Welcome to the fashion world, where Michelle Überreste is an up and coming designer who you can see on the Project Runway, Under the Gunn TV Show on Lifetime.
A farm girl at heart, Michelle learned the value of working hard and being honest. She believes her upbringing truly helped define her work ethic, and in the fashion world, you have to be disciplined and committed to reaching your goals.
When Michelle was just 5 years old, her Mom taught her how to sow quilts, which led her to start making her own clothes. She then started selling them on Ebay. When she met her husband, he encouraged her to move to LA to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. So they did.
Michelle went to fashion school but quickly realized she already knew what they were teaching her. So she left school, and began an internship where she learned more about the fashion industry and the business behind it. Now she finds herself on a national television show competing and showing the world her own unique designs. It just shows you, dreams really do come true.
We sat down with Michelle Überreste to get inside the mind of this creative young fashion designer.
Who have been your inspirations? “My favorite designers are Alexander McQueen, Anne Demeulemeester, and Gareth Pugh. They all have a futuristic element and aesthetic to their designs that reflects a lot of my work too. I have a bit of a fantasy side to my designs.”
Tell us about your design process? “I don’t really control it. I actually get a lot of ideas from my dreams. I also have a fascination with politics and science, and conspiracy theories inspire me, so a lot of these ideas come to me and I translate them through my fashion designs.”
What makes your work unique? “Well, I don’t follow trends, I create new and unique trends that others can wear. I let unbridled imagination become my work. Sometimes I won’t even know what I’m creating until it’s finished, and that makes for some pretty unusual and unique fashion and styles.”
What are the current trends in the fashion world? “There’s a whole hipster revival of the 90’s thing going on…A nostalgia thing. But I think it will pass very quickly. It’s a fun trend. I believe what I’m working on will become the trend, the futuristic designs and styles, will start emerge and become more and more popular.”
What do you love most about the Fashion World? “I love how people can be successful being original. I love seeing all the different points of view. There’s so much diversity in imagination and creativity. It’s people expressing themselves, and that’s very interesting to me.”
What is your favorite thing to design? “Jackets…I love jackets. I feel like they’re so structured and as a designer I can do so much with them; with the sleeves, collars, structured fit, or draped. I will usually start designing a look based around the style of the jacket first.”
What is your definition of style? “Style is expression. It’s your own personal expression. It’s like wearing your heart on your sleeve.”
What advice would you give to aspiring fashion designers out there? “You have to be passionate. If you’re not, stop now. It takes so much work. I work 12 hours a day. You’re going to work so many hours. You’re going to have to pay a lot of dues. If you drive through that, you’re going to get a lot of happiness and pleasure. And one day it will all pay off.”
Where can our readers go to become your fan or buy your exclusive designs?
You can visit my site www.MichelleUberreste.com or on social media www.facebook.com/michelleuberreste
twitter: @Uberreste