Biography
As host of Vice video series “States of Undress,” Gates captivates audiences in her quest to publicise the juncture between fashion and current affairs. Having starred in campaigns for Miu Miu, Costume National and Target, the model, actress and journalist is no stranger to fashion.
Gates grew up in Los Angeles and moved to New York to pursue experimental theatre at the Tisch School of Arts at New York University. On graduation, she was appointed an editor and director of advertising at The Paris Review. She left in 2015 to host the VICELAND documentary “States of Undress.” The series sees Gates travel conflict zones across the globe under the guise of attending a fashion week to explore the roles of fashion and beauty in culturally sensitive and diverse locations, as well as the sociopolitical circumstances surrounding fashion week around the world. Notably, Gates traveled to Karachi Fashion Week, which took place in a high-security elite hotel where the fearless host purchased a burqa in preparation for meeting ISIS supporter Abdul Aziz Ghazi. “States of Undress” has also covered stories in Palestine, China, Venezuela, Russia and the Congo.
In January 2019, Gates directed short film "Shako Mako," the 17th instalment of the Miu Miu Women’s Tales series that empowers female directors.