The New Wave: Miami’s Sustainable Fashion Scene Has a Caribbean Soul
- Sienna Bloom
- Apr 21
- 1 min read
Miami, April 2025 – With its sun-drenched palettes and palm-fringed catwalks, Miami Fashion Week 2025 could easily dazzle. But beneath the gloss, a new ethos was rising—one rooted in climate activism and cultural heritage.
At the Pérez Art Museum, Dominican-American designer Isabel Cañas opened her “Sea Legacy” collection with a spoken-word poem about rising tides. Her models floated down the runway in hemp lace, biodegradable fringe, and natural dyes made from hibiscus and mango skins.
“Our oceans are our mirrors,” she said backstage. “I’m designing for the planet my ancestors swam through.”
Fashion Week’s Sustainability Pavilion hosted workshops on circular fashion and hosted panels featuring Latinx slow-fashion leaders. Local boutique LOOP MIAMI launched its zero-waste “Rent and Rewear” platform, which allows shoppers to rent curated collections of emerging Caribbean designers.
“There’s a cultural pride in sustainability here,” said fashion journalist Omar Reyes. “It’s not just about greenwashing. It’s about reclaiming our roots.”
As the event closed with a biodegradable confetti shower and Afro-Caribbean drummers, one thing was clear—Miami is not only rising from the tides. It’s redefining what it means to wear your values.
— By Sienna Bloom, Sustainability Columnist
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