NFTs? Check. Live Cuban music? Double check. Signature cucumber gin and tonics from Épicerie Boulud? Triple check! This is how Clandestina, Cuba’s first private fashion brand parties. They celebrated the launch of their new collection, Metavelso at The Canvas 3.0, a new gallery space located in the World Trade Center here in Downtown Manhattan.
On Sunday, August 21, The Knockturnal was invited to experience a magical musical evening on Little Island.
Imagine rock ‘n roll being illegal.
Billed as Cuba’s first ever female-fronted electronic duo, PAUZA is gearing up to spread their native island’s eccentric sounds around the globe.
The month of March is a time for celebrating the Spring season and the high spirits that come along with it, as well as reflecting on the winter months and events both personal and of nature that have come to pass.
This weekend marks HBOLatino’s release of Havana Street Party, the Spanish-speaking network’s music special from three-time Grammy-nominated Latin Hip-Hop trio Orishas.
This past weekend, in collaboration with HBO Latino, Latin music artists Gente De Zona released the second edition of their Grammy-nominated music special “En Letra de Otro.”
David Hart presented his spring/summer 2018 collection at the 8th biannual New York Men’s Day held at Dune Studios. Always an exciting show, Hart’s premium hand tailored clothing offers a mix of retro with a modern day flair. This season Hart channeled Cuban tourism or at least the idea of it as inspiration for his collection. As Hart has yet to visit the Caribbean Island for himself. He pulled Cuban references from music, photos, and cinema.
Hart did a fantastic job setting the mood, which was felt as soon as I stepped foot into the room. The runway was lined with Cuban style tiles, there were the palm plants, palm trees, and music to match. The collection was bright, colorful, fresh, and fun. With sharply tailored clothing that we expect as well as sportswear. There were: tropical print short-sleeve shirts, boldly striped blazers, sash-like neck scarves, Panama hats, and bermuda-ish shorts. Pant suits ranged in color from cream, navy, and a sand-like brown. Stand out colors was an orange reminiscent of my grandmother’s favorite sorbet, to a special kind of red that had me thinking of bloody mary cocktails on a white sanded beach. The most memorable look for me, hands down was the mint green suit pants and matching blazer paired with a banana print camp shirt, ¡increíble!
Hart also showed two women’s wear looks that would pair perfectly with the David Hart guy. The ladies wore pleated high-waist pants with tie-off shirts. The beach vibes were felt and I left the show feeling ready to pack my bags and head off to Cuba. For any readers in the US that are feeling the Cuban spirit, you may want to plan a trip sooner than later considering Trump’s plans to pull back on tourism from the US to Cuba.
Menswears brand, Cubavera unveiled its 2018 Resort Collection on Tuesday, June 6th. The Cuban brother-designer duo held an exclusive dinner at Midtown’s Victor’s Cafe to celebrate the new collection along with the brand’s collaboration with Cuban artist, Oscar Matienzo. Matienzo updated Cubavera’s staple guayabera or 4-pocket tropical linen shirt with vibrant prints. Designed in varying shades of blue, Matienzo found inspiration from Cuban folklore and the gregarious nature of the Cuban people themselves. This collaboration was a nod to the designers mission to work with local artists to showcase modern Cuba while paying homage to Cuba’s history and spirit.
The brand wants to introduce Cuba to shoppers worldwide, showcasing how the country has changed due to international influences. The venue reflected this concept. Victor’s Cafe, one of New York’s most prominent Cuban restaurants, presents a rich menu presenting Cuban classic dishes along with modern updates and innovative recipes. The collection itself is fun and effortless; the pieces can go from day to night easily, perfect for the upcoming humid New York summer. Cubavera’s mission is simple: it invites its customers to Live the Good Life: “looking great, feeling cool, and putting a little Latin ritmo and tropical sabor into every day, no matter who or where you are.”
The Matienzo Collab is now online; our favorites include the Banana Leaf Mini Print Shirt and the Slim Fit Island Musica Mini Print Shirt. Need a Father’s Day present? Cubavera is running a 40% off sale on the entire site, visit the site to take advantage of the promo.
With mariquitas, little cubans sliders, and gorgeous posters of Havana, we were welcomed to “The Poet of Havana Screening.” The room was covered in posters and screens showing the touching image of Carlos Varela with his hand on his heart and Cuba as a backdrop.
Before the screening started, three Latin American poets performed their pieces in homage to the great cuban artist. The three of them spoke from the heart and the audience noticed. Everyone clapped and got prepared for what was coming.
Once the screen turned black, our perception of Cuba would never be the same. Here is a man who has been singing poems of protest and discontent towards oppression and governmental hierarchies for decades and has been a massive success in his motherland. This is in contrast to what we thought of Cuba as a communist and dictatorship nation.
The documentary touches on the politics of the embargo, the relationship between the United States and Cuba, and the reality of both cubans and Americans missing out on each others’ culture for a decision that they were not involved in.
Nevertheless, this man broke the international barriers and let his words of freedom reach far beyond his island. With friends Jackson Browne and Benicio del Toro as his supporters, he has managed to share his people’s story of an intense desire for freedom.
As we completely understood his social metaphors, the preview of the documentary ended. It is an understatement to say that we are hungry for more. We want to learn more about how one man and his voice helped change stereotypes, and how a intellectual revolution changed the people of Cuba, and how a people’s yearning for freedom took place just 330 miles away from the land of the free.
Watch the full documentary on HBO October 23rd, 2015.