Project Runway Season 19 Contestant Octavio Aguilar

Octavio Aguilar, a Puerto Rican American from New Jersey, was raised by a single mom with whom he is extremely close. At the age of 12, he was given his first sewing machine and quickly started making ‘90s club wear, which led him to open up his first shop in his hometown. Although Octavio went to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale for a year, he considers himself a self-taught designer. After taking a 10-year hiatus from the fashion world to work in interior design, Octavio is back in full swing as owner and designer of his label, Dope Tavio, a genderless avant-garde street-wear line. His designs have been featured in many fashion editorials and music videos, and they have been seen on artists like Eryka Badu, Janet Jackson, and his muse, Sharaya J. Octavio is now represented by Patricia Field in New York at the ARTFASHION gallery. His goal is to inspire people to chase their dreams at any age.