Abigail Greydanus

The jump from latex fashion to clinical psychology might not seem like an obvious one, but it is to Abigail Greydanus. After becoming fascinated by latex while in fashion school, the designer became known for crafting one-of-a-kind garments made from the material for the likes of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna. Her designs veer toward Art Deco, with bold lines, vintage styling, unique colors, sexy cutouts, and fun prints in the unconventional medium. And her clients feel amazing in them. Little did she know that the high she’d get from making her customers happy with her custom designs would lead her in a whole new direction: Greydanus is currently studying to become a clinical psychologist at UCLA. She hopes to provide holistic mental health care for the LGBTQ community, and to conduct research that helps advocates secure additional resources for communities that lack access to them. Some of her recent research has involved looking at double consciousness in college students, and she has plans for upcoming studies delving into inclusion, intergroup, and intragroup attitudes, as well as negative stereotypes within the queer community. To hear her tell it, both of her careers are connected. “I love getting to make things for people to express their full selves,” Greydanus says, “and that’s why I hope to focus my psychology work on aiding those in the queer community to fully live their truth and support them every step of the way in doing so.” —SEJ