From Oct. 16-18, production company Art Hearts Fashion hosted LA Fashion Week, a series of high-end runways presenting the latest in fashion developments from worldwide brands. Many collections appeared at previous runways like Paris Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, making this event a culmination of some of the “greatest hits” to close out this year’s eclectic high fashion garments. However, the ultimate takeaway from the festivities was the prominence of Latina fashion designers who used their platform to highlight experiences relevant to their culture and, more broadly, womanhood. Here are the standout collections that combined textural ingenuity with heartfelt homages to Latin American communities and art.
Coral Castillo’s “Silent” Collection
Initially debuting at New York Fashion Week, Coral Castillo’s “Silent” collection explores the difficult legacy of colonialism, the determination to preserve culture and the act of honoring women who oppressive regimes have silenced. In an Instagram post, the Project Runway finalist and Mexico City native stated that this collection was “inspired by the Aztec papalotl, the butterfly that carried souls of warriors and women. … The butterfly becomes a witness: to beauty, to loss and to resistance.”
The pieces evoke a sense of fractured regality, with disjointed tassels descending from sturdy corset-shaped bodices, an image of extreme poise being disrupted by disarray. Multi-textured vibrant yellows and dark leafy greens suddenly transition into sterile white garments that wrap around the model like confining ropes, symbolizing the post-colonial removal of culture and loss of autonomy. There is even a bridal look in which the model is entirely covered by a thin body-length veil, separating her from the world or, perhaps, her old life. Almost her entire body is caged in by the look. She waves her veil as though to imitate newlywed joy, but her stoic expression says otherwise — she is trapped.
The stoicism soon gives way to floral pinks and overwhelming reds with plunging necklaces and frayed fabrics that manage to dangle like entrails (heart-shaped purse with bursting arteries included) and resurrect the regal shapes from the beginning. This reflects the intertwining of irreversible pain and the reclamation of Aztec heritage, a culture known for its reverence of women. Autumnal brown dresses enter the scene with cages around the necks, the decay of a confining era. The penultimate dazzling black dress shapes a unique silhouette reminiscent of stars in the sky, an eternal beacon of endurance that commemorates a hopeful future to come. The simple yet effective storytelling present in this collection, in addition to a carefully crafted tribute to women throughout history that endured colonialist subjugation, made it an easy standout of the night.
Amara’s “LA Mexicaine In Hollywood” Collection
Amara is a Mexican-American painter and fashion designer whose work aims to promote female empowerment, and her newest collection, “LA Mexicaine In Hollywood,” is no exception. Originally premiering at Paris Fashion Week, the runway was inspired by María Félix — a major Mexican starlet from the 1940s and 1950s who is considered an icon of Latin American cinema. The Old Hollywood feel permeated the entire collection, which was enveloped in romantic reds and blues and interspersed with photographs. There is a constant presence of luscious eyes that capture the piercing gaze of a Hollywood star, including a pleated leather trench coat adorned with velvety ribbons and an endless circular sea of eyes, reminiscent of a Biblically-accurate angel. The pieces are framed by golden tassels, leather silhouettes and Spanish words (including “bonita,” another tribute to Félix, known to her fans as “María Bonita”), radiating an assertive and secure aura — a proud declaration of divine femininity and a heartfelt tribute to the richness of Mexican cinema.
Layered beaded necklaces accentuate the dignified energy inherent to being a classic Hollywood superstar. A more drastic motif is the constant presence of blood, whether it be through the vibrant red gloves paired with the stained trench coat, streaks of crimson that capture a “bled-through” effect on the clothes or dark drops dripping down a perfect white sleeve. While it is easy to assume this detail references period blood and the use of the menstrual cycle as a symbol of strength, it also evokes the phrase “blood, sweat and tears” — a very fitting tribute for a woman whose personal sacrifices and dedication to her field paved the way for Latina women in the film industry.
This celebration of femininity does not end with the clothes themselves: Instead of having the models walk in a single-file line at the conclusion of the show, Amara gathered them in one group and walked alongside them. This was a deliberate choice to showcase the models as a collective group of human beings rather than isolated, empty bodies to put clothes on. In an Instagram post, Amara stated, “A beautiful homage to my Mexican heritage, this collection is a celebration of strength, elegance, and the timeless spirit of Maria and her Mexican soul. Forever proud of my roots and the path we are carving together. GRACIAS!”
Maribel JD’s “Colorful Chapter” Collection
Mirabel Julcahuana is a Peruvian fashion designer based in LA who excels at using her garments to tell a story. In her “Colorful Chapter” collection, inspired by the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss, she explores everyone’s inner child, the eternal nature of childhood that remains within us in every stage of life we enter. Julcahuana co-created this runway with her elementary-school-aged daughter to capture a child’s unique perspective, and many of the items are designed for children to wear.
Featuring models of all ages in innocent springtime pastels, with a special emphasis on soft buttery yellows and rosy pinks, Julcahuana takes the audience back to a simpler era of playtime and bedtime stories. Dr. Seuss is also heavily featured, most notably the phrase “Your mountain is waiting!” from “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” symbolizing the hidden potential that is present in everyone. Many of these children are wearing bedazzled heels or glittery insignias (as though they were playing dress-up in the early 2000s) and sport bubble braids, spiky pigtails and space buns. Childhood objects like flowers, books and pom poms rest atop their heads, melting with quilted patterns and mismatched textures that evoke the spontaneity of youth. The shapes of the clothes are just as imaginative, with whimsically oversized pants dominating the middle third of the runway.
In an Instagram post, Julcahuana stated that she aimed to promote “celebration of creativity, color and childhood dreams brought to life.” In doing so, she reminds us that while we may age and become jaded, there remains an optimistic child within each of us that is wide-eyed and ready to tackle the world. Even as this world becomes increasingly terrifying, it is crucial to look for signs of hope, or perhaps create those signs ourselves, and to actively engage in art to instill a better future — for ourselves, for our children, for all of us.
Daily Arts Writer Isabella Casagranda can be reached at ijcasa@umich.edu.
