From Ridgeway to the runway: Sergio Hudson talks dressing some of the most iconic women of our time

Out: Let's rewind to your upbringing in Ridgeway, South Carolina. I heard that you crafted a prom dress for ChaWon Hall around 2005 or 2006, and she rocked it at her high school prom. Was this moment one of the early signs that designing would become your profession?

Sergio Hudson: When I did ChaWon's prom dress, that was a promise I made from childhood. I was already working as a designer, doing custom work. My first design was actually another prom dress. While I was in high school, I made a few people's prom dresses. My mom actually sold some things that I designed, too. Being around my mother my entire life really was the education and how a stylish woman operates, and how she thinks, how she shops, how she navigates her way through life. These are the women that I cater to on an everyday basis now. All women like my mother, like how she was when I was growing up, like how she still is to this day. I think without that training, I would definitely not be who I am.

Back in 2021, you styled two of the most prolific and prominent women in the world: Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama. In your wildest dreams, did you ever imagine that you would have the opportunity to style two of the most influential women in the world, Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama, in such memorable and talked-about looks, like the iconic all-burgundy ensemble?

Well, the thing about the Michelle Obama moment is I had dressed Mrs. Obama twice already, so me dressing her wasn't that, you know, shocking or amazing to me. I was more focused on the Vice President who we were dressing for that evening. I thought that was the most iconic moment that I needed to really worry about. Unbeknownst to me, I didn't think about how many eyes would be on this stage and that Mrs. Obama would be walking out and everybody would see it. It wasn't even in my brain that, "Oh, this is going to be a huge moment." So, you know, no, not in my wildest dream that I think that would, like, change the whole trajectory of my career.

What tends to go through your mind when these monumental opportunities come your way? And on a deeper level, how do you approach the responsibility of styling such influential figures to ensure your designs align with their personalities and the message they wish to convey?

I mean, I think you have to take every opportunity and see how it pan out for the storyline of what you want your brand to be. I think there are just certain people that it just kind of works out for every time. These women are changing the world by the things that they do. I think by being associated with them, the brand becomes synonymous with great women.

You and Anifa partnered up with Woodford Reserve and the Kentucky Derby and were tasked with translating Woodford Reserve's rich tapestry of flavors into a captivating fashion collection known as The Woodford Reserve Flavor Note Collection. Can you share the creative process behind translating Woodford Reserve's diverse flavors into a captivating fashion collection for The Woodford Reserve Flavor Note Collection at the Kentucky Derby?

I wouldn't say challenges, but it was different for me to become inspired by actual flavor notes or something that wasn't women. I was lucky enough to meet Elizabeth, who's the master distiller there at Woodford Reserve and she was such an inspiring woman, her whole story. It's a powerful thing that's going on here and it kind of inspired me to go even harder when it came to designing the actual pieces. There's so many flavor notes that are wrapped up in this drink. I had a plethora of things to choose from, so we had a good time. I personally feel when it comes to luxury styling and designing, it kind of intertwines with the wine and spirits industry as well.

As these industries continue to intertwine, what innovative avenues do you foresee for creative synergy and shared experiences between luxury fashion and the world of spirits?

I believe that shopping and having an experience with clothing often go hand in hand with wine and spirits. They help to calm you down and set the mood for the experience. It's a part of the lifestyle of luxury fashion.

Women are so important to you when it comes to showing off your artistry as a designer, from working with Tracee Ellis Ross to Elizabeth McCall. Let's discuss that experience designing and dressing these powerful women and how does dressing powerful women empower you?

It inspires me to keep going because sometimes when you're in this industry, you are always wondering, you know, "Am I connecting with people? Do people see the vision of what I'm trying to convey to them?" I think when you see these women reacting to it, connecting to it, and wanting more of it, it kind of just inspires me to keep working.

Is there anything from advice to encouraging words from any of the women you've worked that stuck with you?

Jennifer Lopez told me once to always be true to you and your aesthetic, because it's amazing. Don't let anybody else tell you how your brand should be or what you should be designing. I think that was like, 2018 when she told me that, and it just kind of stuck with me, and I remember that all the time.

Law Roach has been very open about the challenges he's faced within the fashion world, and even openly shared how top brands like Chanel, Saint Laurent, etc. didn't want to dress his muse, Zendaya. We understand it's hard to navigate in fashion when you're not the "ideal" in their eyes, so how do you navigate the barriers imposed by fashion's narrow standards of beauty and acceptance especially where systemic biases often marginalize Black individuals?

I think the biggest problem is people don't understand the business of fashion. Everyone's been talking about the interview that me and Law did for SpringHill's Recipe For Change series, but we're on two different sides of the world when it comes to fashion. He's a stylist, which is completely different from being a business owner and a designer of a brand. I see things from a different point of view than he does.

As a designer, how do you ensure that you remain relevant in the business conversation and are consistently seen as a viable option and choice?

You just keep working and keep putting out work to the best of your ability, and you keep showing people that your excellence is just as good or better than the people that stand next to you that don't look like you. I think that's important, to stay in your own lane and keep trenching out your own lane as you go.

Having Keke Palmer as your muse, you've mentioned that there's an undeniable chemistry between you two. Could you delve into how this dynamic partnership with Keke has not only fueled your evolution as a designer but also served as a catalyst for honing your craft even further?

Me and [Keke Palmer] met because we went to the Met Gala together last year. I would say that since the Met Gala, there has not been a week that has gone by that we haven't communicated or talked or, you know, talked about what she was going to wear, what next style was going to be. It was just like we were long lost best friends immediately. She inspires me. I feel like what we've given to each other is hope for this industry, for fashion, for, you know, art. We talk about it all the time, the plans that we have and how we want to motivate each other. I see her success, and it just motivates me to keep going.

Does Sergio actively select his muses, or does the muse-creator relationship naturally unfold over time? Furthermore, what qualities do you seek in a muse, and how do these qualities contribute to your creative process and inspiration?

Absolutely. It's definitely a natural thing or I just gravitate towards certain people or people gravitate towards me. People like Blake Lively, she just kind of fell in love with the clothes and started wearing them all the time, and she looks great in them. I took her on as a muse unknowingly. Then you have people like Savannah James, who are just beautiful women who have this innate style that she is the woman that I go after. developing a friendship and client relationship with her has been beautiful. I think I look for an innate style. I think being able to take one of my pieces and turn them into something that works for them is something that's really important. Not just being able to wear the clothes, but to be able to take the clothes and make them theirs.

How do you continue to be motivated and excited in a space that can be repetitious?

I think it's a deep love for fashion, and it's like every day I find something new to fall in love with. It's never repetitious for me. I think this great style, and I wouldn't call it repetitious, but consistency is something that's great in fashion. You might have someone that wears the same type of shoe every day, but they just bring something new to it every day.

Reflecting on this year's Met Gala, themed "The Garden of Time," there was a mix of opinions, with some feeling "confused" about the theme. The confusion even led Anna Wintour to address the matter on the Today show. As a designer deeply entrenched in the world of fashion, what are your insights on this year's Met and any standouts?

I personally think the theme was taken out of context by most people, to be honest. I think everybody was like, "Oh, we were supposed to wear flowers?" and that really wasn't the purpose of the theme. The theme was about these garments that were being resurrected, that probably could never be worn again, these antique, fragile pieces and they related that to this poem by this man that was called The Garden of Time. I feel like everybody took the word garden and kind of ran with it. I worked with Keke Palmer with Marc Jacobs, and we delved a little bit deeper. So, that's why the dress was unraveling, and it looked like it hadn't been worn in a long time, and it probably couldn't be worn again. Aside from Keke, I loved Tyla's look as well as Gigi Hadid's. Altogether, this year's Met Gala was a little lackluster for me.

What's your thoughts on the Met Gala's evolution and its role in shaping the industry's narrative? And how do you envision the future of the Met Gala, particularly in terms of themes and its impact on fashion discourse?

I think every year is different. Some years, people get really excited about the theme, and I think they should keep the theme a little more simple for people because they can't. Like, last year, it was Karl Lagerfeld, and people just went in, and it was exciting because you didn't have to think that hard. I think when you start getting fashion people to think too hard, it turns into too much.

If you were on the board for next year's Met Gala, what would be one of the themes you would like to see?

I would love to see a retrospective on Azzedine Alaïa's work. He's the goat and they've never done anything for him, so I feel like it's overdue for sure.

NYFW is very fast paced and the after parties last longer than the shows. How do you prepare for a show that may be under 5 minutes or so and what are some of those pressures?

Let's just say it's the most stressful moment of the year for 15 minutes (laughs). I think some people don't realize it's not just a show, it's me trying to present my idea of who this woman is that's wearing this clothes for this season in this short amount of time and with this short amount of music, with this short amount of runway, with these girls and the hair and the makeup. It's just a lot.

What would you say are some things that folks should be looking at when it comes to putting together their looks and apparel, in your opinion?

I feel like we're in a mode where oversized has kind of been fading away, and we're bringing things a little closer to the body. I feel like a nice fitted white shirt and a pair of white trousers could be your best friend for sure.

You recently got married to your partner last year. How does it feel to be successful and have a partner stick beside you? How do you balance both?

It is a balancing act because you have to make sure you have the right person that understands what you're trying to do on a bigger scale. He knows that the work that I do is not just for me, but it's for the future, for a legacy, and for people coming up behind me to be able to enter this industry a little bit easier. I feel like if you pick the right person, you will be in a good place. He has his own life, his own career, and things that he has to worry about as well. He's just not waiting for me all the time.

Seeing how fashion has evolved over the years, is it in the right direction, or do you feel there's some tweaks and what are those tweaks from a designer's perspective?

I don't think it's going in the wrong direction. I think it's going in the right direction, but at a glacial pace. I think there are certain things that just need to happen quicker than they're happening, but I do think it's going in the right direction.

Stephanie Mills as a godmother is everything. How does one have Stephanie Mills become their godmother and how has that relationship grown and evolved over time?

When I was young, she was my godmother because she was so fabulous and inspiring to me. When I became an adult and we met, it just was an instantaneous role that she took on in my life. I was like, "You like my godmother?" She responded by saying yes.

Is there a muse you have your eye on that you would love to work with?

Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman. Those two are benchmarks for me, and not just for anything, but I would love to ask them for, like, the Academy Awards or some show like that.