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AROUND THE WORLD—Sara Castillo, Mexico City

June 9th, 2015 at 2:00am

No matter if our Style Gurus live in Tuscon or Tokyo, Madison or Melbourne, one thing that unifies them is their love for fashion. So it comes as no surprise that post-graduation, many of our Style Gurus become rockstars in the global world of fashion.

As mentioned yesterday, this week, we are catching up with four of our former Style Gurus who are all working for fashion publications around the world. From Mumbai to Mexico City, travel the globe with us in style to catch up with these ladies making names for themselves beyond the masthead.

Next up Sara Castillo—a former University of Texas-Pan American Style Guru and current rockstar making waves in the Mexico City fashion industry.

CollegeFashionista: Where are you from and where did you go to school?

Sara Castillo: I was born and raised in Reynosa, Tamaulipas in Mexico located at the border with Texas. I studied all my life in Reynosa and after graduating high school; I went to The University of Texas Pan-American where I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Public Relations.

CF: Tell us a little bit about your current role and what a typical day is like for you?

SC: I just moved from New York to Mexico City and I’m currently working as a freelance PR at a new magazine called Crom as well as with an upcoming jewelry line called Serendipia. My typical day is waking up at 7:00 a.m., check my emails and social media and get ready to be at work by 9:30 a.m. I walk to work so it’s nice to take a breath before the craziness starts. As a freelancer, I don’t have a strict schedule but I like working in the mornings from Crom’s office – send emails, go to meetings, assist in the coordination of events, work with the production team and editors, etc.In the afternoons, if I don’t have events, I like grabbing coffee with my friends or working on Serendipia by assisting in the planning and coordination of the weekend tradeshows. Between times, I also take time to write on my blog The Street Styler, which I started while working in New York and it just became part of my life and my resume.Some days are more hectic than others but as long as I keep myself busy and organized I feel like I take advantage of my time and I’m very happy with my day.

CF: What is your favorite part about your job?

SC: Being bilingual is definitely an advantage so I love to contact international brands and create relationships with them. Also, besides getting invited to all these amazing events, I love the fact of being part of the planning behind it —to create interactive campaigns and making it work not only for the client but for the audience itself is just a rewarding feeling and an everyday challenge. Looking at the results is what makes me realize I’m very passionate about my career.

CF: How does your city inspire you?

SC: New city, new people, new challenges. Mexico City inspires me just for the fact that everything is still new to me – the work ethic of people and their relaxing way of doing things, the culture, the food and, of course, the amazing parks and monuments that surround the city. Everything is an inspiration and a motivation to keep going and be good not only in the job but as a person.

CF: What is your favorite thing about your city?

SC: Mexico City is known for its culture and that is something you can see in every corner and in every person. The way people protect our culture and keep it no matter how modern our times are is just breathtaking and beautiful.

CF: What are some hidden gems in your city?

SC: Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world – it eats you alive! There are monuments like the Metropolitan Cathedral, Bellas Artes and Castillo de Chapultepec – you can also find Museums like the Soumaya, Jumex or Frida Kahlo’s house, and huge parks surrounding the streets like Parque Reforma, Parque España and Chapultepec. Having the worst traffic on one side and then turning around and having the beautiful pines of Parque Mexico on the other is just amazing to see yet crazy to experience. I believe there are things in Mexico for any type of person and you can find your little gem of inspiration and make it your own.

CF: If you could live in any other international city, where would it be and why?

SC: I studied abroad in Italy for a summer and I just fell in love with the country. A city like Florence or Milan would be very interesting to live in: the culture, the people, the buildings and the fashion—everything is just breathtaking and inspiring.

CF: Describe your personal style.

SC: I would describe my style as urban with a girly-girl twist. I wear anything black and white and then I like adding pop-up colors in a piece or accessories – I’m very good with solid colors yet I challenge myself to play around with prints once in a while. During the week, I wear skinny jeans with loafers, oversized blazers and button-down shirts; just very nice and clean. For the weekend, I love wearing cute dressy shorts and skirts with killer heels.I always make a balance in my everyday looks and, because of my job, I wear clothes I can work with day-to-night. You have to be prepared for any last minute type of event!

CF: What is your advice for budding fashion journalists?

SC: One of my biggest pieces of advice is to take as many opportunities as you can during college. No matter how small or big, taking an internship or even a small project will help you build your path and will help you define who you are as a young professional. I believe it is important to learn from every person you meet, every teacher and classmate and especially every job. Another piece of advice is to always work every day as if its your first one—take challenges, be responsible and structured, be friendly with everyone and don’t be afraid to speak up and share your creative ideas. Employers notice every detail right away and no matter how good or confident you are, there is always going to be somebody waiting for your spot. So, stand out from the rest, be humble and earn the place you worked so hard for.

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