After a recent runway tour, Gunnar Deatherage took a moment to reflect on his latest collection, and how lucky he is to do what he loves most: dream and create exquisite garments that women want to wear.
Photographed and Written By Miranda McDonald
Designs by Gunnar Deatherage
Hair by Matthew Tyldesley
Hair by Charles and Company
502.419.8300
Makeup by Ann Maria
Ann Maria & Co
502.263.3036
Photographer Assistant
Jessica Malloy
“Every collection that I create tells a story. It is never about creating things solely for money,” explained Deatherage when I spoke to him about his latest collection, titled, The Bird Lady. This collection was inspired by a dream the designer had about a lady who lived lavishly in the public eye but secretly longed to get away from the spotlight. The dream ended with the woman sitting silently on a park bench feeding the birds. “This collection is about the positive facade we put on for the public. The theme is beauty on the outside and a beautiful disaster on the inside,” Deatherage revealed.
This beautiful disaster is represented by the chaotic pattern Deatherage created for his structured wool pieces. One of those pieces is a midi-length dress the designer carefully embellished with a patch of beading that rests on one shoulder of the frock. This use of wool and interesting play with pattern also carried over to other pieces in the collection, including his outerwear. However, the designer created lighter pieces, like an ethereal gown and a floor-length dress that can easily be worn from day to night.
It is this use of hard and soft lines that show Deatherage’s ever-growing range as a designer. Waists are cinched with strategically-placed seams and silk sashes, and his voluminous take on the modern shawl is simply breathtaking. “The most exciting part of (being) a designer is having the ability to create. I get to be a dreamer and then use the skills I’ve taught myself to create wearable art. It isn’t just fashion for me. This is my art. It’s my way of life.”
