Reinaldo Herrera, Brazilian Mogul Drama & What Fashion Shows Downsizing could mean for Latam editors

Greetings from London, and welcome back (finally!) to GEN33!

I started writing this on the Eurostar back from Paris, then didn’t finish until the weekend… Sorry for the hiatus (yet again). It’s been a crazy start to the year!

In this issue: Carolina Herrera, Reinaldo Herrera, Alexandre Birman, Roberto Jatahy, Bad Bunny, Feid, Peso Pluma, Carmen Busquets, Gabriela Hearst, Johanna Ortiz, Willy Chavarria, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Ana de Armas, Adriana Seminario, Trama Paris. Silvana Trevale, Enrique Leyva, Pedro Napolinario, Gleeson Paulino, BoF.

Before diving into the latest from LATAM’s creative industries, this just hit last night:

🖤 Reinaldo Herrera, 1932–2025

Reinaldo Herrera, Carolina Herrera’s husband of 57 years, has passed away at 91. Mrs. Herrera, born Carolina Pacanins took his surname after they married in 1968. Together they had two daughters, Carolina Adriana and Patricia Cristina. (Mrs. Herrera also has two daughters from her first marriage, Mercedes and Ana Luisa Behrens.)

Reinaldo was a fixture of Caracas’ high society (as was Carolina) and later became a key patron in his wife’s fashion career, thanks to his connections with the likes of Andy Warhol, Estée Lauder and Jackie Kennedy, whom Carolina dressed for over a decade. He was the Marquis of Torre Casa (a title he later lost), an editor at Vanity Fair and a regular at the kind of dinners and parties that defined a different era in Venezuela and New York.

Looking at Carolina Herrera’s archive photos, you really get a sense of what it was like to be part of Venezuelan high society in a country that back then had it all: perfect weather, paradise beaches and everything still to be built. Yes, Carolina was born privileged. Yes, she married well. So what? She built an fashion empire when she could have easily chosen not to, and frankly, I’m glad she brings that positive association to Venezuela: impeccable style, taste and a fashion pioneer, especially today when it’s a country immersed in perpetual chaos.

“Reinaldo Herrera was a keen cultural observer, a man of innate elegance and charm with a vibrant wit. Above all, he was a beloved family man... a proud supporter of the Carolina Herrera brand since its founding in 1981,” read the caption on the brand’s official Instagram account. More on CNN.

Q.E.P.D

BUSINESS

• Azza's 2154 Rift: Birman and Jatahy Near Split Just 8 Months Post-Merger

It’s been less than eight months since Brazilian powerhouses Arezzo&Co and Grupo Soma joined forces, but tensions between key shareholders Alexandre Birman and Roberto Jatahy are already pushing Azza's 2154 towards a potential split. Both have brought in legal advisors to explore their options, including a possible division of operations. However, concerns over how the market might react (plus potential tax implications) have slowed any final decisions, according to sources at Valor.

MUSIC

• LATAM Artists Smashing the Charts at the iHeartRadio Music Awards

Monday was a big night for Latin music at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Bad Bunny performed “EoE” and scooped up Best Pop/Urban Latin Song of the Year for his banger “Perro Negro” with Feid. The latter also snagged Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year, while regional Mexican star Xavi scored Best New Artist in his genre. Peso Pluma took home Regional Mexican Artist of the Year and Regional Mexican Album of the Year. Other nominees representing Latin America included Becky G, Ivan Cornejo and Oscar Ortiz. (Latv).

FASHION

Speaking of… guess who’s the new face of Calvin Klein Underwear?

Apparently Bad Bunny toasted his new Calvin Klein underwear photo shoot with croquetas and crispy tuna rice.(GQ).

You’re Not Invited

Will Latin America Be Left Out as Fashion Shows Downsize? This season, several big houses dramatically reduced their venues. Many framed it as “a return to intimacy” or “the creative director’s vision” but the reality is these shows cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, and it’s no secret luxury has had a rough couple of years. Even Louis Vuitton scaled back from its usual 1000 seats to just 300, calling it an “artistic decision.” 2025 isn’t looking great for the luxury market either, especially now as the orange man threatens with more tariffs.

Milan saw similar reductions. Just days before Fashion Week kicked off, a prominent Latin American editor shared they were struggling to secure even one seat. As invitations become even more exclusive, will LATAM (and other smaller markets) be left out? I hope not. Let’s see how next season plays out.’

Carmen Busquets Hosted a Cocktail Celebrating Latin American Creativity

• Venezuelan entrepreneur and philanthropist Carmen Busquets certainly made a point of highlighting the importance of Latin Americans in fashion. During Paris Fashion Week she hosted a cocktail to honour Latin American creatives, and the soirée was packed with top-tier industry names from both the Latin American and global scenes:Among the attendees were Delphine Arnault, Mytheresa’s Michael Kliger, Ian Sielecki (Argentina’s ambassador to France), Karla Martinez de Salas (Head of Content for Vogue Mexico) and designers including Gabriela Hearst, Esteban Cortázar, Johanna Ortiz and Vetements’ Guram Gvasalia, among others. Busquets told WWD that nowadays Latin Americans are actually “quite a majority.”Case in point: Latin American talent continues to grow its presence at Paris Fashion Week.

• I was happy to see Willy Chavarria make his debut in Paris during menswear in January, and the wonderfully talented Young Miko take a front-row seat at the Miu Miu AW2025 show earlier this month. She’s exactly the kind of cool artist brands should be warming up to.

On that note, the duo of the moment, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, were also seen at Jean Paul Gaultier and Ludovic de Saint Sernin during Paris menswear in January.

(If you haven’t seen their new short film and EP, PAPOTA , stop everything you’re doing and watch it now. PAPOTA is a funny, candid commentary on their rise to fame, the rollercoaster of emotions that followed and the twists in their careers since going viral on Tiny Desk.

It also delivers a hilarious satirical take on the pressures of being musical artists, humorously imagining what would happen if they went to outrageous lengths to win a Latin Grammy (“Latin Chaddy”) under the influence of a shady label boss. PAPOTA is a four song EP plus all five live singles from their Tiny Desk performance, but it’s also the soundtrack to an outstanding piece of media.)

Back from that tangent. Other #LATAM celebs seen at #PFW include Camila Cabello at Chanel, Ana de Armas at Louis Vuitton, Tini Stoessel at Balmain and Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Meanwhile, Colombian influencer Jashlem has cemented his status as a best-dressed man, with the likes of Gucci and Adidas lining up to dress him.

🚨New Brand Alert:

TRAMA PARIS

I finally had the chance to meet and catch up with the lovely Adriana Seminario, co-founder (with Cinthya Guerrero) of Trama Paris. They launched last year, specialising in knitwear made from alpaca, and were showing their collection at Premiere Classe.

Up close, the pieces are exactly what you want them to be: cozy, beautifully made and truly effortless. Five styles, a few colourways, straight to the point. A tight edit with impeccable craftsmanship.

The price point is close to what you’d pay for a cashmere blend jumper at The Kooples or Zadig & Voltaire, but with much better quality (and style) for your buck. [I had a Z&V wool turtleneck and was very disappointed with the quality, considering it was €250 (although I paid less for it on sale). I’ve had €20 Zara pieces last longer.]

Trama’s pieces are sustainably handmade from premium alpaca, one of the warmest, softest fibres around. I loved the brushed texture because it’s been meticulously “dishevelled” but looks incredibly comfy and elegant. How to wear them? Just look at founders Adriana and Cinthya for inspiration.

📸 BEHIND THE LENSLATAM’s Photography Talent On The Rise

In case you missed it, I wrote a piece for BoF last month about the new generation of Latin American photographers. Talent hailing from Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and Argentina is landing major fashion gigs by blending rich cultural storytelling with commercial appeal.

I had the immense pleasure of speaking to many of them, who told me their stories and what makes them tick. I also spoke to editors, stylists and consultants who helped me contextualise and understand their impact.

Some of key figures include Karla Martinez de Salas (Head of Content Vogue Mexico), Paula Merlo (Head of Content Vogue Brazil), Wes Gordon (Creative Director for Carolina Herrera), Katie Grand (Founder and EIC of Perfect Magazine), George Krakowiak (stylist) and Cami Straschnoy (consultant).

Photographers included Mariano Vivanco, Sofia Malamute, Silvana Trevale, Camila Falquez, Juan Brenner, Pedro Napolinario, Enrique Leyva, Paola Vivas, Khristio, Mar+Vin, Jacques Burga, Izack Morales and Victoria Ruiz, and more!READ THE PIECE on BoF or message me for access.

On that note, The PhotoVogue Festival returned for its ninth edition. This time it’s focus was on celebrating the natural world while addressing some of today’s most pressing global challenges. It took place from March 6th to 9th, 2025, at BASE Milano.

The festival offered a rich programme of exhibitions, panels, presentations and digital showcases, including the Latin America Panorama, for which one hundred artists were shortlisted through a local open call.

Many LATAM artists participated in panels on topics like Fashion for Change: Raising Awareness Through Creativity, with Silvana Trevale (Venezuela) and Ana Margarita Flores (Peru), and Indigenous Voices: Honouring Cultural Heritage, with Gleeson Paulino (Brazil), Ana Caroline de Lima (Brazil) and Sara Meneses Cuapio (Mexico).

The panel Latin America Panorama: Through the Fashion Lens featured Rafael Paiva, Viridiana, Patricia Reyes, Thais Vandanezi, Karla Read, Andres Altamirano, Gabriel Gomez and Diego Bendezu.

Other artists present included Juan Brenner, Enrique Leyva (both of whom I interviewed for my BoF piece), Margarita Flores, Margarita V. Beltran, Carolina Arantes, Vilerx Perez and Chris Perez.

🎉 Congratulations to them all! 👏

You made it to the end! Thanks for reading ! I hope you appreciate the love and work I put into this newsletter. If you found it valuable, please share GEN33!

Tired of paid subs? Buy Me A Coffee instead.

Give GEN33 a follow on Instagram, you can also find us on LinkedIn . Alternatively, you can also give me a follow here.

ABOUT ME: I am a journalist based in London specialising in fashion and luxury and also work as a creative strategist for fashion, luxury and media brands, helping them find their voice and unlock bold storytelling to reach their full potential.

I give talks, offer consultancy and started this newsletter to talk more about LATAM’s creative industries in English because there’s so much happening that those who don’t speak Spanish or Portuguese are missing out on.

If you want to check out more of my work, click here.Thanks for reading and do share if you found it valuable!