Who is Zayden Skipper? Award-winning 'Project Runway' designer was once homeless
Behind every successful man stands a strong woman, in designer Zayden Skipper's case it's not one woman but a tribe of women who stood by him. The 32-year-old is all set to make his big debut on Bravo's hit 'Project Runway' Season 19. The show features 16 budding designers from across the United States and abroad, each ready to prove they have what it takes to showcase their collection at New York Fashion Week and be the next great name in fashion. Each 90-minute episode tests the contestants’ creativity and technique with challenges such as producing a “hauntingly” chic look, to an unconventional cocktail dress!
'Project Runway' Season 19 features editor-in-chief of Elle Magazine- Nina Garcia, Elaine Welteroth, former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue and co-host of 'The Talk', and celebrity designer Brandon Maxwell, and Christian Siriano donning the hats of judges and mentor respectively. While we eagerly wait for the show's premiere let's take a closer look at Zayden and his growing popularity in the fashion industry.
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Who is Zayden Skipper?
Originally from Mississippi, Zayden grew up on the south side of Chicago and was raised around strong women like his mother, grandmother, and aunts, who not only kept him grounded but encouraged him to utilize his talent and push himself to be the best version of himself. After watching his mother and grandmother stitch beautiful clothes for his sisters and him, Zayden was inspired to try his hand at stitching himself.
He soon began designing clothes for himself and his high school's marching band. In an interview with Savannah College of Art and Design's (SCAD) newsletter, he revealed, "I used to design and make my high school’s marching band drill team’s uniforms for performances and competitions, in addition to being their dance instructor." After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Alcorn State and working in the corporate world, Zayden decided to move to Atlanta to pursue his master's in fashion.
Things have been far from easy for Zayden. He went from being homeless to being the only Black man to graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design in his class with the MFA, the highest degree in fashion with honors. His current collection is called Avant Oppidan: The Misrepresentation of Black Designers in the Fashion Industry, which describes the history and struggles of Black people and the lack of talented Black fashion designers in America.
Zayden also came up with his very own genre of fashion called "Urban Avant-Garde Streetwear" that embraces "The Culture." Although he has been in business for only one year, Zayden has managed to accomplish some amazing feats such as being featured in Vogue Italia, Teen Vogue, Essence, and WWD and was chosen to represent SCAD in the CFDA fashion future graduate. His designs have been featured in Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, France, and Hong Kong. In 2020, he worked with very prominent clients such as Tanya Sams, Tierra Wack, Paula Wallace, and Lori Harvey. His proudest moment is designing an outfit for Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Mayor of Atlanta.
The extremely talented designer took to his Instagram to announce that he would be competing in 'Project Runway'. He wrote, "This was an interesting journey for me. I bared my soul and represented my culture. Now come follow me on this journey #projectrunwaybravo #bravo #designer #zaydenthedesigner #blackdesigners #vogue #cfda." We can't wait to watch his journey on the show and learn more about him.
'Project Runway' Season 19 premieres on Thursday, October 14, at 9 pm ET/PT.