About
My Mom immigrated to the States in '91, before I was born the following year. I was raised in Germantown, Maryland, and I'm the oldest of four kids. In 2014 I graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in English and a Minor in Media Studies. Los Angeles, CA is home now.
My Catholic faith is the foundation of who I am: moral compass (I can be better), daily reminder of keeping perspective, certainly art/architecture inspiration etc.
I enjoy writing: I "see" words in my head and piece them together like a puzzle. The beauty of writing is there isn't "one" correct or universal answer -- that keeps me going.
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I'm also really into fashion. It's taught me a lot from the importance of research, and further honing that skill to gaining a deeper appreciation for collaboration. I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for the talents I've had the fortune to work with and be inspired by along the way. ​​
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I write poetry; I skate (these days more like bike), I ball, I hit up art galleries and concerts on the regular and spend the rest of my time (wasting my time) hunting down and collecting what makes me happy.
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-- I think you now know me well enough to call me "Tobes."
My Latest Projects
Hoka One One
Hoke One One
Hoka One One
Hoka One One Collection 1 (2019)
I styled Hoka One One's first in-house apparel collection. I collaborated with lead designer Danielle Perret and photographer Coco Capitan to bring to life Hoka's raw; fluid and true brand essence as it pertains to creating active wear for athletes of all backgrounds.
My approach to styling was first respecting Hoka's strict adherence to creating looks that runners/athletes would actually wear. From there I gravitated towards pushing the limits on color blocking, and drew inspiration from the 90's active outdoor category's propensity for striking colors and vivid art direction execution.
Describe your image
Brent Faiyaz "Sonder Son" Los Angeles Billboard Ad (2018)
I was the Creative Director for Brent's "Sonder Son" billboard promo, which ran in Los Angeles. 40 billboard ads were posted in the city, including one across from LAX. The billboard featured Brent in an archive Helmut Lang vest --- channeling Omar Little from the television series "The Wire."
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The photo series was also reproduced for print, as seen in Billboard magazine, and used for subsequent Brent interview pieces.
Fake Cousin "Black Glow" Album Cover (2019)
I was the Creative Director for Fake Cousin's debut album titled "Black Glow." Inspired by an Alexander McQueen ad campaign, I shot Buck (Fake Cousin) as a silhouette, metaphorically expressing his album's theme of "black glow." All African Americans have a "black glow" about them: it's an innate swagger we're born with. The black and white cover art is a physical representation of Buck's "black glow," which rests on his frame.