Sofia Encinas
Passion. Emotion. Transformation.
These are all words that describe fashion designer Sofia Encinas. Ever since she can remember, she has always had a passion and a fire in her heart for design. “I remember working at a desk job when I was young, looking at a computer, and fantasizing about different materials, things I had in my closet, and how I was going to put them together, change them, to make a new dress, shirt or handbag” said Sofia one day during an interview.
Sofia has had the opportunity to travel to Europe, visit Milan, Paris, Florence and all the birthplaces of design, and has learned an incredible amount from her experiences. However, Sofia gets her inspiration from something much more fulfilling. Sofia’s love for fashion is only topped by her love for our world and our planet. Which is why recycling and up-cycling have been a huge inspiration in how she designs and what materials she uses in her creations. She has a gift for taking the unwanted and turning it into a masterpiece. “Many times, when I start a project, no one understands what I am doing. They don’t understand my vision, but once they see the final product their jaws drop” commented Sofia when asked what others think of her unique style. “For some people, a t-shirt that is too small and doesn’t fit is only for the garbage. I see that same t-shirt and I can see possibilities to transform it into something incredibly beautiful. It still has life! I say we have too much garbage already, I’m not going to contribute more.”
Sofia has also been inspired by her work in Mexico, and by being a single mother. Being from Mexico herself, born in Sonora and raised in Jalisco, she has had the opportunity to travel quite a bit through the country. One day while sitting in the plaza of La Manzanilla de la Paz, Mexico, an incredibly picturesque town in the mountains of Jalisco, she noticed a group of women that would gather every day to sew and knit or crochet. She started to join these women and was instantly touched by the stories they shared and the amount of work they do just to get by. Inspired by their dedication to better the lives of their families, she began to teach them techniques on how to crochet old clothes and breathe new life into design. They cut fabric used in Sofia’s creations, find the recycled materials and crochet to help Sofia in her uniquely up-cycled designs.
Each and every piece made by Sofia Encinas Design is unique and individual. We are not talking about the mass production of items or giant corporate conglomerates. In Sofia Encinas Design, and in Sofia herself, you will find unique creations, dresses, handbags, accessories, that will show creativity and individuality, because no one should have to settle for having the same thing as everyone else! “My hope is that people buy my designs to help. In my designs they are helping the planet, they are helping other countries, helping woman create a better life for themselves and their families… every little bit counts.”
Sofia’s designs can be found on her website, www.sofiaencinas.com, on Facebook at Sofia Encinas – Designer and on Etsy in her personal Store. Check her out, and help the world one piece of high fashion at a time!