Paulina Romero

Born and raised in Mexico, my earliest memories are filled with the scent, texture, and spirit of leather—a material that carries centuries of cultural heritage and craftsmanship in my homeland. Growing up surrounded by artisans and immersed in the traditions of Mexican leatherwork, I developed a deep respect for the material, not just as a functional fabric, but as a storytelling medium. Leather became my first love in design, a tactile expression of identity, memory, and culture that has followed me throughout my creative journey. I pursued fashion studies in California, where I began to merge my cultural background with contemporary design thinking. This period helped me shape my voice as a designer, pushing me to explore how heritage and modernity could coexist in harmony. After graduating, I worked in New York’s vibrant fashion scene, gaining experience across the industry spectrum—from high-end couture ateliers to the fast-paced world of commercial fashion. Each role taught me something new, but I always returned to leather as my core medium, drawn by its raw beauty and emotional depth. Seeking to deepen my understanding of leather’s legacy and refine my craftsmanship, I moved to Rome to study at the prestigious Accademia Costume & Moda. There, I immersed myself in Italy’s revered leather culture, learning traditional and innovative techniques while exploring the parallels between Mexican and Italian artisanal histories. My final collection in Milan was a culmination of this lifelong relationship with leather—a body of work that paid homage to my roots, my education, and my vision for the future. Today, leather remains central to everything I create. It’s more than a design choice; it’s my personal language. Through leather, I connect past and present, geography and emotion, craftsmanship and concept. My work is a continuous exploration of identity, told through a material that has shaped me as much as I have shaped it.