NEW YORK—For designers in America, the fashion industry is notoriously competitive and difficult to break into. But some designers, like Rolando Santana, continue to work hard to establish their unique brands and identities. Santana, who has rolled out two collections a year for 2010–2011, is still relatively new to the scene. Yet in a way, his whole life has been about fashion.
Throughout his childhood, Santana was by his mother’s side in Mexico as her small dressmaking business grew.
“I grew up next to my mom in the factory,” said Santana recently during an interview in his showroom in Manhattan. “I would get lost in there for hours.”
Owing in part to his mother’s influence, Santana moved to the United States and was schooled in fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and international business at Mercy College. Ironically, it was his training in business that has been a key part of building his fashion empire.
“You see people with amazing talent but without business background,” he notes. “I was very lucky that I was exposed to the design part and the business part.”
Santana’s collections reflect his awareness of what the customer wants in the breezy, feminine vibe of his clothes.
“It’s really important to listen to the customer and listen to what she feels most comfortable in,” says Santana about the importance of business savvy.
What he sees happening in the world of fashion is that women are going back to investing in pieces that will be a long-term part of their wardrobe, and the dress is an important part of any woman’s wardrobe.
Much of Santana’s inspiration for his designs comes from his environment, so he never goes with anywhere without a sketchbook. Even if he is on the train and sees something notable, he jots it down.
“The creative process doesn’t just happen at once,” he says, adding that one of his favorite things to do is spend an entire weekend alone in his showroom sketching, looking at fabrics and prints, and putting ideas together. Six weeks before the season’s collection is due to be shown, everything is designed and all of the prints are put together.
But he says his notebook strategy is only a tiny part of his overall approach to creating a finished product. For the Fall 2011 collection, he was inspired by the artwork of Philip Guston. As with every show, all of his work is independent and he has never compromised his artistic integrity for a quick fix to get ahead in business.
“Not one day since I opened [my design] studio have I come in aggravated,” he said. “It’s what I want to do.”
With additional reporting by Christian Watjen
