Behind the Scenes with Nelissa Carrillo

By Hailey Peterson (Final project for Spring 2014)

Life full of fashion shows, pop-up shops, and photo-shoots, epitomize the glamour in being a fashion designer. But what about what goes on behind the scenes and in the daily lives of designers? For Chicago’s luxury prêt-à-porter and couture designer, Nelissa Carrillo, everyday life consists of countless cups of coffee, sketching, pulling inspiration, going behind the needle (not the knife), and spending long mornings and nights in her basement studio of Hammond, Illinois.

Carrillo attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, California and graduated with an Associate of Arts in Fashion Design. Upon graduation she moved to Chicago to pursue her career in designing and to continue to make her name renown, not only locally but also internationally.

In the midst of Chicago’s fast-paced lifestyle, Carrillo finds comfort in her workplace, which she likes to describe as “organized chaos.”

The start of her day begins with launching out of bed, and coercing herself into skipping breakfast and heading straight to the studio with a coffee in hand. From there, she leads the day with sketching out some ideas and advancements of her upcoming collection. Carrillo then works on managing her online websites by checking orders and updating her social media sites for her brand.

After many hours of hard work, Carrillo gives herself a mental break, but fashion is never lost even when she is out of the studio. Forms of fashion follow her wherever she goes. And in some cases, it is metaphorically her English bulldog, Gucci, named after the infamous Italian fashion brand. During her breaks Carrillo maintains a healthy and simplistic lifestyle by making nutritional meals, exercising, and taking Gucci on walks.

Carrillo looks to many places for inspiration. What she thrives in presenting are pieces of visionary artwork that allow for the audience to see a narrative that she creates through her talent in design. Carrillo consistently takes an artistic viewpoint when creating what she likes to call her “wearable art.” Whether it is elements of the sea, three women who morph at night, or American comics she always has a muse behind the beauty of her pieces.

She pulls inspiration from many of her textbooks that she gathered over the course of her time at FIDM. These textbooks were a staple of her growth as a designer and she incorporates that knowledge continuously throughout her career. “Colors for Modern Fashion” by Nancy Riegelman and the “Survey of Historic Costume” by Phyllis G. Tortora and Keith Eubank are two books that she refers back to when she wants to stimulate her creativity.

Different art forms other than fashion are catalysts for her pieces, such as “architecture, classic films, nature of course (especially flowers), and sacred geometry” says Carrillo.

After all the dedication Carrillo drives into her work, she is rewarded with the extravagance that comes with being a fashion designer. What she produces behind the scenes, she is able to see narrated during her events and fashion shows.

“Events are the best part. Especially when a client gets super excited about a piece. When they try it on and their face lights up, it is all worth it,” says Carrillo.