Mexico Fashion Week Organizers Aim to Grow Global Audience

(Photo : REUTERS/Henry Romero)

When most people think of fashion week, they think of runway shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. While these fashion weeks have a strong global identity, other similar events in cities throughout the world aren't nearly as well-known.

But that's something the organizers of Mexico's semiannual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week hope to change.

Beatriz Calles, the event director, said this year's fall edition, which is scheduled take place at Mexico City's Campo Marte and run from April 1 to 4, will host four French buyers.

These French buyers are being brought to Mexico by export promotion agency ProMéxico as a part of its campaign to find international buyers with an interest in Mexican fashion.

'Paris is the capital of fashion, and everything happens in France. We hope to learn a lot from them about what Mexico can offer them,' Calles told WWD.

According to Calles, MBFWMX aims to offer buyers a varied selection of top brands in different segments. In addition to bringing in buyers from France, organizers of Mexico's fashion week also hope to attract customers from other European countries, such as Germany, the U.K. and Scandinavia.

'In five years, I would like Mexican fashion to be much more international as more countries and consumers get to know our designers and products,' Calles said.

Although Calles seems to have a solid plan in place in order to make Mexico's global fashion identity stronger, that doesn't mean she won't have her challenges to overcome.

Specifically, Calles said Mexico needs to move away from 'Malinchismo,' which is a term that refers to foreign favoritism.

'Mexico is 100 percent Malinchista. Mexicans prefer to buy foreign apparel, even cheap Chinese clothing that may fall apart in their hands,' Calles said.

'They don't want 'Made in Mexico.' This is our biggest challenge.'

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