ABOUT GILLIAN CORDES

Origins

Hi, my name is Gillian Cordes, I use she/they pronouns and I am a senior at the Fashion Institute of Technology in the sportswear concentration. I am a lesbian, demisexual, nonbinary person, and I come from a Jewish German background. I tell you this not because I am self-indulgent, but because I am a firm believer that nothing is created within a vacuum. Everything in the world that is created, is created with a context that is necessary to understand it fully. I believe that every part of you influences your work, and that is a large part of what makes us all create uniquely. No one else can create the work that you were meant to create, and similarly you cannot create anything but what you were meant to create. With that in mind, let me tell you about my work. 

My work revolves around sportswear and athletic wear, and thus revolves around functionality. However, I know that just because something is functional, does not mean it needs to be boring or plain. My designs often revolve around color and abstraction. I am often inspired by the abstract art movement of the early 20th century and exemplify that in my color stories, fabrications, and designs. Cut lines are my main design detailing that helps me connect my inspiration to my work while flattering and enhancing the human form. I design with an androgynous customer in mind. My aim is that anyone of any body type can not only wear, but feel comfortable and love how they look in my designs. I design for inclusivity and for visibility. Representation and feeling seen is a central part of why and how I design. My aim is to work in activewear at an influential company where I can create real change within diversity representation and sustainability.

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For those who have not always found what represents them most in the fashion industry, my work should be a safe place to find who they are and how they would like to present themselves.