BROOKLYN, New York (WABC) — With each stitch, we may be getting a glimpse into the future of fashion.
Before we see the latest fashion trends hit the runway, their often seen on a smaller stage, at a drag show near you
“That is where trends start. Trends start in clubs on the stage and filter down eventually to the red carpets and major events we see around the world,” said Daniel Silverstein, designer, Zero Waste Daniel. “I see drag queens as my couture customer.”
In a world of fast fashion and fabric filling waste sites, Zero Waste Daniel celebrates sustainable handmade designs by reusing fabric to create unique looks.
“What helped me cut through the noise was making things that I wanted to wear,” Silverstein said. “So, instead of things that were ready for New York Fashion Week, a black sweat shirt with my scraps was really what went viral for me.”
Viral on some of Hollywood’s best from Alan Cummings to Fran Drescher.
“It’s a pinch me moment when someone who inspired my career as a designer wears one of my designs,” Silverstein said.
That includes serving looks for drag stars like Bob the Drag Queen and New York City’s Chelsea Piers.
“Drag always has always been a way to take things in pop culture and turn them on their head,” Chelsea Piers said.
Piers has been working stages around New York City for well over a decade. Piers says he has seen drag fashion influence pop culture, no shade intended.
“I mean pop stars are doing drag now. Like, if you look at these really structured body suits with holographic fabric, Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, Gaga, I mean Gaga is our mother, she is our mother monster for sure,” Piers said.
“Guys wearing pearl necklaces it was something that was happening here in Bushwick and then Harry Styles picked it up and now it’s common practice around the world,” Silverstein said. “It’s power clash, everything, so mix and match and it all goes together.”
He says when styling these fierce entertainers there are no limits.
“You can do something as loud and wild as you want. You can also work with the most inconvenient materials,” Silverstein said.
Whether you’re an NBA superstar before a game or a celebrity getting ready for the Met Gala, the best influence from the drag community to pop culture is allowing you to be you.
“There’s something about coming out as your authentic self, it gives you freedom and permission to dress however you want, express yourself how you want, and that freedom and joy is contagious to people,” Silverstein said. “Whether you’re a member of that community, an ally of that community, or you just draw inspiration from our community, we give people that permission to be their authentic selves on the street.”
RELATED: Zero Waste Daniel sells sustainable fashion without sacrificing style
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Joelle Garguilo has more in Brooklyn.
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