Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Quinteros Marquina.
Hi Victor , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Foundation: Athletic Excellence and Top Modeling
The root of my career lies in absolute physical discipline and athletic precision. Before stepping onto the runway, I competed at the highest levels as an aerobics champion. The relentless training, timing, and focus required to win titles in competitive aerobics set the standard for my work ethic.
That champion mindset and athletic build seamlessly launched me into the high-stakes world of fashion as a top model. Over my modeling career, I walked for and represented an extensive portfolio of major labels—including premier Italian fashion houses, legendary American brands, and top national designers.
This firsthand experience gave me an intimate understanding of clothing construction, fit, and exactly how a model commands a runway. That passion for movement and health also translated naturally into broadcast media, where I worked as a fitness trainer on television, inspiring audiences to embrace discipline. Moving Behind the Lens: Photography and Production
Having mastered the industry from the front of the camera, the natural evolution was to take total creative control behind it. I transitioned into becoming a professional fashion photographer and executive producer, bringing an insider’s knowledge that few traditional photographers possess.
I began organizing some of the most important fashion events in South America, establishing an early reputation for executing flawless, high-profile showcases. When I brought that expertise to the United States, I established a strict, uncompromising standard. In an industry that increasingly relies on heavy digital manipulation, my philosophy remained firm: capturing authentic, unedited, and powerful images right on set using professional equipment. Trusting my own eye allowed me to build an independent production powerhouse. Operating out of commercial landmarks like the World Trade Center and Wall Street, I expanded my reach, leading major runway platforms and regional showcases across Texas and New York.Moving Behind the Lens: Photography and Production
Having mastered the industry from the front of the camera, the natural evolution was to take total creative control behind it. I transitioned into becoming a professional fashion photographer and executive producer, bringing an insider’s knowledge that few traditional photographers possess.
The Parallel Passion: Elite Training and Sanctuary
While building an intense, fast-paced presence in the fashion world, I maintained a parallel calling that requires an entirely different kind of focus: working with Siberian Huskies.
I established the Siberian Husky CAMP of America, transforming a deep passion for the breed into a specialized development center, professional training facility, and permanent sanctuary. Training a working breed like a husky demands absolute clarity, patience, and leadership—traits that directly mirror the high-stakes coordination needed to run a major runway production. For me, the worlds aren’t separate; the competitive discipline of my athletic past and the structure of the camp fuel the precision of the studio, and vice versa.
Where I Am Today
Today, these worlds actively support each other. I continue to produce major seasonal fashion weeks, tour regional markets, and direct editorial photo sessions, all while utilizing my platforms to champion ecological coexistence and raise vital support for the Husky CAMP.
By keeping my production standards independent, relying on natural materials and authentic execution, and maintaining a strict dedication to both my creative and canine endeavors, I’ve built a life defined by creative control and purpose.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the hardest psychological and professional hurdles was shifting how the industry perceived me. When you spend years as a top model representing major Italian, American, and national brands, or working as a fitness trainer on TV, the industry puts you in a specific box: the talent.
When I decided to move behind the lens as a fashion photographer and step into the executive producer role, I had to completely reinvent my professional identity. People are often resistant to seeing you differently. I had to prove—through flawless execution of major events in South America and later in landmarks like Wall Street and the World Trade Center—that my strategic vision and creative control were just as sharp as my presence in front of the camera.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a photographer and producer, my strict philosophy has always been to capture unedited, authentic imagery right on set. In today’s industry, heavily manipulated portfolios and AI-altered images have become the easy standard.
Choosing not to rely on those shortcuts meant fighting an uphill battle. It meant requiring stricter casting standards, ensuring the lighting and styling were perfect in the studio, and refusing to trust external portfolios blindly. Maintaining this level of uncompromising creative control requires twice the work and immense friction, but it is the only way to protect the integrity of the art.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The Unforgiving Demands of the Husky CAMP
Building the Siberian Husky CAMP of America has been a labor of deep passion, but it comes with massive logistical, emotional, and financial weight. Huskies are an incredibly high-energy, stubborn, and intelligent working breed.
Running a dedicated training facility and a permanent sanctuary is a 24/7/365 commitment. There are no days off. Balancing the absolute patience and structure required to train service and working dogs with the hyper-fast, chaotic, and demanding schedule of producing seasonal fashion weeks and regional tours is exhausting. It requires an immense amount of personal discipline to ensure neither world suffers.
Overcoming Personal Loss
Beyond the professional friction, the journey has been tested by deep personal grief, including the loss of my mother. When you are the engine behind multiple businesses and sanctuaries, the world doesn’t stop when you are grieving. Finding the strength to keep producing high-energy runway showcases and managing a sanctuary while processing profound personal loss has been the ultimate test of resilience. I want to create a northern dog competition at the beach just like the ones in Alaska but by the water.
And I want to motivate designers to use recycled materials and natural fibers to construct clothes.
Pricing:
- Tickets for VIP $500 +
- Tickets for General Public $150 +
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.austinfashionweek.com
- Instagram: AustinFashionweek
- Facebook: Austinfashionweek
- Twitter: Contactmoda
- Youtube: Victor Quinteros
