Welcome to Martínez, an upscale district about fifteen kilometers north of the popular tourist and shopping areas of downtown Buenos Aires. We took the commuter train up from Retiro Station, wandered the streets, found storefronts galore boasting eye catching shoes, wardrobe fun, and cute cafes and learned the story of a young designer bringing a fresh take on style to the city.
Hunting through typical shops or standing on the street corner and taking notes, it was easy to see that Argentinian fashion is forward and colorful: patterns, prints and textures galore in shop after shop after shop. Great for the first few browsing sessions, but this girl needed something to jazz up her travel gear and somehow that wasn’t quite it…
Fortunately for me, Marìa del bar Barrera of Mercado Buenos Aires is working to simplify styles and design, manufacture, and sell classic wardrobe staples to natives and international visitors alike. Even more fortunate? She was our landlady!
Once again, real life proves better than fiction. Continue Reading…