CONTACT ORANGE COUNTY by Hilly

CONTACT ORANGE COUNTY by Hilly

JEFF “YOKI” YOKOYAMA

Photos by Brett Hillyard

I’m always looking for a reason to connect with and photograph interesting people. Our Contact page is a platform to get a candid glimpse into the lives of some of Orange County’s unique locals. For the first session, I caught up with Jeff “Yoki” Yokoyama at his shop in Newport.

If you haven’t been to Yokishop, put it at the top of the list. You will find one-of-a-kind garments that are made by hand in the back. Yoki has created a unique line of garments repurposed from remnants of fabric and used items otherwise destined for landfills, including USC and UCLA uniforms, military jackets, and Levi’s jeans. When I visited, Yoki shared some recent designs using vintage Maui

& Sons prints, the iconic brand he created and co-founded in 1980. He’s also the key creative behind other brands like Pirate Surf and Modern Amusement.

It’s inspiring to be in Yoki’s creative space watching him cut and sew garments together, each piece unique and hand-crafted with love. The paintings that hang on the walls of his shop could fill a museum or art gallery. If you want to go hang with this legend, he’s there Monday through Saturday 10 to 4!

Yokishop | 2429 West Coast Highway #102 Newport Beach | yokishop.com