Sam Smith and Christian Cowan: All About the Singer and Fashion Designer's Relationship

Sam Smith and Christian Cowan are protective of their relationship.

Although the couple was first seen together in December 2022, they officially confirmed their relationship only in May 2024.

Smith — who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns — and Cowan walked the red carpet at the Met Gala holding hands in the same suits.

Cowan discussed the custom layouts he designed The New York Times accompanying event and confirmed that he and the “Unholy” singer have been in a relationship for about two years.

Cowan and Smith are very supportive of each other, and the singer often attends their partner’s fashion shows. However, the duo did not share how they met and mostly keep their relationship off social media. Talking to GQ UK in October 2022, Smith said after previous public relationships, they prefer to keep their romantic lives private.

“Over the past few years, as I’ve gained confidence in my own skin, I’ve received loads of wonderful romantic attention. It was incredible – said the singer. “I decided that now I will always keep it a secret. I’ve had relationships where I’ve shared things online and talked about it here and there. And I just don’t want to do that. I think being loved by someone is such a gift – for yourself. And I think that my work can sometimes get in the way of that – the purity of that love.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Sam Smith and Christian Cowan’s relationship.

They started a relationship in 2022

Sam Smith and Christian Cowan at the Willy Chavarria F/W 2024 fashion show on February 9, 2024 in New York City.

Udo Salters/Patrick McMullan/Getty

Smith and Cowan first sparked romance rumors in December 2022 when they posed for a photo with President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Mr. Doug Emhoff at the White House. The “Stay With Me” singer was there to perform in celebration of Biden’s official signing of the Respect for Marriage Act.

A month later, Smith and Cowan visited a tattoo studio in Sydney, Australia. The tattoo artist posted a photo of the pair and shared that he drew Smith with a red plant. The two were also seen walking around New York that same week. The pair were photographed walking hand-in-hand, and Smith was filmed giving Cowan a kiss on the head.

After being spotted together multiple times throughout 2023, Cowan officially confirmed The New York Times in May 2024 that he and Smith had been in a relationship for about two years.

Smith supports Cowan at his shows

Sam Smith and Christian Cowan pose backstage at the hit Broadway musical ‘Some Like It Hot’ on February 17, 2023 in New York City.

Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Smith is very supportive of Cowan’s career as a fashion designer. The singer attended Cowan’s first show on Valentine’s Day 2023 during New York Fashion Week. Smith sat in the front row wearing one of Cowan’s designs, a silver sequined coat over a red jumpsuit.

In September 2023, Smith performed Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round” during Cowan’s Paris Fashion Week show, which was a tribute to the band’s late singer Pete Burns.

“Ultimately, I would like to capture the punk, British, glamorous and experimental nature of Burns within this collection. To support this, there could be no better choice than @samsmith’s performance to evoke this spirit,” Cowan wrote on Instagram. “As they have done throughout their incredible, boundary-pushing careers.”

They debuted on the red carpet at the Met Gala

Christian Cowan and Sam Smith attend the 2024 Met Gala celebrating “Sleeping Beauties: The Reawakening of Fashion” on May 6, 2024 in New York City.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Smith and Cowan made their first red carpet appearance at the 2024 Met Gala in custom designer looks. Smith wore a black tuxedo with a sheer skirt and a silver-plated rose, while Cowan donned a matching white tuxedo with a gold-plated rose.

Talking to VogueCowan said he was inspired to create the double look after reading JG Ballard’s short story “The Garden of Time,” which was the dress code for the event.

“We immediately turned to old-world tailoring — specifically, Oscar Wilde,” he said. “In terms of choosing flora, I gravitated towards the English rose, something that celebrates both Sam’s and my heritage. The roses are actually real red roses, then dipped in solid 24k gold and pure silver; These roses are then threaded through the cut, forming a zipper.”

Cowan also shared that he added a see-through skirt to Smith’s outfit to “balance the traditional masculine tailoring towards a gender-neutral position.” Metal-encrusted roses were another intentional addition to the couple’s outfits.

The designer said Vogue in an interview on the red carpet, he said that the roses were a nod to the beginning of his relationship with Smith. “Early on in our day, I gave Sam a metal-encrusted rose,” Cowan said. “So it was a nod to that moment.”

Smith has worn Cowan’s designs on several occasions

Sam Smith and Christian Cowan attend the 2024 Met Gala celebrating “Sleeping Beauties: The Reawakening of Fashion” on May 6, 2024 in New York City.

Mike Coppola/MG24/Getty

The Met Gala wasn’t the first time Smith wore a Cowan design. The “Dancing with a Stranger” singer often attends Cowan’s shows in tailored, including the designer’s Fall/Winter 2024 show, where she wore a star print blouse and black taffeta skirt.

For Smith’s Gloria on the 2023 tour, they wore Cowan’s custom design, an organza and tulle dress with corset and rose detailing. The star also wore Cowan’s satin tuxedo dress for their “I’m Not Here to Make Friends” music video.

In a Facebook post celebrating their music video, Smith praised Cowan’s design. “It was an honor to wear Christian’s work and work with him on this outfit and video. I have never felt so sexy and free as when I wore Christian’s clothes – said the singer. “I am very grateful to Christian for creating something so truly and authentically amazing and timeless. It is the silhouette of my dreams.”

Privately, they are a couple

Sam Smith and Christian Cowan on January 21, 2024 in New York.

Gotham/GC images

Although they made several public appearances before confirming their romance, Smith and Cowan remain a very private couple. They didn’t share personal posts about each other on social media until their red carpet debut at the 2024 Met Gala. Smith posted a photo from the event on Instagram, writing, “Side by side, always 🌹.”

That same month, Cowan celebrated Smith’s birthday by sharing a photo of the singer in a sequined suit he designed, calling them a “birthday beauty”.

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Source: HIS Education