Mexican high fashion is hardly known in the US. Yet, along with the much praised evolution of the “new” Mexican cuisine and its very talented exponents, the country’s fashion scene is now coming into its own. I’ve been exposed to it through my client, Velas Resorts, that has featured runway shows and popup boutiques of two of the leading fashion designers, Alejandro Carlin and Benito Santos. Both are the choices of Mexico’s society, celebrity, business and political elite and dress the First Lady of Mexico. Of all the celebrities he has dressed, the one the Jalisco born Santos is most famous for is Ximena Navarrete, Miss Universe 2010. He achieved that coup just two years after starting his atelier. He has also won the Mexican National Prize for Fashion in 2014.
He presented his cruise collection at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit in June and yours truly bought one of the dresses (that’s the problem being a blogger with a limited budget who wants to buy it ALL!).
I then went on to explore his work more, and saw his stunning wedding dresses that are of two kinds – the very feminine with Cinderella like billowing skirts,
and those that are at once sexy and glamorous, evoking the 30’s, but with fine hand embroidery, one of his hallmarks.
His wedding dresses are by special order and start at a reasonable $2000 US so it pays to travel to his studio in Mexico City to buy one (and turn it into a vacation).
