GARRISON XR
Introduce yourself in your favorite way possible.
My name is Garrison — Detroit’s gender fluid DJ, promoter, designer, model and self proclaimed It Girl.
Song requests, or no?
Depends on who is asking but more times than not, no.
What are you focusing on most these days?
The XOXR Parties — I constantly have one in the works.
Where does the name Garrison XR come from?
I started DJing under my given birth name, Garrison Briggs, and as I started getting more bookings I wanted something shorter and more eccentric. XR comes from the abbreviation Extended Release which I thought gave an edge to my first name and fit well with the nightlife scene. Later, I would find out how well it works with branding.
Tell us more about your clothing collection:
I’ve always loved fashion and have always wanted to be a designer. When my DJing started taking off I had the idea to create merch that would be cute enough to stand on its own. Opening the market to people who may not even know who I am or what XOXR is.
When did it start and what was the inspiration?
My brand XOXR started when the owner of the High Dive in Hamtramck reached out in the fall of 2023 asking if I wanted to start a monthly residency. I got the name XOXR from an instagram caption I wrote for a mix I put out on Valentine’s day in 2022, ending it with “XOXR” instead of “XOXO”. The inspiration for my clothing comes from the hot bimbo aesthetic from the Y2K era. Think Juicy Couture but techno.
How can we shop the brand?
You can shop the brand at Detroit Clothing Circle in Midtown on Cass Avenue or DM the XOXR instagram.
What is your favorite fashion moment recently? Add pics!
I think my favorite fashion moment would be a look I did for a spur of the moment photoshoot with my friend Luis, a local photographer who has done work with Vogue and Vanity.
I was wearing a vintage sheer tan button up that a friend gifted me; Discontinued AfterFourThirty vegan ostrich leather pants; and a thrifted gray beret that has “Detroit Daddy” embroidered into the side.
What makes this my favorite most recent fashion moment is that everything worn has a special story behind it and each piece feels like one of a kind. It feels very intentional too, being that the pants are made from a Detroit designer paired with the beret that is subtly repping Detroit.
I usually never wear buttons up because they feel too masculine for me however this one being completely see through gives a more feminine touch.
Also I fucking love a beret.
Do you model as well?
I do. I’ve been professionally modeling since 2021 and in 2023 I got signed to Select Models LA.
How does your music overlap with the clothing collection?
Besides the fact that my clothing originated from GXR merchandise, there is something to say about how today’s hot new DJs are being dressed from equivalent fashion brands. You’ll see LSDXOXO in head to toe Diesel or VTSS in archived Gauliter. Fashion and music both have an underground culture and where those two overlap I LIVE!
Who is your biggest fashion inspiration?
I pull inspiration from a lot of things and people, however when i think about my biggest inspiration it would be Susanne Bartsch. She’s an inspiration to me in a lot of ways, but the fact that she gatekept the entrance to her iconic parties and only granted access to club kids that pulled extravagant ass looks continued the nightlife renaissance that Warhol started. For me my best looks come out at night. There’s more freedom in clubs to be extra and I credit Susanne for that.
Who is your biggest music influence?
What does gender fluidity and queer alliance look like to you and your community?
The queer community is strong in Detroit but you need to know where to look. There are not many designated queer spaces in Detroit, everything is somewhat meshed together. I have a lot of hope that the queer community in Detroit will grow bigger and stronger — however that requires the members of the community to work in alliance. The reopening of the Norwood which hosts Queer Detroit every Thursday made me recognize how the LGBTQIA+ community is all in this together. The queer people here in this community do care and are hoping for the same things I am.
For me a queer alliance in Detroit would be to collectively prioritize queer parties, promoters and artists. Us gays are the life of the party, the nightlife scene would not be what it was if it weren’t for queers, more specifically black queers. We need to own that and be pushing for more.
What is your favorite song to play right now?
At home, How Do I love Thee — Queen Latifa
In the club, — Just a Single Horn — Botwin
Who is your favorite music artist?
This question always makes my brain overheat because so many musical artists have impacted me greatly. However, if I had to choose one…. Lana Del Rey. She’s been on of my most played artists since I discovered her in 2012.
What is your all time favorite album cover to cover?
What has been your proudest moment to date as the Detroit it girl?
Having DJ K1 headline my XOXR 1 year anniversary party. He’s an underground, underrated Detroit legend.
If you could style anyone who would it be?
Where do you want to be in one year? Two years? Three years?
I plan to stay in Detroit for a bit. I want to leave for a bigger city eventually, like London. But I am trying to ground myself, center my focus and continue cultivating my brand. I’m recognizing the impact I’m making in Detroit and I don’t want to walk away from the hard work that got me here.
What is your wildest dream for the brand?
Having a show during fashion week with supermodels in my XOXR garments.
What is your favorite club in Detroit to spin and stunt a look?
Marble — something about it has such an old glamorous queer undertone. Plus I love a venue where you can dance, socialize, or dissociate on a couch.
How do you prepare for a show?
I tend to DJ every morning before I go to work. Besides that, it’s important for me to just chill and move slowly. Without thinking I tend to move fast which leads to me getting overstimulated quickly; overall ruining my vibe. So on the day of a gig I try to not plan or give myself anything to do.
When did you start spinning?
From 2017 to 2019 I was a bedroom DJ
Besides Detroit Clothing Circle, where is your favorite place to shop in Detroit?
Old Soul Vintage is always on my lists of places to stop when I need a good piece.
What is your dream festival to play?
I need to check Movement off my list. Also, Dekmental would be lit.
What Detroit party do you never miss because you know it’s always going to be a great time?
It’s hard being a DJ and promoter and never missing events. I always look out for Auction, Blueprint, Community Function, Femme Dom, Hunni and Haute 2 Death. Just recently the Norwood took on Queer Detroit hosting them every Thursday, and each party has been very fun.
What are you excited about right now?
The remix I am working on for Detroit’s pop-star, Duane, hoping for it to be released around Valentine’s Day.
When is your next big set that we should definitely not miss?
I am starting a quarterly event series at TV Lounge starting in March and I’m hosting a techno group from Chicago Valentine’s weekend.
Where can we find you online?
Listen to Garrison XR’s guest mix for Community Function on Soundcloud here.
Is there anything else you want to share with us?
Free Palestine.
Thank you for reading! All my love to the dance floor, I hope to see you at an XOXR event soon.
Muah!