Photo by Mario H via Pexels
By Elizabeth Elizalde
When we think of iconic Hispanic trailblazers in fashion, there’s no question that Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Narciso Rodriguez and Isabel Toledo come to mind.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, Talker News is celebrating some of our favorite Latin designers who have transcended barriers and made their mark in the fashion industry.
What they all have in common is how they incorporate their cultural roots into their designs, from electric New York streetwear to elegant minimalism or traditional embroideries.
1. Coral Castillo (Mexico):
“Project Runway” season 19 finalist Coral Castillo knows how to make a fashion statement by integrating macramé with gorgeous Otomi embroidery, a technique native to Central Mexico.
The Mexico City native’s mission to empower women through her goddess-like pieces can be seen in her previous collections. There’s no doubt you’ll be commanding any room in a signature Coral Castillo piece, complete with elegant draping and body-hugging cutouts.
2. María Cornejo (Chile):
Founded in 1998, Zero + Maria Cornejo continues to grace us with effortless elegance, from muted tones and geometrical shapes. Less is more with the Chilean-born Cornejo, and her approach to sustainable fashion is honorable.
Move over Shiv Roy, you’ll scream “quiet luxury” wearing anything Cornejo, whether it’s cargo pants or her innovative “circle shirt.” Her archive sale kicked off on Sept. 18 and runs through Sept. 21 at 51 Bergen St., Brooklyn.
3. Willy Chavarria (Mexican-American):
Coming off his first women’s wear collection at New York Fashion Week, Willy Chavarria is on top of the world. Known for his politically driven, bold silhouettes and oversized tailoring, his spring/summer 2026 show featured hints of nostalgia with a modern twist. Chavarria beautifully weaved his Chicano roots throughout his collection, displaying vibrant colors, sharp shoulders, oversized jackets and tailored pencil skirts.
Reflecting on his Chicano background, the 2023 CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year told the Council of Fashion Designers of America, “I believe there are many parts of Latino culture, especially Chicano culture, that have been interpreted through streetwear and a lot [of] other cultures have borrowed from Chicano culture.”
4. Fernando Garcia (Dominican Republic):
Monse and Oscar de La Renta co-creative director, Fernando Garcia has been pumping up sophisticated, youthful, ready-to-wear designs while keeping the house’s legacy intact for almost a decade. When asked how his Dominican heritage influences his work, Garcia told Neiman Marcus, “Growing up, I was wildly influenced by the women I was surrounded by and our culture. Hispanic heritage is about vibrancy, movement, texture and color – and this joie de vivre is something that Oscar taught me to translate into designing.”
Sadly, he and co-creative director, Laura Kim, recently announced they would be stepping down from de la Renta after their final 2026 fall/winter collection in February. But, fashionistas rejoice, Garcia and Kim will be shifting their attention full-time to Monse, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary at NYFW.
5. Raul Lopez (Dominican Republic):
It’s hard to miss how LUAR creative director and founder Raul Lopez pays homage to his Dominican heritage, New York City and immigrant life throughout his collections. His latest spring 2026 collection at NYFW titled “La Fantasia” was a mix of tailored streetwear, breathtaking feathers and pops of color – something you would see at carnival.
The NYC-based designer described his collection to Women’s Wear Daily as, “It’s a cross-pollination between colonizers, enslaved and Indigenous, but at the end, everyone doing it for some type of joy.”
6. Carlos Pineda (Mexico):
Carlos Pineda knows how to create drama, from dreamy floral prints à la Oscar de la Renta, to voluminous silhouettes and traditional Mexican embroidery that honor his heritage down the runway. A maximalist, he knows how to honor women with color, color, color.
He recently celebrated his 10th anniversary at NYFW, a milestone that showed off his signature florals and ruffles. Don’t sleep on Pineda, he’s making his mark internationally one collection at a time.