Behind fashion week glamour, Argentina's textile backbone buckles

BUENOS AIRES, March 16 (Reuters) - Buenos Aires Fashion Week bustles with models showing disconnected the creations of section designers, immoderate good known and immoderate hoping to interruption done successful 1 of Latin America's astir influential manner capitals.

This year, though, the glamour connected the runway contrasts sharply with the turmoil down it: Argentina's textile and ‌apparel assemblage is entering 1 of its worst downturns successful decades, battered by ultra-cheap imports - galore from Chinese fast-fashion platforms - that are flooding the market.

President Javier Milei's market-opening ‌agenda, aimed astatine deregulating trade, driving contention and lowering prices, has accelerated this shift. Last year, his authorities chopped covering and footwear tariffs from 35% to 20% and it has relaxed rules connected cross-border e-commerce orders, lifting successful 2024 the ​duty-free threshold for courier shipments to $400.

Milei's policies person helped rein successful inflation, stabilize prices and boost economical activity, chiefly successful agriculture.

But, erstwhile combined with cheaper imports, immoderate of the measures are deepening symptom for home industries similar textiles.

"Emotionally, the situation feels strange. People look sadder, much stressed. It's harder to marque it to the extremity of the month," said bridal gown decorator Valentina Schuchner arsenic she made last-minute preparations connected her postulation this period for manner week, known arsenic BAFWEEK.

Schuchner, 29, said she feels fortunate to beryllium presenting her postulation astatine BAFWEEK for the 4th time. But she lamented that different section ‌brands are disappearing astir her.

"Sales are down, depletion is mode down. ⁠People conscionable don't person the wealth for apparel oregon luxuries," she said.

A spokesperson for Milei's commercialized ministry declined to remark for this story.

FAST FASHION, FAST CHANGES

Argentina's covering manufacture enclosure said door-to-door imports shipped straight from different countries to consumers' homes astir quadrupled past year. China has been a peculiar beneficiary - its ⁠share of textile and covering imports has surged from astir 55% successful 2022 to 70% successful 2025, driven heavy by Shein and Temu, said Priscila Makari, manager of manufacture radical Fundacion Pro Tejer.

This displacement has happened astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic Washington has been urging its determination partners to antagonistic Chinese influence. Yet a increasing dependence connected commercialized with China is creating a geopolitical balancing enactment for U.S. allies similar Milei ​and ​new Chilean president Jose Kast.

Some consumers are rejoicing astatine the greater choice.

Shoppers similar Sarah Alcaje, 24, agelong frustrated by ​limited assortment and precocious prices - particularly extracurricular large Argentine cities - person turned ‌increasingly to Shein and Temu. The 2 retailers person surged successful popularity crossed Latin America successful caller years, drafting successful young consumers with rock-bottom prices, changeless promotions and door-to-door delivery.