Sam Finger Says America Is 'Giving Clown'

Brand muses, from Anna Bloda to Harmony Tividad and Sophia Lamar, danced on stripper poles while found footage of American history played behind them in juxtaposition. The majority of Finger’s cast was LGBTQ+, specifically centering trans and nonbinary performers, to highlight the individuals he believes represent American ideals the most. “We are a mirror of what it is to live honestly and authentically free,” Finger says of his decision to include NYC’s local queer community. “Ultimately, I wanted this collection to have a celebratory energy.”

Below, PAPER learns more about the rising demi-couture designer and how he managed to “break free of any rules or expectations” with his brand this season.

How does this collection reflect the ethos of your brand?

The ethos was reflected through our casting, theatrical presentation and unconventional upcycling to speak to the times we are living in. Our cast was majority LGBTQ+ with more than half being trans or nonbinary. I wanted the models to perform a heightened version of themselves, bringing their own authenticity to the presentation. Showing in a strip club with video projecting fragmented American history behind the models, each look was a subversive satire on the current state of America. By upcycling these iconic motifs like camo, picnic gingham, stars and stripes onto devilish clowns, it became an allegory of American injustice. To sum it all up, it’s like: America, you’re giving clown.

What message or narrative are you trying to communicate through this collection?

How did you approach casting for this presentation?

I approached casting very intimately this season and designed each look with a specific model in mind. Almost everyone in the cast had some connection to me. My favorite story was one model being my real estate agent. I walked into what would become my new home and there she was, this bad bitch. Even then, I thought, She will be in the next show. My goal with the casting this season was to acknowledge the NYC community of artists and creatives I admire, like Fashion Faguette, Jonah Almost, x3butterfly, Anna Bloda, Sophia Lamar and Harmony Tividad. These are all exceptional people breaking conventions and pushing boundaries in their artistic fields. This sentiment perfectly matched the show’s goal to highlight individuality and freedom of expression.

How does this collection fit into the larger trajectory of your brand’s evolution?

This season I wanted to push the brand in a more artisanal, demi-couture direction. I was excited to break free of any rules or expectations I had once put on the brand and really flex our design muscles. So we took a lot of risks and, honestly, had a lot of fun pushing the brand’s expression of itself. It was not just about making a product, but saying something within the art form. That’s what's most important to me.

Did you have any formal training in fashion design, or are you self-taught? How did that journey unfold?

Growing up, my mom had a clothing brand and we lived in her design studio. Her partner was the legendary designer Barbara Hulanicki and I learned a lot being around them. I designed a collection for them one summer and it came very naturally to me. It wasn’t until after college, where I received a BFA in theater that I started pursuing fashion design more seriously. I interned for Vivienne Tam, who then hired me, and I learned more in that year than any education or job could ever have taught me. She put me through the school of hard knocks, but it was so worth it. After a decade in corporate fashion, my theater experience has come full circle in producing Sam Finger shows. I’m really just here for the theater.

How did your upbringing or early experiences shape your interest in fashion?

I was always inspired by women, and their freedom to dress up and create a look for themselves. Back then it was not as common to see men doing this, so I loved dressing up in my mom’s clothes and playing with barbies. But public school in the ’90s of New York, you had to be tough or else you’d get beat up. I think in a way this shaped me to be passionate about freedom of expression. I didn’t have that and I think fashion is a really great outlet if you’ve got something to say.

What’s next for you after this collection?

We are already prepping for February fashion week. We also need to make more money, so I have some fun projects in the works like a graphic tee collection and new underwear collection — really fun affordable stuff for the kids. Then I’m working on expanding our business to provide custom for couture and luxury. A little high-brow, low-brow is the business plan.

Photography: Esther Pola