May 24th, 2019

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I saw his vest in the crowd at the Fashion Graduation Show, organized by the Academy of Art University. At the end of the show, I followed him outside to find out his story.

Rodrigo moved from Bolivia to San Francisco a couple of years ago, and he has inherited his father’s passion for clothing.

“My father is a tailor and he runs a retail business in South America. I grew up around fabrics, sketches, patterns, and workers. I remember even now the joy of being surrounded by colors, the curiosity, and the attraction for clothes. So the decision to study fashion came naturally, but I am more fashion-forward.”

His vest is made of plastic. He likes to play with bold colors, and to mix fabrics in order to create a specific shape of braiding.

“I’m wearing this vest for the first time in public. I thought it fits for a fashion show. It’s the simplest piece in the collection I’ve created. The jackets, the sweaters are more bold than this vest.”

I asked him what friends are saying about his clothes. “I’ve heard a little bit of everything about my clothes. But I’m happy when someone is staring and says – OMG, it looks like a lot of work!”