La Gotta’s Earthy, Classic Collection Showcases Puerto Rico’s Natural Beauty

Range, cultural roots and a deep bond with the Earth—that’s what Valeria del Rey had in thoughts when she created her breathtaking La Gotta Classics assortment.

The designer’s new items pay homage to her native Puerto Rico by representing the spectrum of magnificence—within the individuals, in addition to within the natural world—that exists within the island.

“While you’re driving via Puerto Rico, you may’t even depend what number of tones of inexperienced there are as a result of there are such a lot of,” she stated. “So after I got here up with the Traditional colours, I included black and white, however I wished to deal with these earth tones … and I actually assume that if you have a look at the gathering you’re feeling such as you’re driving via the Puerto Rico inside.”

The designs spotlight the model’s signature subtle cuts, earthy tones and fascinating textures. Not like the remainder of del Rey’s items, the Classics don’t boast intricate prints or patterns, however are as a substitute easy and stylish, as they’re meant to flatter the physique’s pure curves and complement one’s sun-kissed pores and skin.

The textured material of the swims, which is comprised of recycled plastic bottles, “simulates algae,” del Rey stated, “and since La Gotta’s total mission is ‘redefining your relationship with the solar and the planet,’ the one-pieces resemble the whole lot La Gotta represents, which is nature, pure magnificence and an total basic and easy aesthetic.”

Del Rey shot the gathering on a seaside in Puerto Rico, utilizing native fashions of various shapes, pores and skin tones and sizes. “There isn’t any stereotype for Puerto Rican magnificence, we’re all so completely different,” she stated. “I actually wished to point out that.”

The designer described the photoshoot as a love letter to her tradition, and stated that it brings her a lot pleasure to see her ardour challenge being admired by her individuals. 

“Our No. 1 clientele is from Puerto Rico,” del Rey stated. “One thing that I’ve seen and I admire increasingly with time, as the corporate grows, is that Puerto Ricans are actually passionate abut different Puerto Ricans and their skills. And I actually love that, particularly within the trend business.”

Not like different Spanish-speaking international locations, Puerto Rico—as U.S. territory—doesn’t actually manufacture materials regionally or have a booming garment business, so del Rey, as a profitable sustainable clothier and entrepreneur, may be very a lot within the minority. Realizing this, she consistently demonstrates via her designs and her private social media content material how proud she is of her roots and the way a lot the island fuels her artwork.

“It’s large to, in a manner, be setting an instance that though we now have to possibly outsource or assume outdoors the field in an effort to create a model or something associated to trend, it’s doable,” del Rey stated of her message to her fellow Puerto Ricans involved in becoming a member of the business.

Although del Rey goes again to Puerto Rico usually, she now spends most of her time in Miami, just like the cool lady she is. So, it’s no shock that fashionable American trend tendencies have very a lot influenced her design imaginative and prescient for La Gotta in addition to her private aesthetic.

“We do have that Latin essence in our designs, with the intense colours, however the cut-outs and the sexiness and the boldness are extra American,” del Rey stated. “You possibly can see the cultural fusion.”

Aside from launching her Classics, the designer additionally not too long ago debuted her Joshua Tree Assortment, which she got here up with throughout a pre-wedding street journey within the California nationwide park along with her now-husband. Del Rey recalled getting misplaced within the park whereas taking photographs of the patterns on the leaves, the rocks, the cacti, the lizards and the uncommon species of birds she discovered. 

“I noticed there was a lot variety; it was simple to get impressed,” del Rey stated. “For each assortment I deal with completely different facets of nature, and I had all these footage saved and the patterns actually fashioned themselves, I simply digitalized them and recreated them in a extra distinctive and colourful La Gotta manner.”

The prints that got here out of that journey, and which now reside in La Gotta’s swims, are pure artwork, and a few of del Rey’s most glamorous. Certainly one of her favourite fits from the gathering is the Loretta Black, which has the sexiest lower, a moody desert palette and a complicated, summary print. One other is the beautiful Kalia Grey: a one-shoulder lengthy sleeve one-piece with a watercolor-like fowl and cactus illustration.

Del Rey’s muse has all the time been Mom Nature—she even named a swimsuit model “brassica,” which is the scientific identify of a genus of crops—and her designs persistently mirror that connection to the planet. It’s one thing her followers know and love, however within the subsequent few weeks, the designer will probably be surprising them by releasing a really completely different sort of assortment: La Gotta Bridal. The bridal swims are in contrast to something del Rey has designed earlier than, however equally attractive. They’re pure white, luxuriously silky, elegant of their cuts and even regal in that they’re embellished with tiny fake pearls which give the wearer that excellent “bride second.”

“Once I was getting married, I didn’t discover the proper white swim that may stand out in a really subtle and exquisite manner, so it all the time stayed at the back of my thoughts,” del Rey stated, talking of why she determined to design a bridal assortment. “After all even if you happen to’re not a bride you may put on it, but it surely’s excellent for honeymoons and bachelorettes. You need to seem like a bride however you don’t need your swimsuit to say ‘bride.’ It’s simply very easy and stylish.”

Like the remainder of the La Gotta swims, the bridal bikinis and one-pieces—out there quickly on the model’s web site—are made with a sustainable material crafted from discarded PET bottles. The corporate treats 100% of the water they use and recycle 60% internally. Since they launched in September 2020, they’ve decreased their water consumption by 8 liters per bikini and 4 liters per one-piece. In addition they use recycled threads and dye their materials with unhazardous components.

Del Rey’s ardour for the planet is real, and it reveals in the best way she lives her life and runs her enterprise. Aside from decreasing waste, producing solely on demand and utilizing sustainable supplies to craft her items, del Rey additionally collaborates with native artisans and charities.

The designer’s bestselling “Increase your glass, not the ocean degree” robes, for instance, have been made in partnership with Well Beings Charity, and 20% % of the proceeds from every buy go to the nonprofit group, which helps defend the world’s oceans, animals and communities. The ethereal, linen cover-ups are made with recycled supplies and upcycled buttons from a wide range of factories in Colombia, they usually pair completely with La Gotta’s Traditional swims.