For those who don’t speak Spanish, the phrase “oriname” might not stand out. But for those who do, the expression — which can be found in big block letters across the front of a gray muscle tank in BARRAGÁN’s SS21 collection — immediately jumps out. In Spanish, the phrase roughly translates to a command to “pee on me.” It’s a bold proclamation, rooted in the common queer sexual practice of watersports. But for BARRAGÁN, it’s one that fits squarely in line with the brand’s ethos.
Founded by Victor Barragán in 2016, the label has always been proudly sex-forward, from its earliest iteration as a small, independently-run t-shirt and hoodie label (then under the name YtinifninfinitY) to its current status as one of the buzziest brands on the New York Fashion Week calendar. (Last year, BARRAGÁN was one of ten finalists up for the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. The brand is still independently-run, though.) Its gender-neutral clothes, which are primarily inspired by, sourced, and made in the designer’s native Mexico, are unabashedly revealing and artfully cut in ways deliberately meant to celebrate the body of whoever is wearing them — or to “encourage more exposure,” as a press release for the SS21 show, which happened earlier this week in New York City, describes it.
Barragán titled his collection “Humildad,” which he tells them. comes from the Spanish concept of “cultural humility” and was inspired by his feelings about the world right now, particularly the colorism he’s experienced in both Mexico and America. (The designer sports a tattoo on his body that says “Tez Humilde” — or humble complexion — in an attempt to reclaim a common Mexican slur used to make darker-skinned people feel they have lesser value in society.)
“I feel in this moment that we need to be the humble version of ourselves after this social reset and [period of] personal reflection,” he offers about the title of his collection. “Before the [upcoming] elections, we need to deconstruct the idea of being ‘American.’ This world needs it.”
But in the end, it all comes back to sex. Victor admits as much, telling them., “A big part of my brand is about the visual communication and materialization of the similar desires that bring us together.” While many designers hope their clothes can communicate sexiness, Barragán revels in putting everything on center display. “We have been taught to hide these contents and to not express our feelings and our needs in a healthy way,” he adds.
Sprinkled across the collection are other sexual signifiers — like a loose-fitting, longsleeved colorblocked t-shirt that boldly proclaims “Please Destroy Me,” or a gray muscle tank that innocently features a graphic star in the front, but reveals the word “PORN” on the back, blown up in all capital letters. The appeal to the carnal is there throughout the rest of the clothes, too, in slightly subtler ways. Like all his collections, these garments are not for the prudish.
But there’s something oddly refreshing about Barragán’s playful approach to juxtaposition as well. While some things are skimpy and hardly there — cutout-laden crop-tops, dresses with slits so high you can see the wearer’s undergarments — others are oversized, like the aforementioned t-shirt or the hefty carpenter jeans and denim shorts that prominently display a giant star cheekily planted squarely over the crotch. Most intriguing are the comically large boots, both square and circle-toed, which were shown in black, brown, and gray crocodile or in his signature recurring star motif, which Barragán uses as a deconstruction of the American flag and other nationalist iconography.
Like many brands, BARRAGÁN has been forced to reimagine their business model thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While Barragán still opted for a live runway show — as opposed to a standalone lookbook or an experimental fashion film — the designer smartly chose to forgo a traditional audience, instead staging his presentation in a nondescript, near-empty room. “It was challenging to plan [our show] in advance due to uncertainty. However, it opened up some creative and production limitations of the past,” he told them. “Ultimately, in comparison [to past seasons], I think it’s the same ‘win some, lose some‘ perspective on both sides.”
Once again, Barragán reached out to friend and frequent collaborator Delia Beatriz (better known by her DJ stage name, DEBIT) to soundtrack the show. Her resulting mix, which featured warped edits of popular songs by artists like Missy Elliott, Kali Uchis, and 100 gecs, provided the perfect background for this specific collection of clothes. Like the songs, at once recognizably familiar but slightly off-kilter, the clothes were also twisted versions of familiar classics. I’m already checking my bank account as I prepare to splurge on a black leather deconstructed suit-and-short set.
Yet, even with all the interesting, thought-provoking, and still completely wearable clothes on display, it’s quite possible that the most talked-about look of the collection will be its most straightforward and stripped-down — a simple speedo, rendered in graphic neon green and black in the front and blue, purple, and orange in the back, with the brand’s familiar logo hitting right underneath the groin. Over the summer, the brand’s “B-Kini Swim Brief” became a mainstay for fashion-minded beachgoers, appearing on the bums of everyone, and peppering the sands of queer hotspots like Fire Island and Providence. Originally sold in three colorways (green+gray, pink+gray, red+blue), the buzzy swimwear has since all sold out. But judging by the inclusion of a new runway version of the grail, it’s clear that Barragán is ready to capitalize on the popularity of what has easily become one of his “signature” pieces. “We like to continue developing and elevating our successful styles in response to customer feedback,” Barragán tells them. “We always want to better the offering for them, so yes, we’re expanding Men’s swim.”
See you all on the beach!
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