On the fourth day of 2023 Fall New York Fashion Week, Gypsy Sport, the house built by Rio Uribe, took to a buzzy Governors Island day club to celebrate the brand's tenth anniversary. And in true Gypsy Sport fashion, what started off as a fashion weather disaster finished with a fête.
As guests arrived via ferry eager to experience a signature Gypsy Sport spectacle, they were met with grey skies that eventually transformed into heavy rainfall. But that didn’t stop attendees from starting a mini-kiki ball. Soon after the rain stopped, the gworls formed a circle close to the DJ booth, and catwalked, chanted, and danced as they waited for the show to start. That was the overall mood (for those who chose to wait it out). Then finally, when the delayed show was set to begin, guests lined up alongside drenched seats to watch models pump the sandy—now muddy—runway to the tunes of vogue mega-mixes and shouted affirmations like “werk,” “go off,” and “slayyy.”
Gypsy Sport has long asserted that all bodies and identities deserve to be front row and center. Started in 2013 by Los Angeles born and raised Rio Uribe, it’s been a vital and singular force in the streetwear space for years, offering collections rooted in sustainability and inclusion. What initially started as a Tumblr page, soon morphed into a t-shirt and hat line (a usual stepping stone for streetwear brands), and eventually resulted in the brand’s first runway show in 2013. With it’s unique logo, the Haturn, the brand exists perfectly in between Uribe’s adopted city of and New York and his birthplace of LA, taking inspiration from NYC skate and club culture as well as LA streetwear and Chicano culture.
This 10-year anniversary collection was a celebration of the brand's history, filled with homages to house codes: resort-wear infused with streetwear, kink/fetish motifs, nods to Chicano aesthetics, sportswear-made-evening wear, and iterations of the signature intergalactic Gypsy Sport logo. The casting was equally a statement, speaking to the Gypsy Sport family now and throughout the years: Kandy Muse, Dominique Jackson, and Tati Miyake-Mugler.
Ahead of the anticipated milestone show, we caught up with Uribe to talk all about inspiration, sustaining ten years, community, Nicki Minaj, and the next frontier for the brand.
Wow, ten years, how does it feel?
It feels amazing!!! When I started the brand, I never expected to be here ten years later, so I'm very grateful to our fans and also very proud of my team. Cheers to 10 more years.
From Tumblr and Washington Square Park to now, what have you learned over the course of your 10-year career?
Over the last ten years, I've learned that persistence pays off more than talent.
How did you ideate this collection?
This collection was inspired by the last ten years of Gypsy Sport collections. I pulled out some of my favorite pieces from the archives and made completely new versions of them.
What was on the moodboard for this season?
This season, my moodboard was inspired by Chicano styles and Indigenous designs.
What were you listening to while working on this collection?
We all take turns on AUX in my studio, so you can hear anything from Erykah Badu and Outkast to Dua Lipa and Doja Cat.
Why a return to NYFW, and why now?
I really wanted to celebrate my 10th anniversary with the same people that witnessed the birth and growth of Gypsy Sport. It's a really big deal, not just for me but for my entire community.
The fashion ecosystem can be quite draining on designers; how have you centered self-care?
You're absolutely right. As a creative, this industry can be so draining. In the beginning, I used to cope with a lot of partying, but that was making things worse. Nowadays, I don't turn up as much as I used to. I've replaced nightlife with nature hikes and meditation.
You were one of the early pioneers/adaptors of sustainable fashion. How do you plan to keep that a pillar of the brand?
Thanks. Sustainability is important to me and my customers. My artisanal designs are always made with upcycled materials. The cut-and-sew garments are made from deadstock and eco-friendly fabrics.
To quote Nicki Minaj, "All these bitches is my sons," — You were also ahead of the curve, centering inclusive casting, making clothes for and casting folx reflective of the real world way before it was a thing. How does it make you feel to see more runways, editorials, etc., adapting to that philosophy these days?
Yasss Nicki! I have to give a lot of the casting credit to my friend Anthony Conti, who has done my casting all these years. We both love to celebrate all different kinds of folx, and it feels amazing to see more brands and publications making an effort to be more inclusive. But I think the fashion industry still has a long way to go.
Gypsy Sport means so much to the queer community and for many reasons. How does that make you feel that you've garnered such a family-like tribe over all these years?
The queer community is the backbone of my brand, and I don't take that for granted. This is a big reason that we launched The G•Spot in 2019. The G•Spot is a traveling festival that centers queer artists and musicians.
What's in the cards/the future for gypsy sport?
This season, we are launching our first handbag, a vegan leather crossbody bag in a rainbow of colors. I'm also working on the first Gypsy Sport perfume, a sexy genderful fragrance. And we have some super exciting G•Spot Festivals coming soon to a city near you.
Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s weekly newsletter here.
