Harris Reed - Designer, Creative Director of Nina Ricci

[tourbillions]

I dont understand the need for it... they can buy womens clothes or go to the REAL couture houses and have it made for them. Not these new york designers misusing "its couture darling" houses.

What are the differences between a womens collection made for men and womens collection made for women??

 

[Cocteau Stone]

You should be the first person you design for.

Unfortunately, that isn’t a sustainable way to operate. As nice as it sounds, it becomes a rather boring way of working because you’re stuck in your own echo chamber. Everything becomes too much of a passion project and there becomes a limited scope of developing or moving further on.

There’s plenty like this, some make a lot of money because the niche has hit the spot but fail to really go further, some don’t and complain. But in the end, it really limits your scope. When you look outwards from yourself in a creative field, it makes things more exciting for oneself. It’s less about “just you” and more about “your proposition” which can shift and develop. To do the same over and over is exhausting.

I get where you’re coming from though, and it is a shame that fashion (especially in this age) isn’t showcasing more facets and exists as bit of a creative farce. Although I’d argue, why can’t you be the thing you want to see? Why expect someone else to do what you want in the world?

 

[tigerrouge]

You should be the first person you design for.

Probably works best if you also have the money to pay yourself.

 

[Phuel]

LOL Having high standards and calling out tackiness, sloppiness and cheapness is not hating on drag nor on queens. Being critical of a component of drag doesn’t mean one’s hating on drag as a whole. It’s not internalized homophobia/transphobia/toxicity and whatever buzzwords children want to throw to silence critics. It’s valid criticism. Talents like Willam/Violet Chachki/Pearl will not get dragged any time, any place, anywhere.

Why would any “big time fashion designer” bother with dressing men like women, when there have always been men that have been wearing womenswear and modifying the designs to best suit them— without the need for any affirmation from anyone??? In a business sense, It’s such a minuscule minority of males that would be interested in actually buying such designs in retail (forget about couture), that any brand and retailer would be committing retail suicide to commit to such a thing. And creatively--it’s nothing fresh, nothing innovative, nothing daring, nothing risqué, nothing brave, nothing visionary within the context of high fashion. …Totally another story if crossdressing were blatantly on display in the ME or Africa LMFAO …Maybe not intentional, but this Western insecure attitude these days that I-must-see-mainstream-representation-of-me-in-order-to-relate-and-be-validatd is the most obnoxious, arrogant, narcissistic— and frankly, in this specific scenario, such a misogynistic attitude: Men playing dressup demanding womenswear represent them LOOOL

Master fashion visionaries Gaultier/Galliano/Yohji/Rei/Hedi (…yes Hedi too, Mullet… LOL) have fused menswear/womenswear in ways that are genuinely fresh, daring, inspirational and aspirational— and profitable. While hyped lessers JW Anderson and Alessandro Michelle are lazily parading twinks in dresses: Basic, bland and boring. These lessers will never be interesting, let alone visionary. Then there’s this Harris person…

 

[jeanclaude]

Beautiful ! Stunning ! A vision of haute couture !
View attachment 1320096View attachment 1320097

OMG!! Klaus Nomi is still alive!!!

wixstatic.com

 

[eugenius]

I don't mind a lot Jordan Roth's outfits, but having a professional stylist and hair & MUAs certainly help him. But it's when he starts prattling on and on about his review of the shows that makes me cringe. "This Robert Wu show...the level of sophistication...of beauty...of elegance...of glamour...of drama...in every...single...last...look...in every...single...last detail. Moi...chef's kiss..." That's when I want to throw my phone out the window. Luckily, I doubt we'll see him in this knitwit's cooter anytime soon.

 

[imjustken]

Maybe not intentional, but this Western insecure attitude these days that I-must-see-mainstream-representation-of-me-in-order-to-relate-and-be-validatd is the most obnoxious, arrogant, narcissistic— and frankly, in this specific scenario, such a misogynistic attitude: Men playing dressup demanding womenswear represent them LOOOL

I don't see how men playing dress up is hating on women. I'm not demanding that womenswear represent men. I just wish that gay male fashion designers with the means to make beautifully made clothes with great fabrics would design for gay men.

 

[imjustken]

I just find it so weird that it's so commonly accepted that so many gay men liking and working in fashion should design for straight women and not for gay men. Even Chanel allegedly insulted Dior and Balenciaga for being gay and said they knew nothing about women's bodies.

 

[tourbillions]

i dont think you really know what you're advocating for here... now you're insulted that gay men are designing for women in an industry that actually caters to every gender, rip to all the great gay tailors in the industry designing for both men and gay men. Anything you're asking for already exist they just don't go big as a business.

As many have said, a brand mainly catering to gay male (moreso gay male wanting dress as women) is too niche and this is something that can only work as a niche/dependent brand. No big groups will invest their money on such a small scale and niche sector. And that is ok. I just cannot imagine Arnault or Pinault buying a house whose main target is gay male. Even typing that sounds like a whole lot of b.s. If brands were made to cater for such niche clients you'll end up with all fashion weeks looking like new york. Nepo babies thinking its cool to be so different and to be so niche.... its already so cheap and tacky as it is.

 

[imjustken]

The industry doesn't cater to every gender. It doesn't cater to transgender men and women. It caters to cisgender men and women. I fuse gender with sexual orientation because we often do although they are separate.

 

[tourbillions]

its clothes... no one is stopping anyone from using what they want. if you feel that something that can be worn by literally anyone is not inclusive enough, that is on you.

 

[Kennnnn]

I think that this distinction between a gay male and straight male customer is somewhat blur. Perhaps in the 90s, it was a bit clearer - someone who would wear say a Versace leather look from head to toe, versus someone in an Armani suit. But I think there's been a blurring of the lines over the last 2 decades, especially in parts of East Asia.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

I don't see how men playing dress up is hating on women. I'm not demanding that womenswear represent men. I just wish that gay male fashion designers with the means to make beautifully made clothes with great fabrics would design for gay men.

But what do you mean “design for gay men”? Is there now apparently a certain look that I (and I’m sure many here as “we”) are not privy to? I had no idea a certain look had to be made to identify the collection of clothes as “gay male” coded. How ignorant and naive of me…

If you believe this needs to be seen, by all means be that person and make it happen. I’m just getting confused because what you’re looking for really does exist. Just because it isn’t at the top most of high fashion brands doesn’t mean it isn’t valid.