Heat, Culture, and Couture

By Judy Cantor | Travel and Leisure en español | November 2004
Posted Monday, November 1, 2004

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Fashion is a must in Miami. Judy Cantor introduces us to a designer who finds inspiration in the climate and feminine curves of the city.

 

“The girls in Miami want sexy,” says designer Fernando Garcia, whose clothes have been defining Miami style for two decades. “Because of the warm climate, people here wear less, they’re very into their bodies. And they never want to go out and see someone with the same dress on that they’re wearing.”

 

Like Miami, Garcia’s clothes are flirty and fun, diverse, hot, influenced by Latin culture, and constantly evolving. And like the most tropical of U.S. cities, the designer is constantly attracting attention. Garcia’s one-of-a-kind creations have been worn by stars including Shakira, Paulina Rubio, and Gloria Estefan, and his everyday client list encompasses “cool, trendy kids, young professionals, and hot looking older women.” What Garcia’s customers have in common is their need for clothes tailor-made for the unique informal chic ambience of Miami: They want to stay cool and comfortable in the tropical weather, but always be ready for a party.

 

“Miami is definitely a party town,” says Garcia, an impish 40-year-old with wire glasses and a goatee, whose convivial, conspiratorial manner can make shopping for clothes an anticipated social event in itself. The designer works out of a warehouse that serves as his studio and factory in Miami’s up-and-coming Little River neighborhood, not far from downtown. A mystical mural hand-painted on the door greets visitors to the studio. Inside, the décor’s mix of minimal modern and vintage baroque furnishings signal Garcia’s talent for combining influences from disparate eras and cultures.

 

Born in Cuba, Garcia lived all over South America as a child. The sexy but sophisticated look of women in cities like Bogota and Santiago had a lasting impression. An impeccable tailor, Garcia supports his renegade sense of style with couture quality construction, creating form fitting but flattering clothes that subtly accentuate curves. With Latin pride, he plays up what he calls the “tropical figure” with flattering bustiers and flounced hems that draw attention to a fuller behind. The influence of Little Havana, where his family settled when he was a teenager, can be seen in his linen separates for men. Garcia’s stylish updates on the classic tropical wear still worn by elderly Cuban men in Miami bring the look of the galan into the 21st century. No wonder his clothes have been worn by idols Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin.

 

Garcia started his career in 1984, when he opened a vintage clothing shop on South Beach’s then-derelict Lincoln Road. As South Beach was reborn as a desirable international destination, he became an arbiter of its new trend-setting style. He began his own clothing line and quickly began selling to stores across the United States. He has since cut back in order to create one-of-a-kind pieces that he sells directly to customers in his workshop and to select Miami stores.

 

Garcia delights in juxtaposing high fashion with street style, taking his cue from Miami’s ever-changing neighborhoods, where celebrities mix casually with club kids, old people with young, and tourists with residents. For the designer, Miami is a place of unexpected contrasts, where a visit to a flea market is followed by a ride on a yacht, and where you might see Donatella Versace at the movies, eat breakfast next to punk god Iggy Pop at a Miami Beach cafeteria, or bump into Jennifer Lopez on a shopping expedition.

 

The designer calls his latest line of dresses “cha-cha punk,” a salute to Miami’s Latin culture and its cutting edge.

 

“Its not a traditional little dress, it has something funky to it,” says Garcia, holding up a colorful silk print, which could be called frilly if it weren’t for the utility pocket at the hem, the kind of detail usually seen on military clothing. Garcia scavenges thrift shops for vintage fabrics, and looks to elements of Miami’s diverse cultures for ideas; be they Cuban guayaberas or antique saris. No matter what his inspiration, Garcia always works with the weather in mind.

 

“Sometimes it’s so hot here that you feel like going out just a g-string,” Garcia jokes. “Designers working out of New York or Europe don’t have the sense of our climate you need to make clothes that are appropriate for Miami.” Instead of going into heavier fabrics for his fall line, he’ll acknowledge the change of season (and his clients desire for a change) with lightweight clothes in richer colors and elongated shapes.

 

When asked to describe Miami style, Garcia quickly does so in a word, “unexpected,” summing up the secret to the excitement of the city that’s his muse.

 

“Miami keeps getting better all the time,” the designer notes. “It’s becoming a place known for art, there are new restaurants and clubs opening everyday. Best of all, more and more people are coming and making their home here, and they’re all adding new ingredients to the cultural blend.”