Los Angeles with Karolyn Pho

“I've been borrowing from my father's closet since I was in high school,” says Karolyn Pho, “and I still do to this day. I look to menswear when I want to feel powerful and effortless… which is always.” 

A stylist with an eye for incorporating everything from vintage tailoring to oversized shirts and bold-print ties into both her work and her own style, Pho has worked with clients including The New York Times, GQ, and Nike. “Growing up, I was highly influenced by early 2000s Teen Vogue and 'scene' culture,” she says. “My friends and I would scour vintage stores for pieces that were reminiscent of The Strokes (or rather the girls they would date) and I would style and photograph my friends in said vintage finds.”

“After I graduated high school, I began assisting in styling and design and eventually moved to New York in my early 20s to assist fashion editors. I  decided to go on my own about eight years ago and have really enjoyed life as a freelance artist.”

On a sunny afternoon in Glendale, a mellow suburb that makes up the great sprawl of Los Angeles, we meet Karolyn at her house. There’s an immaculate 80s Benz in the driveway and dogs milling around the kitchen. “I love driving in Griffith Park. “It's one of the only places in LA where you're surrounded by trees, and people are not driving like maniacs.”

On the subject of how her home reflects her style, she adds, “My taste is constantly changing, but my current references are: Frasier’s apartment, The River Cafe London and Villa Necchi. I think a home should feel cozy, personal and alive with plants.”