The Most Unexpected Fashion Story of 2025: I Wool Survive
By NOS.3 Editorial Team
We love a good fashion surprise, but nothing—and we mean nothing—prepared us for a runway powered by wool from rescued gay rams. A few days ago, at The Altman Building, Grindr (the gay men dating app) unveiled I Wool Survive, a 36-look collection by designer Michael Schmidt made entirely from the wool of male-oriented rams saved from slaughter by the German nonprofit Rainbow Wool.
The result? A collision of activism, camp, craftsmanship, biology, and unapologetic queer energy, stitched together by a dating app.
A Dating App, a Designer, and a German Shepherd (Literally)
This collaboration started where many things in modern queer culture begin: Grindr DMs.
Rainbow Wool, a small farm outside Cologne, rescues rams who prefer other rams, animals who in traditional farming systems are considered “useless” for reproduction and often sent to slaughter.
Science has studied same-sex behavior in rams for decades. Roughly 1 in 12 exhibits male-oriented behavior. Rainbow Wool decided that instead of eliminating them, they would save them—and spin their wool into textiles with purpose. “When female sheep get pregnant, they stop growing wool. Male sheep don’t,” explains Rainbow Wool co-founder Michael Stücke. “Their wool becomes a second life.”
Enter Grindr, which instantly saw the metaphor: queer lives being discarded, dismissed, devalued, and the beauty that emerges when they’re protected instead of punished.
Michael Schmidt Goes Full Gay Iconography
For the uninitiated: Michael Schmidt is the couturier behind iconic looks for Cher, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, and Dita Von Teese. He is not, historically, a knitwear guy.
But give him 30 boxes of gay-ram yarn and permission to be as queer as he wants, and something magical happens.
For I Wool Survive, Schmidt built an entire gay universe:
Thirty-six gay archetypes reimagined in wool, some hilarious, some hot, all crafted with a level of artistry that makes you forget for a moment that this is activism disguised as fashion, leather daddy harnesses crocheted in rainbow yarn. Wool Speedo-style briefs. Camp gladiator accessories. A pizza that’s knit, not baked are part of the accessories from characters like the Greaser, firefighter, Wrestler, Pool Boy, Motorcycle Dude, DTF Driver, Sailor, Coach and Pizza Delivery Guy
“It’s humor, but it’s also a very serious story,” Schmidt said, “homosexuality exists in the animal kingdom. It’s nature.”
A Runway That Felt Like Queer Cinema
The front row reflected the moment: Zaldy, Aquaria, Susanne Bartsch, Madison Rose, CT Hedden, Martin Gregory Jerez—creatives who understand when fashion becomes message.
Models strutted in wool pieces spun from animals who were meant to be erased. The audience got it instantly, The after-party at The Eagle—because where else do you celebrate gay sheep fashion?—continued the energy, packed with half the downtown scene in attendance.
Where This Goes Next
Grindr isn’t treating this as a one-night stunt.
In 2026, the app will support Rainbow Wool’s mission through:
auctions benefiting LGBTQ+ initiatives
international showcases
product drops
ongoing sponsorship of rescued rams
Rainbow Wool, meanwhile, continues rescuing animals and selling wool products that fund queer charities. You can even adopt a gay sheep, complete with a digital certificate.
It’s activism disguised as fashion disguised as a love letter to the queer community.
Why This Matters
In a year when many brands have retreated from LGBTQ+ messaging, I Wool Survive feels radical in its tenderness. It bridges worlds that rarely meet:
A German farmer, a Los Angeles couturier, a global queer dating app.
Animals saved from prejudice.
Queer identity reframed through nature.
Connection is Grindr’s brand promise. Usually, that means men meeting men. This time, it meant saving lives, creating art, and proving—literally—that queerness is woven into the fabric of the natural world. Because no, the sheep were not corrupted by woke culture.
And yes, they wool survive.
Discover more at rainbow-wool.com