BIOGRAPHY
Karín Rojas, also known as Zulema, is a Peruvian vehicle seat designer, fashion designer and web developer. She is the owner of Zulema Custom Interiors and Zulema clothing labels.
Early Life
Karín Elizabeth Centurion was born to mother Zulema Rojas Fernandez
and father Daniel Humberto Centurion in Callao, Peru. Her family is catholic. Karín’s father worked in the Peruvian Naval
Infantry. Karin’s mother was a Peruvian Investigative Police Officer who died while
in service when Karin was 6 years old.
Karín and her older brother Christian were raised by their
father’s family in Lima, in the coastal region of Peru. Karín took pleasure in the arts while
attending PNP Alcides Vigo Hurtado. In school, Karín won various art
competitions and was well known for her art projects in her school
district. During the summer months,
Karín attended modeling and etiquette classes held at Municipalidad Distrital
de Villa Maria del Triunfo were she learned runway modeling, choreographed
dancing performances, and rigid etiquette modalities.
As a teen, Karín visited the small province of Contumaza,
located North of Peru, a location where she won the Ms Contumaza beauty pageant
contest for her age group.
Karín and her family moved to United States in 1996 when she
was 13 years old. Based in Virginia Beach, VA Karín continued to excel in the
arts and had her artwork displayed at school organized art exhibitions and
local galleries. At the age of 14 she attended
the Evie Mansfield Modeling & Talent Agency where she modeled for runway
upon graduation.
At 16 years old, while in high school she attended Virginia
Beach Technical & Career Education Center where she took a class for digital
design and marketing, and she was discovered as an artist by Pembroke mall and
was asked to design the invitations, flyers, and posters for the Virginia Beach
Public School Art show held in 1999.
Education
Upon graduation from High School Karín attended Tidewater Community
College, TCC, with a major in social science. At night she digitally designed
logos, posters, and names for local clients.
She also began to sew and opened Zulema’s alterations, a home-based
business. Upon graduating TCC in 2008, she attended Old
Dominion University & majored in Graphic Design. Soon after, Zulema’s Alterations began to flourish Karín began to design clothing in addition to alterations. She changed the business name from Zulema’s
alterations to Zulema Fashions.
Karín also changed her major from graphic design to fashion
merchandising in the same year. While
continuing to sew from home, Karín spent her summers helping local fashion
designers such as RicLamar and April Spring with their runway shows and
specialized in perfecting model’s walks on the runway. She also modeled and
displayed her own mini collection, called Zumac Zulema, at a fashion show sponsored
by Old Dominion University In 2014. During her last year in school, she interned
at Dress for Success Hampton Roads where she was also hired to do alterations
for their clients. Upon completion of
school, Karín was hired by Lizzi London fashions to create an bridal collection
showcased in Virginia Fashion week in 2015.
Career
In 2016 Lizzi London fashions moved to the East Coast and
Karín was offered a job at a local upholstery shop sewing furniture and boat
cushions. Six months later Karín
mastered furniture and boat upholstery and was later hired by Nicks Upholstery to
sew car seats. She worked a second job sewing
marine canvas at night. Karín also continued
to sew for Zulema Fashions during weekends.
In 2018, Karín quit all jobs and created Zulema Custom Interiors, a fashion
forward upholstery shop. In her new
shop, customers began to bring aircraft seats in addition to cars and
boats. In June 2018 Zulema’s Custom
Interiors slogan was created to become “auto, marine, aircraft.”
Since opening Zulema Custom Interiors, Karín has gotten the
attention of the media based on her creative designs. She was interviewed by the Virginian Pilot,
Voyage Mia Magazine, Shoutout Atlanta, and Old Dominion University monarch
magazine. Karín was also invited to
Poolside cooking, a show filmed by Roku TV.
Awards
2020: Best upholstery business by the Virginia Beach Award Program
2022: Leaders in Custom Upholstery by Acquisitions
International Global Excellence
2023: Upholstery Diamond by Albright Supply
2024: Top Gun Professional Business by County Advisory Board
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