Travis Barker is famed for his music, but if you recently also noticed the artist for his style – it’s no coincidence. The Blink-182 drummer has been making statements with daring red carpet looks, from archive Raf Simons to the Grammys to a Thom Browne kilt to the Met Gala.

Barker has Christopher Kim to thank for the style upgrade. The stylist, who cut his teeth working for the likes of Carine Roitfeld and Joe Zee, has spent the last year working on building Barker’s style. After meeting serendipitously on a NYLON cover shoot years ago, Barker decided to entrust Kim with his looks – marking the first time he has ever worked with a stylist.

We spoke to Kim about his career in fashion, working with Barker and on how the musician coordinates looks with his new wife Kourtney Kardashian.

How did you first get into fashion and styling? 

During my sophomore year studying photography at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), I landed an internship at Art Partner, where one of my many responsibilities was organizing the tear sheets to be put into the portfolios of photographers like David Sims and Mert & Marcus. Prior to landing that internship, I was fully aware of the photographers who shot for magazines like Vogue, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar, but never the stylists. That internship really helped me learn who the stylists behind some of the most iconic images that I admired were, which definitely sparked an interest in styling. But my first real experience in fashion and styling was when I landed my second internship at the New York offices of Vogue Paris when Carine Roitfeld was still the EIC. Landing that internship was a dream, even though my knowledge of fashion was pretty basic. Sending out requests, organizing the closet, and being on set really set the foundation for me to pursue my career in fashion – plus it opened some many opportunities and is where I’ve met some of my closest friends.

You’ve worked with Carine Roitfeld, George Cortina, and Joe Zee. What did you learn from your time with each that helped you in your work today? 

I can’t express how grateful I am to have been able to learn from some of the most influential stylists in the industry. When I got the job offer to work as George’s second assistant and Studio Manager, I learned how to operate the functions of a stylist’s office. These fundamental responsibilities definitely came in handy when I decided to go on my own as a stylist. After almost two years of working with George, I was offered an opportunity to work at CR Fashion Book as their Sittings Editor. During my time at the publication, I also worked as one of Carine’s assistants. She taught me to see clothing beyond just a garment, but something to tell a story with. She had the ability to take something ordinary like a white T-shirt, and make it into something extraordinary. She was such a motherly figure and always gave me guidance and advice on how to find my point of view as a stylist. The skills I learned from assisting Carine I still used today with my clients. I try to find unique pieces of clothing that will tell a story for my clients on the red carpet.

Having come from the traditional print publication world, when Yahoo! approached me to join as the Market Editor for their new digital platform Yahoo! Style under the direction of Editor-in-Chief, Joe Zee, I felt that this was an opportunity to bring my print experience into a new publication format, which was so foreign at the time. Joe really encouraged me to style many of the celebrity covers, which really was my first time styling celebrities. While on set, I learned how to communicate with the talent’s management to make sure the talent felt comfortable with the concepts of the shoots. These experiences really gave me the fundamental foundations and skills that I still use today with my team and clients and I truly believe I wouldn’t be the stylist I am today without those experiences.

Most recently you’ve made waves for your work with Travis Barker. How did you two meet, and what were the early conversations you had together about his style and direction? 

It’s almost been a year since Travis and I first met on a NYLON cover shoot that my friend, Tiffany Reid (who is the SVP of Fashion at Bustle Digital Group) asked if I could style. From the first time we met on set, there was such a great synergy between us and he really trusted me with the vision from the beginning. This is also the first time he ever worked with a stylist. Being the rock star that he is with such a distinct style, I never wanted to change the essence of who he is with his fashion, just elevate his personal style by introducing him to new and interesting brands – and of course with tailoring.

What do you enjoy about working with him as a client? 

Travis is one of the most humble and kindest people I have ever met. I really enjoy collaborating with him on bringing his visual ideas to life whether it’s for a music video, editorial, campaign or even his street style.

What are some of your favorite looks you have worked together on to date? 

Every look that I have collaborated with him on is special and unique, but if I had to choose one look, it definitely has to be his custom Dolce & Gabbana Alta Satoria tuxedo for his wedding to Kourtney. Working with Alta Satoria designers, tailors and Domenico and Stefano to create the most perfect wedding look was absolutely amazing and something I’ll never forget. Being able to have the entire Dolce archives and pull references to design custom looks for Travis to be worn throughout his entire wedding weekend was an incredible experience.

I also love how Travis always seems to be coordinating looks with his wife, Kourtney Kardashian.

I work closely with Kourtney’s stylist, Dani Michelle, when it comes to Travis and Kourtney‘s red carpet looks. Dani and I often text to coordinate their upcoming outfits. We try to make sure that there is some sort of cohesion or story behind all their looks. We definitely make sure that one person isn’t outshining the other and that they just look amazing together. For example, when Thom Browne invited Travis and Kourtney to attend the Met Gala, both Dani and I worked closely with Thom’s team to create a look that had some sort of back story behind it. Many people didn’t realize that Kourtney‘s look was a deconstructed version of Travis’s.

What are some of your career aspirations, and where do you hope to see yourself in the future? 

I’ve been so fortunate to have been able to achieve some of my career goals this past season with the Oscars, Grammys and the Met Gala. Also, as a Korean-American, I’m always looking to collaborate with other AAPI creatives and talents so I’m hoping to nurture my existing relationships while developing new ones. One of the long-term goals is to actually start my own brand. I’ve always been a collector of vintage jeans and have wanted to start a line of the most perfect wardrobe essentials. Maybe it’s collaborating or consulting with an existing brand at first and then eventually starting my own line.

@chrisbkim

christopherbkim.com