Carlos Nazario, stylist, consultant and global fashion director of i-D Magazine, opens up about his work ethic, upbringing, and the importance of vulnerability in the fashion industry. Growing up in a Puerto Rican household in Queens, he credits his ambition, sense of responsibility, and ability to multitask—while maintaining an even temperament—to being enveloped by the hustle and bustle of a city where only the movers and shakers make it. Despite his considerable success, he describes himself as a relatable figure who openly shares experiences with anxiety, depression, body image issues, and imposter syndrome on social media to inspire others and help them aspire to more. In this episode, he shares his deep passion for people and their stories and his fascination with the transformative power of fashion and the persuasive language of clothes.
What Is Contemporary Now? Carlos believes that in a multifaceted world, portraying its diversity without being held to a single viewpoint is the true essence of what is contemporary.
Episode Highlights:
New levels, new devils: "When you're just starting, many people behind you, happy to see you succeed and support you. But as you climb the ranks and become part of the establishment, you may not feel the same support. People may assume that you don't need that encouragement anymore, or they may misunderstand the intentions behind your work."
Avoiding burnout: There is a lot of pressure to perform at a high level, which becomes more significant with success. It's often challenging to keep things fresh and find new ways to say what needs to be said and stand out while avoiding burnout. Despite these challenges, Carlos feels fortunate to work with his clients and have a partner supporting him. Still, ultimately, he recognizes that it's his job to establish boundaries and balance his workload.
The human struggle: Carlos shares his struggles with anxiety, depression, body image, and imposter syndrome on social media, inspiring others who face similar challenges. He wants to be honest about his struggles because he knows that almost everyone struggles with similar issues, even some of the world's most successful, powerful, and famous people.
The power of fashion: Carlos loves the power of clothes, one that creates the performance of existence. He is passionate about telling stories and finds glamour and fantasy captivating. The earliest pictures he fell in love with were Bruce Weber's, as they portrayed familiar people or ones in a fantasy world.
Social chemistry: Putting together the right teams creates extraordinary results. Carlos is sensitive to vibes and carefully chooses who he works with. He prefers to work with his family of people who see and inspire each other and possibly have differing viewpoints. He has formed close relationships with models and sees their stories as necessary.
Advice for the next generation: Invest your time, energy, and money into building something sustainable, a foundation, without focusing only on the result or its facade. Before starting out on his own, Carlos worked as an intern at W Magazine under Alex White and Camilla Nickerson, at Love under Katie Grand, and for Joe McKenna for six years. These experiences taught him to perform at a high level, manage clients, and think two or three steps ahead.
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