Coral Castillo

Los Angeles, CA

Age: 40

Originally from Mexico City and later from Tijuana, Coral Castillo is the daughter of a dressmaker and grew up with exposure to fine fabrics and custom-made clothing. While in Tijuana, her mother designed clothing for a select clientele. In 2001, Coral, her mother, and her siblings moved to the United States. Inspired by her mother’s artistry, she attended The Art Institute of California in San Francisco to study fashion design. As a young single mom, Coral followed her passions by balancing work and going to design school. She finds inspiration in female empowerment, expressing resilience, and maintaining a fighting spirit without ever losing sight of celebrating the feminine. She started her self-titled line, Coral Castillo, in which she focuses on texture, layers, dramatic shapes, and a playful relationship with light and opacity. In 2013, she was recognized as one of the best designers in Orange County, and she won the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator award in 2019. Most notably, she has had designs featured in Vogue Italia, British Vogue, and WWD. During the pandemic, she picked up macramé, which she quickly incorporated it into her designs. Her goal is to show her son that hard work and persistence are the keys to success.