Bogotá Fashion Week 2024: Local Identity and Global Ambitions

Bogotá Fashion Week 2024

Recently, we bid farewell to the latest Bogotá Fashion Week, held from May 22 to 24 at the Agora convention center. This event gathered top national designers, journalists, and buyers from around the world for three days. Our journey to Colombia’s capital unveiled one of the most promising events in the Latin American fashion scene, marking its seventh edition and establishing itself as a notable international platform.

Fashion week seems endless in our calendars: from Nicolas Ghesquière’s presentation of Louis Vuitton’s 2025 Cruise collection in Barcelona to the end of Australian Fashion Week and the latest Culture Week in Tbilisi, Bogotá Fashion Week launched a new phase for one of Latin America’s most promising fashion events. This highlights the significance of fashion beyond the primary circuit of New York, Paris, London, and Milan, emphasizing the importance of cities that tirelessly promote local talent.

Bogotá Fashion Week serves as a commercial and promotional platform by the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, emphasizing a business-focused approach to turn brands into financially viable and internationally recognized projects. This approach fosters synergies, industry dialogues, and professional relationships leading to mutual growth.

With just seven editions to date, Bogotá Fashion Week is relatively young compared to established European fashion events that have earned decades of recognition. The challenge lies in promoting creatives who present their work at this event and proving itself as a credible and profitable platform with growth potential.

The event’s strategy has proven successful, evident from the moment we entered Agora. Most fashion shows, panels by industry experts, brand-buyer meetings, and social events promoting dialogue and business occurred here. This central location helps consolidate industry players over three days, crucial for Bogotá Fashion Week’s growth.

From Olga Piedrahita, a pioneering Colombian designer honored at the opening event, to fashion shows by the Sustainable Collective, Urban Collective, and Emerging Collective, the schedule mixed established brands and young projects, highlighting the competitive nature of the industry.

Despite Bogotá Fashion Week aligning with the holiday-resort season, designers like María Paz Gaviria, Manager of Commercial and Cultural Platforms at the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, introduce new aesthetics challenging clichés and stereotypes. From reinventing classic tailoring to urban collections appealing to younger generations, many designers aim to infuse Colombian fashion with a global style.

The identity, history, and vibrant colors of Colombia permeate the collections showcased. Whether through bright prints, texture interplay, or runway music, Bogotá’s distinct personality shines. Craftsmanship defines Colombian fashion, evident in traditional techniques, sustainable solutions, and attention to detail, as seen in our meetings with Manuela Álvarez and visits to studios like Verdi.

The Bogotá Chamber of Commerce recognizes the importance of promoting sustainability, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and the labor market, and overcoming barriers in key industry areas such as pattern making.

Highlighting brands at Bogotá Fashion Week, Cubel, founded by Humberto Cubides, exemplifies reinvented craftsmanship in contemporary garments. Andrea Landa’s show featured handcrafted leather, while Faride Ramos presented timeless, well-executed pieces. La Petite Mort’s Hechos de maíz collection stood out for its modern fashion vision and mastery of styling.

Shows by Anthias, Mayorga, Papel de Punto, A Modo Mio, Carlo Carrizosa, and Laura Aparicio impressed us at Agora, while Old Maquiina’s collection, showcased at a different location, reminded us that show formats aren’t always necessary.

According to María Paz Gaviria, brands showing at Agora receive subsidies from the Chamber of Commerce, supporting the emergence of new names and aiding the fashion industry’s growth. Despite being an annual event, Bogotá Fashion Week’s Manager hinted at the launch of another fashion event soon, promising further excitement in the fashion calendar.