Dipaly Banerjee
Netflix’s ‘Next in Fashion’ attempts to find the next big designer in the fashion industry. The reality Tv show is the first of its kind where 12 contestants (all renowned) designers face different challenges and attempt to win every challenge to make it to the top. The 12 participating designers have already made remarkable strides in the fashion business. They have won design competitions and have been celebrity stylists for different personalities.
Contestant Qaysean Williams appeared on ‘Next in Fashion,’ Season 2 and attempted to highlight their creative side in the fashion game. Nevertheless, with the cameras now turned away, let’s take a closer look at Qaysean Williams’ journey and find out where they are at present, shall we?
Qaysean Williams’ Next in Fashion Journey
Though Qaysean didn’t win the show, he showed strength and passion in his work. Throughout his short-lived journey on the show, Qaysean looked serious while also having fun in his free time. In the first episode entitled ‘Royalty,’ the designer’s inspiration was Nefertiti, and their obsession with the Egyptian culture inspired them to create a futuristic caged look that screamed gold. Though it wasn’t one of the top dresses, it still helped them to stay in the competition. In episode 2, the team challenge, they were teamed with Eliana, Nigel, Desyrée, Deontré, and Courtney. Though their team didn’t win the challenge, they produced some great earthy-themed dresses. Unfortunately, the third challenge, thrift, didn’t stand or live up to their vision and they were eventually eliminated.
Qaysean Williams is Empowering Through Manikin Mob
As a budding fashion designer, rapper, and aspiring actor, Qaysean Williams is also known as “the one-hand sewing man” for being able to cut and sew clothes and accessories with just one arm as a result of having Erb’ palsy. Williams started his fashion brand, Manikin Mob, in an effort to conceal his disability. Williams discusses how having a handicap as a child affected his professional choices and inspired him to develop a “Super-Ability” as a creator and entrepreneur. They have also made an appearance in ‘The City is Mine.’
Qaysean hopes that more advertisements for prestigious and high-end brands will feature supermodels alongside customers/consumers from the LGBTQIA community, the Black and Brown community, and the disabled community. In order to accomplish this, it is essential that creatives like them be given a seat at the table, given the freedom to speak up without fear of retaliation, given a say in product development, given the opportunity to make decisions regarding both the creative and marketing processes, and given the opportunity to participate in product development. The designer has focused all their energy on their company, Manikin, which they started in 2014.
Read More: Where is Next in Fashion Contestant James Ford Now?
