Model’s Own showcases our favorite friends’ favorite things. For more recs on fashion, beauty and tech, visit the Shopping tab or subscribe to our newsletter.
Miwa Susuda is a publisher, bookseller, writer, and educator whose work has helped define New York’s photobook culture. She’s also the publisher of Session Press, which brings artists and stories from East Asia to wider audiences, and a manager at Dashwood Books, the independent photobook shop in NoHo. But she doesn't just have an instinct for impressive photobooks — she also has a great eye for striking personalities. At Dashwood, downtown scenesters vie to get photographed by Susuda and posted to her Instagram as her “favorite Dashwood friends of the day.” (Recent friends include the photographer Shaniqua Jarvis, film director and fashion boy Christian Coppola, and photographer Peter Sutherland.)
As our latest Model’s Own subject, Susuda tells us all about her French film style icon, her beloved baggy Nanamica jeans, and the Japanese fashion magazines she bought growing up.
What garment have you owned the longest?
I’ve had my Comme des Garçons tricot silk jacket for more than 18 years, and it still feels completely current. The other night, over dinner on the Lower East Side with an architect friend, we started talking about the old Barneys on Seventh Avenue and 17th Street in the ’90s. So many of the brands it carried have disappeared, but Japanese labels like Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Comme des Garçons are still here, still doing their own thing.
I admire that kind of staying power. It comes from a deep commitment to making clothes; any cultural influence grows naturally from that dedication. I feel a connection to it as a publisher, too. I want to make books with a clear point of view and help the artists behind them find their audience.
Who’s the most stylish person you grew up around?
I didn’t have one particular style icon in my immediate circle growing up. Instead, I found mine through French cinema. I’ve loved French films since I was a teenager, and the woman who has stayed with me most is Anouk Aimée in A Man and a Woman (1966). Her bob and understated elegance are still my ideal.
I was also drawn to the character she played: an independent woman who knows what she wants, feels, and thinks — and has the courage to act on it. I’ve tried to follow that example.
What item do you receive the most compliments on?
For a long time, I felt that black suited me best. I learned early that a simple look can be the most powerful way to present yourself. Lately, though, I’ve been getting more compliments when I wear lighter colors, especially beige and white.
I’m wearing a white sweatshirt from the Wakayama Knit Project, which had a pop-up at Colbo in New York. It’s made me want to wear more color and bring a little lightness into my wardrobe.
What item do you wear at least twice a week?
My 6397 denim jacket, designed by Stella Ishii, has become like a second skin. I’ve worn it about four times a week since 2024. I met Stella through Cynthia Liang, who kindly introduced us, and we’ve since become friends. We sometimes have dinner together at Omen Azen, the Japanese restaurant in Soho. I admire Stella’s creativity, and I love that we can talk about all kinds of things, not just work. She’s become one of my style icons.
Now that it’s getting colder in New York, I’ve also been wearing an Aimé Leon Dore knit hat and stadium jacket. These warm pieces make me happy from the moment I put them on. I don’t even mind waiting for the 7 train on the open-air platform at my Sunnyside station.
Tell us about your favorite pair of jeans.
I love my Nanamica denim sets — I have them in both dark gray and blue. They have a relaxed, baggy shape that makes me feel a little cooler than I probably am. A great pair of baggy jeans is something you can wear constantly and still feel good in. I like pairing these boyish jeans with slim enamel pumps for a feminine touch.
What’s the last thing you bought in person?
The last thing I bought in person was a Nanamica brown jacket. I wore it to my birthday dinner at Lucien with my friend Andrew who’s also a Libra. We’ve made a tradition of celebrating our birthdays together every year. The jacket felt so light and warm, and I was glad I brought it.
I still prefer shopping in person. I want to feel the fabric, see how something moves, and try it on. Clothes make more sense to me when I can experience them in real life.
Are you an impulse shopper or a deep researcher?
I’m definitely a researcher. Growing up in Tokyo in the ’80s and ’90s, I would buy three to five fashion magazines and study them before deciding what I needed. If I wanted a pair of pants or a skirt, I’d compare the options in the magazines, then go to the store and try things on. I had the luxury of time.
I’m busier now so I know which brands and stores I want to visit. I tend to shop from a small group of labels, including Nanamica, 6397, HYKE, Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Vowels, Lemaire, Aimé Leon Dore, Maison Margiela, and JIL SANDER (7: black top by JIL SANDER and skirt by Maison Marginal). I still like to go into a store and make the decision there. Online shopping just doesn’t work as well for me.
What goes on your face in the mornings?
I keep my routine simple: CeraVe intensive moisturizer from the drugstore, then RECIPEO SPF 50 sunscreen, a Japanese brand. I started taking morning walks last year so sunscreen has become a must before I head out.
What goes on your face before bed?
I use the same moisturizer I use in the morning, along with a Shiseido Elixir serum that’s meant to help define the face’s V-line. I can’t tell how much it’s doing, but I hope it helps! I don’t have much sagging around my jawline so maybe it’s working a little.
Do you have any unconventional grooming or beauty rituals?
I’ve had shoulder pain since I was 12, and I tend to hold tension in my shoulders. A physical therapist once recommended a wooden pillow. It’s definitely not soft or comfortable, but I’ve used firm pillows ever since. I rarely wake up with a stiff neck so I assume it suits me. I’m not sure I’d recommend it to everyone, though!
