Fashion Anarchy Relaunched Designer, Daniel Reyes

By Mia McManus

After moving to Saint Louis, and not knowing a soul, Daniel Reyes was given an opportunity that changed his life forever. He unknowingly volunteered to be an assistant on Bravo’s hit TV show, Project Runway. While he worked mostly behind the scenes, his dedication and skillfulness led him to be designer, Carlos Casanova’s right-hand man. This opportunity immersed him in the fashion industry, and he immediately knew it was the place for him. The second Reyes stepped through the door of his home that night, he ran to his computer and bought a sewing machine off Craigslist. From then on out, his kitchen doubled as a sewing studio.   

Years later, that passion for the industry still burns within Reyes. Today, he focuses on creating custom pieces for his special clients and participating in charity events to showcase his talent while giving back to the community.

Out of his long list of achievements, Reyes’s most proud moment continues to be his involvement in the Garbage Bag Gala (see picture above). Over the span of two months, he worked tirelessly to create two garments entirely out of recycled materials. This experience taught him that “anything you put your mind to is possible” and “to just go for it.” Time after time, he carries these mottos with him allowing himself to persist through the relentless waters of the fashion industry.

Reyes knows first-hand how brutal the industry can be; his words of wisdom to anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps are “good luck!” This industry is challenging and competitive. He encourages everyone to study and take in as much information as possible – read books, watch videos, interview professionals. Education does not need to come from a university when you have a library card, WIFI, and dedication. Reyes learned all he knows from YouTube tutorials and a little practice; trial, error, and failure are necessary for improvement.

All of these steppingstones helped lead Daniel Reyes to Fashion Anarchy 2019 where he competed for a shot at the title. After feeling compelled to participate and bring him back to his Project Runway roots, Reyes created something beautiful out of nothing. He used the competition as a business opportunity where he learned from the other designers and pushed himself beyond measure. Over the past year, he has seen exponential amounts of growth within his work and himself stemming from his time at Fashion Anarchy. Because of this, he is back for another shot at the title, ready to show the world what he has learned in the past year.