Christian Siriano has been helping women live their lives as fierce and fabulously as possible since he stepped on the scene ten years ago. To celebrate his first decade in the fashion industry, the Project Runway alumn has released a book Dresses to Dream About. Stylish caught up with the designer at the launch of his new coffee table book — and he talked about designing for diversity, what it’s like to work for Michelle Obama and more! Read on.
Stylish: Can you talk about why you decided to create a book with all your designs?
Siriano: It was really was just to kind of celebrate my 10 years in fashion. I wanted to have a beautiful coffee table book that would kind of showcase all my work that maybe got hidden away in the early years of my career. I think at the beginning of my career it was trying to get people to see the work. It’s not about anything else. That was very important.
Stylish: At what point in your career did you think you’d made it?
Siriano: I never think that! I don’t ever, that’s the problem. I will say that having a book like this in retrospect feels really great because it’s hard and I’m a designer that’s competing in a huge world of other big brands and so it does feel good.
Stylish: You’re a designer who is not afraid to dress anyone of a certain age, body shape, ethnicity — you don’t discriminate. Is that why people gravitate towards your clothes?
Siriano: I hope so! It’s like when you support people that you love, I dress whoever I want and love. I don’t care where they’re from, what they look like, not that that should matter. The customers are that way. I don’t think people like Michelle Obama would have picked my design if I didn’t stand for that.
Stylish: Would you say Michelle Obama is a career highlight for you?
Siriano: Michelle Obama [speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention] was a great moment because it was a big night. Her speech was so powerful.
Stylish: And has it ever happened where people have said to you, “I really can’t believe you dressed this person” about a celebrity?
Siriano: All the time! I think that’s what the problem in our industry is. I think it’s about making that person look amazing in the brands no matter who they are. It’s more fun for me if someone like a Cardi B shows up in a ballgown to Rihanna’s Diamond Ball. You would never imagine she would wear that, and she looked so unbelievable. It’s more exciting to see a transformation than see the same old “It” girl wearing the same old slip dress.
Stylish: And with award season swiftly approaching, do you know any trends we will be seeing on the carpet?
Siriano: I hope grand, beautiful, romantic things. That’s what I like seeing.
