Spotlight on our alumni - Juan Antonio Ávalos | LCI Barcelona

Juan Antonio Ávalos 

Senior Product Designer at Nike

Fashion Design - LCI Barcelona

Who are you? Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I like challenges and discovering new things, living new experiences. I love being with my family and I am very social, but sometimes I need moments of solitude. Social networks bore me more and more, although I keep them because I live far from home.

What would you highlight about everything you have learned at Felicidad Duce, the Fashion School of LCI Barcelona?

I have fond memories of my time as a student, even though I used to work late into the night. I enjoyed it very much and the School allowed me to get to know myself better as a designer. Also, during those years I made good friends.  

How has our School helped you meet the challenges of professional world?

In my degree I began to understand the world of work, and since then I have not stopped looking for who I am as a designer. The fashion sector is quite broad, and we've had to live in a time of change in which everything evolves exponentially, so it's essential to have very clear ideas.

• Tell us about your career since you finished your studies.

I had an internship with Antonio Miró and while I was studying, I tried to take part in all the possible competitions (I got mentions in some of them). Shortly afterwards I won a talent contest at the 080 Barcelona Fashion and travelled to Paris to work at the studios of Bernhard Willhelm and Thomas Engel Hart for a year. Then I went back to Barcelona and created my own brand, an experience I learned a lot from and still remember with a smile.
In January 2012 I started working for Nike in Amsterdam, and three years later I moved to Portland. I've always been attracted to men's fashion and especially sportswear. I'm still designing for Nike Football, which has allowed me to participate in incredible projects such as a World Cup.

How do you feel about working for a big sports fashion multinational? What plans do you have for the future?

I'm proud to be part of Nike, knowing that your work connects with millions of people around the world is a big responsibility. For seven years the company has given me the opportunity to work on amazing projects and team up with exceptional people. If they had told me that when I was a child, I wouldn't have believed it.
You never know where you're going to be tomorrow, but for now I want to stay at Nike. Right now, I'm working with several teams on very exciting projects that haven't hit the market yet.

What does creativity mean to you?

The ability to generate new points of view and solutions. Believing that it is possible to improve and go beyond what is known. Filling that void and making more sense of everything. My creative process has evolved, and now I'm trying to get as far as I can in imagining the result of the idea. I like to feel that moment.

What would you advise students who are now studying Fashion Design? 

Enjoy your workday, follow your instinct and don't be afraid. In the field of creativity, it is essential to know yourself to maintain a positive energy. They must learn from the professionals with whom they collaborate and work very hard, always with honesty and a desire to keep abreast of what is happening in the sector. It is essential to connect with the public and generate emotions. They have the value of youth and time; they are the owners of the future and it is up to them to decide how it will be.

Attached are some pictures of Juan Antonio’s work when he had his own brand and won the prize of Best Emerging Designer at the 080 Barcelona Fashion festival.