Summer in the City with Imani Randolph
New York-based model Imani Randolph approaches daily dressing with transitions in mind. From casting calls to dinner with friends, long days in NYC necessitate the singular style—and styling prowess—she possesses in spades. Fresh from being photographed in some of her favorite pieces from our newest collection, we chatted with Imani over her artful approach to planning her looks, how she sets herself apart on casting calls, and what she loves most about Summer in the city.
Imani wears the Remis Top, Loren Linen Short and carries the Petite Mathilde Bag
How has a career in modeling inspired the way you dress?
When it comes to model castings, it’s important to keep things simple. With most castings, it’s about wearing all black, but there are ways to infuse your personality—the cut of the jeans and the T-shirt, for example. I add a really great belt and a couple of my classic sterling silver rings, too.
Any tips for transitioning your look from day to night when you’re on the go?
In the mornings when I'm getting ready, I'm thinking about all of the places where I will end up that day, whether it be heading to the office or heading to a shoot and then having dinner plans or even a party afterward. I'm typically not a massive bag girl, but I’m a shoulder bag girl because they tend to be a bit roomier where I can pack my makeup essentials or just a change of shoes.
At the start of a season, how do you decide what to buy?
I don't purchase anything unless I can imagine three or more ways of wearing it. And then in that same vein, once something is in my wardrobe, I don't like to feel like it's going to waste. So, a good way for me to keep track of different pieces and make sure that they're getting equal love is through sketching out outfits because it reminds me of what I have without actually having to review my closet every time I'm getting dressed.
I'll do a page of outfits that I could wear during the day and then a page of outfits that I could wear to dinners, and another page of outfits that I could wear to events. It's my little shortcut for having answers to the different dressing questions that long days in NYC can present. And sketching is something I've been doing since I was a kid. I’ve always loved clothes and getting dressed, and I also took a lot of art classes growing up, so I was thinking about—and drawing—clothes a lot then, too. I never grew out of that habit.
Imani wears the Aubrey Dress and carries the Grande Mathilde Bag
“I love the polka-dot Aubrey Dress, it’s so light and has a nice swish to it.”
- Imani
What are some of your favorite things to do during the Summer months?
I'm originally from Albany, so I'll definitely be escaping there when I can, getting some fresh air and spending a lot of time outdoors. When you’re there, you can go 15 minutes in any direction and you’re surrounded by beautiful nature. But, I’ll primarily be in the city this Summer, which is always a lot of fun—those weekend days where you meet up with your friends in the late afternoon and somehow you don't get home until 1 AM.
What were a few of your favorite pieces from the DÔEN shoot?
I love the polka-dot Aubrey Dress, it’s so light and has a nice swish to it—I’m going to be wearing it all Summer, along with the linen Loren Short. They’re beautifully cut pieces that are not too fussy, make you feel put together, and put a little pep in your step—a perfect fit for Summer.
