Kriti Mehrotra
While Michael Shead undeniably stands out from the crowd with his loud and proud personality, Hulu’s ‘Dress My Tour’ took him to an entirely new level thanks to the spotlight being on his work. However, if we’re being honest, this was not his first foray into the world of reality competition series’ since he previously also featured in Prime Video’s ‘Making the Cut’ plus Bravo’s ‘Project Runway.’ Therefore, of course, it goes without saying that he has truly been able to establish a name for himself in the industry over the past few years as both a designer as well as a creative, innovative director.
Michael Shead Fell in Love With Fashion Early On
A Saint Louis, Missouri native through and through, Michael was admittedly merely 8 or 9 when he first got bit by the fashion bug while watching a documentary on PBS, only for it to really stick around. He, thus, knew he wished to pursue a career in the same by the time he’d graduated from Eureka Senior High School in 2005, driving him to begin honing his self-taught skills via first-hand experience. In other words, he quickly began focusing on what matters — creativity — knowing from day one that he’ll never give up on his dreams no matter what comes his way because that is just not who he is.
Michael Shead’s Career Trajectory Has Been Intriguing
In 2007, Michael landed his first official job as a Sales Associate at American Eagle Outfitters and Salon Manager at Demay Furs, only to gradually work hard and expand his wings. That’s how he was able to acquire the position of Fashion Assistant at Alive Magazine in 2009, where he remained right until 2012, all the while holding his prior jobs until 2012 and 2014, respectively. Then came his decision to join the maternity brand Pea in a Pod as an Assistant Manager to make ends meet, shortly following which he took a leap of faith to focus only on his long-desired goals.
Michael has been a makeup enthusiast for almost as long as he has had a passion for fashion, so he actually even served at Sephora from 2009 to 2018 before evolving into an independent makeup artist. This reportedly enabled him to enter new spaces in a way he never could have imagined, especially as his clients included not just brides or influences but also big-name brands such as Bobbi Brown, Cover FX, Givenchy, Narx, Too Faced, as well as Tom Ford, amongst others.
Michael’s career as a fashion designer has undeniably benefitted from the opportunities he has embraced as a makeup artist, yet it has been his unwavering determination that has helped him surpass all bounds. It turns out he actually auditioned for ‘Project Runway’ six times before he got selected, only for that plus his ‘Making the Cut’ stint to help him realize his dreams before he also got handpicked by his mentor Andre Leon Tally to be featured on the ‘Tamron Hall’ talk show as an up and coming designer.
Michael Shead is Much More Than a Designer
While it’s true Michael is a creative being whose priority is his success, his primary aim has always been to create original pieces that enable people to shine a light upon their inner beauty and strength. In other words, he is a true visionary, and both his chosen career as a fashion designer plus a makeup artist portrays that — it’s how his work has even managed to be featured in numerous editorials for local as well as national publications and in a global advertisement campaign for the footwear brand Luichiny Ltd. Furthermore, he appears to go above and beyond to give back to the community that has made him feel comfortable in his own skin and like he doesn’t have to hide his ambitions, creativity, or truest desires.
Whenever Michael’s not occupied with new projects or traveling across the globe to expand his self-titled design business, he devotes his time to creating fashion-focused educational opportunities for the youth. In fact, he himself teaches classes focused on the basics of fashion— sewing, draping, and hemming — so as to help the next generation of designers develop the skills they will undoubtedly need to be successful. As if that’s not enough, this St. Louis, Missouri, native, plus designer of the line called Little Women, often even serves as a panelist for local beauty, makeup, as well as fashion events, wherein he does his best to ensure that his critiques help others do better instead of pulling them down.
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