Gay fashion designer Christian Siriano is a wonderful example of what can happen when an LGBTQ child grows up in a supportive family and is encouraged to follow their dreams. Siriano, 32, is the subject of one of the final installments of the PBS series "Breaking Big," which asks what factors make people successful. The episode aired Sept. 7, but is available for streaming free until Oct. 7. Siriano knew he wanted to be a designer from a young age, sketching costumes his ballerina sister wore, eventually living out his childhood fantasy and carving his own artistic path forward.
Growing up in Annapolis with a single mother who championed and motivated him, he attended the prestigious Baltimore School for the Arts, where being openly gay wasn't an issue. He found classmates who were like him in an environment that pushed his creative boundaries. He applied to his dream school, the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, but was rejected. Although devastated, he didn't let this setback thwart him. He attended a London college, working with English designers Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. He became proficient with the fashion world from the bottom up, learning how to sew and cut patterns. His eccentricity was celebrated. Returning to New York, he couldn't find a job despite working as an intern at Marc Jacobs. Alerted by a friend, he auditioned for TV's "Project Runway," and at age 21 became the youngest contestant. He won, and his catchphrase, "Fierce," would become the industry's motto.
Despite his success, he had to prove he was viable as a designer business. He had to build a brand. Emerging during the Great Recession of 2008, he required major financial backing. Understanding he would need to do it his own way, he opened accounts with mass market companies including Payless, LG, Victoria Secret, even Starbucks Gift Card, to find the revenue stream to build his business. His first application to the Council of Fashion Designers of America had been rejected, but two years later was accepted. In 2013 he started getting his red carpet moments, fitting Lady Gaga for her first TV appearance, actress Scarlett Johansson for the cover of Cosmopolitan, making plus-size black "SNL" actress Leslie Jones look stunning, and dressing first lady Michelle Obama for the Democratic National Convention.
Siriano wanted to connect with women of all body types, emerging at the forefront of the body positive movement in the fashion industry. He was the first to put a plus-sized model in his runway show. Following the lead of his mother who had shopped there for years, he collaborated with Lane Bryant. His whole collection was available up to size 26, and he required his retailers to stock every size in their stores. By putting his imprint on a key social issue through his designs, he showed how people could accept their bodies as they are.
Siriano attributes his success to his obsession with his craft, a true entrepreneurial spirit, an unapologetic work ethic, fearlessness, and confidence. Nina Garcia, one of the judges on "Project Runway," recognized that Siriano had the charisma needed to become a renowned designer. He wanted people to be transformed by his clothes. He has succeeded beyond his dreams, becoming an inspiration to young LGBTQ visionaries everywhere.