I guess you could say that I have a dream. We are making great moves in the right direction, but I would love to see more of an impression made on communities to finally understand what this all means. Our battle is a matter of gender identity, and not sexual orientation. Realizing that there is an equal place for us among our male and female counterparts, that there is a place in the middle. The real struggle is the rest of the world accepting us as human beings and not a gimmick. I would love to see more trans models on the runway, and I think it is a matter of time. The fashion and beauty industries have always embraced the ideas of androgyny and it made it very easy to embrace the trans community. What do you think this says about the fashion industry being accepting of transgender people? There are several prominent transgender models and designers like Nina Poon, Lea T, Andrej Pejic, and Cy Lauz. I still love Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe, Comme des Garcons, and Givenchy. Construction methods that are no longer used today, I seek to learn and apply them to my work. I am an old soul, so I connect with people who are older than myself and I find treasures in their stories, their memories. What are your biggest influencers as a designer? What other designers do you find inspiring?Ĭurrent events often trigger my imagination while history and the people I meet every day continue to inspire me. I have developed my creative ideas and deep back stories to communicate through clothing that real women love and adore. My line is carried at Neiman Marcus, in the contemporary, CUSP department among Alexander Wang and Philip Lim. Perhaps the reason my work directly relates to my stages in life and my personal journey, which is also a journey that everyone can find ways to connect with. She is soft yet unrelenting, sweet with a bite. My muse is someone who truly expresses her life seasons through the clothing she wears and is a woman who is in tune with the universal language of balance and consequence. A modern trendsetter without even knowing it. Today, Andy South represents the classic, yet forward-thinking woman who lives today. You could see glimpses of my own internal struggles when I would design something so fragile and light, got reamed for it, and then came back with a hard ass, warrior woman design to win that next challenge. Many people noticed that even as male, I was very soft and quiet in demeanor, while my designs were severe a lot of the time. When I finally found a place where I could feel comfortable with my own identity, I was able to balance that hard, protective aesthetic with my femininity and softness. ![]() I always knew that my work is rooted in my soul - when I feel like I have to protect myself, the designs are harder with a lot of bite. ![]() ![]() Being very young on season 8, I was seen as someone still finding myself as a designer, and it makes sense now that that was the final critique I received from the judges. I would hope that everyone has progressed as designers. Has your design aesthetic evolved since you were last on the show? In many ways, I feel whole and fulfilled with myself and that allows me to go about my life happily and without all the weight or shame holding me down. I don't have all the struggles with identity lingering over my head and heart while competing. I know that I can focus on the task at hand. In what ways do you think this change will affect your journey on Project Runway: All Stars? You competed on Project Runway before your transition, but now you will be competing as Ari. ![]() We conducted an interview with Ari about the changes in her life and the goals she has for this competition. After transitioning from Andy to Ari, she now returns for a brand new season of Project Runway: All Stars. Since her success on the show, she has been designing for Neiman Marcus in Hawaii and has opened her own store in Honolulu. Ari South, whose fashion line uses her former name, Andy South, was a top three finalist on season eight of Project Runway.
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