Mr. Haque talks about dressing drag queens, his alter ego and what’s next for his burgeoning brand.

Whether he’s ditching high school dance rehearsals to help the costume department or convincing his kindergarten class to put on a fashion show, it’s clear that Farhan Haque was always destined to work in fashion. But it was not until the end of high school that he embarked on a career as a fashion designer.

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“It was always about theater production or fashion,” Haque says of his early career aspirations. “I think that I [didn’t realize] the fact that I enjoy making theater clothes does not necessarily mean [they’d have to be for a] character. Instead, I could create life costumes.

And that’s exactly what he did.

Today, the 2021 graduate of the Toronto Film School’s fashion design program is the creative director of his self-taught brand, Mr. Haque, named after his outgoing, confident, and eccentric alter-ego. “Mr. Haque”‘s expressive personality also comes through in his custom designs, which is evident in the unique structural designs that feature Priyanka, Mia Martina and alumni. FASHION cover star Jordan Alexander have worn.

With just two official collections under his belt, the 23-year-old Toronto designer has already carved out a devoted following within the city’s fashion scene – most recently dressing Veruschka for FASHION‘s 2023 Cake Mix party – and it’s just getting started.

FASHION spoke to Haque about where he draws inspiration from, designing for drag queens, and how he sees his brand growing.

Was there a defining moment that helped you decide to get into fashion design?

“At the very last minute in high school, four of my friends didn’t have prom dresses. And I had never made a dress like that — I had made costumes, but not a dress. So I made the first dress literally overnight, out of excitement. Then I did the second on the second night and in four days those four dresses were all ready for prom. That’s when I was like, “Oh, okay, fashion is the answer.”

@itsmrhaque 🖤 #fashion #fashiondesigner #runwayvsreallife #runway #model #wakandaforever #wakandaforeverpremiere #gossipgirl ♬ original sound – B

Where do you find inspiration?

“For someone in the public eye, usually their stylist comes to me with a mood board and that’s where I’ll sketch out an idea for us to visualize together. If these are my personal pieces, a lot of inspiration comes from music. I will listen to music and imagine the drawings walking on the floor or what they would look like dancing. The two finales of each of my last shows have been set to dramatic soundtracks and both designs have come from the movement of that music.

How does this musical influence translate into the creations themselves?

“You’ll see a lot of draping because it works well for movement. But, I also like tight, tight, tight corsets. I always like to play with opposite sides, like one dress will be super flowy and the one that comes right after is super structured. It depends on the kind of song I was listening to at the time.

You’ve worked a lot with drag queens. How is designing for a queen different from your other work?

“There’s the aspect of trying to feminize the body. So, for example, I should ask them questions like, “Do you have butt pads?” Will you wear a bra? because it is something to consider when taking measurements. It’s such a unique art form.

Do you remember the first time you designed a look for a drag queen?

“I had a queen in my first show, actually. I would have had even more but at the time I only knew one. Now luckily I’ve been introduced to so many more queens. I didn’t come out until I was 18. So as I progress, I become more open in my homosexuality and accept things better, as if I could paint my nails and beat my face every day, I am slowly opening up more to this world.

Who is Mr. Haque and how is he different from Farhan?

“In my normal life, I’m not as bold as when I’m wearing the make-up, the outfit and the heels – once those are in, I’m a whole different person. That’s when I’ll say the things I want to say. When I’m an ordinary Farhan, I can’t approach someone and say hello. But when I have Mr. Haque on hand, he approaches anyone down the street and just said, ‘What’s good? What’s up? Let’s be friends.’ I absolutely have to highlight this persona when I mingle with fashion people, because it’s a skill in itself.

How would you describe Mr. Haque and your brand in three words?

“Theatre. Charm. Movement.”

@itsmrhaque This is just the start. 🥂 #aspiringdesigner #fashiondesigner #torontobased #fashion #fyp ♬ original sound – Ij Arias

What’s next for you?

“I love making suits and always have, but I want to have a ready-to-wear website so everyone can buy my brand. I’m also working on my third collection and the show for that will hopefully be in the fall I can’t give away too much but the whole show is basically a dance number and we infuse clothes into it I’m throwing a lot into it hoping that the risks [will pay off] and people will see that, ‘Oh yeah, he can do it.’