Check out this Venezuelan designer’s Harina Pan gown
What is the Los Angeles Metropolitan Fashion Week?
Every year, fashion designers from around the world are invited to present their masterpiece, inspired by a common topic. They compete for the Designer of the Year award at RunwayFX in Los Angeles, USA (as well as other awards). This year, Venezuelan fashion designer Douglas Tapia stole the show with his Harina Pan gown.
A masterpiece inspired by Harina Pan
Venezuelan Fashion designer Douglas Tapia designed an imaginative dress inspired by the Harina Pan packaging- a product by Empresas Polar. It is recognisable to Venezuelans everywhere and an emblem of the country. He turned the iconic Harina Pan logo into a skirt containing the colours of the Venezuelan flag, paired with a red top with white dots. This results in a vibrant gown with sixties airs that is representative of the Venezuelan liveliness. Tapia named the winning design “Con sabor a Venezuela”, which translates to “With Venezuelan flavour.”
Douglas Tapias’ previous achievements
This wasn’t the first time Douglas Tapia participates in the acclaimed contest. In fact, he has taken part for 3 years now in what is one of the most important fashion events in Los Angeles. In 2018, he was awarded Fashion designer of the Year as well as the Media Award and the People’s Choice Award (in which the winner is chosen by the public). He shares the latter with with Erick Bendaña. Tapia affirmed:
“In 2018, I was awarded Metropolitan Fashion Awards, which I am grateful for as because of it, my design is now showcased in The Hollywood Museum. Today, I participate again with this masterpiece.” And a masterpiece it was.
Tapia has dressed a diverse range of celebrities such as: Dominican model Clarissa Molina, Mexican actress Angélica Vale and many Venezuelan misses- including Stefanía Fernández. Fernández was Miss Venezuela in 2008 and Miss Universe in 2009.
A Fashion Week like no other
Although this wasn’t Tapia’s first Los Angeles Metropolitan fashion week, it was a fashion week like no other. With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the fashion week did not go as planned this year as all live events were unable to go ahead.
Even though the event was unlike any previous year, the fashion week proceeded. A panel chose winners based on creativity, preparation, interpretation of the theme (which was pop art this year) and the “Wow” factor. The participants were a range of designers: 14 designers from the United States, Mexico and Ghana, as well as 3 other Venezuelan contesters- Jacqueline Aguilera, Julio Mora and Carlos Pérez, who finished second.