British-born, LA-bred Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor was always destined to be in the spotlight. She was born into rock royalty: Her father is John Taylor, Duran Duran’s bassist; her stepfather is the Strokes’ Nick Valensi; and her mother, the accomplished photographer Amanda de Cadenet. This creative upbringing informs her career today as an aspiring actress and model with a relaxed vintage style that, at the young age of 23, has already landed her covers of countless magazines.
ATLANTA’S VINTAGE SHOPPING PICKS:
MIAMI:
The Webster
1220 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
NEW YORK:
Brooklyn Flea Market
1 Hanson Pl, Brooklyn, NY
LONDON:
Topshop’s vintage section
18 Cardinal Place, Victoria St,
London, UK
With your mother as a photographer, you must have been in front of the camera from a very early age?
I am completely used to being in front of a camera. Although sometimes I have to remind myself not to take myself too seriously. For example, around the third week in of Fashion Month. You’re just in it, it’s like you’re a machine. And people don’t mess around with that sort of thing. I’ll come out of it and I’m like, “Oh, my gosh, what am I thinking? Calm down.” It’s hard because I find that a photo can’t show everything. It’s just how you look and it doesn’t take into account your personality or what you have to say. It’s just how the clothes look on you.
What don’t your pictures convey about you?
I feel like I’m pretty funny. I think a lot of people are curious about my weight or how tall I am or my measurements, that kind of thing.
Is that weird to think that people are thinking about your weight? No. That’s the world that I work in. People are obsessed with weight.
How do you stay level-headed about it all?
Learning to love myself and stop trying to change myself and be happy about that. It’s challenging, especially when you’re in a world that you’re get- ting your photo constantly taken. You always think, “This person must be so happy,” because they’re this size and look like this. But I know better. At this point in my life, I know that whatever you’re putting o on the outside, doesn’t mean that’s what’s going on on the inside.
What have you learned about style from your upbringing?
My mom had banging style. I would just steal her clothes. She has stories of me putting on her Gucci Lucite heels and trying to walk in them at like six years old, which is probably the last time I liked to wear heels.
Have your parents told you crazy stories about what it was like in the ’80s in London when they met?
I’m pretty sure I’m a love child. They were only married for four years or something. My mom was pregnant pretty soon.
Your dad said in an interview that the advice he’d impart on you is, “Be nice. Work hard.” Is that accurate?
My dad is really motivating when it comes to making me work. People think that because I come from a well-off family that my life is paid for. For me, I got my first job at 17. I moved out at 18. I’ve been paying my own rent for years. People get confused, they think that if you have that [kind of upbringing], you’re set for life. But it’s not true. You have to have something to say.
Aside from everything else, you also DJ?
I’m a music freak, so it’s fun to be able to get to control the music in a room. And I love playing weird music.
Like what?
Carly Simon remixes that only came o the vinyl version that my dad has on some weird disc he gave me. I don’t play Top 40. I play weird stuff. I like disco, that’s my jam.
Who are some up-and-coming musicians we should know about?
I am obsessed with Leon Bridges.
What are common misconceptions people have about rock stars?
They like to party all the time. That’s not really a misconception, rock stars do party a lot. They do often have funny mirror faces that they check out before they go anywhere. But the rock stars in my life are old, so they’re over that whole stage. For me, they’re just my parents. My dad lives in Adidas track suits when he’s not on stage. So maybe that’s one: They don’t always look so glamorous.
