The Project Runway Winner has Come a Long Way
Christian Siriano didnāt just fall into a career in fashionāhe fought for it, starting at a young age. Raised in Annapolis, Maryland, Christian transferred as a high school student to the Baltimore School For the Arts so that heād have an opportunity to study fashion design. It was a subject heād come to loveāthanks, in part, to his sister, who studied ballet. Christian recalls joining his sister backstage during performances and garnering early inspiration from her costumes, hair and makeup. But it was his high school experience that officially cultivated his love for fashion.
āIt was an amazing experience, for a student to be thrown into this world of creativity at such a young age. I was still learning what I loved and what direction I wanted to take my life, ā explains Christian. āI had an amazing mentor, Steven Kent, who helped guide me and support my love of fashion.ā
Christian went on to attend the American Intercontinental University of London, where he continued his studies in fashion design and fine art. He describes his international college experience, which immersed him in both the cityās culture and its street style, as both liberating and inspiring. Ā
Of course, itās difficult for many young designers to find success in the fashion industry, but fortunately for Christian, he had an opportunity to learn from some of the best. Internships with the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs instilled in him some practical lessons he continues to apply to his own collection todayāsuch as celebrating creativity and creating an environment where a hands-on design team takes prides in its work.
āExperiences are very important in this business, ā says Christian. Christian credits his attitude and work ethic to the journey thatās led him to become a red carpet staple. āIn my experience I was just fearless and really had nothing to lose, ā says Christian. āSo that was my secret weaponāto just go for things and make decisions quickly and hope they work out.ā
And work out they did; Christianās coming up on his collectionās ninth year. And though his label has evolved constantly, he continues to bring back the colorful and bold designs that were characteristic of some of his first pieces. āIt has been a wonderful struggle to create and brand and find my customer. The collection has grown so much from the first season because the customer has grown and the retailers change and fashion moves so quickly, ā says Christian.
To keep up with the industryās rapid pace, Christian is constantly on the lookout for inspirationāfrom songs, travel, interior design, colors, animals, you name it, and he can design a collection from it. His process is similar from collection to collection: first, he starts with āa story, ā and then he gathers fabrics that help him convey that story. He examines shapes and silhouettes, and removes and adds details until the story comes to life. He likens the process to a puzzle.
And though no two collections are alike, the end game, for Christian, is consistent. āOne can be very romantic and ethereal and another powerful and bold. I do try to make each collection have those elements to some degree but I just want the clothing to celebrate women and their lifestyle, ā he says.
He has, in fact, always been about his female customers and giving them what they wantāat every price point. Heās designed multiple collections of affordable shoes and handbags for Payless ShoeSource, and heās worked on a makeup line for Victoriaās Secret. But the designer also boasts an impressive list of high-profile clients, which include Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow and Taylor Swift.
When asked about his career highlights thus far, the designer explains that itās gratifying enough for him to see women wearing his clothes both in āreal lifeā and on the red carpet. āJust to know that there are people out there that love what Iām trying to do, those are the best moments sometimes, ā he says. āIām just excited to keep going.ā
Christian Siriano has designed almost everythingāincluding the fairy costumes for Disneyās 2014 The Pirate Fairy movie.
Christian Siriano |Ā @csiriano
Written By: Elizabeth NuttĀ
Photographed By: Gil Cope
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