Romina Vairo: Life in Grand Design
She spent her childhood staring out the window of her father’s pizza shop doodling on the back of grease-stained sales receipts. What began as little, rudimentary stick figures slowly morphed into complete landscapes and sketches of clothing. Everyone saw the talent, and soon, there was no denying it. She was meant for a life of art and fashion.
What sounds like the setting of some sort of Hollywood blockbuster is, in fact, the humble beginnings of fashion up-and-comer Romina Vairo. Hailing from the Burgh, Vairo’s high school days were spent in a Catholic school uniform. “I wore the whole thing: the plaid…the knee high socks. That’s what really lead me to drawing clothes. It was freedom” She admits that she wasn’t much of a “go to prom” girl, but she did enjoy sketching out pretty gowns for her girlfriends to wear.
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fter graduation, Romina was accepted to Polimoda Fashion School, Institute of Design and Marketing, located in Italy, to study fashion. It was her experience there that she attributes her development as a true artist. She explored, every nook and cranny of art as her classes took her to local museums to sketch and develop her own artistic concepts. Polimoda is an international school where people from many different countries and walks of life come together for study. She notes that, “being around people from many cultures really opened my eyes to fashion globally.”
Two years later, she returned to Pittsburgh to continue her education at the Arts Institute where she earned a bachelor’s in fashion design. This is where she gained the massive opportunity to have her pieces shown at New York Fashion Week. Vairo was chosen as one of twelve students to participate in their own runway under the tents. “When I think of a collection, I think of a particular woman or aspect of women to focus on.” So, while some of her peers went for the loud, statement collections, Romina wanted to touch on the “quiet beauty” of women.
The aesthetic blended the anatomy drawings of Vairo’s favorite artist, Leonardo Davinci, with the costuming of French actress Sarah Bernhardt who was famous for playing both men’s and women’s roles. Her collection was born. It was men’s wear with softened edges. It was quiet. It was subdued, and it caught the eye of many European admirers. In the end, she had a deal contracted with Red Vatican, a London Based concept fashion brand, to have her pieces shipped to London to be displayed in their showroom. She felt this was her real stamp of approval as a designer.
After spending a lazy Sunday over a latte with this energetic and fun loving fashion it girl, it would be difficult not to believe that she is capable of doing anything she sets her mind to. When asked what’s next, she admits that she won’t be posting up in Pittsburgh much longer. She hopes to move to the big apple in the very near future and find work designing in one of the big fashion houses. At 24, Romina seems to have a good head on her shoulders understanding start up costs of bringing a label to life. “I don’t want to be my own brand,” she confesses. In fact, her ultimate goal would be to find work overseas in Italy or Paris traveling back and forth from the States. “I want to be like a jet-setter…not a fabulous one! Just one who works her butt off.”
If you are interested in learning more about Romina Vairo, her aesthetic, her vision for herself, and where she’s going in the future, please visit www.rominavairo.com.
Photos by: Janey Cink, Rikki Hommel, and Elvis Gobbo
