Why New York City is the hub for Latin fashion

A look at NYFW designers Patricio Campillo and Willy Chavarria.

It’s not surprising how much the Latin fashion community has been brewing in New York City for several years now.

As Patricio Campillo, the only Mexican to be both nominated for and a semifinalist in the LVMH Prize, recently told WWD after his show in NYC:

New York is the only capital where there's a potential to create a Latino identity, that's why New York is relevant right now there's a community and it just feels like you can build something here.

From my perspective, a significant pillar of the Latin fashion community began to grow when Tumbao, founded in 2021 by Ecuadorian Valentina Pozo, established a more permanent presence in the city.

Just a few days ago, The Cut featured Valentina and dubbed Tumbao the “concept store that carries one of the most extensive curations of Latin American fashion in the world.”

I first learned about Tumbao in 2022, when they were still a pop-up, through an event they held in Mexico City in collaboration with Mexican designer Sabrina Ol, where they al…