One of the fashion world’s most favorite editors, Vogue Mexico & Latin America’s editorial director Karla Martinez de Salas, and designer Willy Chavarria were honored at El Museo del Barrio’s first-ever spring benefit.
Attendees at the sold-out inaugural gala included Anna Wintour, Jason Wu, Carolina Herrera designer Wes Gordon, Moda Operandi’s Lauren Santo Domingo, Vogue veteran-turned-Nordstrom fashion exec Rickie De Sole, Vogue creative editorial director Mark Guiducci and Fabiola Beracasa.
Singer Yendry performed, and DJ Christian Mártir spun tunes.
Chavarria worked at Ralph Lauren and American Eagle before opening his own hip shop and label, Palmer Trading Co. in Soho in 2010. He subsequently launched an eponymous fashion line in 2015.
Martinez de Salas began her career at Vogue as an assistant before becoming associate fashion editor in 2002, working with the Conde Nast fashion bible’s famed staff including Wintour, Grace Coddington, Tonne Goodman Camilla Nickerson and Phyllis Posnick.
In 2016, she became the editor-in-chief of Vogue Mexico and Latin America. She has been previously been honored by Mexico’s Fashion Digital Awards for best editorial content, and was included in the Business of Fashion’s list of top 500 fashion leaders.
Martinez de Salas posted on Instagram of the honor: “For [six] years, my team in MX and Latin America have been working on telling stories about amazing Latin American people and places. Last night, their hard work was recognized. Thanks to all the photographers, stylists, writers, and creatives that have helped us find our voice.”
She’s also part of Project Paz, the New York-based nonprofit that launched to help low-income children in Ciudad Juarez, and has expanded to other communities.
Also at the Times Square Edition gala were El Museo del Barrio board chair Maria Eugenia Maury as well as board members including Karla Harwich and Tony Bechara, and museum supporters Victoria Espinosa de Alvarez and Barbara Briones. Dobel Tequila and winery RG/NY provided libations at the event.
Located on Fifth Avenue, the museum is about to launch the new show, “Raphael Montañez Ortiz – A Contextual Retrospective” on April 14. The exhibition will include eight decades of the artist’s work, and will subsequently travel to Mexico City.
