Avant-Garde in Fresno: House of Francisco introduces otherworldly beauty to the Central Valley
In Fresno, the concept of being a fashion designer is still foreign. Francisco Rodriguez includes the misfits of the Central Valley to help bring his vision to life. The individuals who wear his creations best are the ones who do not want to conform to a typical fashion standard.
At the age of 32, Rodriguez’s vision is like a breath of fresh air in the Valley. His avant-garde and non-conforming clothes prove to be the best of both worlds, new and sustainable.
In April 2022, the House of Francisco launched its Spring & Summer Ready-To-Wear collection at Broadway Studios during ArtHop Fresno’s first Thursday of the month tradition. Upon arrival, locals lined up against the establishment's walls, eagerly waiting for models to do their catwalks in his designs. You could tell by the massive amount of people present at the show that anyone in the underground scene knows of House of Francisco.
Francisco Rodriguez (right) with one of his staple models of past shows. (Courtesy of Patrick Rodriguez)
With music blaring and white walls vibrating, models walked down the Broadway Studios halls on the makeshift runway. What makes House of Francisco stand out from other brands is Rodriguez’s promise to diversify his runway. Models have different builds, heights, and aesthetics. Some identify with the LGBTQ+ community. It is an invitation to authentic Fresno beauty.
Rodriguez boasts of being one of the first fashion designers of Fresno, and it is rightfully earned. He makes an effort to craft each of his pieces by hand. It is also worth noting that his some of his designs often incorporate second-hand clothing sewn into another piece to make something entirely new.
In his studio, located in one of the rooms inside Broadway Studios, lay bundles of different fabric and walls decorated with unfinished pieces and past season garments.
Each garment from a past season exists as one of a kind.
His energy and aura are inviting. His knowledge of fashion aspires to the future of fashion in Fresno. While he’s showcasing his work online, turning heads at SOMArts, and making an impact downtown, Rodriguez is creating magic for everyone willing to expand past Fresno’s typical fashion.
During his time at SOMArts, he debuted one of his first fashion collections.
Rodriguez, who was born and raised in Fresno, had dreams of designing his own clothes since becoming a young adult. His beginnings in fashion derived from his own art and interest in costumes which he found inspiring from the musical “Wicked.”
Francisco Rodriguez as “Garbage Lady” after showcasing his collection at Broadway Studios in April 2022. (Courtesy of Patrick Rodriguez)
His earliest memory of fashion was city nightlife and drag queens, who later proved to be a considerable influence on Rodriguez. When asked if there was a specific supermodel or drag queen who sparked a fashion influence in him, Rodriguez diverted the conversation to Fresno locals, saying, “There’s a lot of beautiful people in Fresno. Once I found my niche, I wanted to make clothes for them… I wanted my best friends to wear my clothes.”
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fashion design in 2014 from San Francisco Art Institute. (the fashion building closed in 2016), Rodriguez found that big cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles were not going to be the places to debut his most profound designs. In Rodriguez’s view, he considers San Francisco “too preppy” while Los Angeles is “too edgy.” Fresno is the perfect location for him to establish a new fashion scene, and Rodriguez is on his way to becoming one of the known pioneers.
Opening the show just outside his studio is a look of a monochrome striped long-sleeve sweater paired with a black velvet boxed top and a long white a-line petticoat. Just after the first model is a look is a lengthy white sheath two-piece with a gathered circle skirt with small intricate details of ruffles and lace. Making another appearance from a past show, a strapless taffeta dress with sequin feather details.
After a series of feminine looks, a model showcases a deconstructed penguin-tailed suit made to form a bodice decorated with ostrich feathers and buttons. The hem of the garment is then finished with taffeta. The garment combines two fabrics not often expected to work together, but Rodriguez proves otherwise.
Just like Rodriguez’s eccentric personality, he closes his fashion show with an ensemble he made for himself: a long double blazer sewn together to form a tailcoat. The front is made as a visual celebration of his creative mind all put together with blue, yellow, and red tulle utilized to form an asymmetric dress.
Rodriguez’s strength is making dresses. Some of his favorite fabrics used for many of his designs and dresses are tulle and taffeta, two textiles that are not commonly seen in everyday fashion. This is a reminder that House of Francisco is not to be worn by those consumed by conformity.
In July 2022, Rodriguez put on another fashion show at the same venue, this time for a different occasion. It was the birthday party of one of the band members of a local Fresno band, PUPPET but with the general public invited to participate in festivities. PUPPET was not the only act to perform, rather another locally known set of DJs under the name Pleasure Pack, provided the attendees with music to dance to.
Before the show, Francisco conditioned his models to do the perfect catwalk down the runway. He resembled a conductor of an orchestra, instructing the models as instruments on how to appear: inspiring and elegant.
With sounds provided by Pleasure Pack, Francisco showcases new designs for his summer show, along with past pieces he still has in his collection that have become synonymous with his brand image.
Amongst the new looks never before seen is a two-piece cotton long-sleeve sweater and shorts set. The sweater is adorned with diagonally exposed hems and the shorts are rawly cut.
The second of the new garments looked a bit ill-fitting for the model wearing it. Presented as an asymmetrical crop top with a high neck paired with matching wide-leg, cut-out detail pants, contrasted to how it was worn on the mannequin. The design is on-par to current trends, such as the shape and cut-out of the pants but it appeared better when the mannequin wore it.
Debuting third on the runway is a mini coral pink tulle dress. The fabric is just transparent enough to complement the skin but also allow the flashy lingerie to see through. The model showcased this with a bubbly and jumpy strut, in similarity to her equally out-of-ordinary dress.
In comparison, another “haute couture” look took over the gazes of the audience members. It is a baby blue dress adorned with a silky thin ribbon of a matching hue, hung atop a white taffeta, square neckline dress. The small details and presentation of the model represented the high fashion element of the show. High fashion is here, present in the valley with Rodriguez as the head of the category.
A prominent silhouette from the past shows makes a return: a satin lime green layered dress. Beneath the surface was a fuchsia lining embellished with taffeta that gave length to the initial bubble-like dress. The design was out of the ordinary yet reminiscent of an 80s awakening with its colors and shape.
Earlier in 2022, House of Francisco was one of the 10 fashion brands and designers to showcase garments for The “NO” Fashion Show in Fresno hosted by Styles by KMonet. Styles by KMonet is a personal stylist and boutique.
Styles by KMonet is also someone in the community who is active in creating the “Fashion in Fresno” movement. She included Rodriguez in a live stream to talk about the current state of Fresno sometime after the event.
At Full Circle Brewing Co. located in the heart of Downtown Fresno, 30 local models walked down the runway dressed in garments of the 10 brands. Rodriguez presents both new and past garments, all hand-made under the House of Francisco brand.
Destiny Duran, a frequent model of his clothes, was one of the first to walk the runway outside the studio floors. She was clad in an almost replica version of the satin lime green dress, only this version was baby blue for the “NO” Fashion Show.
“Giving a show to everyone and having each of us be a part of it was just different than anything I ever went through,” Duran said. “When I met him, I immediately heard about the fashion shows… I asked to be a part of the modeling,“ she said.
Duran is also a vendor outside of Rodriguez’s studio space during Art Hop. The two have become friends through their love for fashion and her support for his craft.
“I think as a creator he has everything he needs to create anything he truly wants and loves to see, and he’s not selfish. In the light he gives everybody a chance, and that’s what I truly am grateful for is having someone … showing off a side of fashion nobody sees often,” she said.
Again in August, Rodriguez was a guest designer and presented new pieces at a fashion show put together by Darius Huggins at Full Circle Brewery Co. Huggins runs an Instagram account named “The Valley’s FashionVerse” that organizes fashion shows for fashion enthusiasts to attend, model, and showcase.
Conner McKnight, an upcoming designer who is a friend and business partner, has both modeled for and shared the runway with the designer. He was present at that show in support of Rodriguez.
“He has shown me the potential for what sewing is capable of in Fresno, he's really carving out a path that's never existed before,” McKnight said.
McKnight is a teacher who dabbles in fashion and costume design as a hobby. He has previously shown some pieces during a fashion show hosted by Rodriguez. He has also just recently created a piece for Trashique.
McKnight credits Rodriguez with allowing to utilize some of his models and mannequins for use. “...As long as I'm willing to put in the work, he's willing to lend a hand,” McKnight said.
With Rodriguez, McKnight can count on him for networking, advertising, and acceptance of creative expression.
“He’s pretty much jump started my personal pursuits in costume design,” McKnight said.
After graduating, Rodriguez never stopped learning. His mind was always absorbing new knowledge of textiles, sewing, and silhouettes. His capacity and passion for fashion continue to evolve. As a hardworking individual with an artistic vision, it’s evident that his work is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
“I am fearless and don’t contribute to the mass market, and I’m not afraid to go out of the box and differentiate. Not for the sake of being different but for the sake of being experimental with fashion. Fashion is my art, my tool,” he said.
House of Francisco’s most recent collection debuts at a fashion show Rodriguez organized on April 28. Here are some shots from the collection.
(Courtesy of Miguel Durand)