HORSEGURL3000: Reimagining Leather Garments
Jérôme, better known as Horsegurl3000 moves effortlessly between performance, fashion, and craft. The former circus performer now creates daring leather garments that mix sensuality, humor, and camp into stunning pieces designed to celebrate the body.
@horsegurl3000 by @logankophoto
GWF: You move between performance, fashion, and craftsmanship. Where did it all begin for you?
I've always been drawn to fashion, as most gay men I'm sure. I've always had interests in set design, interior design, fashion, etc. Which makes sense now, because it feels like I'm using everything I have absorbed overtime and now using it to express my own visual taste and appreciation. As for performance, I'm originally a circus performer, it's kind of what I was known for before. I went to Circus School for High School and College and after that I was performing in shows on and off for the last 10 years.
GWF: You have a background in circus and performance — how has that physical and theatrical training shaped the way you design and present your leather garments?
I love this question because it's something I'm constantly thinking about. I don't think anyone would associate what I do now with my training in the circus, but I pull a lot of inspiration from it. Mostly from costumes, set designs and things I was surrounded by.
Horsegurl3000 by @ordinarystudiosphotography
GWF: Do you see your garments as costumes, armor, sculpture — or something else entirely?
For some of the items I make, I would consider them to be pieces of art. "One time only" kind of pieces, where I experiment a concept or an idea, and I usually don't repeat them or come back to it.
GWF: When you begin creating a piece, what comes first: the concept, the material, or the person who might wear it?
All the above! Sometimes it starts with just a specific color I'm drawn to. Sometimes it's a concept that comes to mind, although when I start crafting it, it usually doesn't turn out how I pictured it. I try to go with the flow, and while making a piece, it might evolve into something else.
GWF: Do you build your leather garments entirely from scratch, or do you ever reconstruct and transform existing pieces into something new?
I actually started with reconstructing items from recycled leather bags, leather jackets and leather chaps. My main focus was to upcycle (which I still do), but over time, it made it difficult to make bigger and more intricate pieces when the supply was limited. A lot of those older bags and jackets have a tarnished finish, the leather becomes dry and isn't as malleable. Something I have been trying to do since January of this year is to use all my scraps leather, which means all the leftovers I have and also use the "saveable" parts of existing items I didn't sell. Everything I have been posting these last two-three months are all from scraps and leftovers I had.
“I look very male presenting, and what I make is usually very feminine. I do enjoy this contrast, it's kind of a "fuck you" to heteronormative norms and social construct”
GWF: What is the most technically demanding part of working with leather, and what do you enjoy most about the process?
Personally, the most demanding part is the sewing, I hand stitch most of my pieces and it takes so much time. I lost count of how many times I've punctured my fingers accidently, I've had periods of time where I would get tendonitis in my hands and forearms from all the sewing. My favourite part would be assembling all the bits together and seeing the garment come to life.
GWF: Your work seems to walk a fine line between erotic intensity and playful exaggeration. Is that tension intentional?
Yes! I'm not taking myself very seriously, I want it to be fun and like you said "exaggerated". I categorize my aesthetic as camp and silly. Although, within that, I allow it to be very sensual and erotic. I always think of Jeremy Scott while working for Moschino, he walked between "cunt feminine" and over exaggerated silly camp.
GWF: How do you navigate the space between masc and femme in your designs?
I look very male presenting, and what I make is usually very feminine. I do enjoy this contrast, it's kind of a "fuck you" to heteronormative norms and social construct. I believe I lean on femininity more than masculinity, also mainly because I'm inspired more by womens wear.
GWF: Are your garments strictly one-of-a-kind creations, or could they ever be adapted for wider production? How long does it usually take you to make a piece, and is producing multiple versions something you’d even consider?
I actually have a manufacturer now that helps me recreate my most sold pieces, such as jockstraps and bulldog harnesses. It's been really helpful to scale up and think bigger numbers. As for these more intricate garments, they are one of a kind pieces and I usually don't intend repeating them. I might steal from the concept and make something new, for example, lately I've been inspired by bows... So you can see a lot of bows in my newer outfits.
GWF: When someone wears your work, what does it allow them to express that everyday clothing does not?
I think it gives them a sense of self that most common clothes don’t. What I make lives in the fetish world, so it’s definitely for more specific environments, but is not limited to. My aesthetic is definitely more niche too, I believe those who wear my garments resonate with what I’m pushing in terms of message.
GWF: Are there particular pieces in your collection that consistently stand out or are most sought after?
I think pieces that are very thin and showcase the body are the ones that standout. I have a big ass that draws attention I guess.
