What the Team at Complex Wears to Work

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Founded in 2002, Complex has grown from a bi-monthly print magazine to an influential media company that covers style, culture, and music, while also making headlines for its pop culture-defining pages (see: Khloe Kardashian's fitness-themed spread and Rihanna's seven covers from 2013).

The brand's history and deep roots in streetwear are reflected in the team's personal style; we stopped by the publication's New York office to ask staffers about their favorite Complex moments, fashion tricks, and why you can never have too many sneakers.

---

India Nicholas, Director of Content Development, is wearing a Blk DNM jacket, a Supreme sweater, a Michael Kors watch, Uniqlo pants, Adidas shoes, Twist and Catbird necklaces, Verameat rings, and Topshop earrings.

What's one thing about Complex that most people might not know?
Noah Callahan-Bever, our EIC, bumps music at peak volume in his office at all times. A Tribe Called Quest is blasting right now.

Who's your favorite Complex cover star of all time?
Kanye. But my favorite cover is Wayne in a straightjacket from 2007. That was taped to my dorm wall for a long time.

Who's your personal style icon?
My mother, who taught me my mantra of, "When in doubt, wear black." And Jayne Min, whose blog I've been a fan of since 2009. I'm all about clean-lined menswear, delicate details, and sneakers.

How has your style changed since you started working at Complex?
I wear a lot more of my boyfriend's clothes than I did before. He's got a great closet.

What's your beauty routine like?
I'm very brand loyal to Cetaphil for my face — their cleanser twice a day and their moisturizing cream year-round. I spend too much money on Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pencils. I take my brows very seriously. I'm a card holding member of the NYC #EyebrowCrew.

---

Matthew Henson, Fashion Editor, is wearing a Magic Stick Japan shirt, a Topman jacket, John Elliott jeans, and Alexander McQueen shoes.
What's your favorite part about working at Complex?
I really enjoy building the print stories and then flipping them to stories that work for our website. Working at a magazine was always a dream of mine as a kid, so to be able to work not only on print, but interact with the audience online, is really fulfilling.

Which new designer are you most excited about at the moment?
I'm really into Proper Gang and Our Legacy. I'm also into everything coming out of LA, like Stampd, John Elliott, Rhude, Blackfist, 424, Midnight Studios, and Second/Layer. And it's not menswear, but MadeMe is an awesome women's brand. Some things can be kind of unisex if you're slim enough.

Who's your personal style icon?
I've always admired Eddie Murphy's style in the '80s and '90s. He's not known for his style, but a quick Google search shows that he had a lot of fun with the way that he dressed ,and there were some major style moments.

How many pairs of sneakers do you own?
I probably own close to 300 pairs of sneakers. I have some at my house that are in constant rotation, some in storage that I switch out seasonally, and the rest are are in my clothing archive.

---

Gina Batlle, Photo Director, is wearing a Zara Sweater, Madewell pants, a Larsson & Jennings watch, and UNDFTD x BAPE x Adidas Originals Superstars sneakers.

What's one style tip you've picked up since working at Complex?
Peruse the men's section.

Who's your personal style icon?
I don't really have a style icon, but I think Gilda Ambrosio is amazing.

What's one item of clothing that's on your wishlist this season?
These Margiela painter pants.

How many pairs of sneakers do you own?
At least 50?

What's your beauty routine like?
I just started using Devachan's light curling gel. For makeup, I moisturize, use a bb cream, bronzer, and mascara. Glossier's Boy Brow is my new favorite, can't-live-without, product!

---

Ronit Shaham, Video Product Manager, is wearing an Intermix sweater, a H&M shirt, Levi’s jeans, Topshop booties, Christine J. Brandt and gifted rings, Zoë Chicco earrings, and a Miansai bracelet.

What's one thing about Complex that most people might not know?
There's a lot of talk about the lack of diversity in tech these days, and it seems like the big tech companies are still light years away from making a meaningful change to their hiring process. While we’re not a tech company per se, our team is fairly large and is quite unique in how culturally diverse it is. But we can always use more female engineers!

Who's your favorite Complex cover star of all time?
FKA Twigs, who was on the cover of the June/July 2015 issue, is magical. In the digital cover story that accompanied this issue, we did an amazing job capturing her unique qualities.

Who's your personal style icon?
Jean Seberg (naturally) and Kathleen Hanna. But really, my best friend — she makes sure I don't leave the house in my pajamas and inspires me to get out of my comfort zone.

What was your favorite fashion/pop culture moment from this year?
I couldn't get enough of the "Hotline Bling" memes (and the video itself). Drake throwing pepperoni on a pizza was in heavy rotation on my computer for about 24 hours.

---

Cornell Brown, TV Bureau Chief of Complex News, is wearing a Polo sweatshirt and khaki pants.

What's one thing about Complex that most people might not know?
We're not all hipsters.

Which new designer are you most excited about at the moment?
I am most excited about Kanye West. Not a fan of his prices, but he is breathing new life into fashion community. I like that he stirs things up.

How many pairs of sneakers do you own?
15 to 20. In my thirties, saving for a 401k seems a little more important than it was in my twenties.

What's one style tip you've picked up since working at Complex?
I’ve learned that sneakers are not just for your feet: you must have a few extra pairs to decorate your desk and office as well.

---

Diana DeJesus, Publisher Marketing Coordinator, is wearing a Zara sweater, Zara pants, an Aldo necklace, a souvenir ring, and Whirl by MAC lipstick.

Who's your favorite Complex cover star of all time?
I love the Lana Del Rey's "Ain’t No Sunshine" cover from February/March 2012.

What's your lazy-day work uniform?
When I’m feeling lazy, I usually throw on a really fun lipstick. You can feel lazy, but you don’t want to look tired.

Which sites (other than Complex) do you check everyday?
Huffington Post, XOJane, First We Feast, and Refinery29.

What's your beauty routine like?
I’m the person putting her makeup on while standing in the cut on the train. I always have bobby pipns in my bag for a quick hair fix.

What was your favorite fashion/pop culture moment from this year?
Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover.

---

James Harris, Senior Editor of Content Strategy, is wearing a Norse Projects T-shirt, an Acne shirt and jeans, and Nike Air Max 1 sneakers.

Who's your favorite Complex cover star of all time?
Justin Bieber, if only for that one taco line. I get it, I'm a taco doctor, and I think he and I just connect on that taco level.

Who's your personal style icon?
Just anyone on the street who's doing it right. No statement pieces or attention-seeking necessary; if you know what you like and you're not being a try-hard for anyone else's sake, then congrats, you're my personal style icon. Actually, the correct answer is Tommy Ton.

What's one item of clothing that's on your wishlist this season?
A pair of Nike Air Max 1 Patch in Sand. My current pair are so beat it's embarrassing, but I can't stop wearing them even if it means the occasional office roasting.

What's your favorite part about working at Complex?
The best part about working for Complex is there are really no restrictions on what you can do. If you have an idea for a video series, or want to interview someone you believe is about to blow up, or taking the time to dive deep into some hidden corner of the Internet, it doesn't really matter what your job title or seniority is. As long as you can make your case as to why something matters and get your regular responsibilities done, you're going to hear "Let's do it" 99% of the time.

Also the CEO lent me $20 the other day when I needed cash for the Mexican street cart, so that was tight.

---