Barbara Hulanicki
Born in Poland, but raised in England, Barbara Hulanicki is deservedly recognized as a British fashion icon, having just been awarded an OBE for Services to Fashion in the 2012 Queen’s New Year Honors.
Barbara began her career in Fashion in the early 1960′s working as a freelance fashion illustrator covering all the important fashion collections for the major publications of the day, including Women’s Wear Daily, British Vogue, the Times, the Observer and the Sunday Times. In 1964 she founded, with her late husband, Stephen Fitz-Simon, the boutique BIBA, beginning as a small mail-order business featured in the fashion columns of newspapers such as the DAILY MIRROR.
Today, Barbara continues to create her innovative designs as a retail & design consultant to a number of US and UK major fashion and homeware retailers, supplying designs exclusive to each company.
Tijana Vujosevic
I was born and raised in Montenegro. After spending my childhood in my home country, I pursued my BBA studies at The International Univerity of Geneva, Switzerland, acquiring a global network of world-changing individuals, and later working in diverse industries such as retail, hospitality, etc. With an interest in the fashion business, I expanded my knowledge in fashion retail by acquiring a local franchise for the Spanish brand "Women'secret".
After moving to the United States, this passion was reignited by meeting the team of DesignLab Miami, as well as my ever-growing need to bring real positive change in the world and taking interest in all the fields such as sustainability, new Earth-saving technologies in fashion production and fair labor in fashion production. Ever since, I have worked as a Project Coordinator and Instructor at the Designlab Miami, alongside starting my own Vintage Alchemy Studio project. So when the Designlab Give mission came into being, I had paired my love of fashion and social improvement to help the organization reach out to as many people who wanted to join DesignLab Give on its mission.
Ariel Swedroe
I’m Ariel Swedroe, a 17 year old fashion designer and senior at Design and Architecture Senior High. I fell in love with fashion design and textile making at a young age in helping my grandfather with his collage artwork. I created a resort collection that was displayed in Miami Swim Week and various publications.
My work with DesignLab Give began back in 2017 on their first trip to Cartagena, Columbia. Where I worked with young mothers, that were my age, which left a lasting impression on me. I was honored to teach them the basics of sewing that now allow them to support their families.
In March 2020 I joined DLG again for their Mask Initiative. I recorded sewing tutorials for the volunteers and together we sewed 2,000 face masks at the start of COVID-19. The masks were donated to various hospitals, pharmacies, and police departments all around Miami, Fl.
I love teaching the beautiful skill of sewing to women locally and in other parts of the world. As a woman myself, female empowerment is really important to me. The fact that something so enjoyable can alter someone’s life for the better is extraordinary to me.
Bacilos
Jorge Villamizar, Andre Lopes & Jose Javier Freire
Bacilos is a Latin-pop band based in Miami. With humble beginnings at the University of Miami in 1998, Bacilos began playing at various spots in South Beach while growing an impressive following of local college kids.
The band has won 6 Latin Grammys, with record hits as “Caraluna”, “Mi Primer Millon”, “Tabaco y Chanel” and “Pasos de Gigante” after 10 years.
In 2017, they produced their album "Donde Nos Quedamos?”., including the songs “Por Hacerme el Bueno” and “Perderme Contigo” both hitting the Top 10, while touring Latin America and Europe.
By 2020, Bacilos has finalized their must recent album “Cupido y Compania” which include their top song “Carta a Cupido” among other popular ones.