Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Villalobos.
Hi Cynthia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path hasn’t been a straight line, and that’s exactly why I call this chapter Beautiful Chaos.
Professionally, I began in accounting. Then, I centered my life around family and raising my son, and checking all the boxes of what I thought success was supposed to look like. I’ve always been someone who loves creativity, fashion, movement, travel, and connecting people.
A few years ago, life forced me to slow down in a way I never expected. I faced significant health challenges and found myself questioning my identity, my purpose, and who I was beyond the roles I had built for myself. It was one of the most difficult periods of my life, but it also became one of the most transformative.
During that season, I began to realize that beauty isn’t found only in perfect moments or polished outcomes. It’s found in resilience, reinvention, and the courage to begin again. That realization became the foundation of Beautiful Chaos, a platform where I share the lens through which I see the world: finding beauty in the difficult, the unexpected, and the in-between moments that shape us.
At the same time, my lifelong love of fashion evolved into something bigger. Through my travels and relationships with designers around the world, I discovered incredible creative talent that often goes unseen outside their local markets. That inspired me to create CV Collective, a curated platform dedicated to connecting emerging international designers with women who value craftsmanship, storytelling, and personal expression.
Today, I see myself as a curator, storyteller, and connector. Whether I’m sharing a lesson about reinvention through Beautiful Chaos or introducing a designer through CV Collective, my mission is the same: helping people see beauty, possibility, and identity in a new way.
At 51, I’m building something entirely new, and that’s perhaps the most important part of my story. I’m proof that reinvention doesn’t have an expiration date, and sometimes the chapters we never planned become the ones that define us.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve been a type 1 diabetic for 30 years.
Like many people, I’ve experienced seasons where life looked very different from what I had planned. One of the biggest challenges came when health issues forced me to slow down completely. For someone who had always been active, independent, and constantly moving, that was incredibly difficult. I wasn’t just losing energy, it felt like I was losing parts of my identity.
At the same time, I was navigating major life transitions, rebuilding personally and professionally, and trying to figure out what my next chapter would look like. There were moments of uncertainty, self-doubt, and fear. Starting over later in life can feel intimidating because you’re carrying the weight of everything you’ve already lived through.
But those struggles also taught me some of my most valuable lessons. They taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of finding meaning in the small moments. They taught me that reinvention isn’t something reserved for our twenties or thirties—it can happen at any stage of life.
Those experiences ultimately inspired Beautiful Chaos. The name comes from the belief that beauty isn’t found only in perfect circumstances. Sometimes it’s found in the mess, the uncertainty, and the courage to keep moving forward when you don’t have all the answers.
Building CV Collective has come with its own challenges as well. Launching a new venture requires taking risks, learning constantly, and creating something from the ground up. But I believe the most meaningful things are often built through perseverance, and every challenge has helped shape the vision I have today.
Looking back, I wouldn’t have chosen many of the obstacles I’ve faced, but they became the foundation for the work I’m doing now and the message I hope to share with others: that it’s never too late to begin again.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today, my work lives at the intersection of storytelling, fashion, community, and reinvention.
Through Beautiful Chaos, I create content that encourages people to find beauty in life’s transitions, challenges, and unexpected chapters. I share my own journey of rebuilding, starting over, and embracing reinvention after 50, with the hope that others see themselves in those stories and feel empowered to begin again.
At the same time, I am the founder of CV Collective, a platform dedicated to discovering and connecting emerging international designers with new audiences. I specialize in curating events, brands and pieces that carry a deeper story. Designers whose work reflects craftsmanship, culture, identity, and creativity. My goal isn’t simply to sell products; it’s to create meaningful connections between people and the stories behind what they wear.
What I’m most proud of is having the courage to build something entirely new during a season of life when many people believe their biggest opportunities are behind them. Instead of staying within the identities I had already built, I chose to start again and create something that feels deeply aligned with who I am.
I think what sets me apart is the lens through which I see the world. I’ve always been able to find beauty where others might see obstacles, limitations, or uncertainty. Whether I’m sharing a personal story, discovering a designer, or creating an experience through CV Collective, I’m looking for the humanity behind it, “the story”, the transformation, and the connection.
I’m not interested in trends for the sake of trends. I’m interested in people, creativity, and the stories that help us understand ourselves a little better. In many ways, everything I do is about helping others feel seen, whether through a conversation, a piece of clothing, a shared experience, or a story that reminds them they’re not alone.
If there’s one thing I’d like to be known for, it’s creating spaces where beauty, authenticity, and possibility can coexist—even in the middle of chaos.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
It is clear my supporters are those closest to me. While I haven’t had formal mentors, my journey has been shaped by the unwavering support of my family and friends. Those who’ve stood by me in the toughest moments and encouraged me to dream bigger.
I’m deeply grateful to the designers who entrusted me with their stories and their creations. Their belief in me has been instrumental in shaping what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cvcollective.co
- Instagram: @cvcollective_ @beautifulchaos_bycynthia
- Other: @cynthiavil. (substack)
