Streetwear designer Nigel Xavier wins 'Next in Fashion' Season 2 with his 'no gender' collection in thrilling finale
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Netflix's fashion-centric series has a new champion after 10 episodes of back-to-back breathtaking designs debuted by twelve up-and-coming designers from across the nation. Nigel Xavier, an Atlanta-based streetwear designer who makes one-of-a-kind designs out of upcycled and repurposed materials, won $200k and the title of 'Next in Fashion' after showcasing his collection of 8 stunning outfits in the finale.
Netflix's 'Next in Fashion' is a fashion design challenge series that pits numerous talented and up-and-coming designers from around the globe against one another in an intense battle. The competitors must use all of their fashion expertise to please expert judges and hosts Tan France and Gigi Hadid and win a grand cash reward and the chance to launch their own clothing brand on a famous fashion retail website. As fashion designers fight in a succession of tasks, one is called the victor of that task and one is requested to exit the competition. Donatella Versace, Ashley Park, Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, and Emma Chamberlain were among the celebrity judges who offered their expertise during the competition rounds in Season 2. After a grueling battle and emotional goodbyes at the conclusion of each challenge, the guy from Atlanta won the 'Next in Fashion' competition by breaking out of his comfort zone.
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'Judges wanna see a more feminine side from me'
Finalists Bao Tranchi, Deontré Hancock, and Nigel were requested to demonstrate their artistry and skill with a complete selection of new styles for the finale. They were allowed three days to prepare. Since it would have been practically impossible to pull off a runway-worthy collection in that period, each designer was assigned three sewers during the workdays. However, they were not permitted to confer with them on artistic decisions.
Nigel was inspired by Woodstock for his collection. Woodstock was a place where individuals sought approval and belonging, and it was something Nigel sought as a child for a long time. He enrolled in design school after moving to Atlanta and began listening to Jimi Hendrix. That was when he began to feel like he belonged and began to discover himself.
Nigel's patchwork design is so much a part of his history and who he is that he made sure it was seen on a whole new level during the finale because he thinks the world needs to see it. Some pieces required hand sewing, while others required braiding. He was aware that dealing with three sewers and attempting to translate his language to someone else would be challenging. The other finalists can simply take a piece of fabric off the roll and start sewing. However, Nigel must first establish his base and then prepare his pattern before beginning fabrication. Nigel creates a textile from the ground up. It could be denim, lace, and fur, and it could appear a little messy.
Nigel surprised the hosts by revealing that he will be using 5 girls for his show, despite the fact that he defines himself as a "predominantly streetwear menswear designer." He also stated that he has chosen to go with denim, a braided style with some vintage denim patchwork. He was also trying with various fabrications and toying with shiny laces: woven fabrics with "dope print" and fur to demonstrate growth throughout the entire process. Furthermore, he wanted to experiment with denim and create a tie-dyed poncho with an oversized bucket in the same tie-dye pattern for the 'show-stopper' look. He brought in another lightweight fabric to go along the lines of each seam with the fur.
Nigel explained that he had always wanted to braid denim and make a whole garment out of it. "The judges wanna see a more feminine side from me, so I think these braids will tap a little bit into that," he says. This technique was extremely time-consuming, and he assigned half of his sewer crew to accomplishing this task. Gigi mentioned that Nigel's greatest role was to educate his team on how he does his patchwork, which is so unique to him. "At Woodstock, their signature style was, like, tie-dye, and then I wanna bring in my signature style with my fabrications and really bring both of those worlds together," Nigel told the cameras.
Tan, on the other hand, was worried that Nigel would be pressed for time. Nigel had not even finished 25% of the showstopper outfit four hours before the catwalk. He was attempting to perfect the poncho for the show-stopper look, getting the swirl to strike one leg, then the next, and just have that continuous flow throughout. 15 minutes to the show and Nigel could still see him steaming the show-stopper dress.
'His menswear always sings, but the womenswear was almost the highlight'
Jason Bolden, a returning judge, celebrity stylist, and contributing editor of Vogue Magazine, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson was in attendance to assess the conclusion. Joining the panel was co-founder and CEO of Rent the Runway, Jennifer Hyman. Nigel's parents Stella and Marshal were cheering for him from the sidelines.
Nigel's first look from the collection received positive feedback from the judges. Jason admired the model's texture on texture pants. "Dying over the color palette," Gabriella said. The second look combined lace, denim, and a double trouser. "There's upcycling, but also this reference to '90s hip-hop," Jennifer observed. "This is Nigel designing for women, which, like, we begged him for all season," Gigi gushed. Tan thought Nigel's use of numerous fabrics to make his signature style was "beautiful" and "unexpected of him." "And Nigel was someone who would never dress girls. All his looks were always men's looks," Jason added.
The judges gasped as the show-stopper walked into "I Came to Move Mountains" by Red Means Run playing in the backdrop. "He ended in a quote-unquote women's look," Jason observed. None of the judges had ever seen anything like this. "What a cohesive collection," Gabriella gushed after all the models took the runway for a final lineup. "They're telling the same story," Tan continued. "It's incredibly tight, well edited," Gabriella says.
Jason's father expressed pride in his son while fighting back emotions. He remembers Nigel's struggle over the years, and seeing him standing where he now feels 'tremendous.' "This is a journey for him, you know. Everything you see in his art is a journey. He's telling his story, so, I just hope everybody's listening," he says.
For the final evaluation, the judges debate each collection. Nigel's fabrication, according to Gigi, was the source of her highs in Nigel's collection. "Being able to take so many different fabrics and textures and patterns and make them all work in what I think was the most cohesive storytelling of the night." "His menswear always sings," Gabriella said, "but the womenswear was almost the highlight of the show for me." The braided denim item was Gigi's fave. Jason went on to say, "Coming in, he had one note, and tonight he showed a very inclusive collection. There is no gender. He nailed that to a T for me." Tan observed that Nigel has constantly given the judges something new with each challenge. It's not something "we can buy in a store today. That is, to me, what is next in fashion."
Nigel became the second person in the show's history to walk away with the title of 'Next in Fashion,' a total of $200k, and the opportunity to launch his own apparel line on Rent the Runway.
'Next in Fashion' Season 2 is streaming now in its entirety only on Netflix.