It’s not everyday you encounter people like the fashion designer Camilo Andres Vargas Lesmes. Just a short conversation with him is enough to understand his knowledge, passion, and creativity when it comes to high-end custom clothing.
The Secret? The millennial designer has built an entire fashion brand from the ground up by remaining true to who he is and tapping into his client’s needs at a personalized level.
In a short amount of time, Camilo has created a name for himself in the fashion world. Thus far, his ambition has taken him as far as China and Japan, and it all started from a small suburb in The State of Maryland.
Born in Colombia, Camilo Andres Vargas immigrated to the United States when he was just three months old. It wasn’t until middle school that Camilo’s interests for fashion peaked when he decided to buy a new pair of jeans to impress a girl he liked.
“I went from wearing sweatpants & sambas to polo’s and new balances,” He said.
During this same time, Camilo convinced his friends to start a streetwear brand called “DeadBeatPrep”. A brand that was inspired by one of his own favorite brands, Billionaire Boys Club from Pharell Williams & NIGO.
It was during this time that Camilo got his first taste of the fashion world.
With DeadBeatPrep, he learned to sew, register a business, create graphics, print garments & to sell. Eventually, this brand ended which led Camilo to travel all the way across the globe to Hong Kong where he could continue to learn and expand his knowledge when it came to custom-made fashion.
“I never believed that I could make a career out of fashion, especially as a young, Latino guy from the suburbs of Maryland,” he recalls.
In 2016, the brand MILÓ ANDRES was born. With all of his newfound knowledge, Camilo came back to the United States, eager to begin creating his own brand. To this day, the brand specializes in hand crafting garments that are as unique & exclusive as each one of their clients.
It’s no secret that MILÓ ANDRES is famous for designing unique suits, blazers, pants, coats, dress shirts, tuxedos, & vests with one of their experts made-to-measure specialists, always focused on helping their clients navigate the process of styling, fitting & finding a unique design.
In fact, their customization is so unique that they offer an endless array of options such as a signature lining with your own photographs printed inside & your custom monogram to personalize your very own hand-made garment.
“My philosophy is simple, unadulterated beauty & craftsmanship through design, embodying techniques at an art sartorial level of excellence,” He said.
For him, one of the hardest parts of starting his own brand was getting clients to trust him as their designer for special events.
Today, MILÓ ANDRES counts with over 100 clients, and has expanded his business to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Missouri, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., California, Virginia & Maryland.
“My dream is to dress every single beautiful human being on this earth, especially if it means being a part of their special moments in life such as their weddings,” He emphasized.
Camilo stresses that he hates turning away potential clients, but it is something he must do to keep his margins at the right rate, so in turn, his customers receive the very best service available.
This is how Camilo has managed to build his brand, by focusing on the quality he is producing for his clients.
“I believe that a single client has the power of over 1,000 minds because they have the power of influence, one good lead can lead to multiple connections which will eventually open new doors & opportunities for your business,” says the designer.
For this young designer, mindset is everything. His brand is his legacy for his daughter and family. This is why he does not focus on the competition.
To him, the most important thing is the quality of his product and expanding his knowledge so he is able to offer his clients the very best — always.