Roger Figueroa is one of Omaha Fashion Week's featured designers this season. He's been sewing his designs for three years now and we can't wait to see the futuristic collection he has planned for the runway! Read on to learn about his creative process and the inspiration behind the collection.
How did you get into fashion? Tell me a little about your background.
At a young age I knew that I had a passion for clothing, the arts, and creativity. I took my first drawing class in seventh grade and started to develop a new perspective on fashion while I was sketching new ideas. Over the years, my close friends, family, and professors encouraged me to follow my dream of becoming a creative designer for a clothing label.
Behind the scenes with the designer
Describe your brand and the point of view you wish to convey. What category does your brand fall under?
My brand is clean, artistic, and fashion forward. I like my designs to be futuristic and new, while also maintaining awareness of what is currently happening in fashion. When I design I like to pull ideas from past experiences, music, art, or nature and create something new from it. I do evening wear and ready to wear.
What are your personal goals?
My goal is to land a job in LA or New York as a creative designer for a clothing label. I want to work in the industry for a couple of years and continue gaining knowledge before eventually opening up my own design shop. I also want to start an organization that will focus on giving back to my community by helping students pursue their career goals and help widowed parents.
A look from Roger's second collection
Describe your favorite project or projects that you have worked on.
I recently dressed a girl to compete for a national pageant title in Las Vegas and I will be dressing another contestant for Miss Missouri.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I find inspiration from all over. Everything from life experiences to art, music, architecture, and nature plays a big role in my process.
Describe some of the specific inspiration for your new collection.
My AMENfashion collection is inspired by futuristic statements seen in NYC, Paris, and London. The mood of my collection is deep, futuristic, Lady Gaga-ish done in a clean, modern way, with a lot of draped fabrics, but also structured garments, and dramatic silhouettes.
A look created for a client's prom in 2017
What kind of materials do you use and why?
I use a lot of scuba knit, spandex, and neoprene. I am working with some of these fabrics for the first time and I’m using a lot of raw edges, with a very clean finish. It’s creating a new look, with a lot of visual interest.
Is this a new approach of you or is it consistent throughout your work?
This is a new approach for me. It is definitely my aesthetic and personal taste, but I was afraid to try it. I'm happy I got out of my comfort zone and am offering my following a new, tasteful collection to wear and feel fashionable in.
How do you balance creativity and consistency in your work?
To be honest, that's something I love about my creativity. I'm not sure how it happens, but I can design a collection that's very cohesive even as each piece has its own unique flair.
Check out Roger on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with his work!