Latino Culture and Streetwear in Los Angeles

Latino Culture and its growth on streetwear in California

       Latino culture and streetwear are known together to be influenced based on various events in the United States from Latino movement in history and Chicano culture based on various lifestyles throughout Los Angeles. From political movements, immigration, affirmative action issues, religion and traditional celebration within Latino culture. And, Chicano influence being a barrier to modern streetwear based on experience growing in and from various Latino communities throughout Montebello and Los Angeles. As Latinos, we have a strong influence and connection to our local brands, they all mean the most or take a strong place in resemblance to who we identify as ourselves. One growing start in the Latino Culture movement in streetwear comes from local designers just like Old English Brand, various local designers in Los Angeles and artists portraying real experiences in the communities into art and transcending the influence onto clothing. Many popular designs early developed within the 1990’s in Chicano streetwear from the graffiti style lettering and local urban drawings around the communities. One local designer in an interview I discovered from 1999 an article from the La times interviewed a Montebello streetwear designer working outside his home in Montebello named Anthony Cruz the founder of True Roots Streetwear, and what he had it say caught my attention. Cruz explains how most shirts in streetwear influenced by Latino culture can be seen with designs on “Brown pride”, The Mexican Revolution with Emiliano Zapata. The clothing Cruz states “A urban wear with a cultural twist to it.” Cruz explains how he and various designers use movements from Latino history and, its difficulty in much of the art found on various clothing. Among Cruz various Latino designers have aimed to promote Latino culture and urban influence since the 90’s into streetwear. Growing up I can identify with Cruz message having seen various shirts with messages among family members on my Latino side.

     Although since the 1990’s Latino growth among streetwear has begun a transcendence from Artists even in music like Jennifer Lopez (name modern artists), bringing attention towards the Latino communities throughout Los Angles and the east coast in New York in areas like Brooklyn. Although, in modern time we find the influence of Latino culture in communities has increased, it has not always been so in the past twenty years. For many we can say our culture has been one just know of marketing value or real notice from stereotype to almost fashion icon. Upon my research, I discovered an article done interviewing Elena Romero and her views as a Latino woman. Romero is known for her pioneer fashion journalism, documenting the rise and fall of the 1990’s streetwear fashion. Romero, worked for the old known magazines of DNR and WWD, many people growing up and in their teens, know during this time of the 90’s for the Hip Hop influence in the of Brown culture recognition on African Americans in fashion and industry took a rise with Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Sister Sister, models such as Tyra Banks, Destiny’s Child, TLC, Aaliyah began to rise and center the fashion and industry during this time. Yet the contribution of Latino culture in the growing old school community, of hip hop and streetwear is not very much acknowledged. Although, despite influence films like “Fresh Dressed” Gomez mentions leaves out a part of the Latino Community. Something back then was overlooked because it was not as popular on the market for many unsure or stated reasons in the media. Gomez points out that many of the designers in the film are Latino too and are half black and half Mexican, yet were not to profound in shouting out the Latino side. Many know the names that left a mark within Hip Hop Culture such as April Walker of Walker Wear who is half black and half Mexican and Karl Kani the Costa Rican and Panamanian father introduced him to the art of tailoring.

 Although, this has happened many feel and Romero as well that although, this was an issue in the 90’s it was seen this way due to the industry looking for a market of color, many strongly argue its seen that way today just as much still in 2017. The industries still admit it has a hard time yet is in modern day trying to identify with the Latino community. Some say in the industry it is harder because of the range of the Latino community being seen so diverse. Romero, mentions her portray of the industry being opened by Hip Hop and pop by Latinos “The more we see Latino celebrities in hip hop, that opens doors. And obviously, style is right behind the music.”  Even, though minority’s Latino and African American make contributions to the industry, at the end of the day Romero states where the real power lies: “At the end of the day, the power that you have is in your buying power.”

Despite, the issues faced in the Latino community and credit in the industry one thing about being mixed or Latino even African American is we minority’s always have contributed to everything we do ourselves with a twist of our own culture and exchange of incorporation in creative blends, breaking fashion barriers putting twists to them; staying anything but ordinary. Romero states on the twist of being Latino and Black “We’ve always remixed, and that’s the beautiful thing about our music and our style. We don’t want to be anything ordinary. We’ll take something and reinvent it and put a twist on it and make it our own.” Romero, even states after “Now it will be up to this new generation to see if they’ll take this same approach to move the market forward.” Now, in this generation we have seen the barriers open people of Latino and mixed Latino decent in the industry and now are known, to speak out and promote art and, want to bring acknowledgement and recognition to our communities and music any of our arts within the industry. From Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Pitbull, Zoe Saldana. Now we have doors open although it is us up to us in the community to leave the doors open and create a mark and stay open.