“Clothes are what touch your skin. They’re what you put on every day. Making clothing is a form of art that takes time and appreciation.”
A Discussion With Tyler Sastre About His Skin Baring Designs
Meet Tyler Sastre, a young American designer and student at Central Saint Martins who is quite literally stripping away traditional menswear to create highly stylized erotic garments with sensuality in mind. Sastre cut his teeth working under other designers but now making a name for himself on the London fashion scene. I spoke with Sastre to learn more about his latest collection, which explores his Colombian heritage and personal relationships through hip-baring leather pants and wraparound lattice lace tops.
Chance Goode: It’s nice to finally meet you!
Tyler Sastre: Yes, it is nice to meet you too.
CG: Are you tired? I see that you’re yawning.
TS: Give me a break. I was just at war with an IKEA shelving unit, so I look a little rough.
CG: Oh, you look great.
TS: Thank you. You’re sweet.
CG: Your collection really spoke to me. What was the inspiration behind it?
TS: This past year, I really got into my leather craft and reflected a lot on my heritage, which deepened my story as a designer. I’m half Colombian, and my last name in Spanish means tailor. For many of the looks, I used my great-great-grandfather’s tailoring shears. I think there’s something special about using my heritage to continue a story. There’s a little bit of a South American influence, a matador inspiration from Spain, as well as some pretty delicate and emotional stuff.
CG: Why did you decide to name the collection Devout?
TS: I was playing around with a few names while making it. I was inspired by music I’ve been listening to and thinking about personal relationships, being devoted to a specific person, trying to impress them, and giving them everything you have, sort of how some people are devoted to certain religions and deities.
CG: The photos remind me of Robert Mapplethorpe’s or Jimmy DeSana’s work. Are queer artists instrumental to your design process?
TS: When starting a new project or collection, it’s important for me to consider a starting point. One needs to find a base for inspiration. Mapplethorpe is a constant in my wheelhouse. But I think it’s essential to expand references. It can’t just be, “Here’s a queer artist we’re running with this season.” I think there needs to be research that’s involved. You need layers upon layers to achieve a result that’s current, unique, and not overly done, in my opinion.
CG: You have to create a whole world.
TS: Exactly! It doesn’t work just to take a simple reference. I think building a brand and its imagery means these things have to be personal.
CG: You appear as the model in your look book. Would you consider yourself to be your own muse?
TS: I’m my own muse, but not the ideal casting as a model. A lot of the work is autobiographical; it comes from my personal experience and emotions, and I’m talking about relationships. It’s about sex and sensuality.
CG: Why do you want your clothes linked to sex and sensuality?
TS: Clothes are what touch your skin. They’re what you put on every day. Making clothing is a form of art that takes time and appreciation. People want to see things that are attractive and sexy. It’s fun to think of new ways to interpret those ideas.
CG: When you look at menswear, it can be boring and trad. Sartorial suits, streetwear, the whole thing. Do you find it hard to break away from those stereotypical menswear norms?
TS: I think about subverting menswear as we know it. On the runway, we see jeans, suits, and traditional cuts. At CSM, we are pushed to do things that are very subversive and perverse. I like to stick to the idea of presenting on a male body. It’s all about homoeroticism, but I also want to keep to an element of tailoring. There’s a specific cut for a man’s body, and it means a lot to me to hold onto those codes and values.
CG: I loved the shredded black shorts. Can you tell me more about them?
TS: They’re laser-cut leather, which took quite a bit of time to create the background and imprint for the laser to cut out, but it was worth it. I developed this woven leather trim that wraps around the waist and buttons in the back.
CG: What’s your favorite look from the collection?
TS: Can I pick two? I love the white cropped blazer paired with pants with crisscross stitching above the waist. A few months ago, I was working on another project about a matador, and subconsciously, it took on the shape of the jacket and the rise of the pants. So it was fun seeing that ease its way in. My second one would be the cropped bolero with the wool pants. I had previously only worked with leather and silk. This time, I threw in a wild card, experimented, and decided to do wool.
CG: I love your aesthetic; it reminds me of Ludovic de Saint Sernin.
TS: I would say it’s very adjacent to their DNA. I did work with Ludovic for a while.
CG: Oh, that makes sense. That’s why I see some of their influence.
TS: That’s where I picked up the leather.
CG: I am a whore for leather. Tell me more about the leather pieces.
TS: A lot of my pieces are double-lined, even the lambskin lining on the sleeves. But for the suede and leather trousers, I leave everything unlined so the leather is skin-to-skin. Adding lining can take away from the sensation, especially with the bulge and ass crack. It’s all about how it feels and how it makes you react to that feeling.
CG: What type of message would you like to send with your designs?
TS: The obvious message is sexual liberty, specifically for gay guys. We’ve been put on such a pedestal in terms of how we look, how we act, and how we should sound. Putting on something that makes you feel super hot that interacts with your identity, you know? Something that makes you feel like you’re with another person. I want that sort of attraction and liberty to be felt.
CG: Are you based in London?
TS: Yes, I’m currently based here. I go to school here for 9 months of the year, and then I go back to Miami, where I grew up.
CG: I can see a little bit of a Miami flair in your work. Miami is so sexy.
TS: Definitely.
CG: What got you into fashion? Because you’re what, 21?
TS: I’m 20
CG: That’s amazing that you’ve created such beautiful work at 20 years old. I was out every night partying, being a mess at 20. So hats off to you.
TS: You gotta do both. Where do you think I get my inspiration? I gotta go out and meet some boys. But as for what got me into fashion, I don’t really know how I picked it up. As a kid, I was pretty artsy and liked drawing. I stopped for a little bit when I was a preteen because I wanted to be “normal.” I picked it back up in high school and thought I might want to do fashion marketing, until I started draping and playing around with fabric, and was like, okay. I’m pretty good at this.
CG: What’s your long-term goal as a designer?
TS: I definitely want to work for someone. I would love to go to a leather house. Hermès would be a complete dream.
CG: How do you feel about Grace Wales Bonner being appointed as a creative director for menswear?
TS: I have been thinking about it nonstop. Her perspective is super inspiring. She attended Central Saint Martins and won the LVMH Prize for her unique perspective. This is also why she got appointed as the menswear director at Hermès.
CG: I’m so happy to see a black woman lead the charge there. It’s about time.
TS: It’s super exciting to see the first black woman at any house, let alone a pioneer of French luxury and classic quintessential perfectionism.
CG: What’s your number one fashion faux pas?
TS: That’s a tricky question because I like to say I don’t believe in anything like that, and I think you can make anything work to some extent, but if I had to pick, I guess I would say the constant use of color. If someone cannot commit to one outfit in all-black or monotone and feels the constant need to wear color, what do you have to say?
CG: Where are your favorite places to go out in London?
TS: That’s the quintessential first move to London, and then you sort of graduate to places like Dalston Superstore and Club Are. I also enjoy going to places that are intimate, where you can get cheap drinks. I like a balance. One night you could be at a crazy sex party, and then the next night you’re hanging out at the local pub.
CG: Who is your current crush right now?
TS: I always keep a few crushes in my back pocket. I also like to keep them in check.
Like, this week, there’s this guy who is at the top of the list, and I’ll put all my attention towards him. He’s a photographer in London. I can’t say who because it would be kind of messy for both of us.