Stella Nolasco: You can´t say American without the Rican

 

 

Stella Nolasco is a quiet force with a powerful voice. The designer turns fashion into a language of resistance, identity, and memory,  carrying Puerto Rico’s history, resilience, and beauty onto the global stage.

 

 

Photography Tahir Narváez

Fashion Editor & Stylist Davis Carrasquillo

Model Johannelys García 

Booker Brayan, Element Models

Makeup & Hair Nanette Solivan

Production Davis NYCFE 

Interview and words Daniela Abranches

 

Raised in a small fishing village on the west coast of Puerto Rico, Stella Nolasco grew up in a world shaped by observation, tradition, and a deep emotional connection to her homeland, a sensibility that now informs a practice rooted in storytelling that carries the weight of history.

In this conversation with ZOOT, Nolasco reflects on Puerto Rico as something inherited, lived, and continuously redefined. Through her words, fashion becomes her language — a way of speaking, resisting, remembering, and representing.

Shot on Puerto Rico’s west coast in Cabo Rojo, within the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge (est. 1974), at the limestone cliffs of Los Morrillos, where the 1881 lighthouse stands — the editorial unfolds against wind, salt, and horizon, reminding us how fragile our planet is.

This is a story about what we carry, what we protect, and how creation can become a form of voice — even for those who are not allowed to speak.

ZOOT: Where does your story begin, for readers meeting you now — who is Stella Nolasco? Where are you from, and how did your hometown shape you?

Stella Nolasco: I’m originally from a small town on the west coast of Puerto Rico — a fishing village where the water is crystal clear, the sand is soft and light, and the bay opens into one of the most beautiful sunsets you can imagine.
From a very young age, drawing became my favorite way to spend time. I was a quiet, observant child, always taking everything in. By the age of four, I was already filling notebooks with fashion illustrations, without even realizing what I was creating — it was simply something that lived inside me.

ZOOT: What does Puerto Rico feel like — not politically, but emotionally?

Stella Nolasco: I’ve always felt Puerto Rico through the way my mother raised me. She was deeply passionate about history, and she instilled in me a profound love for my homeland by sharing the stories that shaped who we are today — a U.S. territory, with a complex and layered identity.
She taught me to be sensitive to our past, to understand the journey of the Puerto Rican people — especially those from the countryside — and to recognize both what we’ve endured and what we’ve aspired to become. Through her, I developed a deep emotional connection to my island and a genuine love for my people.

ZOOT: How does that feeling find its way into your work?

Stella Nolasco: I have always used my collections and runway shows as a platform — it’s my most natural way of expressing myself. I’ve always been a rather quiet and reserved person, but at the same time, I feel a deep need to create awareness around the things I believe matter. In many ways, I see that as part of my purpose — to speak, to express, even if it comes through creation rather than words.

Perhaps that also comes from my upbringing. I was raised by very strict parents, and I didn’t always feel I had the freedom to express myself openly. So today, I carry that as a kind of mission — to say what I couldn’t say before, through my work.
The first time I was invited to show at New York Fashion Week, I felt a profound responsibility. Coming from such a small island, and being the first designer to present on such an important platform, I knew I had to show what made my work different — what Stella could offer the world that was truly her own.
Growing up in Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island shaped by Spanish, American, African, and Indigenous influences, has deeply informed my vision of beauty — one that honors individuality and the personality of each person. It was important for me to represent my country, to share our cultural and socio-economic realities, while also celebrating the beauty of our artisans, our poets, and our heritage.

My first show was inspired by santos de palo, small hand-carved wooden figures deeply rooted in Puerto Rican tradition. They were born out of necessity, when people living in rural areas, far from churches and without access to transportation, created their own altars at home. These humble, rustic wooden saints became symbols of faith and resilience. That simplicity, that raw beauty, felt profoundly Puerto Rican to me — and it became the starting point of my voice as a designer.

Continuing from that, I also presented a very special show at New York Fashion Week just two months after Hurricane Maria — a moment that left Puerto Rico devastated.
That show became an act of expression and resistance. The models walked carrying signs with messages like “You can’t say American without the Rican,” responding to the inadequate and deeply disappointing response to our island’s needs at the time.
It was important for me to use that platform not only to show fashion, but to give visibility to what Puerto Rico was going through — to remind the world that we are part of a larger nation, yet so often treated as invisible.

ZOOT: What do you carry with you when you leave the island?

Stella Nolasco: Whenever I leave the island, I try to bring empty suitcases with me — because I love collecting pieces along the way. I’m especially drawn to local craftsmanship and objects that carry the spirit of other cultures.
For me, shopping is more than just buying — it’s a way of understanding a place, of connecting with its people, its traditions, and its way of life. Those discoveries become a constant source of inspiration, enriching my creative world every time I return home.

ZOOT: Are there textures, colours, or gestures that feel like home? Which techniques do you use in your work that reflect Puerto Rican heritage?

Stella Nolasco: My work always begins with texture — it’s something that anyone familiar with my designs immediately recognizes as a defining element. Along with transparency, I’m constantly exploring the interplay of different materials. Over the years, I feel I’ve refined this language by allowing myself to take greater risks with each collection.
While my silhouettes are clean and simple — never overly ornate — I often create focal points where I build a kind of collage of textures. That contrast is where the emotion lives.
Lace is one of the materials I return to again and again. It connects deeply to my heritage — to our Spanish roots — through elements like chantilly mantillas, embroidered trims, and traditional bobbin lace techniques. I love layering and elevating these materials to create a three-dimensional effect, adding movement, depth, and a sense of romance to each piece.

ZOOT: Puerto Rico exists in a permanent grey zone — U.S. territory, but not equal. Colony, but rarely named as one. What does that contradiction do to a person?

Stella Nolasco: Thank you for asking this question — and for taking the time to truly understand our history as a people. It’s something deeply complex and, at times, very contradictory for me. I belong to a third generation raised under colonial status, and that reality inevitably shapes how you see yourself and your place in the world.
At the same time, so much depends on what you’re taught. I was raised with a profound love for my homeland — a belief that, despite our limitations, we are capable of achieving great things. But there is also a learned patience among many Puerto Ricans, a tolerance that comes from generations of enduring injustice. Sometimes that can lead to self-doubt, to questioning our own worth.
And yet, there is another side — a powerful one. Many of us see our reality as a challenge, as something that pushes us to prove who we are, to show the world what we’re capable of despite the constraints we face.
We are, without a doubt, one of the most resilient and optimistic people. There is a deep sense of joy here, a natural inclination toward gratitude. We know what it means to go through a storm — but we also know that storms pass. We are used to rebuilding, to trying again, to surviving.
We love the sun, but we also understand the value of the rain. In Puerto Rico, it can pour heavily, the sky can turn completely gray — and just a couple of hours later, the sun comes out and it becomes a perfect beach day.
To me, that is who we are. Every day is a new beginning. And through it all, Puerto Ricans remain joyful, hopeful, and deeply grateful.

ZOOT: When people speak about Puerto Rico from the outside, what are they missing or erasing?

Stella Nolasco: I’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively, and even live in places like Bali, Indonesia, Philadelphia — where I studied — and Rome, Italy. Through those experiences, I’ve encountered a wide range of perceptions about Puerto Rico.
In parts of Asia, for example, many people don’t know where Puerto Rico is at all. But if I mention names like Ricky Martin or Daddy Yankee, something immediately clicks. In fact, in some places, especially in Asia, people are very familiar with Miss Universe, so referencing someone like Zuleyka Rivera can also create recognition.
I’ve even been in countries like Singapore where people told me they knew Puerto Rico because of boxers like Tito Trinidad. But without a doubt, music has been our strongest ambassador. Sometimes I’ll even sing a little bit of “Gasolina,” and suddenly they know exactly what I’m talking about.
In the United States, there’s still a surprising level of confusion — people aren’t always sure what language we speak, or even that we are U.S. citizens.
In Europe, however, I’ve seen a shift over the years. More and more people are aware of Puerto Rico, and many have become genuine fans of our culture. And I truly believe that our greatest global representation has come through our artists — voices like Daddy Yankee, Ricky Martin, and now Bad Bunny — who have carried Puerto Rico into the world in a powerful way.

ZOOT: Which techniques, materials, or gestures in your work feel deeply rooted in Puerto Rican heritage?

Stella Nolasco: From the very beginning, lace was my first love — and it still is. It was the material that first defined my work and helped introduce my aesthetic to the world. There is something deeply romantic about it, and when I started using it in the 1990s, I approached it in a more modern way, combining it with the minimalism of that era. I believe that contrast became a distinctive signature of my brand.
From there, crochet — hand-knitted textures — became another great passion of mine. I’m drawn to the intimacy and craftsmanship behind each piece.
More recently, I’ve expanded into a line of guayaberas for both men and women, reinterpreted with a more contemporary twist. For women, for example, I’ve designed cropped guayaberas, adorned with beadwork and feathers, crafted in 100% Italian linen. That choice also reflects one of my great loves — Italy — which continues to inspire me deeply.

ZOOT: In “La Résistance”, you created designs that speak to authenticity — “designs that trust the woman wearing them to carry the message forward.” What is that message? What is a woman protecting when she refuses to shift, adapt, and compromise?

Stella Nolasco: The collection I recently presented, La Résistance by Stella, was born during a moment of deep global unrest — as I began designing, we were witnessing the conflict in Gaza, multiple wars, and the erosion of women’s rights not only around the world, but also in the United States.
Having grown up in a patriarchal environment where a woman’s value was not seen as equal — quite the opposite — this message of resistance and the fight for equality is deeply personal to me. I am the mother of two daughters, and I believe in respect for women, in equal rights, and in creating a generational shift — in breaking the cycle of patriarchy.
I believe in loving one another, in compassion. And yet, it can feel overwhelming — even alarming — to witness the level of injustice in the world. The abuse of power, the strong taking advantage of the vulnerable, and especially the normalization of violence and injustice toward women. It’s deeply troubling to see how even those who identify as religious can sometimes support or justify these dynamics. That is something I carry very deeply in my heart.
When I created this collection, I was profoundly affected — and I still am. But in that moment, I felt a sense of urgency: we must be strong. We must endure what is happening, but not by looking away. We survive, yes — but we stand our ground. We do not surrender.
We try to make a difference.
We do not stay silent.
We speak up.

ZOOT: What does strength look like to you right now?

Stella Nolasco: To me, strength right now means having no fear and fully recognizing my own worth. It’s understanding that I am the only one who gets to define my value.

ZOOT: Bad Bunny has brought Puerto Rico’s political reality into global pop culture. How can fashion do the same?

Stella Nolasco: Yes, Bad Bunny has brought Puerto Rico’s political reality into global focus through his music and his art. And I believe that comes from a deep sensitivity — something we share as artists, but also as people who live this reality every day on the island.
It becomes inevitable. Through our work, we express what we live. We speak, we demand justice, we make visible who we are.
I feel that I’ve always done this whenever I’ve had the opportunity — especially when I present my work outside of Puerto Rico. Because through fashion, we communicate identity. We can tell a story, carry a message, without saying a single word.
Fashion becomes a visual language — one that reflects who we are as Puerto Ricans, in a way that is entirely our own.

ZOOT: In a moment shaped by anti-immigrant rhetoric and rising hostility, what does resistance look like to you?

Stella Nolasco: To me, resistance means standing up against what we refuse to accept — what does not align with our values. It requires integrity, no matter where we stand, to raise our voices and demand equality.
There is strength in unity. We must support one another, speak without fear, and stand firmly for the values we believe in. Because if we don’t do it ourselves, we cannot expect anyone else to do it for us.

ZOOT: Hurricane Maria exposed global indifference. What memories stay with you?

Stella Nolasco: When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, I was living in Rome — by chance — and my eldest daughter was alone at home on the island. Our house was completely flooded, like so many others. She had to be rescued by a group of first responders in a boat.
Like every Puerto Rican — some more than others — we lived through anxiety, anguish, loss, and separation. The feeling of being disconnected, unable to communicate, worrying about family, about my work, about my team… it was overwhelming.
I remember we organized a benefit fashion show during New York Fashion Week, and I went more than six months without seeing my team. Communication was extremely limited — almost no internet, no electricity.
It was a profound lesson in resilience and perseverance — something Puerto Ricans were forced to live through. And I believe it changed us. It made us stronger.
Not just for me, but for every Puerto Rican, of every age — it is something we will never forget.

ZOOT: Is fashion capable of real disruption — or is it too complicit?

Stella Nolasco: For conscious creators, fashion is an expression of the soul. It carries culture, emotion, and reflects what we are living through.
My purpose has always been to create pieces that can be passed down through generations — garments that tell a story, that become a gift of love for someone who may not even be born yet. There is something deeply meaningful to me about that sense of continuity — the idea of memories traveling from grandmothers to granddaughters. That emotional legacy is at the heart of how I understand fashion.
Of course, there is also a large part of the industry driven purely by economics. And I believe we are facing an excess — a culture of fast fashion that often lacks meaning. It may benefit certain sectors economically, but it comes at a cost.
There needs to be greater awareness around overproduction — not only for the health of our planet, but also for the well-being and mindset of our communities.

ZOOT: What does it mean to represent Puerto Rico through your collections?

Stella Nolasco: I feel deeply honored to represent my small country — small in size, yet immense in its spirit.
I am incredibly fortunate to do what I love, what I have loved since I was a child, and to be able to tell the story of my people — to show their strength, their talent, their capacity. Because, at the end of the day, I am simply another Puerto Rican among many.
I am truly grateful. Thank you.

Thank you Stella!

 

 

To boot…

 

Stella Nolasco, Fashion Designer
@stellanolasco

 

 

 

 

We also spoke with the team, to understand how their work is affected by their heritage and how they feel about the current situation of Puerto Rico.

How does Puerto Rican heritage influence your life and work?

I carry a strong sense of resilience, community, and pride. There is a way Puerto Ricans show up for each other that stays with you wherever you go.
Creatively, I carry the color, the light, and the contrast. The island holds beauty and complexity at the same time, and that duality has shaped how I approach storytelling. I am drawn to work that feels alive, emotional, and honest.
There is also a boldness in how we express ourselves through fashion, music, and attitude. That confidence translates directly into how I position my work and the talent I collaborate with.

Davis Carrasquillo, producer and stylist

My Puerto Rican heritage lives in everything I do, even if it’s not always literal. It’s in how I understand beauty as warm, expressive, and alive.
I grew up in an environment where my mother didn’t focus much on appearance, but she always encouraged me to take care of myself, to express myself, and to become my best version. That deeply shaped my relationship with makeup and hair.
For me, it goes beyond aesthetics, it is identity. There is also an organic beauty in the island, the sun, the plants, the landscapes, that I always try to reflect in my work.

Nanette Solivan, Makeup and Hair

My work is deeply influenced by Puerto Rico’s visual and artistic culture. I’m inspired by the rural landscape, craftsmanship, and literary sensibility, along with a quiet aesthetic found in everyday experiences that I transform into something powerful without pretension.
Living in Puerto Rico allows me to perceive a country rich in complexity and identity. This is reflected in my work not as a direct representation, but as an atmosphere a way of seeing and constructing images through the sensory and the intuitive.

Tahir Narváez, photographer

How do you navigate the current political landscape through your work?

The political climate is something I remain very aware of, especially coming from Puerto Rico where questions of identity, autonomy, and representation are part of everyday life.
I navigate it through intention and awareness. It influences how I think about visibility, access, and who is given space to be seen. Through my work with Davis NYCFE, I focus on creating opportunities for talent to enter and exist within global platforms that have not always been accessible.
It has strengthened my sense of identity. I am clear about where I come from and what I represent. That clarity shapes the decisions I make, the projects I take on, and the way I position narratives internationally. For me, the work goes beyond aesthetics. It is about presence, access, and shifting perception.

Davis Carrasquillo, Producer and Stylist

The political context informs the way I see the world. Living in Puerto Rico means navigating a complex political structure marked by instability, but also resilience as a force of persistence and growth.
In my work, I explore what is artificial and constructed, what simulates reality without fully being it. I’m interested in questioning ideas of identity, belonging, and reality within these systems. This leads me to understand identity not as fixed, but as something constantly evolving, shaped by the context I inhabit.

Tahir Narváez, Photographer

The ongoing global political climate affects us locally, as Puerto Rico remains a colony of one of the most unstable global powers at the moment, the United States. This condition of colonialism allows me a certain awareness that I use both to stay informed beyond mainstream narratives and to help others understand the imbalance in the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It grounds me in making thoughtful decisions as a person, as a woman, and as a Latina in a world where my rights still vary depending on borders.

Johannelys García, Model

How does climate change impact your perspective and work?

Climate change in Puerto Rico is not an abstract idea, it is something felt and lived through the intensity of tropical heat, the fragility of infrastructure, and the frequency of hurricanes. There is a constant sense of vulnerability, as if everything could shift at any moment.
On a personal level, this has heightened my awareness of time and the political conditions shaping life on the island. Climate change not only impacts how we inhabit the country, but is also tied to displacement and the search for opportunities beyond the island, feeding into the diaspora. Living here means understanding the territory as something in tension, between what remains and what disappears.

Tahir Narváez, Photographer

In Puerto Rico, climate change feels real, in both mind and body. It is not something distant, it is present every day.Hurricanes, heat, and environmental changes all leave a mark. It has made me more aware and more connected to what we have.It has also created a sense of responsibility to preserve the island and not take its beauty for granted.

Nanette Solivan, Makeup and Hair