Luisa Fernanda Garcia is a recent graduate of the UW-Madison Textiles Fashion and Design Program. However, that's not necessarily where she got her start. That process began at home in Colombia where she studied Industrial Design. From there she moved to Paris, France and studied at Paris 8 while simultaneously working at Elle Magazine.
Garcia says fitting her Latina body into the world of the European esthetic was a challenge, pushing her to develop her own standards of beauty. Her experiences in the fast pace of the industry as both student and Production Assistant were vital, and helped her to create her own fashion company – Mompoxino.
In this edition of Radio Chipstone, Garcia tells contributor Gianofer Fields that just because she doesn't play the hardcore game of the fashion industry, doesn't mean she not interested in the game. Garcia says her goal is to make sure all the players are treated well, valued and paid a fair wage.
“I’m not a social worker, I’m not a psychologist, I don’t know anything about this – but I have social consciousness. And that’s what I want to do, this is how I see life,” she says. "Humans are alive, machines are not. And then, also, there's something exquisite when pieces are handmade."
Material culture contributor Gianofer Fields curates the Radio Chipstone series. The project is funded by the Chipstone Foundation, a decorative arts foundation whose mission is preserving and interpreting their collection, as well as stimulating research and education in the decorative arts.
