It’s 2008. I’m enjoying the final runway shows featured in the ‘Project Runway’ season 4 finale, paired with a bottle of malbec. One fashion line in particular grabs me and doesn’t let go. I’m enthralled by the Spanish conquistador influences on this line, the juxtaposition of strong and soft, the interplay of ruffled textures and straight lines, the shapes, the angles, the drama, the seductiveness, the sultriness, and the color story; the first several pieces were solid black, followed by the introduction of beige and burgundy pieces. I watch a precocious 21-year-old fashion visionary named Christian Siriano handily win the season with this stunning fashion line. The credits roll. Commercials begin. I turn off the tv and sit in silence for a few moments to digest his powerful work. I turn to my keyboard and play a single chord, promptly followed by about 85% of the material that comprises this piece. Christian’s strong, solid, crystal-clear vision ignited the same in me, and I’m deeply grateful to his art for having such a profound influence on mine.