Christian Siriano

The celebrated fashion designer Christian Siriano responded to the challenges of 2020—a year that presented an existential crisis that will forever alter the landscape of the fashion industry—with his characteristically generous spirit, finding opportunity to deepen the activist legacy of his brand and strengthen the power of his creativity. 

 Mr. Siriano graciously offered to speak with Fashion In/Action co-curator Tessa Laney to reflect on his experiences of the past year: the tweet to Governor Cuomo that put him at the forefront of the manufacturing response to Covid-19, the runway show he hosted at home in the middle of a pandemic, and his position as a leading voice in fashion’s increasingly visible role in politics.

Highlights from the conversation have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Tessa Laney: We were thrilled that you were willing to work with us to lend these three looks to our exhibition, Fashion In/Action: Dressing for Global Unrest, that really encapsulate how fashion has been a leading responder to the events of the past year, of course with your work producing PPE but also with how you’ve responded creatively with your “Collection 37.”

Let’s start at the beginning with your choice to pivot your atelier manufacturing to PPE at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.  A big part of our exhibition is fashion’s call to action, so we were curious what called you to make that decision?  What was that decision like, and the transition like, to start producing in that very different capacity?  You have a history of making things happen via Twitter, so did you anticipate the enthusiastic response from Governor Cuomo that you received?

Christian Siriano: That’s really what it was, it was a very natural reaction. It was kind of in the moment.  I was like, “Well, we make things, I have a studio, I have a factory, how can we help?”  In the beginning of the pandemic it was such a need for just basic product, I think that’s where the idea came from.  Tweeting at Governor Cuomo was just a naive thing.  I was like, “Oh let’s see,” and the response being so quick was amazing.  We were able to get in touch so fast.  The whole governor’s office was unbelievable to work with, they really wanted American designers, New York designers to help and get involved, and honestly, we ran with it!  We were in the studio the next day creating prototypes, trying to figure out how we could make things, and make things in bulk. My sewers are couture sewers so it was very different to make hundreds of masks every day.  It was challenging but we figured it out and in the end we were really proud of what we did.

TL: Can you tell us what it was like for you and your team working in those conditions, and in New York, in such an unusual time?  Has it changed your outlook on teamwork or on your responsibility as an employer?  Do you see any of the changes to your production process due to Covid-19 being adopted long-term?

CS: I didn’t want to lose my whole staff; it was about my employees that have families and children and people they support, so that was definitely on my mind, to keep those people in the job. And then we thought of the bigger picture: maybe it’s not enough right now to just make pretty clothes or whatever it may be.  We felt like we almost had a different type of duty to do at that time.  That’s how I approached it and I think I’m still approaching it that way: it’s not back to business as usual, it never will be unfortunately, but I think it actually is a good thing. I’m not making collections the same way, I’m not thinking about it the same way, and I think that’s good.  Even though it’s been a hard shake up, it’s nice to shake it up sometimes.  But it’s challenging, you know.  It’s really hard to keep a fashion business alive right now in general, it’s really hard to get people to be inspired, it’s just a wild time.

TL: You designed your most recent “Collection 37” during lockdown, and mentioned in your recent interview with Vanessa Friedman of the New York Times that this collection became an outlet for you personally.  The collection is so exuberant, in contrast to our cultural moment; were you feeling the anxiety of quarantine like the rest of us and did this collection serve as an escape for you?  Was designing at home a different creative process; did it open up new modes of creativity or did you find it more arduous to be productive?

CS: It was hard to get back in the studio and make clothes and try to have some normalcy, to have a fashion week experience, because it just was not that in any way. In the end I’m a fashion designer, that’s what I do for a living, that’s how I make my money, that’s how I eat, that’s how I have employees, that’s what I do.  So if I don’t do it, then what do I do every day? What do I do when I wake up? That’s what I was going through at home, it was quite an intense situation being like, “Oh, I’m out of the job.” In the end I was like, “Well then, okay, if that’s what’s going to happen then why don’t I do what I love doing?”  Which is making clothes and putting on a show.  I had no rules.  Nobody was telling me anything.  Even if we didn’t sell one single piece it didn’t matter because the collection just wasn’t for that, it was really for this idea of escapism and fantasy.  I think that’s why I ended up calling it “Collection 37” and it wasn’t “Spring/Summer 2021,” because that’s not really real.  We’re not shipping it to stores, so we called it what it was, which was our 37th collection at that time.  That was the idea, it was just a really needed thing for me.  And I’m going to continue to do that just because that’s what I do.

TL: Yes, a big part of our exhibition is seeing how designers, as well as amateurs and creatives, find ways to keep producing and keep creating in these very weird, limiting circumstances.  So let’s talk a little about your at-home runway show, as that’s my next question.  You decided to host a socially distanced runway show at your personal home in September.  How did this idea come to you?  Home has become a sacred space for so many people over the past nine months, were you nervous about (safely) making yours into a public zone?  Was it stressful for you, or exciting to finally have some semblance of normalcy with a runway show?

CS: Lots of decisions there!  I definitely wouldn’t do it again, I’ll say that, but no, honestly, I think it was the right thing for that time.  I’m a designer that is very in the moment, I attack things very viscerally, very in the moment, and I think that’s what it was: “We’re at home, I want a show, let’s do the show at my house where I’ve been, where I’m creating, and I think will be nice!”  Luckily, I’m very blessed to have a pretty home, and I thought that people might want to come to escape their own homes.  A lot of people that live in New York live in small apartments and I thought they might want to get out of the city and sit and watch a fabulous show because we haven’t done that in so long!  So that was the idea.

Logistically it was very challenging, it was actually probably one of my most expensive shows I’ve ever done because of all of the logistics.  With the Covid restrictions, we had to have EMTs on site, we had bathrooms, we had sanitizing people; the staff alone because of Covid rules was so expensive.  So that in itself was really hard.  We had to have drivers for every single person attending because nobody could sit together in a car.  There were so many logistical things that you just would never think about, which I’m happy to share with the world because I think people forget that it’s really hard to do anything right now. Everyone’s experiencing that, it’s hard to make a film, hard to do an art exhibit, museums, everything. Everything in our world, we all touch and feel and are around people every day so to take all that away, it’s very hard to put on anything!  And that was the challenge!  But I think in the end I was really happy that I let people come to the house because I do think it tore down the “fashion persona” that can be super hard and dark and sassy, and I think it took all that away and really just let it be like you’re watching some beautiful things happen.  Watching Coco Rocha with a baby in her belly walk on a runway, I mean, how magical, you know?

TL: Well your home is gorgeous, and it came off beautifully! It looked from the outside like the easiest afternoon picnic.

CS: [Laughs] I know!

TL: So it’s fascinating to hear just how complicated it was to execute, but again I think it speaks so strongly to this moment of just figuring out how to get things done.  It’s an adjustment but we just carry on in a new environment.

CS: Yeah, the one good thing was that I got to wake up and walk to my kitchen and my kitchen was backstage, so that was fun!  That was great, that was the best part of the day, I was like, “Oh great the models are here!”  The models were getting hair and make-up on the side of the house; nobody was really allowed inside because of the Covid restrictions but we could have up to 200 people outside so we were like, great!  No problem!  Everything’s outside!

TL: That’s the best part of working from home!

CS: For sure, yes.

TL: So let me ask you a little about the three ensembles that you kindly lent to Fashion In/Action: Dressing for Global Unrest.  We selected looks 13, 16, and 36 from “Collection 37” as we felt they exemplified fashion’s response to the events of 2020 in how they examine the challenges of lockdown and the function of clothing as a tool for activism and protest.  Can you tell us about these looks from your perspective and what messages you were thinking about?  Are there other inspirations that you drew on for these looks?

CS: The painted look, the brushstroke print that we did was an homage to what I’ve been doing in lockdown, I’ve been painting every day.  That’s what I was doing at home, that was something that was just very in the moment, so I really wanted that look.  It was meant to be a little bit playful but still elegant.  Same with the gingham look, that large gingham skirt, the whole idea there was fantasy picnic.  I imagined someone sitting around in the yard in that outfit and the skirt becomes the picnic blanket.  I get these little imaginary, I don’t know, imaginary scenarios, and that’s where the clothes come from.  And the white VOTE look, all the VOTE looks, obviously, because my voice is my clothes.  That look was our way of still making the message wearable and cool.  I think a young girl would want to wear this look, and that’s what we want.  We want this young girl to go out and vote, so that look was very specifically for her.  It’s different from the long VOTE gown that we did—how do you play with different types of people, who would be wanting to wear this or think about it, all those things come to mind.

TL: And speaking specifically of that white VOTE dress, we’re fashion historians in the NYU Costume Studies program, so we saw a lot of historical references back to the white of the women’s suffrage movement, especially with those puffed Edwardian sleeves. 

CS: Yeah!

TL: Do you often look at the history of fashion in that way, and what do you think we can learn by looking at the past, especially right now?

CS: I think it’s about bringing references from any period. I think is an important reminder, definitely right now, because we’re going through similar things that happened a long time ago, things that happened in the early 20th century. I mean, pandemics have been happening, we just haven’t had one in a long time! So I think fashion always has been a huge game changer, whatever it’s been.  I mean, men used to wear dresses, fashion is always changing and there’s always an interesting take on it.  Even if I’m not thinking about it, subconsciously the history is always there.

TL: Fashion In/Action: Dressing for Global Unrest aims to demonstrate that that the fashion industry has been a leader in the response to the events of 2020, and that designers and brands—as creatives and as employers—have found ways to implement positive, and long overdue, changes as a result of these challenging conditions. What are the changes that you have seen across the fashion industry, and what does a post-Covid-19, more equitable and diverse industry look like to you?

CS: We’ve seen a lot of changes. I think we’re still seeing changes, it’s a big, big shake up.  We’re not going to sell clothes the same way, we’re not going make the clothes the same way, I think mass consumerism is going to change.  I think retail is going to be different, I think the way we design, everything.  I’m hopeful for a very exciting, glamorous return to fashion and art.  I do think that will happen, but I’m just not sure if we’re all going to make it, so I think that’s the challenge now: how do you hang on?  We all need to hang on like a little bit longer in the industry right now, and I think if we can make it through then we’ll be okay.

TL: Are there any changes that you’ve either had to make or hope to see in order to do that, to hang on, either for you or for other designers?

CS: We actually went a little bit more old school, we’re back very in house, we’re making almost everything in house, we’re not over-buying fabric and trying to plan for 10,000 units being sold.  I’m just not approaching it that way anymore.  I think we’re getting back asking, “What’s the focus?”  How are we going to build the business, keep it going, all those little things have been pretty important.  When I show at fashion week or when I do a collection or runway show, does it have to be a certain thing?  Maybe not anymore.  Maybe it is just a fantasy artistic expression and it’s not about that perfect dress selling afterward.  I’m just not approaching things the same way, I guess.

TL: You mentioned, which I thought was interesting, that the way you’re working is different, you’re ordering less fabric.  I did want to ask about sustainability and how 2020 has changed your perspectives on sustainability.  I know you’ve just done a collaboration with ThreadUp.

CS: Yeah, yeah!

TL: Is there anything else that you’re thinking in terms of sustainability efforts, in sourcing or the types of textiles you’re using, or anything else?

CS: Yes, everything.  We just showed our little pre-fall collection and almost everything in that collection was re-used.  We re-used fabric, we even re-used old celebrity looks that never actually got worn.  We’re really in a time of figuring things out, figuring out how to make it work and how to use what you have, which has been really nice.  I think it’s a really nice change.  I’ve learned that I don’t have to have the most expensive fabric in the world to make a good collection.  Yes, I still want it, but I don’t actually think that’s how you can be at your most creative.  A lot of artists were that way for a really long time, a painter didn’t need much to make a fabulous painting.  So I think that that’s a really interesting way to look at it.

TL: You are known to have such an ethos of inclusivity and generosity, and I think you’ve already touched on this a little bit in terms of what you’re doing around sustainability, but how do you see your role, and your brand’s role, in further fostering activism and social change?  What do you see as the role of fashion in general?  Do you have a specific vision for actively supporting diversity?

CS: I have never been that designer who approached diversity so specifically that way, because we just do.  I think that’s why I’ve been able to have such a diverse clientele and such a growing brand, because I never made it this goal, we just do it.  That’s how I approach it always.  You never know if, for example, the ‘VOTE’ pieces in the show were going to mean anything to anybody, I never know.  It’s like telling an investor, “Oh, this is going to be the hit dress of the season!”  I just put the clothes on people that I think should wear them, and I don’t ever think about if it’s the right or the wrong reason because I think it’s always the right reason if you’re doing it organically and naturally, not forced.  I think that’s how I’ve always done it.  It was the same when we dressed Billy Porter for the Oscars. I didn’t know if that was going to be good or bad, I didn’t even think about it, I just wanted to make Billy look really great, that was it!

TL: The fact that so many of your looks become cultural moments, like Billy Porter at the Oscars, really speaks to your personal vision.  Your ‘VOTE’ pattern became kind of a phenomenon, it was worn and shared across social media this year by so many celebrities, including Lizzo, Julianne Moore, Laura Linney, and even Billy Porter, leading up to the presidential election.  As one of fashion’s leading voices in the political arena, do you feel that politically driven fashion was different this year?  Will we continue to see fashion take such a prominent role, or were the circumstances around the pandemic and of course the election of 2020 just a truly unique moment for fashion?

CS: I think those events helped make fashion more political, but I think the reason is because we’re visual creatures, just people, humans, the moment we see something we react to it.  So I think that’s why fashion just works politically.  It always has in a way, even a short mini-skirt can be a politically driven something.  And I think we’re definitely living in a very intense political world right now [laughs] so I think anything worn means something!  So that’s what’s been interesting.

TL: Let me ask another question about diversity, since you do so much to promote body diversity.  I’m wondering if you’ve ever considered exploring adaptive fashion?

CS: My good friend is Selma Blair, and she and I have talked a little bit about doing that.  Selma walks with a cane now and has a little bit of a challenge sometimes getting into her clothes, and we have talked about how there’s not a more glamorous, cool approach to that.  So that’s definitely something down the road.  If it was really needed, in a bigger way that could actually make a big difference, then I’m definitely down, but I unfortunately don’t know where to go yet with that.

TL: I’d love to ask you questions all day but just to wrap up, we wanted to know a little bit more about your experience of 2020.  How has it affected your designs moving forward?  Are you still working through that world of anxiety and quarantine in your designs or are you ready to move on and looking at a whole new set of aesthetics and inspirations for your next collections?

CS: I’m trying to figure it out.  I think we’re all…I’m in a little bit of a limbo place.

TL: Aren’t we all?!

CS: You know, we really are, we really want to move on so, so much, desperately.  But it is hard because we’re still in it and we’re still trying to figure out how to navigate, so I think that’s just how I’m designing.  That’s how I’m creating, that’s how I’m just trying to get through the day!  Because it’s just so unknown; an unknown is the hardest, scariest part.  I think that’s why people stay at a job for 20 years, because they don’t want the unknown [laughs] so I think that’s the challenge that I’m creating for.  Luckily, I’m really glad I’m able to create things that are a little bit more dream and fantasy.  We’re not fully relying on that to keep the lights on so I think that’s very helpful.  But I don’t know, soon we might be!  We’ll see where we are in a few months!

TL: Well, we really look forward to seeing your next collections!

CS: Thank you so much!

TL: I want to emphasize again how grateful we are that you’ve loaned to our exhibition and of course thank you so much for taking this time to talk to us!

CS: Yes, of course!  I can’t wait to see the exhibition!