Good Life - Tamia Mathis

Tamia Mathis is one of the most stylish people we know.

Good style is knowledge of self. It’s also a fearlessness that comes from inner confidence and a willingness to be wrong so that you can understand what feels right. It’s a constant sense of curiosity and a penchant for looking where others often aren’t. Good style isn’t about price tags or brand names; it’s about being able to find beauty in disparate shapes, colors, and layers—it’s also understanding the meaning or heritage that comes with a thing, be it young or old. And when you are “creating style” for someone else, it’s synthesizing all of the above with empathy for your client or subject, while also maintaining your own voice. And whether working on a campaign for Noah, or a spread for Supreme, or finding herself in front of the camera for POPEYE Magazine, Tamia has always done this—by being sincerely herself.

This isn’t to ignore all the hard work along the way: from e-comm, to her first job with Amanda Stenberg, to i-D family portraits shoot, the journey has been deep (and it’s still going!). We first Tamia at Dover Street Market Los Angeles during a Goodfight brand clinic and have been blessed to stay in her orbit through her work as a stylist. Given her own [obvious] talent, we  changed our usual protocol and asked if she’d be open to styling herself - she graciously obliged and we were treated to an amazing assortment of Goodfight and items from her own archive.

Good Life continues below:

Danny Dooreck: Where do you want to travel the most?

Japan because it's not just Tokyo but I’d like to visit Kyoto and other islands as well. I feel like it would be such a fulfilling trip in so many aspects… Fashion, food, nature, art, spirituality, nightlife the list goes on… I can’t wait to go. I think Japan could be my heaven on earth.

What is your idea of refilling your tank?

Time alone, going to the sauna, & a good meal.

Who inspires you the most and why?

This might sound cliche but, right now Beyoncé is really inspiring to me… She had always been my #1 as a child.. I think every little black girl looks up to Beyoncé at some point in their life but I feel like I had fallen off of her/ her music getting into my adult years because I wasn’t really connecting with her and rather began really connecting with her sisters artistry (Solange)  but I went to one of her Cowboy Carter shows in LA recently thanks to my best friend Emma and I see her in a completely different light than I have in the past few years. She has an insane work ethic and composure. She’s never let the outside noise / opinions of others really distract her because if you listen to her music you know that she's been through things because she's human.. But there’s a growth you can see in her and hear in the music as well… she keeps becoming better versions of herself time and time again, personally and creatively and that’s so inspiring… not to mention how many people essentially rely on her, she's got a lot going on. She has no choice but to keep going and I wonder what her life hack is.

What was the most surprising thing about working with Arthur Jafa and what does he or his work mean to you?

The most surprising thing about working with AJ is that he wanted to work with me. I’ve been a fan girl for a long time and was first introduced to his work / archives in 2016 at The HAMMER museum during their Made in LA exhibit and immediately connected and began following his work closely since. And through being in parallel worlds we were connected.   

I’ve done costuming on two pieces for him now, one is unreleased and was really insane to work on emotionally and the other is ‘nativemanson’ the Taxi Driver remake that was released in 2024. I don’t want to speak too much for his work but I think AJ really challenges the way we take in media in relation to the black experience and then makes it look really really cool.

Fun fact: AJ and I share the same birthday. That makes me feel like I’m destined to be goated but maybe not easily digested by all.

Where does Goodfight belong on the fashion alignment chart [link]?

Lollllllllll easy. I’d say in the Blissfully Hypefree Consumer / Fashion world box specifically in between Our Legacy and Evan Kinori. <3 …Should I make an updated chart for my favorite fashion writer who made the original?

You have the aux - what are you playing?

I think I’d start the session with Babyfather - Penelope Freestyle. It’s a cute lil ifykyk crowd pleaser and you can kind of take it anywhere after that. 

How did you develop your personal style?

Since a kid I’ve always known what I liked, I pride myself on not needing much direction in that aspect. So I’d say it was never really developed but always in me and I guess just has been refined over the years with introduction to new things. 

Dream company to collaborate with?

So many… I can’t choose one but also won’t give everything away. Comme des Garçons or maybe Prada. Which I think are no brainers for anyone that knows me. But I think it’d be really cool to have a capsule within CDG GIRL or Tricot and direct a short or something to accompany it because those are my favorite lines of the Comme universe and I don’t think they get a lot of attention.. . I’d also love to collab / work with Saint Heron in some capacity.

If someone you admire was visiting LA, what are the three places you'd tell them to 1) eat 2) shop 3) see in order to have your favorite experience?

I’d need to give so many more places if I wanted someone to truly have my favorite experience but you can get close by visiting these spots.

1. Eat - Heng Heng Chicken or Villas tacos 

2. Shop - If they were here on the 2nd Sunday, I’d recommend visiting the Rosebowl. Otherwise a contemporary option for a cohesive / stimulating shopping experience that includes both mens and women’s selections is Dover Street Market LA Gy-su and Ryan are doing a great job on the store's buy… Everything is relevant and there’s a bonus here bc of Rose Bakery - they make a great matcha over there…

If you’re looking for a strictly mens store I’d go Departamento and if you’re looking for a women’s shop I’d check out Noodle Stories.

3. See -  Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House // Barnsdall Park. Visiting architectural / historical landmarks is so LA to me and this one is super special. It also doesn’t cost an arm & leg to visit (for now while it's still open to the public and run by the city) and it’s nestled in a park that has some really amazing sunsets and views of The Observatory and the Hollywood sign.. Have a picnic there.

What's something surprising about Tamia Mathis that most people don't know?

I don’t like to talk a lot.

Your question for the next interviewee?

What do you think makes someone a good person?

You can find more about Tamia Mathis on her website [https://www.highpriority.online/].

A huge thank you to Good Liver for allowing us to shoot in their beautiful store. Special thanks to Bert & Mimi Youn and Adam Elramy.

Photographer: Calvin Nguyen

Tamia wears 1) the City Shirt in Italian Broadcloth, vintage tie, skirt from Vaquera NYC, sneakers from Prada  2) Alden Blazer, top from Jil Sander, Florider Trouser Creased, vintage studded belt, loafers from Prada  3) City Shirt in Japanese wool blend flannel, vintage top, Ian Shorts ; all jewelry stylist's own