Intermoda 85 unfolded from July 21–24 at Expo Guadalajara, reaffirming its position as the leading business platform for the fashion industry in Latin America. With more than 1,000 brands showcased across 1,600 stands and participants from 31 Mexican states and 18 countries, the event strengthened Guadalajara’s role as an international hub for fashion-driven commerce and cultural exchange.
During the opening ceremony, Intermoda President Jaime Barba emphasized the responsibility and momentum of Mexico’s fashion ecosystem, stating: “INTERMODA has the responsibility of continuing to be the great meeting point where opportunities become business, ideas become projects, and projects become success stories.”
Fashion Space: Creativity as a Catalyst for New Narratives
The edition opened with Jesús de la Garsa’s “Supernova”, a vanguard runway that set the tone for the event’s creative direction. The closing show featured EDHER GIN’s “Oro Vivo”, a 46‑look collection inspired by the symbolic legacy of maize in Mexican culture. Through dramatic silhouettes, feathers, and a palette of black, white, red, earth tones and gold, the designer explored “a visual legacy of heritage, culture and Mexican identity.”
Gen Z, Identity and the Future of Fashion: Ada Jolly’s IM Talk
One of the most anticipated talks was delivered by Ada Jolly, Head of Iberoamérica at Future Snoops, who presented “Gen Z toward FW 27/28: Identity, Desire and Style in Latin America”. She highlighted that “any brand that wants to remain in the market must understand Generation Z,” while warning against treating them as a homogeneous group.
Her analysis introduced four consumer profiles shaping Autumn/Winter 2027/2028:
- Neo‑Trads (Mudberry): seeking order and belonging through a fusion of old and new.
- Justice Seekers (Neon Rouge): channeling frustration into creative activism and demanding brand alignment.
- The Unlinked (Optic Fog): experiencing “immense loneliness through connectivity” and gravitating toward neutral, coherent brands.
- Extended Adolescents (Plasma): embracing playfulness, nostalgia and experiential creativity.
Jolly concluded with a message that resonated across the industry: “We do not design for a generation, but for the different ways of living today.”
Mindset Forum: Building a Fashion Voice Through Identity, Narrative and Viability
Within the Mindset forum presented by Ethical Fashion Space (EFS). Lizet Esquivel and Molén Antolin discussed “How to Build a Fashion Voice: Identity, Narrative and Viability,” emphasizing that differentiation in a saturated market depends not only on product, but on the coherence of the story behind it.
Their framework outlined three strategic pillars: Creative Identity: defining origin, values, and vision. Narrative: connecting the creative process with the ideal client and Strategic Visibility: leveraging alliances, cultural spaces and institutional recognition.
Two Latin American case studies illustrated these principles:
- Renata Buzzo (Brazil): an interdisciplinary designer integrating cinema, literature and psychology, whose conceptual work has reached institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET).
- Manuela Álvarez (Colombia): a designer rooted in memory and territory, collaborating transparently with artisanal communities and achieving international visibility through platforms like the LVMH Prize and the United Nations.
Designing for Everyone: Inclusion as a Business Strategy
The panel “Designing for Everyone: When Inclusion Redefines Business” brought together Laura Robles, Mónica Zampella, Lismeire Santos and Mireille Acquart, who argued that inclusion is no longer an added value but a strategic driver of innovation and competitiveness.
Key insights included:
- Pampili (Brazil): developing inclusive footwear by listening directly to visually impaired girls and their families, resulting in impactful solutions such as Braille indicators and right‑left markers.
- For & From (Inditex + CONFE): the first store in Latin America operated by people with disabilities, demonstrating that inclusion and profitability are fully compatible.
- C&A’s Amperson Strategy: building a culture of respect, diversity and equal opportunity through internal diagnostics, committees and long‑term actions.
The panel concluded with a call to the industry: inclusion must move from symbolic action to a permanent criterion for innovation and growth.
Mixed Reality and Trend Innovation: A New Frontier for Intermoda
One of the most innovative areas of the fair was the Trend Zone, a collaboration between Future Snoops, Intermoda, Bitchy Soul and Browzwear. Students from Universidad Anáhuac Oaxaca created designs based on Future Snoops’ trend directions, which were then transformed into interactive 3D garments within a mixed‑reality environment.
Edely Garnica, Latam Commercial Operations Coordinator at Browzwear, mentioned that Visitors could explore physical space, trend concepts, and digital garments simultaneously an experience that made innovation tangible and showcased how fashion now exists at the intersection of physical and digital worlds.
Intermoda 85: A Testament to Latin America’s Creative and Business Power
With its blend of business opportunities, cultural narratives, technological innovation and social impact, Intermoda 85 demonstrated why Guadalajara continues to be the fashion business capital of Latin America. The event not only celebrated creativity but also challenged the industry to embrace identity, inclusion and authenticity as essential pillars for the future.