Michael Toomey, whom also goes by the name Mika, was originally born in the Philippines and adopted to an American family in 1998.

A London native, I was born to Nigerian parents who immigrated to the UK in the 80s. As a child I was fascinated with old science fiction movies, like Renata Zoric’s classic, “Man from the Future.”

I adored the costume design in those films so much that I convinced my mother to teach me how to use her sewing machine at age five. Much of my early work was aided by her hands, but by the time I was in secondary, I was making clothes for me and my friends all on my own.

Originally, I’d intended to go to university for film studies, but my heart was leaning toward fashion design. I was accepted by the prestigious MDS Paris: institut de mode. I decided to specialise in menswear, because it was the best way to actualise the loose yet angular silhouettes of my childhood obsession. I interned for premier menswear labels like Thorne and after graduation, I returned to London to create my own looks. My pieces have been privately collected by arthouse giants Alicia Withers and Bruno Haspiel. I intend to continue pushing the boundaries of menswear until my finger bones dry out.

Michael Toomey is currently a junior studying architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York City. He is a quick learner and fast thinker. Excels in turning disorganized events into smooth-running operations, and has goals to improve accuracy and efficiency in every task he is handed.