Bandera was born in New York City, but raised in Texas and California. The daughter of a cowboy and an artist, she has used her background to influence her work. She learned to sew at the age of 14 and has been creating ever since. She loves experimenting with new materials as well as learning traditional making techniques. Bandera graduated from University of the Arts, London in 2018 with a degree in Costume Interpretation. She has spent the last four years as part of the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Most notably, she joined the Motion Picture Costumer's Union Local 705 in 2022. Since, she has been a part of multiple set and live crews, working across multiple mediums and across different creative spaces.