For designer John Michael Brewer, fashion has always been more than fabric and thread; it’s been a form of resistance, storytelling, and healing. Brewer, the Cape Breton-born creative, is gearing up to debut his new project: a bridal collection named Bubé, inspired by his own wedding and his partner, and rooted in the belief that love transcends all labels.
“My husband makes me feel like gold,” he says. “That was the inspiration.”
Brewer got his start as a designer when he and his friends decided to put on a fashion show fundraiser for a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer. For this show, he put together pink curtains and draped them into outfits. He then went on to sewing and bedazzling garments he made.
After showcasing at fashion weeks across the country, he took a break from putting on fashion shows to focus on his wedding. That is where he found the inspiration for his next collection.
It’s that radiant, unapologetic, golden feeling that infuses every piece of the Bubé line. The idea was sparked when Brewer made dresses for his own bridesmaids. That deeply personal creative act reignited his drive to re-enter the fashion scene. “I really wanted to come back to fashion show scenes,” he says. “I wanted to host a mini wedding on the runway. In true Drunk Gurl collection, I will bring the party.”
Drunk Gurl, is more than a brand—it’s a philosophy, he says. The name was born out of late-night conversations after parties, when masks come off and truths are shared. The collection encourages people to be seen for who they are: bold, unfiltered, and at the centre of the room. “People are going to judge, people are going to stare,” he says. “And growing up in a rural place, I wanted to create something to make your personality shine, and that is what Drunk Gurl does.”
Growing up queer in rural Nova Scotia in the ’90s, he didn’t see himself reflected anywhere. “There was no representation. I grew up in the era of being the side character,” he recalls. “It was the caricature version of a gay person, and people would expect you to play a part.”
Despite discouragement, even from a teacher who once told his mother that boys don’t belong in art class, Brewer never lost his creative spark. His mother fought to get him into that art class, and by Grade 1, he was already using his art to raise money for a friend with leukemia. “I always knew art had the tools to make change.”
Though he initially pursued kinesiology and later studied physiotherapy and PR, it all led back to his creative core. “My education did not align with being creative, but the arts found me and brought me back.”
That deep sense of purpose defines all of Brewer’s work. His fashion shows have raised funds for breast cancer awareness and supported aspiring art students through scholarships, like his Purple Kisses pandemic collection, which helped a local student attend NSCAD. “The arts are important to me, and I wanted to give back,” he says. “I felt like I was paying it back and doing something for young me.”
The collection will likely grab the attention of upcoming brides and grooms such as Tyler Munro who says he is excited to see the collection as he plans his 2026 wedding. ”I remember seeing John’s collection at the Atlantic Fashion Week, and I was mesmerized by the extravagance.”
“I would love to vote with my money and support a queer designer,” says Munro adding that people celebrate Pride Month but it’s also important to actually support the community and the artists.
“Calling yourself an ally is not enough, show support by supporting,” says Munro adding that he is happy this collection has pieces that can be shopped by everyone.
Brewer says his Bubé bridal line will be showcased through more than just a runway show, it will be a celebration. A reimagined wedding staged as an immersive experience. But beneath the glam, there’s a powerful message: weddings don’t need to be boxed into “queer” or “straight.”
“I do not like the term ‘gay wedding.’ It was a wedding,” he says firmly. “Everyone deserves the same love. We should not have columns.”
Brewer’s own destination wedding highlighted the challenges queer couples still face. “We ran into problems, where hotels did not want to host us, because it was a queer wedding. When you step out of Canada you realize how other parts of the world react.”
But for Brewer, resistance looks like a couture dress—and joy. Bubé is an act of love, activism, and unapologetic celebration. Whether made from curtains like his formative collection or silks, his designs let people shine. “Everyone deserves the opportunity,” he says. “I wanted to make everyone feel seen.”
“I am designing visibility, dignity, and dreams, for some it may be a mirror ball dress, for others a LBD [little black dress], but fashion is for all.”
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2025.