they seem cool

The Designer Creating Clothes by and for People of Trans Experience

Left: Gogo Graham wears a Dsquared2 dress; Center: Gogo wears her own clothing; Right: Gogo wears her own clothing. Photo: Lucas Michael

Gogo Graham’s eponymous label is truly one of a kind. Graham started making designs for photography projects with her friend and collaborator Serena Jara, and over the past five collections, her brand’s impact evolved into a phenomenon. The clothes are by and for people of trans experience (mostly women), and Graham doesn’t sell them in a typical way. Nothing is mass-produced; instead, she’ll give away samples from Fashion Week. “I just wanted to make clothes for people of trans experience because I felt like that was something I had difficulty with,” Graham said. She spoke to the Cut about corsets, congee, and Lord of the Rings.

Gogo wears a Dsquared2 dress. Photo: Lucas Michael

If you could be a magazine, what magazine would you be?
Sports Illustrated. I just love the beachy shoots.

If you could speak to animals, which animals would you want to talk to?
Ants. Where do you get your work ethic? They get so much done!

Sneakers or slippers?
Sneakers.

What’s something your social-media followers don’t know about you? 
It’s kind of embarrassing. I do a really good Gollum impersonation. [In Gollum voice.] Stupid hobbit. I’m not a performer, so I get so embarrassed when I do it.

What was the last website you looked at?
I was looking up measles vaccinations in the U.S. I went to Mexico with my friend to go and see my mom, and she helps run a dog-adoption center. One of the dogs had a disease that translates to measles in humans. But I learned that babies get vaccinated in the U.S. so it doesn’t matter.

If you could be outfitted by one designer for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Mariano Fortuny.

What time is your alarm set for in the morning?
7 a.m.

What do you eat for breakfast?
Yogurt and bacon.

If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would they be?
Chicken tenders, tuna maki, and congee.

What piece of clothing or accessory makes you feel most like yourself?
A corset.

If you were a color, what would it be?
Green. A muted, booger green.

If you could tell Donald Trump one thing and make sure he would listen, what would it be?
I don’t have any interest in talking to him.

Gogo Graham wears a Dsquared2 dress.

The Designer Creating Clothes by and for Trans People