Andrew Christian To Close Underwear Brand Citing Fast Fashion And Politics
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The iconic queer underwear brand, Andrew Christian, is set to close after operating for nearly thirty years.
After making the announcement this week Christian spoken out about the reasons for the closure of his brand.
Why is Andrew Christian closing?
In 1997 Andrew Christian started out with his own clothing line before eventually branching out in underwear in 2006.
Since then the brand has taken off for Christian as it has become well known and marketed to the gay community.
Christian has developed a knack for cheeky and attention grabbing marketing and has also courted his fair share of controversy over the years.
However now Andrew Christian has announced his retirement and the closure of the brand entirely.
Christian posted his official farewell on his website this week.
“After more than 25 years, my hands will soon lay down the needle that has guided me through this calling” he wrote.
“My final words as a designer won’t be spoken aloud, but sewn into Bespoke—Fall/Winter 2025 (October), my final collection.”
“Soon after, the company will close.”
In an interview with Queerty Christian revealed that he had made several attempts to sell the business, but was also facing tough competition from fast fashion online brands such as Temu.
“The truth is, the fashion landscape has changed dramatically. There’s been a clear shift in consumer behavior, with many people — especially younger generations — buying from fast fashion platforms like Shein and Temu, where you can get underwear for $3” he told Queerty.
But it wasn’t just the tough competition that was making the sale difficult, he claims the current political climate for the LGBTQIA+ community was turning off bigger companies from wanting to align themselves with the community.
“I actually reached out to all the major apparel companies, offering them the opportunity to acquire Andrew Christian. Unfortunately, none showed interest” he said.
“There’s a reluctance to associate with LGBTQ+ focused businesses that simply wasn’t there a few years ago.”
He called on the community to support each other, particularly in this climate.
“If the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t support other gay brands, gay bars, and similar businesses, there will be no gay businesses left.”
“We’re at a critical moment where our own community needs to make conscious choices about where we spend our money, or we’ll lose the very spaces and brands that have supported us for decades.”
While there is a sadness to see the iconic brand closing, Andrew reflects on the importance of the visibility he has created. Between his models and attention grabbing campaigns Andrew Christian has been unapologetically queer, allowing people from around the world be able to feel seen.
“Andrew Christian brand gave them a sense of connection to the LGBTQ+ community that was completely nonexistent in their lives” he said.
“Knowing that Andrew Christian underwear gave someone the confidence to love themselves more, to feel seen, or even to come out of the closet — that’s what matters most to me.”
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