In Conversation with Coromoto Atencio

Sep 14

Tell us about your background:

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela, the country of endless summers. I was raised by parents who were, and remain, deeply rooted in our Latin American heritage and committed to Venezuela. They instilled in me a sense of appreciation, integrity and identity. From an early age, I was drawn to the art of dressing; I admired how my mother would effortlessly blend simplicity, austerity and sophistication, and my father prioritized quality over quantity, heritage overhype. And the perception of brands as a manifestation and extension of our lifestyles was early on something that sparked my curiosity.

In 2005, I moved to New York to attend Parsons School of Design, where I furthered my studies with a special focus on Fashion Marketing and Communication. While at Parsons, I became laser-focused, observing, learning, and absorbing New York's spirit, while understanding what it meant to carve my own. I gathered as much first-hand experience as I could in order to build a clear intention behind my résumé. This included an internship at Vogue Magazine, which led to my first job experience. Candy Pratts Price, the high fashion, editorial authority and fashion director of Style.com, the original online home for Vogue and W, was looking for an assistant and I jumped right after it. Working for, with and alongside Candy Pratts Price informed a great deal of the ethics, excellence and standards I strive for today. I honed my curatorial eye, creative sensibility and ability to appreciate the story behind the brand, the journey behind the designer, and the craftsmanship behind the quality. Above it all, Candy taught me to look beyond my eyes. Her mentorship, decisiveness and high industry standards are deeply anchored in my approach. I developed hyper fluid skills across editorial, fashion, management and leadership. Skills I was able to apply, test and mold throughout my next journey.

In 2010, I went on to set up, build and develop the US Brand Communications department for the Inditex Group’s American subsidiary. I started at a relatively modest in size US office, and joined a familiar, small executive team during the very early stages of development of the American market strategy. My cross-functional leadership skills, fashion brand and market insights were my assets during fundamental phases of development, positioning and expansion. I hired, trained, developed and led the brand communications teams across strategy, people relations (public & press), special brand projects, global flagship openings, press showroom, customer relations, crisis and corporate communications. I spearheaded the online launch of Zara.com, and introduced Massimo Dutti, Zara Home and Bershka to the US Market. My tenure at Inditex could be characterized by its unique holistic lens—my work was rooted in the localization and fluid message adaptation of global brands into the American Market.

In 2018, I established my independent Creative and Brand Consulting practice under Studio Futuro LLC., following a genuine desire to rekindle my love for fashion, and to channel my expertise towards slowly crafted, conscious brands in stages of building, positioning or rebranding. My synergistic perspective helps shape fashion and niche luxury brands forward, translating their vision, unlocking their greatest potential, and building the groundwork for future growth.

What do you wish you’d known when you started out?

I wish I had been less apologetic about my own value. I came to the US on a student visa, and I was always very mindful that I had to work twice as hard to earn some space. I wish I had said no more often, and asked for help when I needed to. All part of the learning curve.

Best career advice you've ever received?

When I started my freelance practice after years in a corporate environment, I found myself trying really hard to define and articulate the personal stamp and purpose behind my work. What's the value I can bring to brands? What makes me, me? I looked around and everyone I came across was a creative director, fashion consultant, or high expert of some sort. I was told by an entrepreneur I met at a The Assemblage, my former co-working space: “Consulting is a language, it either comes naturally or formulated. You will find your edge. Follow your intuition and walk at your own pace, and stay mindful of the shared space”. Words to live by.

What leadership qualities are important to you?

Truthfulness and responsibility, experimentation and decisiveness, generosity and humility. Truly exceptional leaders are passionate about sharing their knowledge so that others can flourish and rise—while they remain equally passionate about learning from others. A truthful, responsible, empathic, experimental and decisive leader will lead with acumen, decisiveness and intuition, and will rely on the power of communication as a fundamental vehicle to human development and genuine connection.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?

My work is an extension of who I am. Learning to draw personal boundaries, while I still feel immersed and fully committed to a project/client, is always a challenge. Understanding that perfection does not exist, but excellence does.

And for fun, what is your favorite wardrobe staple?

A sleek, black tuxedo

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coromoto-atencio-b6183b/

Instagram: @coromotodelosangeles