Written By: Valery Aguilar
On 1914 Fairmount Avenue you may spot a small shop with mannequins draped in stylish clothing on window display. On the inside, Luz Marina Montaño works to create fashion designs, alterations, and custom clothes. She is the owner of Marina Montaño Designs, a small business I studied this semester as a part of a Small Business Anthropology course.
As an amateur designer myself, I am intrigued by the relationship between design and small business ownership. I occasionally wonder if my interest in design is all for naught and if I will have to compromise my artistic visions once I am employed in the “real world”. However, once I began to take a closer look into Marina and her business, I was hopeful that there is at least one place and way where personalized design is feasible.
Through an email interview and exploration on social media, I was able to get to know Marina, a fashion designer with over 25 years of experience and the woman solely running Marina Montaño Designs. I learned that she began her career in Colombia, where she led a team of designers and seamstresses for the company Monaco Designs. It was in Colombia where Marina also opened up her first studio before having to immigrate to the U.S. Marina explained that she felt like “los empleos que tenía al respecto no valoraban mis habilidades técnicas ni compensación económica”. The jobs she respected did not value her skills nor did they compensate her accordingly. So, she began to work out of her basement in order to save up for her soon-to-be business. This journey indicated to me that Marina has long been drawn towards economic and design independence. I believe it is this liberty that one can see in both the unique designs and services at Marina Montaño Designs.
One distinct design that caught my eye while scrolling through the Instagram page of Marina Montaño Designs was a black, white, and red dress with floral patterns. The dress is a part of a fashion campaign called “Biodiversity” or “Biodiversidad” and is made from fibra de yute or jute fiber. After I watched a video that explained the project, I discovered that the Zenú indigenous peoples tradition of weaving caña flecha or gynenum sagithatum influenced the dress. Specifically, Marina explained that the Zenú traditional hat called sombrero vueltiao developed from caña flecha inspired her design as it is a cultural symbol of Colombia and a representation of the sombrero weaver’s history. I contemplated the dress and the story it relayed. I realized it
was a design that I was unlikely to see anywhere else in Philadelphia. Marina’s strive for individuality can be found even further, from her sketches to her tutorial on creating face masks. In this way, the small business format can allow designers to express their chosen skills and stories in ways that may get lost in big business.
In addition to providing space for pursuing one’s design visions, it is clear that owning a small business can also allow a designer or artist to create more personalized experiences for their customers as well. Marina explained that she wanted to provide a quality level of detail that her clients may not always find among other businesses that may offer the same services. The standard Marina sets for herself is a sign that she tries to be in tune with the needs of each customer. This is also clear by Marina’s decision to open her shop in Philadelphia. She notes that she chose the city for its “vocación urbana e interés en la moda” or “urban vocation and interest in fashion.” In the midst of the ‘Museum District’, or Fairmount, Marina placed herself among a neighborhood of people who desire clothes that have significance, distinction, and detail.
Marina Montaño Designs showed me that there is a way for designers to grow as opposed to being stunted once they start their careers. I also realized that with great freedom comes great responsibility. Marina outlined her duties from paying rent, to keeping track of transactions, to finding permanent clients. I have no doubt small business ownership can be demanding, but also satisfying for those who want to forge their own path. As Marina wrote to me, “Me gustaría demostrar que una forma de producción personalizada como es mi negocio es una importante alternativa de trabajo para retar el capitalismo salvaje y despiadado que subestima un gran sector de la mano de obra.” That is, despite all the obstacles in business ownership, Marina would like to show new designers that a form of personalized production such as that offered by her business is an important work alternative that can challenge the ruthlessness of capitalism.