I Went to Mexico City Fashion Week and Encountered a Gold Mine of Designers

If you’re a fashion devotee, then you’re most likely well versed in the buzzy spectacle of fashion month, which takes place in New York, London, Paris, and Milan twice a year. But what you may not know is that fashion week extends far beyond these four cosmopolitan cities. In fact, for over 24 years, Mercedes-Benz (yes, the luxury car company!) has supported over 50 fashion weeks all over the world—from Tbilisi to Madrid—supporting the culture of fashion and the promotion of exceptionally gifted young designers through a combination of sponsorship, emerging creative initiatives, and live events.

Last week, I had the opportunity to experience Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week firsthand at Mexico City Fashion Week—a city that has undergone a powerful cultural awakening and has seen an influx of young people who are revitalizing the local art, party, and fashion world.

Mexico City is one of Latin America’s biggest fashion and design industries and a cultural hub whose recent local fashion industry is increasingly capturing the attention of worldwide design enthusiasts. As a fashion editor, there’s nothing more exciting than seeing and discovering new and emerging fashion designers, and Mexico City provided a real gold mine of untapped talent who showcased distinct craftsmanship, style, and personality. A real unexpected sartorial treat.

Some of the standout designers (and my personal favorites) included the pristine and fluid silhouettes of designer Kris Goyri, featuring beautifully cut, long and languid dresses that would no doubt incite major compliments at your next party.

Daniella Villa’s collection married Argentinean, Spanish, and Mexican sensibilities replete with head-turning voluminous ruffles, sleek gaucho pants, and hats that you could see fashion muses wearing from laid-back Coachella to a hipster bar in New York.

At Sandra Weil, the clothes were made for cool girls—her crisp silhouettes were emblazoned with cool patterns, from verdurous prints emulating the flora and fauna of Mexico to classic checks.

Young, modern and passionate designer Cynthia Buttenkamper’s pretty palette of neutrals has major international appeal—from her sleek poncho capes to her amazing designs with leather (rooted in her dedication to respecting the tradition of Mexican leather craftsmanship), these are pieces that are ultra wearable and wholly unique.

Most Mexicans will recognize the name Benito Santos (a designer whose spectacular creations have been seen on the first lady of Mexico). His spring 2020 collection was an absolute treat to watch. Inspired by Barbie, his saccharine, feminine, and striking dresses were made to draw attention. A red carpet worthy designer if there ever was one.

But the fashion talent didn’t just stop at the runway. One of the most interesting activations at Mexico City Fashion Week was Mercedes-Benz’s How To campaign, a program dedicated to championing emerging fashion talent and bringing people from different creative spheres together to generate pioneering ideas. It was inspired by Mercedes-Benz’s ongoing drive to redefine beauty and self-expression through its product.

This year’s concept was "How To…Redefine Beauty” and featured musician, actress, and model Rina Sawayama. It explored how the fabric of beauty and self-expression is going through a process of redefinition, from Instagram filters and #nomakeupselfies to avant-guard conceptual looks and genderless products. Sawayama created five incredible looks with a team of leading creatives from around the world where she learned (and we learned!) how different artistic techniques and technologies are helping to redefine the fashion and beauty landscape; she presented her works within the colorful wall’s of Casa Giraldi. 

Rina Sawayama and a team of creatives at the How To campaign during Mexico City Fashion Week.

Not only did I discover an incredible group of talented designers at Mexico City Fashion Week, but I was also able to explore and discover firsthand how artists and creatives are stepping outside their comfort zone and pushing boundaries in the fashion and beauty sphere through Mercedes-Benz’s How To activation, which will continue to take place at fashion weeks around the world.

If you’re interested in learning more about Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week around the world (and where it’ll be expanding to next), be sure to keep following the fashion story @MercedesBenzFashion, #MercedesBenzFashion and #BenzKnowsHow.

Up next, this will be the most popular dress style of 2020.