BDesign, your very own latin fashion hub in Ecuador

When you think of ‘Ecuador’ you don’t necessarily jump for the word ‘fashion’ do you? Well, we may want to start changing this notion. 

Just a couple of months ago I came to Ecuador on an adventure, and with big hopes of discovering Latin American designers, which many of you already know it's my passion. 

I discovered artistry, textiles and lots of alpaca fur, and thanks to social media I also came across with numerous local brands designed and made by Ecuadorian entrepreneurs. One of the most special concepts I’ve encountered is BDesign, a multi brand shop founded by Barbara Brauer.

During our conversation, Barbara takes me through her life’s journey. After many years of discovering fashion, traveling and studying the in’s and out’s of business, Barbara decided to take a big jump and work towards her dreams: make latin fashion known in her country. 

The big catalyst for taking the jump was to notice two things: 

1) There was a need in the country for new and unconventional items

2) Barbara used to design her own wardrobe, keeping it just for her personal use, and everywhere she would go people would ask her where her designs where from! 

Photos via BDesign.

With this new drive, in 2016 she decided to pull together a trunk show (a small sales event, aimed to present merchandise to potential customers) as her first business move. She was looking to bring something different to the table, so she introduced Colombian brands like Liza Echeverry and Postino to the local market, and it was a hit. People kept asking for more and a second trunk show. This was her AHA! moment, ‘I have something special here’ she thought.

Over the years, she opened her very own showroom and began including more Colombian designers such as Eugenia Fernandez, Fenomena, Pajarolimon, and a roster of Ecuadorian designers like Martinetti, MACP Jewelry and Jacqueline Moncayo. Today, she has expanded into not only fashion, but also accessories, interior and home wear (one of my personal current favourites is TYBSO). 

Her showroom has closed down after COVID - but she looks forward to reopening soon. For now Barbara does 1:1 appointments in her lovely home in Quito, the city’s capital.

Stop there? No WAY! Remember when everyone would love her designs? She recently began creating her own clothing line under her BDesign brand, with her local team of seamstresses, and you can find the cutest pjs (which are on my wishlist already!), premium linen baby clothing and a recent collaboration of hoodies with Merfa, a local Ecuadorian brand. Yes… she is unstoppable!  

Handmade hats in Ecuador, by Martinetti Studio

The most fascinating thing is that through BDesign, Barbara has not only kept local consumers active and aware on latin of brands but has also given back to the community. Specially during the pandemic, where designers needed to carry on with their jobs, and clients needed to go somewhere they would trust and knew they would feel special in the clothing Barbara curated.

So, what’s next?

• Add BDesign to your Wishlist, I know I have spotted some must have items!

• BDesign will be creating custom-made party dresses for their clientele

• Stay tuned for her upcoming trunk show! Save the date for 10-11 November 2021 in Quito.

Photo via Eugenia Fernández.

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