Jenny AluningIt took a little while for Catherine Balagot, aka K1tcatsayz, aka StarCentral Magazine’s Fashionista of the Year for 2012, when she started attending “the school of her dreams”, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, to realise why “…girls would have a full face of makeup on, 5-inch heels and their hair done, as if they were going to some kind of special event… EVERY single day, at 9am for class!” But then it hit her, “…I WAS attending a fashion school where it was almost mandatory to dress to impress.” From then on, she quickly learned that her school’s ‘dress code’ was a perfect tool to become familiar with the fashion trends of the women of her home town of Manhattan. “I immediately knew that I had a passion for fashion/style/beauty.”
Photo by: Jason Yu
First thoughts of taking her interest in fashion to the next level began in her freshman year of college when she started watching beauty/make-up tutorials on YouTube. It took a further 3 years, in 2011, for Catherine to upload her very first tutorial. “At first I was really hesitant because I didn’t know what to say in front of the camera and I was afraid of being judged. My very first video was a makeup tutorial and I clearly remember how much of a newbie I was at the whole thing…” The feedback and support she received after that video launched inspired her to keep going. She is also inspired by the other “beauty vloggers” on YouTube such as Michelle Phan and Catherine has had the opportunity to meet some of them such as “…ItsJudyTime, Saaammage, JulieG713, QueenOfBlendingMUA and hopefully I’ll meet more in the future!”
Photo by: Jason Yu
Photo by: Rheesa Persaud
Winning StarCentral’s competition, for the multi-talented 22-year old Filipina, has been the highlight of her career so far. “I’m so mind-blown to know that I’ve come a long way and without my family and friends voting for me every single day, this wouldn’t have been remotely possible…” She also recently became partners with ‘StyleHaul’, “…the largest original video content network on YouTube for fashion and beauty…” But beyond the accolades, what Catherine really enjoys about the fashion world is that there is “…no wrong or right…someone may have a different fashion opinion than your own but that’s the beauty of it. Everyone has his or her own taste.” She’s learned “…to always stay true to myself and never let someone change the person who I am…to love the people who treat me right and forget about the ones who don’t…I’ve also learned that life is too short to wake up with regrets…” Well, the fashion world awaits this talented Fashionista!
You Tube Channel, “K1tcatsayz CHEAP is CHIC”: http://www.youtube.com/user/k1tcatsayz
Jenny Aluning
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Jason Harris
