Are you always flaunting your one-of-a-kind style? Find yourself wishing you were a contestant on Project Runway? Sure, fashion’s a tough industry to crack, but who knows, with perseverance you could reach your goals.
We got the chance to chat with 23-year-old designer and boutique owner, Silvia Huezo. Here’s what she had to say about her budding career and how she “makes it work.”
GL: When did you first become interested in design?
Sylvia: In high school I wanted to be different and didn’t want to look like
everybody else. I wanted to stand out, so I died my hair bright red,
like cherry tomato red! I started buying clothes from thrift stores and I
thought, “What if I make my own clothes? Then I’ll really be
different.” I bought myself a sewing machine (I didn’t know anything)
and just started sewing.
I also took an entrepreneurship class my senior year in high school and that was what really made me say to myself, “This is definitely what I want to do for the rest of my life.” I went to
GL: How did you come up with the name Red Hue for your boutique?
Sylvia: Red has always been my favorite color. A “hue” is a tint. There are different hues or tints of one color, so Red Hue means many shades of red. But also, “hue” is the first three letters of my last name, Huezo.
GL: What inspires your designs?
Sylvia: So many different things. I look at fashion magazines and I pick up on trends. Also, whatever mood I am in or whatever I want to do at the time influences my designs. Popular culture, music and so many other things inspire me. Going to thrift stores and vintage stores probably inspires me the most.
GL: Do you ever hit mental road blocks?
Sylvia: Oh yeah. Writers have writer’s block and artists have that too. For me there are times, like when I’m really stressed out or worried about something that I can’t come up with any ideas. I have to just sit and be quiet and relax. Also, I go shopping, but not necessarily to [buy]. I go to thrift stores or vintage stores [to see what’s there] and then the juices start flowing again.
GL: Can you walk us through your design and production process?
Sylvia: I design a collection here and send sketches back to my home country, El Salvador, where everything gets manufactured. It’s just a little workshop where I have a patternmaker, a cutter who hand cuts every piece and two seamstresses who put together everything. It can take as little as three weeks to get something out because I manufacture directly. The best part is it’s 100 percent sweatshop free.
GL: People often think of fashion as an incredibly cut-throat industry. Have you felt that?
Sylvia: A little bit. It’s very competitive and fierce, but that’s why I like the fact that I’m independent. I do everything completely outside of that arena or environment.
GL: What is your favorite part about your job?
Sylvia: When I see someone try on a garment and they really like it, I love that. I love to see that person happy with what I’ve designed. I think that’s the most fun part: seeing the end result.
GL: What is the toughest part?
Sylvia: Trying to balance everything and being organized. There are times when I just lack organization and have too much stuff going on.
GL: Do you have any advice for girls interested in a career in fashion?
Sylvia: Dream BIG and just go for it. I’m still trying too.
Wanna check out (or shop) more of Silvia’s fabulous designs? Head over to www.redhueboutique.com.