Gypsy Sport's World Isn't Black-and-White

Rio Uribe, the rule-breaking designer behind Gypsy Sport, is no stranger to willful disruption. After establishing a consistent aesthetic across several years — the colorful, multi-cultural jerseys, the feathery Chris Habana jewelry collaborations, the New York-inspired energy — Gypsy Sport made a significant shift when they showed in Paris last season with a guerrilla-style runway and aggressive push for sustainable DIY fashion. Uribe had begun to step out of the mold he'd created for himself.

For Fall '18, the brand thankfully returned to NYC, where they maintained elements of eco-friendly construction (hand-crocheted doilies, soda can dresses, fork closures, recycled fabrics), while pushing things even further from Gypsy Sport's original look. Color was traded almost entirely for black-and-white, and sportswear switched with gothic romanticism — it was challenging, at-times sexually charged and ultimately kept longtime Gypsy Sport fans on their toes.

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While the fashion may be evolving (as it should), the unapologetically queer, inclusive celebration of a Gypsy Sport production was still present — and perhaps more so than ever before. Uribe stacked his cast with today's most important, and followed faces. Jazzelle Zanaughtti was there wielding a fur stole, followed by performance artist Imma Asher, rapper Junglepussy and Shamir. 10-year-old drag sensation Desmond Napoles drew cheers from the audience, and the Clermont Twins drew cellphones. Munroe Bergdorf, who recently underwent FFS, closed the show with pastel pink hair.

To industry gatekeepers who're still glued to model archetypes, Gypsy Sport's presentation might seem like a glimpse of a brighter, more diverse future. In reality, Uribe is putting a mirror to the world, spotlighting faces who're here today and affecting society, right now. Perhaps this is why the designer soundtracked his runway with a remix of Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror," prompting the crowd to question why they consider his cast "the other," rather than "the norm." Though his collection was black-and-white, it's clear Uribe rejects polarization of any kind, instead reveling in the glorious in-between.

Check out photos from Gypsy Sport's show by Andrew Boyle, below.