Today in the U.S. there are roughly 60.5 million Latinx people, each with their own cultural experiences and points of view. Latinx designers such as the late Dominican fashion designer Oscar de la Renta have made a critical impact on the fashion industry, especially in high fashion. When Oscar de la Renta’s label was founded in 1965 he already had extensive knowledge and skills about the industry due to his time at leading European fashion houses. His designs were creative and highlighted a different perspective than other designers. It’s no secret that the fashion industry is constantly getting inspired by different cultures and the Lantix community counties to influence the way many people dress. Many Latinx designers are continuously paving a way for new territory within the fashion industry and bringing their respective cultures and diversity with them. Here are 7 Latinx fashion designers that should be on your radar.
Elena Velez is Milwaukee, Wisconsin native whose fashion brand can be described as creative, ethical, and industrial. Inspired by her upbringing and her mother, who is a ship captain for the Great Lakes, Velez’s clothing is a mixture of utilitarian and structural designs. Velez’s brand also focuses on sustainability, because her designs are made from repurposed sails, parachutes, boat covers, scarp metal, salvage beams from sailboats and ship lines, and ropes. Her designs have been worn by celebrities such as SZA, Cardi B, Solange, and Bad Bunny.
Simonett Pereira is a Latinx fashion designer that was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised in Miami, Florida. Pereira is the founder of Simonett, a fashion label that started out as a side project from her style blog, Miami Style Mafia. Pereira wanted to create a clothing brand that was both luxury and affordable. The clothing brand is on every it-girls radar, especially after the brand’s 2019 fashion show for Miami Swim Week.
Ana G is a clothing brand created by Peruvian fashion designer Ana María Guiulfo. Ana has been showing her collecting in both Lima and Miami since 2005. Her passion for fashion, culture, music, design, travel, and art are shown in her designs. Her hand-painted pieces are a great example of her being a true artist at heart. Ana also is strongly involved in her countries social development and is the founder of a charitable organization called Aprendamos Juntos (“We Learn Together”), which aims to o improve the education access for disadvantaged children who don’t have this chance to learn in good condition.
Pink Magnolia is a label filled with Golden textures and a wonderland of pink aesthetics. This is a label with a concept of creating clothing for women that love fashion but also love to stand out and break the rules. The label was created by Pavo Wong who later on conceived her sister Pamela to join the business. The label quickly became the dream brand for every girly girl and is in the closets of the most fashionable women in Mexico.
Wasi is a small business based in Los Angeles, California that was launched in May of 2018 by Bolivian-American Vanessa Acosta. Wasi is a clothing brand with a mission to represent Bolivian culture in an innovative way while also creating a safe space for people of color and allies to shop. Sustainability is also a part of the brand’s mission, from sustainable textiles to conscious packaging that brand wants to stand out in an industry that is filled with unethical practices.
LAUR is a clothing brand started by Dominican fashion designer Raul Lopez. Raul’s style is everything but low-key. Raul was a former designer for Hood By Air and since then avant-garde and futuristic designs. His first collection debuted in 2018 and his fashion career took off from there. In an interview with The Cut, Raul stated that his designs were greatly influenced by his upbringing as a queer Latino in New York City. His designs have been worn by celebrities like Solange and Rihanna.
Alejandra Rodriguez is the owner of Sencilla Clothing, a black Puetro Rican-owned sustainable clothing brand. The brand was a result of Alejandra’s passion for sustainability and is all about creativity and ethical practices. The pieces in the collection are vintage pieces that are transformed and helped given a new life. Alejandra also hand paints each piece herself making every item in the collection unique.