Nancy Volpe-Beringer

Philadelphia, PA

Age: 64

A decade ago, Nancy Volpe-Beringer’s growing professional success resulted in her creativity being stifled. Inspired by her sons’ drives to follow their own creative dreams, she decided to pursue her own. Growing up, she always loved sewing, and her interest in vintage and thrift shopping ignited her love for fashion. At age 58, Nancy took a risk and left her career at the pinnacle of her success to enroll in a master’s program at Drexel University in hopes to reignite her passion for fashion. Since graduating in 2016, Nancy has been designing under her label and defines her all-inclusive aesthetic as wearable, androgynous art for all shapes and sizes, working out of her Philadelphia studio. Her designs have been featured at Philadelphia Fashion Week and regularly in Philadelphia’s iconic fashion concept store, Joan Shepp. Her collections have shown at an array of fashion shows including the March 2019 Wharton Fashion Show, December 2018 Joan Shepp Holiday Pop Up, and the October 2018 Libertae Fashion Show. Her desire to “pay it forward” results in her being the featured designer at many community-sponsored fashion events, including the 2018 and 2019 Salvation Army Garbage Bag Gala. She has mentored for the Refugee Women's Textile Cooperative (RWTC), a program that empowers refugee women with sewing and textile skills. Nancy currently sells her pieces online, in local boutiques, and custom designs couture for private clients, including 2019 Grammy nominee Tierra Whack; which won her a “Best in Philly” fashion design award. Nancy takes pride in her craftsmanship and artistry, turning fantasy in to fashion with her unique designs. She hopes that her appearance as the oldest contestant ever to compete on “Project Runway” will jump -start the expansion of her brand, and help her inspire others to follow their passion, regardless of age or circumstances.