Imagine you get a DM from your favourite designer asking what you think of a sketch they’re working on for their latest show. Well, that’s becoming pretty normal practice on OnlyFans, where fashion designers are taking over rn. First, Rick Owens started selling feet pics on the site to raise money for charity, and now the designer behind NY-based brand Collina Strada is opening up its studio to fans via video diaries and behind the scenes snippets of the work that goes into their collections.
But why is OnlyFans becoming a hub for the creative community? Could OnlyFans be the fashion industry’s next networking tool? What makes it the perfect platform for networking, sharing ideas, interacting with your idols, and offering a deeper insight into your personal brand? We linked up with Hillary Taymour, the designer behind Collina Strada, to find out what’s attracting creatives to OnlyFans. Keep reading to find out what she had to say…
What was it about OnlyFans that initially attracted you to want to start documenting your design process on the app?
“I liked the idea of showing the raw, unfiltered side of design, the chaos, the joy, the breakdowns, the breakthroughs. Fashion can feel very polished and gatekept, and OnlyFans felt like a place where I could actually let people in on the weird little experiments that make Collina Strada, Collina Strada.”
OnlyFans was originally launched simply for content creators of any kind to monetize their work and interact directly with fans. In your opinion, what makes it an ideal platform for people in the creative industry like yourself to build a platform on?
“Because it’s direct. No middlemen, no algorithms burying you. It’s just you and the people who genuinely care about what you’re making. That intimacy is gold, especially in fashion where so much of the industry is smoke and mirrors.”
Can you tell us about a tool or feature on OnlyFans that people may not know about?
“Honestly, the messaging tool is kind of wild. Being able to DM fans and have it be a conversation—like, “Hey, what do you think of this sketch?” or “Should I dye it green or pink?” That two-way street is really rare in fashion.”
The app’s called OnlyFans, so what does it typically take to be a Collina Strada fan?
“You have to be down for the ride. A Collina fan isn’t afraid of getting messy, sweating through their makeup, wearing a ball gown to the grocery store, or crying while watering their plants. It’s not about perfection, it’s about showing honesty and humor.”
Why would it have been beneficial for you to have had access to OnlyFans back when you first started out as a designer?
“I was just screaming into the void when I started. I didn’t have a space to share the process or find community. Having a platform where I could have connected directly with people who got it would’ve saved me so many lonely late nights.”
What’s the number one piece of advice you’d give to emerging creatives right now?
“Don’t wait for permission. The system isn’t built for you, so build your own system. Find your people and keep experimenting.”
In your opinion, what’s the biggest hurdle small designers face in fashion today?
“The cost of existing. Like, literally. The cost of fabric, the cost of showing, the cost of surviving in a city where your studio rent could be a penthouse. It’s all designed to push small voices out and those small voices are where the culture comes from.”
Can you leave us with one last reason your fans need to hit up your OnlyFans?
“[OnlyFans] is where you’re going to see the unedited chaos. It’s where the jokes live, the failures live, the dogs run across the fittings, and the real work actually happens. It’s the Collina Strada multiverse before the gloss hits the runway.”
OnlyFans offers exclusive behind the scenes content and creative insights for a huge range of fashion and creative minds. Fans can subscribe to Hillary Taymour’s OnlyFans here: https://onlyfans.com/collina
