Canadian finds a home on Fashion Police
Ontario native Brad Goreski proving he can dish it out as well as the next guy
Long before he was dressing celebrities for the red carpet, Canadian stylist Brad Goreski credits trailblazing homegrown series Fashion Television and host Jeanne Beker for helping nurture his budding interest in style.
“When I was a kid watching TV every Sunday night, my dad would kind of cringe when he heard the theme song of Fashion TV come on, but I watched it religiously,” recalled Goreski of the now-defunct series which aired for 27 years.
“She was really my window into the world of fashion. I learned so much from her and for her dedication to reporting the latest in fashion, getting right to the designer, asking them the important questions. That was really the beginning.”
The Port Perry, Ont., native said his family was also a key source of support, as he recalled wearing “crazy outfits” to school and being obsessed with fashion magazines.
“Growing up in a small town and encouraged to be who I was and to really cultivate those skills and not try to shut them down has led me to be able to do the things that I’ve become very successful at — and that, to me, is such a gift,” said Goreski.
“I know there are a lot of parents who in the ’80s would have (said): ‘Oh, you know, he should be out kicking around a ball or playing hockey’ or whatever — and I wasn’t. I was at home watching Fashion Television and reading Vogue — and thank God, you know?”
Goreski has styled notable leading ladies including Jessica Alba, Noomi Rapace, Christina Ricci and Demi Moore.
At the recent Golden Globes, he styled Downton Abbey star and best supporting actress winner Joanne Froggatt in a strapless, embellished Marchesa gown, and also dressed actress Jenna Dewan Tatum (wife of Foxcatcher star Channing Tatum) in a buttery yellow Carolina Herrera creation.
The Los Angeles-based Goreski is now adding fashion critique to his repertoire, dishing on and dissecting celebrity style as the newest panellist on Fashion Police, which airs Mondays on E! Goreski and new show host Kathy Griffin join series vets Kelly Osbourne and Giuliana Rancic on the fourmember panel.
A recent episode devoted to assessing styles from the Golden Globe Awards was the first since the death of host Joan Rivers last September at age 81 following complications from surgery.
Goreski said he was lucky enough to be on the show while Rivers was still alive, and admitted to feeling nervous about meeting her — but as it turns out, he had nothing to fear from the famously cutting-edge comic legend.
“After the cameras stopped rolling, she grabbed my hand after we finished filming the segment and she said: ‘Just keep doing what you’re doing. You’re doing a really good job. I’m so proud of you and what you’ve done.’ I was like: ‘Wow! That’s so generous and so kind to say,’ ” recalled the 37-yearold.
“Everyone who came into contact with her fell in love.”
Goreski said this season will feature 17 episodes and will mostly be built around red-carpet events like the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards, Grammys and Oscars. He said they also plan to bring back past segments that fans love in addition to introducing new ones into the mix.
“The heart of the show and the legacy Joan put in place is still there. We want to honour that, but we also want to bring a fresh perspective,” said Goreski.
“The show must go on and I think that people can still expect very honest commentary and critique of what’s happening on the red carpet. Lots of laughs.”
Prior to his newest TV gig, Goreski starred on his own Bravo reality series It’s a Brad, Brad World and wrote Born to Be Brad: My Life and Style, So Far, which he described as part memoir, part style guide.
He said he sees Fashion Police as a prime opportunity to combine his expertise as a stylist and knowledge acquired over the years in fashion with his love of entertainment. He also seeks to share insight with viewers about why he sees a particular look as a hit or miss.
“I know how much work goes into getting a celebrity ready for the red carpet and so I never really want to come off as being hypercritical ... just saying: ‘The look doesn’t look great,’” he said.
“That’s what I hope I can bring every week: Lots of humour and lots of fun, but also maybe help people see things and actually develop a critical eye as opposed to just saying: ‘Oh, I thought she looked terrible.’”