How much do we know about Mexican fashion? From the textile industry? From the designers who were born and raised in Aztec lands? How much do we support them? For the first time, the Mexican fashion industry will participate in EXPO 2020 Dubai as part of the national pavilion.

The Secretary of Foreign Relations and the sponsorship of private companies, Mexican designers participated in Dubai Fashion Mexico within the framework of EXPO 2020 Dubai to take advantage of opportunities, to strengthen and internationalize the Mexican fashion industry.

In an exclusive interview for Entrepreneur en Español , Brenda Jaet, director of Dubai Fashion Mexico that seeks to cross borders, tells us about the importance of promoting and investing in Mexican fashion and the expectation of the participation of the seven designers selected to represent us in Dubai.

Brenda Jaet has been passionate about fashion since before it was a trend or a business to look at. She studied Fashion Design but realized that her passion went beyond making patterns and drawing. So he studied a second career in Communication where he found fashion journalism and dedicated his professional career to it. He has 20 years of experience in television and radio programs, as well as a columnist in different media.

Brenda had to create her own spaces and the idea of bringing Mexico along with the entire cultural agenda to EXPO 2020 Dubai is no exception. This project would not exist if she had not been suggested to Bernardo Noval , the manager of the Mexico pavilion. Thus, they presented the idea of a fashion week to the Undersecretary of Foreign Relations, Martha Delgado , who gave the green light.

^{Image: Ramses Xelhuantzi}

What will be at EXPO 2020 Dubai?

Due to pandemic issues, this great event had to be postponed for this year, however, it is held every 5 years in a different venue. 5 years ago it was in Milan , this one in Dubai, and the next, in 2025 it will be in Osaka . There, 192 countries meet from October 1 to March 31, 2022, under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” (Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, in Spanish). Each pavilion shows the world the diversity, technological innovation, part of its gastronomy, among others, of its country.

The Mexican cultural agenda brings many disciplines to the EXPO, from dance, photography, art, opera singers, among others. However, this is the first time that the fashion industry has joined with seven national designers with completely different proposals from each other to raise the name of Mexico . This is the only international showcase that exists for Mexican fashion and it is expected that every 5 years it will continue to be included as one of the disciplines on the cultural agenda.

Why it is so important to integrate fashion at EXPO 2020 Dubai

In this regard, Brenda comments that it was about time. “Fashion is part of the culture, of the essence of a country, of the economy. It was time for Mexico to see this great industry that has a huge supply chain, where many people work ”.

“They had always had us by the side. They call us banal among many things, however, I think that due to ignorance. When you take the time to know everything behind it, you are pleasantly surprised. From the person who plants cotton in the field and picks it up, to the maquilas, factories, designers, seamstresses, drivers, those who pack, those in charge of making the parades, the shop assistant, photographers, journalists, the accountants, countless people who depend on this industry. It is time for them to look at us and encourage us ”.

What was the selection process and with what expectations are you going to EXPO 2020 Dubai?

It is indisputable that in Mexico we have a lot of talent, how do we choose the creatives who will represent us? Brenda explains the criteria:

• Be Mexican.
• That the products are produced in Mexico.
• Have some kind of social impact.
• Have an infrastructure to create a special collection for Dubai.

The seven selected designers are: Armando Takeda, Benito Santos, Carlos Pineda, Jasive Fernández, Monserrat Messeguer, Lydia Lavin and Pineda Covalin.

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“We caught them at different times in their career as a designer. We not only wanted famous cigars, but also emerging talents such as Carlos Pineda or Jasive Fernández, who presents his first Haute Couture collection ”, explains the project director.

All of them go with the desire and desire to work hard to achieve favorable results for the entire industry in Mexico. “In Dubai, all the venues (places) where the seven parades are are different and they are not in the Mexico Pavilion. We want to attract attention and put ourselves in the eyes of the world, of the 192 countries that participate. We want to take advantage of this showcase or window so that Mexico shines and invests in the country , ”says Brenda.

Among other objectives of packing to Dubai is to attract international markets, as well as to create points of sale for designers in other parts of the globe. Also create great expectations of what can be seen at the EXPO, that all collections are sold, orders are raised, impact the press in any corner of the world and that all of Mexico is proud of Mexican fashion.

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Each week at the EXPO a different topic will be discussed, Brenda and her team chose the week of ‘Tolerance and Inclusion’ because precisely in this industry people live in different ways in their own blood. On the one hand, many of the people who participate are members of the LGBTQ + community, but on the other hand, it is excluded by treating those who do not meet certain beauty standards such as weight and height. This is precisely the discourse that they seek to change through those who will present the designs: the models. Women of different ethnicities, sizes, heights, and various skin and hair tones were chosen. ” You have to do your bit to change the narrative from home,” says Brenda.

Dubai Fashion Mexico

On September 22, the parade was held in Mexico City, which presented and set a precedent for what is expected to happen in Dubai. “We did the previous event here so that it is on people’s minds, because many times we are the last to know what is happening. Share first with our Mexican brothers and then with the world. You start from home, ”says Jaet.

^{Image: Ramses Xelhuantzi}

Brenda’s Tips for Working in the Fashion Industry

• Learn everything you can.
• Having talent is not enough.
• You must be willing to work.
• If it is your passion, you should not care how much time you dedicate to it.
• Do not get carried away by bad comments, that is, do not be discouraged by your idea.
• Believe in yourself.

“Everyone believes that the fashion industry is all glamor, and yes, in part it does, but that part lasts 10% of the time, the remaining 90% is pure talacha .”