If You're Not Paying Attention to These Designers, You're Missing Out

WHO WHAT WEAR: For starters, you have a personal connection to Latin America. But tell us a bit more about why and how you became involved with this project.

NINA GARCIA: Recently I went to Bogota Fashion Week which was an event that showcased a lot of the younger designers. I was already convinced that there was talent in Colombia but the collections I saw really impressed me. And as we went about Fashion Week in Colombia, we talked about how it would be great to be able to bring this incredible talent to New York, to Fashion Week, and have everybody witness it. When you go through the racks [here at Latin Curated], you’ll see there’s a sense of discovery, there’s a unique perspective, there’s incredible craftsmanship in Colombia. And when you have craftsmanship with it comes integrity and history. In the age of digital and overwhelming sameness, there is a still a need to discover, to want to have something personal.

WWW: So are these all new designers we can find here?

NG: Even the established designers are not really known in the United States. Some of them, like Olga Piedrahita, has been in business very long and is very well established designer but for [the U.S.] market, we don’t know about them. This is an opportunity to meet them and to discover their talents, that we have already discovered in Colombia.

WWW: How did you discover the Latin American brands you like to wear?

NG: There are some that I still wear [from growing up] and some that I, with all my travels back and forth to Colombia, have worn for many years like, Olga Piedrahita, Mullierr, Flor Amazona. There are a lot that are a part of my wardrobe and life.

WWW: Why do you think now is a key time to introduce Latin American designers to the U.S., and specifically New York?

NG: The power of the digital age is that it’s opened up so many lines in fashion. Full figured women have a greater voice [in the fashion industry], the same goes for the expression of Latin Women or modest women. It's an opportunity for other voices to be heard. This is the perfect time to do this.

WWW: What specific qualities do you find are unique to Latin American designers?

NG: They work very well with artisans. And when you work with artisan you work with history that’s been passed down from generation to generation. There’s a deep sense of that in Latin America. There are also many communities that use a sustainable approach to producing.

via Who What Wear http://ift.tt/2wliIXf