Meet Agustina “Agus” Cattaneo, a very cheerful and talented woman from Argentina with a very moving and inspiring story. She is a fashion consultant who recently visited Casa de Campo as a teacher for the Altos de Chavón School of Design’s International Summer program. While she spent her time teaching we also know she had a lot of fun and told us all about it.
Just a day before she had to go back to Argentina, we met with Agus to get to know more about her life, her achievements, and experience at the Casa de Campo resort. As a fashion consultant she travels the world identifying trends and showcasing her favorite “street looks”. Sign us up because we want her job!
@cdcliving: We know you are constantly travelling and getting to know new places, so what brought you to Altos de Chavón?
Well, I first came to Altos de Chavón in 2007. I was studying at Parsons New York and heard many wonderful things about Altos de Chavón in the Dominican Republic and so I came here to take a course on fashion illustration and I just fell in love with the place and the wonderful experience.
@cdcliving: What can you tell us about your experience as a student in Altos de Chavón?
It was spectacular! It is quite intense, but what I find most interesting are the awesome teachers and students who live and work together here. Quite often you would be studying and a piña colada (without alcohol!) would be enough to keep your drawing going all day. The short course I took was five very intense days. And also its all about the ambiance … Altos de Chavón is very inspirational, you just go out for a walk and the atmosphere inspires you. That experience truly marked me and I had always wanted to return. Since finishing my studies at Parsons I have been able to come three times as a teacher of the Fashion Marketing course on the International Summer program of the School of Design.
@cdcliving: Tell us about your Fashion Marketing course?
It is a very interesting course. In one week I give my students all the tools they need to build a fashion brand. Then the final project is to build a brand from scratch, including its logo design, name, the organization chart, a table with the roles of everyone within the brand team, the marketing strategy, store design, assembling of the collection, defining a brand ambassador, campaigns… all that in one week!
@cdcliving: Altos de Chavón is often referred to as an “artists village”. In addition to the School of Design, why do you think Altos de Chavón is considered an art hub?
Well, I think it’s not only the School of Design, but the environment too. You learn a lot at the school but I think an artist should be in an inspirational environment, and here you have it all: nature, the river, the architecture. For example I wake up every morning while I’m here and the scenery instantly makes me want to draw. I don’t know how to explain it, but there is something here that inspires me so much more than New York or Buenos Aires! Everything here is an inspiration and you find private corners to create in… under a tree, the golf course or the pool. All a stone’s throw away.
@cdcliving: Beyond Altos de Chavón, how was your experience at the Casa de Campo resort?
You know what, on this trip I met a part of Casa de Campo I didn’t know existed. There is so much life and so many crowds of cool people that live here. I met a bunch of new friends who made my days at Casa de Campo more enjoyable. I went to pool parties, and a BBQ and I even went on a yacht ride! Always coming back to Chavón at night for drinks of course. Definitely this is a dream location, I love all of Casa de Campo and I will come back in January.
Well my friends we already realize how fantastic was the Casa de Campo experience of Agus Cattaneo in her own words, now let’s keep watching her adventures this time through the eye of her official Instagram account @iamaguscattaneo … Enjoy!
Altos de Chavón – Chavón river, amphitheater & with Pitbull at Onno’s
Agus is a fashion consultant and an expert at identifying trends. With a powerful double degree as an accountant and a fashion designer, more than six years of experience in New York and a passport full of stamps, she currently works independently consulting for brands and companies and developing content for social networks as an influencer and coolhunter. She also gives lectures, seminars, courses and workshops in Argentina and abroad, in companies and institutions such as FIT (New York), CEDIM (Mexico), Polimoda (Florence) and Altos de Chavon (Dominican Republic).
She was born in Buenos Aires in 1981. She received her degree in Accounting from UCA (Argentinian Catholic University) and worked as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche. When she was 22 years old, a serious car accident left her confined to a bed for two months and inspired a radical change of direction in her compass. As she could only move her hands, she began sewing and started her own apparel company. For two years, she developed and drove a brand with her own name, until she decided to move to New York and make a profession and a career of her newfound passion.
Spanish
