Marquise Foster

Brooklyn, NY

Age: 30

Marquise Foster was a self-proclaimed “artsy kid” who grew up in the rough neighborhood of Oakland. To stay out of trouble, he moved to Louisiana to live with his father when he was 13 years old, and channeled his energy into fashion as a creative outlet. In 2009, Marquise moved to New York City to pursue his dreams in fashion. Marquise taught himself sewing, construction techniques, and everything related to making his own clothes from his home in Brooklyn. After taking his skills to various internships with local designers, Marquise decided to launch his own brand. Aside from designing his eponymous clothing line, he teaches fashion design to young creative high schoolers in Harlem. Marquise’s collections are well-rounded, ranging from menswear and womenswear to avant-garde gowns. His experience in ballroom fashion has allowed him to expand his creativity and push his own boundaries to construct standout, unique garments. Marquise’s goal as a designer is to fashion clothing that would make anyone wearing it feel important and like they would stand out in a crowd. His collection was showcased at NYFW 2017 and 2018 and at Philly Fashion Week 2018, and has been seen in magazines such as Desnudo, Desnudo Homme, 7Hues, Circle, and Out. He was also a finalist at the Out Magazine Vanguard Awards in 2017 and has dressed celebrities like Indya Moore and Dominique Jackson from “Pose.” Marquise believes that self-taught designers are not to be underestimated, and he plans to prove this in the competition.