One of the fashion industry’s favorite Colombian designers, Esteban Cortázar, teamed up with Spanish brand Desigual to assemble a collection celebrating collage, print, and color. The Bogotá born creative is affectionately known for incorporating his heritage and personal experiences into breathtaking designs. The latest? The artist (who shows his seasonal collections in Paris) gives us a glimpse inside his Miami with this Desigual summer capsule collection entitled “Cada Dia es para Siempre,” meaning “Every day is Forever.”
The Desigual collaboration (which is officially available for purchase as of Thursday, May 20) is inspired by Cortázar’s childhood in Miami during the 90s. To bring that to life in this collection, the designer prioritized the use of colors and fabrics to tell the story of his youth. “My life is very colorful,” Cortázar tells GRAZIA. And I have always loved playing with prints; in recent years, it’s been something that I have really enjoyed doing. [The clothing line] also reflects my love for summer and nature.”
To intimately fuse Cortázar’s past and present, the designer worked with his father, artist Valentino Cortázar, incorporating his dad’s “El Beso” painting into the 17-piece Desigual collection. He also pays tribute to local South Beach photographer Andy Sweet. The artist is known for documenting and capturing the atmosphere of 70s Miami. For the Desigual collection, the two dug into the archives and created a patchwork of iconic photos like the Leslie and Surfcomber hotels, which, if you walk by today, have the same timeless art deco feel as they did then.
South Beach, seen through the youthful eyes of adolescent Cortázar, made for a unique and fresh interpretation. His poetic creations in the Desigual collaboration enthusiastically celebrate never ending days of summer and the creative spirit of youth and cultural diversity. “It was such a spontaneous, open and diverse, and sexy town full of all types of beautiful, creative, eccentric, and flamboyant people,” Cortázar recalls.
At this time in Cortázar’s life, he was just coming into his craft as a designer; there was a larger creative renaissance happening all over Miami Beach. Fashion, music, and art established the city as a melting pot of cultural liberation in the 90s. Gay culture and the nightlife scene boomed along with a thriving Latino culture. Legendary designer Gianni Versace also called the eclectic city home and frequently derived creative inspiration from the surroundings he witnessed on South Beach.
Check out our favorites from the Esteban Cortázar x Desigual collection ahead.
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