Brandon Maxwell facts for kids

Brandon Maxwell (born September 18, 1984) is an American fashion designer. He is also known as a television personality, director, and photographer. He started his own luxury fashion brand for women called Brandon Maxwell.

Early Life and Learning

Brandon Maxwell was born in Longview, Texas. When he was young, he spent a lot of time at a clothing store where his grandmother worked. He loved putting outfits together and taking pictures of his friends wearing them.

After high school, Brandon moved to New York City in 2002. He first studied painting at Marymount Manhattan College. Later, he went to St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. He earned a degree in photocommunications, which is about photography and communication. After college, he returned to New York to start his career.

Fashion Career

Before starting his own clothing line, Brandon Maxwell worked as a stylist. A stylist helps people choose clothes and create looks. In 2009, he started helping other stylists. In 2010, he met Lady Gaga through her stylist at the time. By 2012, Brandon became Lady Gaga's main fashion director.

Working with Magazines

Brandon has styled clothes for many famous magazines. These include Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, and Teen Vogue. He also worked on advertisements for big brands like Barneys New York. In 2015, The Hollywood Reporter named him one of the top stylists. He has worked with well-known photographers too.

Starting His Own Brand

In 2015, Brandon Maxwell launched his own women's clothing brand. He showed his first collection in New York City. His brand focuses on high-quality clothing that is ready-to-wear. This means clothes that are made in standard sizes and sold in stores. All his designs are created in New York City. He often drapes fabric on a mannequin to create his designs, instead of just sketching them. This helps make sure the clothes fit perfectly.

Directing Films

While at St. Edward's University, Brandon became friends with Jessy Price. They worked together to photograph and direct a short film for Brandon's Fall/Winter 2016 fashion campaign. This project was very successful. Because of this, they were asked to direct a commercial for Apple Music. This commercial was for Lady Gaga's song "A-Yo". They continue to direct campaigns for Brandon's fashion label.

Fashion Shows and Awards

Brandon Maxwell's fashion shows are always exciting. For example, his spring 2019 collection was inspired by cowboy culture and the American Southwest. His shows often get a lot of attention.

In 2019, he dressed Lady Gaga for the famous MET Gala event. Many famous people wear his designs. These include Michelle Obama, Karlie Kloss, Jennifer Lawrence, and Oprah Winfrey. His clothes are sold in stores all over the world.

Brandon has received many awards for his work in fashion. Some of these include:

• The 2020 AAFA Designer of the Year Award
• The 2019 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award for Womenswear
• The 2016 CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear

Television and Other Projects

In 2019, Brandon Maxwell became a judge on the TV show Project Runway. This show helps new fashion designers compete.

In 2021, Brandon also became a Creative Director for two fashion brands at Walmart. In this role, he helps design four new collections each year for these brands.