Cher, Christos Garkinos as 'Rock-n-Roll' Santa and Drag Queen Reindeer: 'Literally a Dream' (Exclusive)

12/16/2024 12:00 PM

Garkinos details the zany moment in his upcoming memoir, 'Covet the Comeback' — read an excerpt here

Christos Garkinos has done it all over the course of his career — including landing a last-minute parade gig with Cher!

That's just one of the anecdotes the fashion entrepreneur and former Dukes of Melrose personality shares in his new memoir, Covet the Comeback, forthcoming from Legacy Launch Pad Publishing next spring.

The new book details how Garkinos, the gay son of Greek immigrants, found a life for himself outside of his Detroit hometown, per the book's description. After graduating college, Garkinos took a job with Richard Branson, co-founder of the Virgin Group, and began a decades-long career in fashion and media.

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Over the years, Garkinos, dubbed the "Robin Hood of Fashion," would find a TV deal at Bravo, rub elbows with the glitterati at wild parties and get acquainted with A-list celebrities. His experience with addiction, however, would take him to the brink of financial ruin. This led Garinkos to get sober, and launch his own Covet by Christos empire. 

"For future business moguls and dreamers of all kinds, Covet the Comeback is far more than a must-read redemption story. It's a masterclass in learning that we all fall down-and how to get back up in style," the book's synopsis reads.

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Garkinos' career has led to some iconic moments, including a Chicago parade in which he had to do some quick thinking after Branson dropped out at the last minute. Read an exclusive excerpt from Covet the Comeback below.

Cher's "Believe" had just dropped and was a massive hit, giving her career a whole new life and a whole new range of fans. She was, at 52, the hottest pop star in the world, and we got the label to agree to bring her in for the Chicago store opening.

Cher was really looking forward to meeting Richard Branson, which was the primary reason she agreed to come. It was a big deal for her, so I made sure Richard was set to be a part of the opening, too.

Just as I thought everything was set to go off without a hitch, I get a call from Richard. 

Instead of coming to Chicago to meet Cher and open the new store, Richard was going to Morocco to fly above the desert in a hot air balloon.

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Of course he was.

The hot air balloon thing actually was on his schedule — after the Chicago opening. Plans changed, though, and before I could even sputter out a "what do you mean, you can't come?" Richard was telling me he had to go.

"Tell Cher I'll see her in Miami for the next opening," he said casually.

I was in a full panic. Cher was coming to Chicago expecting to meet Richard Branson. Who is bailing on her. And on me!

But I've always been able to think on my feet, so I quickly grabbed the red leather Santa suit I had specially made for Richard.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention. It was Christmas, and the plan was for Richard to dress up as rock-and-roll Santa, complete with a hat and a full suit made out of leather, and drag queens dressed up as reindeer were going to pull a sleigh holding him and Cher down the center of Michigan Avenue.

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I arrived in Chicago and walked into Cher's hotel room, greeted by a scene of wigs everywhere —would you expect anything else from Cher?

Her manager, Billy, was there, and Cher was flitting around in the background, preparing for the opening. I took a deep breath.

"I've got some good news and some bad news."

"Okay, tell us the bad news first," Billy says, clearly already bracing himself for impact.

"Well, Richard is going up in a hot air balloon, so…he's not coming to the opening,"

There's a long pause.

Cher looks at me, stunned. I can practically hear the gears turning in her head.

"What?" she asks, with a tone of incredulity.

I take another deep breath.

"The good news is ... the parade's still happening, and the costume fits me perfectly!"

It was either sink or swim. I put on the red leather Santa suit, threw on the hat and let myself be pulled down Michigan Avenue with Cher, both of us laughing at the sheer spectacle ahead of us. Literally a dream for a young gay boy from Detroit — making small talk with Cher in a fab, bright-red leather suit.

Copyright © 2024 by Christos Garkinos. All rights reserved

Covet the Comebackwill be published on March 23, 2025 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.