Latina Entrepreneur Rooted in Heritage, Driven by Innovation
Namibia Viera Returns to Puerto Rico with Visionary Designs
Boston-born, Puerto Rican-raised, and now based in New York City, fashion designer Namibia Viera has been invited to present her work at Timbiriche, an experimental exhibition space housed within the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) in Santurce, Puerto Rico. This honor represents not only a significant professional milestone, but also a deeply personal moment for Viera, bringing her edgy designs back to the island that helped shape her creative identity. Her inclusion in this exhibition underscores her rising influence within the global fashion and highlights her impact in the fashion industry.
Viera’s journey into the world of fashion began at an early age, deeply inspired by her mother, Vilma Martínez, a celebrated costume designer. Growing up in Puerto Rico, she was immersed in a vibrant artistic environment that fostered her love for visual storytelling and design. She formalized her training at the Central High School of Visual Arts in Santurce, a formative experience that laid the foundation for her aesthetic sensibility. She later advanced her education at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, where she specialized in Fashion Illustration and Sportswear Design. Her work quickly stood out, earning her the Critic Award in Sportswear Design and recognition for Best Use of Color—testaments to her refined eye and originality.
Viera’s professional portfolio is as dynamic as it is diverse. She has contributed costume designs to acclaimed Broadway productions such as Urinetown, Hairspray, and The Producers, blending theatricality with technical precision. Her fashion career has included collaborations with some of the industry’s most respected names, including Prabal Gurung, Elie Tahari, and Oscar de la Renta. Her own collections have graced runways at major events such as New York Fashion Week, where her standout line, Bird’s Eye View, captivated critics and audiences alike.
Her designs have been featured in leading fashion publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle, positioning her as a designer whose work resonates both within and beyond the traditional fashion circuit. Among her notable clients are global icons such as Lady Gaga, reggaetón legend Daddy Yankee, and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García. Each collaboration speaks to Viera’s ability to merge bold creativity with cultural nuance, making her work both distinctive and widely accessible.
A signature element of Viera’s creative approach is her collaboration with professional ballerinas
Women whose strength and elegance mirror the movement and fluidity of her designs. These visual narratives are captured through the lens of her husband, Omar Z. Robles, renown Puerto Rican photographer known for his emotive portraits of dancers set against the backdrop of urban life. Together, they have produced compelling imagery that has appeared on prominent platforms, including billboards in Times Square, blending fashion, dance, and photography into immersive works of art.
As Viera continues to push the boundaries of fashion design, her participation in this exhibition serves as a testament to her enduring connection to Puerto Rico and her commitment to fostering artistic dialogue across mediums.
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