Andrew Drayton is a force to be reckoned with. Owner and designer of Lord Andrew Couture, which was launched in 2012, the designer has based his empire in Houston, Texas.
“I’m originally from the Bronx. My Dad is from the Bronx. My mother is from Louisiana. My parents met in Denver, Colorado. My father was a sergeant in the Air Force and my mother was in nursing school,” says Drayton.
Drayton’s company, Lord Andrew Couture, made a huge splash at The Bureau this past February in NYFW 2025. We talk about how he got into fashion, his inspiration behind this season’s line, and what to expect from him next:
How has being raised in New York City shape your values and aesthetics?
I was raised in an old-school environment. I never went to fashion school, but it’s something that’s been part of my life since 8 or 9 years old. My grandmother made most of my mother and aunt’s clothes. I remember all these dresses full of these patterns. It’s something that always been there but never wanted to go to school for fashion.
So you were inspired to go into fashion because of your grandmother?
Not exactly. In 2009, I was at home with my family in Louisiana. We were sitting around the table during Thanksgiving. My cousin said Mardi Gras was coming, and that she wanted me to make a Mardi Gras gown for her. I said “No way, absolutely not.” I had always sewn stuff for me, but she kind of weighed it on me… By Christmas time, I gave in. I decided to make her Mardi Gras gown for her. At the same time, I became a stitcher for my friend who lived in New Haven, Connecticut. Things came together. I came home and made that gown for that one time; it was well-received, so then I built my company.
Where do you find your fabrics?
From all over. There’s a wholesaler that I go to in Houston, and I get fabrics from China.
What was the inspiration behind this NYFW February’s line?
It was based on how I felt in a relationship dating someone at the time. I felt pretty, safe, vulnerable, and seen. My aesthetic was based on the 1950s and 1960s. The silhouettes were based on femininity and being loved. So that was my premise of my line for the Fall/Winter collection.
And the wedding gown finale! Wow…
The wedding dress is my interpretation of Grace Kelly’s wedding dress when she became the Princess of Monaco in 1956. There were elements of Grace Kelly’s gown in the sheer sleeves, in the Juliet tip to the sleeve. The tiara was a throwback to the paper blossoms she wore in her wedding veil, the lace motifs, all in a more simplified skirt. So, I streamlined that into something a little more modern.
How do you top yourself from this season’s NYFW?
I’ve been thinking of that. In seven months, I am returning to New York City for Spring NYFW 2026. I thought: what am I going to do? Where do I go from here? I started conceptualizing a new collection. I have chosen color schemes and have silhouettes in mind, but haven’t thought of a theme yet. I’m definitely going to do linen and sheer fabrics but don’t know how I will pull it all together.
I like doing men’s pieces. In my fall/winter collection, men aren’t used to being seen in fur. That is considered to be very feminine. So, I made it very masculine in the half-stole with the brooch. Once again, brooches are coming back – it’s a European thing. Putting the brooch with fur comes off hard and soft at the same time.
What can you tell other designers who want to follow in your footsteps?
I am an American African couture designer. Most of the couture designers are foreigners: Valentino, Dior, Oscar De La Renta. So, what I would say to upcoming designers is to not go the normal path. For us, as African Americans, we are always thinking of ready-to-wear or streetwear. You must be prepared to think outside the box, especially for the long haul. Don’t listen to the naysayers. There is a lane for African Americans in high fashion couture. Never give up. It’s not easy.
