When Diego received his first Vogue Magazine at the age of 9, he immediately knew he was meant for fashion design. He studied Graphic Design in Tijuana, while designing clothes as a hobby. But soon after being exposed in the Museum of Contemporary Art of San Diego, he began to refine his taste for fashion and decided to create contemporary clothes for contemporary men. His first AW collection “Cripto” benefited from great exposure, with articles in A shaded view of Fashion, The Fashionisto, Selectism, M.J.C.G, Un nouveau Ideal and Trendland. He recently launched a new line, “Kardia”, Inspired by the cardiac pace and the contemporary man's way of living, the way it is connected to clinical medicine and the feelings perceived in hospital, with all the tensions this may involve. This 24 years old talent took some time to explain his inspirations, how he managed to make his dream come true and how fashion is considered in Mexico, a country where there is only little opportunities for designers.

When did you decide to go into fashion design? 

When I turned 9 years old, i got my first Vogue magazine, at that early age i knew i wanted to be in fashion. As soon as I turned 15 I started experimenting with basics.

Mexico isn't really known for it's fashion. How did you pursue your dream knowing there is only little opportunities for fashion designers in your country? 

I know fashion in my country is not something that stands out for other countries, but far from that my goal  is to diffuse my work in other countries to show what can be done here, in the future I would love to position myself in the Mexican industry with a lighter more easy to understand version of my work.

Your collection is inspired by cardiac pace, the medicine of the future and the way it connects with the contemporary man. How did such an idea emerge?

I've always used the contemporary man as my major inspiration, I consider Stress the most popular illness of the new century and i believe it has become part of our lifes, believing that i came up with the idea and also adding that I liked the idea of getting new shapes and inspiration from hospitals.

Is Kardia your first collection ? Is this the first time your work gets that much coverage? 

No, I previously presented TEKTON/fall Winter 2009 – Controlled White Spring S.2010 – CRIPTO fall Winter 2010-  and finally Kardia Spring Summer 2011. These previous collections had few diffusion in  blogs from different countries, these last collection coverage is the result of my great effort to diffuse what can be made in my country.

I imagine you've worked hard and fought to get where you are today. What difficulties did you encounter?

It has been difficult, you are right, it is a lot of work to be constant in the country I love the most and try to open the doors to men fashion only, since I was 15 I've been working hard from local events in my hometown (Tijuana, México) trying to sell in design festivals (Hillcrest, San Diego ca.) to having a show in Museum Of Contemporary Arts of San Diego CA when I was only 18. Later celebrities started buying  my clothes and I realized that what people really liked whatever it is that I was doing and I kept on working.

What would be your plans for the future ? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

My plan is to keep giving my work the proper exposure in other countries and mine. Right now I feel comfortable producing my own campaigns and collections in Mexico. I see myself in five years exporting my work and presenting it in international platforms, also I see my self supporting the fashion industry in my country which I believe is going to through the right direction.

Do you think Mexico will open up to fashion ? Is there a chance for fashion to expand there?

Sure, Mexico has a lot of talent and people know that, a whole new fashion culture is growing and starting to recognize that we have great values in here, we are USA neighbors and most of the things we consume here are imported from the US, the moment this fashion culture start consuming and supporting mexican design, everything will change and the chances to expand here will be greater. I have faith on that.

Is there other Mexican designers you think could lead the way?

Julia & Renata and Cristian Cota are some of the designers that already have a name outside Mexico, they do woman's fashion but I still admire their ideas and the path they've taken. Also, there a some new emerging talents that I'm sure they are going to start leading not very far from now.

Generally speaking, what are the things that inspire you the most ? Where do you find your ideas?

I generally find everyday things inspirational, whenever I think of a theme I have to relate it to something that calls my attention and at the same time it has to be something contemporary man is interested in.

Who are your IDOLS, the people that helped you understand what you wanted to do and inspired you since the beginning?

My dad and my whole family were the ones who understood perfectly what I wanted since I was a kid, after them came friends and people who not physically knowing me believed in me. In Mexico I was honored to be invited to IDM (International Designers Mexico) and that platform opened the door for people to know me here. 

Words by Gabrielle Stival

Photography: www.anairam.com
MakeUp: Monica Godinez@MAC COSMETICS
HairStyle: Luis Almanza
Art Direction: Jorge E Tellaeche
Model: Iram@PARAGON, Gerardo&Martin@WANTED Mexico City.