March 28, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

“No Wire Hangers” Shows a Designer’s Hard-Earned Journey to Success

From Hampton, Virginia, to Hollywood comes the amazing story of designer extraordinaire Raymond McNeill in the new documentary “No Wire Hangers.” His path to success has been a rocky one, with his lowest point involving a stint of homelessness and living in his car. Yet the adversity he experienced was no match for his talent as a garment maker. McNeill was given his big break after being asked by his hometown friend Margot Lee Shetterly, author of “Hidden Figures,” to dress Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe in the 2017 film adaptation of the book.

McNeill worked under many famous names in high fashion such as Oscar de la Renta, and while he worked behind the scenes of many red carpet looks, the garments were never accredited with his name.

McNeill’s home state of Virginia is one that has incited many racist uprisings and riots. Filmmakers behind “No Wire Hangers” capture the racism behind McNeill’s hometown as well as dealing with child abuse and expression of gender and sexuality. Filmmakers Liam Lee, Joe Bubar and Michelle Caley document McNeill’s journey back to his hometown to debut his full fashion show as Nomar Couture, the name he always imagined he’d take as his success grew. In an interview with Out, Lee talks about how he met McNeill in Brooklyn as they became roommates and how compelled he felt by his journey thus far. “He would tell me these stories about his working as a stripper and sewing the costumes for the other dancers, the racism he faced in the fashion industry, and the abuse he had to overcome as a child and I knew I needed to tell his story.”

By telling this story of McNeill’s unique experience as a gay black man, it reveals an intersectional reality that is important to hear, especially in the current political climate confronting the United States. In exposing McNeill’s world, the filmmakers hope to capture the essence of success within all individuals who feel like they have more to offer the world despite their current situations.

“No Wire Hangers” is currently crowdsourcing through Kickstarter to get to its goal of $20,000 and debut the story that has been documenting Raymond McNeill for over three years.

Related Posts

‘Commitment To Life’ Documentary Exploring HIV Fight In Los Angeles

December 7, 2021

December 7, 2021

Production has begun on “Commitment to Life” a new documentary that explores the fight against HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles.  Directed...

New Documentary Pays Tribute to Transgender ‘AIDS diva’ Connie Norman

October 26, 2021

October 26, 2021

A new documentary titled “AIDS Diva: The Legend of Connie Norman,” will pay tribute to the transgender leader in AIDS...

Sex and the City Star Willie Garson Dead At 57

September 28, 2021

September 28, 2021

Acclaimed actor and Los Angeles resident Willie Garson passed away on September 21 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer,...

Elvira Shocks Fans By Coming Out Of The Closet

September 28, 2021

September 28, 2021

Just in time for Halloween, the spook queen herself, Cassandra Peterson, a.k.a. Elvira, has come out of the closet.  In...

QFilms Long Beach Returns

September 15, 2021

September 15, 2021

QFilms Long Beach, Long Beach’s oldest film festival, returns September 30 – October 3 to celebrate the diversity of LGBTQ...

WeHo Poet Laureate Reviews LGBTQ Documentray “Senior Prom”

June 24, 2021

June 24, 2021

West Hollywood poet Laureate, RENT Poet founder and author of “The Poetry of Strangers: What I Learned Traveling America with...

Buzzfeed’s Docuseries “The Andrea Mares Project”

June 11, 2021

June 11, 2021

BuzzFeed’s As/Is presents “The Andrea Mares Project,” a docuseries that shadows Andrea Mares, a trans-feminine Latinx, as she embarks on...

LGBTQ Center Long Beach Screening “The Wizard Of Oz”

June 6, 2021

June 6, 2021

Celebrate LGBTQ Pride with an interactive screening of The Wizard of Oz, a fundraiser for the LGBTQ Center Long Beach. ...

LA Pride Announces LGBTQ Cinespia Event At Hollywood Forever Cemetery

May 23, 2021

May 23, 2021

In honor of 2021’s “Thrive With Pride” theme LA Pride has announced a special night at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. ...

WeHo Celebrates Asian American History Month

May 9, 2021

May 9, 2021

With Covid hate crimes on the rise against Asian Americans on the rise WeHo Reads 2021 season is Creating Hollywood...

Disarm Hate Documentary Presented By onePULSE Foundation

April 23, 2021

April 23, 2021

The onePULSE Foundation announced its free virtual film screening of the director’s cut of the documentary, Disarm Hate, which takes...

Trans Los Angeles A Film Full Of Queer Latinx Talent

April 4, 2021

April 4, 2021

Trans Los Angeles is an anthology composed of four short films directed and written by transgender director Kase Peña. Each...

New Harry Potter Video Game Will Feature Trans Witches & Wizards

March 14, 2021

March 14, 2021

The newest Harry Potter video game titled Hogwarts Legacy will allow players to create trans characters.  The game will allow...

Disney Shuts Down Studio Making First Feature Film With Queer Lead Character

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

Disney has shut down a studio that was making the company’s first feature length animated feature with a queer lead,...

Hal Holbrook, Actor Who Played Mark Twain, Dies At 95

February 3, 2021

February 3, 2021

Hal Holbrook, the actor best known for his accurate portrayal of Samuel Clemens — better known as Mark Twain —...