By: Vanessa Wyatt
September is not only the start of Fall Fashion but it’s also known for Latinx Heritage month, also known as Hispanic Heritage month. In past years there have been brands that attempt to celebrate the month with themes that can sometimes come across as cultural appropriation instead of commemoration.
However, this year some brands have decided to partner with Latinx artists and talent directly to come up with concepts and product lines. Not only do we see brands connecting with the Latinx community in a new way, but we also see more up and coming artists starting their own brands.
Forever 21 has partnered with Las Fotos Project to showcase Latinx photography. Las Fotos Project is a non-profit organization that offers teenage girls an opportunity to learn and develop their skills in photography. According to their website, “Las Fotos Project’s mission is to elevate the voices of teenage girls from communities of color through photography and mentoring, empowering them to channel their creativity for the benefit of themselves, their community and future careers.”
Forever 21 has several posts on their Instagram highlighting Las Fotos Project Photography. The models in the collaboration campaign are also a diverse group from a Latinx background. It is wonderful to see such a popular brand like Forever 21 giving aspiring artists an opportunity to share their work.
Converse has partnered with Latinx artists and creators to come up with a line of custom designs on their most iconic sneaker, the Chuck Taylor All Star. The artists are; Latinx Street Artist Sentrok, Illustrator/Activist Ruth Mora, Designer/Creator Mina Jeri, Creator/Host Overtime Larry, Fashion and Event Producer Pia Balbontin, Skateboarders Miller Penaflor, Milton Martinez, Vitoria Bortolo, Louie Lopez, and Felipe Oliveira. The collection is called !Mi Gente! And the designs come in different colors and prints with each artist talking about their inspiration behind it.
On Instagram and their website, Converse describes the !Mi Gente! Collection as, “Every product highlights a different story of women who moved the culture forward. Like the Bomba dancers of Puerto Rico, the Mirabal Sisters who in the fight of their lives became symbols of both democratic and feminist resistance, and the women celebrating Mexican American heritage unapologetically.?”
Converse also says that they have partnered with, “organizations—Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC), Homeboy Industries, Las Fotos Project and ZUMIX—in Boston and Los Angeles, with a particular focus on creativity and civic leadership.?” Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory focuses on youth pursuing careers in film, television, broadcasting, and digital content creation. Homeboy Industries gives support and training to former gang-involved and incarcerated men and women. Las Fotos Project works with teenage girls from communities of color through photography and mentoring. Zumix empowers youth through music, technology and creative employment.
Latina owned brand Hija De Tu Madre has a wide variety of fun and trendy products including clothing, jewelry, accessories, office items, and more. Hija De Tu Madre is by Patty Delgado, who is the founder and designer. As stated on the brand’s website, “Hija de tu Madre caters to Latinx who bravely question everything, while reconciling our complicated history, culture, and identity. The brand is an ode to mujeres who are unapologetically Latina.”
The clothing is casual and on trend with t-shirts and matching sweat suits. The sayings printed on their merchandise is a cross between Latinx culture and pop culture. Some of their current statement pieces include clothing with “Hija de tu Madre,” “Latina,” and “Make Jefa Moves,” printed on it. They also have necklaces and earrings that say “Latina” and “chula.” There’s such a wide variety of products that are chic, inspirational and motivational.
Eva Longoria Baston posted a photo of herself wearing an Hija de tu Madre sweat suit on her Instagram. Longoria was also holding one of their coffee mugs, she captioned the photo, “In celebration of #LatinxHeritageMonth, I want to highlight this awesome Latina owned brand @HijaDeTuMadre.”
Stay tuned next week for more features on Latinx brands.