LGBTQIA+ Fashion Creatives to Watch

Written by Jet Thurmond

Fashion offers many visual and emotional facets of self expression that can be experienced by both the designer and the wearer. With the growing acceptance of body diversity, designers have pushed to escape the limitations of gender norms when creating their collections.

Some have become industry leaders by doing so. Fashion can be used as a way to escape conformity, and it is done by presenting the idea that people can wear anything. This is best when it makes people feel the most like themselves.

These fashion designers and creatives use their artistry with the intention of being socially conscious and draw inspiration from personal experiences of growing up transgender, non-binary, or gender non-comforming individuals. 

Inclusion and Acceptance

The importance of community to these creatives is evident in their work and it allows the wearers of these collections to feel and be seen as their most authentic self. These innovators are giving their customers an opportunity that they may not have had and send a message that staying true to yourself and feeling your best is the priority. Here are some creatives outside of traditional gender binaries that deserve attention for all they are doing:

Left: Pia Davis, image via thecut.com. Right: Design from NO SESSO Spring/Summer 2023 Collection. Image via hypebeast.com

Pia Davis and No Sesso

Pia Davis became the first openly transgender designer to be listed on the calendar and show a collection at New York Fashion Week in 2019. Previously, other transgender designers had displayed collections but they were shown off schedule.

Created in 2015, Davis founded the brand NO SESSO in collaboration with Autumn Randolph. The label name means “no sex/no gender” in Italian. The two became CFDA (Council of  Fashion Designers of America) Fashion Fund finalists for their label in 2022. Their shared goal for their collections and beyond is for people to feel happy with themselves regardless of limitations put in place.

Both Davis and Randolph consistently advocate for the black trans community and want them to feel supported by their work. Their shows are also announced on social media and open to the public. This is something especially atypical within the fashion industry, known for its star-studded front rows.

Left: Nix Lecourt Mansion. Photo: Vincent Thibault. Image via vogue.in; Right: From Lecourt Mansion Revenge Dress collection, Fall/Winter 2022. Image via nowfashion.com

Nix Lecourt Mansion and Lecourt Mansion

Nix Lecourt Mansion is a French transgender woman designer and creator of a “revenge dress” line for Paris Fashion Week in Fall 2022. In an interview with French Elle magazine, she describes the inspiration for the collection as the idea of sublimating absolutely everything that has been done to someone, even the most horrible. We can turn this into something amazing.

The show included a diverse cast of models with all skin tones and body types. Visibly pregnant models were also included. The collection was also inspired by the harassment, stalking, and assault that the designer experienced for being a trans woman. She has also said that in an ideal world, there would not be a “typical person” that could wear Lecourt Mansion, but people of all different genders identities. 

Left: Landon Reed. Image via awarewolfapparel.com; Right: Screen-printed t-shirt by Awarewolf. Image via instagram.com

Landon Reed and Awarewolf

Landon Reed had an objective of having an LBGTQIA+ owned and operated clothing company, and that dream has come to fruition with Awarewolf. The brand was founded in 2015 to fund his own goal of top surgery.

He has personally done all the screen printing since 2016 and the embroidering for the brand since 2022. Landon comes up with all the concepts for the graphics and then has the designs professionally made. His collection caters to those who may not be fully comfortable in their transition yet, or be fully out of the closet.

With this brand, there is truly something for everyone. His line is described as a “queer lifestyle brand,” full of fun printed apparel and accessories. The brand is proud to provide a subtle way to spread awareness. This comes from the specific designs and the models used to market their brand. 

Left: Gogo Graham in Self-Portrait collection. Image via vogue.com; Right: From Spring/Summer 2023 collection. Photo: David Gannon, Image via rain-mag.com

Gogo Graham and Gogo Graham

Gogo Graham is a transgender woman designer that created her brand around the idea of evolution. Originally from Texas, she now runs her nationally-acclaimed business out of Brooklyn, New York.

Graham was motivated by the lack of inclusivity in the industry and the lack of options present for people of her body type who had transitioned. Her brand caters to other trans women and her collections consistently evolve, just as the identities of her customers and herself. The collections are fluid and the themes of each vary greatly, as perceptions of gender are fluid and constantly changing.

Graham’s designs are avant-garde in nature as she feels the concept of ready-to-wear has its constraints. When creating for her shows, she focuses on empowerment of the model and caters to their particular body and persona. This is an atypical approach in the industry.

Her designs have moved many audiences with their symbolic messages that promote social issues such as violence against and oppression of transgender people, Asian stereotyping, and feminine objectification.

She has received appreciation from models for her approach to creating designs for the runway. She has now completed five collections and shown twice at New York Fashion Week. Her looks include found items and recycled materials.

Left: Chris and Courtney Rhodes. Image via canvasrebel.com; Right: Blinder by FLAVNT streetwear. Image via vivre-trans.fr

Chris Rhodes and FLAVNT

Transgender designer Chris Rhodes founded FLAVNT in 2014 with his sister Courtney, who is also part of the LGBTQ+ community. FLAVNT Streetwear is an Austin based brand “for everyone within and anyone who supports the LGBTQ+ community.”

The goal of the brand is to create clothes that promote confidence and pride. In addition to their focus on the LGBTQ+ community for their apparel, they also fundraise frequently to support their community more completely.

In addition to casual apparel, FLAVNT released a line of chest binders in shades to blend with various skin tones in 2016. These binders help gender non-conforming people and those beginning to transition feel more comfortable in their gender presentation. The binders are locally manufactured by an all-female team and each binder is sewn by hand. 

Left: Saisha Shinde. Image via bollywoodlife.com; Right: 2021 gown. Image via thequint.com

Saisha Shinde and Swapnil Shinde

Designer Saisha Shinde was active in the fashion world before she came out as transgender in 2021. However, Shinde says she is now much more alive and happy to be living as who she is.

In her early career, she designed clothes for many famous Bollywood actresses, including Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, and Aditi Rao Hydari. Before her transition, she was a competitor on season 14 of American TV design competition “Project Runway”.

Shinde is India’s first transgender fashion designer, and created Harnaaz Sandhu’s finale gown worn in the 70th Miss Universe competition in 2021 following Shinde’s transition. She associates this event with the rebirth of her brand and something more representative of her authentic self. 

Diversity and Equity

These creatives and others like them provide the opportunity for the LGBTQIA+ community to wear clothes that better reflect their true selves. Having expanded offerings for this community can ease transitions and allow everyone to find looks that best reflect how they want to be seen. 

Fashion is for the individual and as more designers and creatives like these work towards inclusivity, more individuals can find ways to embrace themselves and feel comfortable and confident in their own skin.