Our very own, National Fashion Director, Jilian Sanz, was recently interviewed by Metrovelvet.com! She shares with them how she got started in the fashion industry, her favorite designers, where she finds her sense of style, and what it’s like to work at Haute Living. Check out our favorite parts below! Or, you can read the full interview at by clicking here.
“A few days ago I’ve had the pleasure to visit & interview Jilian Sanz, the national fashion director of Haute Living magazine. At short notice she was a very wholesome person, also totally blown away by her awesome, easy going personality and her unique sense of fashion. I’m gonna be totally honest, at first I was apprehensive towards meeting someone powerful in the Miami and national elite scene, but I guess everyone gets that kind of feeling when they get to meet someone really important. As we started having our little conversation about fashion and her successful beginning in the industry, I felt more and more captivated about her strong thoughts and words about fashion and the publishing business of Haute Living magazine. We talked from her first job as a fashion editor, her internships and by all means we talk about how she always knew that her real passion was having a strong word in the fashion industry.
Her achievements in life are a great example for those people out there with the same dreams; she said something that in other words can be describe as “If you really want something you just need to fight for it and demonstrate, why you want it“, which we think it’s straight to the point, and specially for those who are willing to fight in life for what they really want. Regardless of all her impressive curriculum and extensive capacious achievements at such young age, I was impressed of her ability to stay humble and to give us such amazing pleasant moment. Thanks to Jilian Sanz and Haute Living magazine, at Metrovelvet we feel very honored to feature this exclusive interview.” – Jhon Jairo Santos, Metrovevlvet
Jhon: Two words to describe yourself.
Jilian: Passionate and generous.. a little misunderstood.
Jhon: How’s it feel to be the new national fashion director at Haute Living Magazine? By the way, congratulations.
Jilian: Thank you so much. I can’t tell you what an exciting experience it’s been. The thing is, there’s a certain responsibility involved with coming in to work at the helm of the fashion department at a magazine like Haute Living. HL has always had a strong mastery of their niche. Tackling luxury, the people who define it, and their success stories in compelling, accurate, and motivating ways. Adding fashion to a book with that premise is a special job I’m honored to have been entrusted with the task .
Jhon: Who or what encouraged you at a young age, for you to be interested in fashion?
Jilian: I hate to say it’s innate as I hear the “cliché” undertone, but I guess cliché’s earned their title for a reason. I have just always had that running through my veins. I remember playing in my closet, my mom’s and my grandmother’s for hours; always being attracted to the vintage lace from Cuba, or the sparkle of a ball gown, things of that nature; they we’re always treasures .
Jhon: What made you decide in life that you wanted to be part of the fashion industry?
Jilian: I think I sort of always knew. I remember being part at my all-girl private high school: Our Lady of Lourdes Academy and people liking to play this game with me where they’d ask me what they wore to certain party or event and I always remembered because I always paid attention. But it wans’t about the person, it was about the clothes; whether it worked or not, and secretly, how I might have done it better. There was also this thing I would do when I went shopping with friends where they’d pick a top and just look at me and I’d tell them either “No way!” or “You need that; you have to wear it with this skirt and these shoes and your hair this way and those great Tahitian pearls or whatever…” They thought I was nuts, but they always listened.
Jhon: Did you study something related to fashion? if yes, where and what was your major?
Jilian: I have always had a facility with words. I knew I wanted to be in fashion, and I knew my mouth was going to get me in the door. So, I studied journalism and decided to go the publishing route. I have never looked back. I feel like I have been blessed with the honor and the privilege to not only work with any and every brand I wish, but with the responsibility to present these treasures to the world.
Jhon: Do you have any fashion icon?
Jilian: That’s a tough one. I feel like that answer will forever change and evolve for me. I’ll be inspired by different things or people all the time. I remember being at my first NY fashion week, sitting across the runway from Princess Deena Abdulaziz and thinking her style was so flawless in that elegant eclectic way that few can carry off. I was really inspired, and I have those moments often, but I guess today I’d go with Carine Roitfeld, Anna Dello Russo or Daphne Guiness. I think they constantly surprise while still delivering a familiar feeling and I that’s important, it shows an honest approach to dressing, that says “I’m doing this for me, not for you”.
Jhon: Any favorite designers?
Jilian: Another one I hate to answer, there are so many masters and so many masters in the making. I remember during my interview for my summer internship at Conde Nast, they asked me my favorite piece in my closet. At the time it was an absolutely divine bag, Tom Ford for Gucci. Today I see what he’s doing in women’s wear and I still get that same feeling and appreciation for everything that’s sexy, relevant, feminine, and slightly irreverent about it . And the truth is, I would have worn his menswear in the interim. There’s nothing I love more than a women in a tuxedo.
Jhon: How can you describe your personal style?
Jilian: Every-evolving. It’s like everything in life, the more you know the more you have the chance to make an educated decision. I think I’m super lucky to have had such important roles early in my career because it’s afforded me the opportunity to have access to a lot of information and thus my style constantly changes. I do find, however, that I’m consistently gravitating towards looks that are tuxedo-inspired. I could live in vintage YSL tux’s and they work well on me because I’m very feminine in form so it’s a nice juxtaposition. Plus I’m pretty tall and you’ll never catch me in flats so the look always feels very long and sleek in a dangerous way.
Jhon: The first style advice you can give someone?
Jilian: I don’t believe in practicality. If someone asks me, “where will I ever wear this?” or something of the sort it’s not and should never be about that. I think I stay pretty true to the idea that people should go with pieces or aesthetics that take their breath away.. that’s the rule number one .
Jhon: How’s a typical day of work?
Jilian: I’ve only been with Haute Living for seven months now so the truth is we’re still in the infantile stages of developing the fashion content. For now I find it’s a strong mix of both creating and engaging. By that I mean: Coming up with new directions, new concepts, and new ways to execute them; while getting all the wonderful relationships I’ve been able to develop over the past 5 years involved in the process, as well. Talking to friends at the helm of major brands for feedback, etc. It’s about the union of great minds to deliver the best product to the readers.
Jhon: What’s the most exciting thing about you work?
Jilian: I think it’s a combination of the audience I get to reach, the people I get to meet and things I get to experience in the process. I should pinch myself, but I won’t for fear I may wake up.
Jhon: Any hints about big upcoming plans that you have for all the Haute Living Magazine readers?
Jilian: Wow, there is so much happening at Haute Living Media Group. We have the four point print editions, as you know; and the content is continuing to evolve and there may or may not be new markets in the works, ha. But also, our website, , has quickly risen through the ranks and currently reigns supreme in terms of the online outlets of our luxury lifestyle competitors. We’re in 19 markets online and the content is so well regionalized that we offer insider-info in Miami the same way we would in Monaco; in Los Angeles and London; in New York, Chicago, The Hamptons, and Dubai.. you name it. And most recently, we launched our mobile app which is basically the most amazing tool for anyone who wants access to information such as city guides written by the biggest industry insiders, celebs and heavy hitters across the globe. You have to check it out: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/haute-living-mobile/id417208705?mt=8
To read Jilian’s Full Interview with Metrovelvet, visit their website www.metrovelvet.com.
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