VIÑA DEL MAR – Every year, the Viña del Mar Gala brings together festival participants and Chilean celebrities, and time has turned this red carpet event into the main showcase for the Chilean fashion industry.
The 60th International Festival of Viña del Mar got underway this weekend, but before the official start in Parque Quinta Vergara the festival’s participants and Chilean celebrities gathered for the related gala on Friday, February 22.
Fashion, glamour, and celebrities are the order of the day, where more than 600 guests paraded their best outfits. All the celebrities in the country want to attend this elegant event.
Over the years, this red carpet event has taken on more significance in the country’s media, and it is now considered an additional night of the largest Latin music festival in the world, recognized as the opening day of the event.
From less to more
The Viña del Mar Gala started as a small and very reserved event, essentially just a cocktail reception for the guests. No red carpet, no TV cameras, and only limited media attention.
But as the Viña del Mar Festival grew, so did the gala, with more celebrities and media attention.
Yet, only when Chilevisión obtained the rights to broadcast the festival in 2011 was the gala televised and since then became one of the most watched programs of the year in Chile, with an increasingly international dimension.
Lights, a lengthy red carpet, mani-cam (where celebrities present their hands), and 360° camera are now essential parts of the transmission. People wait for hours under the sun to see their favorite artists parade down the catwalk next to the casino.
The gala’s red carpet has been a path for numerous and diverse Chilean celebrities: from the lead of the Oscar-winning film, A Fantastic Woman, Daniela Vega, to Miss Universe, Cecilia Bolocco, socialite DiMondo, and many more.
This year, Mexican artist Diego Boneta who is the lead of the popular Netflix series, “Luis Miguel, la serie,” also participated.
A showcase for Chilean fashion
But the undisputed lead of this red carpet is fashion, and, each year, there is increasing excitement over who is the “best dressed.”
The Chilean fashion industry is therefore one of the great beneficiaries of this event, which has become one of the most important showcases for its creations. Designers, fashion producers, consultants, and even photographers have seen in the gala an opportunity to highlight their work, both nationally and internationally.
Luis Miranda, editor in chief of ModaCL, told Chile Today that “for the local industry it is a space where some names can be made visible, which for the mass public are not known.” And at the same time, he added that the gala “is a very good marketing platform for the brands and designers of the country.”
Chilean way glamour
The internationalization of the gala has contributed to the e
Nelson Quiroz is Chile Today´s photographer. He also writes about youth culture and fashion, and often contributes with photo series during marches and protests.