National fashion shows are rare, and regional ones are even rarer. In its latest fashion show, Pasarela Valparaíso continues to set the standard, positioning itself as a platform for promoting and promoting emerging and established brands in our country.
With a large turnout, the event began with a moving staging that conveyed the Catwalk's starting point: Regenerate to Transcend. Eight brands presented unprecedented collections, including Duso, Sago, Lks. Garments, Mei Lang Loo, Arantxazu Llorente, Rodolfo Vera, Akacostura, and Carol Raddatz. These designers presented urban, more colorful, galactic, tailored, and jewelry-inspired designs. A harmonious blend that provided the perfect rhythm for the show.
The creations of DUOC UC design students were then presented, with upcycling taking center stage in each look. Additionally, 15 brands were able to showcase and market their products in the Pasarela Store, a space that allows them to expand their audience and also fosters new collaboration opportunities within the industry.
For this edition, Pasarela Valparaíso's manifesto, "Regenerate to Transcend," invites us to reflect on the imminent end of the planet's resources, which we humans have depleted. Raising awareness about sustainable development, garment regeneration, and exploratory design are some of the themes that inspired this runway show.
Social innovation and collaboration are two fundamental pillars for achieving a new vision in the industry, taking into account the implementation of new forms of production that do not involve sacrificing more resources than we have available and taking an active, responsible, and optimized approach to our consumption.
Regarding her runway appearance, designer Aranxazu Llorente presented her collection "Perpetua: fragments that remain," a small capsule in which the designer points out that each of her garments has a story to tell, and the person wearing it becomes the protagonist. The colorful prints that bring these looks to life are created in digital format, with the garment itself being a fragment of a great work of art. Furthermore, in these prints, Llorente focused on capturing elements found in her grandfather's living room, highlighting her family history and spirit of prosperity.
“For me it means so much, because I feel it's very important to be able to show an identity at a national level and also at a regional level (...) And also because I have a degree in visual arts, so in the end it was a great challenge to have already shown this collection as an artist, which is also super meaningful to me, which was also made quickly, but also has a meaning that transcends through the years until today. So, for it to be the first time that I participate in a runway and that I dare to participate, it was a very nice challenge, it was something super exciting, very professional. I am very grateful to the organizers of Pasarela Valparaíso for believing in my work and being able to believe in all these people who work every day to be able to stand out and show people that new identities exist ,” said Aranzazu Llorente.
Find their designs at https://www.aranxazullorente.cl/
For her part, Viviana Retamal, a designer originally from Talca and creator of the Duso brand, commented, “As a designer, participating in Pasarela del Paraíso is incredibly important. I studied costume design at Duboc in 2016. I graduated just before the pandemic, and when you study there, you see the Pasarela as a dream. When I started my project, I always thought, ‘I hope one day I'll be on Pasarela.’ And I had participated before in other ways. In the 2018 version, I did my internship in the Pasarela production and I became very involved, especially emotionally. I really enjoyed participating backstage, getting to know that reality from the inside; it's incredible. Plus, the Pasarela event is also a stage for the students. That year was the first time I submitted costumes I had made during the semester, and they appeared in the promotional photos for the press. So, I have a very special connection with that project, and it was very exciting to receive the invitation. So, yes, it's definitely something important.”
For this capsule, Viviana used traditional tailoring materials and colors, and her source of inspiration connects with an internal journey and also with the environment that surrounds her, as she indicates that “I am very interested in exploring different ways of expressing oneself through clothing, moving away from the binary. Many of the people who inspire me are trying to break away from these absolute canons of clothing regarding the feminine and the masculine. So our proposal comes a bit like an attempt to break away from that. You don't know exactly if you always achieve it, but from a theoretical perspective, we work with genderless patterns or patterns of both genders, a fusion . ”
Learn more about her capsule on Instagram @duso.cl
The creator of Mei Lang Loo also presented her spring-summer collection “Essentials,” a line of simple and comfortable designs made using zero-waste patterns, a production method that she says “has come about naturally since my design style has always been related to handmade textiles with a well-defined format, and I have always sought to use them in their entirety or leave minimal waste, either because of the quality of their 100% noble materials or because of the history behind the fabric, an ancient craft that we must understand in order to respect and value it. Today, it has become a challenge for me to create zero-waste designs, while at the same time I believe that these are necessary and environmentally friendly practices.”
The designer's capsule featured a fusion of linen and cotton to achieve a balanced wardrobe, creating simple and timeless looks that can remain in our closets for a long time. Highlights included beige, black, and white, neutral hues that allow for endless combinations of outfits.
Regarding her participation, the designer stated, “For me, this established design and fashion platform is very special, first and foremost because of its professional and humane team, which gives its all to support, showcase, and promote local design, from education to the most experienced designers. I am proud to be part of this important event in our region.”
Find the Essentials line at https://meilang.cl/
Mei Lang photo credits: @tierradenadie___