World-renowned fashion stylist Christian Siriano unveiled his first-ever solo museum exhibit at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art on March 22.
“He’s definitely an artist who I think even today does not get enough recognition for the things he has created,” said Anne Jesper, an exhibit bystander.
Born in Maryland, Siriano got his first big break in 2007 after winning the fourth season of “Project Runway,” an American fashion design competition show. Upon winning the show at 21 years old, he became, and remains, the youngest designer to ever win a season of the show.
After winning, Siriano went on to work with big-name brands, such as Puma and LG, before debuting his eponymous fashion line at New York Fashion Week in 2008, according to Siriano’s designer website.
“He has quickly become one of my favorite designers just because of his dedication and ability to make clothes for anybody,” said Ella Karina, another exhibit bystander.
In the years following, Siriano has gone on to design custom clothes for many actors, musicians and politicians, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Zendaya, Taylor Swift and Memphis-born actor Leslie Jones.
Siriano has also designed clothes for Disney movies and, in 2021, broke the record for being the first designer to ever have three separate pieces displayed at the Met Gala.
His exhibit in the Brooks Museum, titled “People are People,” features replicas of the many custom pieces he has made for actors and actresses alike. Additionally, the exhibit has a full wardrobe catered for children, along with a runway to give children the opportunity to feel like they are actually debuting a piece from his collection.
“I think it’s great that the exhibit finds a way to cater to children while also educating them about what goes into fashion designing and showing off the work he has done,” said Aniyah Terese, an exhibit bystander.
The exhibit’s next program is on Thursday, April 11, at 10 a.m. Titled “Homeschool Day - Fashion as Art,” the program aims to educate people on what goes into fashion design and offer interactive activities for people to make their own fashion designs. The exhibit will run until August 4.
