Grindr Presents 'I Wool Survive': How We Connected Gay Sheep to the NYC Runway

Last night, Grindr debuted 'I Wool Survive,' a 36-piece fashion collection made entirely from the wool of gay rams. The collaboration brought together Rainbow Wool—a German farm that rescues gay sheep from slaughter—and designer Michael Schmidt for a runway show at The Altman Building that reimagined every gay archetype through wool.

This unexpected partnership showcases what Grindr does best: making connections that you wouldn't think exist but absolutely need do. Across worlds, borders, and now species, we connected Rainbow Wool's powerful story with Schmidt's iconic artistry to celebrate the resilience and creativity that define gay culture.

The Science and the Save

Rainbow Wool operates near Cologne with a specific mission: rescue rams that prefer other rams. Studies show about 1 in 12 rams are gay. Traditional farms slaughter them. Shepherd Michael Stücke saves them instead, turning their wool into textiles that carry a message.

"This collaboration with Grindr proves that being gay is part of nature itself," Stücke says. "The wool from these rams isn't just material—it's a message spun from animals who live freely and are loved."

Schmidt's Vision

Michael Schmidt—the designer who's created for Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Cher, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Madonna, and Lil Nas X—took Rainbow Wool's yarn and built an entire gay universe. The Greaser. The DTF Driver. The Pizza Delivery Guy who somehow belonged on a runway. The Wrestler in wool singlet. The Jock. The Coach. Thirty-six looks that read like a greatest hits of gay archetypes, each one crafted from the wool of rams who were marked for death.

Every piece balanced humor with heat. Leather daddy harnesses spun from rainbow yarn. Sailor crops that actually worked. Firefighter suspenders you'd swipe right on. Each archetype reimagined through artistry, humor, and unmistakable pride.

"It's been a pleasure to create this light-hearted collection that also addresses a very serious topic," Schmidt said. "The mistreatment of animals that exhibit same-sex attraction is a painful reminder of the prejudice that continues to affect LGBT communities worldwide. Hopefully, by illustrating that homosexuality exists throughout the animal kingdom, we can help put to bed the false and damaging notion that being gay is a choice."

Schmidt's work sits in permanent collections at The Met, LACMA, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Now he's added gay sheep wool to his repertoire.

The Show

The Altman Building crowd got it. Zaldy, Aquaria, Susanne Bartsch, Madison Rose, CT Hedden, Martin Gregory Jerez—they watched wool transform into leather daddy harnesses, into sailor crops, into firefighter suspenders. The material that shouldn't exist, worn by models embodying every fantasy and fetish, while making a point about nature itself.

The Eagle after-party, sponsored by Woodwork, kept the energy going. The room was packed, hot, and exactly what you'd expect when you gather this crowd to celebrate gay sheep becoming high fashion. Our community knows how to show up when art meets activism meets a dance floor.

Next Moves

We're not done. Throughout 2026, we're supporting Rainbow Wool's mission. Some pieces will be auctioned for LGBTQ+ initiatives. The sheep keep living. The wool keeps coming. The point keeps being made.

Connection is what we do. Usually it's on an app. This time it involved a German sheep farm, a designer who's dressed every icon you can name, and wool that shouldn't exist. But it does.

More about Rainbow Wool: rainbow-wool.com.

View our favorite looks below.