“I don’t want to look like anyone else,” says stylist, artist, and sometime model Lily Gatins. Born in the Dominican Republic, Gatins lived in New York; Lima, Peru; and Beijing before landing recently in Atlanta to be near family. For her, dressing is a spiritual exercise. After her grandfather died when she was 11, she began donning all black. “For the first time I felt comfortable with what I was wearing.” When she moved to New York and discovered the avant-garde designs of Comme des Garçons, “it was freedom.” Now, she frequently collaborates with conceptual, emerging designers—often as model and muse.
Photograph by Forrest Aguar
Lily’s style has been featured in Marie Claire China and on the late Bill Cunningham’s weekly roundup for the New York Times. Follow Lily on her site lereport.com and on Instagram @lereport.
Lady in black
Lily’s street style as seen from China Fashion Week to Le Marais in Paris
Leonard Wong dress and jacket, a one-of-a-kind headpiece by Chinese hat designer Suiyida
Photograph by Adam Katz Sinding | Le 21ème/@le21eme
Belt by Hu Sheguang
Photograph by Zhou Wengang/@zhouwengang
Leather pieces by Paris-based Teo+Ng
Photograph by Zhou Wengang/@zhouwengang
Cunnington & Sanderson two-piece, Area di Barbara Bologna hat
Photograph by Adam Katz Sinding | Le 21ème/@le21eme
Comme des Garçons jacket, Area di Barbara Bologna earring
Photograph by Zhou Wengang/@zhouwengang
With her two sons, wearing an Aizhan Zhuzbay dress, Henrik Vibskov hat, and Rick Owens shoes
Photograph by Zhou Wengang/@zhouwengang
This article originally appeared in our September 2016 issue.
