Carla Fernández

Carla Fernández is a Visiting Lecturer at MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning, affiliated with the Art, Culture, and Technology Program. She is an internationally recognized fashion designer and social entrepreneur dedicated to preserving Mexico’s indigenous textile heritage through avant-garde fashion. Her work integrates ancient techniques like hand looming, mud dyeing, and wool felting to empower local communities and redefine luxury fashion.

• Affiliations: MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Art, Culture, and Technology Program
• Key Role: Teaches the course “4.s33 | The Reverse Engineering of Warefare: an opera for the ends of times” with Pedro Reyes.

Research Interests: Carla’s practice bridges cultural preservation and contemporary design. She collaborates with Mexican artisans to document and modernize traditional crafts, ensuring intergenerational transmission of heritage. Her projects emphasize fair partnerships, sustainability, and resistance against consumerist norms.

Awards: Recipient of the 2013 Prince Claus Award for cultural actions impacting societal development. Featured in Elle, Vogue, New York Times Magazine, and more.

Grants & Projects: Focuses on community-driven initiatives to sustain indigenous crafts. Her brand’s “Manifesto of Fashion as Resistance” underscores ethical production and cultural resilience.