Christian Siriano at The Corcoran
Project Runway winner Christian Siriano—the man who single-handedly turned the word “fierce” into the most overused phrase in fashion—has dressed countless celebs, shown at New York Fashion Week four times, launched an affordable shoe line, and written a book, all by the age of 23. So basically, when the Annapolis, Md., native gives advice on how to set goals and take chances, people pay attention. Such was the case as more than 250 people crowded into The Corcoran’s lecture room last night to hear the young ingénue talk about his new publication, Fierce Style, and answer questions about his experience navigating the wilds of the fashion world.
Fierce Style breaks down design basics for us common folk. The book is devoted to helping you find your “most fabulous self”—both inside and out—and is chock full of photos, tips from celeb friends, a fashion vocab glossary, and surprisingly useful advice for the everyday woman. “With this book I want to reach a broad base, from 10-year-olds to 80-year-olds,” Siriano told The A.V. Club. “They don’t know everything about fashion, but they don’t need to! I wanted the book to be chatty and colorful, fun and useful.”
In addition to achieving all that, the book guides women as they find a personal style and offers suggestions on where to shop for that signature look—from Bloomies to Old Navy. There are also personal touches like original sketches and stories from his Annapolis childhood, including educational mistakes like striped boat shoes, FUBU jerseys, and even a white, floor-length trench coat.
Although Siriano tactfully danced around a few questions, the majority of his responses were straightforward and in-your-face. Commenting on the D.C. style void, he even quipped: “Everyone is too buttoned up. On the train down it was power suit after power suit after power suit. I wish they would have some fun! I mean, I understand that they have serious things to accomplish, but come on!” Though several other questions focused on Project Runway, it was clear that the young designer is ready to move on to a new phase in his career. Not that he needs much more of a push at this point.
Standing on stage in his shiny Prada boots and doling out fashion advice, it was clear just how far Siriano has already grown from the out-of-place local kid he once was. A few years ago he was designing costumes for a hair show in D.C. and now he’s giving talks at one of the District’s most prestigious design schools. Lucky for us, Siriano takes pride in his roots and was happy to share his new wealth of knowledge back on his home turf.
