¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today

Curating an exhibition

Co-curating an exhibition requires a melding of perspectives into one coherent vision. Lucky for the both of us, we have had twenty years experience working and collaborating together in various capacities, beginning as students in graduate school though to our current positions at The Museum at FIT (MFIT). One could argue that this exhibition was twenty years in the making. Tanya came to study at FIT from Mexico City as a Fulbright scholar to learn about fashion curation. She was already interested in Mexican fashion and its connections to larger culture. Melissa’s interest in fashion history and curation was  always anchored in bringing designers’ ideas to an audience in creative ways, and showcasing both the connecting and divergent interpretations of  our material culture.

From left to right: Designs by Esteban Cortázar, April Walker, Isaías Salgado and Carla Fernández x adidas, and Gypsy Sport, featured in the “Popular Culture ” section of the exhibition ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today.

We often get asked the question, “How did this exhibition come about?” to which we refer to a lightbulb moment that occurred while in an Uber during a research trip in  Mexico City. We had visited a number of designers, and were excited by the rich fashion culture we were experiencing. It was at that moment that Tanya suggested that we should organize an exhibition on contemporary Latin American fashion.

However, as with many exhibitions, several significant factors t led up to that one genesis moment. For example, MFIT deputy director Patricia Mears encouraged Tanya to curate an exhibition on Latin American fashion early on. Our director Valerie Steele’s interest in diversifying our museum collections also played a significant role. And, as time went on, the state of fashion studies had more consistently broadened the focus beyond Euro-American narratives.

As we began research for what would become ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today, it became clear to us that a an accompanying book was greatly needed.  Existing books were either highly academic and specific to a particular time or region, monographs on specific designers, or coffee table books that prioritized beautiful images over text. Alternatively, our intention was to provide an overview of current designers working in the region. Exhibitions are ephemeral and limited to the gallery space; books, on the other hand, easily travel and  can be a lasting document of the research done for an exhibition. In our book, we proposed a polycentric approach to understanding the region’s fashion design. It included essays by authors who wrote from within the region and who thus provided a self-reflecting perspective.  It brought together curators and scholars from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and the United States, whose academic backgrounds were as diverse as their approaches to the study of fashion.

Installation view of the “Art” section of ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today, featuring designs by Jorge Duque, Rick Owens, Francisco Costa, Rodarte, Maria Cornejo, and Isabel Toledo.

In both the book and exhibition, we noted that fashion media from the United States has frequently examined Latin America through an exoticized lens often featuring fashions that are tropical and colorful. Media also tends to present the region as a homogenous entity, ignoring its vastness and diversity. In this project, we set out to reject the notion of a singular Latin American style. We highlighted instead the diversity of talent from the region that continues to shape contemporary fashion.

Despite the strong presence of Latin American and Latinx designers in the fashion industry, no book or exhibition had comprehensively addressed the contributions of this group to global fashion today. Historically, designers such as Adolfo Sardeña, who won a Coty Award in 1955 and dressed multiple U.S. first ladies, and Oscar de la Renta, who was twice president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), contributed to the development of modern global fashion. Today, the industry counts prominent figures such as  Colombian magazine editor Nina García, Latinx stylist Melany Sánchez and Peruvian photographer Mario Testino who are key players shaping the culture of fashion.

Latin America, with its complex history of colonialism, globalism, imperialism, industrialization and local modes of modernity, has historically been dismissed by dominant Eurocentric fashion voices as underdeveloped. It was important to us that our exhibition and book offer an alternative narrative. We acknowledged that we were presenting this project under the umbrella of MFIT—a museum located in the heart of New York City, which is a globally recognized fashion center. As such, we made sure that ¡Moda Hoy! incorporated as many perspectives as possible, ranging from academics and fashion experts to the Latinx community in New York City.

Female strength expressed through a bodysuit and bolero by Colombian designer Suki Cohen and a white dress with metal corset by Elena Velez.

One important decision we made early on was to include designers of Latin American heritage living and working in the United States who are often referred to variously in the existing literature as one or more of the following: Hispanic, Latino/a or Latinx (at times interchangeably). In recent years ,there has been much debate over which term should be the dominant one. It was important to us that the exhibition and book reflect the thoughts and opinions of the FIT community regarding this term. So, in preparation for this project The Museum at FIT hosted intern Frida Loyola who organized a study to understand how FIT staff, faculty and students of Latin American descent use self-identification terms, and how they wished to be represented in an exhibition. Data showed that the highest percentage of survey respondents expressed that all terms listed (Hispanic, Latino/a, Spanish and Latinx) were appropriate. Based in part on the results of the study at FIT and given the prominent literature, which emphasizes that Latinx embraces racial and gender diversity, we decided that Latinx would be used in the title of the exhibition and its companion publication as it acknowledges that Latin American heritage is far from monolithic.

The study also included a series of focus groups that helped shape the curatorial direction of the exhibition. They helped us identify what participants might expect to see in an exhibition about Latin American fashion. We presented attendees with images of objects we were considering including in  the exhibition, and inquired what they would like to know about these pieces. In addition, we asked participants how they wanted to see their culture reflected. Fresh ideas and topics emerged from these discussions, and we carefully them considered for the exhibition. For example, several participants talked about the prominence of sports and dance in Latin American cultures. Vivid discussions among participants paved the road for several sports and dance-related acquisitions. We found these themes highlighted in the works of Colombian designer Esteban Cortázar, Mexican designer Carla Fernández, and Rio Uribe and April Walker from the United States.

Exhibitions at MFIT are typically organized by curators in the costume department; however, we are part of the education department. Therefore, a visitor-centered approach to curation was extremely important to us and our vision for this exhibition. In addition to focus groups and a survey, we organized MFIT’s first ever pre-exhibition symposium a few months before the show opened. Usually the main purpose of our symposia is to share research. However, this was also our opportunity to interact with the greater public to gather audience feedback and expectations. We invited the fashion designers Willy Chavarria, Brenda Equihua, Oskar Metsavaht and Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, to talk about their work and its connections to popular culture, art, sustainability and cultural identity. The symposium concluded with a Q&A with the audience where thoughts, comments and impressions were shared. Many audience members underlined the presence of people of LatinAmerican heritage in other areas of fashion such as garment production and retail. They also discussed how global brands create product drops for the Latinx and Latin American market. The Carla Fernández x adidas soccer jersey is an example that was included in the exhibition.

A dress by Kika Vargas alongside Equihua’s Devotion coat from Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today.

The input of the Latinx and Latin American communities was also incorporated through an exhibition advisory committee made up of magazine editors, academics and representatives from fashion organizations such as the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Not only were these initiatives motivated by our interest in the visitor experience, but also because ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Today took a decentering approach to fashion studies, with the aim of shifting perspectives away from a single cultural viewpoint.

This exhibition was presented in the museum’s Fashion and Textile History Gallery, which has the mandate that all objects on view have to be a part of the museum’s permanent collection. This was an important starting point in our object selection process because in addition to exciting designs we also needed to identify works that fit MFIT’s mission and collecting practices. When considering acquisitions, one of our goals was to address gaps in the collection. Because the region is so vast and prolific, we set parameters on how to make a selection by including designers with regional prominence, extensive regional press coverage and whose brands were active at the time of the exhibition.

The resulting exhibition featured more than 65 objects including clothing, handbags, accessories and shoes, along with videos and works on paper.  One of the ways we were able to showcase the varied perspectives of the featured designers was to organize the exhibition thematically, as opposed to geographically.  From these discussions, We identified eight themes through which to examine the work of  Latin American and Latinx designers working today. These included Indigenous heritage, sustainability, art, gender, politics, elegance, craftsmanship, and popular culture. By organizing the exhibition in this way, we were able to challenge generalized notions about Latin American fashion while highlighting the diversity of talent that shapes contemporary fashion, moving away from the notion of a singular Latin American style. The exhibition focused mainly on 21st century fashion, apart from an introductory platform that looked at designers who rose to prominence in the second half of the 20th century and paved the way for the new talent featured in the rest of the exhibition.

This thematic organization also allowed us to illuminate how intertwined and porous all the themes actually were. For example, the section on sustainability was deeply tied to ideas of craftsmanship, Indigenous heritage and politics. Just as the section on gender was closely aligned with the themes of politics, popular culture and elegance. This made the exhibition more dynamic and helped highlight the nuances that link their work together.

Section on “Politics” featuring, from left to right, Gabriela Hearst’s Ram Ovaries sweater, Yliana Yepez’s Mini Giovanna bag in the colors of the Venezuelan flag and “No Human is Illegal” sweatshirt by Willy Chavarria x K-Swiss.

On June 6 2023, we hosted the opening reception for ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today, one week after it opened to the public. Much to our delight, many of the designers featured in the exhibition attended the reception, with some coming from as far as Peru and Bolivia. The presence of so many designers connecting through an exhibition that celebrated their work fomenteda real sense of camaraderie among the creators, a few of whom had met for the first time.  Seeing Juan Carlos Pereira and Andrés Jordán of Juan de la Paz connect with Chiara Machiavello of Escvdo and Guillermo Vargas of ⅛ Takamura was inspiring, as they all prioritize sustainability in their work. Designers Yliana Yepez and Ricardo Seco started their careers in Venezuela and Mexico respectively. They met in New York and formed a budding friendship that was on display that evening. Jorge Duque, a celebrated designer in Colombia, was visibly moved by the exhibition. Elsewhere during the party, renowned New York figures such as Narciso Rodríguez, Maria Cornejo, Ruben Toledo and Edmundo Castillo had the opportunity to reconnect. Even the Latin American editors Nina García of Elle and Karla Martínez de Salas of Vogue Latin America celebrated together. When we started this project, we saw it as an opportunity to call attention to the strength and scope of Latin American fashion. The opening party mirrored the sentiment of the show: Latin America is a fashion powerhouse.

Melissa Marra-Alvarezis the Curator of Education and Research at the Musuem at FIT. In addition to ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today  she has curated several exhibitions at MFIT including Food & Fashion (2023), Minimalism/ Maximalism (2019) and Force of Nature (2017). She has co-authored and contributed to several publications including  Food & Fashion, Dance & Fashion, Fashion A-Z: Masterpieces of the Collection of the Museum at FIT, and Fashion Underground: The World of Suzanne Bartsch.

Tanya Melendez-Escalante is Senior Curator of Education and Public Programs at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is co-editor of the book Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today – ¡Moda Hoy!, which accompanied this exhibit that she co-curated, and contributing author to Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color (2018) and Food & Fashion (2023) among others. She has curated or co-curated exhibitions Eterno Femenino (2017) and Julia y Renata: Moda y Transformación (2020), among others.