Merlin Castell – A Biography 2011

HIS INSPIRATIONAL STORY:

Latin fashion icon, Merlin Castell has been fascinated by exquisite clothing since an extraordinarily young age. As a little boy, he dreamed of creating flawless masterpieces that would be worn by beautiful people. Today, Merlin is dressing Hollywood’s stars in his fabulous, unique designs, but his rise to the top was no walk in the park.

Growing up, life was difficult for the eccentric Merlin. Born in the countryside of Honduras, Merlin was the youngest of seven brothers, all living and working at a local banana field. Shoes were a luxury for the Castell children; they only received one new pair each Christmas. When Merlin was seven, he severely injured his toe playing soccer barefoot.

This injury grew into an infection and his mother eventually took him to U.S. Missionaries to get a vaccine. To calm Merlin down, the nurse told him that if he was a good boy and didn’t cry he could pick out a book. He was silent for the treatment and to this day cherishes his very first Vogue Magazine which he picked out from the pile of books. As he flipped through the pages, he was enthralled by the vibrant colors and materials that were so eloquently draped over the models in the magazine. Even though he couldn’t understand a word of the English text, he memorized every picture and sketched each design.

At age eight, Merlin earned himself the name “Jumper Kid” when he started designing his own jumpsuits with big enough pockets to stash the fruit he picked while working out in the fields. Growing up his family had no spare allowance for shopping so Merlin resorted to sketching his owns designs for the local seamstress to create. At age nine, his mother was diagnosed with cancer forcing his family to move to the city for her treatment. While her cancer was benign and improved, she made the decision to stay in the city for Merlin’s
benefit. She believed her youngest son had prodigy-like talent that would be wasted if they moved back to the countryside.

At age 10, Merlin began attending a public school and was instantly more advanced than his peers. He found class to be boring and sat in class often sketching drawings of his beautiful, well-dressed teacher. When his principal discovered his sketches, he called Merlin’s mother into his office and both were nervous of his perverted behavior. There wasn’t however any truth to his mother’s accusations, and instead Merlin marveled at the way clothes hugged his teacher’s model-esque frame and thus she became his very first muse.

Two years later, Merlin saved up to buy a bicycle to ride around with his older brothers. However, on his way to the store he passed by a store selling used sewing machines. He realized that with a few more weeks of saving he could buy his own sewing machine instead of getting a bike. Merlin continued excelling in school, always at the top of his class.

Merlin went on to graduate from a college in Honduras with a Patterns and Sewing degree. The three month program didn’t challenge Merlin’s intellect and only covered the basics leading Merlin to seek out higher education. After eight months of tirelessly seeking a scholarship to allow him to attend London’s American Career College, Merlin was disappointingly denied. At age eighteen, he enrolled at a university in Honduras to study architecture. He enjoyed the new outlet of creativity, but seemed to struggle with the math intensive program. During this time he also began working for an interior decorator, which gave Merlin an opportunity to let his imagination run wild. The job included an assignment to design a home for an extremely wealthy woman. She fell in love with Merlin’s designs and hired Merlin to design an extravagant 5-story mansion over the next four years. This woman became his “Fairy God Mother” and after four years of mentoring, she sent him to a prestigious fashion university in Milan, Italy, paying for his education.

HIS JOURNEY TO THE FAME

In Milan, Italy, Merlin attended the Marangoni Institute where he specialized in leather. When he finished school he decided to move to Los Angeles where he thought he would have the best opportunity to succeed. He landed in the US with $265 in his pocket, and nothing but the clothes on his back because the airline had unfortunately lost his luggage. As he stepped into a taxi, he realized he had no place to go. Luckily, the taxi driver had a kind heart and let him sleep on the couch. For some time after, Merlin then stayed with the taxi driver’s brother, and was finally able to repay his debt when he designed his wife’s wedding dress.

Once he was settled in Los Angeles, Merlin went to work at Cosmo’s where he sketched for the store’s seamstress, and eventually moved into the studio. Jealous of Merlin’s work, the seamstress took advantage of his illegal immigrant status, and would threaten to contact the authorities if he did not do as she said. She alarmed the building so he couldn’t leave, which kept him constantly working. He would sell some of his samples to Playmates and be forced to give his check to the seamstress. She would then only pay him a fraction of what he earned, and this proved to be his motivation to quit.

Merlin moved to downtown Los Angeles where he had to put his dreams on hold while he struggled to get by. He worked in a restaurant as a dish washer and then a server. One day a customer asked him where he bought his pants, and he explained that he had made them. Impressed, the customer got him an interview with designer Amy Bond. He landed the job and began working as her assistant. After just two years of working for her, he saw the studio grow from one to twenty-two sewing machines. In an attempt to forward his career, Merlin went to work as the head designer at Red Ball, but a disagreement with the new owner resulted in him going back to work with Amy Bond.

One day, Merlin attended a White Party in Santa Barbara wearing his own creation made from pocket linings since he couldn’t afford cloth. The shirt was such a hit he ended up selling twelve of them on the spot for 350 dollars each. After receiving such a great reaction he started making them in different colors and even tie-dying them himself. After that his fashion career non-stop; he found his new company Merlin Castell, LLC with his best friend Gary Berry and later in 2005 taken the Public & Media Relations Mirna Solórzano. All the team begins to create the new image of the future Icon Fashion Designer.

THE MAGIC CAREER OF MERLIN CASTELL: ON THE TARGET OF MEDIA AND CELEBRITIES

To date, Merlin Castell Designees has been featured in the following English and Spanish national Media outlets: E!, ET Entertainment Tonight, “The Insider” “Wealth TV’s what To Wear” “Univision’s Nationally Syndicated Program “Primer Impacto”; Telemundo’s Nationally Syndicated Program “Al Rojo Vivo”, “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” the reality show of Oxygen Network, “America Latino Television”, Mun2, LATV, KTLA, MTVtR3s and many local TV shows around USA.

Merlin Castell has also been featured in print publication such as ), “NY Daily News”, “Apparel News”, “Splash Magazine”, “Bello Magazine”, “Trend Hunter”, “La Opinion (Spanish newspaper of LA Times, “Mira Magazine”, “Al Dia Newspaper of Houston”, “EFE Agency News”, “Women’s Wear Daily”, “Las Vegas Magazine”, ” Las Vegas Weekly”, and recently: “NY Daily News”, “People”, “Star Magazine”, “La Prensa de Honduras”, to name a few.

Merlin has been voted “One of the Top Designers to Watch Out For”. His recently appeared on the following TV Shows:

THE JANICE DICKINSON MODELING AGENCY – REALITY SHOW BY OXYGEN TV: EPISODE 6 & 7.- Fashion Icon cracks the whip. Scene stealer Merlin Castell to appear this season on OXYGEN NETWORK’S “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” In this show stopping performance Castell literally hade Janice Dickinson on her knees when she realized that Fashion Icon Merlin Castell was going to appear on her show. Janice originally thought Castell was hired by the producer as an actor when she realized Castell was a highly respected designer her jaw dropped as she pilled water all over the designer cashmere jumpsuit with her trembling hands she offered her apologies and she knew her dream finally came true in her bigger vision to have her agency known for her high fashion runway models. This would prove to be the highest rated episodes to date. In this highly anticipated episode Castell showed up full force with whip in tow in he’s 4 inch stiletto hills took he’s runway bow in a white jumpsuit and white turban. Castell introduce in this TV episode his collection called “Galactic” superstars was inspired by the movie “Barbarella” With the extravagate taste of the incomparable John Galliano. Castell defines him self as a chameleon, who is reinvents him self every season. Because of this, he has been recognized in the competitive world of fashion.

REALITY “THE FASHION SHOW” ON BRAVO TV – ALL EPISODES.- A man so passionate about freedom and liberty, it comes out of the blue, Merlin Castell, haute couture women’s’ wear and a contestant in Bravo’s “The Fashion Show”. “The trick, with the TV show as with great fashion design, is to make it all feel seamless, like the entertainment or the design just magically happened. It’s fitting for “The Fashion Show”, then, that its biggest entertainment asset is a contestant named Merlin”- revealed The NY Daily News about the first episode.

TV SHOW “IF I CAN DREAM” BY HULU.COM.- Flamboyant fashion designer Merlin Castell critiques Kara’s prairie-era-wardrobe and Ben’s t-shirt collection. Merlin give them tips for updated their closet.

CELEBRITIES WEAR MERLIN CASTELL DESIGNS:

Merlin applies his conceptual and theatrical style, inspired by Hollywood, to his role of head designer for his own label, Merlin Castell. He has worked with a number of celebrity clients, including Paula Abdul, N’ Sync, Paris Hilton, Priscila Presley, Marilyn Manson, Santana, Lenny Kravitz, Maria Conchita Alonso, Janice Dickinson, the ex-spice girl Mel-B, Cindy Lauper, Jeremy Jackson, Tracy Bingham, Victoria Recano, Christian de la Fuente, Karina Smirnoff, Paulina Rubio, Gabriel Soto, Rene Lavan, Sonya Smith, the Grammy nominated Luz Rios and many more personalities.

Merlin Castell was voted “One of the Top Designers to Watch Out For”. He participated in runways for support different foundations like Bienestar Foundation (Gay community), The Amanda Foundation (Animal care support) and red carpet of premiere of world documentary “Elephants and Man: A Litany of Tragedy” with Hollywood celebrities like Cher, Kat Kramer, Billy Bob Thornton, Lily Tomlin and More.

MERLIN CASTELL THE TOUR 2011 FASHION SHOW
Today, the Los Angeles-based designer is best known for his Haute Couture Tailored Clothing. In 2011 Merlin will introduce this new collection to the national media outlets. After that, Merlin will begin his FASHION TOUR with his popular performances runways and parties in the most exclusives clubs in USA, where his fans and high fashion followers can have the opportunity to know Merlin Castell line.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:
www.merlincastell.com
www.facebook.com/merlincastell
www.myspace.com/merlincastell

HIGHLIGHTS:

“The trick, with the TV show as with great fashion design, is to make it all feel seamless, like the entertainment or the design just magically happened. It’s fitting for “The Fashion Show”, then, that its biggest entertainment asset is a contestant named Merlin”-
NEW YORK DAILY NEWSPAPER

“Merlin displayed his strength in using innovative knits and texture while promoting ladylike glamour, simmering with restrained sexuality underneath, very Katherine Hepburn, very Jean Harlow, and very modern-day Project Runway Laura Bennett. These are timeless pieces a fashionable, mature woman can wear”.-

SPLASH MAGAZINE WORLDWIDE

“Merlin Castell’s newest collection, enbodies a smart woman who in every challenge is successful and victorious. Merlin’s designs appeal to an executive woman, but can be worn by the everyday woman as portrayed on the popular TV show “Sex And The City”; high society ladies who can afford to buy Valentino, Channel but choose to wear original Merlin Castell designs”-

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES MAGAZINE

“Castell refuses to play down his unique ideas and personality but acknowledges that most people can be put off by his aggressive personality and bold fashion statements and responds to this by saying about his style “It has to have something that says ‘it’s me’”. It’s this attitude and refusal to fit into stereotypes that sets him apart from his more staid American counterparts”-

DEFINING TRENDS MAGAZINE

“Castell no es sólo conocido en el mundo de la moda, también ha sido destacado dentro de la comunidad
por su labor filantrópica y humanitaria. Intenso y magnético, Merlín vive su vida con gran pasión.
Gracias a su esfuerzo incondicional y su forma de mejorar el concepto que se tiene de los latinos en la
sociedad norteamericana, está dando mucho de que hablar y se ha ganado el respeto de todos”-

EL DIARIO / LA PRENSA DE NEW YORK

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