Mexico City's Fashion Scene Deserves a Closer Look

December 3, 2016

Author: Irene Oster

New York, London, Milan, Paris...Mexico City? The heart of the Americas is known as a cultural hub for its unparalleled gastronomy, contemporary art scene, and architecture and design (the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design named it as the World Design Capital in 2018). And now, Mexico City is making a play as a fashion capitol, too.

"Now is the moment for Mexico and for Mexico City," said Ricardo Covalin, who, with Cristina Pineda in 1996 founded Pineda Covalin, sometimes referred to as the Hermes of Mexico.

Covalin, who was speaking to a group of journalists from his chicly outfitted store at the Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel, said that while his label was an instant success with tourists, local Mexicans were reluctant to embrace the signature prints—inspired by traditional textiles—as luxury. "Twenty years ago, there was no Mexican fashion or at least whatever it was was not really considered high fashion," said Covalin. "Back then the people in Mexico would prefer to buy European brands. If you told them we're going to be a luxury brand that has Aztec prints, they would not think it was possible." Covalin and Pineda have made it their mission to elevate Mexico's rich textile tradition to the same level as France's or Italy's. Twenty years later, their effort has paid off. "The biggest change in the fashion industry here is that Mexicans start looking at Mexico in a different way," he said. "I think what's really changed is that consumers and designers are really proud of Mexico, which was not necessarily the case when we started."

Today, strolling around the well-manicured boulevards, and lush parks, it's impossible not to be taken in by the city's beauty—both past and present. Everywhere you look there is history—the massive baroque Cathedral in the Centro, or an Art Deco townhouse in the Condesa—interspersed with modern day life. It's a juxtaposition not lost on Mexican designers.

"We Mexicans are very creative," said Alejandro Carlin, whose latest collection for his namesake line paid tribute to the seicento, or baroque period, as well as the '70s in Mexico City. "We Mexicans have a lot of legacy and history behind us that we can pull from. So most of my collections are inspired by Mexico."

For Carlin, who was born in Mexico City and attended the renowned Istituto Marangoni in Milan, his hometown has proved to be fertile ground not just creatively, but also economically.

"After I graduated from school in Milan, I returned to Mexico because I thought, okay, I want to be a designer, and there's not much designers in Mexico so maybe I can have luck there," he said. Carlin returned to Mexico in 2001 and opened up a boutique which sold Chloe and Chanel, among others. His first collection was completely bespoke and sold in his store. Since then, his line has expanded to other retailers but maintained the production practices; everything is still handmade in Carlin's atelier in Mexico City.

After graduating from the London College of Fashion in 2008, Mexican designer Alexia Ulibarri saw a similar advantage to returning to her hometown. "I realized that if i wanted to do my own thing I needed to come back to my hometown, not only because of how expensive it was to manufacturer in London but also because I saw a huge opportunity here since the industry was so new," she said. Ulibarri launched her line—which she said is inspired by the strength and evolution of women—in 2009 but didn't think about expanding outside of Mexico until she'd had a few years under her belt.

"I really wanted to take over Mexican market first," she said. "Production-wise and delivery wise, I wanted to have the certainty and the experience because once you go wrong with let's say Barneys, you can never go back. I wanted to make sure my manufacturers could deliver on time, and that my line could be next to Maje, Sandro and Diane von Furstenberg and be at the same level of quality." Today, Ulibarri is working on carving out a niche in the U.S. market; her designs have already been worn by Zendaya and Tia Mowry. Next, she's looking to launch in the U.K.

Like Ulibarri, Carlin and Covalin are also eyeing the rest of the world. Carlin recently signed with a commercial showroom in New York and is planning to expand to the U.S. and then "to Europe or Asia or wherever the world takes us." For Covalin, it's more important than ever to bring his country's unique flare to the rest of the world. "Our brand exists to show you Mexico in the way that we know it," he said. "We want to give you a window to see and know our country."