The new york fashion week It’s there, twice a year, and it’s inevitable that the majority’s attention will be focused on brands that have the history, the power, and the pocketbooks for celebrities and trade notables to enjoy seeing—and being seen—at their shows… But There are other spaces in Manhattan that host a notable part of the latin american talent, established and emerging, with a lot to say and show. One of them is the space opened by Fashion Designers of Latin America, (FDLA).
Since its creation, the FDLA group, led by su founder Albania Rosario, has always moved at its own pace and has not stopped. Albania and her team, as well as the designers who appear on her platform, bet on the signs of our identity and our culture; while seeking avenues of marketing and representation in a competitive and often unforgiving industry. For that they have the initiative LatAm Brandsa marketing chapter that rounds off the business model.
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The referents
The recently finished Spring-Summer edition of FDLA brought names that have already become part of the organization, for presenting each year. The one who opened the fashion shows was Custo Barcelona. With his strong DNA, the brand of Dalmau cost presented a collection that celebrates the individuality and strength of women, translated into resources such as retro laminates, prints and palettes that seek geometric effects.
A personality that has always supported the FDLA is Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada. Artist, designer, businesswoman and author, Ágatha is the symbol of an era without chronological limits in fashion. And something remarkable about her story is the respectful and intelligent way in which this woman has always looked at Latin America. For her, the region is an essential part of creative inspiration and also commercial fulfillment in the style industry. If anyone doubts it, they should look at the proposal that we saw this fashion week in New York. Ágatha made a tribute to Hispanic culture in three times, each part of a collaboration: The first, with Aurora Gavino, which included a capsule collection of flamenco fashion. The second, with the creative and Dominican origamist Mich RomanCreative Director of your brand MimichMo, which was a perfect tribute to the fashion-integrated craft of tessellating origami. And a third, which brought the tradition of feathered ornaments to Ágatha’s aesthetics with the signature of the designer from Durango Eduardo Estrada.
The parade and the collaborations of Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada were, consciously or not, what set the pattern for the FDLA parades. It’s not just what we saw on the catwalk, but in the public. Those who follow Latin American design and attend these events are part of a group that stays young from adolescence to their fourth age, because their desire to enjoy and wear fashion is authentic. Looking around is knowing that everyone there expresses himself as he is and not as the marketing asks him to be. That same thing, in form and concept, walks with the models.
If we go into the textile lines, almost all of them are concerned about sustainability and take into account the quality of the materials. Uncomplicated, functional and attractive designs, almost always sewn by expert artisan hands, set the pace. It is also interesting to note that, more and more, the proposals show that the designers they are very clear about their niche and how to approach it.
From the East and Latin America
The most recent FDLA shows have been held at NYFW.
Tony Yong Wang y Yiiichuaneo They are a name and a brand that come together in a debut on the catwalks, which was very worth seeing. Those who know the confluence of Asian and Latin American aesthetics in places like Peru, will know that at the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s, the great names of oriental design had an important echo in what was one of the essential forums for the fashion of our region. Almost 20 years later, the references are there again, with an even more global vision, a practical note, more generic freedom and impeccable taste in colour, patterns and shapes.
In that orbit, Donny Diaz LA concentrates on the streetwear and gives it its fair value, elevating it and making it accessible. The careful preparation, suitable materials and good construction are virtues that describe this brand. Besides, Colombian Estefania Turbay presented a collection inspired by Mompox, an emblematic city for its history, architecture, sounds and experiences. The narrative of the land of Totó la Momposina was embodied in the colors and textures provided by the padded fabrics, vegan leathers, and prints. It cannot be overstated that the brand’s renowned capes and coats are made in a sustainable way by mothers who are heads of households, working with foundations and artisans. Three components also stood out in these garments: versatility, comfort and practical elegance.
Touch By Adriana Carolinafounded by the Venezuelan Adriana Carolina, also had its presentation with exclusive and timeless designs that made up pieces of knitwear and swimsuits inspired by the cosmopolitan woman who seeks a comfortable and, at the same time, elegant and exclusive wardrobe. The Ecuadorian brand Hakhu Amazon Design, was another high point during the FDLA shows, at New York Fashion Week. Leonardo Cerda, is the founder of the initiative that integrates the creative work of women from the Amazon, and which presented impressive pieces in native fabrics and accessories.
FDLA extols Latin American roots in an international context.
This is how the FDLA conference closed at New York Fashion Week, and the designee was the Guatemalan Eduardo Figueroawith his homonymous signature. Kotz’ijan, Autumn-Winter 2023-2024 It was the collection that he brought to the Big Apple. The title of the exhibition, Kotz’ijan, means flowering tree, in the Kaqchikel language… and from this flowering sprout the expressive resources that have made Eduardo’s a recognized name in his country and in a large part of the region: uncomplicated lines, comfortable pieces and versatile, and traces of what is for many the chic urban. Figueroa’s well-curated collection is impeccably crafted in fleece, velvet, silks, and recycled denim; and with many of the fabrics made by hand on a foot loom and a waist loom. The next FDLA event will be in September and again we will be lucky to have a truly inclusive space that doesn’t limit authentic talent, and looks to the future.
