Creative Pursuits

Gabriela Guaracao ’09 VSB has harnessed her creativity into a successful career, anchored by her business education. In 2018, she founded AMERICAE, a women’s fashion lifestyle brand premised around modern elegance and living with an unapologetic attitude. Her company was featured in the March edition of Town & Country magazine among 17 “Brands Supporting Women Artisans.” The feature recognized “brands, designers, and stores that not only put women in the position of power, but also make strides to support the craftsmanship and skilled handiwork of women throughout the supply chain, with ethical business practices.”

Guaracao reflects how her Villanova education set the foundation for her future with a diverse array of intellectually stimulating classes, opportunities for service and study abroad, and dedicated professors. This environment gave her the technical tools to succeed and ultimately instilled a desire to positively impact her community.

She has spent her career exploring her intellectual curiosities which has led to industries such as news media, international affairs, security, policy, fashion, and entrepreneurship. Guaracao believes that each stop in her career has further developed her and led to the next opportunity. She encourages students, whatever their passion, to spend time exploring their interests, especially in their undergraduate years, a practice she continues to model.

Some of the proudest moments of her career include seeing her apparel featured on national television. As a self-taught designer, Guaracao truly appreciates the hard work it takes to build new skills, engage in a new craft, and ultimately create a business

She loves staying connected with the Villanova community through mentoring and offering internships. She is involved with the Business of Fashion Society and she has a deep appreciation for the link between the two disciplines. She believes a business education can empower anyone looking to be a part of the fashion industry. While it may seem like fashion is glamour, “mostly, it's just business! Students with a business background are such an asset to the industry.”