A Pretty Amazing Designer By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photos: MTV, JustJaredJr.buzznet.com, Brandon Copple and Zoe Damacela website
Seventeen Magazine has picked a new face to grace their October 2011 issue as their ‘Pretty Amazing Cover Winner’.
Zoe Damacela is the hot new 19 year-old fashion designer and student. She competed with four other young women in New York City and won the coveted title. She was featured on MTV and had a guest appearance on the Tyra Banks show. Zoe was thrilled to learn that Banks wanted to be her mentor. Damacela is currently attending Northwestern University and putting herself through school and creating her own business plan. Her drive is based on the desire to create a better life for herself and her family.
Zoe put her creativity to work at the very young age of 8 when she began designing homemade greeting cards. She put them on exhibit in small art shows in Chicago as well as sold the cards. Zoe then channeled her talent and earnings to the clothing business at the age of 14. She has been involved in designing unique outfits that are formidable, fashionable and fun. She has over 300 one-of-a-kind pieces to her credit.
Damacela has worked hard to gain success and recognition. She put on fashion shows in high school to show off her work. Students loved her ideas and her outfits. She currently has her own business called ‘Zoe Damacela Apparel’. Her belief is “Beautiful Clothes for Beautiful People’. Her clothing is customized to the individual and she is in demand come party and prom time. Zoe’s aspirations are to open her own store. Currently her fashions are offered on her website.
Being an entrepreneur, Zoe has attended many speaking engagements across the country encouraging American youth to pursue their dreams and aspirations. She is very proud to have participated in the Bill Clinton Global Initiative in New York City and at her young age was the keynote speaker for President Obama’s Start Up America Initiative.
This initiative helps to get small businesses on their feet with loans as well as shows them how important they are to the livelihood of our economy. It doesn’t stop there. She is also involved with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship which inspires children and teenagers in low-income communities to stay in school. It offers classes that teach the students how to develop their own original strategic businesses with lessons on opportunity recognition and marketing. Damacela enjoys speaking with students and encouraging them to carry out their ambitions and become inspired by whatever their passion may be.
Damacela also has philanthropy at heart. She donates some of her clothing to fashion shows to support the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. The ticket sales go to raise money for those young people who want to pursue their dreams but can’t afford the materials to begin.
Believe it or not, at one point in her life, Zoe was homeless and living with her single mom on food stamps but her hard work and determination has paid off in the end. She loves what she does and it is evident in all the achievements she has been able to undertake and accomplish.
Good luck Zoe Damacela!!
Check out Zoe at Zoe Website
Like Zoe Damacela on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
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