“Another fashion system is possible,” says Mexican fashion designer Carla Fernández. She creates haute couture designs throughout Mexico. Fernández’s work preserves and celebrates centuries-old textile techniques belonging to Indigenous communities and other popular and urban collectives in Mexico. At an early age she traveled with her father, then the director of museums and exhibits at the National Institute of Anthropology and History. Through this, she learned about Mexico’s diverse heritage and began collecting garments made by Indigenous and mestizo artisans. After studying art history and fashion design, Fernández turned her attention to traditional techniques of clothing construction in Mexico. Maintaining these techniques and imbuing them with innovation became the root of her practice. As she says: “To be original is to go back to the origin.”The Fashion House which she heads together with her partner Cristina Rangel, collaborates in the design and production processes with artisans across Mexico, by celebrating their living cultures, and by using the house’s global platform to promote social justice and fair trade.
WDCD Live Delhi 2025
Carla Fernández will speak on the main stage at WDCD Live Delhi 2025. Join Carla and hundreds of creatives on 8 March, tickets are now available.