Looklyn: At the intersection of architecture, fashion and divahood

By Johnny Cirillo

Personal style isn’t the same thing as fashion. It’s … more personal. It’s rooted in self, an outward expression of attitude, vibe, swag, panache, aspiration, time and place. In this semi-regular series called Looklyn, we hold a mirror up to the borough to show us how we dress now … and what it tells us about who we are.

Here, photographer Johnny Cirillo introduces us to Mariah Viman, a student who hopes to apply her fashion brain to the architectural space. Read more about her below.

Name: Mariah Viman
Age: 21
How you identify: She/Her/Hers
Occupation: Model/Architectural Designer
About me:  My name is Mariah Viman, but my friends call me Storm. Why? Because when I walk into a room, I make a statement. Libra sun, Leo moon, and Pisces rising. Can you tell I am crazy? I am of a mixed background, specifically of Trinidadian and Romanian descent. I am a 21-year-old diva trying to find my way in NYC.
Where are you heading: I am always creating, transforming, and evolving. I have dedicated the last two years to exploring the intersections of architecture, art, race, and fashion. As one of the few if not only black students graduating from my program this year, I hope to inspire other black and brown creatives to explore the architectural field as an intersection for the future of design. Following graduation from Barnard College this spring I will be focusing on my modeling career as well as digitizing the fashion industry on a three-dimensional scale, and more importantly, finding ways to make fashion more accessible for up and coming black and brown creatives.
Fashion inspo?: My main fashion inspiration has always been my mother. A born diva, she has shown me what true confidence is. Her experience in the fashion industry exposed me to classic Italian designers such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Romeo Gigli, Versace, Missoni, Roberto Cavalli etc. from a young age. She has shown me that it’s not the clothes or even the accessories that makes the outfit but the personality and confidence behind it. A truth that I live by even to this day. Today, however, I find influence and inspiration in designers, photographers, and stylists including: Mugler, Fendi (under Kim Jones and Karl Lagerfeld), Dior (under John Galliano), Iris Van Herpen, Steven Meisel, Petra Collins, Mario Testino, Law Roach, Jaleel Weaver. The list is endless, but those are some favorites.
About the fit: This fit? Definitely one of my on-the-go outfits. I’m wearing a simple black turtleneck dress that I believe I thrifted a while ago. Boots from Zara, boots are my favorite shoes of all time. Nine of out 10 times you can catch me wearing big boots. My jacket is vintage. It was given to me by one of my mom’s friends. Lastly, my bag is a vintage Prada backpack, it’s my keep all bag. Oh! I can’t forget my keys. My small LV wallet holds all my essential cards as well as my car keys for on the go. I use it way more than a wallet, and since my backpack is a black hole I made sure to have a cute pink puff so that I can always find it.