Netflix latest competitive series has quickly earned its spot at the top of our must-watch list.
Queer Eye’s Tan France, model superstar Alexa Chung, plus a whole load of super talented desingers? Yes, please.
Each week, Tan and Alexa set challenges for the 18 contestants, whittling them down with the help of some rather fabulous celebrity guests, designers and industry experts.
However, things didn’t go to plan when fashion designer Kerby Jean-Raymond turned up to judge in episode 4 which had a rather dramatic ending. But who is Kerby? Find out more about him here!
Meet Next in Fashion judge Kerby
Kerby Jean-Raymond is a Haitian-American fashion designer who founded the New York-based label, Pyer Moss. He founded the brand in 2013.
Kerby attended the High School of Fashion Industries in New York between 2000 and 2004, interned at both Marchesa and Theory, before heading to Hofstra University. In 2008, he graduated with a BA in business administration.
Over the past decade, Kerby has been one of the most exciting names in fashion, having swept up award after award.
His biggest year to date was 2018. That year saw him nominated for the CFDA’s Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent, win the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and also win Collaboration of the Year at the Footwear News Achievement Awards for his work with Reebok.
In 2019, Kerby was named on TIME’s “The Next 100” most influential people list.
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What happened with Kerby on Next in Fashion?
In episode 4, the twelve remaining designers had to create looks inspired by streetwear.
Kerby, as one of the finest streetwear designers around, was an obvious choice as guest judge.
But when it came to the judging segment after all six – the contestants were still in pairs at this stage – designs had been strutted down the runway, Kerby was not impressed with his fellow judges’ opinions. In fact, Kerby was so disappointed that Alexa and Tan were willing to eliminate Farai and Kiki that he walked off the set!
Leaving the room, he said: “I’m not happy about this. I’m really mad.”
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Tan and Alexa talk Kerby’s dramatic exit
Speaking to PopBuzz about episode 4’s debacle, Tan and Alexa shared what really went down.
Tan, who was mainly at odds with Kerby, said that “what happened off screen was just a conversation.”
He continued:
We all want to really champion the success of the best designer. There’s no drama for the sake of drama. We don’t produce drama on the show, you’ll notice that throughout the season. It’s not like a “reality” show [in that sense]. The drama comes from who really could be a designer that we really want to wear.
And it was clear that the scene only happened because the presenters and guest judges care. Tan was in tears by the following episode, apologising for the situation and explaining they were only leaving the designers in the dark because they wanted to make the right choice.
Kerby has not yet commented on the episode.
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