Andrea Paola Villanueva Olabarrieta

I attribute my success to my family and my Puerto Rican heritage. My mom has been incredibly influential, always teaching me to be confident, know who I am, and understand what I'm doing. She always told me, 'even if you don't get it, just look like you know what you're doing. We'll figure it out, I promise you, it's not that hard.' That advice has motivated me to keep going even when things get tough. My uncle is a designer, and my mom, while not a designer herself, has always influenced my fashion sense and the way I present myself. Being from Puerto Rico and having that cultural pride has been central to everything I do. I also draw so much inspiration from going home to Puerto Rico and seeing the fashion scene there, the up-and-coming designers, and artists like Bad Bunny who are representing us on a global stage. Having my family as motivation, working hard so I can plan trips home, and staying connected to my roots has been essential. Now being in New York where there's such a diverse community and I'm no longer the only Puerto Rican in the room, I feel like I'm building community and that inclusion gives me the energy to keep pushing forward in this industry.

The best career advice I've ever received came from my mom. She always taught me to be confident, know who I am, and understand what I'm doing. She would tell me, 'even if you don't get it, just look like you know what you're doing. We'll figure it out, I promise you, it's not that hard.' That advice has stuck with me throughout my entire career and has motivated me to keep going, especially in moments when I've felt out of place or unsure. It's taught me that confidence and the willingness to figure things out as you go is just as important as having all the answers upfront.

The biggest opportunity in my field right now is the evolution of menswear. For the longest time, I thought menswear didn't have any evolution and was always the same constantly, but being in these current times, the menswear industry has grown so much. It's become much more than just the same stuff you see all the time. It's grown in the designer realm and there's this concept of gender-neutral fashion where both men and women wear pieces and it doesn't matter who the consumer is, as long as it fits them and makes the customer feel comfortable. Being able to explore that and be part of that evolution has been incredible. I've seen menswear move beyond being stuck to one silhouette or one fit. There are so many things from women's wear that can be incorporated into menswear now, it's just that the body is different and the fit is different, but otherwise there's so much crossover. Designers like Willie Chavarria are crushing it in menswear and doing amazing collaborations with brands like Adidas, which really inspires me. As a Latina, seeing my own people thriving in this space makes me feel so confident and comfortable in this category. The industry has become bigger and more inclusive, and that's what's kept me here and excited about the future.

The values most important to me are community, inclusion, and opening doors for others. I've always felt it's really important to not just step foot in this industry and leave a mark, but to open doors for younger designers, especially Latinos. For the longest time, particularly when I was in Ohio, I felt so out of place as the token Puerto Rican. Now being in New York where there's such a mix of people and I've met so many Latinos and Puerto Ricans who understand my pride and passion, I feel like I'm starting a community. That inclusion and having those people around me has been transformative. I'm always trying to spotlight up-and-coming talents, especially Puerto Rican designers, through my social media and by supporting their work. I want to make sure I'm bringing light to not just my country but my culture. Collaboration is also central to who I am. I'm always open to learning from people, not just in my field but outside of it, because there's always opportunity to collaborate, contribute, and work together. Even with my team at work, even though they're under me, I'm still learning a lot from them. It's about working as a team and having that dynamic. I also value staying connected to my roots and my family in Puerto Rico, which motivates me and influences everything I do.