Maria Cornejo Quotes

Powerful Maria Cornejo for Daily Growth

About Maria Cornejo

Maria Cornejo, a renowned fashion designer, was born in Lima, Peru, on August 18, 1967. Growing up in a family of artists and intellectuals, she was immersed in a creative environment that shaped her unique aesthetic sensibility. Her mother, a painter, and her grandfather, a renowned architect, were significant influences in Maria's life. At the age of 18, Maria moved to New York City to pursue her passion for fashion. She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and soon gained recognition for her innovative designs. In 1995, she launched her eponymous label, Maria Cornejo. The brand quickly gained a reputation for its sustainable and ethical approach to design, making use of recycled materials and fair-trade production methods. Maria's work has been celebrated for its minimalist yet sophisticated aesthetic. She is known for her expert use of color and texture, and her designs have been worn by prominent figures such as Michelle Obama and Emma Thompson. In 2013, she was honored with the Ecco Domani Fashion Fund Award for her contributions to fashion. In addition to her clothing line, Maria has ventured into other areas of design, including home furnishings and accessories. She has collaborated with brands such as IKEA and The Future Perfect. Maria Cornejo continues to push the boundaries of sustainable fashion, inspiring a new generation of designers who value social responsibility and environmental consciousness.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Fashion is not about following trends, it's about creating your own style."

This quote suggests that fashion is more than just conforming to current trends; it's about expressing one's individuality through personal style. It encourages people to develop their unique sense of fashion rather than blindly adopting what's popular at the moment. The idea here is that true style comes from self-expression, which sets us apart and makes us unique.


"I believe in the concept of slow fashion – quality over quantity."

Maria Cornejo's quote emphasizes the importance of prioritizing quality over quantity in fashion, a philosophy known as "slow fashion." This approach encourages mindful consumerism, where one invests in well-made, long-lasting clothing items rather than frequently buying cheap, disposable garments. By valuing quality, not only does this reduce waste and promote sustainability, but it also results in a more timeless wardrobe and appreciation for the craftsmanship behind each piece.


"I want to make women feel strong and empowered."

This quote by Maria Cornejo signifies her intent to create clothing that encourages self-confidence and empowerment in women. By designing garments, she aims to contribute to their sense of strength and personal power. Fashion can be an expression of individual identity, and when a woman feels strong and confident in what she wears, it can positively impact her overall outlook and actions. This notion aligns with the broader movement towards gender equality, where clothing becomes a tool for self-expression and boosting self-esteem.


"I think clothes should be fun and make you feel good."

This quote emphasizes that clothing is not merely a necessity for covering our bodies, but an expression of individuality, creativity, and emotional well-being. Wearing clothes that are enjoyable and uplifting encourages self-expression and boosts one's confidence, making them feel good about themselves. By choosing fun and delightful clothing, the wearer can transform their mood and enhance their overall experience in life.


"My designs are for women who have a sense of individuality."

Maria Cornejo's quote emphasizes that her fashion designs cater to women who possess a distinct sense of self-expression and individuality. This suggests that the clothing is not just about style or trend, but rather it empowers women to express their unique personalities and identities through their choice of attire.


Sexiness today is not about having a perfect body and wearing a tight mini skirt; it's about what you don't show that's truly sexy.

- Maria Cornejo

Sexy, Perfect, Having, Mini

The fashion business got boring. I was working with big companies, but the minute it became too formulaic, I got bored with it. I wanted to do a creative space where I could just make stuff - kind of like an atelier, where I could collaborate with other artists, drape geometric shapes on the body, make cushion covers, or whatever.

- Maria Cornejo

Big, Other, Became, Big Companies

Before I started my company in 1998, I worked for big companies traveling a lot and saw firsthand how much waste there was. I was flying across the world in first class to places like Italy or Hong Kong, where I was staying in 5-star hotels, only to nickel and dime someone over a sweater price.

- Maria Cornejo

Big, Before, Staying, Big Companies

My aunt made stuff; my mom was creative, so I was surrounded by that. When I moved to England, it was '75, and everything was happening. My whole teenage life is England, glam rock and David Bowie and Sex Pistols and Iggy Pop, all that stuff.

- Maria Cornejo

Mom, Surrounded, Moved, Iggy

Because America doesn't have a strong textile industry anymore, we have to bring things like fabrics, zippers, and color tape into the U.S., and having so many elements involved in production adds to the amount of waste. You might have some things coming from Italy, a button coming from China, or lining coming from Korea; it's just endless.

- Maria Cornejo

Strong, Color, Some, Textile

Maggie Gyllenhaal, Chelsea Handler, Tilda Swinton, and Sofia Coppola are other clients. They're all risk takers but never look like they're in costume.

- Maria Cornejo

Other, Clients, Chelsea, Coppola

I always say you can only change things from within. It's all about energy. If it's positive, then - even, like, somebody you don't like, saying hello to them one day just switches the conversation, and instead of being angry, I think it's good.

- Maria Cornejo

One Day, I Think, About, Conversation

My mother had her dresses made. In those days in Chile, the early '70s, people had dressmakers make their things. With the leftovers, my sister and I always had a matching outfit. She had an outfit, we had the mini version. That was the very late '60s, early '70s way to dress your kids.

- Maria Cornejo

Dress, Very, Had, Leftovers

Normally I sleep in until 7, and most days, I go right into the office. On Tuesdays, though, I stay home and do work. I need a day when I'm not in meeting after meeting. You need time to try to get into your head again and see what's next.

- Maria Cornejo

Office, Next, Your, Normally

I wanted to start something in New York that focused on making products locally and, because I'd just had my second child, didn't want to be traveling halfway across the world anymore. Originally, I wanted to open up a gallery space and sell things like cushions or blankets that didn't have a season, and have friends or artists contribute.

- Maria Cornejo

Had, Contribute, Blankets, Season

I did go to fashion college, where I was a little punky, a little Bow Wow Wow. I wore red eyeliner. At the time, Vivienne Westwood was really big, so it was a lot of that. London was having a really big moment. I was mixing vintage with things I had made.

- Maria Cornejo

College, London, Big, Wow

The idea was to have something wearable that fit with my reality, which was being a mom with two young kids and not always wanting to wear jeans. I still wanted to wear interesting clothes, and the options out there I found were either very expensive or very cheap. There was a big gap in the middle.

- Maria Cornejo

Big, Wanting, Very, Young Kids

I'm not one for conventional wisdom. I founded my label in 1998, but after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, my Japanese backers pulled out, and I couldn't afford to produce the line myself. I needed fresh ideas from someone who understood technology, since that was the direction the business was going.

- Maria Cornejo

Wisdom, Line, Needed, Understood

If you feel good about yourself, even putting a little bit of makeup - I don't usually wear makeup, but you know, someone said to me, 'Why don't you spend that extra five minutes to make yourself feel good?' And it's just a bit of self-care so you can go out and face the world, and I think we need that right now.

- Maria Cornejo

Makeup, I Think, Putting, Extra

My chemistry teacher wanted me to do chemistry, and my art teacher wanted me to do art. Fashion seemed like a good in-between - using your brain but being creative.

- Maria Cornejo

Art, Chemistry, Using, In-Between

My shrink said to me once when I used to get really overwhelmed and super depressed because I was really run down between kids and the company and there was just so much going on - she said, 'You know, you have to look after you in order for you to look after everybody else.'

- Maria Cornejo

Run, Overwhelmed, Everybody, Depressed

My art teacher was really encouraging me, because he really liked that I could draw. I felt very torn. At that time, I had to pick one, and I felt much more confident in the arts than I did in chemistry. My big thing was that I actually wanted to be like Jacques Cousteau.

- Maria Cornejo

Big, Very, Torn, Jacques

I got fired from my first job in a store when I was a student because I kept wearing my own things, and people kept asking me where they were from, and the owner of the store got annoyed with me. So I got fired because I couldn't afford to buy the clothes from the store.

- Maria Cornejo

Asking, Student, Own, First Job

My parents came from very humble families. My grandfather had a construction business coming from farmland, and my grandmother could never read or write. We were very spoiled. We had a nice house - and then, all of a sudden, we had nothing.

- Maria Cornejo

Humble, Very, Had, Spoiled

Being your own woman, not cookie cutter - that is the greatest luxury!

- Maria Cornejo

Woman, Own, Cookie, Luxury

My parents, they were both Socialists; they were young - 30, 31. They were both successful career people. They had been teachers, and my dad spoke English.

- Maria Cornejo

Career, Young, Been, Socialists

My own personal tweets are very limited. I think I have, like, 68 followers on my personal Twitter.

- Maria Cornejo

Think, I Think, Very, Twitter

Guys are not good under pressure. They're just not good at multitasking, but on that note, we should be a bit less good at enabling them to, you know? That's a problem.

- Maria Cornejo

Pressure, Note, Them, Enabling

When I was in high school in England, I wasn't sure that you could have a career in fashion. In those days, there were very few fashion magazines. I didn't realize there was a school where you could go and learn how to make clothes and design. I thought you just had to be discovered somewhere, like a film.

- Maria Cornejo

Career, Discovered, Very, Magazines

As a kid, I always used to make clothes. My grandmother made everything with me - she taught me how to knit.

- Maria Cornejo

Grandmother, Always, Made, Knit

Sometimes I need to go for a walk for inspiration.

- Maria Cornejo

Sometimes, Go, Need, Inspiration

I'm not an intimate person, really.

- Maria Cornejo

Person, Really, Intimate

The fashion business has to change. There's too much waste.

- Maria Cornejo

Change, Business, Too, Waste

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