FASHION: Lil Nas X and Christian Cowan Team Up for a Punk-Infused 2021 Collection.

Dec 3

Pop star Lil Nas X and designer Christian Cowan first collaborated on a VMA red carpet look for the former in 2019. Now, the creative duo are joining forces for a Spring 2021 collection that’s inspired by the Queer and punk movements of the 1970s.

“Both [queer and punk people] were often funnelled into the same venues for their club nights, because they were the only venues that would take them,” says Cowan in an interview with Vogue. “In one club night, you would have, like, a cis white male punk with spiky hair, and then you’d also have trans and queer Black people in the same venue coexisting.”

What’s more, the collection is also genderless, which is a key factor in many of Cowan’s pieces. “[Christian’s] looks are so in between the sexes, I like how he’s so free with it,” adds Lil Nas.

However, the collection isn’t just an exercise in creativity and bucking gender norms; proceeds from the collection will benefit Black queer youth in Atlanta through the Loveland Foundation, a non-profit founded by activist Rachel Cargle, who also features in the campaign.

“That was part of the discussion early on. It was like, OK, we could definitely use this moment to do something for our community, you know? I wanted to give back to the Black trans community and I feel like this was the perfect time to do it. It’s two people that are big in the community coming together and doing this,” says Lil Nas in an interview with Out.com.

In addition to Lil Nas and Cowan, the campaign, which is shot by Vijat Mohindra, also features Marc Jacobs, Chella Man, Violet Chachki, Jari Jones and Isis King.