Marco Morante
Marco Morante | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 6, 1979 Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | [1] |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Partner | Chris Psaila |
| Website | www |
Marco Morante (born June 6, 1979)[2] is an American fashion designer, best known for his dressing of numerous entertainment personalities for television, concerts, and live stage shows. He has designed for Fergie, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Britney Spears, and Shakira,[3] as well as various drag queens who have competed on RuPaul's Drag Race. Morante co-owns the Hollywood-based fashion design studio Marco Marco with his partner Chris Psaila.
Personal life
[edit]Morante was born to a Puerto Rican mother and a Dominican and ecuadorian father in Massachusetts. When he was two years old, his family moved to California.[4]
Career and artistry
[edit]" Visibility is so important, but often diversity in the mainstream can seem tokenistic, I wanted to create a space to celebrate trans bodies. This was an opportunity for their presence to be undeniable and reinforce that #transisbeautiful"
In 2002, Morante graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a double Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatrical Design, with an emphasis on both Costume and Scenic Design. Later that year, Morante co-founded his eponymous fashion design studio Marco Marco with his partner Chris Psaila after meeting as students.
In 2018, Morante's fashion label Marco Marco was the second (after Gogo Graham) to host a runway show at New York Fashion Week with only trans and gender non-conforming models for his Spring Summer 2019 show.[6][7] This show also made history for having the most trans men ever assembled on a New York Fashion Week runway.[8]
In 2020, Morante competed on the first season of Netflix's fashion design competition series Next in Fashion, where he placed 5th.
In 2022, Morante won an Emmy award for his sartorial contributions to HBO's We're Here. In 2023, he won his second Emmy award for his work on We're Here.[9]
Morante is inspired by William Travilla, Edith Head, Eiko, Paco Rabanne, Issey Miyake, and Iris Van Herpen.[10]
Awards and nominations
[edit]Costume Designers Guild Awards
[edit]The Costume Designers Guild Awards are awarded annually by the Costume Designers Guild for costume designers in motion pictures, television, and commercials. Morante has received 1 nomination.
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | We're Here | Excellence in Variety, Reality-Competition, or Live Television | Nominated |
Emmy Awards
[edit]The Emmy Awards are presented at one of the numerous annual American events or competitions that each recognize achievements in a particular sector of the television industry. Morante has received 2 awards from 2 nominations.[11][12]
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | We're Here | Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming | Won[a] |
| 2023 | Won |
Lucille Lortel Awards
[edit]The Lucille Lortel Awards are awarded annually to recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. Morante has received 1 nomination.[13][14]
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drag: The Musical | Outstanding Costume Design | Nominated[a] |
- Notes
References
[edit]- ^ Christine N. Ziemba (July 5, 2011). "Pop Art Meets High Fashion in Marco Morante's Designs". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Astrology birth chart for Marco Morante". October 11, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Marco Marco - The Only Agency". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Natalia Trejo (February 24, 2020). "'Next in Fashion' Latino designer Marco Morante talks to HOLA! USA about the Netflix show and working for Shakira". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Diana Tourjée (September 11, 2018). "Meet the Designer Behind a NYFW All-Trans Runway Show". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Frances Solá-Santiago (September 11, 2018). "Meet Marco Morante, the Domirican Designer Behind NYFW First All-Trans Show". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Joelle Bayaa-Uzuri (December 12, 2018). "Marco, Marco Designer Highlights Trans Models In Historic Fashion Show". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Evan Ross Katz (September 10, 2018). "Designer Marco Marco debuts an all-transgender roster on his New York Fashion Week runway". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Alum wins Emmy". March 13, 2024. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Brad Hammer (October 24, 2014). "15 Questions: Designer Marco Marco". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Marco Morante Television Academy". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Marco Marco Television Academy". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "2025 Nominations - Lucille Lortel Awards". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Logan Culwell-Block (May 5, 2025). "Our Class Leads 2025 Lucille Lortel Award Wins; Read the Complete List Here". Retrieved June 5, 2025.
External links
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