Nina Garcia is a fashion journalist from Columbia who is regarded as an authority on high-end fashion and all connected topics. She has been a judge on the Lifetime reality television program ‘Project Runway’ since the show’s inaugural season and has gained notoriety for being a tough, knowledgeable, and no-nonsense judge. The show, which was shown in more than thirteen countries worldwide, earned her status as a fashion critic on a global scale. She was exposed to fashion from a young age, having been born into an affluent family to an actress mother. Nina’s future work was influenced by the aesthetic sensibility she formed as a result of being raised by a gorgeous and glamorous mother. As a child, she traveled extensively and learned about the world’s diverse cultures. Her early experiences have made her an extremely self-assured, assertive, and smart young woman. She decided to major in fashion education at college and began her career working for Marc Jacobs. She then became a fashion journalist and quickly established herself as a fashion specialist. She is also a New York Times best-selling author of four books on fashion, and as a fashion writer, she hopes to inspire women to change their life by changing their appearance.
Youth and Early Life
She was born in Barranquilla, Colombia to rich parents on May 3, 1967. Her father was a prosperous importer, while her mother was an actress. Her mother exposed Nina to fashion and glitz at an early age.
Her mother enjoyed dressing and possessed a keen sense of aesthetics. She was a voluptuous woman with her own brand of beauty and elegance. Her mother taught Nina many elements of beauty, elegance, and fashion.
Each year as a child, she traversed the globe with her parents. Her travels introduced her to the fashion and culture of cities such as Paris, London, and New York.
Her homeland, Barranquilla, was growing increasingly violent, with frequent mafia shootouts. Concerned for her safety, her parents enrolled her at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Despite having traveled extensively as a child, Nina developed a severe case of culture shock upon her arrival in the United States. She eventually adjusted to her new surroundings and graduated from high school.
She pursued a course in fashion education at l’École Supérieure de la Mode in Paris and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York after studying liberal arts at Boston University.
Nina Garcia’s Career
She obtained an internship in the public relations department of Perry Ellis under chief designer Marc Jacobs through her college. At the time, Jacobs had a popular grunge collection, and Nina was in awe of him.
During her internship, she learned a great deal about the fashion industry and concluded she wanted to be a fashion journalist, not a fashion designer as she had previously believed.
She entered the fashion journalism field when she accepted a position as assistant stylist and marketing editor at the women’s magazine Mirabelle.
In 1995, she left “Mirabella” and joined “Elle” magazine. In 2000, she was appointed to the role of fashion director due to her exceptional fashion knowledge.
During the early years of her career, she avoided the spotlight and preferred to work in the background. In 2004, however, she was pushed into the limelight when she was selected as a judge on the American reality television series Project Runway.
The show, in which competitors fight to produce the greatest clothing in order to win the grand prize of $100,000 to launch a fashion brand, received both popular and critical praise and made Garcia a well-known figure.
She garnered numerous accolades for her constructive critique, impartial evaluation, and fashion suggestions to the contestants. This show positioned her as the uncontested expert on fashion, despite the fact that she was already well-known in the fashion industry.
As a result of her success as a judge on ‘Project Runway,’ she was invited to appear on ‘The View’ and ‘The Today Show’ as a fashion expert. In 2007, she also served as a judge for the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City.
In 2008, she quit her post as Fashion Director at ‘Elle magazine to become Fashion Director at ‘Marie Claire’ She manages the fashion department and controls the magazine’s fashion coverage. She also reports on the New York, Milan, and Paris fashion markets. She was elevated to Creative Director of Marie Claire in 2013.
She has written a number of books about fashion and style, including ‘The Little Black Book of Style’ (2007), ‘The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own’ (2008), and ‘The Style Strategy: A less-is-more Approach to Staying Chic and Shopping Smart’ (2009). (2009).
Awards & Achievements
She was awarded the 2010 Oracle Award by the non-profit Fashion Group International (FGI).
Personal History and Legacy
She is the wife of David Conrod, managing partner and co-founder of G2 Investment Group, and mother of Alexander and Lucas.
Estimated Net Worth
Nina Garcia is a journalist and fashion critic from Colombia with a net worth of $3 million. 1965 saw the birth of Nina Garcia in Barranquilla, Colombia. In 1987, she graduated from Boston University. She then attended Ecole Superieure de la Mode in France and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a second Bachelor of Arts in 1992.