Rethink the Runway Weekly Recap 06.27.2025
Celebrating Queer Joy during SF Pride Week, as well as Black-owned businesses and organizations
Hi RTR community 💌 SF Pride week is here, and we're celebrating Queer Joy by spotlighting Aaron Bermillo and Paul Gallo, LGBTQ+ members of the Bay Area fashion community with mini Q&As. Last week, in honor of Juneteenth, we featured three Black-owned businesses and organizations. Here's a recap of the amazing voices that inspired us!
Q&A with Aaron Bermillo
Meet @aaron_bermillo, Aaron is a queer fashion model and environmental activist.
RTR: What piqued your interest in the sustainable fashion scene in San Francisco?
Aaron: My interest in sustainable fashion in San Francisco sprung up from a myriad of coincidences! I have been an environmental activist for over a decade and earned my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at the University of San Francisco. It wasn’t until I really jumped into the LGBTQ+ scene in SF, that I discovered an amazingly unique fashion scene in the city. At a queer non-profit event, I met LGBTQ+ designers that just so happen to prioritize sustainability in their creations and now, I am wrapped up, head-to-toe, in queer sustainable fashion!
RTR: Why is the intersectionality of fashion, LGBTQ+, and sustainability important to you?
Aaron: The intersection between fashion, the LGBTQ+ community, and sustainability is so important to me. As queer people, we have had fashion used against us in our past, but we continue to embrace and reclaim that hurt. When clothes are gendered, it exposes everyone to hate and violence — how many times have we heard that a shirt makes us look too girly or too manly? And how many times has that left us to bullying, harassment, or even physical violence? But instead of listening to the boring rules of gendered clothes, queer people realized that a piece of fabric only has the meaning that we assign it. That has created fashion that expresses love, trust, uniqueness, and community — not just “girl” and “boy”.
Furthermore, the LGBTQ+ community has been practicing fashion sustainability forever now. Whether it was passing down leather jackets or drag gowns, we have always looked after each other. But now, with fast fashion and hyperconsumerism, there is an itch in the community to solve this problem and we are now in full throttle of the solution! We are mixing queer culture and tradition with new technology and understanding.
RTR: We know this kind of work isn’t always easy. So what keeps you going, and why do you think it matters — especially around Pride?
Aaron: What keeps me going is the community behind sustainable & queer fashion. Everyone has an understanding, passion, and solution to their portion of the problem. From personal experience with my other environmental activism, people become nihilistic about the future or fall for the idea that their efforts become futile. However, in this scene, not one person isn’t beaming with hope about what they are doing, creating, and bringing to the table. Especially during Pride, where LGBTQ+ voices are elevated and amplified, it just brings more excitement to this community. And they do all of this in amazingly upcycled patterned trench coats made from old curtains.
“I would like to highlight Paul Gallo (@paulgallosf / https://www.gallofornia.com/) as a queer, sustainable fashion designer and one of my favorite people.
And Kendra Rae (@kaeraeproductions / https://www.kr3dfd.com/) as a sustainable designer with impressive work with 3D printed clothes with biodegradable materials.”
Q&A with Paul Gallo
Meet @paulgallosf, a San Francisco educator, sustainable clothing artist, inventor, and author.
RTR: How did you begin your journey in sustainable clothing art?
Paul: I began my journey in sustainable clothing and art through my friend Kamille Hitz who gave me a challenge in 2018 to cut up 3 pairs of old pants and make them into a coat. It was a strange request but when I did the project with her it was a great challenge and great fun! I began trying to upcycle all kinds of things and have not stopped. For the last 4 years all of the clothing I have shown in fashion shows has been completely upcycled. My latest show was on June 20th at the Academy called the QT Fashion Show.
RTR: What would you say to someone who might think fashion, sustainability, and the LGBTQ community aren’t related?
Paul: If anyone thinks that fashion and the LGBTQ community are not related I would tell them it's more related than you can even imagine. Designers, models, stylists, producers, textile artists, seamsters , hair people, make-up artists and salespeople are aspects of this industry packed with Gay People. If anyone thinks they aren't related they must have had very little experience in creative industries.
RTR: What would you say to someone who is struggling to stay positive during Pride this year?
Paul: All gay people are being challenged right now as our "government" tries to take away all of our rights. The same people that have taken 30% of our incomes for our entire lives do not care about us to the point of terror. Throughout history there have been times of severe oppression and the only way through is with creativity and community. Isolation can lead to expanding the terrible feelings that come with this type of manipulation.
The greatest thing I have heard lately is " the one thing that the president did not count on was how much we love each other. We don't want to be separated and fight with each other like the government. We want to help each other and support each other and that's why his plans will fail."
You can learn more about Paul’s art, designs, and inventions at https://www.gallofornia.com/
In honor of Juneteenth and Black recognition
In case you missed it, we highlighted three Bay Area businesses and organizations who are Black owned and operated, and who focus on spreading joy and sustainability within their communities. 🖤
🧵Black Fiber & Textile Network Is a membership-based organization that supports Black fiber, dye, and textile businesses. Founded by Jamaican-American Teju Adisa-Farrar, BFTN is a global network of 50+ businesses who work with natural plant-based fibers, plant-based dyes, artisanal and sustainable textiles. Member’s missions include but aren’t limited to: climate change and mitigation, community skill-building, social and racial justice, community wealth creation, environmental justice and spiritual healing.
@blackfiberfutures
Supporting the livelihoods and lifeways of Black people across the globe
💛Love Iguehi (pronounced E-Gway-Hee), from Oakland, CA, is a Black-Woman owned lifestyle brand “bringing the boldness and joy of African designs to timeless silhouettes”. Founder and designer, Iguehi James is a first generation Nigerian-American who is a self taught designer and sewest. The heart of her mission is the desire to foster warm, welcoming spaces where everyone feels accepted.
@loveiguehi
Made with love and centered on joy and community!
🖼️ Jonathan Carver Moore Gallery The first openly gay Black owned gallery in San Francisco, Jonathan uses his gallery to amplify and represent artists who are often underrepresented, like BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women. He strongly believes that art belongs to everyone. Check out To Been Seen, an exhibition featuring all Black queer artists, until August 16th, at 966 Market Street, San Francisco (in the first legally recognized Transgender District in the world!)
@jonathancarvermoore
Art should be for everyone
Until next time — keep inspiring, keep being awesome.
With love,
✨ The RTR Team
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