Hogan McLaughlin
Hogan McLaughlin (born February 25, 1989) is an American fashion designer, artist, dancer, and musician. He garnered acclaim after meeting and collaborating with heiress Daphne Guinness, who became a champion and muse for his collections. McLaughlin has also produced a number of pieces for Lady Gaga's "Born This Way Ball", sparking interest and recognition within the fashion community. He has since been profiled by "The New York Times", Women's Wear Daily, and "Vogue", among others. Early life and education. McLaughlin was raised in River Forest, Illinois, a suburb outside Chicago, to Linda and Brian McLaughlin. McLaughlin  has two younger sisters. He began dance classes at age two and continued to study ballet throughout his childhood. He attended Oak Park and River Forest High School before leaving at age 16 to join the second company of contemporary dance innovator Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Career. After leaving high school, McLaughlin danced with Hubbard Street 2 for two years before being promoted to an apprentice position with the main company. There, he danced acclaimed works by choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Johan Inger, and Nacho Duato, touring internationally. In 2009, McLaughlin left Hubbard Street Dance Chicago to move to  New York City to pursue a career in visual art, a passion of his since childhood. While there, he came in contact with heiress and fashion icon Daphne Guinness via Twitter. They exchanged messages before meeting in person, launching a major commission for McLaughlin within 24 hours. His work resulted in a feature in "The New York Times", the windows of Barneys New York, and as a part of Guinness' exhibition at F.I.T. McLaughlin released his first full collection in September 2011. Guinness wore one of the pieces to the October 2011 opening of her F.I.T. exhibit. Since then, pieces  have also been worn by avant-fashion icon Michelle Harper, Class Actress's Elizabeth Harper, and Lady Gaga, who took an immediate interest in his work. Gaga later commissioned McLaughlin to create a number of pieces for the promotional images for her "Born This Way Ball".