About Helen Castillo:
Beginning her fashion studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology at age 13, Helen Castillo continued to pursue her career in fashion fulfilling four years at FIT and graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Occasion design/Couture studies. After numerous internships, some of which included Vera Wang Bridal House and Vivienne Westwood (London, UK) ambition took her on to bigger opportunities with becoming a finalist on back to back seasons of Project Runway Season 12 and Project Runway All Stars Season 4 and more recently Project Runway All Starts Season 6. Having designed Mary Lambert‘s 54th Grammy performance and red carpet gowns working with Madonna‘s stylist B. Akerlund to compliment her performance look. The exposure launched her career and she was personally recruited by Zac Posen to work for him as a designer after PRAS Season 4. Lifetime reached out to Helen again for PRAS Season 6 as a ‘Veteran’ designer to compete and rank as the last standing female designer. As of 2016 Helen is officially located in New York City’s garment district with the convenience to her clients being centrally located in the fashion capital of the world. Having participated in sponsored regional fashion events, Helen’s clientele is not restricted to the USA, but many clients are international with whom she documents most candid design experience and processed through her various Verified social media accounts. Helen Castillo has gained outstanding international support from fans and clients alike. Creating all private commissioned pieces in house, bespoke, made-to-measure, Helen’s Bridal and evening wear/red-carpet pieces are in constant production at the NYC atelier. Most recently Helen has pursued interests in becoming a Fashion Design Teacher and is completing her Master’s Degree in Education, this has sparked interest in her ambition to eventually become a college professor and share her design aesthetic and knowledge with international students.
About Blue Man Group:
Blue Man Group was created in 1991 by three long-time friends from New York City: Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman, who were determined they would achieve lives of meaning and purpose by following their own path. They created a ground-breaking performance centered on a bald and blue character they called Blue Man.
Blue Man Productions is now a global entertainment company best known for the award-winning Blue Man Group show, performed in over 20 countries and seen by more than 35 million people worldwide since 1991. A dynamic combination of art, music, comedy and technology, the show’s euphoric celebration of human connection has universal appeal for a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds.
Helen Castillo x Blue Man Group:
“After seeing Blue Man Group live in New York City, I was inspired by and particularly drawn to the overall aesthetic of the theatre and the industrial elements of the stage. Of course, Blue Man Group is an iconic part of New York City’s performance art history and a household name I grew up with. All of this, coupled with how the Blue Man Group originated in the 90’s, which is trending right now in fashion, felt like the perfect time to collaborate together on a limited edition, unisex garment.”
“One of my favorite parts of the performance is when the Blue Men grab an audience member, dress them in a coverall jumpsuit, and swing them against a canvas after being covered in paint. It’s so unexpected and served as the inspiration for my limited edition garment. I created a coverall jumpsuit sourced from lightweight cotton canvas material to embody the literal canvas of the performance piece and then added hints of the iconic Blue Men blue for details on my design. The idea of integrating an audience member into their performance and dressing him to be part of their ‘Group’ inspired me to make a piece that would almost leave a lasting mark as a ‘uniform’ for both the Blue Man Group and the audience to have a connection outside of the show.”
“In terms of the Blue Man Group-inspired jumpsuit I created, I knew I wanted the garment to be unisex, utilitarian and to create a sort of unity between the Blue Man Group and the audience. I love that with this Blue Man Group-inspired jumpsuit, I am helping to give fans a tangible piece of the show experience and a nod to 90’s trends with the color blocking of the collar, tuxedo stripe and pocket flaps. I’ve also wanted to dabble in menswear and have been recently researching more tailoring techniques, so this was the perfect opportunity to create a unisex piece that was not only trendy but iconic yet fresh and familiar. The limited edition Blue Man Group-inspired jumpsuit will be available online on my website, designerhelen.com, beginning in September!”
“This is also the first time in 27 years that Blue Man Group is participating in Fashion Week and they will be attending my show on September 9th.”
