From Medellin, Colombia to the Runway with Fashion Designer Claudia Ochoa, Episode 199

Don't miss this fascinating show where we talk with founder of CLO INTIMO, a lingerie line owned and designed by Claudia Ochoa of Medellin, Colombia. Claudia's a successful designer paving the way for other lingerie designers across New York City. Her brand was created with Latinas in mind and today you can shop CLO INTIMO at Victoria Secret, Anthropolgie, CLOstudio.com, and more. So much to learn from Claudia's resilience, hard work, and passion.

Note: while the episode begins primarily in Spanish (translated in show description)... it quickly shifts to English. As such, we hope to make it accessible to all. 

Transcript of Guest’s Stories (Spanish to English abridged & summarized):

Intro:

Cecy: “I think this is the first time we have a fashion design on the show.”

Claudia (guest): “Thank you. Makes me so happy to be opening a path for you all.”

Story # 1 : Journey of fashion started with a sewing machine:

Claudia (guest/abridged): Claudia’s mother and father meet, married and didn’t have much money. They live with her father’s family. Mom wants something more. Dad offers to buy a TV or sewing machine. Mom says she wants sewing machine and begins making her own things to sell. Claudia was born exactly 8 mos. after her parents were married and many gossiped about that. But the point is Claudia was in her momma’s “tummy” hearing her mother sew and work for others sewing. So Claudia came along and began working very young. Her family wanted her to contribute and work, so she did, even if her friends didn’t. She began with a strong work ethic and philosophy to appreciate things she worked hard to earn/have.

Story #2: Growing up in the “Narco Era” in Medellin, Colombia:

Dangerous and superficial era and it was tough to get away. She didn’t agree with it. She did have a boyfriend involved in Narco activity. She had exposure to this life, but her mother didn’t agree with this and told her she had to decide on another pay. She was only 16 years old. She knew deep down she didn’t want this life and figured she had to breakup with her boyfriend as her mother demanded. Mom pushed her for good and she was ready to break away and decided to break up with him since she also was not into him as she used to be. She went on with her life and a year and a half after that her mother got a call and a woman told her “I am sorry for the loss of your daughter.” Her mom says my daughter is fine — and the person says ””wow, isn’t he the girlfriend of so and so who was killed by hanging in one part of town while his girlfriend was hung in another?” And in shock Claudia and her mother realized that she had saved her daughter. Claudia has since thanked her mother for saving her life. She says this life was scary and dangerous and she’s seen people killed at random in nightclubs for simply leaning on the wrong person. She was maybe 22 years old when she says someone was killed next to her for nothing at all and she was so ready to leave to the US. She was going to school, studying English, and wanted out of the Colombia where people were dying often during a time of violence and drug trafficking. She began on a path to leave that behind for a life in the U.S.