Is Art Week a new Fashion Week?
Mexico City is buzzing with fashion and art events—all happening at once.
While Fashion Week in Mexico has become more and more industry-exclusive over the years, Art Week—the annual celebration of contemporary art that revolves around Zona Maco, the biggest art fair in Latin America, which last year gathered 80,000 visitors from all over the world—appears to be offering a new space for local brands to showcase fashion.
This year, Art Week is running from February 3rd to 9th, and several have organized open studios, created specific events, and even formed alliances with art galleries to take advantage of the valuable foot traffic driven by art events across the city.
When I suddenly became aware of the huge wave of fashion-art events happening this week, I decided to reach out to an expert in the field and several of the brands involved to understand what was going on.
Enriqueta Arias, a Mexican curator and cultural manager, and founder and creative director of Artsynonym, which promotes public art, shared with me whether this was happening for the first time this year or if similar collaborations had already taken place before.
I believe it is strengthening much more this year. While there may have been collaborations in previous years, in 2025 they have been more noticeable. I find it interesting that the line between fashion and art is becoming increasingly blurred. I think this is happening across all disciplines in general—it's much more transdisciplinary.
Arias, who is also behind the creation of many famous street murals in Mexico City and often collaborates with fashion brands like Levi’s, H&M, Nike, and more, also explained the potential that fashion brands—both local and international—see during Art Week:
For example, what Bimba y Lola has been doing since last year, like the collaboration with Ana Leovy during Zona Maco. I think the strength of these types of collaborations lies in the enormous potential they give fashion brands to become more involved during Art Week, while also allowing emerging brands to expand their scope and collaborate with artists.
Local Brands' Events
There were so many events happening that I’m pretty sure I must have missed a few. However, these are some of the brands I spoke with about how and why they decided to organize open studios and special events during this time.
Baku, Yolcentle and Sanctorum
These three brands joined forces to hold an open studio during Art Week, showcasing shoes (Baku), Nahua textile garments (Yolcentle), and a mix of antique and contemporary jewelry (Sanctorum).
I reached out to Baku (the brand behind those fish sandals I wrote about not long ago that we all loved), and this is what they explained:
The idea of holding it during Art Week is because it is a unique event in the country that attracts both national and international audiences, whom it would otherwise be very difficult to reach. In addition to coming for the art, they are also interested in discovering the clothing of our country. These are people who also recognize the quality of craftsmanship we have here!
Gabrielle Venguer
Now, this was a performance-show I was truly upset to have missed. Mexican designer Gabrielle Venguer and Momoroom Acciones de Moda created a special show at Bellas Artes and Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso to showcase their latest collection.
The masterpiece? Actor and model Dalia Xiuhcoatl wore a stunning 30-meter unfolding dress, which then became the final runway for the performers.
According to their Instagram, the show, called Hielo, was “a day-long moving fashion show through the streets of Mexico City, culminating in an open-air presentation at Bellas Artes during sunset.”
Venguer herself explained to me a few days before the show:
I think the line between fashion and art is very thin. With artisanal processes and purely unique pieces, this line becomes more and more blurred. I believe fashion is a reflection of what our society is experiencing, and this Art Week in Mexico is impacting all of us. My decision to hold the show now is to broaden the type of audience that can attend, including many people who come from abroad specifically for this season.
It's more like Fashion Week than Mexico’s actual Fashion Week—everyone dressed in their best outfits, ready for the party. I know it’s risky to add another event with so much already happening, but it felt right, and we brought together choreographers, directors, musicians, makeup artists, photographers, and dancers to create and offer a bold, unique experience. I think art is also about having the ovaries to take risks.
Estudio 1999
Another brand that surprised me by hosting a special event was Estudio 1999, which is well-known for its upcycled shirts and was also featured in my Mexico City local shopping guide.
The designer, Ileana León, told me the following:
I collaborated with Third Born Gallery for their opening during Art Week. What I did was create a fanzine for Estudio 1999 as a gift for the guests. It was called "Relato" and showcases the artistic, creative, and technical development of 1999. It invites you to explore a bit about the journey and its essence.
Our pieces were also worn by several key figures in the industry, including the gallery owners Mónica Caballero, Mariana Figueroa, Sabina de la Cruz, Enriqueta Arias, Roby Damián, and more!
Other events:
Can Can Press x Underground Souvenirs
Opening night of Cult Classic Mag with artist Georgina Treviño.
Krystal Paniagua x Salón Acme
The Puerto Rican designer, based in Mexico City, created a special pop-up and installation alongside Salón Acme, called Apartamento, which according to their Instagram:
"Apartamento" is a space where we showcase our new collection, but it's also a place to share what inspires us, the process behind each piece, and how we’ve gotten here. It’s a very personal project, something we’ve built step by step with great care. We hope you feel at home.
Marsella Art Week
The store Marsella 68, located in Colonia Juárez, organized a multi-day event featuring a Mini-Mart with several designers, including Sabrina Ol and Soft Debris.
Calle Marsella by PPAAYYSS
The Mexican knitwear brand organized a special live event at their store, Calle Marsella, and explained via Instagram that:
The street that brings together major brands and independent projects from Mexico's creative scene is hosting a series of events in each store/studio this week. At PPAAYYSS, three artists are hacking PULSO's knitted pieces using airbrush techniques, creating a special edition of a few unique pieces.
Extra things:
Mexican photographer Tania Franco Klein,who has also explored fashion through her work, had an opening for her exhibition in Mexico City called Rage.
Mexican designer Ximena Corcuera hosted also an opening of an exhibition at Galería L featuring her collection No One’s Land.
For next year? Book me a ticket to Art Week—I’ll be there.
Thank you for reading!
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First of all, my fave quote: “I think art is also about having the ovaries to take risks” - going to use that from now on. And furthermore, I think it’s super smart to do these events during art week. People interested in art are likely also interested in fashion, and you are fighting less for attention as a fashion brand than during a fashion week. Plus the international crowd!
I went to Art Week in 2019 and have been wanting to go back ever since. It’s so cool to see how much it’s grown since then!