By Anita Zúñiga
High-quality clothing productions, avant-garde fashion bets that never expire with each season, are increasingly frequent in each of the fashion weeks, whether in New York, London, Paris or Milan, in the classic fashion weeks that give visibility not only to signature designers, but to the industry as a whole, with the aim of leading the global showcase tending to the display of creations and accessories that last over time.
While fashion week debuted in 1911 in Paris, when Charles Worth, the father of haute couture, pioneered the idea of using human mannequins on the catwalk, today these models are the lifeblood of runways, events in which designers place their trust to showcase new lines of clothing, shoes, handbags, and other accessories.
And it is in this setting that three Chilean talents exclusively offered new designs for the 2023 editions of New York and Milan Fashion Week, with the intention of establishing a proposal worthy of international runways.
María Pía Cornejo: “Here in Chile, fashion is just starting to gain traction.”
And it is in this context that haute couture designer María Pía Cornejo, whose offices/workshop are located in the city of Talca in Chile, when asked about the relevance -for her career- of exhibiting her collections at a Fashion Week, expressed "for me it is something very important, since I believe that it is the most effective way to position my brand in different countries. My intention has always been to be able to develop my brand internationally and over time to become a world-renowned brand, I feel that the fashion weeks in the different capitals of the world are the most powerful showcase to make yourself known ." And she adds, "here in Chile, fashion is just beginning to gain strength and for this reason you have to be aware that it is very difficult to emerge or become known, then you become a reference that you can achieve working internationally with a brand from Chile for the world . "
The Talca-born textile artist, who in 2023 added a new milestone to her career in the fashion industry with an unprecedented appearance at one of the world's most important industry gatherings, in a grand fashion show to present her sophisticated brand Liverta, held on September 22 at Milan Fashion Week, Italy.
- How do you feel your work is perceived and how have your collections evolved?
I 've spoken with several young designers who have shared their opinions about my work, and they've liked the evolution in this latest collection because I dared to change direction, look a little further, and experiment with different shapes, different techniques, and different applications. Trying to work with upcycling is still at the forefront, and at least for many designers, it's much more difficult than starting with a blank canvas, since it's hard to adapt to the garments and visualize a new garment based on something already constructed. For this generation of young designers who are just starting out, the brief journey I've made through fashion weeks in Vancouver, New York, and Milan is admirable, and at the same time, it gives them hope that they can reach those places.
- How do you see the future of the Chilean fashion industry internationally?
I feel like a small group of designers with aspirations to go international is emerging. They're still very few, but I feel like they're slowly gaining momentum. I think in a couple of years, we'll have a larger group of designers who will dare to expand their brands to the rest of the world.
Credits: Claudio Mancilla
Victoria Herrera: “Being a fashion professional in Chile requires a great deal of effort and commitment.”
In the case of Victoria Herrera, a graduate in Fashion Styling in Milan, Italy, having visibility with her collections in one of the "Big Four" fashion capitals opens a new dimension for her brand, creating new contacts, transmitting her vision to the industry, "exhibiting my collections at a Fashion Week is showing the world what I'm doing, the importance and relevance that fashion runways have, in the circuit of big cities it is the highest achievement a designer can aspire to, although today social networks make you reach the whole world almost instantly, experiencing a runway, the madness, the pressure, the happiness and the ecstasy of putting a show forward is incomparable" , says designer Victoria Herrera.
And it is in this context that this fashion firm seeks to inspire women, with a textile essence linked to sustainability, “ being a fashion professional in Chile requires a great effort and commitment, starting with the raw materials, we do not have fabric and input factories, and that makes it very difficult to put together a proposal to launch a collection internationally, but today the most important thing is to return to the origins, using sustainable raw materials, we no longer only have to make garments that enhance our beauty, but we have a commitment to the planet”, said Victoria Herrera, who adds “I feel that I am valued, as a contribution in my dimension and in the niche that I believe I represent” .
Diego Carrasco of Bekanvas: “There are more and more Chilean brands.”
True to the characteristic style of his Viña del Mar brand Bekanvas, whose essence is the reflection of a free and eclectic spirit, fashion designer Diego Carrasco surprised last September 2023 at “Canoe Studios”, after being summoned by the “Flying Solo” collective to be one of the 80 creatives who were part of this show at NYFW, in the United States, where he stood out for his risky approach to clothing, based on meticulous draping, handbags, pieces in contrasting colors, to which were added eccentric outfits printed with canine illustrations, in honor of his muse Wini.
-What experience did your participation in New York Fashion Week leave you with?
- Gigante, it's a turning point. It shows that we can do things at the same level or better than other international brands and provides support to continue doing great things.
-How do you feel the local fashion industry perceived your collection?
- People received the collection extremely well, like no one expected this evolution of more elevated pieces and the truth is I don't know much about the local design scene, but at least those closest to it were very happy with what was shown.
-How do you see the future of the Chilean fashion industry internationally?
- There are more and more Chilean brands, but I also think it's a global phenomenon. I think important things are being done, but the sad thing is that Chile is very far from the world, or at least from where things happen.
It's clear that Chilean designer fashion has gradually evolved, driven by the digital world as the primary source of communication with its mass audience, and a true reflection of a reinvention of the fashion cycle.
