Designer Christian Siriano Dishes on New Maternity Collection
 Fierce Mamas for Moody Mamas |
America’s favorite Project Runway winner Christian Siriano is giving pregnant moms-to-be another reason to love their growing baby bumps — a new Spring maternity collection.
While designing his third season of Fierce Mamas for Marta Abrams and Elise Rosemarin’s Moody Mamas line, Siriano (above left with Abrams and Rosemarin) says he focused on making his clothes really “wearable, accessible and comfortable.”
CBB sat down with the 24-year-old designer to discuss his celebrity inspirations, the item every pregnant woman should have in her closet, his own plans for a family and what’s next.
Click below for all the dish!
Why did you want to do another maternity collection?
Just doing Fall was not really enough for people to understand what you can wear to be fabulous when you’re pregnant. I think doing the second collection for Spring was just a given. You kind of need it because Fall and Spring are very different and people want different things.
What is it that you enjoy about designing maternity wear?
I think what’s probably exciting for me is that it’s very different and it’s a challenge. It’s more about making it really, really wearable and accessible and still really comfortable because that’s 180 percent opposite of what I do in my [other] collection. It’s so different. When we design my [other] collection I think of fantasy first and I think of gowns and sculpture and shapes and it’s really about that and it kind of trickles down. With this, I start basic. Women who are pregnant, when they shop, they think about different things than when my customer shops. It’s a different design process all around.
What’s the one must-have maternity item for women?
From season to season it will be a bit different but I think for us, we do great jersey pieces in the collection, like a great T-shirt. You have to have it. [Also] I think a great signature party dress. Not every brand does sweet, fun party dresses like this. When you’re pregnant you still do the same things that you would normally do. It’s when you have the baby that your life changes more. When you’re pregnant you still have the same girlfriends, you still go to events, go to parties, have baby showers, weddings, so many things you still do and what do you wear to them?
Heidi Klum, Laila Ali, Jessica Alba and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz are all fans of your line. What celebrity do you hope gets pregnant just so you can dress her?
Someone who I just love is Drew Barrymore because I think she’s so chic and fun and she’s so interesting fashion-wise. You never know what’s going to happen.
What are the price points looking like for this collection?
It ranges from $50 to $250, which is great because I think the most expensive piece is a great silk dress. The least expensive is a jersey, fun T-shirt you can wear everyday. It’s really great pricing, very wearable, and accessible.
Do you want to have kids?
Oh my God, I’d love to have a little child one day. I’m into pets right now and I want to have a lot, but my boyfriend is mad at me and he won’t let me. But we have a Chihuahua; he’s a Chiwennie (a Chihuahua/dachshund mix) and he’s so cute, but I want a really big dog and then I want a bird. I want lots of animals for some reason. I think children, maybe later on.
What’s next for you?
It’s still [about] building the brand because I think with my ready-to-wear collection, that’s still growing. We have relationships with great retailers but want to be in more stores. I think there’s so much room to grow. A fragrance is in the works in the next few years. Eyewear and all those types of products are still a goal.
—Nina
