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🇳🇮 Nicaragua /Culture & Society

Antonieta Herrera, the Nicaraguan who dresses brides and celebrities in Europe, Asia, and America

From Confidencial · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Antonieta Herrera, originally from Jalapa, Nicaragua, grew up sewing and now designs for European, Asian, and American celebrities and haute couture firms.
  • She pursued her dream of having her own fashion signature, studying and working in Madrid, Spain, after emigrating at age 24.
  • Herrera faced significant challenges as a single mother emigrating to a foreign country but persevered through study and work to establish her successful atelier.

From a humble home in Jalapa, Nicaragua, where she learned to sew among pedal-powered machines and fabric scraps, Cristian Antonieta Herrera has risen to become a celebrated fashion designer. Now, she dresses celebrities and collaborates with high-fashion houses, with her creations gracing brides in South Korea, China, and Japan, all from her own atelier in Madrid, Spain.

In my house, there was always a pedal machine. I suppose the talent comes from the family, the cat talent comes to me.

— Antonieta HerreraHerrera reflects on her family's long tradition of sewing and her innate talent.

Herrera's talent is deeply rooted in her family history, with her great-grandmother also being a seamstress. She began taking sewing courses at age 12 and had her first clients while still in high school. "In my house, there was always a pedal machine," she recalls. "I suppose the talent comes from the family, the cat talent comes to me," she jokes, referring to a common Nicaraguan expression for innate skill.

I'm going to go live abroad and have my own signature with my name. It's not an idea that was born when I arrived in Spain, no, I always had it.

— Antonieta HerreraHerrera describes her childhood dream of establishing her own fashion brand internationally.

Her ambition to emigrate and establish her own fashion brand was a lifelong dream. "I'm going to go live abroad and have my own signature with my name," she declared as a child. After researching fashion academies in Milan, Paris, and Madrid, she chose Spain's capital. "Because of the language, I said: 'I'm staying here,'" she remembers. She arrived in Madrid on October 11, 2000, at the age of 24, leaving her two children in Nicaragua with the promise of bringing them over as soon as possible.

Because of the language, I said: 'I'm staying here.'

— Antonieta HerreraHerrera explains her decision to pursue her studies in Madrid, Spain.

The initial years in Spain were not easy. As a single mother with limited savings and no family support, every step was a double effort. She studied, moved between Valencia and Cádiz, but always maintained contact with her academy and professor, who encouraged her return to Madrid. Her career took off when she was offered the position of workshop manager at the firm "Jorge Blanco Costur," representing figures like Spanish businesswoman Nuria March and singer Marta Sánchez. "I came here (Madrid) with little savings. And at the same time, I studied and worked; all the effort was worth it," she summarizes.

My professor always insisted and told me: 'You are going to return to Madrid.'

— Antonieta HerreraHerrera recalls the encouragement she received from her fashion academy professor.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Confidencial in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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