The Importance of Latin American Style

With the rise of Willy Chavarría’s popularity, and more recently, the disruptive narrative of Bad Bunny’s performance at the 60th superbowl, the reverse colonisation of fashion is happening in front of our eyes. This term, popularised by Arca, another Latin American fashion doll, has become a synonym of what the region is all about. Having an identity and a voice of its own, and finally distancing itself from being known as the US backyard. 

Latin America has become the center part of a creative important time, especially when it comes to identity, history and culture. From pre-colonial times to modernism and going all the way to surrealism, expression is a key aspect in the life of latinxs, and when it comes to clothing, this is no exception. Even before the land was invaded by European imperialism, the way indigenous people wore clothing was mainly focused on climate, social structure and cultural meaning. Pre-Columbian textiles functioned as social communication systems that expressed status, identity and symbolism in Mesoamerican and Andean societies (Berlo, Blum Schevill, & Dwyer, 1996). While in the takeover, it is true that indigenous garments experienced a shift in both materials and meaning, as a result of the colonial social norms and the way gender was seen by Europeans, the reshaping of existing cultural codes gave rise to distinct fashion identities, that remain an essential part in the way latinxs experience it today.

This heritage, as a region, makes Latin American fashion a phenomenon of its own, with an incorporated narrative of liberation, political message and cultural shifts as compared to Europe, Asia and North America; when often times the same narrative is accompanied by a storytelling message focused on craft, quality and uniqueness, all adjectives commonly used by international brands to try and differentiate themselves from the competitive landscape. Because of its history and intrinsic characteristics, this is a culture that naturally stands out from other types of social interactions around the world. Nowadays, latinxs have found a way of exporting not only raw materials and commodities but also aesthetics. Slowly, we are seeing a new generation of creative latinxs on major platforms. In fashion, one of the most recent ones was Mon Laferte (Chile, 1983) performing at the live film, as described by Chavarría, for the Eterno collection during this year's Autumn-Winter shows in Paris. Another recent example is Luar. The Dominican-American luxury fashion label dressed Lady Gaga for her guest performance at the 60th Super Bowl, a show that also paid homage to street culture, family values and a true latino atmosphere, as if you were walking down the alleyways of Puerto Rico alongside Benito. 

Nonetheless, investment, market growth and industry are three variables that still have not quite met. Despite the news of the EU-Mercosur agreement signed in January 2026, the treaty has not been rectified yet, due to internal political tensions in Europe related to fair competition, sanitary and health minimum requirements, and sustainability concerns in the long term. All this given to the reduction of tariff barriers, logistics and access the agreement could provide. In addition, the industry itself is still quite young. According to Cognitive, the Latin American Fashion Apparel market holds around 5% of the global revenue, when compared to main players that quote around 35%, 29% and even 8% (China, EU as a block and Bangladesh respectively). These numbers represent the harsh reality that Latin America still lacks enough resources and industry size to position itself as a world class player. Even with market growth rates that start at 3.5% on a pessimistic scenario, to 19.5% on an optimistic perspective, we are still yet to see the latinxs peak in fashion when it comes to business. 

The influence Latin American fashion has had over the years can be seen in a variety of examples such as: Reggaeton, oversize silhouettes, vibrant and saturated colours, long nails, Y2K aesthetics, the Brazilian cut, tropical maximalism, futbol jerseys and the list could go on and on. Even with monetary constraints and internal challenges, latinxs have strengthened the idea that it does not matter where your beginnings are, you can still achieve greatness and success. 

Finally, as the rest of the world realises the potential the region has, much remains ahead. And there is no denying that when it comes to creating community, understanding cultural significance, and blending politics with beauty no other place can compare. The importance of Latin American style lies in a rich and troubled history that the world is finally catching up to, noticing that no other flavour can compare to the magnetic, alluring and compelling aura of latinxs.