Nina Garcia
Nina Garcia is the fashion designer at ELLE magazine who also serves as a judge on “Project Runway,” Bravo’s hit reality show that features upcoming fashion designers.
Nina, age 41, was born in Baranquilla, Columbia and lived there until she moved to the United States when she was fifteen to attend school. She studied liberal arts at Boston University in the early 90s, and then attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. She began working in the public relations department at Perry Ellis and for its designer at the time, Marc Jacobs. She left Perry Ellis and moved to Mirabella magazine, serving as Assistant Stylist and Market Editor. She left Mirabella to take a position at ELLE and eventually worked her way up to Fashion Director in 2000.
At ELLE, she oversees a staff of 20 editors and assistants. Together, they work to develop stories and layouts that feature the latest trends in fashion and accessories. She must cover the fashion markets in not only New York, but also Milan and Paris. Nina has also begun writing a new column that is featured in ELLE titled “Fashionina.”
She was chosen as a judge for “Project Runway,” which began airing December 1, 2004. The show received critical acclaim as well as an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Competitive Reality Series. Nina knows what it takes to make it in the fashion world, so she can easily spot potential in the “Project Runway” designers despite her reputation as being a hard-to-please judge.
She has written her first book, The Little Black Book of Style, which teaches women how to create their own personal style and signature look. She is currently on tour promoting the book. Nina has appeared on “The View” and “Today” as a fashion trend expert and appeared on “The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch” with the contestants from season 2 of “Project Runway.”
Nina has been very busy in her personal life as well as in her career. She announced last October that she was pregnant with her first child. She and husband David Conrod, a senior managing director at Guggenheim Capital, welcomed son Lucas Alexander on March 24, 2007.
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