Self Expression through art and fashion with Kaki Gaines.
Kaki Gaines is a personal stylist with a lifelong passion for fashion. From her early days spent sketching outfit ideas, she began her career at Kendra Scott, styling models for branded campaigns and working closely with Kendra Scott on personal projects. Eventually, Kaki launched her own styling business, bringing a fresh perspective to the industry. She loves how personal styling blends fashion and psychology, empowering her clients with more than wardrobe advice but tools for self-expression and confidence.
Along with personal styling, Kaki partners with brands for photoshoot styling and design direction. Overall, her process is deeply personalized – focusing on complimenting body types, preferences, and color palettes to enhance her clients’ natural beauty. Kaki believes that style has the power to transform how we feel, much like art. Just as the correct clothing can represent who you are and uplift your confidence, art can reshape the atmosphere of a space, making it feel more personal and reflective of your identity.
Kaki’s Edit:
“Choosing art is so personal – just like curating your wardrobe, and appreciate how both can be intertwined and represent who you are as a person!”
While Kaki styles based on clients’ preferred clothing silhouettes, aesthetics, and color palettes, after curating, she said, “these six works of art resonate with me because they all represent design qualities that embody my own personal style, color palette, favorite textures, and shapes.”
When building your wardrobe with colors complementing your complexion, a similar approach applies to selecting art. Kaki shared that she “always tries to dress and surround myself with colors featured in these art pieces, such as oranges, yellows, greens, creams, and browns.” In her client work, she frequently “suggests going beyond just clothing and incorporating their color palette into their home decor, as it harmonizes with the energy they embody.”
As personal friends of artists Anya Molyviatis and Alexandra Valenti, Kaki was quick to recognize and excited to select their art. When asked why, she said, “I am drawn to the colors and texture featured in Anya’s work” (seen above). Valenti’s work (seen below), she explained, not only “represents what I do as a career, but the happiness I feel when I work with women one-on-one.”
Alexandra Valenti’s Teach a Woman to Fish, Teach a Man to Fish for Compliments
It’s no secret that colors can influence our moods, and Kaki thoughtfully chose artworks with shades of orange because, as she says, “the color orange represents joy and healing.” Reflecting on the power of color in fashion or art, Kaki shares that the best part of her work is “helping women celebrate who they are at their core in the clothing they wear.” Just as art transforms the atmosphere of a space, Kaki believes “it can be healing when you feel great in what you wear, as it can truly elevate your mood and confidence.”
Sherron Francis’ Yellow Tail I
When selecting her pieces, Kaki noted that she “resonated with the geometric lines and natural textures” found in the artwork. Similarly, in fashion, her “favorite silhouettes are typically angular pieces of clothing that incorporate a bit of earthiness.”
Click here to browse more artwork in our collection.
