To the undiscerning eye, the only chord that connects Miami to Mumbai is that both cities grow by the ocean. Looking a little closer, we find this to be the very tip of the metaphorical iceberg. Until recently, Miami, like Mumbai, has a history rife with drugs, gangs and ghettos - these were pillars of its identity. Today, both cities have had a bubble of creativity burst above them, and they have indeed risen from the ashes. As buildings rise higher, streets get grittier and clothes get crazier. Bringing these two cities a notch closer, is Third Culture Collective, a concept brought to life by Melissa Vazquez-Aldana.
Having lived in Mumbai for 5 years, Melissa relocated to Miami with a dream of having her own store at the forefront of her agenda. “I had been fortunate enough to be immersed in the country’s creative scene, surrounded by some of its most talented people. I wanted to bring that energy back to the States, give the locals a new image of India, show them how creative Indians are,” she tells us. And so TCC was born - a company on a mission to take Mumbai’s colourful street style to the world.
While the store is currently focused on Indian designers, Melissa soon hopes to take on contributions from the Caribbean, South America and Africa. While approaching these wider horizons she want to keep the ethos of TCC clear and not stray into a commercial arena “It’s really important for us to connect with the designers first. After all, TCC has been conceived as a showcase for designers and artists from under-represented fashion and design hubs, so our selection should reflect this focus.”
The diversity of the Miami fashion culture is one of her greatest motivators, from boho-chic surfwear to the hip-hop influence, everything finds a home. “Miami has many faces, and none of which are too distant from what Indian designers have to offer.” Melissa believes that Indian designs will find a happy home in the city. Although til now she’s been focussed on street culture she hopes to work with many other designers, such as Masaba, Sanjay Garg, Obataimu, Gaurav Gupta, Gauri and Nanaika to curate high fashion looks for Miami’s elite.
As she looks to the future with new collaborations, lookbooks and expansions Melissa shares her dream for TCC. She sees it becoming more than just a store, she sees it as an meeting space where designers, musicians and artists can come to share their work and experiences. A place where there’s always something new happening and people can come to be consumed by art, where the customer becomes family and the landscape is a reflection of their culture. Third Culture Collective - the shop with a soul.
All photographs have been shot by Frederic Pinet. To see more of his work, visit his website here.