about

 

Sonny Oram is a multidisciplinary artist and cultural innovator who transformed the fashion industry with the creation of Qwear, a groundbreaking queer fashion incubator. Launched in 2011, Qwear quickly became a global hub for queer fashion, providing a platform where LGBTQIA+ individuals could explore and celebrate their identities through style and self-expression. Qwear’s impact has been recognized by major media outlets, including The New York Times, Curve Magazine, Design Sponge*, Mashable, WBUR, and The Advocate, making it a leading voice in the conversation around queer fashion and identity. Recently, Sonny wrote the foreword for Queer and Trans Fashion Brands: Resistance and Revolution in the 21st Century, to be published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2025.

One of Qwear’s most influential campaigns, the #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike movement, spearheaded by activist Yasmin Benoit, challenged widespread misconceptions about asexuality and ignited an international dialogue on the diversity of asexual experiences. Additionally, Qwear has been a champion for femmes and BIPOC and has expanded the representation of plus-size androgynous fashion, helping to diversify and redefine the boundaries of queer style.

As a communications professional, Sonny has built a reputation for driving community engagement and crafting impactful strategies. During his tenure as the Communications Officer at MIT’s Edgerton Center, Sonny pioneered a data-driven approach that increased donations by 50% during the 24-Hour Challenge, led the redesign of the Center’s logo and branding, and grew their Instagram presence from zero to 2,000 followers in 3 years. His efforts also expanded MIT-wide content shares from 5 to 35 annually. Notably, Sonny interviewed MIT President Sally Kornbluth for one of 2023’s top articles, which received widespread media attention.

Sonny’s photography and digital storytelling have been featured by MIT News, Spectrum Magazine, MIT Technology Review, and NBC Boston, capturing the joy and creativity at the heart of innovation and education. These storytelling skills, combined with a deep commitment to inclusivity, have allowed Sonny to create powerful narratives that engage diverse audiences and amplify underrepresented voices.

Sonny is an accomplished graphic designer, having had his work featured in Solo Exhibition: Intersections at MIT’s Rotch Library in 2018. As a poet, he has performed at prestigious venues such as GBH Boston and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. As a representational and abstract painter, Sonny combines bold colors and textures with words.