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Last week I filed a BoF brief on Buenos Aires Fashion Week and was immediately hit with DMs about its cliquish, commercial nature. I get that, but aren’t all industries a bit like that anyway?

From my modest knowledge of fashion week events in Latin America, each operates differently and have their own set of idiosyncrasies. I have never been to Buenos Aires Fashion Week (BAFWEEK), but from what I know it is the longest running, since 2002, and the best known in the country.

Let’s remember that Latin America doesn’t really have a luxury industry like the US or Europe, at least not on a comparable level. The brands that participate at Buenos Aires Fashion Week are mostly mid-tier shopping mall brands, which are the ones that can afford to stage a show. There are some independent designers and labels, however. This season, for instance, included María Cher, Vanesa Krongold and Sadaels.

As often happens in Latin America, the fashion industry is fragmented. That is why in Argentina there are multiple events instead of one fashion week. There is a separate “Argentina Fashion Week” and, unbelievably, Buenos Aires even hosts a Semana Alta Costura Argentina, which literally translates as “Haute Couture Week.” The name alone shows how loosely the term is used outside Paris. This is commonplace throughout Latin America; I have come across some designers and brands and have received press releases about their “Haute Couture” collections.

While it is true that many designers in Buenos Aires and other cities in Latin America produce meticulous made-to-measure work, it is obviously not Haute Couture. For those who don’t know, “Haute Couture” is a legally protected designation in France, reserved for houses that meet strict criteria set by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, including a Paris atelier and official Paris Fashion Week presentations. How to know if your label does Haute Couture? Easy, if you’re not on this list, then nope.

Call it made to measure, call it artisanal fashion, but by definition it isn’t Haute Couture. Latin America has extraordinary craft and bespoke tradition yet no label operates under the French system as far as I know.

We’ve had Brazilian names like P. Andrade (by Pedro Andrade and his wife Paula Kim) show at menswear during Paris Fashion Week, as has Karoline Vitto, and Colombia’s Esteban Cortázar. Perhaps there are more names that escape me. The only Latin American to my knowledge to ever do Haute Couture was Oscar de la Renta, who designed Haute Couture collections for Balmain from 1993 to 2002, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house.

It’s like Champagne: you can’t call any sparkling wine Champagne unless it was produced in the region of Champagne. Otherwise call it something else; prosecco, cava, whatever. Both Champagne and Haute Couture have a pretty high set of standards. It’s only fair for those that meet them to receive the denomination.

When you look at Mexico’s scene, for example, it also has different events and fashion weeks. Now there is one official one, but at one point there were three fashion weeks in the country. For years the official one was Mercedes-Benz; now it is under Volvo sponsorship. Many complain about its insider politics, but that is the fashion industry in most places. Again, I have not attended so I can only be informed by second-hand knowledge and official sources. I welcome any insights from Buenos Aires, Mexico or other events; reply to this email and let me know!

Without looking too far, take Edward Enninful’s new glossy magazine and agency venture EE72. It launched and received a lot of criticism for basically enlisting the same people who shoot and style every other magazine. It features a pretty but rather flat Julia Roberts cover with an interview by George Clooney, essentially Interview magazine’s concept. Maybe, since it is the launch and he wanted to bring in industry heavyweights to attract advertisers, fair enough. One thing I do not get is the title. Why narme a magazine with what could be the combination to your gym locker? I’m curious to see what it brings!

Then there was Vogue’s October cover: Gigi and Kendall, while very on brand for Vogue, it seemed to make most of you (not just me) fall asleep, according to my poll.

Anyway, that’s why we look to the LatAm continent for new and interesting developments. With that in mind, here are some news items from the region you should know:

New York Fashion Week concluded last night. In case you missed it, singer Peso Pluma became New York Fashion Week’s first Mexican ambassador. He was not the only Latin American in the roster; he was joined by Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko, who, by the way, last season was sitting front row at Miu Miu during Paris Fashion Week. NYFW may now be the fashion week with the strongest Latin American presence (if we account for a bit of diluted heritage in some cases).

Regarding fashion shows, I loved Patricio Campillo’s Chorro tailoring and his take on the artisanal work of weavers and basket makers, a beautiful homage to his Mexican heritage. For Luar, Raul Lopez showed sharp leather coats and sculptural eveningwear in bursts of yellow that seemed to reflect his continuing exploration of Dominican anthropology. Monse, by Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, celebrated its tenth anniversary showcasing some of their staples like the bandana print while weaving in sea inspirations and playing with deconstruction.

Meanwhile, New York regulars like Willy Chavarria and Carolina Herrera moved their collections to Paris and Madrid, respectively. Journalist Vivian Hendriksz wrote on Fashion United that with more American designers seeking European exposure, the NYFW calendar keeps thinning, raising questions about the event’s relevance.

Held from 28 August to 5 September with runway shows, experiences and talks across the city, the biannual event, founded in 2002, is recognised as the capital’s leading fashion platform. It is organised by IRSA, Argentina’s largest real estate developer and operator of shopping centres, together with production company DF and venue La Rural.

This season focused on aesthetic diversity with a roster ranging from casual to formal: urban- focused labels included Revolver, Bestia and Bolivia which sat alongside the artisanal approaches of Gusmán, Blue Sheep and Heidi Clair. In the refined womenswear category there was Vanesa Krongold, Sadaels and long-time mainstay María Cher. Iconic mid-market players Portsaid and Bowen also presented their collections, with the latter marking its 30th anniversary.

A highlight was “Europa Inspira, Argentina Diseña” (“Europe Inspires, Argentina Designs”), a collaboration between the EU Delegation in Argentina and the University of Palermo in which students reinterpreted the traditions and textiles of 21 member states.

Beyond the runway, the programme included talks with cultural figures and a partnership with Istituto Marangoni to expand international training opportunities. “BAFWEEK is the consolidation of a strategic platform established in our country to showcase the talent of our brands, designers and creatives,” said Juliana Monsalvo, the event’s director, highlighting its commitment to creating spaces that connect Argentinian identity with global innovation.

Bad Bunny says he left out the United States of his upcoming Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour in part due to fear of ICE raids at concert venues. In his i-D cover story, the Puerto Rican artist said the possibility of immigration enforcement at shows “was something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”

Thank you for reading to the end. I will be back in two weeks, or sooner, with more updates on what’s next for GEN33 and fresh stories from across the region.

If you’d like to support the work, any contribution helps to keep GEN33 independent and gives me the time and space to report the stories shaping culture and business in Latin America.

I’d also love to hear from you. Reply to this email with suggestions, questions, or anything you’d like to see covered. In the meantime, follow along on social media @gen33mag.

Until then, take care and stay inspired.

Graciela.