What’s It Like To Be Latin American in Fashion?

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Samantha Tams worked as a Saks Fifth Avenue Mexico Buyer when she was approached daily by Latin American designers looking to sell their products. “The product was beautiful, but the majority of them didn’t have a structured business model in place, so I had to turn them down,” she says, regretfully. “I realized there was a need for education on key strategies in order to better prepare them for opportunities.”

Fast-forward to a few more years, when Tams teamed up to Estefania Lacayo, an entrepreneur to launch the Latin American Fashion Summit. The annual conference and network community aims at bridging the gap between emerging designers as well as industry leaders to bring Latin American fashion onto a global stage. “We noticed there was a lot of undiscovered talent in our community that needed access to resources that would allow them to grow, and a platform to allow their voices be heard,” Lacayo says.

What initially began as a 350-person summit in Mexico—promoted solely via Instagram—has since morphed into a multi-platform organization that supports brands, executives, retailers, stylists, and miscellaneous fashion insiders year-round, boasting attendance from all Latin countries and 52 percent of Hispanic people living in the States. “Our mission of being united is becoming more of a reality every day,” Lacayo adds. Here, five designers and recent attendees of this year’s LAFS—from Clarissa Egaña to Alexandre Birman—sound off on what it really means to be Latin American in fashion right now.

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Clarissa Egaña, Founder of Port de Bras

“Being a Latin American in fashion is a true privilege as we have the ability to bring our vision, tradition, and uniqueness to the world and bring hope, pride, and jobs to our home in exchange. True sustainability is about focusing less on business and more on teaching trades and looking for authentic sources of artistry, materials and passion. That’s how we bring about change and educate through our work in pursuit of a true positive impact.”

Alexandre Birman, Designer and CEO

“Being Latin American in fashion means I have a responsibility to celebrate and educate our rich cultural influences and the talented artisans that make up who we are. To help my peers, I am proud to represent my Latin American heritage. These roots are a source of unrivalled energy, which is why we carefully consider their influence when designing our collections. We want women who wear our creations feel the Brazilian spirit in every step. I take pride both personally and professionally knowing that Brazil has a place on the map when it comes to luxury fashion, and am constantly working to find ways to give designers and artisans the recognition they deserve.”

Carolina Kleinman is the Founder and Creative Director at Carolina K

“My heritage is something I carry in my heart as well as my DNA. I’ve always felt proud of my culture and try my best to convey that through my designs—it’s a powerful tool that has allowed me to stay connected with the communities we work with and give them a voice. It is a privilege to work with artisans from Latin America and get to know them personally. This pride and empowerment that they feel in providing support for their families and better opportunities for them is evident in each piece, and it lives on through the generations. This, to me, is priceless. Also, authenticity is very important—first, to help preserve heritage, because a lot of these techniques are disappearing; and second, to respect the artisans’ work and process. Latin American fashion means hope. Hope for more diversity, inclusion, and empowerment of the community. It takes much more than a map to understand our history—one that should be celebrated and explored.”

Sofia Tcherassi, Ready to Wear Director of Silvia Tcherassi

“Silvia Tcherassi the brand was born in Colombia, and we are proud that our designs capture the rich history and culture of Latin America. Sometimes this approach is more evident, and sometimes it’s more subtle, but it’s always there. The most important thing to us is that our Latin fashion sense translates internationally, making something local universal, because, for us, fashion doesn’t have a nationality. Our headquarters has been in Miami for years. Here, the talent, hard work, and talent of Latin Americans can be seen at every corner. Today, the city is a cultural capital and a key player in the fashion scene—we are proud to have been a part of that.”

María José, Designer of María José Jewelry

“My work is best known for emeralds, and I source them directly from the mines in Colombia—so everything I make has bit of the Latin spirit imprinted on it. I am inspired by the beauty and culture of Colombia and my pieces are beautiful additions to my design process. I have found an amazing community of creatives, the highest craftsmanship, and the most detail-oriented men and women that elevate the industry.”

Source: elle