Fashion designer and model Liliana Mijangos is building LC Couture around a vision that refuses to treat elegance as one-dimensional. At New York Fashion Week in September 2026, she presented two distinctly different collections on consecutive days: the dark, commanding “Queen of Hearts” and the softer, romantic “Whimsy of Elegance.” Rather than choosing between strength and femininity, Mijangos used the runway to show that both can exist within the same creative universe.
Her approach to fashion is also deeply personal. Behind LC Couture is a family-driven creative process, with her mother and grandmother playing important roles in sewing and pattern making as Mijangos transforms sketches into finished garments. Her own experience as both a designer and runway model has also shaped the way she thinks about fit, movement, confidence, and accessibility.
Now, with NYFW behind her and Paris Fashion Week on the horizon, Mijangos is looking toward the next evolution of LC Couture — one that combines dramatic fashion, storytelling, craftsmanship, and a more inclusive approach to who gets to participate in high fashion.
Pump It Up Magazine spoke with Liliana Mijangos about LC Couture, her NYFW collections, designing alongside three generations of women, creating for different body types, and where she hopes to take the brand next.
Pump It Up Magazine:
On September 9, you presented “Queen of Hearts,” which focused on dark elegance and power, followed by the romantic “Whimsy of Elegance” on September 10. What was the design thought process behind launching two completely contrasting collections back-to-back?
Liliana Mijangos:
I actually loved the idea of showing two completely different sides of my creativity. “Queen of Hearts” was more about dark elegance, confidence, and power, while “Whimsy of Elegance” was softer, romantic, and playful.
I didn’t want to limit myself to one style because I think fashion is about being able to express different emotions and sides of your personality. Presenting them back-to-back also made the experience really exciting for me. It showed that two collections can feel completely different but still come from the same designer and the same love for creativity.
I wanted people to see that there isn’t just one way to be elegant or confident — you can express yourself in so many different ways.
Photo Credit: Zachery Smith
Pump It Up Magazine:
Your mother and grandmother play vital roles as seamstresses and pattern makers for LC Couture. Can you take us inside your design atelier and explain how a sketch transitions into a finished NYFW sample?
Liliana Mijangos:
It usually starts with an idea or a sketch. Once I have the basic design, my mom and grandmother help me figure out how to turn that idea into an actual pattern that can be made into a garment.
We choose the fabric, work on the fit, and make a sample so we can see what works and what needs to change. There are usually a lot of little adjustments along the way, and that’s where having my mom and grandmother involved is so important.
They have so much experience with sewing and pattern making, and I get to learn from them while still bringing my own ideas to the table. By the time a piece makes it to NYFW, it has gone through a lot of teamwork, creativity, and probably a few last-minute changes!
Pump It Up Magazine:
His Highness Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe was drawn to one of your tailored suit jackets at NYFW. What does it mean to your brand to receive that kind of recognition?
Liliana Mijangos:
It honestly means a lot to me, especially because I’m still so young and growing as a designer.
Having His Highness Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe notice one of my suit jackets and actually wear it was something I never expected. It made me feel really proud of the work my family and I have put into LC Couture.
For me, it’s also a reminder that fashion can connect with people from so many different backgrounds. It gave me even more motivation to keep creating, experimenting, and seeing where my designs can go next.
Pump It Up Magazine:
As someone who has walked the runway as a model and designed for it as a creator, how does your modeling background influence the way you engineer movement and fit into your garments?
Liliana Mijangos:
Being a model has definitely helped me understand what makes a garment feel good when you’re actually wearing it.
When I design, I think about how the fabric moves, how the outfit looks when someone walks, turns, or poses, and whether the person wearing it can feel comfortable and confident.
I also know from modeling that fit can completely change how a garment looks on the runway. So when I’m designing, I pay attention to things like the shape, structure, and where the fabric falls.
I think having experience on both sides of the runway helps me create pieces that look beautiful but also move naturally with the person wearing them.
Pump It Up Magazine:
Making fashion accessible across different body types while maintaining a high-fashion, high-drama aesthetic can be complex. How do you address accessibility without compromising the drama of the design?
Liliana Mijangos:
I think the key is making the design work for the person instead of expecting the person to fit into the design.
I like to focus on things like comfortable fabrics, thoughtful construction, and details that can make a garment easier to wear while still keeping the dramatic look.
I also think high fashion doesn’t have to mean uncomfortable or limited to one body type. You can have bold shapes, beautiful details, and that runway feeling while still making sure people can move and feel confident.
For me, the most important thing is that the person wearing the design feels like they’re part of the vision, not like the clothing is wearing them.
Photo Credit: Zachery Smith
Pump It Up Magazine:
What fabrics, textures, and color palettes were essential in establishing the dark elegance of the “Queen of Hearts” lineup?
Liliana Mijangos:
For “Queen of Hearts,” I wanted the fabrics and colors to feel rich, dramatic, and a little mysterious.
I focused on darker shades like black, deep reds, and jewel tones because they really helped create that powerful feeling.
For the textures, I liked combining fabrics that had different finishes and feels, so the pieces had more dimension when they moved on the runway.
Details like structured tailoring, softer textures, and touches of shine helped give the collection that high-fashion drama while still keeping it elegant. I wanted every piece to feel bold without being too overwhelming.
Pump It Up Magazine:
What connections or feedback from international stylists, buyers, and fellow designers at NYFW helped validate your direction with LC Couture?
Liliana Mijangos:
One of the biggest things that stood out to me was hearing people from different backgrounds respond positively to the details and storytelling in my collections.
It was really encouraging to have stylists, designers, and people in the fashion industry ask about my inspiration and want to know more about LC Couture.
Getting that kind of feedback made me feel like the ideas I had in my head were connecting with people beyond just my family and friends.
It also reminded me that I’m still learning, so I want to take the feedback I receive, keep improving, and stay open to new ideas as LC Couture grows.
Pump It Up Magazine:
How do you integrate storytelling into the craftsmanship of your garments so that wearers feel encouraged to step outside their comfort zones?
Liliana Mijangos:
I try to make every garment feel like it has a story behind it.
Whether it’s through the colors, the shape, the fabric, or a special detail, I want there to be something that makes the person wearing it feel connected to the piece.
I also want my designs to encourage people to be a little more adventurous. Fashion is a way to express yourself, so I love creating pieces that might make someone think, “I normally wouldn’t wear this, but I want to try it.”
If a garment can help someone feel more confident and comfortable being themselves, then I feel like the story behind the design has done its job.
INSERT 3 MODELS NYC PHOTO HERE
Photo Credit: Alita Haniwalt
Pump It Up Magazine:
Looking ahead to future collections and market weeks, how do you plan to continue evolving your adaptive and inclusive lines for mainstream retail?
Liliana Mijangos:
Looking ahead, I want to keep learning and figuring out how to make my designs work for more people while still keeping the creativity and personality that make LC Couture special.
I’d love to explore more adjustable details, different fits, and fabrics that make the clothes comfortable and easy to wear.
As we move toward mainstream retail, I also want to listen to customers and learn what they actually want and need. I think that feedback will help me grow as a designer.
My goal is to make fashion feel more welcoming and inclusive without losing the fun, dramatic, and creative side of LC Couture.
Pump It Up Magazine:
As you prepare for Paris Fashion Week, what creative concepts or design techniques are you most excited to explore on European runways?
Liliana Mijangos:
I’m really excited to explore more unexpected combinations for Paris Fashion Week.
I want to experiment with different textures, silhouettes, and details that I haven’t used before and see how I can make them feel both modern and timeless.
I’m also interested in playing with more dramatic tailoring and movement because I love seeing how a garment changes when someone walks.
I think being in Paris will also give me a chance to take inspiration from the city, the architecture, the art, and the fashion history.
I don’t want to copy what’s already been done — I want to take those inspirations and put my own younger, creative twist on them.
I’m really looking forward to seeing where my ideas take me.
Closing
With LC Couture, Liliana Mijangos is building a fashion identity that embraces contrast — strength and romance, drama and wearability, tradition and experimentation.
From creating alongside her mother and grandmother to experiencing fashion from both sides of the runway, her work is rooted in the belief that clothing should serve the person wearing it while still giving them permission to dream bigger.
As LC Couture moves from New York Fashion Week toward Paris, Mijangos appears focused not simply on creating memorable runway moments, but on building a brand capable of evolving with the people who wear it.
FOLLOW LILIANA MIJANGOS & LC COUTURE
Liliana Mijangos: @liliana.mijangos
LC Couture: @lccbyliliana
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