Fashion design Made in Cuba that you cannot miss

Fashion design Made in Cuba style is now getting its own character

The Caribbean island is promoting a new asset, so if you are a fashion lover and you travel to Cuba, you will have the possibility of acquiring products made in Cuba. Fashion design made in Cuba. Handcrafted products, designed and made 100% by Cubans. Now, they already have their own brands and sites under which they market and promote their creations.

Currently, there is the possibility of opening private businesses where to sell textile and fashion design confections made in Cuba. This is moving the gears of a national industry worn out by the excessive importation of foreign products, in the absence of local productions.

Many of these brands are already recognized worldwide and are also gaining ground within Cuba. In the country, for years, proper Cuban fashion was absent from showcases and catalogs.

Today we are going to talk about six projects by Cuban designers with local businesses we especially like. Behind them, we find enterprising women who seek to defend their own and novel style. Its quality and design standards are high, and representative of the Cuban essence.

1 @capicua_fashion, creative explosion of shapes and colors

At number 55 of San Lázaro street, in Havana center, we find Capicua Fashion, a little shop where colorful, youthful and tropical designs attract the attention of those who come here.

Capicúa stands out as a brand , created by Lailaa y Sandra, who have promoted freshness and modernity, through very interesting concepts and an ecofriendly- methodology, with zero waste.

The wasasas are their most recognizable addition to fashion designs. Youngsters from Havana walk or ride a bicycle around the city with one of these canguras (fanny packs) hanging from the waist, or wearing one of their wonderful tops, dresses, pachangas (hats), masks or shorts, which increases the vividness and color of Havana and reflects a unique #fashionCuba.

2 @dadorhavana, designs with determination and Havana spirit

Dador is the product of our vision, determination and spirit. Our garments are limited series. They are handcrafted and locally made in our studio in Havana. So says the label that accompanies a piece of this brand. It is a collaborative project between artists who share the same vision and passion for good Cuban fashion, and specially Havana.

Cuban artists, musicians, celebrities. Any Cuban who can afford their prices, or foreigners who bet on these creations, become their ambassadors. It is a unique pleasure to use Cuban author designs, croches, linens, guayaberas, fresh and colorful clothes, as the island where they are created, and also they are ungendered .

His store-studio is located in the heart of old Havana, in the 253 of Amargura street, and it is a cozy place, as well as a creative space where you can find excellent Cuban designs.

So you know, if you take a tour around the streets of Old Havana, do not miss the opportunity to get a unique piece from this store.

3 @Clandestina, 99% Cuban design

At this point... no more dramas! as stated in one of the most popular designs by  Clandestina, the first independent Cuban fashion brand, founded by a Cuban, Idania and a Spanish, Leire.

A brand that reinvents itself every day, depending on the scenarios: fresh t-shirts with popular Cuban messages ("Asere ya, gracias", "Resistir y Vencer"), recycled shopping bags (BIG Agro), masks against the Coronavirus (muzzles or handwraps), aprons, wallets and a host of accessories and clothes that They represent the most popular Cuban design, both in Cuba and abroad.

Through their participation in community projects such as San Isidro Distrito de Arte, fashion show  “Glorias Deportivas”, held in November 2019, as well as their presence at the Gibara International Poor Film Festival - where almost all of the attendees walked with their "Actually, I'm in Gibara" t-shirt - these designs have become a standard of trendy Cuban fashion.

In their shop at calle Villegas, decorated in a minimalist style, you will be able to find these and many other fashionable surprises, and in their online store you are one click away of all their products.

4 @Beyondrootscuba, Afro-Cuban souvenirs

The Afro-cuban culture, Cuban religious syncretism and island folklore find expression in the designs of Beyond Roots, a brand that goes, as its name states, beyond the roots, to become a kind of movement for a lifestyle, for the pride and defense of the african legacy in Cuba.

Matching multicolored earrings with bandanas; bags, diaries, essential oils for the body and curly hair, as well as clothing designs with african style are the proposals of this store, located in the San Isidro neighborhood, in Old Havana.

Its founder, the young economist Adriana Heredia, is one of the Cuban entrepreneurs who has set a trend, partnering with other local businesses to sacle its development. Not only it is the first Afro-style store in Cuba, but also a very original platform to give visibility and better understanding to the expressions of Afro-Cuban culture in the island.

their store is in Old Havana, at 657 San Ignacio street, between Jesus Maria St. and Merced St.. There, you can discover their designs.

5 @tumbaodetelma, with strength and color

The official launch of this brand took place in Cienfuegos, the Pearl of the South. There, in the LeBlanc Palace, headquarters of the Cuban Association of Artisans and Artists, all those who come to visit this charming city will find their designs.

The cuban rapper Telmary decided to share his peculiar and own way of assuming fashion, through his personal brand of accessories, "is also inspired by those women who have approached me many times to teach them to wear the turban, because they fight against cancer", the singer stated.

The cuban rapper Telmary decided to share his peculiar and own way of assuming fashion, through his personal brand of accessories Tumbao de Telma, "is also inspired by those women who have approached me many times to teach them to wear the turban, because they fight against cancer", the singer stated.

Turbans, bags, t-shirts and jewelry recreate phrases from their most popular songs or images of the artist, with a Caribbean touch and a lot of color. A very young brand that will go far, for its defense and expression of Cuban identity. Do not miss the opportunity to visit Cienfuegos, and after a city-tour you can get some of their unique items.

So, if you are thinking of organizing a trip to Cuba, whether it is with your familiy, with your group of friends or with your classmates, with your couple or even in your honey moon, on your own or in one of our tailor made trips, which we do our best to organize in our especialized travel agency, keep following our tips to travel to Cuba without complications and to know the evolution of the situation of Covid-19 in Cuba. We recommend some of our organized tours , and, if possible, spend at least 10 days in Cuba, so as not to miss the essentials, and above all, we recommend that you let yourself be carried away by our tips to live the authentic Cuban culture. Now you also know some special designers if you want to take a more special gift as a souvenir!

All the photographs have been provided by the brands themselves, thanks to Capicúa Fashion, Dador Havana, Clandestina, BeyondRoots, Tumbao de Telma!

Article written by Gabriela Rodríguez, independent Cuban guide.

Video produced and edited by Javier Ernesto Hernández-López.

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