La Catrina Fashion Show

Posted on Sunday, October 9

Where Cultura Intertwines with Fashion
By Olivia N. Castañeda
Photos by © Magali Rangel

In spirit of Dia de los Muertos, where cultura met couture, models solemnly stomped a black runway at the National Museum of Mexican Art on Friday, September 30, 2011.  The first annual fashion show was a successful dream come true for the designers who presented their ready-to-wear collections- Gary Gonzalez, Horacio Nieto and Elda De La Rosa.

The night sold out and brought in 250 guests made up of trend sporting fashionistas.  More than expected, says Jorge Valdivia, the museum’s director of performing arts.  During the cocktail reception, the crowd was greeted at the entrance by five face-painted catrinas from the Chicago folklorico dance group called Mexican Dance Ensemble.

Originally Gonzalez wanted to create a collection inspired by Dia de los Muertos in honor of his brother and best friend Victor Gonzalez, who died in 1995 of AIDS at the age of 32.  Almost a year ago he discussed this idea to Valdivia, though both did not have much experience in creating a fashion extravaganza- as they did that night.  That is when Nieto came into the picture for brainstorming and planning.

“Horacio has more experience to put a show together,” Valdivia says.

Before Nieto became part of the collaboration, he contemplated the idea of creating a show to present his own cultura collection inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and Mexican folk costumes.

“I believe things happen for a reason,” Nieto says, when he coincidently contacted Valdivia about presenting a similar show at the museum.

Valdivia then simply adds that De La Rosa joined-in because she is an amazing designer, and a woman designer was needed.

The show began with Gonzalez’s 10-piece collection for women.

“[The clothes are] very modern and can be worn today.  It’s not costume-y like the catrina dolls are usually, like in Victorian wear, 18^th century- type,” Gonzalez says describing his collection backstage before the show.

Models wore flowing knee- and floor-length print dresses made of rayon and 100 percent silk, and a shiny silver jumpsuit that coquettishly showed upper body skin.

“This reminds me of an antique, like metallic, which reminds me of old Mexico and metals.  Everything was inspired by that,” Gonzalez says.

The first five pieces modeled are for the current fall season, and the following half are for spring 2012.  The finale dress, which made the crowd exhale in wows, was a black heavy linen floor-length gown with a train, revealing a deep V-shaped back décolletage, evoking an air from the 1930s staple: the triangle shape.  (De La Rosa’s collection also displayed characteristics from that era.)  The model wore one of the four masks created by the designer’s 20-year-old daughter Roehm Gonzalez, who is a sculptor.  The collection ranges from $200 to $300 and more can be viewed at www.vetementschicago.com.

Second to present was Nieto’s spring 2012 collection for men and women.  It included women’s accessory handbags and bolzas decorated with flowers, that make the typical mandado bag a boring thing of the past. His clothing was made in an array of bright, festive colors in cotton and poly-blend fabrics cut and sewed into pencil skirts, above the knee dresses, pants, jackets and bold shoulders and flirty ruffles adding to the mix.

“I just love color.  It’s my culture,” he says, of being known for always using a variety of colors in all his collections.

His inspiration mainly came from his 10-year folklorico dance background.  The numerous colors used represented the colors of Mexican states: Guerrero, Oaxaca, Zacatecas, Veracruz and Colima.

“I want it to look like a big Mexican Party [on the runway],” he says smiling.

Nieto’s collection ranges from $50 to $300, and gowns starting at $500.  More is at www.horacionieto.com.

The last designer to present, ending the night with a bang of claps, was De La Rosa.  She specializes in couture cocktail dresses, formal wear and wedding gowns.

“I have a certain look that is very much feminine and I celebrate the woman’s body,” she says describing her dresses backstage.

The very lady-like dresses come in a variety of silk fabrics, delicate lace and heavy velvets.  Aside from the era of the triangle shape influence, her silk gowns are elegantly draped like a classic 1940s gown.  Her dresses captured the essence of the show’s theme in the presentation of black and dark colors, and the wedding gowns representing the celebration of life.  Her handcrafted work can be viewed at www.eldadelarosa.com.

Valdivia says the event was demographically and financially successful.  He enjoyed working with the designers in putting the show together.  This event in particular is a great way to embrace the community and bring the public out, he says. Ideas for next year’s show are already under way.

To see more images of La Catrina Fashion Show: Cultura Meets Couture, follow this link at www.magalirangel.com.