The El Paso-Juarez border has been the birthplace of many aspiring fashion designers making their way out into the world through local high school and college fashion programs.
The Border’s fashion design community does not discriminate as one can encounter designers young and old. Maria Fernanda Rojas is an 18-year-old fashion designer whose passion started as early as 5 years old.
As a kid, Rojas’ dolls desperately needed new outfits and to avoid the hassle of buying a new doll or spending large amounts of money, her grandmother taught her how to make clothes so her dolls could stay up to date with the trends.
It wasn’t just her dolls’ clothes that changed, she developed a knack for customizing her dolls and creating their clothing.
“I thought I would want to be a doll maker. I would make [the dolls] over completely and change their hair, I would take off their faces and repaint them,” Rojas said.
Rojas knew she wanted to work in design her entire life and once she outgrew her dolls, her sewing machine pointed her in a new direction, clothes for people.
Growing up in the Y2K era heavily influenced Rojas’ personal style and designs. This influence is the way that Rojas expresses her admiration for an iconic era in recent fashion: the low waisted pants, layers upon layers of tank tops and tons of Juicy Couture.
“It’s been my focus since high school. I really liked the 2000s and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I grew up in this [era],’ and I wasn’t able to appreciate it,” Rojas said.
Although she is expressive about her love for the era, she strays away from tunnel vision in her design career by experimenting with other types of subgenres in fashion while keeping in touch with her own personal expression.
“I’m very flexible, [the design styles] are very fluid. I can be so many things, but they’re all still me,” Rojas said. “I feel like there’s so many pieces I can make, and there could be so many different styles and textures, but you can still tell it’s me.”
Rojas’ fashion career took a halt during her last years of high school. Academic pressure and a lack of motivation made design feel more like a hassle rather than something she once enjoyed. However, after some time, she resumed and has since had a successful early start to her professional career.
Rojas was motivated by the “2024 El Paso Strong Fashion Show.”
“I think it was the [show] that most pushed and motivated me, and the experience I got from that show boosted my morale. All the support I got was more than my first show as well. It was pretty overwhelming. I started crying,” Rojas said.
She holds the El Paso fashion community, family and friends close to her heart for all the support they have given her throughout her booming career.
“I wish more people were interested in fashion, but everyone in [this community] is very nice, they’re very supportive,” Rojas said. “It’s nice to see everyone building each other up in their own way and everyone being themselves. It’s nice to see the creativity.”
The support and success she has experienced at 18 years old keeps her searching for her next venture as she plans to make a name for herself.
“[Fashion design] is something that I’ve been good at, and I’ll always be good at, it’s the one thing that I will always go after. I’ll never stop,” Rojas said.
Rojas is in the works of planning future lines, and she hopes to proudly display her work to the community and one day broaden her horizons outside the Borderland.
Jesie Garcia is a staff reporter and may be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @empanaditawrites.
