Undeniable
The Designs of Christian Siriano + Ashley Longshore
Opening January 17, 2026
Designer Christian Siriano and artist Ashley Longshore believe fashion and art should welcome everyone. Their work encourages people to show up without apology.
Siriano designs clothing for people across size and gender lines, proving that confidence is not limited to one body type. Longshore has paved a colorful path for pop art and fashion to coexist. Through her art, she challenges conventions and champions individuality.
Together they show how fashion and art can change how we see ourselves and the world.
Presented by The Branch Museum of Design and VCUarts.
Thank You To Our Sponsors
Rachel Grove Dalton
Elmwood Society
Rob & Jean Estes
Richmond Regional Tourism
VCUarts Pollak Society
Baskervill
Cindy Buckler
Carson Ashby Events
Rob Hargett
Ivy Design Group
LaDIFF
Jennifer Little
Emily Millhiser
Petersburg Area Art League
Alexandra & Brock Saunders
About the Artists
Christian Siriano
Following his studies in London under Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, Christian Siriano launched his eponymous collection in 2008. The Christian Siriano collection is shown each season at New York Fashion Week, and presented in New York and Paris to retailers.
Known for whimsical and show-stopping design — from fantasy evening gowns and cocktail dresses to tailored sportswear, intricately detailed shoes and accessories — the collection can be found at department stores and specialty boutiques around the globe. In 2012, the first flagship Christian Siriano store opened in New York City, and in 2013 he was inducted as a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
Dubbed “the new king of old-school glamour” by Elle and “the next billion-dollar designer” by Yahoo! Style, his designs have appeared on the world’s biggest stars and most prestigious red carpets. He counts entertainment’s leading ladies as clients, from stars of film (Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Viola Davis, Amy Adams, Drew Barrymore, Lupita Nyong’o, Priyanka Chopra, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shailene Woodley, Emily Blunt) to icons of music (Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Carrie Underwood) to stars of television (Kerry Washington, Tina Fey, Jessica Lange, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Emma Roberts, Christina Hendricks, Heidi Klum, Oprah Winfrey) and icons of fashion (First Lady Michelle Obama, Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian West, Alexa Chung, Dita Von Teese, Kate Upton, Ashley Graham, Coco Rocha, Gigi & Bella Hadid, Chrissy Teigen), to name just a few.
Christian Siriano is the youngest person to ever appear on the Crain’s “40 Under 40” list, and was a member of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in 2015. He was named “Designer of the Year” at the 2016 AAFA American Image Awards and won the Couture For A Cause “Designer of the Decade” award that same year. He co-founded accessories e-commerce retailer “Send the Trend” and served as Chief Curator until its acquisition by QVC.
Ashley Longshore
Ashley Longshore is a Southern-born self-taught painter, sculptor and entrepreneur. Dubbed the “feminist Andy Warhol,” Ashley challenged the traditional business model of art galleries by building her own pop art empire. Armed with a powerhouse personality, an irreverent sense of humor and an early knack for social media marketing,she used her platform to encourage positivity, authenticity and creativity and exploded into a global brand.
In 2024, Longshore made her highly anticipated Miami Art Week debut at Aqua Art Fair, also launching her dazzling new “boob bag” collaboration with Judith Leiber Couture. Longshore’s works have been exhibited across America and Europe and explore themes found in pop culture, American consumerism and Hollywood.
Labeled “Fashion’s Latest Art Darling” by The New York Times, Ashley made history as Bergdorf Goodman’s first female artist solo exhibit in its 100-plus-year history when she was featured in their iconic Fifth Avenue window display and designed the retailer’s “Palette at BG” café. Other career milestones include artist residencies at IMG’s New York Fashion Week and The Peninsula Beverly Hills, appearing on Bravo’s Project Runway and inspiring/appearing in Christian Siriano’s Fall 2019 runway collection.
She has also authored four books, three of them with Rizzoli, including her latest, Giving The Bird: Bird Stories. Collaborators include Gucci, Porsche, and Maybelline and collectors range from Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively to NFL quarterback Eli Manning, Pink, Salma Hayek, Diane Von Furstenberg, Penelope Cruz and Wall Street’s elite.
Ultimately, Longshore will leave her mark as a prolific and celebrated pop artist who through the development of her foundation, The Ashley Longshore Charitable Trust, will leave a vital capsule of her collection of works. Ashley is a New York-based fine artist and recently opened a studio in Tribeca as well as a Holiday pop-up showroom on Great Jones Street.