CELESTINO

The cobblestone streets of New York’s South Street Seaport neighborhood proved to be a challenge for the ladies wearing sky-high heels on a balmy September evening during New York Fashion Week. They were teetering on their way to Melville Gallery for designer CELESTINO’S Spring/Summer 2020 presentation. It turned out to be a showcase of vintage dresses that looked like the wardrobe for an old Bette Davis & Joan Crawford movie. FAST FORWARD to this season’s airing of “Project Runway” on Bravo – one of the contestants is the designer behind the line, SERGIO “CELESTINO” GUADARRAMA. He is a fan favorite and is portrayed as a serious and dedicated designer, who is always helpful to his fellow contestants. Sergio strongly believes in his own fashion point of view and sticks to his own fashion esthetic. This has certainly worked in his favor for the last fifteen years of designing, creating and running his sustainable fashion line, alongside his partner Kade, who serves as the company’s Creative Director.

THE TEAM

Sergio is partnered with KADE JOHNSON in business and in life, together, they are the driving force of the Celestino fashion line. Sergio noted that they’ve been dating for some four years. “It’s worked out that he’s really good at doing the things that I’m not good at. Kade took on the role of translating my inspiration and the stories that I want to tell, into a visual world of photoshoots and social media.”  Sergio brings years of training to the Project Runway platform. Heavily inspired and shaped by his Mexican roots, Sergio attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandizing for his first degree. He then went to New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) for his second degree. It was during his stint at FIT, as a junior, that Sergio started his own fashion line.

CONSCIOUS FASHION

The most unique aspect of Celestino’s fashion line is that they only use sustainable materials for their clothing. Celestino’s garments boast unconventional details and innovative concepts, mixed with the elegance of classical style. Designed and produced in the US, with a focus on sustainability, each of their creations is made by using upcycled, organic materials in luxury fabrication. “Building garments for all sizes and body types, each design is approached from an architectural standpoint, with optimal fit and construction, paired with intricate hand-beading and embroidery techniques, further incorporating the standards of couture design.” Kade also noted that the company was all about “Designing with a purpose.” Celestino maintains a strong socially conscious mentality and standing up for environmental and political issues that affect us and beyond. Each design is created with hidden messages in order to bring awareness to social causes and in turn prompt others to assist in resolving them…The plan is to leave the world a better place through their fashion conscious designs.

ALREADY POPULAR

Celestino has proudly dressed a plethora of celebrities including, recently; Award-winning actor/singer Billy Porter’s elaborate pink ensemble he wore at the Tony Awards, Kim Kardashian, Indya Moore, Amber Rose, Jaslene Gonzalez, and Miss Universe. Celestino’s garments have been featured in several publications including; The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, The New Yorker, Vogue, Essence Magazine, Vanity Fair, WWD, Vogue Italia, Zink Magazine, People, The Huffington Post, Teen Vogue and also featured on Good Morning America.