Christian Siriano’s Net Worth: How Dresses and Shoes Made Him Rich

With an eye-watering net worth of $10 million, many of us are curious about how Christian Siriano got rich.

Although a member of the Council of Fashion Designers for America and a Project Runway winner, Siriano isn’t well known outside of fashion’s inner circle. Most people will recognize him for being an internet meme from his time on Project Runway.

Christian Siriano has made his riches through mass-market fashion collections and collaborations. While he is no stranger to red-carpet looks, the American designer has made most of his wealth through budget-friendly collaborations with brands like Payless.

Christian Siriano styling his long-time muse Coco Rocha backstage during New York Fashion week on February 12, 2022 (Credit: Michael Simon / startraksphoto)

By offering a luxury line alongside accessible collections, Siriano has been able to capitalize on the success of Project Runway to build a strong brand identity.

We’re sharing everything you need to know about Christian Siriano and how he’s amassed a net worth of $10 million. Christian Siriano is proof that you don’t have to sell thousand-dollar shoes to become a multi-millionaire.

Who is Christian Siriano?

Christian Siriano is an American fashion designer and owner of the eponymous fashion label ‘Christian Siriano’.

He was born and raised in Maryland, studying ballet as a child. His interest in musical theatre would inspire a love for costume design that would lead him into the fashion industry.

After a rejection from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Christian studied abroad in London before interning for Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.

He moved back to New York after graduating from the American InterContinental University.

Christian Siriano became the youngest winner of Project Runway when he won the fourth season of the reality TV series in 2008 (Credit: McArthur Guerrier / Youtube)

Siriano was the youngest winner of Project Runway when he won the fourth season of the popular show.

Before joining the show, he worked as a freelance make-up artist, was briefly an intern at Marc Jacobs, and made wedding gowns for a small number of private clients.

As part of his winnings from Project Runway, Siriano was given $100,000 to start his own brand.

He launched his fashion label in 2008 and was estimated to have brought in $5 million by 2012. Siriano later returned to Project Runway for seasons 17 – 19 as a mentor.

Christian Siriano mentored the designers in seasons 17, 18, and 19 of Project Runway (Credit: Bravo / Youtube)

In 2018, Christian was named on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People.

He’s continued to build on the success of his experience with Project Runway and as a pop culture icon to grow his brands.

What is Christian Siriano known for?

Christian Siriano’s first collection debuted at the 2009 New York Fashion Week and was sold in Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

His brand was believed to have brought in an estimated $1.2 million in revenue within the first two years with stable growth in the following years.

The brand’s first store opened in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan on Elizabeth Street. Like many other designers, Siriano followed the success of his fashion brand with a perfume line.

Christian Siriano opened his first store on Elizabeth Street in Manhattan in September 2012 (Credit: @bradwalsh / Instagram)

What’s allowed Christian Siriano to amass a $10 million net worth is that he has two target audiences.

His eponymous fashion line focuses on luxury womenswear, while his collaborations gain a wider audience.

With award season in full swing, Christian Siriano’s designs are all over the red carpet.

He designed Rosie Perez’s look for the Oscars, along with Vanity Fair Party outfits for comedian Wanda Sykes, Janelle Monae, and Jean Smart.

Wanda Sykes, Rosie Perez, and Janelle Monae wore Christian Siriano at the 2022 Oscars and Vanity Fair Oscar Party (Credit: Abby Grant / Cover Images / INSTARimages)

Christian’s luxury brand is known for its voluminous gowns with a focus on taffetas, although recent red-carpet looks have been more streamlined.

There’s still a whimsical feel to his designs, including throughout his capsule collections.

Christian Siriano Collaborations

The success of Christian Siriano’s clothing brand has come from his numerous collaborations.

By offering collections at a more accessible price point, Siriano has been able to build his network through successful partnerships.

In 2008, he released a collection for Puma before he started his long-term partnership with Payless ShoeSource.

Siriano creates four collections a year for the high street chain, including a gold collection.

Christian Siriano and Payless partnered to bring high-fashion, affordable footwear to their customers (Credit: Payless Instagram)

Following on from his Project Runway success, Siriano designed the LG Lotus (LX600) for LG and launched his own makeup line for Victoria’s Secret – Christian Siriano for VS Makeup.

He also collaborated with Starbucks and O-Cel-O for fashion-themed items.

By 2011, Siriano was starting to gain success with direct-to-consumer products.

He launched a capsule collection for the catalog Spiegel. He also launched a range of affordable fashion called ‘Striking by Christian Siriano’ for the Home Shopping Network.

While a handbag from the luxury Christian Siriano line will set you back at least $400, his diffusion collaborations are at a more affordable price point.

You’ll struggle to find any products over $100 in his Payless collaboration, making it an accessible way to add Christian Siriano to your shoe closet.

Christian Siriano’s Personal Life

Like any designer, part of Siriano’s success and net worth comes from his stardom.

His asymmetrical hairdo and over-the-top attitude quickly won him a pop culture following during his time on Project Runway.

His famous catchphrases even made several appearances on Saturday Night Live, with Siriano also appearing in Ugly Betty as himself.

Christian Siriano’s asymmetrical hairdo and over-the-top attitude quickly won him a pop culture following while on Project Runway (Credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock)

Siriano’s popularity also landed him a one-hour special on Bravo following the presentation of his Spring 2010 collection at New York Fashion Week.

He also released a book called ‘Fierce Style: How to Be Your Fabulous Self’, building on his Project Runway persona. It is available on Amazon.

Christian Siriano and singer and producer Brad Walsh began dating in 2007, tied the knot in 2016, and called it quits in 2018 (Credit: DFree / Shutterstock)

Outside of his pop-culture persona, Siriano is also famous for having been married to Brad Walsh, an American singer, and producer who’s famous for his dance remixes in collaboration with artists like Adam Lambert and Britney Spears.

The pair separated in 2018, and Siriano is now dating Kyle Smith.

Christian Siriano is now dating Kyle Smith, fashion designer and founder of New York-based clothing collection, Future Lovers of Tomorrow (Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock)

Beyond Fashion

Like many fashion designers, Christian’s eponymous brand no longer exclusively creates clothing and accessories.

He’s also designing custom furniture and has a diffusion ‘Siriano Interiors’ range.

Christian Siriano branched out into interior design with the launch of his furniture collection in 2021 (Credit: Siriano Interiors)

The secret to Christian Siriano’s net worth is his ability to diversify his portfolio.

By creating affordable shoes, accessories, and fashion alongside a luxury collection, Christian has been able to expand his target audience.

Whatever your budget is, you can guarantee there’s a Christian Siriano product in your price range.

Scroll down to see the celebrities wearing shoes, bags, and clothing by Christian Siriano!