On Wednesday, April 18, Christian Siriano opened a boutique in a renovated townhouse in Midtown Manhattan. The store is filled with pink accents, wood banisters and contemporary artwork. While it has been open since the spring it is only this fall going on winter that the news has travelled up to the wet—pardon me, West—Coast and boy, are we excited.
His store makes you think of Victoria Beckham’s boutique in London in that the space is as artistic as the clothing housed within it. Moreover, the store feels like an art gallery, so even if people can’t afford the luxury of a Christian Siriano gown, they are still drawn to the space to see its visual splendour.
The store is five rooms on two floors separated by a pink carpeted winding staircase. They sell everything from graphic T-shirts with phrases like “This is Fashion Look It Up,” to fragrances, dresses and more. They even have an espresso bar, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee on the outdoor balcony.
This is a huge feat for Siriano, who started his career on season four of Project Runway. With the money he won that season, Siriano purchased a large loft apartment with a gorgeous skylight in Chelsea and began manufacturing the first collection of his namesake brand.
Some of the highlights of his career have included Michelle Obama wearing a blue dress of his to the Democratic National Convention in 2016 and dressing SNL star Leslie Jones at the Ghostbusters premiere when other designers refused to dress her because of her size.
Siriano also dressed Orange Is the New Black star Samira Wiley at her wedding to writer Lauren Morelli and has made many more red carpet numbers for A-list celebrities.
What distinguishes him as a designer is his inclusivity and flamboyant, fun personality. Having a sister who is a size zero and a mother who wears plus-size garments, Siriano has always offered an extensive range of sizes for his customers. This sizing also extends to The Curated, where he sells pieces by designers like Universal Standard that start at a size six.
Not only is his boutique every little girl’s dream, but it is also a reminder that every woman, no matter her size, is welcome to play dress-up—the very message Siriano expresses to the press at the opening of his store.
The Curated, therefore, is not only an exciting step forward for Siriano in his career as a ready-to-wear designer, but also signifies a step forward in inclusivity within the fashion industry. What we can all hope is that, as his store inevitably finds great success, other designers will be inspired to make clothes for everyone, too.