Until pretty recently, it was difficult to find high-end fashion and streetwear brands incorporating Latin American styles and designs. However, a recent boom of collaborations between brands, celebrities and major retailers are giving Latino designers a lot more visibility, and consumers are being exposed to Latin-inspired fashion like never before.
So far in 2023 we’ve seen everything from Kid Cudi’s innovative new sneakers to an unlikely matchup between LA-based brand Uprisers and Cholula. Hoping to shed some light on the stylish new collections courtesy of Latin American designers and brands, we compiled some of our favorite new collabs of the year so far.
Uprisers x Cholula
The LA-based, community-driven brand Uprisers, who previously released an exclusive kit with Panda Express, recently developed a limited edition drop kit with Cholula. Although they’re known for their taco seasonings and hot sauces, Cholula is getting into the fashion game with this new Uprisers kit, comprised of an oversized “100 Years” white tee, a new Cholula salsa, a bag of taco seasoning, and the choice between an Uprisers x Cholula trucker hat or a one-of-a-kind poncho hoodie.
The AAPI-owned streetwear brand is all about bringing visibility to marginalized communities through fashion, advocacy, and activism. According to their website, this collaboration with Cholula “is a testament to that mission.”
We actually had an opportunity to try the Uprisers x Cholula kit for ourselves and it does not disappoint. The “100 Years,” oversized (and, most importantly, pre-shrunk) tee fits perfectly, living up to the “oversized” part without ever making you feel like it’s just draped over your body. Additionally, we went with the poncho hoodie, a unique design that takes inspiration from traditional Mexican Zarapes. It helps that it’s also the most comfortable thing we’ve worn all year.
Kid Cudi x MSCHF
Kid Cudi is already well-known for his fashion-forward style. It makes sense! You can’t spend that much time with Kanye West and Virgil Abloh and not learn how to dress yourself. Earlier this year, Cudi debuted his new clothing brand, Members of the Rage, in a Parisian showroom during Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2023. However, the rapper is also gearing up to debut a footwear collab with MSCHF, a Brooklyn-based art collective that creates…well, just about anything you can think of, from fonts to sneakers to a cologne that smells like WD-40. MSCHF takes a fearless approach to pop culture that points a big middle finger at traditional conceptions of art, branding, and product design. Naturally, MSCHF and Kid Cudi are a match made in heaven.
According to High Snobiety, Cudi subtly teased the sneakers during his set at the Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash festival, where he sported his new MSCHF collab on-stage. Although there’s no confirmed release date just yet, the Cudi x MSCHF shoes, based on the collective’s Super Normal 2 design, are soon going to be one of the most sought-after pairs of sneakers on the market.
Using the SuperNormal 2 as a template, Cudi is decking out his take with a pink and blue color scheme that looks like it could be from another dimension entirely. The huge tongue and fleece uppers give it that larger-than-life aesthetic that Cudi, who has apparently never heard of the word “subtle,” is known for.
Barbie Ferreira x Havainas
Barbie Ferreira, the Brazilian actress known for her role as Kat on HBO’s “Euphoria,” recently collaborated with the Brazilian brand Havainas on a new line of flip-flops and slides designed by the actress. Ferreria’s collection arrives just in time for summer with designs inspired by Ferreria’s Brazilian heritage.
The slides are a bit more traditional, sporting a pastel color palette similar to those of Yeezy Slides, swapping out the beige hues for something closer to pink and brown.
“I came up with the color palette after visiting Bahia with friends and family,” Ferreira said in an interview with Hypebae. “I found inspiration during my trip. I loved the idea of the organic lines and tile-like patterns that I grew up seeing in all the shops and homes around Brazil.” Later in the interview, Ferreira said she was especially excited to work with Havainas because she’s been wearing their clothes since she was a kid.
Sézane x Farm Rio
Brazilian brand Farm Rio is known for their frequent collaborations with a variety of companies, from Starbucks to Adidas. Most recently, however, they teamed up with the French brand Sézane to release a collection of summerwear that blends Parisian and Cariocan sensibilities. Comprising dresses, t-shirts, and swimwear, the Sézane x Farm Rio collab is inspired by the colorful, tropical, and — in their words — “unpretentious” style that many Parisians and Brazilians sport throughout the summer.
With their bright, tropical patterns, the Sézane x Farm Rio dresses are made for relaxing on the beach or walking through a town square at a local farmer’s market. The swimwear, which comes in both bikini and one piece styles, isn’t reinventing the wheel by any means, but that’s kind of the point. These clothes, unlike many high-profile fashion collabs, are made to be worn and lived in.
Not only that, the brands are donating 100% of the profits from the Bonjour Rio t-shirt to One Tree Planted, an organization dedicated to reforesting the Amazon.
Agua Bendita x Target
Similarly to the Sézane x Farm Rio collab, Agua Bendita teamed up with Target to release their own collection of summerwear, complete with dresses and swimsuits. However, these pieces come courtesy of Colombian designers Catalina Álvarez and Mariana Hinestroza, who co-created Agua Bendita in honor of their heritage. Agua Bendita’s pieces are simple but the sheer volume of options is what sets this one apart.
In addition to the floral patterns inspired by Colombia, shoppers can find solid color pieces in, among others, purple, yellow, pink, and blue on Agua Bendita’s official website. You’ll also find their latest collection, a series of summer pieces called Verano Road.
Kids of Immigrants x Buchanan’s Pineapple
Last but not least, we have a collaboration between the Latino and Black-owned brand Kids of Immigrants and Buchanan’s Scotch Whisky. In honor of Buchanan’s new Pineapple flavor, the company teamed up with Kids of Immigrants to release the Casa Piña collection, a series of two short-sleeve button ups, a hat, and a towel, all adorned with the same flamingo logo that represents the collection.
The button ups come in black and gray with identical styles. On the right breast, next to a left breast pocket, you’ll find the Kids of Immigrants logo. However, on the back, there’s the aforementioned flamingo as well as Casa Piña in yellow lettering. The yellow towel uses the same logo but with the Casa Piña written in green. Lastly, there’s a cream-colored hat with just the flamingo logo on the front, a Kids of Immigrants logo on the side, and a Buchanan’s button pin on the back.
What we love about this collab is the simplicity of the pieces. The collection strikes the perfect balance between showcasing branded content and offering some genuinely stylish looks.
Josef Rodriguez is a writer, filmmaker, and film critic living in New York City.
