By the third day of AVANCE Global, evidence of Cindy Castro’s eponymous designer brand was all over the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Entrepreneur and former administrator of the Small Business Administration, Isabel Casillas Guzman, was spotted wearing one of the designer’s Frida Twill Jackets, proudly displaying “Made By Immigrants” on the jacket back.
Castro moved to New York thirteen years ago and has been making her mark on the fashion industry ever since. The Ecuadorian-born, New York-based designer is finding a way to marry social consciousness with designer luxury. Her brand celebrates immigrant craftsmanship, women’s empowerment, and fashion’s ability to tell a story far bigger than a runway.
“The fashion industry is often seen as something glamorous,” Castro explains. “You see the final piece. But as an immigrant from Ecuador and as someone who has worked in the garment industry alongside many immigrants, I’ve seen people work so hard every day while remaining in the same job. I don’t see enough representation. We are not only the workforce. We are artists and innovators. I want to create opportunities for women, workers, and immigrants to advance.”
Castro says that language barriers, a lack of resources, and even the “traditional” Latino upbringing can hold back Latino talent. The designer says security and humility are prioritized above risk-taking and bold stances. Do the job and don’t make a fuss. That might create security, but lasting change? Doubtful.
The designer says she wants to inspire other women to ask big questions and to think even bigger. That desire is inherent in every piece she produces.
“When I create a piece, it is very personal. When I think back to childhood and being a teenager, I felt out of place. I also feel that art saved me from getting into bad things. It gave me confidence that the body I had was okay.”
Growing up as a self-described “skinny girl” around friends with more curves meant Castro always felt like she was trying to catch up. She learned the art of draping, a process that would eventually give way to more overt designing.
“Draping made me feel like I could be beautiful and that I belonged,” Castro recalls. “Now, through my business, I want women to feel strong and confident in what they’re wearing, and be true to themselves in the process.”
This kind of focus is not the way of things at present. In a fast-fashion-dominated landscape, this kind of intentionality and focus on substance and purpose is something else entirely. But Castro says that’s exactly the point. She wants to humanize fashion, to remind people there is someone behind the sewing machine, someone cutting clothing, someone creating a pattern, and individuals all along the supply chain.
Castro came to AVANCE Global to make a statement about her brand, her purpose, and her people’s place in the fashion world. She made her mark, a mark for Latinos, for women, and for the idea that purpose looks good on you.
