Before he won Season 4 of “Project Runway,” launched his own fashion brand and dressed influential names from first lady Jill Biden to Oprah, acclaimed designer Christian Siriano was just a kid who found inspiration in his hometown of Annapolis . On Saturday, he returned to the city to usher in Pride Month as the grand marshal and keynote speaker for the fourth annual Annapolis Pride Parade & Festival . “I am so excited and honored to be asked and be a part of it,” Siriano told The Baltimore Sun last week in an email.
“I really hope I’ll be able to be a voice for a new generation and for people to feel really welcomed and comfortable in Annapolis, which is always my goal when doing anything with Pride.” He was quite the catch , Annapolis Pride Board Chair Joe Toolan said in an April announcement of the festivities , themed “Anchored With Pride.” Since his days as a student at Broadneck High School and Baltimore School for the Arts , Siriano’s designs have appeared in museums from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, and graced stars including Angelina Jolie, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Coolidge, among many others.
He’s launched an interior design brand and returned to “Project Runway” as the Bravo show’s host and mentor. Today, he splits his time between New York and Connecticut, but remembers his time in Annapolis fondly. Ever the leader, Siriano has tips for LGBTQ.
