The fashion industry has always been a demanding, closed and difficult to access environment. Only the best manage to stand out. Now, achieving success in a country that is not the same as the country of origin often makes the task even more difficult, but there are several Latinos who have taken the names of their countries high in this world full of glamor.
Carolina Herrera
María Carolina Josefina Pacanis Niño, better known as Carolina Herrera, is a Venezuelan fashion designer who founded her own fashion house in 1981 and is now recognized as one of the most influential in the fashion world.
Carolina achieved success quickly, standing out for including feminine, classic and elegant silhouettes in her designs. Just one year after its launch, in 1982, she was already dressing Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, the Duchess of Feria, Countess Consuelo Crespi, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Ivana Trump, Kathleen Turner and Nancy Reagan. In addition, for twelve years she dressed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, wife of John F. Kennedy and made the wedding dress of her daughter Carolina Kennedy, consecrating her as one of the best bridal designers.
Oscar de la Renta
De la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic, but when he was very young he traveled to Spain to study Fine Arts. It was in the European country where he met Cristóbal Balenciaga, with whom he took his first steps in the fashion world.
After moving to Paris and increasing his popularity as an emerging designer, he decided to move to New York to debut as creative director of Elizabeth Arden. While in the United States, he decided to create his own brand using his own name and instantly became one of the most recognized designers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Today, the Oscar de la Renta brand represents a true emblem of the industry by handling feminine and stylish cuts.
Nina Garcia
The Colombian who today stands out for being the editor in chief of one of the most important fashion magazines in the country, ELLE magazine, says she is “an anti-establishment rebel”, as she has never liked to follow the laws of the industry. On the contrary, she has always been known for leaving her stamp on what she does.
At the age of 15, Garcia emigrated to the United States to live with her sister, trying to escape the guerrilla and drug trafficking that choked her country at the time.
Nina Garcia’s career in the fashion industry began in the early 1980s when she started working in the public relations department for Perry Ellis.
Adriana Lima
Adriana is a Brazilian supermodel, known for being one of the Victoria’s Secret Angels from 1999 to 2018.
Lima began her modeling career in 1990. In her early days, her career consisted mainly of fashion editorial work and also runway shows.
The worldwide recognition of this Latina was when she arrived on the catwalks of Victoria’s Secret with 1999 with 19 years old, as one of their angels. She has been in charge of opening the fashion show in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.
Lauren Santo Domingo
Lauren is one of the Colombian driving forces behind this generation of Latin fashion that is conquering New York.
Santo Domingo is co-founder of Moda Operandi, distributor of exclusive Latin brands such as Mercedes Salazar, Isolda, Magnetic Midnight or Carmelinas….
Narciso Rodriguez
Narciso Rodriguez is a designer son of Cubans who rose to fame thanks to the dress he designed for Carolyn Besset for her wedding to John F. Kennedy Jr.
“No one makes a simple line look as extraordinary as Narciso,” said Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue magazine.
Other celebrities who have worn Narciso designs include Michelle Obama who in 2008 wore a spring dress when Barack Obama first appeared as president-elect of the United States, Salma Hayek, Claire Danes, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel Weisz and Jessica Alba.
