LUXURY MENSWEAR BRAND VENTURES TO NEW CATEGORIES

Collection Photos Courtesy Of Tommy Flanagan

Grayscale is the high luxury menswear brand founded by Los Angeles-based designer Brandon Gray in 2014. With a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as sustainability, Grayscale provides high quality looks from spicing up a casual day running errands, to an elegant wedding in the Hamptons. Gray’s styles have been flaunted on the red carpet by the likes of Regé-Jean Page, Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver and Lady Gaga.

Gray took us behind the scenes of his high-profi le brand, as well as the exciting things he has planned for the future. Have you always known you wanted to be in fashion? How did you get your start?

Fashion has always been a part of my life. I have always had a love for fashion. When I was younger, I would repurpose pieces in my wardrobe. I would buy vintage pieces and work them to fit my personality. How I got started in fashion began when I was working in fi nance, where I got my degree. I was managing clients’ funds and, being known for my sense of style around the office, a client commented on my clothes and asked me to give them a few pointers on their style and possibly create a homemade piece for them. From there, I thought of a career change and moved to Paris where I trained under a tailor from Savile Row, who I bartered with running his books to learn about the fashion industry. After a year abroad, I went back home to Los Angeles and launched my brand, Grayscale, in 2014.

What inspires your design process?

Everything. My world around me. I’m a fi rm believer that life imitates art, as I fi nd that art imitates everything. From trips to museums and modern and vintage architecture to even my travels, I fi nd inspiration everywhere. My “art” is my designs and creations. Each piece in my various collections expresses my life at a specific moment in time. What I was going through and what I was feeling. For instance, the FRIDA jacket, one of my best sellers, was from inspiration I received when I went to a Frida Calo exhibition. It was an immersive experience and it inspired me to make that particular jacket.

You are known for menswear, but recently launched a womenswear line; what made you want to venture into this new category? There were so many things that I didn’t see when I started out designing so I continued to focus on menswear. After the last couple of collections, my attention was drawn to the woman’s body. A woman’s body is a work of art with its varying curves and natural silhouettes. I wanted to see how women looked, moved and felt in my pieces. It became a love story as I now wanted to make women feel as good as men do in my clothes. I am now creating gowns, maxis, slip dresses, jumpsuits and tops but with my spin on them. I’m bringing my eye to those types of garments via mixed media, color blocking, colorway silhouettes and pushing the standard of what the norm is for those items. We will now be the full “House Of Gray.”

Celebrities have been seen wearing your clothes on the red carpet; what has it been like to see your brand grow to such heights?

It’s an honor! It also keeps me on my toes because I now feel it is expected of me. I never thought I would reach this point as fashion was just something I dabbled in. Now the brand is getting recognition so the bar has defi nitely been raised and excellence is (and was) the standard. When I was in Paris, I wasn’t sure where all of this was going. Now I’m being told whispers of “Is that Grayscale?” are floating in and around Hollywood. My off-the-wall prints, patterns and wild color combinations are starting to get attention. It’s nothing I am doing on purpose as I just let the creative process lead me instead of my trying to control it.

How much does sustainability, diversity, equity & inclusion play a role in your production process (materials used, worker welfare practices, etc.)?

Sustainability: I make an effort to be sustainable in my personal life. Even when it comes to the use of the fabric I obtain. I make sure to use all of it. It’s a continuous effort and I am always learning and trying to improve the environment around me.

Diversity, equity and inclusion: My team consists of a dichotomy of the fashion world as well as a representation of what the world is. All ethnicities and gender identities come into play when I’m choosing models and in my hiring practices. Fashion is part of the spectrum and I want everyone to feel excellent when they put my pieces on.

What is your favorite part about your job?

My favorite part is the confidence I see in people when they put my pieces on. When I see their stances change as they look in the mirror and see themselves. A better sense of themselves is presented to the world. I like to help people display that. There is a sense of pride I get when I see them spread and flutter their feathers as a peacock does.

What about your job challenges you?

The most challenging part is being true to self. Not falling victim to what society says is “in”. You are constantly seeing these challenges and when you are in your own lane, there is no traffic. It is hard not to drift but you have to check yourself in staying true to yourself. I’ll take a blunt stop and refocus if I feel I am steering away from the goal of a piece or look. When it’s not evoking the right emotion for me, I can feel it. If I listen to others, I often won’t feel my own voice. If that begins to happen, I will take a few steps back and think, “What was my end goal?” I’ll retrace my steps and get right back on track.

What is in store for the future?

Change is in the air. The future holds a lot of change with the women’s collection. It is a new frontier. The new space I am in is cultivating the women’s collection and being focused on women. This is changing the entire landscape of the brand. We are throwing our hat into the women’s division and becoming a full house and will now be able to show you what we can do in this new arena.