The Shoe Fits with Edmundo Castillo

Edmundo Castillo_Chispa Magazine
Edmundo Castillo, a true master craftsman and industry visionary, began his career by working with industry icon Donna Karan for nine years before moving on to work with Ralph Lauren. Having built his career on his lifelong passion and talent for shoe design, the CFDA award-winning designer continues to produce collections that offer technical perfection and timelessly flattering silhouettes.

He launched his namesake collection in 1999, “I aimed to make beautiful, high-quality shoes that women not only wanted to wear, but collect,” says Castillo. “The competition was and is irrelevant. It’s all about being who you are. Do what you do best.” Reason enough as to why his sensual and sophisticated designs have attracted the attention of collectors and celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz, Beyoncé, Kate Moss, Oprah Winfrey, and Catherine Zeta-Jones among others. The Council of Fashion Designers of America later awarded Castillo with the prestigious Perry Ellis Award for Best Emerging Accessories Designer.

In 2004, Castillo was named Creative Director of the renowned Italian brand Sergio Rossi where he worked for the next four years. Wanting to fully focus on this exciting new venture, he suspended his celebrated namesake collection, though loyal fans continued to follow his work.

“Designing shouldn’t be about looking back. It’s about moving forward,” he says. “I am passionate about living, discovering, trying new things, and learning,” he says. One has to live the moment never carrying the past into the future. The future is to be created with a positive outlook, not fear. Regardless how bad an experience was, I don’t like to carry on dragging that bad experience with me. Live it, learn it, and move on.”

Castillo also collaborated with designers such as Narciso Rodriguez, Tommy Hilfiger, and Vera Wang for their runway presentations, plus Castañer, Tods, Oscar de la Renta, and Via Spiga.

For more of the interview with Edmundo Castillo, order your copy of the April/May issue here

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Editor-in-Chief at Chispa Magazine
Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.
Mavian Arocha-Rowe

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.