When it comes to a fashion aficionados’ calendar, consider the month of September booked and busy. New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is considered one of the fashion industry’s premiere events, launching biannually in February and September in New York City. It’s also one of the four major fashion weeks globally, followed by runway shows in Milan, Paris, and London.
Throughout the years, NYFW has adapted to cultural changes, inviting influencers and reality television stars to sit front-row, moving runway shows to the Spring Studios and locations throughout the city (instead of stationing tents in Bryant Park), and integrating technology through designer collaborations.
On July 25th, The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) released the preliminary Spring Summer 2024 NYFW schedule, which includes over 71 confirmed designers that will present their work from September 8-13, 2023. Among the confirmed designers, only 4 latine designers are listed to present at this year’s NYFW, making us wonder if NYFW has truly revolutionized in terms of representation. Dismal representation of Latino designers in NYFW has become all too commonplace, making the exclusive world of fashion appear all the more exclusionary and outdated, especially when the fashion industry vowed to change amid a global reckoning due to the pandemic and protests like Black Lives Matter (BLM).
Despite the abysmal number, we’re keeping our eyes on four Latine designers that are paving the way for masterful designs, concepts, and inclusivity in their work. Learn more about these iconic designers and get ready to refresh your Pinterest style board because these designers are on our sartorial radar.
1
Willy Chavarria
When it comes to reimagining the silhouette, designer Willy Chavarria pulls out all the stops. The Mexican-American designer leans into the darkness with moody and oversized garments that have become a hallmark of the designer’s eponymous label.
Born and raised in California to working-class parents, Chavarria embraces his culture and the community he grew up in, opting to design clothing that makes more than just a visual impact. Chavarria is also unapologetic about his stance on social issues such as immigration, gender binaries, and social class, with collections that not-so-coyly make a statement.
From his pointed political slogans on sweatshirts and bombers to emotional black and brown models on the runway or dressing Bad Bunny for the cover of TIME, Chavarria is on a mission to make fashion accessible and open to conversation.
Willy Chavarria’s collection will be presented on September 13, 2023.
2
Carolina Herrera
Venezuelan designer, Carolina Herrera, is a household name associated with timeless elegance across her ready-to-wear and bridal collections. Herrera’s designs have dressed high-profile women including Michelle Obama, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and even Bella Swan on her wedding day in the movie, Twilight.
Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Herrera was a fashion icon in New York throughout the 1980s, the same decade she launched her namesake label. In 2018, Herrera stepped down as the lead designer of her brand but remains the global brand ambassador.
Carolina Herrera’s collection will be presented on September 12, 2023.
3
Elena Velez
In an industry that largely convenes bi-coastally, Milwaukee-based designer Elena Velez is reclaiming what it means to penetrate the world of fashion. Velez, who describes her work as “anti-beautiful” and “unrefined,” repurposes industrial materials such as boat sails and metal works to create edgy and deconstructed garments.
Velez, who recently won the Emerging Designer of the Year award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and is of Puerto Rican heritage, remains vocal about the pitfalls and ramifications of the fashion economy and the unsustainable cost of fashion production.
Elena Velez’s collection will be presented on September 13, 2023.
4
Gypsy Sport
Following a 4-year hiatus from NYFW, Rio Uribe’s LA-based label, Gypsy Sport, returns to New York Fashion Week to present runway realness with his label’s gender-bending styles and designs inspired by Uribe’s Chicano roots.
Gypsy Sport’s Spring 2023 ready-to-wear collection embodies LA’s historic street style, featuring styles inspired by the Pachuco zoot suits and plaid flannels reconfigured in various styles from a wide billowing skirt to a matching poncho and flare skirt set. This year’s runway appearance will celebrate the designer’s 10-year anniversary of designing garments that celebrate youth culture, streetwear, and multidimensional Latinidad.
Gypsy Sport’s collection will be presented on September 11, 2023.