Christian Siriano wants you to feel like you’re in “a fantasy dream world” when you open up his new book. “That’s why I called it Dresses to Dream About,” he matter-of-factly said at Wednesday night’s launch at Rizzoli Bookstore. The shop was transformed into a showcase of select Siriano designs for the occasion replete with a crowd to celebrate the designer, including Christina Hendricks, Drew Barrymore, and Coco Rocha.
The book marks the designers 10th year in the industry, and serves as an opportunity for him to draw upon some of his earliest inspiration dating all the way back to childhood. “A lot of the pieces in the book are centered on stories I have from growing up,” he recalled. “For instance, we had this lipstick red sofa in our living room and that really inspired the Leslie Jones color of one dress.” Over the last 10 years, Siriano has had to learn how to stay true to his vision while climbing the ladder of success. His solution? “I’m doing my own thing. I’m doing what I want to do and I think the customers have really followed that.”
Indeed, Siriano’s priority is to produce for any woman of any size. He has become one of the leading champions of size diversity on the runway and for normalizing the expectation that plus-size customers should have when buying designer clothes. “The most important thing is that you never want to alienate a customer,” he said. “If [a woman] wants a beautiful dress, we should be able to give that to her. That’s always my mentality. I grew up with my mom who was a size 16 and my sister who was a ballet dancer and a tiny size two so [a variety of sizes] never seemed so different to me. I want people to think of that as normal.”
For many designers, accomplishing that “normal” comes with significant obstacles. During the recent CFDA Conversation Plus-Size and Fashion in Focus, which featured Siriano on the panel, the discussion touched on the issue. Siriano was quick to point out that there are simple changes that can trigger change. “The most important thing is making sure that your entire team is down for the challenge of having every size available,” he said. “It all goes back to the basic craftsmanship of clothes. [I needed everyone on my team to understand that if I need a rushed gown in a size 16 or 18 then that is not strange.” Once that foundation is laid within the business ethos, Siriano explained that making it happen is just a matter of strategic budget. “The thing is, yes, it might cost extra, but we cut other [costs] so we can make sure that we have sizes for everyone,” he said.
Asked about whom he draws inspiration from when designing, Siriano points to the every-day woman. “Each season the muse is the customer,” he explained, “the women who are buying the clothes, becomes the most important.”According to him, anyone can feel glamorous: “[That word] can mean so many different things to so many people. As long as you feel good then that’s all that matters.”
The photographs in the book, taken by his husband Brad Walsh, depict an elevated version of classic Siriano couture. The gowns range from ethereal and flashy to structured and bold, a spectrum of looks as diverse as his customer base.
Siriano promised that although he has carved a recognizable place for himself within fashion, he is still committed to pushing his designs and business in new directions. “I love to be as creative as I can. I love to dream, try new things, and take risks. I’m still a young brand,” he reminded us. “I still want to always play and have fun.”
So what’s next for the young designer? A New York flagship store set to open in February 2018. “It’s been my dream to have a big great space where my customer can come to experience everything that I do,” he said. Siriano lights up when he talks about it and yet still, as he has done throughout our entire conversation, the explanation of his goals comes right back to the Christian Siriano Woman.
