You were born in Colombia and lived there until moving to the United States as a teenager. What fashion influences come from your time there?
Bright, bold colors [and being] confident in what you wear. Confidence is one of the best styles to have!
How did you get your start in the fashion industry?
I was an intern in the public-relations department at Perry Ellis. My first job was at Mirabella magazine, and I ultimately found myself at Elle, working my way up the ranks until I became fashion director in 2000. Then in 2008, I moved to Marie Claire, and I have been the fashion director ever since.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion means knowing who you are and what you love. Be confident in your clothing selections, but more importantly, have confidence in yourself.
Can you tell us about your experience at Fall 2011 New York Fashion Week?
I was just coming back from maternity leave and couldn’t wait to get back in the game! The clothes were just gorgeous; I was not disappointed. Each show gave something different: a mix of elegance, modern, fun, classic, edgy… It was phenomenal!
Why are people so interested lately in the behind-the-scenes looks at the fashion industry?
For a long time, fashion — but also film, art and music — was a very impenetrable industry where few people (the selected ones) [were] able to witness the process of making an outfit, a painting, a song or [even] worse — to attend the show or to visit the studio where the painter was presenting his creations. Things now have changed. I don’t like to think of the Internet as a challenge as a lot of people do. For me, the Internet is a great opportunity because, for the first time in history, creators can deliver the content directly to their audience without the need of intermediaries. In other words, how great is it that people from all over the world can have a front-row seat thanks to digital streaming? How amazing is it that a designer can explain the hard work that lies behind an outfit?
What trends do you think we’ll see this spring?
Spring is very bright this year: a lot of colors! Stripes! Floral! Very feminine! What’s not to love?!
If you had to pick only five items worth splurging on, what would they be and why?
Jackets: You can wear [them] with and to anything. I have a few Chanel jackets that I absolutely can’t part with as they go with everything! They are classic and timeless!
Black pants: Pants in general are very difficult to buy, so if you find a pair that hits you in all the right places, buy them!
Handbags: A simple handbag is [a] quintessential piece in every girl’s closet. I remember buying my first Chanel handbag; I never thought about it twice because I knew it would last me forever.
Camera: A great photo is just priceless — memories you can have a lifetime.
A hairdresser: Great hair makes any day better! The feeling after a really nice haircut, highlights or simply just a great blowout is just incredible!
In your opinion, who is the person who best embodies style?
My mother. My mother was her own muse. She meticulously cared for every garment of clothing in her closet, she never left the house without perfect hair and makeup, she bought garments but always altered them to make them her own and above all, she wore confidence with each outfit.
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
From the people around me: my family, my friends, my staff, my fans [and] people in passing.
What is it like working on Project Runway? What do you look for when choosing a winner?
[When choosing] a winner, I look for creativity, a unique point of view, consistency as well as their ability to work well with others.
What has been your greatest professional accomplishment to date?
I will answer to your question using one of my favorites lines from Pedro Almodovar’s movie All About My Mother: “You are more authentic the more you resemble what you’ve dreamed of being.” So I hope my biggest accomplishment will be to resemble what [I] dreamed of being when I was a little kid in my hometown in Colombia, Barranquilla.
And finally, what can we expect from you next?
Well, I just had my second baby, so I’m going to concentrate on my family first, and the rest, I hope, will follow. I’m sure about one thing: I will continue focusing on fashion. As always, [I’m] trying to find new ways to distribute fashion-related content. The fashion world is living a very exciting moment: [the] Internet and the new platforms are democratizing fashion while reaching a new, younger and very creative audience. I want to be part of this movement.
