How Queer Eye’s Tan France Became One of Today’s Most Trusted Fashion Icons
Credit: @tanfrance on Instagram
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was a certified hit when Bravo started airing it in 2003—it basically walked so its Netflix reboot, Queer Eye, could run. Since its release in 2018, it’s won over 38 nominations and 12 awards from the Emmys alone, and its ninth season is currently set to air in December 2024.
Every member of the new Fab Five specializes in something different. Karamo Brown covers culture and lifestyle, Antoni Porowski takes care of food and wine, Jonathan Van Ness looks after grooming, and Bobby Berk—who, due to scheduling conflicts, will be replaced by Jeremiah Brent in Season 9—brings to bear his expertise in interior design. Each of them has established themselves as authorities in their respective fields. Tan France, Queer Eye’s resident fashion expert, is no different.
Today, France is considered one of the most trustworthy fashion icons in the game, and that’s largely thanks to his time on Queer Eye. But how did he get casted in the first place—and become one of today’s most influential voices in fashion?
Humble beginnings
Credit: @tanfrance on Instagram
Tan France hails from the English city of Doncaster, where he began fostering a love of self-expression—mostly through clothing—at a young age. Whether it involved changing his own clothes or that of his Barbie dolls multiple times a day, he loved to experiment. France even began altering his school uniforms on his own, leading him to work for his family business. In his 2019 memoir Naturally Tan, he noted that his grandparents made denim for Disney (his sister would correct him later on, saying he was too young to remember that they actually made knockoffs of Disney products, instead).
“So, I would help out at the factory, damage some stuff on purpose, so that I could keep those items, and I would style them at home,” France explained on The Jennifer Hudson Show in 2023. “Between the ages of like seven and 13, I learned how to sew so well.”
The skills he honed in his childhood home formed the basis of his career. He ended up studying fashion at Doncaster College, after which he worked as a designer and director for major brands like Zara and Selfridges. That’s where he learned more about the inner workings of the fashion industry, which ultimately helped him found his own brands down the line.
Joining the Fab Five
Credit: @queereye on Instagram
In the 2010s, France founded a multitude of brands, including Kingdom & State and Rachel Parcell Inc. His ultimate goal was to retire by the time he turned 35—something he was able to do two years ahead of schedule. Both the designs from his clothing lines, as well as the brands themselves, were bought by the likes of Forever 21 and Nordstrom. However, his career didn’t stop there. That’s because, thanks to the shoots and videos he did for blogger and co-founder Rachel Parcell’s Instagram page, he was eventually scouted by Queer Eye’s casting director—and the rest is history. France ultimately became part of the new Fab Five in the show’s 2018 Netflix reboot, and he’s contributed to its massive success.
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community born to Muslim Pakistani immigrant parents, France always strives to uphold his identity in everything he does. On Queer Eye, that translates to promoting inclusivity in the style tips he gives to the participants featured in every episode. Instead of making suggestions based on what’s fashionable at the moment, he encourages men to wear pieces that help them look good, feel comfortable, and put their best foot forward.
“Clothes are a lot more powerful than what we give them credit for and they can change the way you feel and act, which could ultimately help you succeed in your career and life,” France elaborated in an exclusive interview with Out Magazine. Paired with the immense popularity of the show, this mindset helped further refine his reputation as a trusted fashion authority—and, as he told E!, a representative of both the gay and Asian communities.
Becoming a fashion icon
Credit: @tanfrance on Instagram
Tan France is now a common go-to for fashion advice. He features in multiple online publications, including Real Simple and Forbes, where he shares his insights on current trends and gives tips for dressing for everything from travel to the fall season. He’s worked with Masterclass as a style instructor, and even became the monthly stylist for apparel brand Express in 2020. In fact, his sense of style is now so sought after that various brands have reached out to France, having him put his own signature spin on their collections.
One of his long-term partnerships involves Eyebuydirect, a popular online retailer best known for selling affordable but stylish glasses that France has been working with since 2019. He’s now designed two eyewear frame ranges under the Tan France x Eyebuydirect collection, the latest of which came out just in time for the 2024 holiday season. These boast a number of styles—ranging from classic and retro to bold and artsy—perfectly highlighting France’s penchant for inclusive and comfortable designs for everyday wear. Recently, he’s also expanded to home decor, working with the likes of Etsy and Caraway to design furniture and cookware sets like the Monochrome collection. With these partnerships, France aims to help people give both themselves and their surroundings a makeover.
Today, France has solidly cemented his reputation as a fashion icon. People don’t just want to dress themselves and their homes using his design principles—they also want to hear his thoughts on what other people are wearing, too. Alongside Project Runway judge Elaine Welteroth, he was recently tapped to analyze celebrity looks on the red carpet of the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards, highlighting the best outfits of the night and holding interviews to dive deeper into every piece of clothing. With Queer Eye—and France—returning to Netflix before the end of the year, his influence as one of today’s biggest voices in fashion is set to grow even further.
For more on everything in fashion, arts, and more, keep reading here on FAULT Magazine.