Christian Cowan (Q2761)
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Christian Cowan is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Christian Cowan |
Christian Cowan is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
A murder took place on the East River in New York tonight—a fictional fashion murder, that is. For Christian Cowan’s spring collection, the designer brought his guests out to a midtown riverside show venue, and then placed them right in the middle of a spooky murder mystery. The story was that all of Cowan’s runway models were fleeing a glamorous party where—dun, dun, dun—someone had just been poisoned. Whodunnit? And who was next? Some models ran for their lives down the catwalk in their sky-high stilettos; others sauntered fiercely, while holding a flashlight and looking around bewildered. Call them all Cowan’s final girls. “I’m a cinephile, and I love a good murder-mystery thriller,” said the designer.While the theatrics of it all were centered around escaping a psycho killer, the clothes were less horrifying—more built to party the night away in. Cowan is known for his splashy evening wear, after all, most typically built on loads of crystals and feathers—but this season he said he challenged himself with doing cocktail attire in a less ostentatious way. “I don’t ever want to get stagnant,” he noted. That resulted in a mostly-black palette of shiny satins and leathers, with the occasional splash of sparkle and blues. (Cowan can never resist a bit of sparkle.)His opening look, a white satin bra top with lace trim, and a shredded bubble skirt, suggested the model nearly escaped a knife-wielding killer. The sea of black dresses that ensued certainly weren’t classic or timeless: some were totally sheer and floor-length with a train attached to the hand, others were in shiny leather and super strappy across the chest and abs, dominatrix-style. Cowan managed to make even the most saucy (if not slightly trashy) silhouettes feel subdued, a tricky balance to get right. There were clear attempts at upping the taste level here, though a few of the heavily logo-branded pieces felt unnecessary, and the star-shaped chest cutouts tricky to wear.But it was the satin suits and tailoring that really felt fresh. They marked a more grown up, sophisticated side of Cowan. Some of his sharp blazers were punctuated with a closure of a real rose dipped in sterling silver; it’s a fabrication he debuted at this year’s Met Gala, when he wore matching suits with Sam Smith. Cowan also had to make one blazer in a silver shimmer fabric, of course—a nod to sparkly flapper style, which is popularly referenced in murder-mystery parties.
“I wanted to bring people to an imaginary time period that doesn’t really exist,” he said. “It’s an amalgamation of the 1920s and 1940s, with some modern elements thrown in.” Sure, the show was macabre-themed, but his streamlined designs showed real promise.
8 September 2024
This evening in New York, designer Christian Cowan chose The Harmonie Club—a private social club on 60th Street, just off Central Park—as the fancy setting to stage his fall presentation. Swathed in chandeliers and plush carpeting, you could practically taste the Old Money in the grand ballroom—and it was no coincidence that the clothes also served as an homage to uptown. “I wanted to celebrate the Upper East Side ladies who have supported my career since day one,” said Cowan. “I also wanted to focus more on the clothing this season, and to keep it clean.”It was a dramatic shift for Cowan, who’s better known for being a raucous party wear designer dressing girls downtown. He wanted to take his signature assortment of cocktail dresses and sexy suits, and make them feel a little more sophisticated for fall—though he didn’t skimp on any of the usual fun, either. After all, uptown women, he said, are classy but powerful—and totally unafraid to take risks. “These are women that run their shit,” he said. “They remind me of my mom, Mercedes—she’s an icon.”The collection was all about adding a dash of youthfulness to that ladies-who-lunch look (some of the models even held wine glasses or cheeky cigarettes). Silky, one-shouldered gowns—perfect for an uptown gala—were trimmed with Mongolian lamb accents, while a hefty two-tone Mongolian lamb coat—cinched at the waist—was Cowan’s take on the Dior New Look. His woven-silk suits also had cut-outs at the hips and back. The juxtaposition between elegant and wild worked especially well on a simple, yet totally sheer gray chiffon dress—which struck the right notes of sexy, yet was somehow classic. “I actually turned it inside-out during our fitting, reworked the draping, and frayed all of the seams,” said Cowan.Some of Cowan’s signature motifs also creeped back into the offering. Mainly his use of stars—which appeared on almost every single look in some way. Some of the whimsical sequin party dresses were trimmed with big, bold stars along the hemline, all made out of recycled plastic. Some of his suits were also pinstriped with tinier stars, or embellished with golden star-shaped studs. One might think it was overkill, but it turns out there was a more poignant inspiration behind all of the celestial elements: They served as an homage to his late father. “[As a kid] he would get me under the telescope, and we’d look at these little white twinkles in the night sky,” said Cowan.
“You’d imagine these infinite possibilities and galaxies, and I think I’ve now found that joy in fashion. You can take a sewing machine, some fabric, and some thread—and there can be endless opportunities and outcomes.”
11 February 2024
This week wasn’t the first time that the American Cathedral has welcomed an up-and-coming fashion designer. But it took the New York–based Christian Cowan to line it in fur and make it something like the late, great Limelight nightclub.Freak Unique, as the designer called this first Paris outing, was an ode to another late great: Pete Burns, lead vocalist of Dead or Alive, a British queer icon whose anthem, “You Spin Me Right Round (Like a Record),” was sung by a fur-draped, diamond-decked Sam Smith at the show.“I grew up coming to Paris, visiting museums with my parents, and it blew my mind seeing some of the world’s most amazing creations in person,” Cowan said, adding that those trips initially sparked his love of the arts (and Gothic architecture). Like designers all over the world, he dreamed of working in the City of Light to be in the room where it happens. Plus he wanted to tell the world he’s not just doing party dresses anymore, though there were plenty of those.Despite the late hour and the dim lighting, the collection offered up a smattering of daywear, for example, a white cotton-poplin shirt with exaggerated, pointy collars and cuffs with an oversized peony over the collarbone. A pink and white tweed jacket seized on that same idea, managing to look sweet and saucy all at once. Denim got in on the act too, worked as a jacket, a miniskirt, and a big blossom of a halter top.But Cowan’s base is out to have a good time, mainly after dark. For them, he rocked out on faux-fur ensembles: Like the crimped hair, it was a nod to Burns, done in “the most water-wise, sustainable faux fur” the designer could track down (found, ironically enough, in his native U.K.). Conical breasts were whorled in diamonds; satin evening gowns were spliced with lace or trimmed with feathers; and sequined knits showered stars—a favorite Cowan signature. Not everything went to plan—a fur ball of a getup tottered off-track—and the lineup could have used a seriously stiff edit, but it was all in good fun. A chance to make a statement and show of an expanding universe with a first bag, the Bella; a star-shaped makeup palette by Smashbox; and a snowball of a bridal gown.Asked what excites him most about fashion right now, Cowan spoke of barriers being demolished. “I love how the revolution in gender expression is permeating beyond its original core audience,” he said. “I love how anyone can be their own superstar overnight as TikTok allows.
There’s never been a time like this before.” Judging by the audience’s reaction, a few more stars just might have been born in Paris tonight. Time will tell.
1 October 2023
When the design juices get flowing each season, it’s easy for designers to get swept up in a multitude of different inspirations or references. For Christian Cowan’s fall collection, however, he zeroed in on one clear muse: The late Judy Garland. Cowan’s new assortment paid homage to the legendary powerhouse singer, channeling the glitz and glamour she often embodied on stage; he’s also long admired her as a queer icon. “These Old Hollywood legends, particularly Judy Garland, were such symbols of hope to the gay community,” said Cowan. “At a time when nobody else was showing public adoration for the queer community, these women were going to queer bars or using queer people in their teams; they were so devoted to their community.”The designer didn’t want to just replicate famous garments worn by Garland, however. “I wanted to evoke her spirit,” Cowan said of a collection that was meant to razzle-dazzle. For instance, his assortment of silk cerulean dresses, some trimmed with feathers (Cowan’s signature material), referenced a specific blue dress Garland wore while performing in Europe. “She also loved a crystal-embroidered trim,” said Cowan, who applied some shimmery, dangly crystals onto black evening blazers or cigarette pants.In keeping the seasonal inspiration so tight (an acapella version of Garland’s “Smile” even opened the show) Cowan was able to exercise restraint and refine his craft this season. The designer was once synonymous with raucous downtown party wear, but he showed one of his most grown-up and sophisticated collections to date. (This has definitely been a trend this past New York Fashion Week, with labels like Brandon Maxwell and Eckhaus Latta also going surprisingly minimal). Cowan attributed his paring-back to “a realization I had a few months ago: The stuff I made when I was 22 is just not who I am anymore,” he said. “I listen to jazz and stay at home with a bubble bath. I wanted to reflect that.” There were sleek silk tanks, blazers, and skirts and silver gowns with clean, unfussy lines. A white cotton-poplin dress had a slight dash of feathers on the shoulder straps. They were still fun garments, but not gauche or in-your-face as Cowan’s past clothes could easily be.Just when you wondered if Cowan had refined thingstoomuch—let’s face it, do we need another label of minimal dresses?—the designer came back with a bang, sending out theatrical feathered headpieces at the end fit for a Broadway stage.
(In the front row, Lil Nas X wore one in pink). The most dramatic look was the finale one (naturally). It was a slinky black sequined gown paired with an incredibly heavy feathered cape coat which a model treacherously dragged down the extra-long catwalk to encouraging cheers from the audience. It was fabulous.
15 February 2023
Christian Cowan may be largely associated with dressing New York’s downtown party girls—but for pre-fall, the designer had a different clientele in mind: Old Hollywood starlets. “I’ve always looked to the club scene for inspiration—and that spirit will always be there—but I haven’t been going out as much recently,” said Cowan. “I’ve been looking more and more towards Old Hollywood; I’ve really stepped into a Judy Garland era.”After taking in classic films such asMommie DearestandValley of the Dolls, Cowan said he was drawn to the glamorous style of stars such as Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, and Faye Dunaway. “Marilyn is always the reference people run to for Old Hollywood, but we’ve seen so much of it,” Cowan said. Instead, through his clothes, he wanted to capture the grand feel of these style icons. “There’s an evening, boudoir feel to it,” he added.In evoking Dietrich et al, Cowan pared things back this season—a lot. If his party clothes are usually ready for a round of tequila shots, these pieces were meant sipping Old Fashioneds (Marlene’s drink of choice). They just felt more grown up. His simplest piece was a champagne-colored silk slip dress, which was unexpectedly minimal for the often-raucous designer. His signature feathers were also applied more discreetly this time around, like on the cuffs of a black silk-twill trench coat. “It’s actually really easy to wear,” he said.All this is not to say that Cowan’s fun showmanship totally disappeared. A silver sequin dress featured laser-cut vinyl acetate stars along the hemline. “It’s an evolution of a sequined dress I did for Kylie Minogue,” he explained. A pink dressing gown punctuated with marabou and ostrich feathers—served as a dramatic nod toValley of the Dolls, while the gigantic Vegas-ready headpiece made of phoenix rooster feathers that went with it pointed toShowgirls.For his younger clientele, Cowan expanded into denim with blazers and jeans covered in big, chunky crystals, which outlined the shapes of bras and underwear. More tricky to wear, perhaps, was an evening gown with floor-grazing pom-pom strips at the hemline—a tripping hazard. Cowan had a sense of humor about it: “I joke that this is the cat toy dress.”
1 February 2023
There were two looks in Christian Cowan’s presentation this evening that took up the entire catwalk. The designer’s full-skirted ball gowns—one in denim, another in hot pink silk taffeta—grazed the feet of attendees as they came down the runway, and the theatrical feathered hats were just as extra-wide. Subtle these looks were not, but fun and whimsical they were: Even the most stone-faced guests couldn’t help but crack a smile at these outlandish, maximal clothes. It’s no coincidence that Cowan was in an over-the-top mood. This season, he found himself thinking back to his early days as a designer while studying at London’s Central Saint Martins, and he wanted to recapture the playful, experimental energy he had as a student there. “I wanted to have fun and bring more theater to my shows,” he said. “Fashion first and foremost should be fun. It’s therapy, and it’s changed my life.”One could never accuse Cowan of not having fun. His clothes—which often toe the line between tacky and luxurious—are always party-ready, and spring included plenty of dresses that are ready for a night out. The closing look, a slinky silver sequined gown, would look good on just about anyone if tailored right; the black sequin gown with a red feathered trim (and matching sleeves) was for the more daring. “The color palette was feather and sequins,” said Cowan. “And leopard, which is my favorite of the animal prints.”Sure, most of Cowan’s clothes aren’t for everyone. The bodycon minis had big bows at the bust, and the denim minis had cutouts exposing the belly button and hips; they’re clearly designed for the young, as was the rainbow-hued jacket and trouser set. Cowan says he was pushing himself out of his comfort zone in terms of the palette this season. “I like to look back on what I’ve done and critique why it sucks,” he said. “I felt like I was approaching color in a really safe way, especially with monochromatic looks, and that’s not intentional design; it’s fun to mix every print and color.”Cowan also wanted his daytime pieces to pack a punch. The sequined rugby sweaters certainly achieved that, as did the spunky shoes, which were a collaboration with Crocs. His rubber clogs, which will be for sale, were adorned with chains and ribbons that can be detached and worn as jewelry or hair clips. All these ideas may seem a tad wacky to fit into one single presentation, but Cowan said that was the exact point. He’s done restricting his creativity.
“Often when I do a collection, I’ll do a sketch and then it becomes a watered-down version,” he said. “This time, it was all my sketches.”
13 September 2022
A full denim hoop skirt—almost 18th-century bustle level in volume—is displayed on a mannequin upon entering Christian Cowan’s Soho flagship store in New York. Paired with a cropped white tank top slashed just below the bust, it’s like a Y2K version of a ball gown—something Britney Spears would wear to the Oscars in 2001. For the designer, this fearless (and head-turning) spirit is exactly what he wanted to embody in his very first resort collection; he found inspiration in women who like to dress up and take risks—characters likeSex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw. “We [design] for those who want to be complimented, who aren’t afraid of being the main character and have fun with fashion,” Cowan said. “I feel that’s Carrie.”This season, Cowan decided to expand upon his signature pieces, namely his playful eveningwear. As one of New York’s go-to party dressmakers, Cowan didn’t skimp on the gown offerings. There were floor-length dresses with giant feathered sleeves; strapless mini dresses with a holographic sheen (very Coachella); and for those inclined to show skin, revealing dresses with zippered slits all over. If the latter had a sci-fi feel, it wasn’t accidental, Cowan revealed he’d been inspired by the Wachoswki sisters, the directors behindThe Matrix.“I’m a long-standing fan of all things escapism, and what does this better than beautifully executed sci-fi?” Although many frocks here lean towards the very young, his satiny full skirts could be worn by Upper East Side socialites too. “We try to have something for the mother and daughter,” he added.Cowan also experimented with ramping up his daytime pieces. Colorful, gauzy silk-chiffon tops, cut with asymmetrical hems, were inspired by visions of fabulous women in Ibiza wearing them to the beach—glass of wine in hand. The designer adds that many of the playful details for resort were inspired by his own Spanish family. “I grew up surrounded by a predominantly female Spanish family—strong, independent women who taught me to follow my passions,” Cowan said. “They love to play with fashion, wearing tops as skirts, adding ruffles and pins, and creating all kinds of details.” Also included in this more casual assortment were denim pieces, including a pair of denim chaps. “Chaps do really well for us,” Cowan said with a laugh, recognizing it’s a statement few can make.That’s the beauty of Cowan’s work—while it’s not for everyone, it’s certainly not safe, and it always makes an impression.
He’s excited to expand his sense of exuberance to all areas of one’s wardrobe. “We’re known best for our evening,” Cowan explained, “and now it’s time to show the day, dawn, dusk, and middle of the night!”
17 August 2022
For his fall presentation this evening, British designer Christian Cowan brought his guests up to the One World Observatory for what he called the “highest high-fashion show ever.” More than 100 stories high among the clouds, the audience looked out onto the Hudson River from their seats; it was the perfect backdrop for a young, exciting New York–based talent’s showcase (after all, Cowan is known for dressing much of Manhattan’s nightlife scenesters).On the agenda was a glitzy collection of his signature party frocks, all of them heavy on the feathers and sequins. Cowan wanted to do a glamorous collection that his mature clients could wear. “Last season was very much the party girl; this season is the gala girl,” he said. To do so, he aimed to combine Old Hollywood glamour—drawing much inspiration from Guy Bourdin images from the ’80s and ’90s—with a spunkier, Gen Z attitude, so that any age could see themselves in it. It often skewed young, however, especially the rhinestone puffers and miniskirt hemlines. The finale dress, a black ball gown with a full skirt and ab-revealing cutout, screamed Zendaya’s name.A big focus for Cowan was trying to interpret eveningwear staples in a new, modern way. The back of a blazer dress, for instance, was fully covered in dense white feathers, like some sort of chic Muppet. Knitwear was a new category for Cowan this season: He did a knitted zebra-print dress with a feathered hem that was undeniably fabulous. The skirt of a silver sequined turtleneck dress was also finished with bigger, bolder paillettes—like a wearable disco ball. Were there too many sequined dresses? Perhaps. But consider the times we’re in: With it only recently feeling safe to party again in New York as Omicron dies down, one can’t blame Cowan for wanting to simply make fun clothes again. His pieces have the dance floor in mind, and who can be mad at that?
11 February 2022
Christian Cowan doesn’t need an excuse to go big. The British designer already has devoted celebrity fans, including musicians like Saweetie and drag superstars like Aquaria, both of whom sat in his front row today. Also, he’s nevernotpulled out all the stops for his party clothes. But the impetus for spring 2022’s extraness was, in part, for Cowan to thumb his nose at people who thought New York nightlife might be over post-2020. “I just wanted it to be a bunch of different women heading to the same party,” he says, adding that he had encouraged the models to really ham it up while on the catwalk ’90s style.And they did! Teddy Quinlivan, clad in a lavender-and-black checked miniskirt and matching cropped jacket, sat in the front row briefly while walking down the runway. Others tossed their hair, twirled, and a few even took their shoes off, like an exhausted partygoer heading home at 3 a.m. Name a lavish texture or trope, and it was likely represented somewhere in the collection. There were pink marabou feather balaclavas; bedazzled scarf tops; sheer, sparkly maxi dresses; necklines down to there; hemlines up to here. One standout was a silver mini dress with a deep U-shaped neckline and an attached hood—a little Grace Jones.Could it have been streamlined? Sure, but going to a Christian Cowan show and expecting restraint is like going to church for tequila shots. This was best evidenced in the final dress, worn by Winnie Harlow. A midi, off-the-shoulder, skintight white dress, it featured a whittled waist, oversize rhinestones, a leg slit up to the hip, and, most fancifully, feathers cascading down from the shoulders like white streamers, as well as a veil. At once she was an angel, a bride, and an agent of chaos. Sounds like a party.
10 September 2021
One of the looming questions over the very idea of Fashion Week is: Who is this for? Are people really shopping for new clothes? Are sequins right for now or are sweatpants? British designer Christian Cowan offers his own answer with a signature wit. The designer’s new film, starringSaturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman, transposes the comedians into a stereotypical “fashion film.” Hilarity ensues, of course, but the short, which Yang and Fineman cowrote, also manages to touch a nerve within the industry: Why is fashion life always painted as so different from real life?Cowan is working to lessen the gap. Although a Swarovski-covered top or tights might seem less than practical, he has been checking in with his customers and finding that many are yearning for stretchy, glitzy homewear. Knotted tops and cable-knit sweaters are an interpretation of Cowan’s going-out clothes for a staying-in lifestyle. He smartly shrank his outerwear offering—“people don’t wear coats in selfies inside!”—and made a sequin pajama set that’s dead center on the party-to-personal clothing spectrum.Cowan is also continuing his partnership with Rachel Cargle’s The Loveland Foundation to donate a portion of proceeds to the organization that offers therapy for Black women. Cargle appears in his look book and video, alongside a cast of exuberant New Yorkers like Jazzelle Zanaughtti and Dorinda Medley. At the end of the Matthew Frost–directed short, Niki Takesh asks Yang and Fineman if they’re “the funny people” she would know from TV. “No, this is who we are now,” Fineman quips. Which is to say, anyone can be the fashion person in Cowan’s world—and maybe the fashion world and the real world aren’t that different.
18 February 2021
When I log on to the Zoom call with Christian Cowan and Lil Nas X, I’m first greeted by Cowan, who is in a full face of gold glitter. “Oh,hi, just a casual Zoom look,” Cowan says. The designer had just gotten off set from shooting the campaign for his new spring 2021 collection, which stars himself and Lil Nas X. The collaboration goes even further, as the “Old Town Road” rapper also worked with Cowan on the designs this season.This collection is the latest installment in Lil Nas and Cowan’s creative partnership, which began last year when Cowan dressed Lil Nasfor the 2019 VMAs. “He did my first major red carpet look, where we channeled a little bit of Prince,” says Lil Nas, who wore a silver sequin suit with a frilly white lace shirt. After keeping in touch over the past year, the pair decided on their new project, which launches today: a collection that would directly benefit the queer community that they are both a part of—particularly the Black queer community in Atlanta, where Lil Nas is from.After this summer’s Pride month and Black Lives Matter protests, they originally felt a duty to set up something in support of the LGBTQ+ community’s Black trans women, a group they both agree continues to be one of the most ignored. “The trans community, especially the Black trans community, is one of the most looked down upon groups in the entire world, and the least cared for,” says Lil Nas, while Cowan adds, “There’s been so many attacks on the trans community, even within the past few months, and it’s not publicized enough in the U.S. People forget that the entire Pride movement was started by Black trans women.” As the project moved forward, they decided to support Black queer youth more broadly: 100 percent of its proceeds will benefit Atlanta’s Black queer youth through a new fund set up with theLoveland Foundation, a nonprofit launched in 2018 by Rachel Cargle that typically provides support and therapy aid for Black girls and women.While the mission statement for their collection is charitable, the duo didn’t want the clothes to be serious in tone. In fact, they are full of glitzy fashion escapism. The line is largely inspired by both the punk and queer movements of the 1970s. “Both [queer and punk people] were often funneled into the same venues for their club nights, because they were the only venues that would take them,” says Cowan of the decade.
“In one club night, you would have, like, a cis white male punk with spiky hair, and then you’d also have trans and queer Black people in the same venue coexisting.” The duo turned around the design process for it relatively quickly. Starting about a month and a half ago, they designed the entire thing via multiple FaceTime sessions. Lil Nas’s stylist, Hodo Musa, was also integral to the process.
17 September 2020
It’s not that Christian Cowan has gotten more serious—far from it, in fact—but the young designer has certainly done some growing up. If his previous collections read like unfiltered fantasies of a fabulous life, his fall 2020 show tonight felt more tangible, probable, and real. Backstage, with his models lined up in their leopard jacquards and rhinestone firework-print minis, Cowan smirked and said two words: “Trunk! Show!”What he meant was that he has spent the past year meeting and listening to his customers. His biggest lessons: They love his signature crystal mesh but hate that the crystals tend to fall off. They appreciate his over-the-top pieces, but need something functional to wear to a cocktail party. Everyone wants the mini-dresses to be made a little longer, except for clients in Italy who want them even shorter than on the runway. So he delivered. Cowan offered up sequin mesh, a more functional take on his bodystocking-like glitter. He expanded his blazers, suits, and sleeved minis. He made fur hoodies with Saga Furs and teensy sunglasses with Le Specs. His transparent little bags were filled with gold coins.The message was that glamorizing oneself doesn’t only have to be a dream. The three movements in this show took on different ways that Cowan’s generation self mythologizes: through power (custom leopard jacquard); through celebration (fireworks, his answer to florals); and through flexing on Instagram (a tessellated Lamborghini jacquard in lime green and violet). We’re all busy showing up and showing off on Instagram, where Cowan’s clothes once lived. Now they can live happily in the real world too.
12 February 2020
Christian Cowan knows his client: She likes a heel, she loves color, and she’s not afraid to shine. His muses sat all a-sparkle in his front row this week—Erika Jayne to Karrueche Tran. A shout-out must go to the woman who wore a black feather tutu so wide it took up an entire bench. It’s this kind of look-at-me energy Cowan delivers on the runway, with his stretch crystal dresses, generous use of sequins, and love of a big-time plumage moment.But for Spring 2020, the designer sought to move past all the glitz and deliver a narrative. He drew inspiration from his mother’s family in Spain, using their seaside town of Moaña as a starting point. The sequined bathrobe worn by Karolina Kurkova to open the show was a reference to toweling off after a dip, and the tie-dyed patterns were meant to evoke the colors of a summer holiday. Cowan couldn’t hold on to this theme for long, though. A harlequin pattern inspired by a perfume collaboration came out, followed by plenty of party frocks for his New York City girls. The diversity in his offering was honorable, but should Cowan want to make a bigger splash, he needs to hone in on the specifics. He’s done well for himself at a young age, but his work is too special to become a something-for-everyone proposition.
13 September 2019
Christian Cowan is being practical. Well, practical for him. Having built a brand dressing entertainers—the likes of Susanne Bartsch and Aquaria were in Cowan’s front row today—his idea of pragmatism is neon-hued and covered in crystals. If his opening look, a fluoro-pink cocktail frock with a full feather skirt, set the mood to party, what followed was a more mainstream take on the Cowan spirit. His most successful adaptations were a series of bias-draped crystal-mesh minidresses, just in your face enough to read as Cowan creations without overpowering the wearer. He continued his popular sweatshirts with crystal trimming too, making one just long enough to qualify as a dress and then dipping it in feathers. Ariana Grande, take note.Elsewhere, Cowan expanded his daywear offerings with leather minis, perforated polo dresses, and a wearable leather dress in tangerine orange. Where he faltered was in his tulle adaptations; they lacked the same potent cleverness as his paillette-dipped or watch-band numbers, which have now become classics of his oeuvre. Being the biggest dress on the catwalk doesn’t mean much. What did work was his slinky black tuxedo jumpsuit with inset pleating at the side seams. Cowan might be welcoming a new practicality, but he still knows how to make a scene.
12 February 2019
“I want all women to take part in my brand, not just women on stage,” said Christian Cowan at an appointment for his first Pre-Fall collection. With a succinct 15 looks, Cowan made it his mission to distill his haute camp aesthetic into items that would sit within the “average”—average meaning still sequin-loving and dripping in crystals—woman’s wardrobe. He did a crystal net checkerboard bodysuit for those aspiring to Cardi B levels of drama, but there was also a Kelly green perforated polo with a few rhinestones studded about for a more casual take on glitz. An itty-bitty golden minidress covered in sequins looked worthy of a star turn, while black minis with kitschy watch-band straps offered an easier, even practical, option.That’s not to imply that the overt fabulosity of Cowan’s work is gone, it’s just wisely evolved into something marketable and shoppable while still being Instagrammable. He credits feedback he received as a finalist for the CFDA/VogueFashion Fund for giving him the idea of a more streamlined collection of essentials. He’s also learned from his clients—Paris Hilton, Priyanka Chopra, and Miley Cyrus, among them—that even showgirls need something to wear for a quick coffee run. See: the vegan leather miniskirt he made with Cyrus in mind, or the sustainably sourced feather knit Chopra wore for her bachelorette party. That’s another thing: Even on the small budget of a young designer, he’s finding ways to be eco-friendly. Cowan’s future looks bright—and not just because of the glimmering light reflecting from his hand-sewn paillette moto jacket.
11 December 2018
Christina Aguilera sat next to Troye Sivan, who sat next to Kim Petras, who was one seat away from Lizzo at Christian Cowan’s show today. So if it wasn’t immediately clear that Cowan’s clientele are the princesses and princes of pop, this display of wattage will have cleared that up. On the runway, Cowan offered plenty of options for these superstars with super style. Black tulle gowns in exaggerated proportions were made with sheer bustier tops, zebra-print suits and flirty dresses came midway through the show, and it all ended in a display of lilac feathers that had instant performance appeal. So instant, in fact, Petras took the stage at the after-party in the last look, a feather blazer sans pants. Cowan also had moments of extreme costume (see a checkerboard bodysuit with crystal face covering and enormous sleeves), some of extreme sex appeal (the body-hugging crystal dresses made by hand-placing rhinestones and individual strips of clear elastic), and extreme comedy (that straw hat look made in collaboration with Eugenia Kim, a commentary on this summer’s international straw hat Insta-drama).But what about the regular degular people who live life offstage? Cowan calls his line of logo sweatshirts and track pants his “inclusion line,” a way for fans to get the look their musical heroes are wearing. Here there is checkerboard denim, nodding to the check look on Cardi B’sInvasion of Privacyalbum cover, logo sweatshirts and shorts, and a slinky white tee dress with a copyright logo on the chest. The best piece of the collection managed to target both Cowan’s pop stars and his everyday fans: A velvet minidress with a band of red crystals draped loosely around the body. Great for wearing on stage at the club or on the dance floor.
9 September 2018
“It’s just about having some fun,” said the young British designer Christian Cowan backstage before his Fall show this afternoon. Cowan has made inroads over the past few years by landing major celebrity endorsements, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus included. Today, Remy Ma and Alexa Chung sat front row. Cowan’s line has also been picked up by Jeffrey New York, a significant and influential retailer.Ebullience, opulence, spark, whatever you want to call it, is an emergent trend so far this season, and there were sections of Cowan’s lineup in this vein that showed both strength and cunning. Other elements, however, felt anecdotally detached; you can have “fun,” of course, but further editing was needed to keep the party going.High points included a ruby-red sequin-covered belted trenchcoat dress. It literally dazzled. Likewise, a sharp-shouldered shirt-and-swishy-pant look, treated with the same crimson sparkle. Sequins, some larger, more disc-like, also appeared with hybridized tailored silhouettes and on the finale evening dress, which was accented with a lit neon bodily form hanging on the front. (Interesting that Jeremy Scott also had neon accessories.) Cowan is also very adept at a strong styling moment. See: glitzy rodeo or checkered rhinestone over-the-knee boots, made in collaboration with Stuart Weitzman’s new lead, Giovanni Morelli, or gloves that went up to the biceps, allover encrusted with faux-jeweled watches.Cinched puffers, marabou trimming, furry jackets, fringe, and a dress with a large shoulder bow all otherwise felt disconnected from each other. Cowan has, quite impressively for his age, proven himself at making outfits that go hand in hand with stagecraft; for progress in a design sense, a tighter viewfinder and execution and centrality would help. Once he nails that, the results may well be downright euphoric.
10 February 2018