Bedroom Diaries
Cary Tauben
WRITING: RANDI BERGMAN
@randibergman
PHOTOGRAPHY: RENATA KAVEH ON FACETIME @renatakaveh
If you’ve been searching for examples of how to thrive during one of the most depressing years in recent history, look no further than Cary Tauben, a Montreal stylist who brings sunshine, glamour and serious lols everywhere he goes… even if it’s just to his kitchen. “As a kid, I was wild, eccentric and carefree,” he says. “On vacation once, I remember singing Celine Dion’s ‘That’s the Way it Is” in front of the entire resort on stage.”
The story checks out: The first time I met Tauben, he was dancing at Soho House in Toronto, surrounded by a crowd completely in awe of his long flowing mane and ability to twerk in Camilla Skovgaard heeled boots (it was 2012 and that was very much the look). Come to think of it, I’ve witnessed this phenomenon more than once and in more than one city—the 32-year-old can always be counted on to bring the wow factor.
Tauben certainly brought it to “set” in early June, when we photographed him at home through the magic of FaceTime during a global lockdown. When we set up, we were expecting a jumble of collectables strewn across the floor. What we got was several ring-lit scenes, complete with animal print backgrounds for him to pose in front of. We also got looks aplenty: vintage Dior, vintage Versace, vintage Chanel… the list of treasures lurking inside his walk-in closet is endless. “I’ve always loved fashion and I definitely did not look like other kids growing up,” he says. “I think my years of thrifting at Value Village played a huge role in my eye for being able to source and find the best pieces for my job as a stylist.” Today, his maximalist outfit pairings appear in magazines like Dressed to Kill and Elle Canada, as well as campaigns for brands like Aldo, Addition Elle and Sephora.
“When I was a kid, Beanie Babies were my favourite thing to collect, and the rare bears were what I was always looking for when at a store with my mother.”
“When I was a kid, Beanie Babies were my favourite thing to collect, and the rare bears were what I was always looking for when at a store with my mother,” he says.” As I grew older, my collecting turned into my obsession with thrifting and finding rare vintage T-shirts amongst other things. I guess if you think about it I’m still always looking for that rare special item.”
If you follow Tauben on Instagram, you’d know that his days are typically spent dotting the globe, jet-setting from photo shoots to Burning Man, collecting celebrity friends along the way (amongst his most iconique cameos are model Ashley Graham, singer Miguel and a rotating cast of Kardashians). He’s embracing this year’s barriers, though. “It’s been nice to have some more me time,” he says. And by that he means simultaneously spinning on his Peleton while watching Housewives.
Here, he shares a glimpse inside the fabulous Casa Tauben and some of his favourite mementoes from his earliest days.
