CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It's a busy time for Nicó Lee, but it's also an exciting one.
Recently, the designer's work graced the runway at New York Fashion Week and was even featured in ELLE Magazine. Locally, his work was also just featured on the cover of the latest The One Bride Guide bridal magazine, which is devoted to celebrating South Texas brides and weddings.
These are not by any means Nicó's first brush with work being showcased: it's been happening for years now at various shows, exhibitions, runways and more...
Now based in Austin, South Texas is still a very special place for the young designer. It will always be home. It's where he grew up, and where to this age and at this level of success, he continues to find inspiration.
"I really just design from that child-like factor of that young boy outside of my grandma’s house or by the beach with my parents or outside of San Patricio county at night or hearing the mesquite trees and the chicharras - that’s really the brand openly," Nicó explained.
"To some people who aren’t from the area, all they see is garments that are organic. All they see are garments that have a nature-like quality to them or have a whimsical child-like quality to it, and maybe that’s all it needs to be to them, but for people who see themselves - specifically Tejanos - in these pieces it’s more poetic. At that point, it’s now 'Tejano couture'."
The recent achievements of being invited to New York Fashion Week (and achieving so with just shy of 7 weeks to create the pieces) and being featured in ELLE have made for a very exciting season for the evening wear designer.
The awards, accolades and recognitions have piled up over the last decade, but if you ask Nicó his proudest achievement, it's not exactly something you can have etched into a plaque or an award.
"I think the number one sentiment that I explained to them [the team] after the show, because I always thank my team after, was for the first time ever, people who don't -- people who aren’t supposed to occupy these spaces finally got to," Nicó explained.
"Fashion Week was so major and ELLE was so major, but I don't think there was anything as grand as being a disenfranchised young brown person occupying spaces that aren’t necessarily created for people who look like us."
WATCH -- Nicó Lee discusses NYFW, representation & using South Texas as an inspiration for creating couture:
As with any trailblazer, it's easy to look at the things Nicó has done and accomplished, but as the designer would tell you, none of it happened in a linear fashion. Something he makes sure to relay to fellow young artists who are eager to launch their own careers.
"It's always my number one thing to offer support, to answer any questions they may have, sometimes I'm just as confused as they are!" Nicó said.
"We’re from an area where fashion doesn't necessarily thrive, nonetheless couture. We’re from an area where we don't hear of people doing fashion week, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, XY and Z, but it’s possible!"
As he has made a brand that's very much influenced by what he grew up around in South Texas, he encourages other artists to build around what inspires them as well.
"Trusting your surroundings, acknowledging where we came from, accepting who we are as Tejanos and then growing from there."
And when asked what Hispanic Heritage Month means to him, Nico shares it's about celebration, education and growth:
"Celebrating those who look like us, celebrating those who maybe don’t look like us, but have similar upbringings and openly honoring those who’ve come before us and embracing those who are going to come after us," said Nicó.
"Heritage changes by the generation, every culture has its new dynamic, every generation has its new foundation. For me, it’s somehow embracing the old and the new and what’s to come, and really just celebrating each other."
The designer shared with 3News they are working on a special homecoming event to celebrate 10 years in the fashion industry, right where it all started. Details are not known, but we will keep you updated.
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