BY: Ashley Blackwell
Published 3 months ago
LGBTQIA+ fashion designers deserve more credit for their contributions to style culture.
Coming from the traditional age of modest glamour, many gay makers unorthodoxly pushed the limits of high-end couture and made it their duty to set statements through clothing. Because of this, these designers have mastered trends that transcend artistic boundaries and cultivated a timeless lane.
With an unmatched ability to merge technique with talent, the queer party’s impact on fashion is undeniable. These legendary crafters have “sewn” their mark into the world… one iconic piece at a time.
Today, various eccentric elements within the field are inspired by the LGBTQIA+ crowd, which date back to fallen originators Cristóbal Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain, and Gianni Versace, to name a few.
LGBTQIA+ Fashion Designers We’ll Forever Recognize
1. Calvin Klein
Visionary Calvin Klein (seemingly) identifies as bisexual, as he once told Vanity Fair that he’s had relations with both men and women over the years. The 81-year-old is praised for constructing a whole wave of everything from underwear to accessories.
In 1968, Klein and his childhood friend, Barry K. Schwartz, founded Calvin Klein Inc. when they opened a coat shop in their native area, New York City. The corporation has become an uber-successful business with many branches, including home goods, multi-gender apparel, and fragrances. Klein has been most notable for his ad campaigns. His most popular campaigns feature Brooke Shields, Mark Wahlberg, Justin Bieber, A$AP Rocky, and Zoë Kravitz.
2. Christian Louboutin
Fashion architect Christian Louboutin had been in a relationship with landscaper Louis Benech since around 1999. As a longtime footwear enthusiast, Louboutin opened a shoe parlor in 1992. The 61-year-old Parisian broke new ground with his “red bottom” heels, which reimagined stilettos in the 90s and early 2000s.
The brand has since expanded (handbags, beauty products) and become a worldwide phenomenon. It is the go-to, premier company for many celebrities today, including Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez. Britney Spears also rocked a pair of Louboutin pumps in her music video for the 2008 song “If U Seek Amy.”
3. Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent founded his eponymous fashion house in 1961. After serving as The House of Dior’s head designer, he and his lover, Pierre Bergé, started the French-based empire, specializing in luxury, ready-to-wear apparel, footwear, and cosmetics. The debut collection was released in the spring of 1962. Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, and Kanye West, among other A-list celebrities, have been spotted rocking the label over the years. Unfortunately, Laurent passed away in 2008 from brain cancer.
4. Christian Dior
According to The New York Times, Christian Dior was a closeted gay man. He was never open about his sexuality, but there had been long suspicion of his male romances. The revolutionary designer was another icon who hailed from France. Dior launched the fashion conglomerate Christian Dior SE in 1946.
Decades later, the award-winning line is still at the forefront of the game. Per Kerry Taylor Auctions, Madonna wore Dior’s 1950s-styled silk taffeta ball gown in the 1996 film Evita, where she portrayed the First Lady of Argentina, Eva Peron. Dior died from a heart attack in 1957.
5. Telfar Clemens
The honorable Telfar Clemens is a gay Liberian-American from Queens, New York. The 38-year-old jumpstarted his fast-growing fashion brand TELFAR in 2005 while studying at Pace University. Per an interview with GayTimes, he came up with the idea after failing to find intriguing clothes that “spoke to people like him.” Over a decade later, TELFAR’s popularity skyrocketed. The brand is celebrated for its unisex streetwear and vegan leather handbags. Songstress Beyoncé is a known superfan of TELFAR.
6. Tom Ford
Fashion mogul/filmmaker Tom Ford didn’t realize he was gay until his late teens. However, in a previous sit-down with Vogue, Ford admitted that he still enjoyed intimacy with women as “sex is an expression of affection and love.” In 2014, he married journalist Richard Buckley, who sadly passed in 2021.
Ford launched his own namesake design house in 2005 after leaving Gucci (as a creative director) a year earlier. Nearly 20 years later, Tom Ford is a billion-dollar company and a leading unisex line of jackets, shoes, makeup, pajamas, and more. Everyone from Jay-Z to Miley Cyrus has been seen rocking the brand.
Which of these LGBTQIA+ fashion designers are your favorite(s)? Comment below!
