Pierre Davis has made her debut in New York, becoming the first transgender designer to present a collection at Fashion Week.
Founded in 2015, Davis’ brand NO SESSO, which translates in Italian to “No Sex”, already has a strong following in Los Angeles, where the designer is based.
The brand, which is agender, shows its collections in chapters rather than collections, and already boasts big names like Erykah Badu and Kelela as fans.
Last month, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which says it represents more than 500 creators and heavily supports diversity, announced that NO SESSO would be “making NYFW history”.
Speaking to the CFDA, Davis said she hopes the brand will “inspire people to be more community-minded and to realise not everything is just about aesthetics or commerce. It's also about humanity.”
She added it is important “that people of all intersectional identities are given a fighting chance regardless of their identity.
“The playing field isn't level in the world, and it is even more difficult in fashion.”
While Davis admits her show is a positive step for transgender representation in the fashion industry, she hopes people will recognise her work for its merit first and foremost.
"I always ride very hard for my community, I always have,” she told Paper Mag.
“But I think it's really important, maybe even more important now, that this fashion week I'm just focused as a designer first.”
For her debut appearance in New York, Davis showcased a collection inspired by a “proud businesswoman of the future”, featuring everything from power suits to furry briefcases and velour tracksuits.
The show also enlisted a diverse cast of models including guitarist Steve Lacy, performance artist Boychild and Singer, model, and writer Marz Lovejoy.
