Behind the Look: The Queer History Behind Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s Signature Tank Top

Tank tops are having a moment. “I just always thought that a guy in a tank top is hot,” shares Paris-based designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin. In the midst of fashion month and just a few days after his spring 2023 collection showed at Paris Fashion Week, de Saint Sernin shared the story of how his signature crystal logo tank became an It-boy closet staple.

The piece has a surprisingly personal history. De Saint Sernin explains that he came out later than most of his peers at the age of 24, and while educating himself on the history of fashion in the queer community, he discovered that in the ’70s and ’80s the tank top was a surprisingly empowering piece of clothing that could inspire its wearer to lean into their individuality. “For a piece as simple as a tank top to allow somebody to feel like they’re a part of the LdSS community, and to be themselves and to show it off and be confident with it, gives me so much joy,” he explains. Although the original black LdSS tank with a crystal logo is still his best seller, he has offered an updated version of the piece in almost all of his collections.

Watch the full episode of Behind the Look to find out how this tank top came to be, and why all of the It-boys (and It-girls including Hailey Bieber), have been sporting this iconic piece.