Latin Culture Meets the Runway

By: Laura Onyeneho

Mexican fashion designer, Carla Fernández, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, showcased her signature designs for Boston Fashion Week, held at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Taken by Laura Onyeneho

The first-ever fashion show exhibition at the Garden Museum revealed Fernandez’s newest Spring/Summer 2015 collection, The Barefoot Designer: A Passion for Radical Design and Community.

Several dozen supporters, friends and fashionistas enjoyed the peaceful, intimate ambience and smooth sounds of Latin music. The audience experienced a taste of rich indigenous Mexican couture with hints of neutral undertones and exquisite print designs.

Taken by Laura Ohyeneho

Fernández gained national attention through her ability to preserve her nation’s textile heritage and convert it into modish clothing. The inspiration behind these intricate geometrical pieces stems from a method she calls “the square root,” based on the tradition of creating clothing from rectangles and squares.

Her belief in the “collaborative process” motivated her to collaborate with indigenous communities throughout Mexico. Her collection highlights the techniques of Mexican states such as Mexico City, Yucatan, and Campeche.

“The best designers in Mexico are the men and women in the communities,” said Fernández. “It took six months to create this collection, and I am happy to have worked with the artisans to structure the designs.”

Fernández has been an artist-in-residence with the Gardener, and says it has been an “honor” to be surrounded with supporters who share the love of her culture.

She says Hispanic Heritage Month gives her the opportunity to show the people the unique styles and techniques of her culture, with pieces that are unconventional and therefore interesting.

Taken by Laura Ohyeneho

Taken by Laura Ohyeneho