HYFINATED CONVERSATION: MAHIRI TAKAI (Designer, Marketer, Motivator and star of NBC’s “On Brand with Jimmy Fallon)

Mahari Takai is a renowned designer and absolute style icon who rocketed into the spotlight on the competitive NBC show, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. But Mahiri’s story is the stuff of legend: after a modeling scam left him with just $20 and no place to live, he spent a year homeless in New York City. He channeled the pain and disappointment from his past into the grit needed to survive, deciding he’d rather be a “failure” in New York than go home—a testament to his incredible will.

This resilience and his passion for style, inherited from his dad who “gets dressed up for no reason,” fuel his design philosophy. He took that passion and turned it into the successful Men’s Fashion Week Dallas. For Mahiri, great branding, like those unforgettable Doritos or Disney commercials he loves, isn’t about logos; it’s about creating a powerful identity and using authentic storytelling to make people feel a connection to your product.