Alan Gonzalez was born in Mexico and moved to Houston, Texas, with his family at the age of three. He grew up in Houston’s Northside community as a DACA recipient, raised by his mother after his father was deported. Despite these challenges, he discovered his passion for fashion during high school, where he designed costumes for the theater program. He went on to earn an associate degree in fashion design before launching his fashion label, Alantude. 

In 2019, he earned a spot on Season 18 of Bravo’s Project Runway, where he was the youngest contestant. Although he was eliminated in the third episode, his bold personality and authentic story resonated with viewers and producers alike. That visibility led Bravo to cast him as the host of Project Runway Redemption, a spinoff that featured previously eliminated designers. 

After the show, Gonzalez pivoted into costume design for television and film. He designed costumes for HBO Max’s Legendary, Disney+’s The Quest, and Broadway productions, including Sweeney Todd. He has also designed for Beyoncé’s 2024 Christmas Day halftime show and toured with Megan Thee Stallion’s dancers.