Designer: Emily Hilario Location: California Age: 23 We had the fabulous opportunity to interview Emily Hilario and take our fash-camera behind-the-scenes during a photo shoot with photographer's Efren Herrera and Marla Marinelli. We asked her about her designs and her educational backgrounds as well as her future goals. Below you will find our interview with Emily Hilario!
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What are your educational backgrounds? My name is Emily Hilario. I am a 23 year old, fashion designer, model, student, and humanitarian born and raised in Southern California. In a nutshell, my life is hectic but there’s no other way I’d live it! Besides attending school full-time, fashion designing, and modeling, I also work at SUR restaurant owned by Beverly Hills housewife, Lisa Vanderpump. Yearly, I produce and manage my non-profit creative fashion, arts, and music events that are donated to a charity of choice. Top organizations that have been helped thus far include Make a Wish foundation, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. I currently attend California State Polytechnic Pomona and will be graduating this winter for my Bachelors of Science degree in Apparel Merchandising & Management- emphasis fashion design & production. What does fashion mean to you? How would you describe your personal style? There’s nothing I love more than people. When people first meet me, I am very open and fascinated about their lives. I find that learning about different personalities is my biggest inspiration for fashion, by seeming common or different likes or interests in age bracket, demographics, and styles. To me, fashion in any age, gender, or group, is the inner essence of one’s personality that is vivaciously, distinctly, and creatively expressed outwards. My own personal style is sophisticated, chic, sexy, urban and classic. I like very minimalistic but unique things. I have a love for intricate embroidered textiles, beaded materials, silks, and airy chiffon fabrics. When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer? In high school, when I was 14, I was always cutting up my shirts, jeans, and clothing and looked for a new way to create them. I was sewing all by hand until my mother bought me the best investment that would change my lifetime, which was my first sewing machine. From ages 14-18 I was the fashion club president at my high school, and organized and lead fashion shows, and had showcased several of my own designer lines. I knew that this was a passion that I could turn into a career for the rest of my life. How long does it usually take to construct a piece? Constructing a piece can usually take anywhere from 1-7 days, depending on the cut and processes. Describe the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing? It first starts with inspiration, which then turn into a series of sketches. I decide what colors, textures, fabric, cuts and styles I’d like to use. When I finalize my end idea, I then buy fabrics and start constructing the piece. Who are some of your favorite designers? I’m in love with Marchesa and their beautifully designed intricate yet feminine fabrics, Muiccia Prada’s urban, yet classic twists with colors, and lastly, Paul Marciano’s sexy, classic and timeless styles. Where can readers buy your clothes? Currently, I am a custom-based women’s fashion designer, and work made to order through personalized measurements. Many of my clients are based in the Southern California area such as Los Angeles, Orange County, Irvine, and San Diego. Women usually come to me when they are in need of something to wear for a special occasion, red carpet event, or weddings. My custom designs are a process of personalized sketch and designs, custom measurements, fabric buying, prototype constructing, fittings, and then finishing. The process generally takes anywhere from 1-3 weeks depending on bookings. What matters to you most as a fashion designer? As a designer, there’s nothing I love more than embracing uniqueness and individuality. When I design, I want women to feel confident, sexy, elegant, and beautiful. What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers? For all of my fashion entrepreneur’s, if you absolutely love it, DO IT! Work hard at it. If you know you are up late sewing or working until 4 am, then it’s your passion. If you can’t tell your mind to shut up, it’s because those ideas in your head are ready to explode out into the world. You definitely need to attend design school, or somewhere hands on, where professors can give you an in depth perspective on how processes work. Remember, you should always be open to grow, learn, and obtain knowledge. Experience in itself is your strongest asset. Lastly, don’t just be art savvy, be business savvy. Art + Art= More Art……but Art + Business= A world of sales and profit. Know what sells, know your consumers first, then get inspired and design. Create the want. Create the need. What inspires you when designing? I usually get inspiration from magazines, fashion webpages, or just by watching people’s unique styles on the streets. Sometimes I’ll get an inspiration for a cut, and then I’ll see an amazing fabric I’d like to use or appliques and beading. What are some of your future goals? After graduating, I will be planning to work in Dubai for fashion design in 2015-2016. I think it would be a really great opportunity to examine different styles, construction, and fabrics in Asian, and Middle Eastern countries that I can bring back into the U.S. I’m hoping to gain many fabric sourcing connections, and meet and partner with different contractors and manufacturers overseas, as I build my business. My goal and mission after traveling, is to revamp California style beyond its tees and jeans look to bring forth a new unique luxury brand of effortlessly chic and sexy women’s apparel constructed from intricate flowy chiffon & silk fabrics, unique prints, and feminine cuts. I plan to launch the HILARIO brand in the next couple years at LA fashion week, Mercedes Benz week, and New York Fashion week. In future plans, I will also establish an advanced custom design house in Los Angeles that uses a strategic plan of phone applications, digital 3D body scan, custom measurement and laser technology. Lastly, I plan to have profits from my business fund my creative artists non-profit organization nationwide. This createunion will hold creative artists events that have funds to help give food and water to third- world countries, banish sex trafficking by building job opportunities, and build better education. What message do you want your clothes to give? I want the message of my clothing to be for the vivacious woman, with beauty, brains, and talent ready to conquer the world. I want people to know it’s more than the clothes; it’s about representing a unique yet universal style. It’s about appreciating the differences around us and joining the world together as a whole. How would you describe your brand? Hilario is a line of effortlessly sexy, chic, and modern clothing. Every design and cut is made with sensuality yet simplicity, illuminating an aura of mysterious and wondrous elements. Do you try to send out a message or theme in your collection or individual clothes? If so tell us about it. The main theme in many of my collections is freedom, wonder, and mystery. There is always a unique type of beauty in all that is mysterious and unknown. I like to use a lot of stretch and chiffon fabrics, for versatility and comfort that is free from restriction. Give us a quote!!! (It has to be from you.) “Fashion in any age, gender, or group, is the inner essence of one’s personality that is vivaciously, distinctly, and creatively expressed outwards.” –E.H. “The real beauty of a woman is in her passion, soul, and spirit.”- E.H. “Beauty, brains, and a woman that dresses exceptionally well. You’re your own secret weapon.” –E.H. “Are you living?..... Or are you ALIVE? Set your soul on fire “ –E.H. “Don’t let your age stop you from dreaming”- E.H. Young, talented, and beautiful - Emily Hilario will sure be successful on any of her goals. We wish her the best of luck and we will always send her our fash vibes and support her!! Make sure to visit her website for more information: http://www.emilyhilariofashion.com "It has been such an honor to be able to interview Emily - she has a lot of potential and is a role model to any woman across the globe. She is so sweet and beyond intelligent - you go girl!" -BM Interviewer: Barby McQueen Interviewee: Emily Hilario Date: April, 6, 2014 Location: Los Angeles, CA - USA
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