Brandon Maxwell facts for kids

Brandon Maxwell, born on September 18, 1984, is a talented American fashion designer. He also works as a television personality, director, and photographer. He started his own fancy clothing brand for women called Brandon Maxwell. This brand makes high-quality clothes that are ready to wear.

Early Life and Learning

Brandon Maxwell grew up in Longview, Texas. His grandmother worked in a clothing store there, and he spent a lot of time with her. From a young age, Brandon loved putting outfits together. He would dress up his friends and take pictures of them.

He went to Trinity School of Texas for high school. In 2002, he moved to New York City to study painting. Later, he went to St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. He earned a degree in photocommunications, which is about photography and how it's used to share messages. After college, Brandon returned to New York City 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 their look.

Becoming a Stylist

In 2009, Brandon started helping other stylists. He worked with Deborah Afshani and then Nicola Formichetti. While working with Nicola, he met the famous singer Lady Gaga. Nicola was Lady Gaga's stylist at the time. In 2012, Brandon became Lady Gaga's main fashion director. This meant he was in charge of all her fashion choices.

Working with Magazines and Brands

Brandon has styled photo shoots for many popular magazines. These include Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Teen Vogue, and Porter. He also worked on ad campaigns for big stores like Barneys New York and Uniqlo. In 2015, The Hollywood Reporter named him one of the top 25 stylists. He has worked with famous photographers like Mario Testino and Steven Klein.

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 excellent craftsmanship. All the clothes are designed in New York City. Instead of just sketching, Brandon often drapes fabric directly on a form. This helps him make sure the clothes fit perfectly.

Directing Films and Campaigns

While at St. Edward's University, Brandon became friends with Jessy Price. They worked together to photograph and direct their first short film for Brandon Maxwell's Fall/Winter 2016 clothing campaign. This project was very successful.

Because of their success, they were asked to direct a commercial for Apple Music. This commercial was for Lady Gaga's song "A-Yo" from her 2016 album, Joanne. Brandon and Jessy continue to direct campaigns for his brand. They like to highlight the people featured in their films.

Fashion Shows and Collections

Brandon Maxwell's spring 2019 collection was inspired by cowboy culture and the beautiful landscapes of the American Southwest. This show was very popular during New York Fashion Week. It generated a lot of buzz, even more than shows by famous designers like Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford.

For his Fall/Winter 2019 collection, Brandon went back to classic colors. He used mostly black and white, with touches of apple green and bright rose. The show started with clothes for daytime and then moved to elegant evening wear. It ended with a stunning, flowing silk ball gown.

In 2019, Brandon Maxwell designed the outfit Lady Gaga wore to the MET Gala, a very famous fashion event.

Who Wears Brandon Maxwell?

Many famous people wear Brandon Maxwell's designs. These include Michelle Obama, Karlie Kloss, Jennifer Lawrence, Oprah Winfrey, Nicole Kidman, Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Kerry Washington. His clothes are sold in fancy stores around the world. Some of these stores are Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, and Neiman Marcus.

Awards and Recognition

Brandon Maxwell has won many important awards in the fashion world.

• In 2020, he received the AAFA Designer of the Year Award.
• In 2019, he won the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award for Womenswear.
• He also won the 2019 FGI Fashion Star Award and the 2019 Texas Medal of Art Award.
• In 2016, he received the Fashion Group International Rising Star Award for Womenswear and the CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear.
• He was also a finalist for the 2016 LVMH Prize, a major award for young designers.

Television Work

Since 2019, Brandon Maxwell has been a judge on the TV show Project Runway. This show helps new fashion designers compete and show their skills. It airs on Bravo TV.

Working with Walmart

In 2021, Brandon Maxwell became the Creative Director for two fashion brands at Walmart. These brands are called Free Assembly and Scoop. In this role, he helps design four new collections each year for these popular clothing lines.