Latin American fashion

[AndromniA]

I love fashion, but it frustrates me the fact that in my country (Colombia) fashion industry is very underdeveloped compared with other countries with similar economy markets. So, which do you think are the weaknesses and strengths about latinoamerican fashion, and wich do you think is the priority reason why most of it doesn`t reach the level required in an european catwalk.

 

[educo]

Umm, money? My mother is from Cali and there isn't enough support financially. the governments are corrupt, so there really isn't a way to grow an industry like this past the manufacturing level, unfortunately.

 

[lucy92]

well, i think brazil is one the up and up fashion wise....

for example polecci is starting to get sold here, has gisele bunchen as a spokesmodel and has started appearing in fashion magazines here.

and also a lot of european brands cant afford to sell in the united states because the exchange rate is so bad for american consumers.

 

[wheneveriwakeup]

What???

The Latin American fashion Industry is brimming with talented, fresh individuals at the moment. In the yrs. to come, vast amounts of attention will inevitably be paid to the truly innovative South American designers.

Txell Miras, though from Spain, is a prime example of this. She consistently showed season after season and finally, after yrs. of very little exposure, she is finally getting the attention she rightfully deserves. It's all about perseverance, talent, faith, and an ounce of luck, I think. You've got to crawl before you walk!

Centromodaonline.com is a great source...

 

[MulletProof]

^hmm.. as much as I love Txell, I don't think she, Spastor, David Delfín or any of the current wave of avant-garde designers in Spain can feel slightly representative for Latin American people. It's [far] heritage with its obvious cultural similarities but they probably can relate to Latin American people in the same way Alexander McQueen is for an american fashion enthusiast.. close but not close enough to home.. their education and opportunities are entirely different than those overseas.

I'm really too tired to think this deeper than I can at the moment but I definitely think that a country needs to be established enough and be able cover the basic human needs of its population in order to set all these slightly exclusive arts like fashion or architecture, etc somewhere in their priority list. I know it takes an eternity to get rid of debt and corruption but a government that can't even feed or give basic educacion to all its people shouldn't be financing something that's become a luxury next to such contrasts and could easily be dumped into the moral obligations of private initiative. just like the Brazilians have taught us . it's always good to develope arts in any country but you really need to know where to start cutting from.. and I think you do start from the top and not the bottom in places like Latin America.. unfortunately, as the meaning of private and public seem to blend into one in certain countries (like Colombia or Mexico), it becomes more than a struggle to get corporations to truly invest in small projects.. and then, even when they do, it doesn't always get through as good ideas don't survive all by themselves and not only you need an army behind it but you also need the education and preparation that can challenge those you look up to. and that becomes another circle I'm not ready for tonight. but the [lack of] support of professional education is something to think of for hours when it comes to Latin America.


I do like what Julia and Renata are doing at the moment, though.

 

[mvirginiarq]

fashion in L America

I love fashion, but it frustrates me the fact that in my country (Colombia) fashion industry is very underdeveloped compared with other countries with similar economy markets. So, which do you think are the weaknesses and strengths about latinoamerican fashion, and wich do you think is the priority reason why most of it doesn`t reach the level required in an european catwalk.

I agree Andromnia.. there are a lot of talents in LAtin America, but unfortunatley, for many factors they do not have the possibility to be as well known as they deserve.. IMO the principal obstacles are economical and financial reasons