Fans of the “Project Runway” spinoff “Under the Gunn” might recognize Ozcar Garcia-Lopez’ name from his run on the reality show, but Lara Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle turned to the designer to create their gowns for Monday night’s presidential inaugural balls.
The Cuban American designer met members of the Trump family after being invited by some of his clients to galas at Mar-a-Lago years ago. Trump, whose husband Eric is the former president and president-elect’s younger son, wore one Garcia-Lopez’ creation to Donald Trump’s first inauguration and for the 2016 presidential debates. She met the Coral Gables-based creative through a friend, who shared with Trump his design portfolio. Trump, a former television producer with two children, is also the former co-chair of the Republican National Committee. They also collaborated on editorial shoots for Hola! Magazine, and for the annual New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago including when she sang with Tom Petty on stage at last month’s bash. The designer has also dressed Donald Trump’s younger daughter Tiffany.
Lara Trump wearing a gown by Ozcar Garcia-Lopez.
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Born and raised in Cuba, Garcia-Lopez lived in Mexico for four years before relocating to the U.S. in 2005, where he became an American citizen. His family lore chalks up his design skills to his grandmother, who designed menswear, and her sister, who was a master of evening gowns. As a boy he was always hanging around with the seamstresses in his neighborhood, and he liked to pull apart clothing to examine the construction. “Basically, I just learned by myself by practicing sewing. I think it is a gift honestly, because sometimes I do something, and I don’t know how I did it.”
After starting his company in 2008, he faced Tim Gunn’s critical eye on the “Project Runway” offshoot more than a decade ago. He is creative director of Ozcar G. Couture and Oscar Lopez Designs. Unable to reveal the specifics of what Trump will wear Monday night, Garcia-Lopez said, “It’s very couture, elegant and has an Audrey Hepburn vibe. It is a color that every woman loves.”
Millions will be eager to see what Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.’s former fiancé and the newly minted U.S. ambassador to Greece will wear Monday night. The designer said, “I cannot say anything because I want it to be a complete surprise.”
Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 17, 2024.
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As was the case with Lara Trump, the 51-year-old creative and Guilfoyle developed a friendship after working on editorial shoots and initially meeting at Mar-a-Lago galas. Years ago, Guilfoyle was romantically linked to the now governor of California, Gavin Newsom, during his San Francisco mayor days. His couture gowns retail for upwards of $5,000 with wedding dresses costing considerably more, even between $10,000 and $25,000-plus. “Typically, my work is very intricate. I like difficult things,” he said, adding that Trump’s dress amounted to what would be equivalent to five days of nonstop work. Ditto for Guilfoyle’s dress. While Lara Trump favors “very clean, very demure and elegant” styles, Guilfoyle is “more sassy, very sensual and she likes to show her curves. She has a beautiful body. They are two different personalities.”
So what are they like? “The two of them are very easy to work. They are very nice and very proper. I have never had any problems with them. They trust me,” he said. “I always like to ask my clients what they like and what they dislike about themselves. In the end, it’s a collaboration between the customer and the designer. But they always trust the designer – I love that.”
Ozcar Garcia-Lopez
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A recent wedding dress Garcia-Lopez made for a bride in Paris required four months of work including 70 hours of embroidery. He declined to comment on the price of the wedding gown, due to a NDA with the Paris bride. There are customers, who don’t even like social media, so sometimes I don’t post things because they are very private.
He said he taught himself English by listening to music and watching movies with subtitles in America. Asked about the incoming president’s plans for increased deportations, Garcia-Lopez said, “I usually don’t like to talk about politics because I’m an artist and a fashion designer. I think this country gives you a lot of opportunities, if you just observe the law and you choose the right things to do. I’m a very good example of that. I came to this country and learned the language first, which is very important. Coming from a Communist country [like Cuba] you have to understand there are things that you need to do, when you go to a new country.”
Next on the designer’s agenda are wedding gowns for 2026. “And customers are so impatient. They just want to start working with you – we have time, you know?”
