How Latin America Became Fashion’s Next Global Powerhouse

Latin American fashion isn’t having a moment — it’s building a movement.As craftsmanship, cultural storytelling, and conscious luxury reshape global style, a new generation of designers from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, and beyond are redefining how brands scale. Their work is no longer dismissed as regional or artisanal. It’s modern. Commercially sophisticated and globally resonant.And much of that momentum can be traced back to one platform: the Latin American Fashion Summit (LAFS). Founded in 2018 by Estefanía Lacayo and Samantha Tams, LAFS has grown from a boutique gathering into a global ecosystem linking Latin designers with investors, editors, retailers, and mentors. Each year, 500–700 creatives attend its flagship summit, while pop-ups in Miami, New York, and Mexico City introduce dozens of brands to the world’s most influential buyers.The impact is quantifiable. Nearly 10% of Moda Operandi’s business now comes from Latin brands, according to President April Henning — a signal that Latin fashion has moved from cultural curiosity to commercial force.The roll call of alumni underscores that shift: Kika Vargas, who went from pitching at LAFS to collaborating with Target and becoming an LVMH Prize finalist; Maygel Coronel, whose sculptural swimwear now retails globally; and countless others gaining distribution, mentorship, capital, or visibility through the platform.Kika Vargas reflects on the network effect of LAFS telling me, “Creativity fuels collaboration. At LAFS, one spark can connect you to an entire constellation. Visibility is harder every day, but when you build a real network around you, it becomes possible to be seen.”The Ecosystem Effect: How LAFS Accelerates Global Growth For Latin BrandsLAFS founders, Samantha Tams (l) and Estefanía Lacayo (r)LAFSIf the global fashion calendar delivers spectacle, LAFS delivers substance. Its annual pop-up showcases 35+ brands to global press and buyers — with five to ten securing new retail partnerships each year. But the true differentiator is access.“Visibility is just the starting point,” says cofounder Samantha Tams. “What truly moves the needle for Latin founders is access — to mentorship, to business knowledge, to real market intelligence.”The summit curates 45+ hours of panels and workshops led by global executives. Through Pitch to LAFS, emerging designers receive months of mentorship from leaders across Nordstrom, Moda Operandi, Shopbop, Kering, and LVMH-adjacent networks — relationships that continue long after the summit ends.Cofounder, Estefanía Lacayo leads rigorous curation. Thousands apply; only nine make the finalist cohort after a three-month preparation process. “We’ve seen founders evolve from independent creatives into global entrepreneurs,” Lacayo tells me. “What we’re building isn’t just a summit — it’s an ecosystem.”And she is clear about the stakes. Lacayo explains, “If I connect a brand with a retailer and they can’t fulfill the order, it can break the business. Our goal is to prepare them — not set them up for failure.”Case Study: Port de Bras — When Community Becomes a CatalystPort de BrasCourtesy of Port de BrasPort de Bras, a Latin-founded activewear brand, illustrates how sustained exposure compounds growth.Founder Clarissa Egaña tells me, “I’ve watched LAFS grow — and grown alongside it. Seeing buyers, editors, and investors multiple times a year creates real camaraderie. They follow your evolution. They notice when you improve. They remember your story.”For her, success is relational. “This isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. Access matters. Community matters. When you show up year after year, people root for you. That doesn’t exist in many places — but it exists at LAFS.”Port de Bras shows what ecosystem support can unlock repeated touchpoints, curated introductions, and credibility that grows cumulatively.Case Study: Adriana Degreas — Success Without a Safety NetAdriana DegreasCourtesy of Adriana Degreas Brazilian designer Adriana Degreas entered the U.S. market long before LAFS existed, relying on instinct and organic momentum — and her story reveals the other side of the journey.“We got into the American market through showrooms in 2012,” she tells me. “We were accepted quickly — Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi, Matches. But the difficulty was scaling without financial, marketing, or communications support.”She went on to open stores in Bal Harbour, Aventura, and Merrick Park, and secured Bergdorf Goodman placement — but she remains clear-eyed. “We can only imagine what else we could’ve done with proper support.”Degreas and Port de Bras illustrate two different paths — both valid, but starkly different in what they demand.The Business of Breaking In: Why Scaling Latin Brands in the U.S.

Is Still HardAdriana DegreasCourtesy of Adriana Degreas Scaling to the U.S. is art and architecture — and for many Latin founders, a test of resilience.Funding gaps remain a major barrier. Many founders bootstrap their early years, lacking access to investors who understand Latin America’s market structure. Logistics and production constraints add new layers: scaling ethically while meeting international volume and distribution expectations.This is where LAFS intentionally intervenes.“Many founders don’t know the margins, calendars, or production structures required to scale,” says Lacayo. “If a brand receives a big order but can’t fulfill it, the opportunity disappears.”Retailers are paying attention. “Shopbop has been thrilled with the brands discovered through LAFS like Ranger, Studio Conchita, Demaris Bailey, Las Sureñas, and Hijas de Pukas,” says Lacayo. “Each brings a fresh perspective and distinct design talent to Shopbop’s customers.”According to McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2024, brands that merge authenticity with scalability outperform peers by nearly 25%. Tams puts it plainly, “Latin identity used to be seen as niche. Today, it’s a differentiator — originality, craftsmanship, storytelling. Cultural identity has become a value proposition, not a constraint.”A Global Rebalancing of StyleLatin America’s rise mirrors broader shifts in global fashion. Once dominated by Paris, Milan, and New York, influence is now flowing from culturally rich creative capitals that combine heritage with innovation. BoF Insights calls it “identity-driven spending.” McKinsey calls it “localization.” LAFS calls it the future.“This isn’t a trend,” Lacayo insists. “Many Latin designers have been preparing for decades. Once we help them restructure their business and tell their story clearly, the world finally sees the talent that has always been there.” Tams adds, “Latin design has longevity because it blends intergenerational know-how with modern execution. Heritage meets world-class sophistication.”Beyond Fashion: Latin Creativity Expands Into Wellness and LifestyleWhat began in fashion is now becoming a multidimensional cultural movement. With its LAFS Wellness Pass, the summit now includes longevity, skincare, nutrition, and mental well-being — reflecting the holistic way today’s consumer lives.“We realized our community doesn’t just design clothes — they design culture,” says Lacayo. “Wellness, sustainability, and beauty are part of the same creative language.”Outside LAFS, Latin-founded beauty and accessories brands are gaining global traction through natural ingredients, regional materials, and artisanal craftsmanship. Collectively, they are redefining luxury not through excess — but through meaning.The New Latin Luxury BlueprintFrom left to right Estefanía Lacayo, Jonathan Simkhai, April Henning (Moda Operadi President), Samantha TamsCourtesy of LAFSLatin America’s creative renaissance isn’t a trend — it’s a blueprint for the future of global luxury.According to McKinsey, the next decade will belong to brands that merge cultural storytelling with operational excellence — precisely where Latin founders excel.Lacayo’s advice for those starting out is to work for someone else. “If you’ve never worked for anyone in your field, go learn from someone who has. Mentors matter. Build a complementary team. You don’t need all the answers — you need the right partners.” Tams adds the operational perspective with her advice. “Passion will get you noticed, but structure will get you shelf space. Don’t romanticize expansion — engineer it.”Today, Latin designers account for a growing share of international retail assortments — and the growth curve is steep. As Lacayo puts it, “What began as a summit has grown into a movement. It’s proof that when creativity and collaboration align, the results can transform an entire industry.”