Stitch Lab is turning five! The Latin American incubator, which has been at the forefront of the “shop small movement” and has served as a showcase for many independent Latin American designers, is celebrating its anniversary in style by hosting its unique pop-up at Paradise Plaza in the Miami Design District.
The event, which started as a one-day pop-up in 2018 with only 20 designers, will showcase 38 new designers in 2022, hailing from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Mexico. It kicked off with an exclusive, private fashion runway show on Thursday, April 7th, and the consumer-facing pop-up will take place from April 8th to April 10th.
“Stitch Lab has become a key player in the Latin American fashion movement.” CEO and Founder Karina Rosendo told Remezcla. “Five to six years ago LATAM fashion was unheard of in the U.S. The U.S. market was and still is very loyal to European brands – and while that’s totally fine – with Stitch Lab, we want to introduce new talent that is at the same caliber if not more unique because of the sustainable, handcrafted work from the artisan communities found across the Latin American diaspora.”
And the results have been remarkable. “In the last 5 years, we’ve introduced more than 150 brands, and have given them opportunities to connect and sell at boutiques and large retailers such as Macy’s,” Rosendo also shared.
The pop-up will also unveil the international launch of Sea Salt, the eco-friendly swimwear brand co-founded by Colombian model and TV host, Laura Tobón, Mercedes Salazar, Catalina Zuluaga, Pily Queipo, and Alvaro Rodriguez. Other designer highlights include Eugenia Fernandez, Valentina Karnoubi, Florencia Davalos, Alejandra Raw, Liza Echeverry, Mia de Dios, and newcomers like Olette, Venandi, Nue, Relicario, Nudo Rosa, and many more.