JOANNE CORDERO REYES

Joanne Cordero Reyes  was born in Southern California. Growing up, she knew how to hand embroider and hand sew garments. She remembers watching clients shop with clippings of their dream gowns at her family's women's boutique in Southern California, which lead to designing for the boutique's custom made clients.  She soon pursued her passion and moved to New York City in 2000 to attend Parsons the New School for Design.

 

During her studies at Parsons, Reyes worked in sales at a women's boutique and interned for top New York design houses such as Vivienne Tam, Jill Stuart, House of Diehl, and Maggie Norris Couture. In 2002, Reyes landed her first freelance designer position for the Ji Haye Fall 2003 Haute Couture collection while still a student, studying abroad in Paris. At the completion of her studies, she was nominated as one of the Top Ten Designers of her class and named one of America's Next Designers by Fashion Week Daily.

 

Upon graduation she became both freelance designer for the Reem Acra evening wear collection and Designer for J. Mendel, New York, luxury Ready-to-Wear and Fur collections.  By the end of 2006, she moved to Los Angeles to design the Monique Lhuillier Fall 2007 luxury Ready-to-Wear and Spring 2008 Bridal collections.

 

Through this exposure, she nurtured a desire to design her own label.  From this desire, in 2007 VICENTE VILLARIN was born. The company garnered much attention and support by both press and prominent retailers such as Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, Villa Moda in Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain, Deskohan in Los Angeles, and Hirschleifer's in New York to name a few.  It was worn by celebrities such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alicia Witt, Freida Pinto, Emma Rossum, and Christina Ricci.  Under the label VICENTE VILLARIN, Joanne Cordero Reyes was recognized as one of the Top Ten New Talents by Style.com and one of the Top Five Designers to Watch by New York Magazine. VICENTE VILLARIN was also named one of Gen Art's Fresh Faces in Fashion.

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Reyes gained further experience designing  for the luxury Ready-to-Wear, Bridal and Fur collections of Carolina Herrera in New York and as Head of Design for Maria Grachvogel in London.  From 2015, Reyes further added her touch to the industry as Head of Artwork Design and Director for Surface Design and Development for Ralph & Russo in London.

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After working for top fashion houses specialising in luxury Ready-to-Wear and Haute Couture in Los Angeles, London, New York, and Paris, Reyes continues to pursue her passion as a designer to special clients internationally, specialising in custom made orders for weddings, red carpet and special events.