They say necessity is the mother of all invention. Sometimes, a great idea is only great insofar as it meets a certain need or presents a solution to a certain lack; at other times, a great idea simultaneously addresses a need and stands alone as a monument to human acuity.
Ximena Valero’s line of transformable fashion is the latter kind of great idea—it both serves a practical purpose and creates a market for women who don’t necessarily need the pieces offered but nonetheless benefit from the beauty and ingenuity of her designs.
Before transformable fashion was available to the public, however, it was birthed in a small photo studio in San Diego, where the young designer was working as a fashion coordinator under the direction of a renowned photographer. The hectic scheduling Ximena was subject to on a nearly-daily basis left her with too little clothing to accommodate all the models she needed to dress and style on a given day; operating under rigid time constraints and a limited budget, she began experimenting with dresses and tops that could be manipulated to look like completely different pieces. Because Ximena was also the one who designed and sewed all the clothing used in the photo shoots, she specifically began making attire that could be worn multiple ways, giving clientele the impression that a single dress was actually seven. Transformable fashion thus gained utility first and popularity second, eventually becoming Ximena’s trademark and helping her gain international recognition.
Today, transformable fashion is more than just a cost-effective way of dressing models for a shoot; it’s a critically-acclaimed, internationally-renowned line of women’s gowns, blouses and swimsuits that enables women to partake in the designing process by customizing the way each piece is worn. By adjusting the length of a dress, the shape of the neckline or the overall draping and fit of the garment, women are able to emphasize and downplay certain assets as they choose. They can, for instance, reveal more or less cleavage; shorten or lengthen a blouse or dress; and strategically adjust and tie the strings to create completely distinctive looks. Many of Ximena’s designs are also reversible, giving the wearer an even more versatile assortment of styles to choose from.
“During the early stages of my designing career, I liked the idea of buying one dress and getting several for the price,” Ximena said. “Now, my main goal with transformable fashion is to create apparel that women can feel confident in. Even if they don’t like a certain feature of their body, they can tweak the style to make it work for them.”
Elegant and fun, transformable fashion has captivated consumers in markets as diverse as those for weddings, graduations and red-carpet events—A-list actors and singers like Jessica Alba, Katy Perry and Solange Knowles have worn Ximena’s designs numerous times at special Hollywood functions, while bridesmaids and college graduates have given the collection a platform in the non-celebrity sector. “Transformable fashion is ideal for those women celebrating milestone events like birthdays, graduations and weddings,” Ximena said. “However, it’s also ideal for the woman attending a nice dinner Friday evening or the woman taking a stroll along the beach… the line is as versatile and unique as the woman wearing the design!”
It is precisely this versatility that has garnered Ximena world-wide recognition and that will continue to propel her to the forefront of the fashion world. After all, when both Jessica Alba and the girl-next-door can find occasion to wear a Ximena Valero Transformable Fashion original, you can be sure the young designer is on her way to super-stardom. In the meantime, she’s just enjoying the ride.
Written by Sharen Cervantes
