Victor Barragán on 90's Pop Culture, New York & the Tequila Don Julio 80 list
Victor Barragán is selling us the fantasy. The one dripping with hedonistic excess, the one we dreamt of when long periods of lockdown ruined our social lives and the one where all we do is pursue pleasure and duck into street corners to kiss strangers. It's the sort of fantasy that (if my Twitter feed is to be believed) we can't seem to shake off every summer. Victor's desire to create clothes that celebrates club culture, specifically the Mexican club kid look, is also rooted in the pursuit of being free, but in this instance, from Catholic guilt and the limitations of being a teenager living in Mexico City in the late 2000s.
Victor's journey to establishing his eponymous label, Barragán, began as a DIY silk-screening fare under the name YtinifninfinitY that quickly evolved into a CFDA nominated brand. His body of work continually challenges stereotypical notions of Mexico on the runway by exploring colourism, gender relations and the importance of community. Victor's unique contribution to the global fashion landscape is now being honoured through Tequila Don Julio; the designer has been named one of 80 Mexicans pushing culture forward through their artistic practice by the Don Julio brand.
In light of his recent achievement, Polyester Columnist Zara Aftab, caught up with Victor on his teen years, 90s pop culture, and life in New York City.
I read that you studied architecture in high school and then went on to major in industrial design at a technical school in Mexico City. How did creating clothes and a career in fashion stem from these varied interests?
Growing up in Mexico, I always thought about how the clothes I would see in stores were horrible. They either didn't fit my style at all or were too expensive. When I was 15, the stuff that I looked at online, I couldn't get in Mexico. I was isolated from all that I saw. So I started teaching myself graphic design and how to silk-screen, and that's how my journey with clothes began. It was mainly to cover my own needs. I wanted to wear something I couldn't find in conventional stores. Things got out of hand with ytinifninfinity three years later, which was close to when I finished high school and went to college. I started getting a lot of attention online, especially on Tumblr. The attention helped me move out of my parents house. It also made me realise that I needed to get more serious with the brand. I moved to New York another three years after that, and things moved very quickly once I got there.
Could you tell us a little bit about your start in New York?
I had my first presentation six months into being there. It was crazy. I had a bit of a following on Instagram, so I decided to present the collection in this bar on the Lower East Side. I posted the invitation online, so whoever wanted to come could come. I was surprised to see press from i-D and Dazed and Confused at my show. It put me on the spot, but it was exciting and opened me up to a lot more opportunities. I had informal presentations for two seasons after that, and then Fashion Week New York approached me to be part of their official calendar for Spring/Summer 2017. That's also when the brand started going by my last name, Barragán.
Since everything leading up to Barragán happened so organically, is there anything you wish you knew before you started the brand?
I didn't know much about the fashion industry when I started. I didn't know how to manage a business or how anything worked with sourcing and all those other commercial aspects of running a fashion brand. When the brand started getting all this attention from celebrities and the press, people started asking me technical questions about it; I didn't even know what most of it meant. So I had to step up and be open to feedback and learning from everyone I met. I threw myself deep into understanding the industry and treating every day as a learning experience. When I got nominated to the CFDA in 2019, I had the opportunity to receive mentorship from all these incredible people, and that solidified my understanding of how to elevate the brand.
“I think culture is kept alive through a city's nightlife, so while the brand will evolve, the energy of being at a club and going out will continue to be present throughout my designs.”
Barragán and your creative practice at large embraces Mexican iconography. I like how it goes beyond being a caricature of the country and its cultural identity and feels like a deeply considered and personal account of it. Where does your inspiration come from?
Usually, we try to start with Mexico, then we begin twisting and decontextualising our references so the things we create don't look like souvenirs. I always try to take a connection from Mexico and make it universal somehow so that people from around the world can enjoy it. Maybe they will perceive our art in a new and different way than we would see it because the context they live in is different, and their personal experiences are different.
Contemporary culture from the 90s is another theme you tap into a lot, especially in your earlier work. Could you tell us about your first designs and why 90s culture inspires you?
When I was 15, I was inspired by this club promoter in the 90s, Michael Alig and the New York club scene. There was no club scene comparable to that in Mexico, so I was immediately interested in that culture. One of my first t-shirts was of Michael Alig, and the other was of Winona Ryder. I was a big fan of her movies when I was a kid, so I wanted a t-shirt commemorating that. I was interested in how wearing the t-shirt translates in a Mexican context. The t-shirt became a way through which I was able to understand how people in my home country digest American culture. I think of it as maybe an 'mexicanised' version of popular culture. The two countries are neighbours, so whether you're actively participating in it or not, the American influence in Mexico will be pretty present. I saw this influence throughout my childhood and was continually trying to understand why I was so immersed in this culture when I grew up on the other side of the border. I was curious, conflicted and inspired by it, and this curiosity has since made its way to my work. Since moving to the States, my practice has focused on trying to digest the cultural shock I was going through.
You briefly mentioned how club culture piqued your curiosity when you were 15. Do you still explore these themes in your designs?
Everything I do is fuelled by my own personal experience. I loved going to clubs, and I loved the culture that surrounded it. I wanted to talk about the experience of being in your late 20s in New York, and I was able to do that through my collections. I think culture is kept alive through a city's nightlife, so while the brand will evolve, the energy of being at a club and going out will continue to be present throughout my designs. I am also drawn to the aspect of freedom in a club. I grew up a gay Catholic in Mexico, so I couldn't express myself and my sexuality. So when I saw that people would dress however they wanted and express themselves through their clothes, I wanted to do the same. New York's club scene was a very positive experience in that way, as I was able to explore my sexuality on my own terms.
People have this rosy image of what it's like to live in the city, but do the realities of living as an artist in New York live up to it?
I moved to New York because, like many other people, I knew it would be a lot more exciting and that it would be a big opportunity for me to take the brand forward. There weren't as many opportunities in Mexico at the time because the internet was different then. When I got here, I instantly felt the drive. You always feel inspired in New York, but you also feel so much pressure to make things perfect. The brand wasn't a hobby anymore because things started getting demanding. I don't know if that was objectively a good thing or a bad thing. But I will say for me; it was positive in the beginning. Everything felt charged, and I felt energised every day.
Would you say this pressure strains your creative freedom?
More than limit, it has changed how I design and experiment. It used to be much more free-minded, but now I have a payroll and vendors, so making sales is important. I try to create garments that are wearable but still crazy and give in to the fantasy of being young and sexy. So that has changed through the years since I started creating.
On that note, I want to congratulate you on making the Tequila Don Julio 80 list! How did you feel when you first heard the news that you were one of 80 Mexicans establishing fresh tradition through their unique artistic practices?
It caught me by surprise, but I was happy to be recognised for my work. The team gave me total freedom to create the campaign film on my own terms, in my own language. It was a really positive experience as an interviewee. When it was released, I was happy to be shown so much support from many people globally. I wasn't expecting people from outside Mexico to make a big deal about it, but I was surprised by the attention.
Beyond the Don Julio 80 list, is there anything exciting in the works for Barragan and your personal artistic practice?
We have a fashion show lined up for September for New York Fashion Week after almost three years. It's our big comeback, so we're most excited about that. Personally, I have been creating furniture and some other art pieces that were on display at a solo show titled Nursing Home that just happened in Los Angeles. I have another big show in New York that's happening right after Fashion Week, so I'm juggling both at the same time, which is challenging, but I'm happy to have another outlet to express myself.
Words: Zara Aftab
