Arturo Rios
For this second issue of Design Jewelry and Accessories Magazine, I decided to interview an amazingly talented designer from Los Angeles, Arturo Rios.
His designs are full of life and color, guaranteed to draw attention during an elegant black-tie event.
“Tell me about who you are and where you live, where your shop is, your workshop.”
A: “My name is Arturo Rios, originally from Mexico but currently living in Los Angeles, CA.
I am a Fashion hat designer. I did not study how to make hats in any school, I learned about hats from a good friend Karen Indrealand from Italy.
All my hat designs are sold in several boutiques around the country, some in Australia and Canada. I do not have my own store just yet, but for sure soon I will. My studio is located in Los Angeles, CA.”
“How did you discover your passion and how did you start working with it?”
A: “ Ever since I was a kid I was always very creative, I put a lot of effort into the small details, but I never thought I would be making hats..
When I met my friend Karen in 2001, she introduced me to the world of hats. It was vey exciting and it was easy to get involved... Later I was already designing hats for her business.. A few years later she retired and I opened my own little hat business.
“Do you have a favorite material you work with?”
A: “The materials I work with are only dressy fabrics, silks, taffetas, satins, beaded silks.
I love silk because it is easy to work and drape. All my hats are entirely hand made, therefore we have to find fabrics that are easy to work with.”
“Which is your favorite ever item you created?”
Arturo: “I do not have any specific item that I love the most. All of my creations are unique, I put a lot of effort and passion on each single hat. There may be a few hats that stand out more than others, but is really hard to name a specific one.”
“Our hats have been featured in several fashion magazines around the world. Some celebrities have worn my collection, like Daisy Fuentes, Paris Hilton, Cheril Burke, Lindsay Lohan, Julliete Lewis, Kelly Rowland and others. ”
Arturo Rios
“Who is your favorite designer and why?”
Arturo: “I love Alexander Mcqueen, he was very avant garde and nothing was too much for him.
When I first began making hats, I was a bit afraid to go bigger or out of the box because I was not sure how customers would respond. But one day I decided to go for it, and I began creating big, over the top headpieces and the response was very encouraging.
“What is your dream for your brand for the future?”
Arturo: “I work very hard and one day I would like to become noticed as a hat designer around the world. Most of the well known hat designers are from Europe, but we can show that America has great talents as well.”
Sandra Kemppainen; Photos: Mark Sacro; Makeup: Anthony Nguyen, Dominique Lerma; Hair: Twixxy.
“Hmm, favorite pieces. It might be tied. Piece one is a one of a kind cocktail hat that I hand stitched iridescent mallard feathers onto in a fan shape. The colors change from purple to blue to green depending on the light. I accented it with a sad little vintage clip on earring that lost its mate and now has new life. I’m also a fan of a feathered headdress that I made with painstaikingly curled pheasant feathers called “Phoenix.” “