Disney Costume Designer Turned Fashion Designer

Octavio Carlin with client, jazz singer, and Agenda Magazine editor, Kaylene Peoples

After designing costumes for Disney productions, Octavio found his love for fashion and began his career in the industry. It was no walk in the park trying to find his signature style, though. As Octavio put it,“You find your niche and your audience/client, but it has to be in tune with what is going on in the world. This is the challenge that I found.  Once I found it, I was very intrigued in obviously creating something, and the challenge of the business of fashion-selling.” So there is definitely a balance of creativity and business savviness that designers must think about.

As most of you know, Octavio's style is a mix of the old and the new. Leah Bergman of Latino Weekly could not have described it better in her interview with our fave designer:

Octavio Carlin takes Old Hollywood glamour and gives it a modern twist.  His pieces are elegant and exciting.  He embraces the feminine form and celebrates its curves.  His love for modern architecture gives his pieces clean, minimalistic lines that flow and make a woman feel beautiful while being comfortable. Read the entire article here

Having found his niche, Octavio started designing custom pieces for clients to wear at events like galas, movie premieres, and openings. So what was his next step? Opening his atelier and launching his RTW line, of course! Tune in for those details on next week's blog post.

Take a look at the Octavio Carlin Fall/Winter Collection here.

The Show Is Here

I feel like I had been talking about the coming fashion show for so long and now it's finally here. This evening I present my Fall/Winter 2012 collection at the Vibiana with Style Fashion Week LA. So, as you can image, there was and is so much to do. But rather than bore you with the tasks I accomplished or the tasks that I need to do tomorrow, I want to take this time to give thanks.  I'm so blessed and grateful to be able to do what I love, to be creative, to be artistic, and to just have the freedom to express my vision.

It was a long road to get here, a road that started not in fashion, but in interior design. I always had an interest in art and architecture and interior design was the perfect blend of those two. But after trying it, I realized that designing clothes was more of my passion. I enrolled at FIDM and after graduation I started designing costumes for Disney shows and music videos. It was a great experience that let me explore outrageous themes and looks that everyday apparel couldn't get away with. But I wanted to design things that more people can get use out of, things that can make women look and feel beautiful inside and out. That's when I decided to launch my own line and my journey in the fashion business began.  I opened my store in Los Feliz where I designed custom-made gowns and dresses for my wonderful clients.

Now, I'm in another chapter in my life. I'm relaunching my brand as a line that can cater to a larger group of stylish, modern, sophisticated women. I'm still designing dresses and gowns, but I'm including pieces that can be worn in your everyday lives. Trust me, you don't have to go to a fancy party to wear Octavio Carlin. As long as you want to feel confident and stylish, then you can wear my designs. And tomorrow, everyone will see for themselves the new stylings of the Octavio Carlin brand.

Hoping for a happy and successful show,


OC

One of my Fall/Winter designs