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Who are you, and how do you show that to the world? A universal way to showcase our personalities is through how we dress. Clothing from at-home crafting to luxury couture is personal and priceless. Being perceived in society is going to happen whether we like it or not, so why not put our spin on it and elevate our first impressions? An absolute trendsetter and history-maker in fashion that lived this mindset is that of fashion designer Stephen Burrows. Burrows has been credited for creating many iconic and signature looks- from the flow and funky lettuce hem to the attention-grabbing and abrupt color-blocking technique, both of which have yet to go out of style.
Left: Burrows fitted in a color-block T-shirt of his design during Spring 1971 collection. Photo taken by Nick Machalaba; Retrieved from W.W.W. Right: Archive Exhibition hosted by Manhattan Vintage circa 2018 honoring Stephen Burrows; Retrieved from the garb wire.
Burrows found his passion at a young age, learning to design out of curiosity stemming from his grandmother's sewing machines and of course their zigzag patterns. This exact zigzag stitch would become a staple of Burrows' work. From the beginning, he knew what his passions were and he set forth to create a space for himself and his community, the Black and gender-fluid members of society spread from New Jersey to its neighbor New York City. Even after attending and graduating from New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology, his identity shined through in such a way that at times he felt discouraged by the fundamentals of fashion- the aspects he found could be boring, basic, and dull. So, he stepped up and set out to make his mark- showing the world not only who he was, but who anyone could be.
Stephen Burrows photographed with Model Jennifer Brice wearing Burrow's design featured in the 1973 Battle of Versailles fashion show; Retrieved from the Museum at FIT.
His story and innovations are eccentric to many and affirming to others. What I believe was the loudest message he sent in his career was not only how bright and exciting life could be, but that we can make of it anything we want, it just takes consistency and commitment to be our most authentic selves. Whether that is mirroring the disco dance life that influenced Burrows' work, being a corporate button-up suit and tie kind of person, or even expressing comfort and security through at-leisure attire- being the best that you can be is worth the time, energy, and overcoming the obstacles it takes to get there.