A Sit-Down with Self-Made Designer Nicole Castañeda
Image Courtesy: Strike Boca
Nicole Castañeda was born in Caracas, Venezuela. She grew up both there and in Miami, Florida. Her parents owned a film company which allowed her to be immersed in a very creative environment growing up. She was able to observe film sets and watch creatives like makeup artists, wardrobe and set designers at work. In 2013, she and her family moved to Miami permanently because of Venezuela’s economic and political crises. In Miami, she attended the Design and Architecture Senior High School, which specializes in design programs for students hoping to enter creative careers. DASH is located in the heart of Miami’s design district, which was a huge inspiration for Nicole to nurture her passion for design.
DASH allowed her to learn how to design clothes both technically and conceptually. She found that each piece of clothing had a meaning and purpose behind it, and to appreciate that purpose. During her senior year at DASH, Nicole was offered a scholarship to attend Drexel University for fashion design, where she is now a senior. While in school, she has been given the opportunity to work with designers like Angel Sanchez, a Venezuelan designer and Sharon OSP, a local designer in Miami. Nicole has gained experience by learning hands-on from experienced designers, allowing her to turn designs on paper into real pieces of couture clothing.
We sat down with Nicole to discuss how she went from dreamer to designer, how she was inspired to begin creating, and how she inspires others who want to follow in her footsteps.
What inspired you to want to become a fashion designer?
I have always been interested in how clothing allows people to express who they are and stand for. Fashion lets people show the world their personality, mental state, preferences, culture, religion, and so much more. When I was young, I felt very excluded from my peers for being different and not knowing how to communicate because of language barriers. I spent a lot of time looking at my sister's Vogue magazines and feeling very excited about people wearing couture designs by creatives like Alexander McQueen, Gaultier, and Mugler. These designs helped me understand a different method of communicating ideas and emotions without the need for words.
How did your environment in Miami or Venezuela impact the direction of your styling?
Being able to experience different cultures and meet people from very different backgrounds has become a great source of inspiration for my work. Venezuela helped me see a very colorful but still elegant side of clothing. The country itself is filled with so much detail created by its nature and history. Venezuela's political situation forced my family and me to leave, causing an extreme experience of distance and nostalgia. These emotions have translated into my work many times.
Miami is a huge melting pot of different Hispanic cultures that all have political tragedy in common and somehow combined into an eclectic city filled with so much energy. The spark of the city has influenced me into being interested in the use of color, and the unique culture has inspired me to tell stories. The positivity and hard work of the people have helped me find the beauty within life’s tragedies and translate it to design. Living in Philadelphia has exposed me to new cultures and people with extremely different stories. This has inspired me to find a way to make my concepts and messages more universal to connect with a greater audience.
What inspired you to create your digital work or projects?
For a long time, I could not connect with the idea of creating digital work. I am a very hands-on designer. I love the process of touching materials, ripping fibers apart, painting with the tips of my fingers, printing images, etc. When COVID forced us all to isolate, I needed to find ways to continue showing my work from my bedroom in Miami. My classes demanded creative work that was attractive on a computer screen. This pushed me to start experimenting with different techniques in Photoshop. I wanted to find a way to continue working with my physical materials and show them digitally while using those new tools I discovered. This helped me realize the importance of making sure my work stands out on a screen just as much as it does in person since most people today spend their time staring at computers.
Image Courtesy: Nicole Castañeda
What is your favorite material to work with?
A thread and needle. There is nothing more powerful than knowing how to use a hand sewing needle. My happiest moment when starting any project is sitting down to work on a garment by hand. I can really connect with the piece and make sure it looks the best quality possible. It is time-consuming and tedious, but the feeling of a perfected technique is incomparable.
Which piece or collection that you’ve created are you most proud of? How did you come to the final product?
The project I'm most proud of is my High School Senior Collection, Mi Gran Venezuela. I was very young when I created it, but I was very confident because of that. I didn't have the pressure to enter the real world or the industry. Now I get very in my head and listen to all the voices surrounding me. Mi Gran Venezuela is a ten-look collection inspired by protests in Venezuela. Venezuelans tend to find beauty in all the dark moments, and the protestors found unique ways to get their message across. Some flew colorful kites, others danced ballet on the streets, artists created murals, and a man went around giving people flowers for joy and hope. I wanted to translate that idea of passionate fighting. Many people reacted well and emotionally to my collection, including immigrants from other countries like South America.
Who is your favorite designer?
Choosing a favorite designer is very hard. There are a lot of young designers that have given me a lot of joy and excitement, such as Paolina Russo, Dilara Findikoglu, Masha Popova, Martin Luttecke, and Esteban Cortazar. I truly believe they are the industry's future because their work is innovative and compelling. I have always been a huge fan of Alexander McQueen for his designs and how he used clothing to translate his passion and pain. I also adore Peter Shire’s furniture design. His use of shapes and color is astonishing!
Image Courtesy: Nicole Castañeda
Where do you like to show off your designs?
I enjoy wearing my designs at house shows and art events. I also like posting pictures on my social media because it is surprising how supportive people are and how one repost can create a lot of positive outcomes.
What was the most valuable lesson you learned while in school for fashion?
The most valuable thing I have learned is that there is enough room in this world for everyone's talent. Focusing on myself has helped me find my niche. By doing this, I have discovered my own style. If someone is worried about not standing out, it’s because they are not making their work entirely their own. I have learned not to worry about what the person next to me is doing. I worry about investing in my work and connecting with people.
Lastly, what would you tell someone who wants to be a designer but doesn't know where to start?
Get educated. Fashion is a lot more than a logo t-shirt and supermodels. Fashion has vast financial, psychological, environmental, and societal impacts on our world. Making clothes is very complex, and I consider knowledge a superpower. Knowing how to construct a garment correctly will allow you to be a designer who understands how clothing works on the body, which will help you create superior looks. You will also understand the true value of a well-created design. Learning how garments should be made also allows you to help solve the issue of poorly made items with a very short and meaningless life. Make sure all your projects force you to grow and expand your knowledge. If it is not challenging you, it will not change you.
Nicole is a senior at Drexel University majoring in fashion design. After graduation, she plans to move to New York City, continuing her passion for creativity and quality work. She hopes to expand her career by starting her own business.
You can find her website here.
Strike Out,
Emma Saunders
Boca Raton
Emma Saunders is a Content Writer and Photographer for Strike Magazine Boca. In her free time, she enjoys saving the planet, drinking iced coffee, and listening to Red (Taylor’s Version only) on repeat. You can reach her at emmarose3900@icloud.com
