Chris Benz is an astounding young entrepreneur in the fashion/makeup industry. To those who are not interested in the fashion/makeup industry, you may not have heard of Chris Benz. In fact, for those who are immersed in the industry, you may not think of Benz’s name. However, he has made impact in the fashion industry, even though those who are successful are usually from established labels.

He first gained recognition by receiving a CFDA scholarship while attending Parsons School of Design (“CFDA Inducts 31 New Members.” 2009). This is a prestigious honor from the Council of Fashion Designers of America which is only given to a handful of individuals throughout the world. Benz received it because of the promise that he possessed for a future in the field. Since his receiving of this scholarship, he has worked for companies like Marc Jacobs, JCrew, and Lancome. He is only growing in his own brand and name recognition.

The way that I found Chris Benz is through my interest in makeup. Lancome is one of my favorite brands, (along with Benefit, Urban Decay, Too Faced, Stila, and a myriad of others). He has been a part of developing lipsticks and other makeup for Lancome. More than his involvement with makeup, he is a consultant. Companies bring him in to revive their businesses. He brings an fashion edge to clothing, makeup, and design in general. Currently, Benz is only in his early 30s, and is involved in some of the biggest fashion campaigns in America. His innovation and status should be a sign to us that being young does not mean that someone won’t be listened to. Chris would prove you wrong.

Citations:

“CFDA Inducts 31 New Members.” CFDA. Council of Fashion Designers, 31 Dec. 2009. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.

Christian Siriano is a 29 year old fashion designer who won the show “Project Runway” in 2008 (at the age of 22). He was and still is the youngest person to ever be the winner of “Project Runway”.

In 2008, I was thoroughly immersed in this show. It in some ways it is like any reality contest program, but to me, the challenges required a kind of resilience and versatility in the contestants that I find astounding. For those who do not know the structure of the show: each week a specific guideline was given to all the contestants about what kind of clothing they had to design. The direction could be anything from an Advant Garde (over the top, free-thinking) look to designing prom dresses for high school students. In addition to the need of versatility, the contestants had a strict time limit for how long each they could spend on each garment. This time limit could be as short as 1 day.

Christian Siriano stood out from this competition in many ways. First, he was young. Many contestants ran their own boutique already, had years of experience as a tailor, worked for other designers, etc. Christian was fresh out of an internship for Alexander McQueen and did not have those many years of experience. However, he did have immense amounts of passion. He often talked about how he had dreamed of this profession his entire life and how much he loved it.

His youth also aided him. While other contestants had the potential to be stuck in their ways, he was fresh and always looking for an interesting, new, and young way to design garments. He was truly fascinating to watch. He was fierce.

Christian Siriano ended up winning “Project Runway”, which truly was not a surprise. His depth and innovation were unmatched on his season of the show. However, what I find astounding is what he did after his victory. He designed for high fashion, which was the kind of design direction highlighted on the show. However, he also has designed  lower budget items. He partnered with Payless and has a fashion forward but on a budget line for women. I think his ability to see that many of the people that watched and supported him on the show would not be able to afford the higher priced design items. He expanded markets and now is very successful.