Devon Aoki, model and daughter of Benihana founder Rocky Aoki and Y2K style star, celebrated her 40th birthday on Wednesday.
As the industry continues to mine the early 2000s for inspiration, Aoki’s name keeps popping up.Her work with Jeremy Scott — whose glitzy, maximalist designs perfectly captured her Y2K mood — and her role as Suki 2 fast, 2 rage (another ’00s cultural touchstone) cemented her place in the history books of the era.
Legend has it that 13-year-old Aoki was scouted at a Rancid concert in New York and “finally, interview I received the magazine in exchange for a backstage pass,” she told The British. trend From there, Kate Moss introduced her to the modeling agency Storm.
As they say: the rest is history.
Aoki’s career quickly took off, landing gigs at Moschino, Marc Jacobs, CELINE and COMME des GARÇONS.. Karl Lagerfeld named her as Chanel’s muse, concluding the Maison’s autumn/winter 1999 haute couture show as the ‘bride’ of the collection.
Like many current models, Aoki left fashion to pursue acting.In addition to 2 Fast 2 Rageshe starred in the 2004 action comedy DEBS and in 2006 DOA: Dead or Alive.
After marrying investor James Bailey in 2011, Aoki decided to step away from work to focus on her family.
However, Aoki never said he had stopped doing it completely. In 2016, she returned to the runway to walk the Moschino resort show, the same year she appeared in the music video for Fergie’s “MILF$” alongside her model mates Amber Valletta and Angela Lindvall.
As 2000s mania continues to dominate fashion, another big moment awaits Aoki. (Maybe the Blumarine campaign, or the —gasp—beauty line?) While we wait, we’re examining Aoki’s best moments of her Y2K style.
2000 VH1-trend fashion awards
Devon Aoki walked so that today’s it-girls can run. In October 2000, she attended her VH1-Vogue Fashion Awards with her 12-year-old Zoe Kravitz, daughter of Aoki’s then-boyfriend, the very famous Lenny.
Moschino Jeans Spring/Summer 2001 Campaign
Will there be more Y2K problems?
Jeremy Scott SS01
This is what children call camping.
Christian Lacroix FW01
A look that literally inspired dragon ball z.
2 Fast 2 Rage
Styled with a crop top and ultra-low-rise pants, Aoki’s character Suki is a picture-perfect representation of early girl fashion.
Baby Phat FW02
Baby Phat, one of Y2K’s most Y2K-conscious brands, had Aoki hit the Bryant Park tent for one of the brand’s early New York Fashion Week shows (another throwback!).
damon dash birthday party
In a Jean Paul Gaultier tank top, Chanel low-rise pants and a sparkly body coat, Aoki celebrated the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records in every girl’s dream outfit in the ’90s.