Having grown up in predominantly white cities, it took me more years than I’d like to admit to fully embrace being Mexican. Once I finally did, I pushed myself to seek out and support Hispanic and Latinx designers both near and far—a practice that always brings me huge amounts of joy.
Upon discovering talents like Willy Chavarria and Luar’s Raul Lopez, I gained a sense of pride that I still feel many years later. Watching these designers and so many more disrupt societal expectations and create forward-thinking, contemporary garments that honor heritage and tradition is a real thrill.
As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to share and celebrate some of my favorite Hispanic and Latinx designers, from up-and-coming names like Campillo and Ghetto Rodeo to established forces in the fashion world like Ana Khouri and Manolo Blahnik. The diversity of their influences, techniques, and aesthetics is a beautiful reflection of Latin culture’s vibrant range.
Alejandra Alonso Rojas
Alejandra Alonso Rojas, a Parsons and Central Saint Martins graduate who was born in Madrid and raised in New York City, is known for her luxurious silks and handmade knitwear in a cheerful, sophisticated color palette. Her crocheted bathing suits and cocktail dresses are the foundation of a dream resort wardrobe.
Álvaro Mars
Álvaro Martínez is a recent grad of Central Saint Martins and has studied under the designer Palomo Spain. His clothes are a contemporary take on traditional Spanish designs with a focus on exaggerated silhouettes.
Amor Prohibido
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bryan Escareño started his brand Amor Prohibido with the mission of telling the stories of his culture and community through his work. Escareño continues to create elevated staples con amor.
Ana Khouri
Brazil-born designer Ana Khouri makes jewelry that feels like an extension of the body. Khouri’s practice stems from her degree in sculpture at the Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado in São Paulo, and all pieces are made exclusively with 18-karat fair-mined, fair-trade gold or platinum and ethically and responsibly sourced gemstones.
Barragán
Mexican designer Victor Barragán never had any formal training in fashion design. His label began as a small-scale, experimental t-shirt company in 2010, but has since evolved into a visionary ready-to-wear line that combines his architectural background with a signature ’90s punk aesthetic.
By. Briannee
Alyssa Briannee started her L.A. label in 2023 with the intention of making her customers feel empowered and glamorous. Since the brand’s first drop of chunky gold pieces, Briannee has evolved her collections and introduced elevated, acrylic bracelets and earrings.
Calomel
Founded in 2018 by Melisa Faussone and Mathieu Lentini, Calomel offers high-quality basics ranging from tees to bloomers. All garments are locally produced, ethically made, and sourced in Argentina.
Campillo
Recognized as this year’s LVMH Prize semi-finalist, Patricio Campillo has had a year of many accolades, including his debut at New York Fashion Week. This Mexico City-based label draws heavy inspiration from ranchero culture with sharp tailoring and refined craftsmanship.
Collarcito de Moda
Handmade in Mexico, Collarcito de Moda sources a range of local beads to make colorful, one-of-a-kind necklaces.
Courtesy of Collarcito de Moda
Courtesy of Collarcito de Moda
Cruda
Pamela Hernández, an artist born and raised in Costa Rica and now based in Mexico, designs innovative shoes using historical artisanal practices. Each shoe in her line, Cruda, is handmade from upcycled leather and wood.
Daniela Villegas
Raised in Mexico City and now based in Los Angeles, Daniela Villegas makes jewelry with classical shapes and tactile elements like feathers, wood, and porcupine quills. All of her pieces are handcrafted and one of a kind.
De Maria
Lifelong friends Mercedes de Maria Genoveva and Daniela Novelo’s accessories brand, De Maria, is beloved for its unique pieces that honor the founders’ Latinx heritage. All of their designs, from leopard bags to traditional guayabera shirts, are made in artisan workshops in Mexico.
Dezso
Mexican-born and Texas-raised Sara Beltrán’s fine jewelry line, Dezso, is an ode to her love of the sea. Beltrán’s eclectic designs—which include seashells, starfish, and lobsters—are a refreshing and fun take on fine jewelry.
Elena Velez
Elena Velez, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, credits her single mom and her upbringing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as essential reference points for her creativity. Her brand’s shows are highly anticipated during NYFW, thanks to her fearlessness and tendency to challenge the boundaries of what being a modern designer means.
Fonseca
Each piece in the New York-based, Mexico-born designer Adriana Fonseca’s slow-fashion brand, Fonseca, is made to order, which allows for more options in terms of size inclusivity and flattering silhouettes for all body types.
Gabriela Hearst
Uruguayan designer Gabriela Hearst’s luxury ready-to-wear and accessories line is a modern classic. Each garment—from patterned knit ponchos to minimalist boots and bags—is made with care, purpose, and extraordinary attention to detail. In 2020, she won the CFDA’s American Womenswear Designer of the Year Award.
Genes
Peruvian cousins, Carolina Anaya and Juan Miguel Rosell, created Genes with a mission to make sure their brand was centered on sustainability. All knitwear garments are made of 100 percent organic cotton in Lima by local artisans.
Ghetto Rodeo
Brian Saucedo’s L.A.-based brand Ghetto Rodeo is all about uplifting the Latin community. Saucedo uses West Coast Chicano street style as a source of inspiration, seeking to elevate it, often with a religious twist. Most recently, Kendrick Lamar wore the brand in his “Not Like Us” music video.
Gimaguas
If there’s any label that encapsulates the feeling of an endless summer, it’s Gimaguas. Founded by the Spanish twin sisters Sayana and Claudia Durany, the collection emits a nostalgic warmth and an always-on-vacation vibe, even during the off-season.
Krystal Paniagua
Krystal Paniagua built her eponymous knitwear line around fluid, adaptable pieces that work on a wide range of body types. Her goal is to create a dynamic conversation between designer and wearer that’s constantly evolving.
La Manso
Designer Adriana Manso’s playful jewelry brand was initially inspired by her grandmother’s collection of acrylic accessories. La Manso’s colorful pieces, from now-iconic rings to whimsical, kinetic earrings, feel both retro and contemporary all at once.
Larroudé
Marina Larroudé launched her shoe and accessories brand Larroudé with her husband in February 2021, and it has quickly become a fashion industry favorite. Her patterned clogs, patent leather Mary Janes, and floral cowboy boots are all made in a single factory in Brazil, her home country.
Leblanc Studios
Recognized by the Latin American Fashion Awards as “the most outstanding young talent from the Dominican Republic,” Leblanc Studios is one to keep on your radar. Founded by Angelo Beato and Yamil Arbaje, Leblanc Studios is a Caribbean brand from Santo Domingo that focuses on unifying the youth of its country through gender-neutral clothing.
Courtesy of Leblanc Studios
Courtesy of Leblanc Studios
Luar
Brooklyn-based designer Raul Lopez began to design at the age of 12, inspired by the fluidity of the downtown New York scene. Lopez is known for creating cutting-edge, avant-garde collections that lean in favor of the dramatic.
Manolo Blahnik
There are shoes, and then there are Manolos. Spanish designer Manolo Blahnik’s designs are so iconic, elegant, and impeccably crafted that most fashion obsessives are on a first-name basis with his brand.
Marce777a
Pronounced “Marcella,” Marce777a refers to the “angel number” 777, which symbolizes self-discovery and personal growth. Founder Marcella Alvarado creates feminine silhouettes that celebrate the body and inspire confidence.
Moro Joyas
Hailing from Chile, Josefina Moro established her brand in 2019. Moro Joyas creates idiosyncratic sterling silver jewelry, all handcrafted in Mexico City.
Paloma Maria
Rising brand Paloma Maria is a contemporary luxury womenswear line inspired by founder Paloma Martinez’s blend of Mexican and Croatian heritage.
Paloma Wool
Designed in Barcelona by Paloma Lanna, Paloma Wool (a play on the translation of her name) is a brand inspired by the muted, organic colors of Catalonia. Lanna also uses her platform as a space to collaborate with artists old and new.
Paula Canovas del Vas
Paula Canovas del Vas founded her label in 2018, and she’s known for playing with the juxtaposition between the beautiful and the grotesque. Her standout designs include short dresses that explode with vibrant patterns, shoes with reverse peaked toes, and statement bags with whimsical shapes and textures.
Persona the Shop
Jasmine Julie Maldonado, founder of Persona the Shop, is a first-generation Mexican-American who, in 2020, followed her mother’s lead in opening her own business. In addition to designing her own pieces, Maldonado also spearheads Midcity Mercado, an L.A.-based pop-up which aims to uplift and unify the POC community through events, markets, and more.
Quispe
Sustainability has always been an important value for Peruvian designer Ricardo Quispe—and his namesake label embodies that credo. Quispe features a variety of clothing and accessories for men and women in subdued colorways, all inspired by his ancestry.
Roberto Sanchez
Roberto Sanchez is one to put on your radar. Not only does Sanchez have his own label of unique one-off pieces, but he is also one of the co-founders of Hi-BYE, one of Mexico City’s best boutiques.
Sabrina Olivera
Born and raised in Mexico City, Sabrina Olivera has always been fascinated by the stories we tell with clothing, fabrics, and textures. Olivera’s collections explore eroticism, sexuality, and repression.
Sánchez-Kane
To say that designer Bárbara Sánchez-Kane solely designs clothing would be an understatement—she creates works of art. Born in Mérida, Mexico, Sánchez-Kane’s experimental collections keep the world of menswear on its toes.
Santos
Mónica Santos Gil left her corporate fashion job in July 2020 to build her brand, Santos by Mónica. Since then, her sustainably made, Crayola-hued ready-to-wear and cheerful accessories have become a downtown-crowd favorite.
Sauer
Stephanie Schultz-Wenk is the creative director of Sauer, one of Brazil’s most prominent and distinguished jewelers—and a three-time recipient of the De Beers Diamond International Award.
Uniforme by Garmette
Elliette Saavedra launched her brand, Garmette, in 2019, and hasn’t looked back since. The Mexican-Peruvian designer creates pieces with a sporty touch that are inspired by her culture and driven by a mission to empower women in their everyday lives. Her most recent drop features “Uniforme” wardrobe essentials.
Virginia Jirash
Designer Virginia Jirash found her niche in silversmithing jewelry. Each piece created for Jirash’s namesake label is an ode to her Mexican heritage, including special pieces like her jacaranda flower earrings—a flower Jirash grew up watching bloom every spring in Mexico as a kid.
Willy Chavarria
Known for his oversize silhouettes, Willy Chavarria has undoubtedly paved the way for Latinx designers all over the world, by providing fresh perspectives on both menswear and womenswear. Chavarria’s designs are inspired by his Chicano heritage and working-class roots.
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