Mexican fashion has evolved over the years to become an exciting blend of modern and traditional styles. The rich history and diverse culture that derive from the Latin country have contributed to the development of a unique fashion identity blending Indigenous roots with contemporary trends, helping to position Mexican brands among the rising stars of the global fashion industry.
Designers are based throughout the country, with studios located in Oaxaca, Mexico City and Tulum, making these areas the new go-to fashion hot spots, focusing on the rich cultural heritage of both Aztec and pre-Columbian style in their designs. Their Indigenous roots have a heavy influence, with designs that inject an interesting edge to fashion, particularly when mixed with elements of European imagery.
In recent years designers with Mexican heritage have gained international recognition, proving that tradition and modernity can coexist in the world of fashion. These include Mexican-American designer Willy Chavarria, who took home the trophy for American Menswear Designer of the Year at the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards shortly after being named Designer of the Year at the Latin American Fashion Awards.
Mexico has long been known as an apparel manufacturing powerhouse, particularly for supplying the U.S. market. In recent years the country’s textile and apparel industry has grown so rapidly that it is now the eighth-largest exporter of clothing in the world, and an ecosystem of free trade agreements, low production costs and a skilled labor force have more companies opting for garment production there.
But now, beyond being seen as mainly a low-cost producer, a new crop of designers of Mexican heritage is helping to cement the country as one of the coolest and most culturally relevant destinations in Latin America. Here, WWD spotlights some of Mexico’s up-and-coming and emerging brands.
BRAND: Graziano & Gutierrez
DESIGNERS: Alejandro Gutierrez and Samuel Graziano
AESTHETIC: Founded in 2018, Graziano & Gutierrez is a Mexican-American workwear and apparel brand working in collaboration with artisan textile makers in Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico.
Based in Portland, Ore., they repurpose hand-woven Mexican textiles commonly used for upholstery or tablecloths to give them a new, unique, and personal use. G&G also aims to create pieces that preserve and share the heritage of Mexico while also providing a platform for the artisans’ work.
The “form follows function” ethos informs the brand’s DNA, mixing patterns, colors and textures. The artisanal fabrics utilized derive from Teotitlan del Valle, a small village established outside Oaxaca in 1465, known for its hand-woven textiles which are woven on pedal looms with cotton sourced regionally and dyed mainly with natural dyes, but not exclusively.
Graziano & Gutierrez has upcoming collaborations due out in the spring with Small Talk from New York, Scenes from New York and Harago from India.
RETAILERS: Standard & Strange, with exclusive pieces only sold in its Santa Fe store, No Man Walks Alone in Brooklyn and Huckberry.
BRAND: Hermanos Kuomori
DESIGNERS: Alex Leon and Alex Sandler
AESTHETIC: Hermanos Koumori is an all-Mexican project born in 2018 in the heart of Mexico City. Conceived as an outlet for an array of personal interests, Hermanos Koumori blends contemporary design with interests such as Mexican modernist art, pre-Hispanic cultures, architecture, meditation and running. The brand’s lineup is characterized by clean lines and strong tailoring.
Hermanos Koumori prioritizes premium fabrics that showcase both opulence and durability, with pieces made from silk, wool, cotton or supple leather in a color palette that is a mix of rich, deep hues and understated neutrals.
Key notable collaborations include the likes of Adidas, New Era and Awake NY.
RETAILERS: Key retail partners in Mexico City include HQ – HK, Meta Running House and Columpio, as well as other global retailers such as Merci Distillery (France), Self Edge (New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles) and Urban Outfitters.
BRAND: Campillo
DESIGNER: Patricio Campillo
AESTHETIC: Campillo brings Mexican traditional elements into a contemporary context, offering a modern and versatile approach to the traditional Charro culture’s legacy.
The first patterns were made out of a Charro suit that Campillo’s grandfather gave to his father when he turned 18. The silhouettes utilize interlining and padding in the traditional way of Charro tailoring. Elongated legs are created through high-waisted pants with a certain flair when paired with wide-shouldered cropped jackets, forming a unique silhouette.
Silk, linen, denim, bovine leather, and wool are found in each collection in pants, coats, jackets, knits, shirts and blouses, all with recognizable nods to the initial silhouette. The widely used technique of oxidizing fabric creates an orange-brown raw color effect resembling natural elements of rust and earth. Most of the materials used are biodegradable and approach sustainability from the perspective of durability and minimizing the impact on the environment, such as the vegetable-based leather pigments.
The brand has been worn by celebrities such as Leon Bridges, Bad Bunny, Rauw Alejandro, Maluma, Nick Jonas, Orville Peck and Joe Keery.
RETAILERS: H. Lorenzo (Los Angeles), Assembly (New York City), Opener and E()PTY (Seoul), Kikunobu (Tokyo), IKAL (Mexico City) and Marchanta (Oaxaca).
BRAND: Diego Zuñiga
DESIGNER: Diego Zuñiga
AESTHETIC: Founded in 2010 by Mexican Diego Zuñiga, who hails from the city of Tijuana, the brand harnesses tailoring and streetwear as a base. Having first studied graphic design in Tijuana, the designer moved from the realm of fonts and typography to develop menswear.
Architecture, the evolution of technology and industrial design are topics that permeate through Zuñiga’s lineup.
As one of the only Mexican designers focusing solely on menswear, Zuñiga is in a prime position to carve a niche for his brand. His collections test the boundaries of sportswear with attention to structural detail, shifting from a foundation of strong shoulders to a uniform of casual shorts and extravagant shirting.
His designs have been seen on the likes of J Balvin, Manuel Turizo, Miguel Bosé, Sebastián Yatra, and Eladio Carrión and the brand counts collaborations with Mexico’s outposts of Levi’s, Nike and Disney.
RETAILERS: Casa Arca in San Miguel de Allende, México; The Room (Miami), with his own e-commerce platform with worldwide shipping available.
BRAND: Guillermo Jester
DESIGNER: Guillermo Jester
AESTHETIC: Founded in 2016, Guillermo Jester focuses on timeless pieces that people of all genders can wear. The brand represents the cultural interlace between Mexico and the world, blending contemporary design with traditional Indigenous textile techniques.
One of Jester’s main goals is to build a community that respects and supports his ideas about preserving Mexican culture and promoting local artisans.
Jester’s fusion between industrial textiles and fabrics made by Indigenous artisans informs the lineup, with techniques utilized such as pedal loom and waist loom weaving, natural dyed textiles and hand embroidery. His appreciation for geometric silhouettes of traditional garments in a contemporary world are key to the genderless views for function and shape.
RETAILERS: His designs can be purchased on his e-commerce site, and at Lago (Mexico City and Cabo) and Amor & Rosas (Mexico City).
BRAND: Mucha Carne
DESIGNER: Nathan Finkelstein
AESTHETIC: Founded in 2020 in Mexico City, Mucha Carne focuses on functional, comfortable designs — from all-weather jackets to versatile pants.
Although the brand caters to an outdoors-savvy clientele, Mucha Carne also makes clothing for “spiritual” flights piloted by substances like acid, LSD or mushrooms, with each item in the brand’s catalog given a name that references a person pertinent to psychedelics.
Their gorpcore-esque designs pay careful attention to technical details that are optimized for movement and every lifestyle, from mountain trails to the everyday city gent. Each item is made for the moody Mexico City climate, with a selection of rain-or-shine workwear jackets and breathable nylon trucker hats.
RETAILERS: The brand can be found at Cueva Shop, Mohawk General Store, Standard & Strange (Santa Fe) and Self Edge in Mexico.
