Pat Cleveland maintains experimental fashion style decades after debut

Veteran fashion model Pat Cleveland continues to embrace experimental and unconventional style decades after her career began. Her journey started in 1966 when a self-made miniskirt worn on a New York City subway platform caught the attention of a Vogue employee.

Cleveland treats fashion as a form of performance art. In a February 2025 Lingua Franca fashion show, she showcased an eccentric look featuring a bright strapless dress, a floor-length plush coat with animal ears on the hood, and bright red shoes. She has described the fashion industry as “very tribal,” noting that participants gather to exhibit themselves like peacocks.