Today we’d like to introduce you to Irene Delgado.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

My name is Irene Delgado. I’m a fashion designer, a skincare formulator and maker. I went to school at F.I.T. in NYC and started making clothing for friends when I was in my 20’s. I now have a custom made clothing business called Atelier I, Delgado.

I also have a skincare line called I, Delgado Skincare. I started the skincare line a few months after I came out of the hospital having Guillain Barre Syndrome. It’s a syndrome that makes your muscles atrophy, gives you neuropathy, and numbness. A friend suggested I use magnesium chloride oil and I became a total fan of it. Now, I use it in my magnesium cream.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

It has not been a smooth road for clothing or skincare. All my struggles come from money, which is scarce. It’s not easy to work for yourself. I don’t have a team, so I do everything myself. With that said, I miss things that should be done every day like: posting on social media, sending emails, promoting my products. I wish I could have someone to help, but I can’t afford it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

I make and sell custom made clothing for women and men. I also formulate and make skincare. I specialize in unique pieces like jackets, gowns, coats, dresses, pants, tops, and skirts. My style is very modern, a little edgy, yet totally wearable.
I love working with natural fibers like: cotton, linen, silk, and wool. I’m most known for my gowns. I love an amazing gown! I will be in a trance while working on a gown, until I’m done. It takes me away to a different space. It’s a total journey for me. I’m most proud of the care I put into the garments. Every piece is one of a kind, I don’t take the clothing to a manufacturer to be made, I make them in house. That’s what sets my product apart from others.

I make creams with premium butters and oils from Brazil, India and Africa. I use only the best ingredients for skin. My specialty and what I’m known for, is making magnesium cream with magnesium derived from the Zechstein seabed in the Netherlands. I also make an amazing face cream that has moisturizing AND hydrating ingredients that keep your skin feeling great and not having to reapply every two hours, because your skin is feeling tight. It’s the Ultimate Bliss Beauty Cream. Keeps your skin looking and feeling great. Using premium grade butters and oils is what sets me apart from the others. I use Kokum butter, Cupuacu butter, and Murumuru butter. I use Baobab oil and maracuja oil as well. I’m most proud of both the Magnesium cream and the beauty cream, because of what each cream can do. One helps manage pain without smelling like pain cream and the other hydrates and moisturizes, leaving a silky feel on the skin.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?

As a child I was very quiet, but I was very active. I was a little one that communicated better with body language. I was always reading a book, watched my mother sew beautiful things, looked at magazines, latch hook pillows were so much fun to make, I loved and still love science like biology, botany, and chemistry. When I was a little girl, I got a chemistry set for Christmas. It had a macroscope, and so many different minerals. It also had a booklet that demonstrated lots of different science experiments for me to try. It was a blast!

I also got into sewing, watching my mother make my clothes. I wanted to learn how to use her sewing machine, but I was too young. She first taught me to sew by hand and when I was old enough, I was able to use her sewing machine. I love touching fabrics! It’s such a tactile feeling for me.

When I became a teen, I was still shy, but I managed to make some friends. I was always buying fashion magazines like: Vogue, Mademoiselle, Essence, Marie Claire, Elle, etc. Fashion has always taken center stage in my teens. I would start making my garments in home economics in high school. That’s when I really started understanding sewing patterns. I had a wonderful teacher. I was a majorette in high school and I learned how to make my own uniform. I love 80’s fashion!

When I was in my 20’s, I was in my fashion exploration days. I was going to the store front windows figuring out what I liked fashion wise. I was and still am a punk at heart. I love chains, studs, grommets, spikes, anything different looking than the “normal” public fashion. I had a purple mohawk, went to punk shows and hung out at Saint Mark’s Place, where the punks came in droves before and after shows. In my mid 20’s, I started to go to the big clubs like Tunnel, Twilo, Limelight, The Building, etc. I started my journey into avant-garde fashion. All black was and still is my thing, but in the summer I love to wear pink, all types of pink. I started making my clothes for the club. Styling them was so much fun.
I love styling clothes. I would help my friends get dressed, styling them to go to the clubs. I also started making clothes for my friends. It was a great time to do it, because fashion was so extra back then. Now, it’s very conservative and pared down.

Pricing:

• Ultra Soothing Magnesium Cream 4 oz. $25.
• Ultimate Bliss Beauty Cream 4 oz. $30.
• Luxurious Body Oils 4 oz. $20

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.idelgado.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idelgadoskincare

Image Credits

All images by Adrian Buckmaster