Interview with Fashion Designer Marialexandra Garcia

Hi There! Do you wear activewear, occasionally? What would you say if today I would introduce you to a new fashion designer?

Picture provided by Marialexandra Garcia

https://shopoutplay.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marialexandra/

She makes special activewear that anyone can wear. It’s all about feeling comfortable and stylish in what you are wearing. Isn’t that cool? 😄

Have you ever worn clothes that didn’t fit quite right and you had to do unexpected exercises in frustration? It’s like a fun workout that comes with trying to make your clothes behave! 😎

You know that moment when you talk to your clothes, saying; “Come on, cooperate!”? It’s like having a hilarious conversation with your outfit! Do you think people do this? I don’t understand it, and I’ve never done it myself. 😦

Oh, don’t be like that! You know I always tell the truth... well, most of the time. Okay, fine, I admit it—On some occasions, I have conversations with my clothes. There, I said it! Happy now? 😒

This quote by someone unknown says it all; “Life is too short to wear clothes that don’t have a sense of humor. Sometimes, having a conversation with your ill-fitting clothes is just the quirky therapy you need to survive the fashion rollercoaster.” 😂

Ok, forget about the rules of fashion! I’m about to introduce you to an amazing fashion designer who is turning the world of activewear upside down. Get ready to meet the creative mastermind behind gender-neutral clothing that is breaking barriers and embracing everyone. 😍

Picture provided by Marialexandra Garcia

What is your name, function, and the company you work for?  

I am the founder and CEO of Outplay. I’m also the designer behind our brand. 

How old are you?

I am 47 years old. 

What kind of work do you do, or what are you studying to be? 

I’m a fashion designer at heart and an entrepreneur at the core. I am the founder and designer behind Outplay, a gender-neutral activewear brand where I make clothing that helps people feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. My work is my passion, which is to make peoples’ lives better through fashion. 

What made you decide to become a Fashion Designer?

I’m not sure when I discovered I wanted to be a fashion designer but I started designing clothing at around the age of 10. When I was 14 I designed and made my first wedding dress and watched it walk down the aisle on a beautiful bride. 

That completely solidified my dream of being a fashion designer. In high school, I designed and made prom dresses and party dresses for my friends so it was no surprise when I chose to go to college to pursue a degree in fashion. 

Is fashion important to you? Why? 

Fashion is seen as unimportant or materialistic by so many. For me, fashion is our way of not only expressing ourselves but it's how we present ourselves to the world. It tells the world the story of who we are, how we feel, and how we choose to present ourselves. Fashion is an art and it's a form of deep personal expression. That is important. 

Fashion is also the way we present ourselves to the world and how we make a first impression. The clothes we wear say a lot about who we are. It doesn’t tell the entire story, but you can say a lot through your clothes. 

Picture provided by Marialexandra Garcia

What are your successes, and how did you achieve them?

Success for me has meant being able to build my business and being able to reach and help so many people with what we do. Building Outplay has been a labor of love and my first success with Outplay was paying for the first production of our revolutionary compression swim tops all through pre-orders on our website when no one even knew who we were. We achieved that by being intentional, knowing who our core customer was, and perfecting our messaging to reach them. 

If awards or accolades are successes, I achieved those through hard work, dedication, being fearless, and knowing the right people to guide me through processes. Every success I’ve had has been a combination of the people I’ve surrounded myself with, believing in myself, lessons learned, and course correction. 

What’s something you might want to do in the future?

I’m always looking for ways to solve people's problems through clothing and I hope to continue to do that for a very long time. 

I would love to work on making our clothing much more sustainable and toxic-free, which in the activewear industry is still not perfect and has a long way to go.  

I’m not sure if I will ever do anything outside of the garment industry, but if I do, I’d love to work within the natural and health world. I believe being healthy, combining soul, mind, and body is the best way to live a balanced and healthy life and I would love to explore ways to contribute to the world through that in some way. 

Is the name of the Brand important to you when you buy clothing or jewelry?

Maybe not necessarily the name of the brand but more the people and mission behind a brand or company that is truly important to me. I believe we vote with our wallets so I try to be as conscious as possible when spending my hard-earned money with brands that align with my beliefs. 

I look for brands that are made properly, last a long time, make their garments out of quality materials, and that are made under reputable and honest processes that are safe for all involved. It's hard because it's not easy to find information on all brands, but if I can and I am able to find more information on a brand, I take the time and later show my support (or not) with my purchases. 

Describe your personal style of fashion?

Personally, I am very classic and simple, and I tend to overdress a lot of times. I’m not going to wear an evening gown to a pool party but when my friends are in flip-flops and shorts, I tend to be in a sundress and heels. 

On the other hand, I love just being in an Outplay sports bra and leggings all day, ready for a yoga set in the middle of the day to get me up from work, or a long walk at the end of the day to blow off some stress. 

 

How did you find your personal style? Do you have a signature look? 

My personal style must have come from a combination of my mom and the designers I looked up to, like Carolina Herrera, Oscar De La Renta, and Angel Sanchez. I grew up in a very Venezuelan household, but lived in different countries and cultures (we moved around a lot due to my dad’s job) so I think I combined a lot of what I saw, with who I was becoming as a teenager and then a young adult and slowly made it my own. 

My signature look is definitely a bow or a ruffle. I love bows and I love ruffles. Big sleeves and a little bow to tie the cuffs, or a simple ponytail with a small ribbon tied into a bow. Chanel always said you should look in the mirror before going out and take one thing off. I take 2-3 things off and leave the bow (or ruffle).

Picture provided by Marialexandra Garcia

Do you have an influence on other people’s fashion style?

I want to think I do. I have had some influence on my daughter’s fashion style as she’s grown into having her own. She isn’t a fan of bows or ruffles but you can see where she gets her slightly off-beat color combination or her military boots/sleek party dress combo comes from.  

As someone who has always been around fashion and in the garment industry in one way or another, from a very early age, my friends automatically think of me when they need fashion advice, or have any questions about clothing, so I guess I have had some influence on those closest to me and their fashion style. 

When it comes to my company, I’d like to think I have some influence on our customer’s style. Maybe not in the way I can influence my daughter or a close friend, but with how comfortable they can feel in their clothing, and how, what they wear, can give them the freedom to be themselves. That’s the best influence I can have on anyone when it comes to fashion. Giving people the freedom to be themselves. 

What are in your eyes the best trends at the moment?

There are fewer and fewer big trends nowadays. Fashion is no longer dictated by magazines or designers but more by what subcultures and groups of people prefer to wear. 

There are groups of people where the trend is to wear a lot of big label brand logos all over, while there are groups of people that dress in oversized hoodies and baggy pants. 

Then there are those who love the natural tone, skin-tight clothing trend. The best trend I see that I hope is here to stay and not a trend, after all, is that of people wearing what they love, what makes them feel comfortable and themselves, and not something dictated by someone else. Although.. is TikTok the new Vogue?

 

What are in your eyes the worst trends at the moment?

The hot hoodie that is worn in hot weather, I mean, why? Yes, it’s a thing teenagers wear, and graphic hoodies are mostly worn by a lot of teenagers, but when it's 90 degrees, do you really need to be in a hoodie and have your entire head and half your face covered? It just makes me uncomfortable looking at these teens in Miami weather in thick sweaters. 

What kind of fashion advice would you give us?

I think the best advice I can give anyone when it comes to fashion is to be yourself. Don’t try to wear something just because your friends or so-and-so are wearing it. 

Don’t wear something that’s big on TikTok if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Like I always tell my customers, if you’re uncomfortable or not feeling yourself on the inside, it's going to show on the outside. 

There’s nothing more fashionable and attractive in a person than self-confidence. And if fashion can help you gain that self-confidence, go for it. If it doesn’t serve you, get rid of it. 

Who is your style icon, and why?

Oh my gosh, this is a hard question to answer. I absolutely LOVE Gwen Stephanie’s style and fashion sense. Although I would never wear what she wears the same way. Her eclectic pattern and color combinations with her mix of sportswear and formal pieces. And her shoes… LAMB was a brand that made shoes I would have bought entire collections from. 

At the same time, I think Jackie O was a style icon that will persist for decades. I would wear almost everything she ever wore myself. Her simplicity and elegance are just iconic in every way.  Jackie O wore everything with such ease regardless of it being a Valentino gown or a pair of khaki slacks and ballet slippers. 

Is there something else you would like to share with us?

I think fashion should be fun, it should be a representation of who you are. I believe you should feel free to wear what you want and how you want to wear it regardless of what society deems is correct or in style or not. I think being yourself and expressing that through your clothing is a beautiful form of expression and it should be celebrated. Fashion should be enjoyed. 

Picture provided by Marialexandra Garcia

Thank you, Marialexandra, for taking part in my makeup artist interview. I love the style of your activewear, and I have to admit it looks good both on men and women. 😍

If you happen to have a bit of spare time, maybe you'd like to indulge in a few more blog posts?

https://seadbeady.blogspot.com/2023/05/interview-with-fashion-designer-igor.html

https://seadbeady.blogspot.com/2023/02/interview-with-fashion-designer-charles.html

Hope you like my blog.....Until next time.....Have a nice day 

Renata (Seadbeady) 

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