GLENDALE, Calif.—Pioneering gay men’s apparel brand Andrew Christian has announced that it will close at the end of 2025. Namesake designer Christian posted a farewell on the store’s website titled, “The End of an Era—Andrew Christian Says Goodbye.”
“After more than 25 years, my hands will soon lay down the needle that has guided me through this calling. My final words as a designer won’t be spoken aloud, but sewn into Bespoke—Fall/Winter 2025 (October), my final collection. Soon after, the company will close,” he posted Wednesday.
Founded by Christian in 1997, the brand became known worldwide for its men’s intimate apparel and swimwear lines targeted at the gay men’s market. After introducing an underwear collection in 2006 to great success, the company rapidly expanded to eventually sell in major department stores, boutique retailers and its West Hollywood flagship location.
In 2008, the brand released Obama boxer briefs, featuring a graphic portrait of then-candidate Barack Obama, with $1.00 of each purchase donated to the campaign.
By 2016, Andrew Christian was a leading men’s apparel brand with must-have designs from collections like Almost Naked, Show It, Flashback, Trophy Boy and CoolFlex, among others. With its blend of sexy styles and message of body positivity, the company often sponsored promotions with LGBTQ clubs and organizations.
The same year, noted gay author Michael Musto interviewed Christian for Out.com and said, “If you believe the rumors, gays have been known to care a lot about fashion, but they happen to care even more about what they wear under their fashion. Thanks to that constant craving—and to canny promotion, often carried out in nightclubs—Andrew Christian’s underwear brand has grown like a gay fungus, selling a whole lot of product at his L.A. boutique, Nordstrom’s, and Universal Gear (in Hell’s Kitchen), not to mention online.”
WeHo Times, which announced the designer’s retirement, noted that at one time, Andrew Christian briefs and jocks were required wear for go-go dancers in the city’s Boystown bars. The local news outlet also confirmed that the business is not pending sale, according to Andrew Christian vice president of sales and marketing Christopher Yoo.
“Today, as I announce my retirement, I feel a tapestry of emotions—pride in what we have created together, excitement for what comes next, and, yes, a tender ache as I prepare for this transition. My gratitude runs deep, and Bespoke will be my final love letter to you. It honors the sacred, intimate exchange between designer and wearer—every hem, every seam will carry the depth of historical memory, the joy of creation, and the bittersweet beauty of this goodbye,” Christian continued in the post.
“I have whispered this moment to myself for years, wondering how it might feel. Now that it’s here, I find myself vulnerable beyond measure. This is the hardest thread I have ever had to cut. I must remind myself that this isn’t an ending so much as a transformation. I have realized that creativity doesn’t retire—it simply finds new expressions. While this particular stitch work reaches its beautiful conclusion, the fabric of my life continues to unfold in exciting new directions,” he said.
Handing his scissors to new generations of designers to come, Christian added, “To the young queer dreamers clutching sketchbooks in the corners of rooms not built for you—I see you. Your hands may tremble now, but they will one day shape worlds. The very difference that makes you feel alone today will become your greatest strength—your signature on everything you create. Trust your instinct, even when the path feels impossible. Take the terror and hope we all carry in our youth, and stitch them into something breathtaking.”
To view the full statement, visit AndrewChristian.com.
