Christian Siriano on Pride and Being an LGBTQ+ Designer

The pandemic hasn’t slowed Christian Siriano down. The 35-year-old designer was one of the first to convert his NYC studio into a place for creating masks, where he invited his small team of sewers in to support those on the front lines. He also managed to host two fashion shows — one socially distanced in his own backyard — customize red carpet gowns for virtual award season, work with ThredUp on a universal logo for thrifting, and launch his first bridal collection since 2017.

“There are a lot of emotions going on when it comes to Pride this year, and I think everybody’s just ready to celebrate the community and our culture.”

Now his focus is on Pride Month as he joins Burst in dreaming up a rainbow face mask that comes with a floss kit, for those who still want to feel smart and safe while navigating a reopening world. Proceeds go toward a $25,000 donation to The Trevor Project, an organization that focuses on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth.

“There are a lot of emotions going on when it comes to Pride this year, and I think everybody’s just ready to celebrate the community and our culture,” Christian said when we chatted on the phone about his latest endeavor. “This whole idea of me, as a designer, creating something for Pride that people would feel good about and feel fashionable using and carrying is what made this a good partnership.” Christian’s just as excited as everyone else to get out into the streets, dance, and delight over what everyone’s wearing. But, as with most things he does, his focus is just as much on giving back to help ensure an even better, more inclusive future.

Click through to see Christian’s Pride collaboration, and more from our interview about his experience as an LGBTQ+ creative in the industry.

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