SEMI-FINALIST OF THE 2018 LVMH PRIZE

NIHLby NEIL GROTZINGER

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Neil draws most of his inspiration from dispositions of thought based around the concept of masculinity that saturated his Midwestern, suburban upbringing. Utilizing iconic American symbols as a tool for subversion, he intends to break down false perceptions of what it means to be, act or seem male.
Neil came to New York City to study fashion design in 2010, and eventually went on to work as a womenswear designer for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Prabal Gurung, and Diane Von Furstenburg. He attended the MFA program for Fashion Design and Society at Parsons New School for Design and started his own brand.
His work has evolved into a culturally stimulating, and politically infused argument around what we are willing to accept in the male social atmosphere. With the goal of displacing and dispelling in mind, he constructs garments which deny their own purpose, transforming what were once functional separates into couture objects. He innovates by infusing traditional garments with elements of hand craftsmanship in a way that consistently challenges stereotypes and hones in on an erotic sensation which he simply describes as "Masculine Effeminacy."