Susan Cianciolo defies definition: on the one hand she is a revered fashion designer who happens to make art; on the other, she is a conceptual artist who occasionally designs clothing. Her work provokes debate, and pushes the boundaries of contemporary art and modern fashion.

Born in Rhode Island in 1969, Susan studied fashion design at Parsons in New York City and Paris. Upon graduation, she accepted a prestigious post as an invaluable member of the Badgley Mischka design team.  In 1995, Susan launched X-Girl, a collaboration with Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon. Next venture: the RUN collective: handmade clothing, film and performance art produced by many of New York’s foremost artists and musicians; duration: 10 years.

In 2001 Susan withdrew from commercial fashion to focus on her fine arts career.  She created spellbinding installations in every discipline (painting, drawing, collage, music, film) and medium (the handmade, the recycled, the organic); her artwork, as always, was detail oriented, rife with historical import, and truly avant-garde.  Her work can be viewed at the Sears Peyton Gallery, in Chelsea.

With the art world at her feet, Susan never quite shook her hankering for fashion. Demands for her couture work were constant, and a design projects appeared: (a denim collection with Levi’s suppliers, a one of a kind collection called Magic Star, Queen of Hearts) and, most recently, a special collection of limited edition Habitual Jeans.  Her couture collection Susan Cianciolo has thrived: she continues to hold couture appointments at her chinatown/lower east side studio.

(From website: http://www.susancianciolo.com/full_bio.html)