Marisol Deluna | |
---|---|
Born | Marisol Luna June 20, 1967 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | fashion designer |
Years active | 1989–present |
Marisol Deluna is an American fashion designer based in New York City who specializes in screen-printed fashion accessories, apparel and home décor sold under the label Marisol Deluna New York.[1]
Born on June 20, 1967, to Rudolfo (Rudy) and Peggy Luna in San Antonio, Texas,[2][3] Deluna uses her family's original Spanish surname.[2] Her father is a retired aerial cartographer and mother is a museum docent.[2][4] She grew up in the San Antonio suburb of Alamo Heights,[5] and is one of six children.[6]
Deluna is a graduate of Alamo Heights High School, an alumna of the Kansas City Art Institute and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology.[2][7]
Her design career in New York's garment district began in 1989 with an entry level position.[4] In 1997, she began offering fashion accessories and made-to-order designs, followed with a lifestyle brand, adding apparel and home décor. Items are sold under the label Marisol Deluna New York.[8][9] She uses colorful textiles, designed by hand, often relying on silk screen printing to produce them.[10][8][11][12]
Her company's motto is "New York Designed. Texas Made." Her brand aims to promote manufacturing in the United States.[13][14]
As a child, Deluna was a Girl Scout.[15][16] She has continued her affiliation by creating official uniform accessories for the Girl Scouts of the USA.[17][15][16]
During New York Fashion Week, Marisol cast Project Runway’s first transgender model, Mimi Tao.[18] She embraces ethnic diversity and encourages her models to smile during shows.[19][20]
Harlem milliner Rod Keenan is a longtime friend of Deluna, and has collaborated with her.[21][22]
In 2012, Deluna received a commendation from the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in America, The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) for her charitable outreach and professional achievement.[23]
Marisol was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame in 2018 for her contribution to the arts.[24]
The Marisol Deluna Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit which supports a fashion initiative for those interested in fashion and design arts in her home state of Texas.[17][9] Since 2015, the foundation has been located in the La Villita Historic Arts Village in downtown San Antonio near the San Antonio River Walk.[14][25]
The foundation's Linda Luna Duffy Creative Hope Initiative was created for the inclusion of those with special needs in artistic endeavors.[9] Duffy was a public school educator and Deluna's older sister, who succumbed to ALS in 2017.[26][9]
In 2018, the foundation hosted its inaugural community fashion show as an official "SA300" event in partnership with San Antonio to commemorate the city's Tricentennial.[27]
Marisol is married to Jonathan Washburn Cole.[2][28] The couple have no children and live in Lower Manhattan.[4][29]
She is an alumna of Alpha Phi,[30] member of the Fashion Institute of Technology Couture Council,[31][32] is an executive member of Fashion Group International,[33] is a supporter of Housing Works[11][34] and has participated with a PSA for Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project.[35]