On Monday night the ninth year of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) Mexico City kicked off in a courtyard of the Colegio de San Ignacio de Loyola Vizcaínas, a stately Baroque mid-18th century Centro Histórico school that has been in continuous use since the colonial era.
This year Fashion Week is ambulatory. The runway will move every day, bringing the collections to venues around the city that include Bosque de Chapultepec’s Casa del Lago and a revamped movie house.
The first day of shows kicked off with a sleek street-ready men’s collection dubbed “Come Back Home” by Los Vladimirovich, which was presented by Pineda Covalin, a fashion organization founded by Cristina Pineda and Ricardo Covalín that promotes a focus on honoring Latin American artisans. Pineda Covalin also brought established designer Macario Jimenez‘s women’s collection to the MBFW runway.
Jimenez’s vision amounted to a suite of gowns and separates in the brand’s signature high pigment prints, playing peek-a-boo as models with simple chignons and natural makeup trailed fringe behind them. Jimenez is well known for outfitting Mexico’s First Lady — will Angelica Rivera want to work one of these fluttery looks?
Detalles de @pinedacovalin y su colección O/I 2016 con @macario_jimenez en #MBFWMx #SemanaDeLaModaMx pic.twitter.com/q9gvPCeqnZ
— MBFWMx (@fashionweekmx) April 11, 2016
El color se hace presente en la propuesta otoñal de @pinedacovalin con @macariojimenez en #MBFWMx pic.twitter.com/IN1uADNtW6
— MBFWMx (@fashionweekmx) April 11, 2016
Polanco designer Alexia Ulibarri’s looks were stricter and more dramatic in contrast. High-necked, translucent black blouses bore sparse floral embroidery and solid, garnet collars emphasized a structured Victorian femininity.
Posted by Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week México on Tuesday, April 12, 2016
As to be expected, it was a luxe night. Los Angeles-based, Colombian-born designer Juan Carlos Obando has presented his “own the night basics” (as he described his evening wear to Vanity Fair) across the fashion world, including Fashion Weeks in New York and Paris. His collection for Mexico City draped models in clingy gowns and voluminous, jewel-toned skirts.
Transparencias y colores vivos en la colección OI 16 de Juan Carlos Obando pic.twitter.com/qzOHcaFsad
— MBFWMx (@fashionweekmx) April 12, 2016
Many Mexican designers work with the rich textile traditions from the country’s indigenous communities. Yakampot is one of these brands. Its founder, Chiapan designer Francisco Cancino, works with over 45 areas in Mexico to create looks that convey a modernity with deep roots.
Of course, Fashion Week means the people who spent the most time on their outfit aren’t even on the runway. Actress Eréndira Ibarra had one of our favorite looks on to attend the Alexia Ulibarri presentation.
Hermosa erendiritas en el front row de @AlexiaULIBARRI en #MBFWMx pic.twitter.com/3bFZdWQQLB
— Eréndira Ibarra Fans (@ErendiritasFans) April 12, 2016
The Mercedes Benz Mexico City Fashion Week runs through Friday, April 15. Tuesday’s presentations start at 10 a.m. at the Casa del Lago with Kris Goyri, José Sánchez, Sandra Weil and continue at 6 p.m. in the lofty ceilinged Cine de las Américas with collections by Xico, Iván Ávalos, Cihuah, Jorge Ayala and Alfredo Martinez.
Attendance is by invitation only, but you can find documentation of the shows on the MBFW social media pages.
If you can’t get enough of the cuts and angles, browse the listings of the Mexico Fashion Film Festival. It runs April 11-16 and features curated selections of fashion shorts on the big screen, plus a talk in English by director and curator in chief of The Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele, as well as other screenings and events. Film festival tickets are available here.
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