My history

From a very young age Geraldine Lustgarten understood the transformational power of clothes. Born with a physical disorder into a culture known for its impossible female standards of beauty, Geraldine took inspiration from her mother and the women around her, and began to use fashion and the ritual of dressing up as a therapy, a form of expression and a vehicle towards empowerment and self-confidence.

Having undergone several craniofacial surgeries since birth has garnered in Geraldine an unwavering personal strength and commitment to her pursuits. Knowing she wanted to have a career in fashion, she went on to study at the prestigious Parsons’ School of Design in New York City. It was during this time that Geraldine developed an appreciation for impeccable tailoring and exceptional fabrics. The city also gave her feminine and eye-catching style a new edge.

With the purpose of sharing the idea of fashion as a form of healing and a means to improve women’s physical appearance, as well as heighten their state of being, Geraldine returned to her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, to launch her eponymous label in 2017.

Combining the bold and the unassuming, Geraldine’s designs reflect the duality of the cities that made her who she is: Barranquilla and New York. She creates no-fuss silhouettes that women can incorporate seamlessly into their wardrobes, with the hope that each of her pieces can transform the person who wears them as much as that person can mold the garments and make them their own.

Each of her pieces is made by local Colombian seamstresses and tailors, mainly mothers who are the sole providers of their household. “I’m proud to be working alongside these women: they are independent and strong-willed, which is exactly how I want the women who wear my label to feel.” In this way, the sense of empowerment Geraldine wishes to offer through her designs is sewn into every garment.

My Philosophy

My story, inseparable from the condition I was born with, begins with my mother. It was from my mother, a fearless woman with a taste for unconventional beauty, that I inherited an affection for fashion —as well as my courage. She taught me that although we can’t choose how we are born, we can decide how to face life. Success is always an option, even with all the difficulties we might have to overcome.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of sharing those values through my own label. I know that fashion can appear to be something frivolous, but it never felt that way to me. The act of dressing was part of my recovery. If I look back at how I felt after every surgery, I can honestly say fashion was my best therapy. As a result of that experience, I developed a need to design clothes that make women feel truly special regardless of skin color, weight or any other physical trait.

Designing is a very psychological and personal process. I wish for my pieces to appeal to women on an instinctual level, to offer the person who wears them space for growth and transformation; as well as a little bit of joy! As a designer, my biggest challenge is to create objects of desire that will never go unnoticed, but at the same time are easy to wear and fit seamlessly onto every shape and into every woman’s wardrobe. Bold yet unassuming.