Mars Wright Dreams of Chaos

On trans spirituality, designing shirts to inspire queer joy, and living life to the fullest.

I first became aware of Mars Wright, artist and fashion designer, a little over a year ago. My friend modeled for one of Wright’s photoshoots and the photos ended up in my Instagram feed. As I swiped through the joyous faces of queer and trans models on a backdrop of what can only be described as a cerulean Los Angeles sky, I thought how incredible (and rare) it is to see this much beauty so boldly uninterested in being inside the box.

Mars Wright modeling his QUEER LOVE EXISTS long-sleeve tee

This is, essentially, what Wright’s work is about. He isn’t interested in being quiet about his zeal for life. Quite the opposite — his designs basically scream from every rooftop: TRANS JOY IS RESISTANCE! and I LOVE TRANS PEOPLE! in all caps. Always in all caps. Why the hell not? The colors are bold, the vibe is powerful party, and the models are all friends of Wright’s, happy and living their best queer lives.

So, of course I followed his Instagram. I became captivated by his reels — on how to style outfits with his designs, of course, but also on why it’s not masculinity that’s toxic, it’s the patriarchy. And a very vulnerable series on what he calls “Dorito Chip surgery,” dedicated to helping other trans-masculine folks understand what it’s like to undergo gender-affirming surgery.

I finally got the chance to sit down with Wright and chat about community, spirituality, and fashion. I’m so very excited to share this conversation with you!

Dreams of Chaos is a series of Q&As I’m only making available to paid subscribers, simply because speaking with folks and editing interviews for clarity and content takes a lot of time and energy. Please consider buying a paid subscription (or trying a seven day free trial) to support the work that goes into this publication. Thank you!