Christian Siriano on Creating a Collection For a Modern-Day Audrey Hepburn

Published on 2/10/2023 at 4:50 PM

Quinta Brunson looked like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn for her arrival at the fall 2023 Christian Siriano show, which kicked off New York Fashion Week on Thursday, Feb. 9, at Gotham Hall. The character she portrayed was no accident; Siriano's new collection was inspired by Hepburn's 1993 miniseries "Gardens of the World," but the aesthetic was updated with a modern twist.

Take the "Abbott Elementary" creator and star's black midi dress, for example, which was truly more edgy than glamorous, with its sharp V-shaped plunge held together by a thin, glistening thread. Brunson teamed it with pointed-toe pumps, sparkling diamonds, and pearls, plus one particular eye-catching flower ring that reflected the scenery: varying tones of magenta roses that engulfed the runway and held an air of mystery.

"There are so many cool women that can wear my clothes, which is why I love what I do."

The 33-year-old actress played to the vibe with structural, incognito sunglasses and a top hat positioned on a slant over her sleek lob, plus a glossy nude lip and matching spiked manicure. Fans may recall that Brunson wore Siriano to the 2023 Golden Globes last month, although that gown told an entirely different story, boasting '80s-prom details like voluminous tulle and pops of pink.

Brunson isn't the only celebrity devotee of Siriano's eveningwear; she sat front row with Lindsay Lohan, Julia Stiles, Leigh Lezark, and Rosamund Pike, to name a few, all of whom sported various colorways shown on the catwalk.

The new silhouettes seemed to bloom as the lineup progressed, starting with abstract prints and shapes with cutouts or dramatic slits (some models wore no pants, just tights, to keep the focus on the architectural details of a top), then venturing into textural masterpieces — gowns that doubled as art formations and featured floor-sweeping trains in either heavy satin or layers of mounted tulle. "It's like they're growing into something," Siriano told POPSUGAR just before the show.

The designs were uplifted by glamorous diamond jewels, which were crafted in collaboration with Josh Levkoff with the intention to "drip" off the wearer and evoke Hepburn's signature allure. "[Levkoff and I] made custom rose diamonds, encrusted earrings, and tendrils that drip," Siriano shared. "I wanted things that feel like Audrey, but in a modern way. So you'll see a lot of girls stacking bangles up the arm."

Although these looks may feel more appropriate for the Gagas or Cardi Bs of the world, Siriano is fully willing to create modest tailoring. He just dressed Vice President Kamala Harris for the State of the Union in a beautiful cranberry pantsuit, which he talked about excitedly backstage.

Ahead, find out how Brunson chose her front-row outfit then read Siriano's full interview with POPSUGAR. Keep scrolling to check out his fall 2023 collection including jewelry designed with Josh Levkoff.

On Dreaming Up Celebrity Looks

POPSUGAR: How do your celebrity muses decide what to wear to the show?
Christian Siriano: We just pick out things that they vibe with. Sometimes we pick a character. Tonight, Quinta wanted to be very elegant and beautiful because she's been wearing a lot of wild things. So she was like, "I want to be more sexy glamorous," and I was like, "OK, great." It feels like a story. It doesn't always have to be the current collection, it can also be past collections.

PS: Are there any celebrities you could imagine dressing in this collection that you haven't worked with yet?
CS: I think there's something for all different people here — the Gagas of the world, the Cardi Bs, and I even think of someone like Amy Adams. We just made a bunch of things for Anne Hathaway. There are so many cool women that can wear my clothes, which is why I love what I do. Obviously, I dressed the VP, so I can also make tailored suits that are very demure and beautiful and aren't as loud.

On the Audrey Hepburn Rose Garden Theme

PS: Tell me about the inspiration behind the fall 2023 collection.
CS: The idea is that it's Audrey Hepburn's rose garden, but at midnight. It's still sexy glamorous. She did this miniseries called "Gardens of the World," where she went on tour of all these gardens, so we wanted to blend different cultures that inspired us florally, but in a modern way. There are rose prints, but they're abstract. I wanted things to feel like they're in art form, so even things that have flowers feel organic, as if they're growing into something.

On the Fall 2023 Runway Jewelry

PS: How does the jewelry play into the collection this season?
CS: Obviously, the collection is very glamorous and inspired by Audrey Hepburn, so how could you not have the jewels? In collaboration with Josh Levkoff, we made custom rose diamonds, encrusted earrings, and tendrils that drip. I wanted things that feel like Audrey, but in a modern way. So you'll see a lot of girls stacking bangles up the arm.

On Being the First Designer to Show During NYFW's Fall 2023 Season

PS: Why do you like showing at the beginning of NYFW, and how is that significant to your brand?
CS: I just like to get it over with. I like being a kickoff and starting early because we're so busy during award season that I'd rather get things out of the way. Although, that didn't work for us this year since everything was before the show. We had the Grammys, then Kamala [Harris]. Then I was like, "OK, I'm tired."

On the Future of Fashion

PS: How do you see your shopper evolving as we head toward the future of fashion?
CS: We are an eveningwear world. That's what does well for us and what I love to do. The fashion business is very hard right now, so I think designers have to focus on what they actually like doing to keep it fun. I hope that our customers like it, and I think that they do. We have a lot of them here today because I wanted them to see what they contribute to.