Queer Fashion: Walking in dapperQ’s NYFW Show with Bae
One of the biggest highlights of my career was walking the runway last year in dapperQ’s annual NYFW show which is one of the largest celebrations of . I walked last year for designer Audio Helkuik and this year, I was asked to walk for them again in dapperQ’s fifth anniversary show. But there was a bonus. My fiance, Gio, was also asked to walk in the show! He walked for Stuzo Clothing.
This year’s show, entitled Dress Code, was one of the largest queer fashion NYFW events with more than 200 models, designers and guests in attendance. Walking down that runway, I could tell that had once again packed the Brooklyn Museum. The energy backstage was positive and I had so much fun seeing internet friends IRL and meeting new friends during rehearsal, hair and makeup. The styling team of Aphrodite Kelly, Joey Koneko, and Mark Andrew was amazing to work with!
The theme of Audio Helkuik’s collection was . The name and photos below speak for itself. We had cute Queer Scouts berets. There were sashes, scarves and even custom patches. My hair and makeup was very old Hollywood meets modern-day heavy highlighter and I loved it so much. I felt very like I was in my very best Troop Beverly Hills femme glamour!
Gio had the opportunity to talk for , an LA-based genderless clothing company. He wore fitted striped pants and a tee. The showstopper from his look was a blue faux fur coat with a hood. You could just tell Gio was feeling super confident in that coat and when he stepped out, the crowd went wild!
Even though I have a few runway shows under my belt, I was still somewhat nervous backstage. Having Gio there to calm my nerves was an amazing feel. He gave me a hug, a kiss, and told me that I was the most beautiful girl in the world before I walked the runway and that took all of the jitters away!
There was so much which is amazing to see for a queer fashion event! Paper Magazine called this show dapperQ’s “most inclusive NYFW show to date.†I was personally featured in , , and on the
The LGBTQ community deserves to have representation in the fashion industry. We are seeing some major shifts. Chromat continues to prioritize inclusion in their model selection. This season and non-binary models in their show. But dapperQ remains a leader. The show’s models were mostly people of color. Models were all different heights and body types. I was not the only plus size model on the runway and at 5’1â€, I wasn’t the shortest model on the runway either. Gio was one among many transgender models on the runway. I hope mainstream fashion takes note because the dapperQ runway show represents the future of fashion. I’m grateful to dapperQ for this opportunity to help make fashion more inclusive for ALL.
Also, major shoutout to my future family for coming out to support Gio and I! They drove over 16 hours in the course of two days to be there and I am so incredibly lucky to have a supportive family like them!
