Xochitl Gomez already has many reasons to celebrate in 2024. She just finished her period on Dancing with the stars live tour with partner Val Chmerkovskiy (in case you missed it, the two slayed season 32 of the dance competition show and took home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy).
Now she’s finding her style groove with an exciting new gig — Hot Topic’s first-ever Social Collision Style Guide!
Last July, the 17-year-old actress starred in and styled Hot Topic’s back-to-school campaign. Today, she and the brand are taking things up a notch with Gomez co-designing and marketing a series of collections for Social Collision, the brand’s in-house punk-inspired label. Fans can expect the first drop to launch this spring.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Gomez reveals all the details about her “crazy” and undeniably cool title, which she sees as a “big fucking compliment.”
Xochitl Gomez for Hot Topic.
Hot topic
Xochitl Gomez Goes Back To School With Hot Topic: ‘Wear What You Feel Good In’ (Exclusive)
“Social Collision is a nod to the OG Hot Topic aesthetic, but it’s also fresh and new. That’s what drew me to it,” Gomez says of the partnership, which also includes a campaign with soon-to-be-launched pieces that showcase her grungy side.
If there’s anyone who understands the Hot Topic DNA, it’s Gomez, who has represented the brand since she was a fashionably “adventurous” 10-year-old. She used to wear her mother’s vintage t-shirts and a studded belt to school. Later, her first purchases became the brand’s classic red plaid pants.
“I’ve always been an artsy, grungy kid. I think it has a lot to do with my mom because she already had these pieces in her closet, so you can already tell how much of an influence I was growing up,” Gomez says, adding that her Mom is the ultimate “cool girl”.
So when she started working on Social Collision, everything came naturally. In fact, the multi-hyphenate role “wasn’t very scary”.
“It’s pretty easy to read what kind of, say, shoes and accessories I like,” she says about the “super collaboration” process so far. “They took some of my favorite things that I like to wear and put together their own version of it,” adds Gomez.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(481x155:483x157)/Xochitl-Gomez-Hot-Topic-022324-1-702cfe31254b49cd82b191a67c2a40da.jpg)
Xochitl Gomez for Hot Topic.
Hot topic
Dancing with the stars Champ Xochitl Gomez Shares Behind-the-Scenes Photos of 2024 Tour (Exclusive)
What to expect: Gwen Stefani-inspired grungy outfits adorned with hardware, such as chains, studs and eyelets, plus bold patterns and motifs, such as plaid and stars. A big fan of piling on the accessories for her red carpet looks, Gomez also included statement jewelry.
The ultimate goal was to bring a “fresh perspective” that “gets all the nitty gritty” and represents the diverse Gen Z teenagers and their aesthetics.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Ultimately, the Marvel star wants everyone to be empowered by their style.
“It’s always important to show how you feel in the moment and not lock yourself into one thing,” shares Gomez, who never overdoes it with her wardrobe, which can go from dainty and girly one day to Billie Eilish-inspired oversized silhouettes the next.
Her new platform is “an opportunity to encourage everyone to get out there and play what you like and not think about it,” she says. Her mantra: “Wear what you love and have it.”
To stay up to date with Gomez’s collections for Social Collision, visit hottopic.com and the brand’s TikTok and Instagram.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education