’s most famous edifices—Drexel University's Paul Peck Alumni Center, the Academy of Music and the original law school at the University of Pennsylvania—the Philadelphia native keeps our history going strong within architectural borders.
WAKE-UP TIME: WHENEVER
DOPPELGANGER: ATHENA
NEMESIS: MY BAD SIDE
ESCAPE: BERMUDA
WEAKNESS: WINE
MY AESTHETIC: ECLECTIC CHIC
UNIFORM: BLACK—I AM AN ARCHITECT.
CHERISHED ACCESSORY: DIAMOND EARRINGS MY HUSBAND GAVE ME
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH: TRAVEL
LAST MEAL: OYSTERS AND CHAMPAGNE
MOVIE: MOSTLY MARTHA
MENTOR: BARBARA MILLER LANE—MY DEPARTMENT HEAD AT BRYN MAWR, ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN AND LIFELONG FRIEND
STYLE ICON: ONE PHOTO SAYS IT ALL: HELMUT NEWTON’S IMAGE OF VIBEKE KNUTSON IN YSL’S LE SMOKING
SHOES: BELGIANS
BEST ADVICE: SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE LOSE A LOT AND KEEP DANCING.
PHILANTHROPY: DESIGN LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION AND PHILADELPHIA YOUTH BASKETBALL
MANTRA: TWO THINGS MY MOM ALWAYS TOLD ME: BE UPRIGHT, STRAIGHT, STRONG AND TRUE; AND COLLEGE GIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING.
CURRENT OBSESSION: STRIPES
APP: TRANSIT COCKTAIL: RED WINE
SOULMATE: MY HUSBAND, DICKY VOITH
SKINCARE ESSENTIAL: BETH AT AVERY GRAHAM
ZODIAC: ARIES
BEDTIME: WHENEVER
BEDSIDE READING: BANNISTER FLETCHER’S HISTORY OF WESTERN ARCHITECTURE. IT’S SO BORING I FALL ASLEEP IN THREE SECONDS.
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: ANYTHING BY BERT SEAGER
BAG: I HAVE TOO MANY.
SIGNATURE SCENT: SISLEY EAU DU SOIR
Nina Farran
FOUNDER AND CEO, FASHIONKIND
Self-described on Instagram as an “impactdriven entrepreneur obsessed with reinventing luxury fashion,” Nina Farran is doing just that thanks to her fashion tech platform, Fashionkind, that curates pieces solely by the leading sustainable luxury designers from around the world (Adriana Castro, Fil de Vie and Mi Jong Lee, to name a few). Oh, and did we mention that she’s co-founders with powerhouse Sophia Bush? Talk about a dynamic duo.
WAKE-UP TIME: IF I’M BEING PERFECTLY HONEST, MY DAY STARTS AROUND 8:30, 9AM WITH A CUP OF TEA. I’M NOT A MORNING PERSON.
DOPPELGANGER: MY MOM. SOME SAY KATE BOSWORTH, BUT I’M NOT CONVINCED.
NEMESIS: FAST FASHION
ESCAPE: MY FAMILY’S HOME IN MATTAPOISETT, MASS. IT’S WHERE I JUST GOT MARRIED.
WEAKNESS: ANYTHING (AND EVERYTHING!) SWEET AND RESCUE DOGS
MY AESTHETIC: CHIC AND COMFORTABLE WITH UNEXPECTED DETAILS
UNIFORM: FASHIONKIND AND A LOW BUN
CHERISHED ACCESSORY: MY DOGS, LENNON AND VELA, AND MY WEDDING RING, WHICH WAS MADE FROM PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN IN MY FAMILY AND MY HUSBAND’S FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS.
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH: YELLOW GOLD JEWELRY AND MAXI DRESSES (PREFERABLY WITH PUFFY SLEEVES) FROM FASHIONKIND, PASTRIES FROM BAKESHOP ON 20TH, PROPER POTS OF TEA, I COULD GO ON...
WORKOUT: SOLIDCORE
LAST MEAL: BARCLAY PRIME’S POPOVERS, MORIMOTO’S ROCK SHRIMP TEMPURA, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW’S CHICKEN CUTLETS AND MY LITTLE SISTER’S BROWNIE (MUST BE WARM!) A LA MODE. ALTHOUGH NOW I CAN’T STOP THINKING OF THINGS TO ADD...
MOVIE: 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, IO NON HO PAURA, LES INTOUCHABLES
MENTOR: KRISTY CAYLOR, CAROLINE BROWN, TOVAH HAIM, LISA POMERANTZ, PETER FADER
STYLE ICON: LSD, CARMEN BUSQUETS AND MY FRIEND CHARLOTTE
SHOES: EXTRA-HIGH HEELS OR SABAHS. RARELY ANYTHING IN BETWEEN.
LIPSTICK: VBB POSH LIPSTICK IN JUMP MIXED WITH LA BOUCHE ROUGE IN PINK NUDE
BEST ADVICE: ‘DON’T ASK WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS. ASK WHAT MAKES YOU COME ALIVE, AND GO DO IT. BECAUSE WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME ALIVE.’ – HOWARD THURMAN
PHILANTHROPY: POWER UP GAMBIA
MANTRA: ‘THERE IS NO PASSION TO BE FOUND PLAYING SMALL—IN SETTLING FOR A LIFE THAT IS LESS THAN THE ONE YOU ARE CAPABLE OF LIVING.’ –NELSON MANDELA
CURRENT OBSESSION: PELLEGRINO AND FRESH LEMON JUICE
APP: INSTAGRAM
COCKTAIL: APEROL SPRITZ BY DAY, [EXTRA] DIRTY MARTINI BY NIGHT
SOULMATE: MY HUSBAND, CONNOR; MY BEST FRIENDS JULIA AND CK; AND MY LITTLE SISTER ELIZA
SKINCARE ESSENTIAL: BIOLOGIQUE RECHERCHE P50 1970
ZODIAC: LEO
BEDTIME: 11:30PM
BEDSIDE READING: CROSSWORD PUZZLES
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: EARLY 2000S RAP/HIP-HOP, SPECIFICALLY ANYTHING BY JA RULE
BAG: SUMMER: CESTA COLLECTIVE OR VERDI; FALL: HUNTING SEASON OR CAROLINA SANTO DOMINGO; WINTER: OKAPI OR BELLA ROSA COLLECTION; SPRING: MARINA RAPHAEL OR ADRIANA CASTRO. AND YES, THEY ARE ALL ON FASHIONKIND.
SIGNATURE SCENT: BURBERRY BRIT EAU DE PARFUM (SINCE SIXTH GRADE!)
Rié Aoki
FASHION BLOGGER AND PROFESSIONAL BALLET DANCER, BALLET MISTRESS AND TEACHER AT FIRST STATE BALLET THEATRE
Chic cottage core ladies, rejoice! Rié Aoki is here to guide your way through the most stylish outfits of lace, vintage and more. The Japan-born dancer graces her feed with whimsical photos of her fashioned ensembles that transport viewers into worlds inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s enchanting films. Offline, Aoki spends her time in the studio of Delaware’s First State Ballet Theatre coaching. Her repertoire includes Black Swan from Swan Lake and Giselle from Giselle.
WAKE-UP TIME: 8AM
DOPPELGANGER: I’VE NEVER MET ONE!
NEMESIS: BUGS WITH HARD -SHELL BODIES
ESCAPE: FRUIT/FLOWER PICKING
WEAKNESS: FOOD!
MY AESTHETIC: MIX OF GHIBLI, COTTAGE CORE AND SCENES FROM VINTAGE FILMS
UNIFORM: FLOWY MAXI DRESSES AND VINTAGE BLOUSES
CHERISHED ACCESSORY: PEARL JEWELRY
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH: UNEXPECTED VINTAGE FINDS
WORKOUT: BALLET
LAST MEAL: SUSHI, FOR SURE!
MOVIE: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA AND GHIBLI FILMS
MENTOR: MY PARENTS, MY BOSS, HAYAO MIYAZAKI
STYLE ICON: FASHIONISTAS IN ITALY AND DENMARK
SHOES: VIVAIA SHOES
LIPSTICK: L’ORÉAL COLOUR RICHE #182 NUDE INTENSE
BEST ADVICE: EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS.
PHILANTHROPY: NAACP
MANTRA: ‘YOU ARE RIÉ!’
CURRENT OBSESSION: INTERIOR STYLING
APP: INSTAGRAM (@RIEVICTORIAAOKI) !
COCKTAIL: TEQUILA MULE
SOULMATE: MY HUSBAND, EDDIE
SKINCARE ESSENTIAL: B.GLEN’S SKINCARE GOODS
ZODIAC: ARIES AND TAURUS (I HAVE BOTH!)
BEDTIME: AROUND MIDNIGHT
BEDSIDE READING: THE ALCHEMIST BY PAULO COELHO
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: ‘A TOWN WITH AN OCEAN VIEW’ BY JOE HISAISHI
BAG: VINTAGE SMALL PURSES
SIGNATURE SCENT: GIORGIO ARMANI SÌ
