Moda Brasileira: de la ideología hacia la identidad

Upon entering the global fashion system in the 1950s – later than most established fashion capitals – Brazilian fashion had to find its place without directly competing with those established markets. Instead, the goal was to solidify the image of a nation with no resources as a competitor in the existing global fashion system. The goal was, instead, to solidify the image of a nation that had no resources to establish itself at a level equivalent to that of the existing fashion system. The desire for moda brasileira/Brazilian fashion to attain relevance in the international fashion world was an internal endeavour that would demand the recognition of Brazilian fashion as an industry-culture binomial. In that sense, the attribute of brasilidade/ Brazilianess – which no other nation could claim – worked to frame Brazil’s position in the global fashion system. Those aspects of Brazilian fashion are discussed in this essay from the perspective of the social and cultural context in which they developed while also exploring the permanence of certain iconic images of brasilidade, which guarantees the participation of the country in the global fashion system.