Written by Adriana Gaspar
[all photos by Jacinto Ariza]
Designer fashion and street style are very much like the chicken and the egg. The lines of inspiration are blurred and we’re left asking “which came first”? One can no longer tell whether a trend has “trickled down” the fashion chain or “bubbled up” from the fashion forward streets of cities like Tokyo, New York, or Sweden. With the rise of social media platforms and consequentially the rise of fashion bloggers — bloggers that are towing over one million followers each — it becomes more unclear of who has the greater influence on whom.
Opening Night at Latino Fashion Week 2013, was no exception to the game. On October 1, local, national and international Latino designers came together at Block 37 on State St. in Chicago to present their fall/winter collections. A diverse group of models hit the runway with looks that work in real life just as well as they do on the catwalk. Looks that we are sure to see renditions of this season on the trendy streets of Chicago, whether it be Wicker Park or the Gold Coast.
Textured Grunge
Colder months means darker palettes in our wardrobes. While you can never go wrong with head to toe black, in this extended season, fashionistas know it’s worth mixing it up a bit. LFW favorite, designer Karol Barrero, does just that. She combines textures, leather and lace to create a dark romantic look. Other fabrics to consider this season are suede, velvet and fur, either in black or winter tones such as oxblood or emerald. الكزينو
On the streets: A tartan/plaid long sleeve wrapped around the waist
Dark Lips
Beauty looks are not safe from going dark either. A reoccuring trend at Opening Night was a plum lip color seen both on LB Glam Accessories runway as well on Missoneofakind. Mulberry lips were the “it” color in autumn/winter of 2012 and it is sure to be back for round two this season.
On the streets: Thick, dark eyebrows reminiscent of Frida Kahlo
Statement necklaces
Jewelry designers LB Glam Accessories stole the show with their avant garde statement accessories. Round gold earrings reminiscent of the Aztec sun. Intense body chains with details like roses and crosses, both in gold and silver. While all the models walked the runway in all black clothing, the model that closed the show was wearing a top made entirely of 3D flowers in bright colors. Street style peacocks have the same idea, as their motto for dressing is the louder the better. Fashionistas don’t just use their costume jewelry to amp up a basic dress, they tend to wear a loud necklace with an even louder top or dress. سباق حصان
On the streets: Bright or patterned top or dress
Fur
Australian sheepskin boot designers, YouMi specialize in quality, unique fashion boots, the focus however was easily shifted to the amazing fur (hopefully faux) all the models wore. The models looked like snow bunnies in fur vests and jackets in cream, light brown and grey. Fur coats are a favorite amongst fashion enthusiasts and in Chicago can be seen on every other art school student. YouMi almost made winter desirable with their amazing styling.
On the streets: Paired with leather pants
—
Follow our coverage of Latin Fashion Week 2013 @gozamos!
—
About the author: Adriana runs Style Latino, a street style blog showcasing fashion forward Latinos exclusively.