Christian Siriano: A Very 'Fierce' Life

First let me just say congratulations on everything.
Thank you very much. I'm trying. I'm busy and stressful, so it's good.

Your book is coming out, you have a line with Payless, your fall collection was picked up by Saks, you designed a line for Eloise in Paris - how are you doing it all without going insane?
I'm pretty close to breaking point. (Laughs) No, I think what's good for me ... probably just initially working on a collection is the most amount of work. And I think collaborating with other things, like doing the Payless collection – obviously there's a great design team that helps. I think that helps move it along. But there are a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of stressful thinking, but I feel like if I didn't do it soon and now and when things are important, then it would just go away.

Bravo just announced you are going to have your own reality show?
Yeah, I'm not really commenting on that. But thanks. It's a crazy situation.

Are you still watching 'Project Runway'?
I haven't actually this season very much. I've seen a couple episodes, but because it's been literally like airing the last two months before fashion week that I've literally missed almost everything. People keep asking me 'Who do you want to win?' I'm like, 'I don't know anyone's name.' I'm not a good judge. But I've heard it's an interesting season, I heard it's good, it's not amazing, but it's good.

I think people aren't happy that the dynamic has changed especially since Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are appearing a lot less this season.
I heard that there's lots of new guest designers and those type of things – guest judges – which is always fun.

Tim Gunn wrote the forward to your book. Are you still in touch with him and any of the other 'Runway' people?
I keep in touch with Tim, a lot. He just was at my show. He comes to support which is amazing. We do chat a lot and we write each other funny emails throughout the week. He's so supportive, which is amazing. And I do see Heidi. We've been to different events together and I'm close friends with some people on her team. It's fun to keep in touch. Same with Nina. Nina always comes to the shows and she brought all the editors from Marie Claire this season. That was really great. It's so wonderful to have her support.

Tell me a little about 'Fierce Style.'
The book came up a while ago, right after 'Project Runway.' It has a bit of memoir and a bit of back story and experiences that I've had right after the show. But it also, it's fun. It's very kitschy ... It's about that young fashionista who just loves fashion or loves art or loves design. I think it's for ... that aspiring dreamer in a way ... It does have tips and it does have trends. And it does have what I think is what not to wear and how to be fabulous and how to love yourself. But it's just my opinions.

Being Fierce is more, like you said, about loving yourself and it's a personal discovery.
Exactly. All the back stories showcase how my journey has been to find myself and why I have confidence and why I love fashion and all those things. So it's for everyone to hopefully feel the same way

Who has been your favorite celebrity to dress?
It depends. Obviously dressing Lady Gaga was super fun. Dressing Whoopi Goldberg was amazing because that was so unexpected ... I worked with Tori Spelling a lot and I worked with Mena Suvari the last couple of seasons and I was able to dress Kelly Rowland this season for my show this season and that was really fun. It's kind of a mixture. I think all the girls are different in their own way and that's why I think they're all special.

Is there anyone you'd love to design for?
Oh yes. There's a very long list. I think everyone from Drew Barrymore to Natalie Portman. I like a mixture of divas, but divas in a way where they are kind of softer and they still take chances and are elegant. I'm not going to say no. I'm loving Rihanna, I'm loving J-Lo. All the fashionista icons I think would be amazing.

If you could give just one piece of fashion advice what would it be?
Ohmigosh. I think my whole thing is owning your look – my idea of picking a signature. I think that's important for everyone.

In between everything that you're doing, do you have time for yourself?
A little bit. Some days are better than others. I think really what I do for myself, I like to just go home and eat junk food and watch bad TV and play with my puppy. That's kind of it. The thing is, I love everything I do. Having your own collection and design business and selling to stores ... that's every young designers dream. So you can't complain when you're living your dream.

It's work, but it's not really work.
Yeah, because I'd rather do [this.]

Did you always know you wanted to be a fashion designer?
Not really. Actually, I was very into musical theater when I was younger. I worked in a salon for a really long time and I love that. I worked as a makeup artist when I first moved to New York and I loved that. I kind of dabbled in little parts of the industry, it's still more fashion and creative though.

What's next?
Projects are going to take a break for a little way with the book tour and the Payless collections – I still have four more collections to go with them. So it's a long next year of designing shoes and bags. For me, the business is growing so much clothing wise – we sell to tons of stores now – and that's a lot of work. I think I have to focus on that for a while or I'll go out of business soon.

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