From September 15th through October 15th, we join the Hispanic and Latinx community in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! This month, we take the time to honor and celebrate the achievements of Hispanic Americans on the sartorial history of the United States, as well as the hottest Hispanic American fashion designers to watch. If you’re looking for inspiration and to learn a little more this month, look no further! Let’s break down the aesthetics and trademarks of just a few fantastic fashion designers.
Carolina Herrera
Ladylike, joyful, and undeniably vibrant, Carolina Herrera’s designs have been a favorite of many style icons, including Jackie Kennedy and Taylor Swift. First arriving onto the scene in the ’80s, she created a name for herself with her vibrant florals, face-framing sleeves, and sexy, feminine silhouettes.
Gabriela Hearst
Born in Uruguay, Gabriela Hearst’s designs are inspired by the life and luxury of her family’s 17,000-acre ranch, Santa Isabel. With this as her inspiration, her clothes prioritize slow production with high-quality fabrics and finishes to ensure that garments are made to last. Most recently, she made headlines with garments produced with craftspeople from the Navajo Nation, celebrating the clothing traditions of Native Americans.
Oscar de la Renta
When you think of frothy, dreamy haute couture, Oscar de la Renta is one of the first designers to come to mind. Dubbed “The Sultan of Suave,” he trained under Cristobal Balenciaga before emigrating to the United States in 1963. During the ’60s, he gained international fame by dressing (you guessed it!) Jackie Kennedy. He often incorporated folkloric elements with European-quality dressmaking and tailoring. With the ascension of co-creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, the Oscar de la Renta brand now targets a younger audience with Y2K-inspired garb.
Willy Chavarria
Born in Fresno, California and of Mexican-American descent, Willy Chavarria’s designs incorporate Chicano aesthetics with a “cinematic approach to design and production.” By responding to the politics and culture of the world around him, Chavarria has found an ardent group of supporters, including Kanye West and Lady Gaga.
Johanna Ortiz
Describing her aesthetic as “barefoot glamour,” Johanna Ortiz uses traditional Andean elements to infuse her clothing with a sense of community and longevity. By basing her atelier in her native Colombia, she is able to hire, shop, and grow her brand locally, in addition to producing the clothes sustainably.
