Manuel De La Cruz

Bio

Designer Manuel de la Cruz delivers when it comes to carefully tailored suits, outerwear and cocktail-ready attire – catering to an upscale client with a modern edge.

Originally from Guatemala, Manuel de la Cruz left his country as a teenager to study fashion in Italy before enrolling at Parson’s School of Design in New York. It was as a tailoring student that he began to work for Angel Sanchez, a starting point for eventual gigs with New York fashion houses such as Narciso Rodriguez, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.



Manuel de la Cruz eventually struck out on his own, partnering with Brian Levy in 2005 to create mldc & co. He debuted his first collection that same year.



The designer incorporates religious and ancestral motifs from his own past and history into his garments, putting his own personal spin on classic shapes. Collections titled “Faith” and “Revelations” are not without separates embellished with crosses and Mayan-inspired graphics on the backs of jackets. For the shows Manuel de la Cruz occasionally teams up with fellow designer Dany Escobar, who supplies crowning headpieces and jewel-encrusted leather sleeves and earpieces.



Manuel de la Cruz is selective with his use of fabrics – using chiffon, duchesse satin, taffeta, brocade, leather and wool blends to create his various lines. The color palette is carefully chosen as well, dark for the fall with hints of mauve, green and navy blue; and light and delicate for spring, with touches of red, green, paisley and check.