It was December 2021 when Tanya Meléndez and Melissa Marra from The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York reached out with an exciting invitation: would I be interested in researching and writing about Latin American fashion in the late twentieth century for a book accompanying their upcoming exhibition, ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today?
I didn’t hesitate. This was the perfect opportunity to embark on a deeper exploration—one aimed at recognizing the presence, influence, and visibility of Latin American imagery and people within the global fashion industry throughout the twentieth century.
When I refer to the «global fashion industry» during this period, I mean the dominant fashion capitals that shaped the Western fashion narrative: Paris, New York, Milan, and London. In other words, the Euro-American fashion system.
As we move further into the 21st century, the last century offers critical lessons about the complex relationship between Euro-American fashion and Latin America.
Through this investigation, I began to trace how Latin America appeared in global fashion in several key ways:
- As a muse: a rich source of inspiration for designers who drew from its vibrant imagery and culture.
- As a backdrop: Latin American landscapes and people often featured in fashion photography, sometimes romanticized or exoticized.
- Through contributions: the undeniable impact of Latin American and Latinx talents working within these dominant fashion systems.
- And finally, in the press narratives: how the media emphasized the connections between these designers’ creative styles and their cultural roots.
This research ultimately crystallized into three major lines of inquiry, which informed the chapter I contributed to the exhibition’s book: Looking Back: Latin America on the Global Fashion Scene in the 20th Century.
Moda y Vestido 