Original text by Vivienne Tang
Photography by Laurent Segrétier
Colombian-born Garcia can relate to Lopez. Growing up Latina, she embraced her womanhood, recognising her culture and background as assets. Being South American, she took pride in her femininity and was able to see things from a different perspective. Her career path wasn’t always smooth. For a long time she worked without pay as a PR assistant at Perry Ellis due to visa issues. Eventually she got a real job at Mirabella magazine and then moved to Elle, where she became fashion director in 2000.
“I’ve always known in my gut that this is the business I want to be in and that I could do this,” she says. “That’s what got me this far, the confidence that I could do this.”
Garcia clearly knows what works and what doesn’t when it comes to defining one’s style. Her great following of fans is proof of her outstanding sense of style and how she has her finger on the pulse.
“There is no such thing as the ‘It’ bag,” she tells her worshippers. “I’m not saying don’t buy, but don’t let the clothes bring you the confidence. You have the confidence, and then you can buy the clothes.”
Only time will tell whether the fashion icon really has the confidence to walk the walk, and whether she really means it when she says, “I don’t take fashion too seriously.”
Either way, the industry will remain competitive and people will move up the ladder. Looking back on our conversation, Garcia must have known her position was precarious. “Yes, there is a lot of pressure,” she concedes. “But having my son is a very big source of strength. You have to keep it all in perspective. Some people can be very jealous, competitive or mean. But I think that happens in every business. It’s a little more highlighted in the fashion industry, because it’s a creative business. What happens when it’s creative . . . nobody knows how long they’re going to be there. The turnover is very quick. So people get even more insecure about their jobs and positions, the hierarchy. It’s silly! But you have to keep it in perspective. It’s only fashion.”
As this issue went to press, Garcia was said to have been offered a lesser position at Elle, as an editor-at-large or contributing editor. That would allow her to stay on Project Runway at least one more season. Elle editor Robbie Myers was unavailable for comment, and reportedly no deadline had been set for Garcia to decide.■
