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Now more than ever, people are extremely conscious about the environment—they recycle, drive green vehicles and even drink out of paper (or metal) straws. But it's not just about how they eat or drive, it's also about what they wear. Sustainable fashion is very much in right now, and one of the leading ladies at the forefront of this mission to dress smarter is Karina Rosendo. Meet the woman who is making sustainable fashion a norm in the modern age.
“We are working hard to break barriers, giving Latin American designers an equal opportunity in the U.S. fashion arena," Karina Rosendo told HOLA! USA
One important element to Karina's campaign is enlisting Latinx fashion designers through Stitch Lab, a Miami-based fashion incubator that helps launch the careers of up-and-coming Latinx fashion designers in the American fashion market. “We are working hard to break barriers, giving Latin American designers an equal opportunity in the U.S. fashion arena, helping them expand their business through thoughtful development, and spotlighting their respective messaging and manufacturing consciousness.” she told HOLA! USA. “We also like to work with designers who have a strong social conscience.”
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And what exactly does a strong social conscience mean? Investing in pieces that are made with eco-friendly materials and—most importantly—investing in pieces that will have a place in your closet for years. “I have acquired some unique pieces, but the most amazing part has been meeting those artisans whose hands have made them using techniques they’ve learned from their ancestors," the fashion entrepreneur explained. "Seeing the faces behind these works of art that we can then wear is the most precious takeaway.”
Before Karina was changing the fashion footprint on our planet, she was working as a TV producer and journalist, a job that took her to all corners of the globe. While traveling abroad and visiting Latin American regions, she got the inspiration for Stitch Lab because she wanted to create a space for all the designers she encountered. "Thanks to my job, I’ve had the opportunity to travel through Latin American and I always paid attention to the marvelous talent and designers there from our Earth," Karina explained. "I saw the necessity to give them a platform, to give them a voice to connect them and launch them right here in the American market."
Her work in promoting the Latinx community landed Karina a spot in HOLA! USA's highly-coveted Latina Powerhouse issue. "A Latina Powerhouse is a woman that breaks barriers and opens paths so that other women can also achieve their dreams," Publisher of HOLA! USA Sylvia Banderas explained. "What’s so special about this collaboration is that it focuses on designers that have a commitments with the artisans and the planet. These unique and beautiful pieces are made with a conscious."
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As for what the future holds, expect more fresh and sustainable designs in cloets across the world. "All these designers have so much creativity and potential and so much to offer," she shared. "They can finally come out of their countries and show their creations here in the United States. It’s for them, and if we can continue making dreams come true, then that’s incredible."