Meet the Makers

Cindy Castro New York is a sustainable luxury womenswear brand founded by Ecuadorian-born designer Cindy Castro. Rooted in ethical NYC-based production, the brand uses natural and biodegradable fabrics while honoring the timeless craft of garment-making. Each piece blends South American romance with a rebellious spirit, reflecting Cindy’s commitment to both aesthetics and responsibility.

At 19, Cindy immigrated to the U.S. “with a rebel’s spirit and a romantic’s heart.” After graduating with honors in fashion design from Columbia College Chicago, she spent over a decade in New York’s fashion industry, where her perspective on how clothing is made began to shift.

“I was inspired by my community, specifically the garment workers who cut and sewed our clothes, as many were immigrants just like me,” she recalls. “After working in the fashion industry for 11 years in New York, I started questioning who makes our clothes, how they are made, if they are getting paid fairly, and what’s in our fabrics.”

The more she saw, the more urgent those questions became. She witnessed the lack of transparency in sourcing and manufacturing, the underrepresentation of Latina voices, and the devastating environmental consequences of fast fashion. “I learned on average sewers got paid sometimes $3 a day because they would only get paid per garment, so if there were any errors in the garment, they would have to go back to the drawing board.”

In 2022, Cindy launched her own label. Today, she ensures the people who create her garments have a safe, respectable working space, and that the women wearing them feel empowered.

As a Latinx entrepreneur, Cindy sees her brand as more than a business—it’s a platform for community and empowerment. “Being a Latinx-owned business means that I can actively advocate for people in my community and inspire other Latinas to pursue their dreams,” she says.