Holy Toledo!
Praise be to Isabel Toledo and all that her innovatively amazing mind has to offer not only the fashion world, but also the world of people as well. I saw her speak tonight (along with her BRILLIANT artist husband Ruben) at FIT and she is simply…a vision. If her groundbreaking silhouettes and construction work do not shock and amaze, then her beautiful persona and the passion she has for her craft are grounds for cult-ship.
Ms. Toledo’s story is one of superior craftmanship, a love of one’s work, a steady attention to detail and surroundings, but ultimately, the American dream. Both Isabel and Ruben were born in Cuba, and referred several times to their version of American life. But the true genius and inspiration of these artists is not what sets then apart from a so called ‘American dream’, but what places them within its definition. To be a struggling creative person in any medium, in a thriving city, amongst thousands of other creatives, and to continue to create and explore in all economic and personal circumstances…that is the true American dream, and the Toledo’s have certainly carpe diem-ed this one.
Both Isabel and Ruben made poignant statements throughout the night, but the two that stuck with me were this— even in the wake of designing Michelle Obama’s inauguration dress, being a ‘designer to watch out for’, and being one of the most innovative minds in both fashion design and fashion craftmanship, Isabel remains a struggling artist. She boldly stated that she cannot afford to mass produce a ready-to-wear line because she cannot outsource, and remains steadfast to her small studio space that employs a handful of workers (To be one of those workers…oy, what a dream!). Her aesthetic today remains charmingly similar to that of 25 years ago, when she draped her garments on herself because she could not afford a mannequin, and preferred to base a collection on ‘a feeling’ rather than a solid concept or sketches. She remains, now more than ever, an artist at heart, allowing her deepest, darkest, and most beautiful instincts to blossom into fruition.
The second point was made by Ruben when his advice to aspiring designers was ‘to always remain an individual’. Show the world something they have not seen before, and let that one thing be completely true to what is inside of you. Then you can truly be at peace and create.
Bless you Toledo’s…you have given me wings.
