Mujeres y prendas en conflicto: exclusividad y exclusión del diseño de modas en Ecuador

This research analyzes the strategies employed by fashion designers in Ecuador to position themselves in the national market, despite the arrival of large fast fashion chains in the country over the past few decades. It also examines the forms of “feminine duty” promoted through their proposals. A qualitative methodology was used, based on semi-structured interviews that gathered testimonies from fashion designers and workers creating garments for their own brands, as well as from women experts in the garment industry. Participant observation was also conducted in design workshops, photographic productions, and catwalks where na­tional clothing collections were showcased. The findings are expressed in two dimensions. On one hand, the Ecuadorian fashion industry employs the following positioning strategies: (i) constant professionalization, attention to quality, and customization of the garments produced; (ii) collaboration through design societies; and (iii) the exhibition and promotion of their creations. On the other hand, the designs aim to define the lifestyle and image that fashion consumers should conform to, establishing an imaginary shaped by gender and class stereotypes that often fail to reflect the bodily diversity of the majority of Ecuadorian women.