Christian Siriano

This transcript was generated by an automated service. In some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

Christian: [00:00:00] Trust me, dressing Lady Gaga is not easy, but I’m telling you, a girl picking out her sofa, she rivals Lady Gaga going to the Oscars. The picking out the sofa is harder.

Jeremiah: Welcome everybody to Ideas of Order, a podcast dedicated to answering the question, what does home mean to you? I’m Jeremiah Brent.

Today’s guest became a household name after his appearance on season four of Project Runway as one of their youngest and most memorable winners. His work quickly and deservedly took over closets and red carpets around the world. Through designer collaborations and dressing everyone from Zendaya to Lady Gaga to Billy Porter to Oprah Winfrey, his illustrious career has now extended beyond the world of fashion and into interior design.

He is a wildly talented creator, a fierce advocate for inclusivity, a humanitarian, and an author. I’m so excited to welcome to the show my friend and fellow designer, Christian Siriano. What sign are

Christian: you? I’m a Scorpio. I just had a birthday. When was your birthday? November

Jeremiah: 18th. But we’re so close. I was on the 24th.

Um, happy birthday. Are you a

Christian: Scorpio then? No, you’re a No, I’m Sag. Sag, yeah. I’m easy. I’m a double Scorpio, which is even more

Jeremiah: wild. You’re really fun until you’re not. Yeah, exactly. I know it well. Were you raised and born in Annapolis?

Christian: Yeah, the whole time. My whole childhood. When did you leave? Probably most I mean, I probably didn’t really leave, leave until I went to design school in London.

That’s like when I Kind of went away for college. Um, but I did go to a magnet high school. So I didn’t go to a normal high school. I went to Baltimore school for the arts. Um, and so that was my high school experience where I went into Baltimore city every day. It was definitely different [00:02:00] for, uh, you know, 15, 16 year old kid.

Jeremiah: Exactly. What was home like growing up for you? Like, what did it look like? What did it smell like? Just describe to me what home was for you growing up.

Christian: People would never imagine this, but like, I grew up on the beach. So like, I grew up in a beach town on the beach with the Naval Academy. We used to sponsor mids.

They used to live in our house. Oh, fun. So, like, maybe boys were around. That was always fun. That,

Jeremiah: that, that tracks. It really

Christian: does. I definitely, like, probably got in trouble once or twice, but it’s fine. That’s a different show.

Jeremiah: Good for you. No, that’s what I’m interested in. Oh, my

Christian: God. I wish. It was great.

Yeah. It was great. To be honest, like, it’s funny because, like, the smell of the ocean and the sand and the beach. That was always what we did. Like, we went to the beach or went to the pool and that was, like, my life. Um, I actually, you know, grew up kind of that way, but was still really interested in the other glamorous part of the world.

So

Jeremiah: what was the style of your house? Was it beachy?

Christian: It was a little, I would say a little nautical, but my mom was always a little more traditional. So I think, you know, marry the two, but I mean like, no, the dining room was all like cherry mahogany and like, you know, a little more like we had like this red wing back.

Chairs flanking like a big, beautiful Camelback sofa. Like she was a little more traditional, but then they’d be like blue with like blue stripe, you know, I don’t know, taffeta curtains or something,

Jeremiah: right? It sounds formal. Was it

Christian: like formal? It was a little bit. Yeah, my mom liked a little bit more of a formal house.

And then we got as we all got older, she got way more casual,

Jeremiah: right? Was there a room like a specific room in the house that you like really remember loving as a kid?

Christian: I remember loving that, that, that living room that had this red, like I talk about this in my book, like this red, insane camelback sofa that had this beautiful curve that I just thought was such a beautiful silhouette of a piece.

And that’s kind of how I knew I like loved [00:04:00] furniture or fabric or art or whatever it was. It was really like that room. Um, she had all these beautiful rose paintings everywhere. I mean, oh God, you can imagine. It sounds like

Jeremiah: Yeah, it sounds so, it’s so funny. My mother, we had a formal living room as we were poor, and then she worked her way up, and then we, she got a decorator, and I’ll never forget, she had like a formal living room.

And it was all reds, roses, the same thing. And it was like, you walk by, and she’d be like, you can look, but do not sit.

Christian: Yeah. I definitely like to play in that room, though, for some reason. I never, and I never really messed anything up,

Jeremiah: so that’s good. Were your parents, um, like, how was your mom? You said that she I liked design.

I was always interested in design. Did she give you a lot of freedom with your room and with your space? Yes.

Christian: Yes. My sister and I could basically do anything we wanted. I think my room was really dark blue, kind of like an inky blue. Um, moody. And of course, all the posters of all the things, Britney and the boy bands and all that.

Um, My sister’s room was pretty eccentric. She liked, she liked kind of like 70s rock bands and stuff. So that’s kind of what her room looked like funny. She was four years older than me. So yeah, she let us be who we wanted to be. I mean, that was really great. Like we really grew up like. Getting to be who we wanted to be, which was really great.

I think my mom knew that, like, we would like pay for her one day. So she was like, just do what you want to do.

Jeremiah: It’s a good investment. How was that? Like, like describe that to me growing up with a mother like that, that supports you guys creatively, you know, do you guys like change your room around all the time?

Did you, did she like, was she the one that always took you to try new things? Like, what was it like growing up in that household? It was

Christian: great. You know, like I think because my mom and my dad, even though they weren’t together, they were like young, they wanted to be young entrepreneurs and do their own things, but that wasn’t their generation.

So they just didn’t. Uh, so I think that they felt like they wanted me and my sister to kind of be who we wanted to be and [00:06:00] whatever job we were interested in, they were supportive. Um, I mean, literally I started working at a hair salon when I was 13 years old. My poor mother must’ve been like, who are these people?

These like. You know, I was working as a kid and they were their real careers and they were interested in fashion and culture. And, um, I couldn’t imagine. I can’t believe that you let me go there every day. I’m like, work there. Why did you want to work there? Oh, my God. The people that worked at the salon growing up that was in the mall.

It was called Bubbles. Don’t judge it. They were the girls were. So unbelievable, even the boys, they dress, they were so eccentric. They were so hot, so beautiful. It was like things I’d never seen before. Creatures in Annapolis, Maryland. You just didn’t, they were creatures. Oh my God. Um, I’ll never forget it.

Yeah. So

Jeremiah: your entry point into like a different life, a different world.

Christian: A different world. I think like my first love was in the salon, all the things. No, who was it? Yes, just this boy. I’m not telling you his name. Oh, you don’t have to give any names. Um, yeah, he was an assistant. We were 15 years old, like literally working at the salon, being bossed around by everyone else who was like 30 and 40 years old.

Um, and it was like, You know, they’re trying to make their like pay their bills and we’re just like making quick cash, you know

Jeremiah: Were you a hustler like when as a worker like did you work your ass off?

Christian: Oh my god, I was in I ran that slot. I did everything I worked there for years Then my sister started working for the company.

I mean I they were my actually to be honest Bubbles in general, the company sponsored my two first fashion shows. When I launched my career, like they were, I think I actually did a book when I, my first book came out, I did a book signing at like 10 of their locations. Yeah. They were so

Jeremiah: supportive afterwards.

Yeah. What a full circle

Christian: moment. I know. Really funny. Yeah.

Jeremiah: Were you, can I ask you then? I mean, so obviously you’re, you’ve been, you were creative from, you know, as a child. When did you, um, start thinking that designing was your [00:08:00] passion? Like, where did your entry point into fashion? Like, where did it all stem from?

When did it start?

Christian: I mean, I think my mom and my, my sister was really eccentric. She’s probably the most, she would wear the most outrageous things to school. And she was going to like a normal high school and like, she would wear like pink feather Boas and platform. She looked like a spice girl every single day.

And I, and I’m sure people made fun of her and thought she was weird, but like she committed to these looks. And I just was like, then she started working at this couture hat. Store in our town that like made these, like, it was so wild. I was like, who are you? You like wear like, like literally like hats every day.

Like it was, it was really

Jeremiah: cool. How fun are you guys close?

Christian: Yeah. Yeah, we are. And, um, and, and now she’s a mom and she’s like stylish, but not as much, um, you know, but,

Jeremiah: uh, it happens to us all. Yeah. I mean, not you, but when I became a mom, I don’t know what happened. Oh, you look great, please. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. So you, when did you, I just always think so. I always think about it because, you know, we had, you were great. Actually, pretty pivotal in a moment, a pivotal in a moment that we had in our own home because I know I posted that, um, poppy sketch. You know, she’s obsessed with fashion. She’s always drawing and she’s got books of them.

And I posted it and then you’re like, you’ve got to bring her to a show. And it’s like, it’s the only thing she looks forward to now. Um, and it’s wild to me, um, to think of like, you know, obviously the impact that you’re having on young people as well as obviously the industry, but young people that Yeah, you know, that you support and nurture.

We, that’s this last fashion show that you had that we went to. I had like a hundred and four fever. Um, and it was Miami, not COVID. But she still wanted to go? Refused to not let me go. She had a dress that she made me get that she thought looked like something you would make. She had a heel that she was wearing for the first time.

And meanwhile, we get there and you know, your shows [00:10:00] are. Over the top. I mean, everybody’s late. No, no, but I love that. Everybody’s there. It’s, you know, it’s, it’s what, what they used to be. And, um, and I remember, you know, I was clammy and barely sitting up and poppy looked at me. She goes, you know what? Go sit.

I’m going to do a lap. And I was like, you’re Eight. You’re not doing a fucking lap? What’s happening? No. And she would have. Yeah. But, so. You created a monster. I guess that’s the moral of the story. That’s

Christian: exciting. You know, she loves fashion. And you never know what it will turn into. You never know. Yeah.

Maybe next she’s literally the biggest stylist in all of Hollywood. That could happen in five years.

Jeremiah: Who knows? Oh my god. What’s your, I mean, I know the answer to this, but share with everybody. Uh, what’s your home like now as an adult? Like, what’s your style that you feel connected to and love for yourself?

Oh my gosh,

Christian: my home. I mean, it’s just filled with things that like, I think make me, that I love that make me feel good. Um, I definitely, I’ve always been a lover of like vintage and art and I, I collect a lot of different things from like. People, friends, um, artists, friends. Um, so I kind of fill my house, I think with those things.

And then it’s very collected, like from, you know, I lived in Europe almost my whole early life. I lived in London for four years. Um, and that’s where I went to college and went back and forth. For jobs and then went to Paris. And so like, I definitely like had that aesthetic early on because that’s what I grew up with a little bit.

So I think I fill my home now with things like that, um, that I didn’t appreciate. When I was a young kid in fashion school, and now I have money and can do buy those

Jeremiah: things for the few people that don’t know, can you run us through like how you got into fashion, like where it started?

Christian: Obviously, most people recognize me because I was on Project Runway, which is a competition show.

Um, which is funny. I always like to tell people when I do interviews is that, you know, I lived in London when Project Runway launched. I was only on season [00:12:00] four. I had never seen the show before. My friend’s mother, who I went to school with, who was an American exchange student, worked at Bravo and was like, Christian should go audition for this show.

It’s really cool. No idea what it was. Hadn’t, I had nothing. I was like, sure, let me try. And then it just was a trickle effect. And, and then after that, like, um, obviously like working for really great. Big brands. When I lived in London, um, I worked at McQueen, I worked at Westwood and then, you know, launching my brand after a project runway.

And then that was kind of it. And that was in 2007, eight. So yeah, we just celebrated our 15th anniversary.

Jeremiah: That’s so crazy. Congratulations. Also a competition show is my worst. Nightmare. How did you get through it? You did it. You did rock the

Christian: block, right? Yeah.

Jeremiah: Yes. But I, yes, it was real. I barely survived.

They made us wear the same fucking outfit every day. It was a nightmare. Oh, I know. Continuity. Yes. We love continuity. She’s everybody’s favorite queen. Isn’t she? No, I, I hated it because I’m not competitive by nature. Yeah, but and at least I had my wife there to kind of play around with you were

Christian: solo, but I was a kid like I honestly like and I was 20 years old when I auditioned.

I had nothing to lose. I just went in it as who cares. I it doesn’t matter. And I think that came off as like arrogance, but it really came off as I literally had nothing to lose. Like I, I just graduated college. Like this was amazing for me. So whether I won or not or whatever happened, um, you know, and now being a mentor on the show, uh, you know, we’ve had three, four seasons as a mentor.

It’s great to like. Help young designers now, like that is a big part of like what I would love to do as I get older is like help them

Jeremiah: by the way, I never thought, I mean, I, I never, never precede you because coming across as arrogant. I, I remember thinking to myself, wow, this, this person knows who they are, which was so refreshing.

You know what I mean? So

Christian: very gay on [00:14:00] television. Um, in 2008 when you, when that was very different and I was like, yeah, Very eccentric and all of those things were very new to the world, but I just had to be myself,

Jeremiah: you know, well, that’s good. You’re a part of the pendulum of change, which by the way is necessary and hopefully continuing.

It is. Yeah. As we talk through kind of creativity, um, and somebody who obviously appreciates space, how do you create space for yourself that nourishes? Your creativity, you know, do you need a bear room? Do you need tons of things around you? Like, where do you feel the most charged? I think

Christian: like my studio is such a creative space.

It’s kind of, it’s pretty unbelievable because, you know, I have a full working atelier, um, which most designers don’t really have that anymore. So I have seamstresses, pattern makers, all in house, um, making clothes every day, all day long for women or celebrities or whatever it is. So it’s so inspiring. Um, I think like, one dress inspires the next dress, then that inspires the next thing, you know, it just, it’s a trickle effect and, um, without that I would definitely struggle, um, to be, to fuel the, the beast.

Do you

Jeremiah: need to be like, in the studio and in the chaos to create? Yeah,

Christian: I think so. I can definitely, my ideas are anywhere. I can be in bed, I can be on the couch, like that comes to me very easily, that’s always been kind of like, I say my talent, that I don’t run out of thoughts, but being in the space, and I’m a, I’m a fabric, like, obsessor, um, whether it’s for an interior project or a, or a fashion project, like, I overorder fabrics.

Really

Jeremiah: horribly. Well, it’s a win win. I love an overorder of fabric. Because then you sit there figuring out what the hell to use it for. I know.

Christian: Um, and some of them don’t ever get used. And that’s the bigger problem.[00:16:00]

Jeremiah: So you launched your first collection in 2008. It’s been. Over 15 years of owning and operating your own business. Yes. What have you learned? Oh my God. You know, is there, you know, what do you, what is there something you would have done differently, if anything, like what’s been the big, the big aha moment for you or have there been a few?

Christian: Oh my God. I’ve had a million. I’ve learned a lot. You know, I’ve had, I’ve had a lot of employees over the years. Um, that’s just already in itself, such an interesting dynamic between all these different types of creative people in your world that you have to like. Deal with, um, that I learned very quickly, like who my core people were and I’ve kept them.

I mean, a lot of my employees have been with me over 10 years, which is amazing, but it’s hard. You know, that’s the biggest challenge. I definitely have learned that you do have to like, let go a little bit. I used to be very neurotic and very, I took things very personally. Um, now I let things go. A lot more, I kind of

Jeremiah: just move on.

It’s really hard though. I mean, I was saying this the other day, I, you know, when you start your business, every lane is yours, you’ve got to be your PR, you’ve got to be your marketing, you’ve got to be this, you’ve got to be your social, you’ve got to be this, you’ve every detail. And I realized, you know, when our company, when I company began to grow, it was really hard, at least for me, relinquishing control because you don’t want to relinquish the quality of what you do.

You know, has that been a challenge for you? Because there’s no way you can be in all places at all times with what you’re doing.

Christian: Yeah, I’m pretty controlling still for sure, but I mean,

Jeremiah: we’re Sam. It’s fine. Yeah, but I feel like I consider myself like a Buddhist Controlling.

Christian: Yeah. I yeah, I’m not I’m much more aggressive I’ve got a good core like eight people that I let do what they do and are very talented and the other maybe 20 people are okay

Jeremiah: Yeah.

That’s great. I hope they’re listening. They’re going to love that. [00:18:00] And they’re going to know who they are. Do you remember, was there ever like a specific moment like where you remember the first time you experienced success?

Christian: To me, it was really honestly, probably the first time like a store bought my clothes and put them on the racks and sold them to just.

Um, so that felt really, really good at the time, even though I had like just dressed like Oprah and Rihanna like a week before that, or whoever, and that was amazing too, but to me, I really wanted normal people to not even know who I am and like, Go pick a dress off a rack and be like, wow, I love this. So that I think was really exciting.

Jeremiah: That’s a big deal. Yeah. Do you remember what you bought with your first big paycheck? Anything like that you really wanted that you’re like, I can do this and I don’t have to not eat because of it. I

Christian: do. I bought a few things. Um, I bought Two really expensive bags from Burberry, which, don’t judge, Burberry Poursome.

Oh, iconic. Their runway collection was insane. It was amazing. It was so good. Still is.

Jeremiah: I mean, when you look back, it still holds

Christian: up. It’s so good. Okay. And I think the bag was like 5, 000 or something. That was a big deal. So I bought two and then I bought these Baroque, like 18th century, like really ugly chairs that were, I don’t know, 10, 000 or something.

And I thought that was going to be my style. Yes. But I loved them, and I still have them. No. Where are they at now? They’re in storage. But I’m not kidding. I will never sell

Jeremiah: them. Oh, my God. You are a secret, sentimental, and a hoarder. It’s true. I know.

Christian: It’s really annoying. Why

Jeremiah: won’t you sell them? Just because of what they represent?

Christian: I think because I, I, I haven’t sold a lot of things that I did when I filmed Runway and, like, my early TV things, because I’m, I just want them for like my archival things. Yeah. So, I haven’t sold any of my, all the clothes I wore on Project Roman, like, things like that. Like, I kept sentimental moments of that.

That’s so

Jeremiah: sweet. [00:20:00] Which is so random. I didn’t keep anything, which I’m. Regretting now.

Christian: What are the kids going to get? Well, they’re going to get all the fabulous things now.

Jeremiah: They don’t need any of your old They’re going to be just fine. That’s

Christian: what I’m saying, honey. They’re inheriting a lot of good,

Jeremiah: good shit.

Nate collects jewelry, women’s jewelry, and his new, his new Yes, I know it’s really disturbing, but his, and he’s done it for a long time, but now his new pitch is that it’s because it’s for Poppy. I’m like, she’s not getting those things until she’s 40. So nobody’s worried about them. Um, speaking of chairs and storage.

A few years ago, you expanded your business into interior design, um, which I’m very excited about because you’re super, super talented. What inspired that transition? How has it been? Do you love it? I mean, I can’t imagine two creative fields parallel and doing them parallel and like, how do they compare to each other?

Like, give me the whole tape. Like, how has

Christian: it been? It’s really annoying. Um, but it’s, um,

Jeremiah: cause design clients are very different than styling clients. I assume.

Christian: No, they’re all, every client is crazy. Whether we, they’re all are no matter what, whether they say they’re the easiest, they’re never easy.

Everyone’s a trigger. And let me tell you, it just drives me crazy. No, the thing is when I launched the business, like I’ve always been obsessed with the interior world. Like I said, my mom was a big interior lover. I’m a big, I’ve been working with fabric mills my entire career. I know a lot about actually how to even make fabrication.

So um, that was what I loved. And that was kind of how it turned into something as we started to do more things. And, and luckily I will say like, I really do projects that like. I want to do, uh, because I don’t really need the money for it. Um, that’s not the goal. It’s not funding my

Jeremiah: world. Right. It’s like a creative expression.

Christian: It’s a creative expression and I would love it to build into a bigger business. And it already has been. And, and, you know, we’ve had a million different types of offers to do collaborations and [00:22:00] projects. And I’ve just tried to do the things that I think are the right thing for me. But let me tell you.

The interior client, give it to me. She needs a nap. She’s complicated. Trust me, dressing Lady Gaga is not easy, but I’m telling you, a girl picking out her sofa, she rivals Lady Gaga going to the Oscars. The picking out the sofa is harder. It’s harder.

Jeremiah: It’s dark. I know.

Christian: These people, and, and. And I know you have this.

I know you guys have this now, but like, I’m not a personal assistant. So like, that also drives me crazy. I’m like, no, no, no,

Jeremiah: no. You are available for me 24 7. It’s Sunday afternoon. I need to talk to you about this trim. I’m not happy with it. And I’m like, you No. Picked the trim and it is after business hours, ma’am.

No, I know. It’s really intense. And the truth is people, and here’s the thing, I understand the stakes of it because yes, it’s, you know, you live your life in it. It’s a, all of those soundbites, but it is a part of the business that nobody really understands. There is, it is so psychosymptomatic. There is so much going on interpersonally.

Yeah. And I always wonder with you, you know, how it

Christian: is. So I started buying things for people. And they’re fine with it? No, I just buy it. Like, I pay for it myself. Because it annoys me. It’s not how it works. So, so, I know. So now, I’m like, well, you know what, maybe I’ll just like buy that table and like if they keep it, like, great, because

Jeremiah: like, it looks good.

You’ll get them, you’ll get the invoice for it.

Christian: Yeah, like, I know, I just like, I just like get them so annoyed sometimes, but like. I’ll just buy the chairs and like, no one will know, which is

Jeremiah: really a problem. I don’t know how it works with you with fashion, but when it comes to interiors, do you still have to convince people to listen to you about what you want to bring into their house?

Because it’s the number one thing that drives me crazy. I have some clients that are like, I’ll see you in six months when this is [00:24:00] over, whatever you want, we’ll go. But then I have a lot of clients that are like. Hmm. Why the brown, you know? And I’m like, no, no, no, that’s going to be it. The Browns perfect.

And they’re like, Oh, I just don’t know how that’s going to work together. I’m like, but that’s why I’m here for you. Like, do you navigate that in both arenas?

Christian: Yeah. I mean, that’s kind of, gosh, I guess that’s what I do all day, every day. So we do that with the fashion though. It is. Yeah. I mean, women are just as.

You know, and, and to be honest, the good thing about interior, which is why I like it some days, you know, it is furniture. I’m dealing with women’s bodies there. All the problems, all the things, it brews up memory, all the things. So you are a little bit of a therapist too. So, um, But I think people do understand, like, luckily from me, like, what I, I can make someone look really great in a dress and make them feel really good.

Uh, that’s kind of what I’m good at. Yeah, they’ve learned to kind of leave me alone a little bit more. And also I just don’t, and I just say no. When do you

Jeremiah: actually push back? Like, how do you push back? Yeah,

Christian: I’m a pretty, I’m, I mean, I definitely understand when things like, oh, the zippers, whatever. I understand those things, but if it’s really like a, I hate this dress or it’s not for me, um, but they picked it and it’s done and we’ve, we’ve done three fittings, um, that’s when I really do get involved and say, no problem, best of luck, I hope you find something to wear to your event tomorrow.

That’s usually what I say. Do you fire them? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Time to move on.

Jeremiah: Yeah. Yeah. I fired one interior client once. I like to like pride myself and think I can get along with anybody, you know, I’m like, I can figure it out, but this client was awful. And it turns and I, it’s actually interesting because my husband does not have the same patience level I have, um, professionally or personally.

And he’s always like, hmm, let him go. I’m like, I can’t fire everybody, babe. What’s happening? Um, so I was just [00:26:00] wondering with you, like he’s flashing bird. Yeah. Literally triple Virgo. You two would get you quite well together. Is there anyone that you have dreamt of dressing or designing for that? You haven’t

Christian: yet.

Funny enough. There’s not a lot left. Uh, to be honest. No, I don’t know. It just, I, I had a list of dreams and I, That all came true. And, um, you know, I think now in my career where I am is like the new girl, the new actresses, the new actors, like there’s so many really new talented. Like, I would actually love to dress Timothy Chalamet.

Just I don’t do a lot of menswear, but I do androgynous clothes and I’ve never dressed him. I think he would be fun to dress and he’s so cute. It could be such a good fit. Yeah. Or Harry Styles. So like Timothy, Harry are on the list. So I’m going to say boys now because I’ve really dressed like all the famous women.

I love this. Yeah. Except for Britney, which is my goal in 2024. Just FYI. You

Jeremiah: better. I mean, she, I feel like it would, she would be lucky

Christian: to have you. And I’m telling you, I’m going to do it. We’re going to become best friends and I’m going to make it so good that I will win an award. Literally. Yeah.

Jeremiah: She steps out to Whole Foods and nobody knows what happened.

It’s happening. I’m,

Christian: I’m, I’m really

Jeremiah: close. As somebody who also grew up worshiping her, I really want this to happen for you. And I’m happy to jump on any bandwagon to make it happen. Yeah. Similar to what you say, like I always have ideas cause I think I’m always taking everything in my mother when we were growing up, used to tell us to tell her what was beautiful when we would go places, even if it was like a water park.

Um, and so I feel like I’m always finding, but how do you stay inspired? Yeah,

Christian: I think similar to that. I think like, I really like everything. Everything is interesting to me. I mean, I can literally design an entire collection of clothes from nothing. That’s kind of what I love to do. So I think it’s a lot of it’s imagination and I’ve always kind of had that.

And, um, yeah, nothing really is like off limits.

Jeremiah: I love that. [00:28:00] What’s next for you on the creative frontier? Anything that you’re eyeing that you’re excited about or want to play around with besides Britney Spears?

Christian: Yeah, Brittany is on the list. No, just like we, we have lots of things like in the works that I hope all work out and, and if they don’t, they don’t.

Um, but so many projects, like I think in the next year I, I, So many things and, and day to day, I mean, literally like I, every day there’s something I get a new deal or offer a project or request and it’s really interesting right, right now in my career to figure out like what will be in a next year thing, you know?

Jeremiah: Yeah, it’s really an interesting moment in both, um, things that you do in both arenas that you create. And because people are understanding, um, the value of home and the meaning of way that fashion had like 10, 10 years ago. Um, but it’s got just that, like the level of importance has gotten so much more in the last couple of years.

Yeah. It’s nice. Can I ask you, when do you feel the most at home?

Christian: I feel the most at home, oh my gosh, when, what? I mean definitely I think like, when I’m in my Connecticut house, like actually doing nothing, like just like looking at books or Whatever. That’s like the best. Those are the best days. Are

Jeremiah: you good at quiet days?

No,

Christian: I’m not. So I think like, I’m not going to say a day. I’m going to say like a four hour, like a four, a couple of four hours. And I’m sure I did something before or after, but those are really nice. And I’ve been wanting them a bit more. And I think that’s just like, as you get older, you want it more. You know what I mean?

Or it could just be on the couch, like watching a bad action movie or something.

Jeremiah: What do you watch? Like, what’s your genre of choice? I

Christian: watch, like, a lot of action movies.

Jeremiah: Oh, really? You’re like a secret, like, like James Bond situation or like anything, anything involving a hostage

Christian: situation, [00:30:00] anything, all anything, Liam Neeson, anything that I love all the Fast and the Furious, all those, all those, like any heist, movie, any diehard movie with Bruce.

I mean, like, I’m a, I’m like, I like action movies because it’s full escapism for me. Yeah. Well,

Jeremiah: that’s how I feel about, uh, post apocalyptic sci fi, which nobody would ever think. But like, if it’s got an alien, uh, yeah, it’s really highbrow for me. Nate likes to watch like world war two. Nazi journalists. So it’s really, it’s quite a dichotomy in our house.

Yeah. I’m like, we know how this ends friend. Have you

Christian: watched fellow travelers?

Jeremiah: Uh, no, but somebody brought it up to me last night. It sounds like there’s a little bit in it for everybody. There really is. Do you know what I just watched that I was obsessed with? This is so off topic, but, um, and I did not think I was going to love it was Lessons in Chemistry.

Oh, with, um. With Brie Larson.

Christian: I didn’t watch it.

Jeremiah: Is it good? It’s really good.

Christian: The, the previews threw me. I got confused at the previews because I got, it was like, it was like Amy Sedaris, but I don’t know what it was.

Jeremiah: No, no, no. It’s really good. And my husband, he picked it and I never trust what he picks because I was like, you know, again, downer.

Um, but it was actually really good. Um, all right. My last question for you. It’s very existential. Wow. We did it. Yeah, we did it. It’s easy, right? What does home mean to you? Oh my

Christian: gosh, home means to me, I think, I think home means to me like a place of, um, It has to be like this idea of a place of comfort and escapism.

Um, because that’s what is kind of like my only safe place. So I call, I say escapism because of my life and my job and my career. And there’s so much pressure to be something. Whereas when I’m at home, um, I don’t have any of those pressures. Do you ever want kids? I

Jeremiah: do. Yeah. You do? I was just thinking while you’re talking, you’d be, you’re gonna be a great dad.

I

Christian: almost had kids not that long [00:32:00] ago. Cause I was with somebody for a long time and we wanted kids. And then when that went away, my new, um, my boyfriend who we’ve been together almost six years, he’s kind of like a 17 year old. So I got one.

Jeremiah: That’s genius. All right. You’re the best. Thank you for doing this.

I really appreciate it.

Christian: I

Jeremiah: just want to thank Christian for coming on here. He always makes. Me laugh. His personality is as big as his talent, and I am really grateful for the time. He has really been the architect for one of my favorite moments of traditions that I have with my daughter, and I think his insight is so interesting around how he got into his career and what fuels him creatively.

I love to hear about some of the special places in all of your lives that maybe you have shared with a loved one. Be sure to post, comment or tag us on Instagram at. ideas of order california closets ideas of order is a california closets podcast a special thanks to the team behind the scenes this episode is produced by rob schulte and rachel senator at surround podcast network by standout design group