Yup , this is Lafayette, the fabric store in Bogotá, not the galleries in Paris, nor visiting the Marquis himself, nah, ah!
I visited one of the most established companies within the world of fashion in Colombia and perhaps the catalyst to the current “vogue” of Colombian design across the globe.
One of the top textile manufacturers in our country, with offices in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Italy and Spain. In the forefront of textile making and many other lines within the world of fashion, Lafayette Fabrics, always been a resource to the Colombians of any age and any social bracket.
After we moved from the port city of Barranquilla, Colombia (S.A.) to the city in the mountains (Bogotá), it did not have the same appeal, the same avant-garde fashion and fashion trend reception we had on the Caribbean coast, nor was it a city where due to the boats coming from all over the world (and stopping before passing thorough the Panama Canal) we had access to fabrics and goods from all over the planet. Not to mention the latest magazines and latest fashion trends from Europe, Far East and the US.
In my family, we were always fashion aficionados. So, in the capital of Colombia (S.A.) we had some options, but we always ended at the same place, Lafayette. My mother carrying us to get fabrics for her garments or our garments, upholstery, linens and others, that she used to sew in her brand new SINGER sewing machine my dad gave her as a mother’s day present.
So, we went and visited the store, as my mother needed some fabrics (a typical exercise in our household), and I found myself with a great selection of their new PRINTED FABRIC, which is applied to any fabric with a minimum of 100 meters, stock fabric, which you can print anything you want in it, and I simply had to detail the quality.
We spoke with one of the attendees, and of course, she told us the process, the incredible advanced tech used to create these prints and the incredible demand. I asked about the designs n the mannequins, if they were by anyone in particular, to which they replied, “No, we did not used any designer in particular, we did it all ourselves.”
Well, the entire display was fantastic and would provide any client the idea that any print could be made, giving you the option of personalizing your own look via your own fabric.
And of course, my mother and my sister had to pose by one of the “studio galleries” next to the display.
After the visit, I spent some time researching on the Internet for more about company and it’s history, I found myself with a fantastic campaign with what seems apparently a collaboration of a local fashion designer by the name of Olga Piedrahita and Lafayette Fabrics.
The result is simply outstanding! Here are some images via a fantastic fashion film:
Talking about style and great marketing, eh?
I found other images I wanted to share with you all, which proves the incredible local talent and the attention to production and branding management.
Including elements of traditional Colombian heritage and what I call “Colombianess”.
A very interesting image that conveys the idea as it’s seen in the store, and guess what? This is your calendar for the upcoming year…precious and priceless!
Perhaps my favorite images of them all:
A little of a lot of that Colombian Surreal, plus tremendous attention to architecture and style.
So, I guess being away, gives me a new perspective of my country of origin and how incredibly fortunate are my people. They have companies that keep the style and vision alive in a country that has been for years in the front of the textile and fabric manufacturing. A country that exports an incredible amount of fashion goods to the world.
Well done, LAFAYETTE!
Always in style,
Oscar~
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