De Aqui y De Alla
For first-generation hispanics, life is a delicate balance shaped by the intersection of two distinct cultures, languages, and identities. De Aqui y De Alla explores how the latin community uses fashion as a language to belong – expressing identity, forging connections, and bridging tradition with modern aesthetics. Through editorial fashion photography, this project captures movement and spirit, from ballet folklorico to everyday style, where every twirl, ribbon, and textile tells a story. Whether their style leans more traditional, “American”, or somewhere in between, beauty emerges as a celebration of self-assurance and cultural pride. For them, beauty is found not just in aesthetics but in the bold act of being unapologetically themselves. Fashion is more than clothing—it reflects heritage, cultural assimilation, and communities that shape us.
“It was hard finding people who are proud of where they come from.”
-Adriana Ramos
“I’m me, but I dont look it. I dont look Mexican enough. I didn’t look how my parents look, or how my sisters look.”
-Breanna Carlos
“When you’re a kid you don’t see color. You just see love.”
-Judith Saldana
“I felt like I never looked the part, or sounded the part.”
-Jazmin Diaz
“If I would, you know, do eyeliner thats a little too thick, or lip liner that was a little too dark I was just labeled a Chola and that was the only way you could see me.”
-Breanna Carlos
“At first, I thought home was a place. Home is wherever I make it. If it’s with the people i’m surrounded with or with my family.”
-Josselyn Guillen
