In San Miguel de Allende, This Designer’s Homecoming Came With Horses

Fashion designer Neithan Herbert showcased his spring/summer 2025 collection at the Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende resort, just a short distance from where he grew up.

By Tim Chan

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September 29, 2024 11:16pm

Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende Neithan Herbert Fashion Show

Shanik Azcarate

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The offices were closed in America during the recent Labor Day weekend, but in the picturesque Mexican town of San Miguel, creativity was hard at work.

The setting was the luxurious Live Aqua resort in San Miguel de Allende, as about a hundred or so invited residents and VIP guests gathered to witness the latest fashion collection from local designer turned emerging global superstar Neithan Herbert.

Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende

Taking over the property’s picturesque garden terrace, Herbert showcased his spring/summer 2025 collection of flowing dresses, intricate knits and ornate accessories in front of a captivated crowd of friends and clients. Titled “Moonlight,” the pieces paid tribute to some of the designer’s most revered inspirations, from the Inca goddess of the moon (known as Mama Quilla) to what Herbert said was his mother’s humble yet elegant style (represented through lace tops, wool skirts, and gold jewelry taken from her Indigenous heritage).

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Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende

The collection also drew from equestrian motifs, with wide-brim hats, cowboys boots and Western-inspired outfits seen on the diverse group of models. The highlight of the night: at one point in the show, a real-life white horse came strutting down the middle of the runway, drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” from the audience. Proceeds from ticket sales to the show, meantime, benefitted Equinoterapia SMA, a local organization that supports children with developmental challenges and trauma through equine therapy. Talk about making an impact.

Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende

This was the first high-fashion show to take place in San Miguel, and as the accompanying show notes stated, the event marked not only a significant milestone for Neithan Herbert, but also a “defining moment for the region,” helping to place the thriving town “on the global fashion map.” The designer said that 80% of his collection was made from fabrics sourced from the Guanajuato State of Mexico, while local artisans helped to produce the belts, buckles and buttons used in the show.

Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende, meantime, was the perfect setting for Herbert’s show. The resort property sits just a few miles from where the designer grew up, and similarly represents the mix of centuries-old tradition and new world innovation that has come to define San Miguel today. One of the oldest houses in the town for example, now towers over a new Starbucks, while cowboy boot-wearing fashionistas from Mexico City (about a four-hour drive away) hang out in the parish square next to actual vaqueros celebrating their daughters’ quinceañeras at the church.

The food and drink scene is equally diverse, both in town, where Japanese-inspired coffee shops and paella stands have popped up next to the taquerías, and at Live Aqua, where the hotel’s main restaurant, Zibu Allende, serves up a nightly fusion of Mexican and Thai cuisine. The stylish Spice Market upstairs offers a novel take on Chinese and Japanese cuisine, while the speakeasy-esque Cigar Bar lists an extensive and well-curated tequila and mezcal menu, but encourages guests to order from their impressive cocktail selections as well.

See Rooms & Rates at Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende

The resort itself is an architectural marvel, with a soaring entryway and sandy walls tucked amidst the lush greenery and running waters of nearby Obraje Dam. The vivid colors and textures of Mexican art are thoughtfully woven into the common areas of the property, which seamlessly blends open-air spaces and cozy nooks for a vibe that’s at once sprawling and intimate.

For Herbert, showing at Live Aqua was a dream come true, having watched the property evolve over the years. The designer says he chose the resort for their shared values of celebrating Mexican craftsmanship and promoting and employing local talent. Live Aqua, meantime, says the fact that Herbert returned to his hometown to put on a show, “speaks volumes about his dedication to his roots and the artisans of Mexico.”

Up next for Herbert: the designer tells Rolling Stone that he’s already hard at work on his next collection, which may include some special collaborations and the launch of some art-inspired objets. He’s also growing his burgeoning e-commerce business, with his pieces now shipping internationally.

As for Live Aqua, the hotel is getting ready for one of its most popular festivities of the year: Día de Muertos. You can see all their offers and activities here.

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In San Miguel de Allende, This Designer’s Homecoming Came With Horses

Tim Chan

More Stories by Tim

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