Christian Siriano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christian Siriano
Siriano at Ozy Fest in July 2018
Born	(1985-11-18) November 18, 1985 (age 39) Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.
Education	American InterContinental University
Occupation	Fashion designer
Label(s)	Christian Siriano
Spouse(s)	Brad Walsh ​ ​ (m. 2016; separated 2018)​

Christian Vincent Siriano (born November 18, 1985) is a famous American fashion designer. He is also a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Christian Siriano first became well-known after winning the fourth season of the TV show Project Runway in 2007. He was the youngest person ever to win the competition.

In 2008, he started his own fashion brand called Christian Siriano. His brand quickly became very successful. By 2010, it had earned over $1.2 million. By 2012, it was estimated to have reached $5 million.

Time magazine even named him one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2018. This shows how much he has impacted the fashion world.

Christian Siriano's Early Life

Christian Siriano grew up in Annapolis, Maryland. He went to Broadneck Senior High School for a year. Then, he moved to the Baltimore School for the Arts.

At this school, Christian could focus on fashion design. He has an older sister named Shannon. She works to build communities. Their family has Italian and German roots.

A Creative Childhood

Christian has shared that his parents always supported art. They encouraged him and his sister to be creative. When he was a child, Christian studied ballet.

He once said he was a "musical theater kid who loved costumes." This early interest in costume design led him to fashion. He started designing clothes when he was just thirteen.

He worked at a hair salon in Annapolis. There, he helped wash hair and style it. He even started sewing clothes for the salon's yearly hair shows.

Studying Fashion Abroad

Christian Siriano wanted to study fashion. After not getting into the Fashion Institute of Technology, he decided to study in London, England. He attended American InterContinental University there.

During his last year, a teacher suggested he intern for famous designers. He worked with Vivienne Westwood and later with Alexander McQueen. Christian has said that Alexander McQueen was his favorite designer. After finishing college, Christian moved to New York City.

Christian Siriano's Fashion Career

Becoming a Project Runway Winner

Before Project Runway, Christian Siriano worked as a freelance make-up artist. He also made wedding gowns for people. He even had a short internship at Marc Jacobs.

A friend's mother suggested he try out for Project Runway. He decided to audition for the show. During the fourth season, he won three challenges. This was more than any other contestant that season.

Christian made it to the finals of the show. He earned a chance to show his final collection at New York Fashion Week. His collection had twelve pieces. It was inspired by Musketeers and featured ruffles, feathers, and cool headwear.

Winning the Competition

The finale aired on March 5, 2008. The famous guest judge, Victoria Beckham, loved Christian's collection. She called it a "breath of fresh air." She also said she would be "honored to wear" his clothes.

As the winner, Christian received a fashion spread in Elle magazine. He also won a 2008 Saturn Astra car. Plus, he got US$100,000 to start his own fashion label. He was the youngest designer to win the show.

Christian Siriano later returned to Project Runway as a mentor. He helped new designers in seasons 17 (2019), 18 (2019), 19 (2021), and 20 (2023).

Launching His Own Brand and Collaborations

Siriano during the 2008 Project Runway finale

In 2008, Christian Siriano started working with other brands. He designed a fifteen-piece collection for the sports clothing brand Puma in April 2008.

In December 2008, he announced a deal with Payless ShoeSource. He designed a line of affordable shoes and handbags for them. These items were sold starting in Fall 2009.

The Christian Siriano Collection

Christian Siriano's own fashion line, Christian Siriano, debuted at New York Fashion Week on September 13, 2008. His clothes are sold in major stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

In February 2009, Christian worked with LG to create a fashion-themed phone. It was called the LG Lotus (LX600). That April, Women's Wear Daily announced another partnership. Christian teamed up with Victoria's Secret to sell his own makeup line. It was called "Christian Siriano for VS Makeup."

He also designed special items for Starbucks and O-Cel-O. By 2010, his fashion line was doing very well. It had brought in over $1.2 million in sales.

Expanding His Reach

In February 2011, Christian Siriano launched a collection for the catalog retailer Spiegel. It was called "Christian Siriano for Spiegel." He was the first designer chosen for their "Signature Styles" line.

His line at Payless also grew in 2011. He signed on to release four collections each year for the chain. This included a more expensive "Gold Collection." By 2012, his label's sales were estimated to be around $5 million.

In September 2012, Christian Siriano opened his first main store. It was located on Elizabeth Street in Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood. Many celebrities attended the store's launch. These included Heidi Klum and Allison Williams.

In January 2013, Christian launched an affordable collection for the Home Shopping Network. It featured dresses, separates, and accessories. This line was called "Striking by Christian Siriano." In June 2013, he became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Recent Achievements

Porter at Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019, gown by Siriano

In January 2014, Disney announced that Christian Siriano would design costumes. He created outfits for fairy characters in the Disney animated movie The Pirate Fairy. Christian said he was happy to help create "a bit of Disney history."

In February 2018, he celebrated 10 years of his fashion line. He held a runway show for his Fall 2018 collection. The show featured many different models. These included Ashley Graham, Selma Blair, and Danielle Brooks. Celebrities like Cardi B and Whoopi Goldberg attended.

Christian Siriano has designed many custom gowns for actor Billy Porter. This includes the famous black tuxedo gown. Billy Porter wore it to the 91st Academy Awards in 2019. Christian also designed the rainbow gown Billy Porter wore to Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Christian Siriano and his team helped out. They volunteered to sew face masks for medical workers.

Christian Siriano in Pop Culture

Siriano with Anna Schilling at the My Habit Launch in 2011

Christian Siriano became very popular during his time on Project Runway. People noticed his unique hairstyle and lively personality. Many of his famous sayings were copied in the media.

For example, the TV show Saturday Night Live even had Amy Poehler play Christian Siriano. On May 1, 2008, Christian appeared as himself on an episode of Ugly Betty. He designed some of the costumes for the show.

In June 2008, Christian Siriano was in a music video. It was for R&B artist Estelle's song "No Substitute Love."

Books and TV Specials

In October 2009, Christian Siriano released a book. It was called Fierce Style: How To Be Your Most Fabulous Self. He wrote the book with Rennie Dyball. His former Runway mentor, Tim Gunn, wrote the introduction.

On April 5, 2010, Bravo aired a special TV show. It was called Christian Siriano: Having a Moment. The show followed Christian as he got ready to show his Spring 2010 collection at Fashion Week.

Online Scams

In August 2010, Christian Siriano's name was used in a scam. It happened on Craigslist. The scam looked for women who wanted to model for Christian's line. Craigslist removed the fake ads.

However, another scam soon appeared. It asked models for a fee to work for Christian. When Christian heard about this, he warned people on social media. He posted, "fyi girls i have never and do not ever look for models on craigslist or online. these photo shoots i'm hearing about are scams! be careful!"

Filmography

Television Appearances

See also

• List of fashion designers