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  • Julieta Zavala

Julieta Zavala

Newark

Emerging
Folk Art: Visual Arts

By: Gail Obenreder

“Creativity, imagination, and perspective are my most essential skills in my design process.”

Designer Julieta Zavala creates garments that combine both her cultural roots and social trends, proud of her role in “projecting Mexican culture and costume design through visual art in fashion.” In her work, Zavala reflects “the artistic side of fashion [by] using unconventional and recyclable materials” in the creation of her unique and culturally expansive pieces.

The designer grew up in Mexico City with her mother and three sisters; her father had come to the United States when she was born. Her first introduction to the creativity of sewing was via her Aunt Maria. She was “a great inspiration throughout my life,” making the traditional attire that Zavala and her sisters wore every year at school presentations. Watching her aunt, “I could see the happiness sewing brought to her. Seeing that happiness inspired me to give it a try.”

The remainder of her family moved to the United States in 2006, when Zavala was 20, coming to Delaware “where my father was already established in the state.” She had always wanted to study fashion design, but in Mexico it was “out of my reach financially.” When she came to America, Zavala began from the ground up – learning English and then going to night school. She finally was able to pursue her longstanding dream: She studied at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, where she graduated in 2014 – with honors – as a fashion designer.

Zavala has been working as a designer for the past twelve years and with her husband and son now lives in Newark. Her work is seen widely throughout the tri-state area, in Mexico, and in New York City, including at the Penn Museum and the Delaware Art Museum. Her 2023 DelArt project was a residency in connection with the major exhibition Estampas de la Raza, a collaboration that included a runway show and a fashion installation in the exhibition gallery.

Her Mexican heritage “has been and will continue to be my strongest inspiration. Everything about our art, culture, and traditions inspires me.” But Zavala finds it a challenge to both “be recognized and for people to see my work.” An introvert, she also at first found public speaking difficult, but as her career continues to flourish, “I think I have been improving on that aspect.”

Her greatest reward is “introducing my culture to people who would otherwise never experience it,” and she is always striving to represent it “in the best way possible.” Zavala loves to read, and four years ago, she and a friend started a reading club in Spanish that continues to meet every month.

The Division’s Fellowship is very meaningful to her. Most importantly, it showed her “that others believe in me as I have believed in myself.” Zavala is also “grateful for this opportunity and for each and every person who contributes to this program.” The award will help her as she undertakes a new major project – a clothing collection to be presented in Wilmington – and continues to introduce her rich Mexican heritage to new and expanding audiences. “You never stop learning, and the possibilities to create are endless.”

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