The moment you step into Daniel Gonzalez’ showroom, you can sense it—the perfect storm of passion, talent and vibrance. It’s almost as if you’vebeen invited onto the ground floor of something truly special. Much like the Colombian designer, who holds a bright and charismatic approach to
life, the showroom is lined with racks of garments in radiant, jewel-toned hues. A brief peruse reveals perfectly tailored tops and pants, cascading dresses begging for a twirl and structured coats with elegant piping. Complementary colors—just for wearers’ enjoyment—peek out from under flowing skirt layers, and jacket fronts open to patterned linings,
all odes to Gonzalez’ eye for detail and the touch-
es that make wearing his designs such a personal experience. It’s clear that the dancer-turned-de- signer exudes a deep love for his craft that touches everyone in his sphere, whether it’s a new customer on the east coast, a Charlotte regular or a client with a dream idea for a special day.
“When someone comes into my showroom, I want them to be overwhelmed with the color and beauty,” Gonzalez says. “They should touch the fabric and want it on their skin, and fall in love with the way it feels and fits—like it’s meant for them personally.”
Gonzalez, who is in the process of launching his career wear line, has been designing and tai-
loring for years—with dance costumes and wedding dresses being two of his earliest endeavors. His breakout design, a gown for the 2018 Ryder Cup in Versailles, gave him the push to begin studying fabrics and tech- niques. Gonzalez says that the opportunity served as a catalyst, leading him to “make it (becoming a designer) official.” Through it all, he notes that garment detail and fit have always been crucial to his design ethos.
“My eye is very much drawn to details,” Gonzalez says. “Growing up I would paint and draw, and through dance you are taught to be precise, deliberate and diligent. I have a critical eye, so I can tell when something doesn’t fit or isn’t the right length. That’s always sparked the need to make sure every- thing is correct.”
While a strong focus on detail and struc- ture might be Gonzalez’ bread and butter, it’s his penchant for vibrant colors that has truly made a splash in the Charlotte fashion scene.
“I feel like the fact that I’m Latino and grew up in a tropical place sets me apart,” Gonzalez says. “I’m inspired by vibrance and I love to play with color, or even the lack of color. Sometimes the best way to highlight is with a complete contrast.”
Thoughtfully placed alongside Gonzalez’ more colorful clothing are elegant staples made from neutrals and pearly white silks— some of the top sellers among his local customer base. In an east coast market sat- urated with ruffles and flowers, the designer brings bold pieces meant to empower its wearers. Elastics, and the phrase ‘one size fits all’ are not in Gonzalez’ dictionary.
“I like the idea of a slow fashion brand that is almost old world, in a sense that I like to tailor things and keep cloth- ing very structured,” Gonzalez says. “I find that tailored looks seem more luxurious and are something I’d want to wear.”
During a typical week, Gonzalez’ shop focuses two days of work on his collection pieces, while the remaining three are saved for custom work and tailoring. When deciding where to base his main shop, Gonzalez says that giving back to the Latin community and supporting female work- ers were very important factors.
“Covid laid off so many people,” Gonzalez says. “I chose Brazil because my main pattern maker is from there, and I was able to hire and support a local team of women seam- stresses, cutters and pattern makers. It’s been so helpful in scaling the business, and because so many materials shipwithin Brazil it’s all done very sustainably.”
The designer notes that he is currently building the sec- ond portion of his three-faceted ready-to-wear line—win- ter workwear—with power suits, jackets, pants and skirts fit for a CEO. Opposite of his first launch, which focused on easy-to-wear items like shorts and dresses, the final component of the collection will center on special occasion clothing. Gonzalez says that luxurious silks play a crucial role in the trio finale, which will include black tie pieces, high neck dresses and power jumpsuits.
“I take feeling as inspiration,” Gonzalez says. “For my first launch, I wanted to highlight how important it was for me to make women feel powerful, special and in charge of what they’re wearing. I thought, ‘How do I take this from
a concept that’s vague into something that’s tangible?’ So
I decided to find a symbol of strength. When you think about the military, there’s a certain power and security. They are always dressed in uniform and beautifully tai-
lored. They command power, so I used that as inspiration for my jackets.”
However, Gonzalez notes that it wasn’t until he took a trip to the National Museum of Natural History in Wash- ington, D.C. that the final pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. “There was a section with gemstones,” Gonza- lez says. “I was so inspired by the colors, and the fact that they were stunning but created under immense pressure. That’s how it all came together.”
The design process isn’t always linear for Gonzalez, who says that he sketched more than 50 designs for the first launch, but only 20 made it into production.
“It doesn’t take much for me to be inspired,” Gonzalez laughs. “I will be watching a TV show and I’m like, ‘That’s a beautiful coat and it would be great in this color.’ I’ll get on my iPad and start sketching. I will go to sleep and I’ll see a dress in my mind, or I’ll draw inspiration from life and things I feel—flowers outside, a mood or a color. Com- ing up with a thousand ideas is not hard, it’s narrowing down an idea and picking just one.”
It isn’t a secret that Gonzalez has high ambitions— featuring in stores across the United States, styling red carpet looks and establishing himself as a household name designer. However, through it all, it’s a theme of empow- erment that serves as his biggest motivation.
“I believe that life speaks to us, showing us what we need to do and where we need to be,” Gonzalez says. “I love what I do, and I want women to be so inspired and happy by what they’re wearing that it changes the whole way they see themselves. I want them to feel secure and confident in the fact that they’re wearing something stunning. Something that’s made with love and intention, and my greatest hope is that transfers through everything I create.”
