Today we’d like to introduce you to Marly Barraza.
Marly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I knew as a child that I would be creative. I remember telling my mom that I would design for her one day. It wasn’t up until my senior year of high school where they offered a “fashion design class,” and that’s when things came into perspective for me. I then realized that being a designer is a “real job” and is possible. By the end of that class, I knew how to sew, and was in the process of finishing my very first dress for a competition at U of H. If it wasn’t for that class, I would be a psychiatrist right now.
I chose to go to the Art Insitute of Houston, where I took on a fashion design program the school offered. During the program, I took on a few internships. One, in particular, grew into a part time position as a fashion apparel assistant for a fashion show production company. That was some of the most fun I’d had in the industry, learning what it takes to produce industry-standard level shows was incredible to know it takes a village to get things done. After graduating, I took off to New York, which is where I am based now.
I left the night of the Super Bowl being hosted in Houston. I remember coming home from seeing Solange downtown and having to pack my car up, say goodbye to my family, and my dad and I were off to the city. He helped me with the long drive ahead.
I parked on Long Island when I first got to New York. I lived there altogether for around a year and a half, after working a few odd jobs like selling sunglasses at a kiosk. After applying relentlessly, I get a job as a technical designer for a women’s denim company. I start working there and soon after moved to where I am now, in queens!
As of right now, I’m still a technical designer for the same company, but I also freelance as a sustainability consultant and wardrobe stylist. Being a technical designer means I make blueprints for apparel manufacturers to have an “instruction manual” of sorts as to how I want a certain garment to look. Consulting entails me to sit with brands and think about their waste during product development. Styling for editorial shoots, putting together outfits for a model, and seeing the photographer & model make it come to life has been very rewarding.
All of that is just a summary of how these few years have gone, but what I can say about this journey of going somewhere opposite of everything you’ve ever known is that you either sink or swim. The ones who swim learned consistency, compassion, and a lot of patience. I like to think I’m starting to swim these days, and I’m only doggy paddling; wait until I perfect the backstroke!! ✨😄
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting a network in a place where you don’t know anyone can pose many challenges, through making it a priority, I’ve slowly but surely have started growing the network. Adjusting to New York as a whole is a challenge within itself. This place makes you execute whether you like it or not. It’s working harder than you ever have, and knowing that even though you did everything right, it still may not come out that way in the end. It’s also being okay with that. As a result, it helps you deal with rejection at large, especially as an artist, it can be a lot with people and companies constantly telling you no. That’s where being consistent comes into play. You keep going because you know not everyone in New York can tell you no. I just got a rejection letter in my inbox this afternoon, but it’s okay because there’s always something better out there!
Please tell us about your work.
I am a technical designer, meaning I create blueprints or instruction manuals for manufacturers weather it is domestic or international they will be able to take the instruction manual, or as we say in the industry, tech pack, and create what it is I designed. I also am a sustainability consultant for apparel brands, so I sit with them, and we find out what challenges we need to face, questions we need to answer, and finally, setting goals to become more sustainable throughout the product development process ultimately. We will even go into the marketing of the product to avoid things like greenwashing. Greenwashing happens when brands give false or misleading information about how the product is sustainable.
I do specialize in denim, and it is one of the most wasteful when it comes to the production of a pair of jeans, for example. Did you know to produce one pair of jeans it takes around 2,000 gallons of water? (According to Stephen Leahy’s “Your Water Footprint: The Shocking Facts About How Much Water We Use to Make Everyday Products,”). I am there for brands to facilitate knowledge about what their real options are when it comes to producing apparel with an eco-conscious mind.
Finally, I am a wardrobe stylist! This is where the fun comes in because what I do is a partner with photographers, makeup, and hair to create a story in images for events/publications/marketing. I’ll build a mood board based on what the project is about, and then I get in contact with designers, showrooms, and boutiques to pull clothes for the photoshoot. The shoots may be in Studio or On-site. I usually do editorial shoots, those are more avant-garde, have more concept and story, and at times there are sets involved. My mind has an eye for what I like to see in fashion right now, and I’m starting to form that identity more and more with each shoot.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Consistency, compassion, and patience. I have to stay consistent, things do not happen overnight, and tending to those goals knowing that it takes time has shown itself to be very rewarding. It has helped me to practice patience for times when I do get rejected, to not live in the rejection. Rather, I see it as an opportunity to grow. It has also helped me incredibly to practice compassion, the fashion industry can lead you into some very challenging situations where you have to keep composure to make the right and sound decision. Being relentless and always being there for myself is always key when it comes to me feeling good on my day-to-day.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 9177653188
- Email: marlysarai@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlyymar/?hl=en
- Other: IG: @marlyymar
Image Credit:
philandhispictures.com
@philandhispictures
Philip Harris
profile photo @patrickchurchny
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