6 Things that Inspired Latino Project Runway Finalist Emilio Sosa
By Erasmo Guerra
In 2010, as a finalist on Project Runway Season 7, Emilio Sosa (esosainc.com) was known for his bold use of color. With his upcoming spring 2013 collection, the Dominican-born designer explores his roots. Though he's lived in the Bronx ("the Boogie Down" as he calls it) since he was a six-year-old Sosa says he was inspired by the Santo Domingo of the 30's and 40's, back when it was a play land for the jet-set and international playboys like Rubirosa. CFL spoke to him about his life and work.
Immigration Inspiration
My love for the color blue comes from Pan Am blue because that was the airline we flew when we moved from Santo Domingo. It was the first time I remembered a color. The seats were blue. The walls were blue. I just remember that color everywhere on the plane.
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What You Can Take from Mami and Papi
If you're blue collar-doing factory work, maintenance work, like my parents did-when you have the opportunity to dress outside of your uniform, which my dad had to wear, I think you take extra pride in how you look and that trickled down. My dad wore hats. Now I find myself wearing a hat. My dad always had a handkerchief in his pocket and now I always have a handkerchief.
Making Clothes for Mami
The first piece of fashion I ever made in my life I made for my mother. It was a blouse. I don't think the blouse survived but she has the tie that was on it on top of her dresser and I always look at it when I go to visit her. It wasn't for an occasion. It was just the first time I had the desire to make something. My aunt, who sewed at the time, helped me put it together. I remember buying the fabric. It was a print that was gold, brown, emerald, and mustard. It was a print I'd use today if I saw it again. I must've been 15.
How to Break Into Fashion
On weekends I went to Parsons for free classes for high school students on Saturdays at 9 am. If I had to be somewhere at 9, trust, my mom was already up at 6 making sure I had breakfast. I remember being 15-16 years old, running through the hallways at Parsons, making new friends that didn't have the life experiences I had-but yet we shared some things in common. That opened my eyes. At 15, I found out what the village was. Each week I'd venture one block further from my train station until I made it all the way to 8 th avenue.
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Before Jenny from the Block
Before we had Jennifer Lopez, before we had Nicki Minaj, we had Iris Chacón. She was scantily clad, wearing all these slinky outfits on TV. And I always found that really inspiring.
How to Play Up Your Assets
The first thing to do is get yourself a good bra. And a good-well I don't want to call it a girdle-but something with a little structure. Back then they called it a faja and it was poo-poo-ed. Now they call it Spanx and it's all good. It's not to make you a different size than what you are. It's not about changing who you are. It's just to put everything in its place and then play up your assets. If you have a tiny little waist-accentuate the waist. If you have great legs, then show your legs. Pick one or two things to highlight. You've got to pick and choose whatever you feel most comfortable with. Also, color is your friend. Just putting on a color can change how you look and how people react to you. It picks up your spirit.
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