Stephania Yepes

Your work often draws on nostalgia and magical realism. How has your experience of migration shaped the way you interpret Colombia’s culture, and how does this duality influence your creative process?

Nostalgia is central to my work. Growing up, I didn’t immediately recognize nostalgia as something that could be transformative or even positive. At that time, I was focused on adapting to a new country, and nostalgia felt more like a longing for the familiar. However, as I began to embrace and reflect on my childhood memories of Colombia, I realized these memories could serve as a powerful source of inspiration. They evolved into imagery and stories that I needed to create, and in doing so, they became part of a healing process for me.

Magical realism has played a significant role in this transformation. The everyday, casual moments we remember as adults often take on a more surreal quality when seen through the eyes of a child. My childhood nostalgia, rooted in this duality of experience, has become a vital part of my creative process. It allows me to blend the ordinary with the extraordinary, shaping the way I tell stories and interpret Colombian culture. By tapping into those roots, I’m able to explore both personal and cultural identity in a way that feels deeply authentic and rich with possibility.

Themes of womanhood and diversity are central to your imagery. How has deconstructing traditional ideas of feminine bond impacted the stories you tell through fashion?

Reading has been instrumental in helping me deconstruct traditional ideas of femininity and create more inclusive narratives. Writers like Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, bell hooks, and Desiree Bela-Lobedde have deeply influenced my understanding of womanhood, diversity, and the intersectionality of identity. Their voices helped me see and understand myself in ways that go beyond societal expectations, allowing me to challenge and redefine traditional feminine bonds.

In my work, I strive to represent stories and images that reflect my own truths and beliefs. I couldn't authentically portray something I don’t deeply resonate with, so for me, it’s about speaking from that place of personal truth and conviction. Through fashion, I aim to explore and celebrate the strength, complexity, and diversity of women’s experiences, while breaking away from limiting stereotypes. It’s about creating space for more inclusive and nuanced narratives of womanhood—ones that embrace all women in their uniqueness.

I’ve also been fortunate to collaborate with photographers and creatives who share a similar vision, which has enriched my creative process. These collaborations have been crucial in pushing the boundaries of how we represent women in fashion, allowing me to learn and grow as we collectively tell stories that celebrate diversity and empower women.

In projects like “El Dorado”, you explore South American myths through a modern lens. How do you bring these historical narratives into the present, and what kind of research drives your process?

I’ve always been deeply connected to my sense of nostalgia, but while it’s important to honor the past, it’s equally essential to live in the present. In the same way that understanding history helps us make sense of our current reality and shape the future, being creative allows me to bridge these different timelines with freedom and imagination.

When developing a project like El Dorado, I began by sharing the concept with Isabella Lima, the founder of Mola Mag, and Marcos and Kelvin, a Brazilian photography duo and close friends. While the legend of El Dorado is traditionally linked to the Guatavita Lagoon in Colombia, we recognized that this myth resonates across Latin America. Each country has its own "El Dorado," a symbol of wealth, hope, or utopia. What intrigued us was the common ground we shared despite our cultural differences, including language.

I had visited Salvador de Bahia years ago, and it turned out to be a place that connected the three of us in a meaningful way. From that point, we began to reinterpret the legend, infusing it with our personal stories and experiences. The original story of El Dorado has already been told countless times, but our goal was to create a new version, one that reflected our identities and the contemporary realities of Latin America. The research driving this project involved not only delving into historical myths but also exploring the cultural and emotional connections we have to these stories today.

You often use the human body as a canvas to explore power, identity, and history. How does corporeality inform the symbolism in your work and your commentary on social dynamics?

The body and the way we perceive ourselves are our first weapons in view of society. It’s often where we experience power, vulnerability, and identity first-hand. The way we see and judge our own bodies shapes how we navigate the world, influencing everything from self-perception to how we relate to others. In many ways, the body becomes a battleground where social expectations and personal insecurities play out.

In my work, using the body as a canvas allows me to explore these dynamics. When I express myself through other people’s bodies, it becomes a reflection of the broader societal tensions we all experience—how we’re judged, how we judge ourselves, and how we sometimes limit or define ourselves based on appearance. Through this corporeal exploration, I aim to challenge notions of beauty, power, and identity, while also exposing the discomfort or insecurities that often arise from these societal pressures.

By engaging with the body in this way, my work becomes not just a commentary on individual identity but also on larger social structures—how power is inscribed on our bodies and how we use our bodies to resist or conform to these external forces.

Fashion is a powerful storytelling tool. How does the medium allow you to express your ideas about identity, and do you feel the industry supports this kind of nuanced narrative?

I’ve always felt that expressing myself through fashion and the body is where I’m most at home. However, fashion is a challenging industry to break into, especially when you don’t come from a place of privilege. My journey has been long, sacrificial, but ultimately rewarding, as it’s given me a deeper understanding of both myself and the industry. Over time, I’ve carved out a space where I realized I wasn’t alone—there are many others seeking the same sense of belonging. This is how my community, and the media that has supported me, have come together.

Fashion has always played a significant role in society, serving as a powerful way to communicate and revolutionize without needing words. It’s essential that we continue to claim these spaces, allowing us to create from our unique perspectives, rather than just following trends.

Your work is deeply rooted in the complexities of Colombian history. How do you approach sensitive themes like conflict and resilience without falling into stereotypes?

Living abroad for an extended period has given me the freedom to approach Colombia’s complex history in a more nuanced, less obvious way. All these complexities which I am able to represent are closely tied to my own experiences and the realities of people I know., it is easier to deal with this kind of topics when you feel closer to them, enabling to create work that resonates on a deeper emotional level.

You’ve spoken about using your migration experience to be part of the change you want to see in your homeland. How does this sense of responsibility influence your creative direction, and what message do you hope to send through your work as a Latina woman in fashion?

To be honest, I don’t resonate as strongly with the idea of carrying the responsibility of change as I once did. We all go through different personal processes, and I believe we are all part of the change in our own ways. I create because I’ve found my voice, and if that contributes to positive change, I’m more than happy with that outcome.

As a proud Latina, learning about and engaging with our history is crucial to me, especially when translating it into fashion and the arts. There’s a richness and complexity in our stories that I aim to bring into my work. It’s essential to stay authentic, because there is no single way to represent who we are. Through my work, I hope to show that Latina identity, like all identities, is multifaceted, evolving, and deeply rooted in both personal and collective experiences.

Are there any new projects you’re currently working on that you’d like to share with us?

In Spain, there’s a saying: “No lo gafes!”—which means, “Don’t jinx it!” So, I’m going to stick to that and keep my upcoming projects under wraps for now. But I can say I’m excited about what’s to come!