The center of attention – Steven Vázquez
Express yourself and be free. That’s what Steven’s words made us think. From Uruguay with tons of energy and love, we are totally crazy for him!
Tell me about your story. When did you decide that fashion design would be your life?
My name is Steven Vázquez, I am the creator of the design brand that bears my name.
I was born in a small rural town, in Uruguay, in South America.
My passion for fashion began when I was a child, when I made dresses for my sister’s dolls with handkerchiefs or any piece of cloth that I found, but at that time it was just a game.
In my country at that time (I think it is still the same) fashion was not taken seriously as a professional career, so I decided to study law, with the idea of being like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde hahaha.
But it was not really what I loved, so I decided to abandon my career (and the love of my family) to move to another neighboring country where fashion was much more developed, so I completed my fashion training in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I had the opportunity to work for great designers of that country in the fashion weeks, but I did not want to be behind the scenes, I wanted to be the center of attention, so I went back to my country and founded my own fashion business.
I came to the “fame” in Uruguay because I am also a model and beauty trainer, working with the candidates that represent us in international competitions, hand in hand with my own school and modeling agency.
But the great media leap took place when I was accepted into Manhattan Fashion Week as part of the fashion week in New York, becoming the first Uruguayan in history to achieve it.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I’ve always been a lover of beauty contests, I’m a fan of Miss Universe, being a model helped me pay for my studies and getting involved with beauty queens.
And there is not a single day of my life that I do not music and my favorite pop divas.
My inspiration comes from beauty and music.
I am also openly gay and activist of my country, so the support to the LGBTQ community is very important, in my collections I always create clothes that are free of gender, so that the person who uses it will be of the gender that they want.
How does it affect the place where you live your design?
A lot, my country is very classic, it does not come out of black and gray, besides, we are full of international brands with which the author’s designs can not compete.
That’s why I do not design thinking about the place where I live, but in the world, design for people with mentality and international projection.
Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the creative way of thinking?
That’s something so personal, every designer has his methods and his inspiration comes to him.
What I could advise is that when they have a mental block, do not get frustrated, let them go and wait, the inspiration comes when you least seek it, leaving your senses receptive for the magic to happen.
What kind of people do you imagine for your creations?
People who want to be the center of attention and do not fear to be the focus of the eyes and the cameras.
What is the role of fashion today in your opinion?
Starting from the basis that clothing is a basic need of the human being, I believe that fashion is gaining ground every day, people no longer see it simply as a necessity, but as a pleasure nowadays. It is our way of expressing ourselves. to say who we are or who we want to be.
