Jersey Virago didn’t ask the fashion industry for a seat at the table—she built her own from the ground up. Fresh off becoming “OMG.Fashun‘s” champion, this Seattle-bred disruptor flipped the script from making exotic dance wear in her garage to having Julia Fox crown her work “Valentino level” on national TV. The self-taught designer, whose vinyl masterpieces and Kurt Cobain-inspired color stories are shaking up Metropolitan Fashion Week, proves you don’t need a Parsons degree to go viral—you just need to be raw enough to rip up the rulebook. While fashion’s gatekeepers were busy checking credentials, Virago was busy creating her first looks, turning safety pins and strip club experience into one of the industry’s newest obsessions. So if you think you can’t? Read Jersey’s story—because you can do what you want at any stage in your life, you just have to begin.
Jersey Virago – spill on your name. Is it your alter ego or what?
I was born in New Jersey, and ‘Jersey’ has been my nickname for as long as I can remember. There are tons of Meagans out there, but not many Jerseys, so the name really stands out and sticks. When I started my brand, I knew Jersey had to be the name. It’s like an alter ego because it channels the fierce, bold side of me that I’ve created and grown into over the years.
Your Metropolitan Fashion Week collection was a color bomb. What’s the story behind that palette? Any wild inspirations?
I’m always inspired by bold, contrasting colors—whether it’s in nature, like the vibrant hues of birds, plants, or aquatic life, or in striking objects that catch my eye. One example is the blue and red piece I designed, which was inspired by Kurt Cobain’s guitar. Since I’m from Seattle, it felt right to tie that into my work while still staying true to the bold color contrasts that define my style.
Fabric fetish time – what materials were you vibing with for this collection?
I love working with vinyl. It has the look of leather but is animal-friendly, and it comes in so many colors and textures. When I first started working with it—making chokers, harnesses, and accessories—I always dreamed of taking it further and creating full dresses. Now, seeing those pieces come to life is really exciting.
Self-taught designer alert! What was the first thing you ever whipped up? Epic fail or surprise slay?
Looking back, I probably thought it was an epic fail at the time, but now I’d say it was a surprise slay. My first design was this long, strapless gown made out of green and blue plaid fabric, and I put it together with safety pins because I didn’t have a sewing machine or know how to sew. I must have been in early middle school. What’s funny is that during a mini-challenge on OMG Fashun, I also created a look with safety pins because we weren’t allowed to sew, and I totally didn’t connect the two until just now!
How does being self-taught influence your “rules? What rules?” approach to design?
I don’t really follow any rules. I usually just sketch something, start making it, and figure it out as I go. It’s kind of like this thing I heard about NASA—I’m not sure if it’s true, but the analogy works. When they’re building something, they might not have all the technology or know exactly how they’ll finish it, but they know where to start, so they just begin. That’s how I approach design. I just start, and it works out. It’s a bit like painting—there might be little mess-ups, but instead of erasing, you work with them. I’m never afraid to mess something up, and that’s how I learn. I think a lot of people are afraid to make mistakes, and that fear keeps them from even starting.
Paint us a picture of the badass babe you’re designing for. Who’s your dream Jersey Virago woman?
My dream woman used to be Julia Fox, and then I actually got to dress her on the show! She’s still a muse, for sure. I design for women who aren’t afraid to be sexy, bold, vibrant, and a little bit bad. A lot of people say their clothes stand out, but when someone puts on one of my designs, they don’t just stand out—they come into character. They feel the brand, they feel empowered, and they completely own the room.
Swimwear to avant-garde – that’s one hell of a plot twist. How’d you end up making that leap?
Like I mentioned before, I started out as an exotic dancer, and that’s where I really honed my techniques, perfecting cuts and styles for athletic swimwear that fit the body well and worked with movement. After I got married and didn’t need to make money in the same way, I shifted away from swimwear and focused on creating what I truly wanted. That’s when I started tapping back into my love for fashion and began making more avant-garde, wearable art pieces.”
From fumbling with a needle to serving lewks on “OMG Fashun” – how’d that glow-up happen?
I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer and live in New York. Back in elementary school, I’d get flyers from Parsons and dream of going there, but life happened, and I put that dream on hold. I actually picked up sewing again when I was an exotic dancer—I started making outfits for myself and then for others. After I got pregnant with my daughter and stopped working, I decided to build my brand, starting with swimwear. I hustled my pieces, doing local fashion shows and creating collections, moving into resort wear with higher-end fabrics and techniques. Eventually, I got into wearable art and content creation, and casting found me on TikTok, where I love mixing my designs into my content. It was a slow and roundabout journey, but that’s how it all came together.
Any hilarious f*ck-ups from your early days that turned into signature moves?
Actually, yes! It’s a funny story. One time I was working on a long wrap dress, and my son, who was a toddler at the time, grabbed a pair of scissors and cut right into it. I was stuck for a bit, just staring at the dress on the mannequin, unsure of what to do. To salvage it, I decided to cut into it even more at the bottom, giving it a lot of texture. It ended up looking really good, so I thought, ‘What if I did this intentionally?’ That’s how I developed a technique where I cut into power mesh and manipulated it to create texture. I call it my ‘Akiva’ technique, named after my son.
What was the moment you realized you’d leveled up from swimwear dabbler to full-on avant-garde beast?
It was after I created my first wearable art collection. I made four bold looks, and it was the first time I really brought my vision and sketches to life on a large scale, exactly how I wanted. The reaction was amazing—everyone loved it. That’s when I knew I had leveled up from swimwear to full-on avant-garde. It just felt right.
If your first creation could talk, what would it say?
If my first creation could talk, she’d be a badass punk bitch—very high fashion, with that 90s Kate Moss attitude and posing. She was put together with safety pins, and you could actually see them, kind of like what I did on OMG Fashun. It’s wild, a full-circle moment I’m just realizing in this interview! She was plaid, and since I’m from Seattle, she’d probably tell me to remake her, put her back on a mannequin, and give her some new life.
Can you share the most fun moment you had during the competition?
There were a lot of great aspects of the competition, but if we’re talking about fun, it would definitely be meeting and connecting with David, one of the other contestants. We had so much in common, and he made everything really fun. We even hung out after the show.
What was the most nerve-wracking moment for you on set?
The most nerve-wracking moment was definitely during judging. In the mini challenge, it came down to me and Jessica, and I felt like the judges had a soft spot for her, so I thought she was going to win. Then, when it was down to the two of us again in the final challenge, I was super nervous she’d win. But in the end, I ended up winning, which was such a relief!
How were your interactions with the hosts, Julia Fox and Law Roach? Any interesting moments you can share?
I only interacted with them during judging. They roasted some of the other contestants on the show, but they had nothing but nice things to say about me. It was super validating to hear them praise my design skills—it really boosted my confidence.
I understand Violet Chachki appeared as a guest judge on your episode. Did you have any interactions with her, and if so, what was that like?
Violet had nothing but great things to say about me as well. Her presence is really strong and fierce, and it was so cool seeing her tiny little waistline in person!
Did any of your experiences on “OMG Fashun” surprise you or change your perspective on fashion design?
I’ve tried out for other fashion design shows and got pretty far in the casting process, but it never worked out. Getting cast on OMG Fashun and doing as well as I did was so validating because they really understood me and my designs—they just got me.
Biggest “holy sh*t” moment: starting your brand or stepping onto the “OMG Fashun” set?
Definitely stepping onto the OMG Fashun set was the biggest ‘holy sh*t’ moment. It felt so real, with so much going on, but I think it didn’t fully hit me at first. I sometimes have a delayed reaction to things, and I was just so in the zone while working that it took a while to really sink in.
Did you ever think, while sewing in your garage, “One day I’ll be judged by Julia f*cking Fox”?
No, I didn’t, but it’s funny how the universe works. I always thought that if there was one person who could embody my designs, it would be Julia Fox. So being judged by her felt like confirmation that everything works out—manifestation at its finest.
How surreal was it going from DIY in the garage to having cameras all up in your creative process?
Oh, I didn’t mind it at all. I do a lot of content creation online, so I’m really comfortable on camera. When I’m in the zone, I’m at my best, so it felt natural to me. I knew it threw the other contestants off, but I felt right at home.
What was the most challenging aspect of participating in the show?
The most challenging aspect was getting over my own fears and doubts. Being self-taught, I often deal with imposter syndrome and feel like I’m not good enough compared to others who went to fashion school. I remember during the machine demonstrations before the show, I was feeling really overwhelmed because I only use a few stitches, while everyone else seemed so confident. But in the end, I won, which just shows that it doesn’t matter where you come from—it’s about what you can do!
Here’s our first interview with Jersey, and real talk—her Metropolitan Fashion Week collection was the only reason Narcissist pulled up to the scene.