From Pasture to Pose: Grindr’s “I Wool Survive” Turns Gay Sheep Into Queer Couture

What would happen if you combined the world’s biggest queer dating app, a German farm full of rescued gay sheep, and one of the most iconic designers in pop culture? The answer, as unveiled in New York City, is "I Wool Survive": a runway show that’s part fashion fantasy, part activism, and 100% queer joy .

Beneath the bright lights of The Altman Building, Grindr brought together Rainbow Wool—a nonprofit that rescues rams whose same-sex attraction would otherwise see them cast aside—and Michael Schmidt, whose client list reads like a queer pantheon: Lady Gaga, Cher, Beyoncé, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat. Together, they spun literal queer history into 36 runway looks that made the audience gasp, laugh, and—yes—feel seen .

Rainbow Wool’s founder, shepherd Michael Stücke, operates just outside Cologne, Germany, rescuing rams who prefer the company of other rams. In the world of livestock, these animals are deemed “useless, ” destined for slaughter because they won’t reproduce. But Stücke saw something beautiful in their difference—and so did Grindr. “Connection has always been our core, ” said Tristan Pineiro, Grindr’s SVP of Marketing & Communications. “Rainbow Wool’s story mirrors the experience of so many LGBTQ+ people, cast aside for being different, yet thriving through community” .

Studies estimate that about one in twelve rams are gay—a biological reality that challenges the old myth that queerness is “unnatural” . By saving these sheep, Rainbow Wool flips the script: what’s seen as a flaw is honored as a strength, a metaphor for queer survival and chosen family.

Michael Schmidt’s creative process started where many modern queer stories do: Grindr DMs. The designer, known for metal mesh and rhinestones on pop icons, dove headfirst into the world of wool, reimagining 36 gay archetypes in yarn. The collection is a greatest hits of queer iconography—leather daddy harnesses spun from rainbow yarn, Wool Speedo-style briefs, camp gladiator accessories, and a pizza box that’s knit, not baked. Each look riffed on classic gay tropes: the Wrestler, the Sailor, the Pool Boy, the Greaser, the Coach, the Pizza Delivery Guy, the DTF Driver .

“It’s been a pleasure to create this light-hearted collection that also addresses a very serious topic, ” Schmidt said. “The mistreatment of animals that exhibit same-sex attraction is a painful reminder of the prejudice that continues to affect LGBT communities worldwide. Hopefully, by illustrating that homosexuality exists throughout the animal kingdom, we can help put to bed the false and damaging notion that being gay is a choice” .

The runway itself was an exuberant collision of camp, craft, and chemistry. Models strutted in pieces spun from animals once marked for erasure—a living testament to the magic that happens when queer lives aren’t just tolerated but celebrated .

In a year when many brands have retreated from LGBTQ+ visibility amid backlash and “rainbow washing” fatigue, Grindr’s project feels radical in its tenderness and its refusal to play it safe . The collaboration bridges worlds rarely connected: a German farmer, a Los Angeles designer, and a global app that’s more than just a place to find a date.

The event was more than a fashion spectacle. Select pieces from the collection will be auctioned to benefit LGBTQ+ initiatives worldwide, with Grindr pledging ongoing support to Rainbow Wool’s mission and the lives of these sheep, who continue to thrive in their chosen flock .

The after-party at The Eagle NYC—where else would you celebrate gay sheep fashion? —was packed with the downtown crowd, reinforcing that when art and activism meet on a dance floor, queer culture shows up in force .

“I Wool Survive” isn’t a one-night stunt. It’s a love letter to the queer community, showing what’s possible when difference is cherished, not erased. As Grindr continues to champion both Rainbow Wool’s flock and LGBTQ+ lives worldwide, the message is clear: connection can spark anywhere—across borders, cultures, and even species. From the pasture to the pose, it’s all about choosing joy, choosing family, and never letting anyone tell you you’re “useless” for being different .

In the words of Tristan Pineiro, “Through them, two people who would never otherwise have met—a German sheep farmer and a Los Angeles designer—got connected and together created something beautiful” .

The sheep keep living. The wool keeps coming. The point keeps being made. And somewhere, in a field in Germany, a flock of rams is living proof that queer survival isn’t just possible—it’s fabulous.