Styling at nsto
NSTO is the parent company of luxury apparel retailers Need Supply Co. and Totokaelo. Before NSTO announced it’s closure in early 2020 I had the opportunity to be a studio intern at their Richmond office. In this internship my key tasks included styling out looks, prepping garments, and assisting stylists.
TotoKaelo (2020)
Totokaelo is a luxury multi-brand retailer with stores in Seattle, Washington and SoHo, New York, and is known for its directional approach to fashion, footwear, accessories, art–objects for the home, and culture. Totokaelo, pronounced (TOH-toh-KYE-oh), is a reworked phrase of Latin origin: Toto (total) and caelo (sky), with a loose Western translation of ‘the sky’s the limit’.
Totokaelo is built on contrasts: beyond the bi-coastal presence, the aesthetic and narrative of Totokaelo has always been anchored in exploring the ambivalences between black and white, feminine and masculine, serious and witty, power and art, digital and physical, tradition and innovation, east and west, light and dark... the brand sits comfortably in the unexplored - the grey areas - and cultivates a curiosity for everything that belongs in the intersectional areas.
need supply Co.
Need Supply Co. started selling vintage Levi’s in 1996 and has since grown to become a multi-brand retailer carrying designer fashion as well as private label brands. Over the years, Need Supply Co. expanded its ever-growing offerings to include men's and women's clothing, accessories, shoes, beauty & grooming, and home goods. The connection across the wide product selection is a lifestyle built around a singular aesthetic; curating and creating beautiful products, services, and experiences that enhance everyday life.
Within both their e-commerce site, as well as in retail stores in Richmond, VA and Tokyo, Japan, Need Supply Co. carefully curates an accessible yet aspirational mix of well-known brands and up-and-coming independent designers from the US and abroad.
Process
When styling for e-commerce, you are not just doing what you think looks best. You have to keep your customer, your retailer’s brand identity, and the brand identities of the clothes you are styling in mind.
In this example the objective was to style this Eckhaus Latta top for Totokaelo’s e-commerce shop.
Key Points
Brand Contingency: I maintained brand contingency by styling the top with a pant of the same brand. Styling pieces with the same brand was always priority when possible.
Composition: In order to best show this garment I avoided any layering and chose a high waisted pant in order to accentuate to the close fit.
Color: The main tone of this look is beige, which appears consistently in the top, the pant graphic, and the sneakers. This ties the look together. The indigo denim adds contrast and dimension to the look.
