As a tomboy growing up in the Pennsylvania mountains, Barnegat resident Marcia Arnsparger Santiago didn’t pay much attention to clothing styles. Even her mother now marvels at the fact that Santiago’s designs earned her a repeat spot on the runway at NY Fashion Week.
“When I go home to visit, I’m riding four-wheelers, and all of the stuff I do now is out the window,” said Santiago, 42. “My mom reminds me of what I was like when I was a kid and tells me she never expected me to be where I am today.”
Although she’s still a spitfire of a different sort, Santiago’s transition from a tomboy to a notorious designer was not immediate. Instead, she took classes to become a surgical technician and moved to New Jersey when she was 19.
