Latin American fashion has always been a true portrayal of “artisanal” fashion, with a concentration
on hand labour, crochet, decorations, and craftsmanship. Latin American fashion has recently
moved beyond its tropical roots and embraced modernity. Their sense of style and design is
translating effectively to worldwide markets. With creativity and new technology, the region’s
fashion business has diversified, and the globe is eager to collaborate with Latin American producers
and brands.
Latin American businesses participating in shows such as Magic, Vegas have taken things to a whole
new level. I had been buying apparel from all around the world for the Indian e-commerce sector,
and I had no idea about the potential of Colombian fashion until my visit. This was a global and
regional crossroads.
The fabric, technology, patterns and designs, graphics, and styling were incredible. Those 48 hours in
Colombia impacted my life forever. My first encounter with Colombian businesses was with Garotas,
a swimsuit company. It was a huge success in India. We were all sold out within a few weeks.
Investors were taken aback. This was the start of something big.
Colombia, South America’s third largest economy, is home to some of the top lingerie, shapewear,
activity wear, and swimwear manufacturers. There is a lot of work being done in design and
innovation. Let us now discuss swimwear and activewear. These are now specialised fields.
Colombian brands have created and are developing intelligent and novel fabrics that are anti-
bacterial, UV resistant, and waterproof.
For the longest time, swimwear never got its share of importance in India. People have either been
buying pure performance-based swimwear from branded stores or buying swimwear from
international locations specifically for their foreign travels. Fancy swimwear was only flaunted by
celebrities and models.
Today, however, women are more open to wearing swimsuits even when holidaying in India or for
the sake of their Instagram profiles. Fashionable swimwear is gaining wide acceptance. Having said
that, swimwear brands have not been able to keep pace with growing demand and popularity.
There is a big void in terms of patterns, silhouettes and technologically advanced fabrics. There is a
dearth of good brands and styles in the swimwear segment in India. A handful of international and
local brands are ruling this space. The market is flooded with either low-cost, low-quality swimwear
or high-end designer swimwear. Indians are now ready to invest in good swimwear and very well
ready to flaunt it. People are no longer interested in the basic functional swimwear from typical
sportswear brands catering to the masses.
