FASHION’S 2008 BUZZ BOY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH GOSSIP BOY

 

September 26, 2008

In 2008, Los Angeles-based fashion designer Andrew Christian is in three words: hot, hot, hot. After ten years making his way to the top, the openly gay Andrew plans to stay there. His appearances on Janice Dickinson's Modeling Agency put a face to his fashion lines, but the fashion itself caught everyone’s eye and turned him into an international sensation. 

 

Gossip Boy had the chance to sit down and talk with the Über Hot celeb at his hotel, during a visit to Oklahoma City.

 

GOSSIP BOY: You have a Latin Colin Farrell look about you. So are you a bad boy Andrew?

 

ANDREW CHRISTIAN: Am I a bad boy? That depends on how you look at it. I don’t think I exhibit out-of-control behavior or at least I try not to. But I sure do have my moments.

 

Andrew you make yourself more accessible to your customers than most designers. You go out and do shows from OKC to Rio and put a face to your clothing lines. How important has that been to you?

 

It’s a really good thing for me as I get to add customers and I get to meet the people who are wearing the product to see how it wears and what the customer is wanting to see more of. Plus they get to meet the designer, me, and it gives an even better personality to the product. The feedback helps me in future designs as well.

 

What inspires your ideas?

 

The California lifestyle has been the lead in that. Laidback, casual, fun. 

 

For a decade you concentrated on your urban inspired line of men’s wear, but as you’re doing an underwear fashion show at Angles, let’s talk about that endeavor. When did you turn your focus on the underwear and why?

 

I’d wanted to do underwear for a long time, but just didn’t feel guys were ready for fashionable underwear. That’s changed in the last few years. Definitely the metrosexual trend helped. Guys are taking better care of their bodies and to look good and sexy from head to toe.

 

In a single word describe your underwear?

 

Two words okay? Casual luxury.

 

Tell us about those Flashback underwear you make for the booty challenged. And let’s cover the frontal area too……you had that WonderBra effect, the Show It Technology, for lifting the spirits of Mr. Winky, but you dropped it after a bit, why?

 

The Flashbacks are butt lifters for guys with no asses. They’re really cool with popping color and we’ve got this built in support system that helps form, shape and uplift the butt. There’s no padding or anything like that; the design itself accomplishes it. There’s a spandex strapping that contours the buttocks. A lot of men are “booty challenged” and I am one of the worst; it’s like I have back with a crack. It adds up to an inch to your butt so now we can all have those bubble butts. I was at the gym and noticed how people were always working out for their rear ends – lunges, squats. I just thought it would be great if I came up with a pair of underwear that would automatically do it for them.

 

The Show Its?

 

The Show Its had their day. Many a go go boy raked in tips with those undies (laughs). We’re still working on the line, and will be putting out our Almost Naked line in November that’s a male enhancer in the front and allows you to hang more freely. It’s constructed out of a bamboo fiber that is really, really soft. It’s an eco-friendly fiber that’s also naturally anti-bacterial.

 

With Show It gone what will the go-go boys have to do to get better tips?

 

Oh there’s one or two things I’m sure. Actually they can still find the line and as they hold up well I think they can hold out for the new line. The Almost Nakeds are soooooo comfortable to wear and they’ll love that.

 

Describe the Andrew Christian man. The guy that wears your stuff.

 

I would describe the Andrew Christian man as the urban, metrosexual, not necessarily gay but certainly gays are a huge part of our business, somebody who takes care of themselves and wants to look good.

 

You’re branching out into the more stylish Black Line this year, how has that been going for you? What can we look forward to with that?

 

The Black Line came out of necessity as I needed something to wear for myself. I made some stuff for myself and thought I’d release them for others. It’s all stuff I wear. The Black Line is higher end stuff that I wear to parties, red carpet events. Jeans, trousers, button up shirts in stylish colors, vests. I tend to do contrasting collars and cuffs so it gets that AC flair to it.      

 

What is your favorite single design? And which area of clothing do you prefer working on – the tees, swimsuits, undies or the Black line?

 

That is the one question I can never answer. As I wear everything I design, I have to love it before I put it out for others to wear. 

 

Besides being sexy and edgy, just how comfortable are your underwear?a
r?

Oh definitely comfortable. That’s a very important goal for me. In fact, the November issues all have a new elastic waistband that I am calling the anti-muffin top waistband as it doesn’t pinch or push out flesh. There’s lots of stretch to it. Plus we strive to get the comfort fabrics like the bamboo.

 

Now Andrew I want to convince some boys in OKC of something and your voice of authority will help. Please tell these boys that super low cut skivvies means super low cut pubic hair. Weed whack the shit! Am I right? Be assertive about it.

 

Manscape, manscape, manscape. You have to have everything neat and tidy.

 

Which of your underwear are you wearing now?

 

Actually wearing a design for next year. I always test drive my products before they go to market.

 

In the interest of journalistic integrity will you drop trou and allow me to verify that? Cuz if I find Fruit of the Looms….

 

Trust.

 

Okay, which of your undies do Alec Mapa and Jai Rodriquez wear? Fess up.

 

Jai likes the sailor boxers. He’s a ship ahoy boy. Alec likes a lot of my stuff. He’s a big supporter of my lines.

 

Who do you want to see your sexiest pieces on?

 

Colin Farrell for that urban flavor. And the hot guy from Gossip Girl. Oh Chace Crawford. I’d love to see David Beckham, but he’s under contract with Armani right now.

 

Do you ever see any of your past creations and just cringe? Which ones?

 

Not really, because everything I did in the past was for me. Sometimes I am out there and I’ll see things like a shirt or something and I forgot that I’d made that, it had been so long ago.

 

You have some of the hottest models in the industry. Uber-hotties like TJ Wilks. Care to tell us what goes on at those casting calls and photo shoots?

 

Oh they’re very boring, very boring. (laughs)

 

You also have underwear for women. The lesbians around here tend to prefer wearing long johns. How can we convince them to try out your fashions and will it look good with their hairy legs and work boots?

 

A lot of gay women in LA wear my underwear. It has the same appeal for them as it does the guys. The styles are the same, but the fitting is done differently. The girls in Oklahoma would love my female lines.

 

Give us some dirt on Janice Dickinson and her crew? Is Kehoe a homo? And are you really going to appear in Season Four as the buzz suggests?

 

Oh I love her. She’s intimidating at first, but we hit it off right away. Now we’re great buds and I will be appearing on future episodes. One next week as a matter of fact. Kehoe gay? I really can’t say; don’t think he is.

 

What is Kehoe’s cell phone number?

 

(Laughs uproariously) Don’t think I better do that.

 

You’re an Obama supporter and even have a pair of boxers with his face on them, so let’s talk politics. Where do you want our country to head under President Obama, who’ll obviously be wearing your eco friendly underwear in the Oval Office?

 

I actually sent him a gift package of underwear and he wrote back a nice thank you note. I want our country to get back on the right track and I think Obama can accomplish that. We need to be friends with the world again, as well as each other.

 

Which of your underwear would you suggest wearing were one locked in a bamboo cage in some Asian jungle? The ones with bamboo fiber in them or should you just like go commando like John McCain?

 

Is this get Andrew in trouble day? Steamy jungles, huh? Well it’d have to be the bamboo fiber. A natural for a bamboo cage and that anti-bacterial benefit will be a good thing.

 

Do you think Sarah Palin’s moose skin granny panties have magical powers like Mormon underwear?

 

(Laughs hysterically) Oh. Man.

 

What magical power would you wish your underwear could impart?

 

Confidence. But really they already do that with most men, so I don’t know.

 

At Gossip Boy we call Sarah Palin…Caribou Barbie, so what is she being called in LA and no you don’t have to keep it clean as we’re very fond of obscenities?

 

Well, when I get back to LA, we’ll all be calling her Caribou Barbie now. That’s a good one!

 

Okay, last question: Is the Michael Kors shirt I’m wearing a bit outdated? Be honest.

 

It’s fab. Michael is an awesome designer.