Helen Castillo

10/25/2026

Bridal alterations are a seriously big adventure in learning how the world brings gowns to life.

There isn’t one set approach to executing design, manufacturing, tailoring, or even how boning is sewn in to the corset lining of a piece of clothing. I usually don’t take on alterations because they are so involved and once you’ve cut in to a manufactured piece, there’s little room for corrections again.

When I first met Rachel she would talk about this upcoming moment in her life almost with such a calm, cool enthusiasm. Fast forward to 8 weeks (maybe 9 weeks?) before her destination wedding.

Each time she visited the studio for a fitting she would bring another dress for the ceremony. It was literally like Christmas!

The opportunity to be part of her big day, adjust to fit, redesign here and there, be trusted with styling advice and my input - is the number one reason I focus on custom bridal and evening gown design.

Being part of the story, let alone part of making it fit just right and make those connections is a feeling I almost can’t entirely describe. Thanks for trusting me with your

10/11/2026

Ready for the next collection drop!
Summer 2026 pieces are on sale now and you can have a special gift too 💕

use: hcny10 for 10% off too!

One of a kind up cycled and dead stock designs made in New York City.

06/02/2026

How surreal to have this all come together without a hitch.

I’m always inspired by dancers and my muse for this look is coincidentally a dancer. Yui graced the runway in this sequin crossover hand draped gown for my Tokyo collection.

We worked with a jewelry designer based in Osaka to create pieces inspired by the collection and color palette. hand sculpts and manipulates her materials from hard metals and soft textures to create these miniature sculptures that undeniably captured the romance and femininity of my designs.

I’m still reeling from the amount of overwhelming support and creative touches every single person on the team placed in to the styling and presentation of my works.

Maybe I’m a softy at heart, but I can’t stop thinking about how graceful, kind, and collaborative everyone involved with this fashion presentation has been. I’m looking forward to many more productions like this together.



こんなにもスムーズに、何の問題もなく全てが形になったことが、今でも夢のようです。

私はいつもダンサーからインスピレーションをもらっていますが、このルックのミューズも偶然ダンサーでした。

Yuiさんが、東京コレクションのために制作したスパンコールのクロスオーバー・ハンドドレープドレスを着てランウェイを歩いてくれました。

今回は大阪を拠点に活動するジュエリーデザイナーと一緒に、コレクションとそのカラーパレットから着想を得た作品を制作しました。

さんは、硬い金属や柔らかな素材を手で彫刻し、形を作り上げながら、小さなアート作品のようなジュエリーを生み出しています。その作品は、私のデザインが持つロマンチックさや女性らしさを見事に表現してくれました。

今でも、チームの皆さんからいただいた温かい応援と、一人ひとりがスタイリングやプレゼンテーションに込めてくれた創意工夫の数々に胸がいっぱいです。
私は少し感情的な人なのかもしれませんが、このファッションプレゼンテーションに関わった皆さんの優しさ、品のあるふるまい、そして協力する姿勢のことをずっと考えています。
これからも、こんな素晴らしい作品作りを皆さんと一緒に続けていけることを楽しみにしています。

06/01/2026

Imagine this, you find the perfect fabric with the perfect drape and texture.

You have a muse in your mind but you haven’t met her and she hasn’t become a reality yet. Illustrating a design is one challenge, draping the bodice, adding the boning, adjusting the fit and proportions to feel balanced.

Then you arrive in Tokyo. A show planned for months solely online with hopes that the team you’ve been collaborating with understands the assignment.

Kana was elegant, confident, and sophisticated with the fitting process, delicate with the gown, and delivered on the character I was hoping this gown would embody.

Feeling inspired by this fashion event is the understatement of the century. Here’s to many more of these collections and creating together.

Photo:
Model:



想像（そうぞう）してみてください。ドレープも質感（しつかん）も理想的（りそうてき）な、最高の生地（きじ）に出会ったときのこと。頭（あたま）の中にミューズ（女神）が浮かんでいても、まだ出会えていなくて、現実（げんじつ）にはなっていません。デザインを描（か）くことも一つの挑戦（ちょうせん）ですが、ボティス（身頃）をドレーピングし、ボーンを入れ、バランスが整（ととの）うようにフィット感やプロポーションを微調整（びちょうせい）していきます。

そして、東京に到着（とうちゃく）します。何ヶ月（なんかげつ）もオンラインだけで計画（けいかく）してきたショー。

コラボレーションしてきたチームが、こちらの意図（いと）を理解（りかい）してくれていることを願（ねが）うばかりでした。香菜（かな）さんはエレガントで、自信（じしん）に満（み）ち、洗練（せんれん）された様子（ようす）でフィッティングに臨（のぞ）んでくれました。ドレスを大切（たいせつ）に扱（あつか）い、このドレスに吹き込みたかったキャラクター（個性）を表現（ひょうげん）してくれました。

このファッションイベントから受けたインスピレーション（刺激）は、「感動（かんどう）」という言葉（ことば）だけでは言い表せません。これからもたくさんのコレクションを、一緒に作っていけますように。

写真（しゃしん）：
モデル：

05/31/2026

If it weren’t for ballet and the arts in New York City, I wouldn’t be able to feel constantly inspired to design the way I do.

This opportunity to host a fashion event in Tokyo was what bringing those passions together resulted in. Working with some incredibly talented stylists to bring my muses to life from what was only a sketch a few short weeks ago, a vintage obi belt from Tokyo, and about 13 yards of boning came to be.

Model: .yamada03
Hair:
Makeup:
Jewelry:

ニューヨークのバレエやアートがなかったら、こんなにデザインのインスピレーションがわき続けることはなかったと思います。今回の東京でのファッションイベントは、そんな私のパッション（情熱）が形になったものです。たった数週間前のスケッチ、東京で見つけたヴィンテージの帯、そして約13ヤードのボーン（骨組み）。これらから私のミューズ（女神）たちを形にするため、素晴らしいスタイリストのみなさんと一緒に作り上げました。

モデル：.yamada03
ヘア：
メイク：
ジュエリー：

05/30/2026

What a total dream come true.

Thank you Chie for putting together this incredible event with me in Tokyo. We had so many supportive and talented stylists, models, vendors, partners, photographers, and assistants who made this possible.

made gorgeous hand made nail designs for every single model

sent us jewelry pieces especially designed to coordinate with the designs of each of our collections

were the outrageously creative hair team who were given inspiration and made hair designs that were absolutely next level editorial

single handedly did the makeup for 8 models, flawlessly and with her own flair that perfectly captured the designs and color palette

who is actually a really extremely especially talented photographer, I can NOT wait to see those shots!!!

Last but certainly not least our model coordinator who organized the styling schedules, planned the model rehearsals, walkthrough, made sure everyone was dressed styled and ready promptly… we are a lucky bunch to have worked together.

My beautiful floral design by who went out of his way to source smoke tree branches for me! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Models:

x

yamada03 y christinaaa

05/29/2026

I’ve never, ever, explored ready-to-wear before.

Let alone had a fashion show in another country. Here’s my shot, if you’ve been following along I’ll be sharing my live event tomorrow from Harajuku, Tokyo.

The main goal is to tell my 8 year old self, we made it girl.

05/28/2026

In 36 hours we’ll be hosting our Harajuku fashion event, featuring independent designers from Tokyo and New York City.

We have planned this incredible event for the last three months, between two opposite time zones.

I never imagined in a million lifetimes that I would have the opportunity to collaborate with a Japanese designer who has such a meaningful approach to design.

When I visited Japan in January, I happened to come across account and had to connect with her. The fact that she takes fabrics that have so much depth in Japanese culture and creates wearable 100% silk designs so effortlessly, felt like it was a moment in fate.

I’ve never explored ready-to-wear before, let alone a pop-up event to host and share my designs at.

We are so fortunate and excited to have you join our event. Our guest vendors have worked tirelessly creating hand made pieces exclusively for this!

RSVP for free using our Peatix link in bio. 🔗

We will be sharing our livestream on Instagram May 30th, set a reminder and don’t miss our runway preservation.

VIP tickets are almost sold out for a front row seat and gift bag with designer items retailing for over ¥11000 ✨

36時間後、いよいよ原宿ファッションイベントが始まるよ！
東京とニューヨークのデザイナーが集まる特別なイベントです。
3ヶ月間、時差に負けずにがんばって準備してきたよ。

大好きな日本のデザイナーさんとコラボできて、本当に夢みたい！
1月に日本でたまたま さんを見つけて、運命（うんめい）を感じたんだ。

伝統（でんとう）の生地で作るシルクの服が本当におしゃれ。
服のイベントを開くのは初めてだけど、みんなに会えるのがすごく楽しみ！

ゲストのみんなも、この日のために手作りの限定（げんてい）アイテムをがんばって作ってくれたよ。
プロフィールのリンク（Peatix）から無料で予約（よやく）してね。🔗
5月30日はインスタでライブ配信（はいしん）もするから、リマインダーを忘れずに！

特典（とくてん）つきのVIPチケットはもうすぐ売り切れちゃうよ！✨

05/27/2026

It’s been 30 YEARS since I started my design journey.

Growing up I was fortunate to be in an art magnet school, I remember my parents put together a portfolio the size of 8 year old me filled with drawings of my childhood dog, collages of self-portraits, photography, you name it. I was one lucky little kid.

My parents were struggling artists turned graphic designers in the early 90’s, and we had moved to a new town in the middle of my second grade of grammar school. They had just bought their first home. After years of scrimping and saving, somehow providing me an my siblings with the best they could buy, whether that be art supplies, new sneakers for school, or bread on the table every night with dinner, our childhood home became a reality.

They rented the first floor apartment to a tenant to help make ends meet with the house payments. Coincidentally, she was a fashion designer. I would sometimes I would cat sit for her while she was away on work trips.

Another coincidental moment in Helen’s design history timeline, is that my curiosity would be peaked by her career. At 8 years old.

I had joined our school’s Fashion Club, where we were given a commercial pattern to cut and sew a basic shift dress for the runway show at the end of the school year. Naturally my personality was not the most.. what’s the word when the teachers can’t stand an 8 year old? I mean, I was a rambunctious and excited little kid. 😅

With all that being said, I was not great at sewing, not great at following directions, shocker, at 8 years old I wanted to be creative and have a good time! That bit me in the ass. My mother never sewed, I only worked on the sewing project at school - and the night before the show my garment was a mess.

My mom asked the downstairs tenant to help me cut and sew and brand new dress that night.

I haven’t stopped designing since.

デザインを始めてから、もう30年になります。✨8才の時、学校のファッションクラブに入りました。でも、ショーの前日の夜、わたしが作ったドレスはボロボロでした！😅でもラッキーなことに、家の1かいにすんでいた人はフ

05/26/2026

VIP Access 🤫 Here is a sneak peak at our gift bag haul for those sitting from row at our event on Saturday AND a styling preview from our extremely talented team for the runway show.

Front row attendees will receive their gift bag at the door, including a hand made zipped pouch from up-cycled kimono and obi fabric by original signed print featuring two of the collection designs by and select beauty items.

We have a few VIP seats left you can purchase at our event listing via link in bio ✨

We’ve brought some incredible inspiration together for this collaboration and are humbled with the opportunity to share our teams vision and hard work for

Swipe to the end to see our vendor floor plan for the pop-up!

VIPアクセス 🤫 こちらは、土曜日のイベントで列から座っている方々へのギフトバッグの先行プレビューと、ランウェイショー用の非常に才能あるチームによるスタイリングプレビューです。

前列の参加者は、入口にてギフトバッグを受け取ります。その中には、アップサイクルされた着物と帯生地を使用した手作りのジッパー付きポーチが、 のオリジナルサイン入りプリントで、 のコレクションデザイン2点と選び抜かれたビューティーアイテムが含まれています。

残り数席のVIPシートをご用意しておりますので、バイオの ✨

私たちはこのコラボレーションのために素晴らしいインスピレーションを集め、チームのビジョンと努力を共有できる機会に謙虚な気持ちで、relicedreimagined のために尽力いたします。

ポップアップ用のベンダーフロアプランをご覧になるには、最後までスワイプしてください！