Absent from the New York calendar, the Carolina Herrera brand, founded by the Venezuelan designer of the same name in 1980, took its floral-and-ruffle-filled show to Madrid. In Paris, Uruguayan Gabriela Hearst, of the brand of the same name, elevated her assets with festive silhouettes and vibrant colors. “This movement is not just an aesthetic trend, it reaffirms the power of Latin America and raises discussions about authenticity, aesthetic decolonization and the dangers of cultural appropriation on the global stage,” says Paola Acioli, researcher and fashion analyst.
At his summer 2026 menswear shows, in June, Mexican-American designer Willie Chavarria made a kind of statement: He had models in white T-shirts (made in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU), sit on the catwalk with their hands behind them and their heads facing the floor, evoking the forced subjugation of immigrants under the Trump administration — there have been more than 400,000 deportations this year. The group, in turn, introduced embroidered fabrics and sparked extremism.
“It is noteworthy how these creatives are carving out space at such a sensitive time for migrants around the world. It is a symbolic response to exclusionary policies,” notes image consultant Arlindo Grund. “With the power of dialogue and vision, the industry can truly be an agent of social transformation, giving a voice to those who are often silenced.”