I-Pose is the latest addition to SOMA’s ongoing tradition of introducing unique, cutting-edge features to our magazine. This section portrays the winners of our online competition, where SOMA readers posed as their favorite icons.

In this issue, we featured young creative minds from Tokyo and ask them to explain the reasoning behind their choices.

I Pose Like: George Harrison
Name: Taar
Occupation: Producer/DJ

“George is my all-time hero. My creative mind is affected by his novel and flexible ideas. I’m also in love with Pattie Boyd.”

I Pose Like: Jean-Michel Basquiat
Name: Digikid84
Occupation: Author/Composer/DJ

“The only word that comes to mind when I think of Basquiat is unique… very much like myself.”

I Pose Like: Lindsay Lohan
Name: Fumie Kojima
Occupation: Art Student

“Lindsay Lohan often gets a bad name, but recently I started looking past that and discovered there is more to her. I regularly refer to her for fashion and style tips.”

I Pose Like: Nicki Minaj
Name: Mayu Tohfuku
Occupation: J-Pop Artist/Fashion Blogger

“Nicki Minaj is so gorgeous! I love her fashion style and attitude. I try to take that into the way I dress as well as the way I perform.”

I Pose Like: David Hockney
Name: Yukiko Mizuno
Occupation: Art Student/Nylon Japan Blogger

“Hockney is just such a great artist, one of my favorites. I don’t care about the gender of my personal icons; male or female… I still take fashion inspiration from them.”

I Pose Like: Nelson Mandela
Name: Gordon Higgins
Occupation: Architect/Rapper

“The man embodies the struggles of a nation with his smile. His ideals of tolerance and equality are still very relevant. This manifests itself sartorially in his iconic combination of African batik prints and western tailoring. He’s the ideal modern African man.”

I Pose Like: Madonna
Name: Yurie Ishitsuka
Occupation: Fashion Sales

“Madonna was amazing in the ‘80s. Her style is so iconic and it fits perfectly in Tokyo even now! She continues to look great, and I hope to look that good in the future.”

Text by Mike Burns
Photography by Jake Hodgkinson