Gogo Graham

Gogo Graham (born 1991) is an American fashion designer who designs clothing specifically catered to trans women. Originally from Texas, she now is based in Brooklyn, NY, and has worked under costume and fashion designer Zaldy. In addition to creating apparel accommodating the specific needs of trans women, Graham is also a committed advocate for the socio-political issues transgender women face in society today.

Personal life Born in 1991, Gogo Graham was raised in Pearland, Texas, and went on to study pre-med at the University of Texas at Austin. One credit short of graduation, she transferred to a degree in textiles and apparel, which sparked the beginning of her career in design.

Career Upon arriving in New York, Graham began working for costume designer Zaldy, whom she collaborated with on designs for a J-Pop band, and famous drag queen RuPaul. She then left to work at a factory in Midtown which gave her more creative freedom in constructing avant-garde clothing, as opposed to ready-to-wear style. Graham became interested in designing for trans women after coming out herself, Graham has been vocal on the importance of self-representation by marginalized groups in the media, explaining in 2015 that “being portrayed by cis people is inherently exploitative no matter which way you spin it."

Graham has presented two collections at NYFW, and has completed five full-length collections. Her work tends to be informal and grotesque in nature which provides a sharp contrast to the aesthetics of mainstream fashion. Jillian Billard notes of Graham's designs "there is this running theme that seems to be led by a fascination with deconstruction, printed patterns and texture." The visuals emulated as 'un-done' look which was done with "arms, fingers and ensembles, still wet from being painted crimson by Glossy, Kaidon Ho and Kelley McNutt only minutes before."

Her AW16 show featured a confronting nature and nuanced style that referenced the “Final Girl” horror film trope, which describes the final character alive at the end of the film who is able to speak to the horrors experienced by the group. Held at Artists Space in Tribeca, the models walked the runway in torn, blood-drenched clothing which called attention to the high fatality rate and recurring violence experienced by the trans community. The nature of the show was made deliberately claustrophobic and uncomfortable to represent the vulnerability trans women feel when navigating through a potentially threatening society.

In Graham's NYFW Spring 2017 show "the looks were feminine and sensual, with contrasting details such as the use of black, wire detailing, and the chokers many models wore with delicate lace pieces."

Another of Graham's exhibitions, her 2017 Dragon Lady, highlighted her dissatisfaction with stereotypes that assist in the exotification of Asian women. The show addressed the derogatory "dragon lady" stereotype which poses Asian women as “strong and deceitful”. As with most of her shows, Graham constructed this one in a DIY sense. She found materials in unconventional places such as thrift shops and hardware stores, and pulled together scraps of material- most notably tuna fish cans- in an attempt to distort and reconfigure the concept of a runway show. This a recurring theme in most of Graham's work; community is valued highly and Graham seeks to empower trans women by giving them a platform for creativity and self-expression. Graham's designs and production process involve the designer, model and consumer in a relationship that seeks to mutually empower. She explains, "my designs are developed with the trans femmes I dress in mind, so their individual presences permeate the designs and become inextricably linked to the garments and the look."

Industry perception Models working within the industry have voiced appreciation for Graham's inclusive vision and individualized approach to fashion. Model Devan Diaz says that, "when the show was over, I felt as though I gained new tools of protection that I could take into the world." Graham's AW16 show "moved more than a handful of audience members to tears-including Hari Nef, who noted the power of seeing something by and for trans women".

Political views As a trans woman, Graham's experiences within a marginalized community heavily influence her political views and have inspired her to lobby for change. She recognizes that “for trans women of color, they have to deal with gender identity and the intersectionality of white supremacy." Graham rejects trans fashion as a trendy buzzword that sees the movement as one that will serve its purpose and fade into the background. She instead rallies for its right to a legitimate place in the future of fashion. Addressing cultural issues such as feminine objectification, orientalism, and exoticism, her designs confront the heteronormative discourse that she believes is persistent in the fashion industry. She explains, “I can only hope that my own identity and skills can be used as tools to help relay the urgency of that message". Graham's thoughts on identity politics shape a majority of her work, namely her stylistic choices and messages behind shows like Dragon Lady.