Meet Fernanda Alvarez | Creative mind, food enthusiast, dog mama, yogui, plant based human.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fernanda Alvarez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fernanda, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?

I was born and raised in Mexico City and ever since I was a kid, I was different from the rest, I wanna say, bolder and the way I found for expressing it was by wearing fun clothes and colorful shoes and that kept on going until I became an adult and had to dress accordingly for my first PR job, which made me loose part of my essence since I was not brave enough to stand for my own and thought I had to be like the rest. It was until I was 28 years old and moved to Miami that I re-discovered my true self, the one who didn’t had to hide from people (mexican society can be very judging and intrusive).

When I created La Funky Mexicana I was going trough a mental health crisis where the only thing that could save me was creating colorful pieces, as if my soul wanted to express wat was really going on inside of me.
The first piece I created was a bag strap for my purse, and my intention was to wear it as a ¨protective shield ¨ and to add a pop of color into my outfits, as I was feeling unseen. That piece later became a statement piece in tons of peoples closets around the world. Fun part is that I´ve received so many messages from customers saying that when they wear one of my pieces they feel empowered, protected, unique, motivated and most important, they feel seen. Also I´d like to say that my brand has became a favorite of Latinxs living outside their hometowns that somehow, want to reconnect with their roots. Let’s say that La Funky came to modernize and add the cool kick to the traditional Mexican artesanías.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I am Fernanda, creative mind & soul behind La Funky Mexicana, a
restless creative since I was born – lover of dogs, shoes, rainbows and the ocean.

Back in 2020, after the pandemic and living solo in the US for 8 years, I decided to come back to Mexico, to be close to my family and reconnect with my roots – as part of a healing process- textiles, women power and colors became my medicine, therefore I started designing and la funky was born, with the intention to share life and love trough colors and an expanded heart.
We are a team of amazing, sensible and MEXICAN women behind each piece, adding the magic into the MEXICAN POWER.

This re-invention process has been so beautiful, that today my greatest dream is to continue bringing my designs to the entire world, and that whomever wears one of my pieces feel the same orgullo y amor que se siente ser MEXICANX.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thanks to all my friends who always celebrated who I am, who never judged the way I dressed and who gave me a space to express my true self. Thanks to my therapist who made my work in my creativity to work against depression and anxiety and believed in me.

Thanks to my mom for being the example of strong, creative & independent woman.

Thanks to Mexico, my country, for giving me the strength and power to create and bring the mexican funky – ness to life.
and to all my amazing support system who has been working with me and helping me be my best version so far.
thanks to MIAMI & LA for showing me how important was to bring my mexican cultura in form of wearable happiness.

Website: www.funkymexicana.com

Instagram: @lafunkymexicana

Facebook: la funky mexicana

Image Credits
@FERAFUG / FERNANDA FUENTES