{"id":1718633,"date":"2026-02-02T04:23:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T01:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1718633"},"modified":"2026-02-02T04:23:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T01:23:00","slug":"this-new-york-designer-knows-that-right-now-survival-is-rebellion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1718633","title":{"rendered":"This New York designer knows that right now, survival is rebellion"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/fashion\/article\/69524\/1\/hikari-no-yami-new-york-designer-jakarie-whitaker-survival-rebellion-interview\" data-article-id=\"69524\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-portrait-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.8\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"1597\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436014-1.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436014-1\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Hikari <span class=\"nowrap\">no Yami<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-02-02T04:23:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - fashion\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\">Fashion<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/on-the-rise\">On the Rise<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\">Fashion<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/on-the-rise\">On the Rise<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>This New York designer knows that right now, survival <span class=\"nowrap\">is rebellion<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>In his latest collection, Hikari no Yami founder Jakarie Whitaker explores what it means to live within <span class=\"nowrap\">oppressive systems<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-02-02T04:23:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-02-02T04:23:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/isabelbekele\">Isabel Bekele<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-27-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">Jakarie Whitaker<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/0\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436001.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436001\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/1\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"1149\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436007.jpg\" width=\"1724\" title=\"1436007\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/2\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436005.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436005\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/3\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"855\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436006.jpg\" width=\"1283\" title=\"1436006\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/4\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435995.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1435995\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/5\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436013.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436013\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 27 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Although 2026 has only just begun, it\u2019s hard to ignore the heaviness that\u2019s already marked this year. A single scroll through social media can reveal endless reasons to feel abysmal about the current state of affairs, especially in the United States. During times like these, it can be difficult to understand how we\u2019re supposed to process it all. For some, like designer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jakariewhitaker\/?hl=en\"><span>Jakarie Whitaker<\/span><\/a><span>, the answer is through creating.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Whitaker is the founder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hikarinoyamii\/?hl=en\"><span>Hikari no Yami<\/span><\/a><span>, an emerging fashion label based between New York and Tokyo. At just 25 years old, Whitaker is a four-time Virgil Abloh scholar, a CFDA scholarship recipient, and a Fashion Trust US finalist \u2014 all despite never having intended to pursue fashion in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>His brand, which is described as a blending of Japanese design philosophy and African American heritage, has already released several collections, the latest being <\/span><em><span>Chapter 10: Shiki<\/span><\/em><span>. The title of Whitaker\u2019s AW26 collection comes from Fuyumi Ono\u2019s 1998 novel-turned-anime series of the same name, and in the brand\u2019s own words, \u201cconfronts the moment where survival becomes rebellion\u201d. With silhouettes inspired by both Japanese design and American streetwear, Whitaker\u2019s most recent work seeks to make sense of the complicated world it\u2019s been released into. As a \u201cphilosophical and aesthetic dissection of identity, chaos, and resistance against the system,\u201d Shiki takes stabs at both the fashion industry and the state of American politics, leaving neither unscathed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Below, we spoke to Whitaker about creating the collection, finding inspiration and stumbling into his current career path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"31a57be1-677e-4875-9727-b3e3015257d4\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1684\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436012.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.56\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami 2\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436012.jpg\" width=\"1684\" title=\"1436012\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Hikari <span class=\"nowrap\">no Yami<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>Where did you grow up and how did you end up working in fashion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I grew up in Flint, Michigan. I started fashion pretty late, actually. I graduated from high school in 2019, around the Covid era. After I graduated, I took a gap year before [intending to] go into medicine and study pre-med.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>During that gap year, I got inspired by Virgil Abloh. Seeing the way he designed and combined different mediums to create a different way of looking at fashion, especially from the Black perspective, helped me translate myself into fashion in that sense.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>After my gap year working at General Motors here in Flint, Michigan, I switched over to fashion design and philosophy at Clark Atlanta University. That\u2019s when I got into the Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholarship and started actually researching a lot of my favourite brands to find my niche. That\u2019s what led me to Japanese design and being able to combine that with the love I have for Virgil\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Did going to an HBCU influence your style or design aesthetic in any way?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I think so, because it really helps me with the perspective of tackling that African American diaspora within my brand. I really do think it helped because I was able to study abroad during my last four semesters. It gave me the perfect balance of understanding design, but also philosophy from the Black perspective, especially the Black American perspective. That, and being able to travel abroad and learn the arts from Italy, Japan and Paris.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How would you describe the aesthetic of your brand today?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I like to call it avant-garde streetwear or avant-garde deconstructed tailoring because it is a very conceptual brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>I wanted to relate that idea of vampires to what the current fashion industry is right now \u2014 draining all the emerging designers\u2019 creativity, sucking us dry\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>What was the inspiration behind this latest collection?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> The inspiration is a lot. Firstly, the title, <\/span><em><span>Shiki<\/span><\/em><span>, is basically an anime based on the concept of vampires. I wanted to relate that idea of vampires to what the current fashion industry is right now \u2014 draining all the emerging designers\u2019 creativity, sucking us dry by having collection after collection. It also plays with this idea of expectations as far as who is right and who is wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>All the traditional standards of what a Hikari collection embodies is the philosophy of deciding your own fate, which is why I intertwined those red strings as one of the first looks. Fate, destiny, and desire. I also wanted to add in the punk rock aesthetic from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hikarinoyami.com\/portfolio-collections\/my-portfolio\/chapter-8-the-turn-of-the-screw\"><em><span>Chapter 8<\/span><\/em><\/a><span>, the season before this. The punk rock movement kind of de-establishes fashion. I think fashion today is going in a way of conservative, quiet luxury boringness, and I wanted to bring back that authentic touch of handmade upcycling and deconstruction to the modern day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I love the vampire metaphor. You\u2019ve also described this collection as confronting a \u2018systemic plague.\u2019 What does this plague represent to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I think it\u2019s many things. Firstly, who our president is today: a political plague. Then the fashion industry: a global plague of expectations from designers and how we\u2019re supposed to be dressing and creating. I\u2019m not saying this collection is the cure to the plague, but I do think we need to spotlight the idea that you have to box yourself into a certain type of conformity just to coexist with the rest of the fashion system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I also read that this is the first collection of yours that includes colour. Can you tell me about the design process and the choices you made?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> Typically, every other Hikari collection has been black and white, sometimes grey, maybe a dash of tan. The black and white represent duality \u2014 Hikari Nomura translates to \u2018Light of Darkness\u2019 in Japanese. I always tend to keep it within that realm for philosophical purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>When playing with the colour red, I needed it to be a scarlet red. One reason was to tie in that aspect of the \u2018red string of fate\u2019 \u2014 that\u2019s where the hand-knitted red pieces come in. All of those strings are dyed naturally red; when I was submerging it, it kind of felt like blood, and that\u2019s where that vampire reference ties in. Red embodies passion, boldness, and decision-making. I wanted it to be organic, too. I didn\u2019t want to just find red garments or have my factory make red pieces; I would rather naturally add them. On one of the dress shirts, there is acrylic paint near the neck like a vampire bite reference. On the parka, I hand-painted everything so you can feel the organicness of the red.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"3fec0e31-372c-466f-b935-b3e3015250a9\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1798\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436010.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.6\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami 3\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436010.jpg\" width=\"1798\" title=\"1436010\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Hikari <span class=\"nowrap\">no Yami<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>Moving on to some rapid-fire questions. What four designers are on your fashion Mount Rushmore?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I would say Rei Kawakubo, Virgil Abloh, Martin Margiela, and I\u2019m going to give it to Christian Dior.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you could dress anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I really love Rihanna. Let\u2019s just say Rihanna. We love RiRi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s the most \u2018ran through\u2019 item in your own wardrobe?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> A trench coat. It\u2019s either my Hikari Nomura black leather trench coat, or I have this vintage Comme des Gar\u00e7ons staff coat that I wear everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If money is no object, where are you staging your first catwalk show?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I have had a show, and I\u2019m having one in February as well! But my dream destination \u2013 it has been done before, so it\u2019s not really special \u2013 but I would do Zojoji Temple in Tokyo. I think that would be a super cool idea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What fictional character do you relate to the most and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> Ooh, this is a hard question. I\u2019m going to say Kakashi from <\/span><em><span>Naruto<\/span><\/em><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! 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href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69520\/1\/what-went-down-at-lila-moss-intimate-adanola-dinner-in-london\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"optional-paragraph\">Adanola<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"ADANOLA X DAZED DINNER HOSTED BY LILA MOSS\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435936-7.jpg\" title=\"1435936-7\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">What went down at Lila Moss\u2019 intimate Adanola dinner in London<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69523\/1\/the-moment-premiere-charli-xcx-the-brat-era-kylie-jenner-la-red-carpet-looks\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Charli xcx and Kylie Jenner at the Premiere of &quot;The Moment&quot;\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435969-5.jpg\" title=\"1435969-5\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\"> The Moment premiere: Charli xcx officially canonises the Brat era<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69516\/1\/margot-robbie-wuthering-heights-press-tour-fashion-red-carpet-looks-jacob-elordi\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Margot Robbie Wuthering Heights press tour\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435968-7.jpg\" title=\"1435968-7\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Margot Robbie is living for the drama on the Wuthering Heights press tour<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69521\/1\/pieter-mulier-is-leaving-alaia-aw26-creative-director-versace\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2244403127\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435927-7.jpg\" title=\"1435927-7\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Pieter Mulier is leaving Ala\u00efa <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69506\/1\/what-went-down-at-an-intimate-roger-vivier-book-launch-in-paris\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"optional-paragraph\">Roger Vivier<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Roger Vivier: Heritage and Imagination dinner\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435650-9.jpeg\" title=\"1435650-9\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">What went down at an intimate Roger Vivier book launch in Paris<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69514\/1\/sextou-queer-club-night-latex-and-leather-paris-fashion-week-mens-spyros-rennt\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sextou Paris\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435610-9.jpg\" title=\"1435610-9\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">In pictures: Latex and leather at Sextou\u2019s first Parisian rave<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69511\/1\/charli-xcx-wuthering-heights-penis-dress-teyana-taylor-jonathan-anderson-dior\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Charli xcx in Vivienne Westwood\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435861-8.jpg\" title=\"1435861-8\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">The penis dress has fashion in a chokehold<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69508\/1\/lila-moss-fronts-adanola-s-latest-spring-2026-campaign\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"optional-paragraph\">Adanola<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"000094450001\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435789-10.jpg\" title=\"1435789-10\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Lila Moss fronts Adanola\u2019s latest spring 2026 campaign<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69504\/1\/valentino-ss26-haute-couture-alessandro-michele-paris-fashion-week-pfw\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"57\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435786-8.jpg\" title=\"1435786-8\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Valentino SS26 couture: Alessandro\u2019s peep show answers our prayers<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-27-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">Jakarie Whitaker<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/0\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436001.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436001\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/1\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"1149\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436007.jpg\" width=\"1724\" title=\"1436007\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/2\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436005.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436005\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/3\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"855\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436006.jpg\" width=\"1283\" title=\"1436006\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/4\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435995.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1435995\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/gallery\/36613\/5\/jakarie-whitaker\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami\" class=\"img\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436013.jpg\" width=\"1284\" title=\"1436013\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 27 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Although 2026 has only just begun, it\u2019s hard to ignore the heaviness that\u2019s already marked this year. A single scroll through social media can reveal endless reasons to feel abysmal about the current state of affairs, especially in the United States. During times like these, it can be difficult to understand how we\u2019re supposed to process it all. For some, like designer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jakariewhitaker\/?hl=en\"><span>Jakarie Whitaker<\/span><\/a><span>, the answer is through creating.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Whitaker is the founder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hikarinoyamii\/?hl=en\"><span>Hikari no Yami<\/span><\/a><span>, an emerging fashion label based between New York and Tokyo. At just 25 years old, Whitaker is a four-time Virgil Abloh scholar, a CFDA scholarship recipient, and a Fashion Trust US finalist \u2014 all despite never having intended to pursue fashion in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>His brand, which is described as a blending of Japanese design philosophy and African American heritage, has already released several collections, the latest being <\/span><em><span>Chapter 10: Shiki<\/span><\/em><span>. The title of Whitaker\u2019s AW26 collection comes from Fuyumi Ono\u2019s 1998 novel-turned-anime series of the same name, and in the brand\u2019s own words, \u201cconfronts the moment where survival becomes rebellion\u201d. With silhouettes inspired by both Japanese design and American streetwear, Whitaker\u2019s most recent work seeks to make sense of the complicated world it\u2019s been released into. As a \u201cphilosophical and aesthetic dissection of identity, chaos, and resistance against the system,\u201d Shiki takes stabs at both the fashion industry and the state of American politics, leaving neither unscathed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Below, we spoke to Whitaker about creating the collection, finding inspiration and stumbling into his current career path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"31a57be1-677e-4875-9727-b3e3015257d4\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1684\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436012.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.56\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami 2\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436012.jpg\" width=\"1684\" title=\"1436012\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Hikari <span class=\"nowrap\">no Yami<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>Where did you grow up and how did you end up working in fashion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I grew up in Flint, Michigan. I started fashion pretty late, actually. I graduated from high school in 2019, around the Covid era. After I graduated, I took a gap year before [intending to] go into medicine and study pre-med.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>During that gap year, I got inspired by Virgil Abloh. Seeing the way he designed and combined different mediums to create a different way of looking at fashion, especially from the Black perspective, helped me translate myself into fashion in that sense.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>After my gap year working at General Motors here in Flint, Michigan, I switched over to fashion design and philosophy at Clark Atlanta University. That\u2019s when I got into the Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholarship and started actually researching a lot of my favourite brands to find my niche. That\u2019s what led me to Japanese design and being able to combine that with the love I have for Virgil\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Did going to an HBCU influence your style or design aesthetic in any way?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I think so, because it really helps me with the perspective of tackling that African American diaspora within my brand. I really do think it helped because I was able to study abroad during my last four semesters. It gave me the perfect balance of understanding design, but also philosophy from the Black perspective, especially the Black American perspective. That, and being able to travel abroad and learn the arts from Italy, Japan and Paris.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How would you describe the aesthetic of your brand today?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I like to call it avant-garde streetwear or avant-garde deconstructed tailoring because it is a very conceptual brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>I wanted to relate that idea of vampires to what the current fashion industry is right now \u2014 draining all the emerging designers\u2019 creativity, sucking us dry\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>What was the inspiration behind this latest collection?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> The inspiration is a lot. Firstly, the title, <\/span><em><span>Shiki<\/span><\/em><span>, is basically an anime based on the concept of vampires. I wanted to relate that idea of vampires to what the current fashion industry is right now \u2014 draining all the emerging designers\u2019 creativity, sucking us dry by having collection after collection. It also plays with this idea of expectations as far as who is right and who is wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>All the traditional standards of what a Hikari collection embodies is the philosophy of deciding your own fate, which is why I intertwined those red strings as one of the first looks. Fate, destiny, and desire. I also wanted to add in the punk rock aesthetic from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hikarinoyami.com\/portfolio-collections\/my-portfolio\/chapter-8-the-turn-of-the-screw\"><em><span>Chapter 8<\/span><\/em><\/a><span>, the season before this. The punk rock movement kind of de-establishes fashion. I think fashion today is going in a way of conservative, quiet luxury boringness, and I wanted to bring back that authentic touch of handmade upcycling and deconstruction to the modern day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I love the vampire metaphor. You\u2019ve also described this collection as confronting a \u2018systemic plague.\u2019 What does this plague represent to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I think it\u2019s many things. Firstly, who our president is today: a political plague. Then the fashion industry: a global plague of expectations from designers and how we\u2019re supposed to be dressing and creating. I\u2019m not saying this collection is the cure to the plague, but I do think we need to spotlight the idea that you have to box yourself into a certain type of conformity just to coexist with the rest of the fashion system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I also read that this is the first collection of yours that includes colour. Can you tell me about the design process and the choices you made?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> Typically, every other Hikari collection has been black and white, sometimes grey, maybe a dash of tan. The black and white represent duality \u2014 Hikari Nomura translates to \u2018Light of Darkness\u2019 in Japanese. I always tend to keep it within that realm for philosophical purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>When playing with the colour red, I needed it to be a scarlet red. One reason was to tie in that aspect of the \u2018red string of fate\u2019 \u2014 that\u2019s where the hand-knitted red pieces come in. All of those strings are dyed naturally red; when I was submerging it, it kind of felt like blood, and that\u2019s where that vampire reference ties in. Red embodies passion, boldness, and decision-making. I wanted it to be organic, too. I didn\u2019t want to just find red garments or have my factory make red pieces; I would rather naturally add them. On one of the dress shirts, there is acrylic paint near the neck like a vampire bite reference. On the parka, I hand-painted everything so you can feel the organicness of the red.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"3fec0e31-372c-466f-b935-b3e3015250a9\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1798\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436010.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.6\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hikari no Yami 3\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436010.jpg\" width=\"1798\" title=\"1436010\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Hikari <span class=\"nowrap\">no Yami<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>Moving on to some rapid-fire questions. What four designers are on your fashion Mount Rushmore?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I would say Rei Kawakubo, Virgil Abloh, Martin Margiela, and I\u2019m going to give it to Christian Dior.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you could dress anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I really love Rihanna. Let\u2019s just say Rihanna. We love RiRi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s the most \u2018ran through\u2019 item in your own wardrobe?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> A trench coat. It\u2019s either my Hikari Nomura black leather trench coat, or I have this vintage Comme des Gar\u00e7ons staff coat that I wear everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If money is no object, where are you staging your first catwalk show?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> I have had a show, and I\u2019m having one in February as well! But my dream destination \u2013 it has been done before, so it\u2019s not really special \u2013 but I would do Zojoji Temple in Tokyo. I think that would be a super cool idea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What fictional character do you relate to the most and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jakarie Whitaker:<\/strong><span> Ooh, this is a hard question. I\u2019m going to say Kakashi from <\/span><em><span>Naruto<\/span><\/em><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> Source URL: https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/article\/69524\/1\/hikari-no-yami-new-york-designer-jakarie-whitaker-survival-rebellion-interview<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Courtesy of Hikari no Yami February\u00a0 2,\u00a0 2026 Fashion \/ On the Rise Fashion \/ On the Rise This New York designer knows that right now, survival is rebellion In his latest collection, Hikari no Yami founder Jakarie Whitaker explores what it means to live within oppressive systems February\u00a0 2,\u00a0 2026 February\u00a0 2,\u00a0 2026 TextIsabel [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1718634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1718633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1718633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1718633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1718633\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1718634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1718633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1718633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1718633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}