Last night I caught the premier of The Fashion Show Ultimate Collection with Somali beauty Iman and designer Isaac Mizrahi. Any show that has to do with the industry I usually watch it. What I noticed was the number of Latin designers that made the cut for the show. I think this is the first time in a design show that I have see that many Latino designers in one show. The designers on this show were male and female young and old. I really felt proud to not only watch these talented people but to see their work of art play out on the cat walk. This was only the first episode but it had me entranced.
After watching the show I couldn’t help but wonder how far have Latinos come in this ugly business of beautiful people? I don’t recall seeing any Latinos designing clothes 20 years ago with the exception of Oscar De La Renta and Carolina Herrera. Now there is this insurgence of Latino talent out there. When we think of designers we often think of Europe as the driving force in fashion particularly France, England and Italy but now Latin America has thrown their hat in and said “me too”. Now you have Narciso Rodriguez, Rodarte, Eduardo Lucero, Isabel Toledo, Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein, Carlos Miele, Gustavo Cadile, Esteban Cortazar and even Manolo Blahnik (half Spanish). Even First Lady Michelle Obama wore Latino designed dresses for the Presidential inauguration.
I have had the good fortune to know and work with many great Latino designers here in L.A. That’s what fashion is all about the diversity that one can bring to it especially here in Los Angeles. Latinos can bring influences from their culture, history and surroundings. Latinos are on the rise in this industry. I want to see more and more Latino designers, stylist, models and writers (myself included) out there. So if you have what it takes for design or have an eye for fashion go out there and make a mark in this industry.
Click on the links below to find out more about my favorite Latin designers.
http://www.rodarte.net/
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