One of the things I love the most about Mexican fashion is discovering emerging designers and learning about the stories behind their brands. This time, I had the opportunity to discover Transestética, a Mexican fashion brand founded by CENTRO alumna and creative director Dalienla. With a distinctive universe that explores fashion, jewelry, experimentation, and futuristic forms of expression, Transestética presents a different perspective on contemporary Mexican design. The brand caught my attention not only because of its strong visual identity, but also because of the way it challenges conventional ideas of aesthetics and uses fashion as a form of creative transformation.
For Pancakes and Mimosas, I wanted to learn more about the person behind the brand: her experience studying fashion at CENTRO, the process of creating Transestética, her inspirations, and her perspective on being part of a new generation of independent Mexican designers.
Here is my conversation with the creative mind behind Transestética.
Beca: How did your journey into fashion begin, and what led you to create Transestética?
Dalienla: Since I was a kid I liked to go to fabric stores and dress my pets. Ive always been into fashion and inspiration from close people, films and music.
I wanted to have a brand (or safe space) to create with no judgement and involve other persons and disciplines. A place opened to collaboration where I could encourage people to experiment with their own identities through expression.
Just before starting my degree at CENTRO, I took about six months off, and during that time, I became more and more immersed in the world of fashion. I started a fashion blog called Free as My Hair, and I absolutely loved collaborating with Mexican brands and attending Mexico Fashion Week.
I would say that this was my introduction to the Mexican fashion industry and its creative community. Looking back, it was a sign that fashion was something I was meant to pursue.
The interesting thing is that, instead of working with or wearing other brands, I am now the one dressing those people through my own designs.
I think it’s really important to mention that I’ve always paid close attention to what was happening in the fashion industry. And now, to have my own brand and become part of the same industry I’ve admired for so long is something truly special.
Beca: You studied fashion at CENTRO. How did your time there influence the designer and creative director you are today?
Dalienla: It was a very important moment for me to develop not only as a creative designer/artist but also as a human being. I evolved a lot through those years with the feedback from teachers and friends. Learning how the industry works and meeting a lot of cool people and places.
Beca: The name “Transestética” immediately creates a very particular idea and visual universe. What does the name mean to you, and how does it represent the identity of the brand?
Dalienla: The prefix “trans” means going beyond. Transestética is about going beyond the conventional ideas of fashion, identity, and self-expression. It’s also about pushing the boundaries of materials and techniques, experimenting with unconventional elements and transforming them into something new. I see the brand as a creative fashion laboratory in constant evolution.
To me, aesthetics is not just about beauty, but about how we perceive the world, ourselves, and other bodies. Transestética is about building a new aesthetic, free from prejudice, while exploring the relationship between clothing, identity, and the human experience.
Beca: Transestética describes fashion and jewelry as a means of futuristic expression. How would you describe the aesthetic universe you have created around the brand?
Dalienla: We’ve been building this visual universe since the very beginning. Our first pieces were headpieces, which led us toward an interplanetary, almost extraterrestrial aesthetic. That universe naturally evolved through my love for electronic music, where fashion, sound, and technology intersect. Metal and unconventional materials became essential to creating this futuristic language. But for me, futurism is not just about imagining what comes next. It’s about bringing something that feels unfamiliar or otherworldly into the present. The future is something we build through what we create today, so these pieces may look like they belong to another time, but they exist to be worn now.
Beca: Your pieces have a strong experimental and almost subcultural identity. Where do you usually find inspiration when developing a new collection or piece?
Dalienla: I’ve always been drawn to rave culture and its sense of freedom, where music, fashion, and identity come together beyond conventional rules. Film is another major source of inspiration, especially sci-fi, horror, and dystopian cinema, for the way they build visual worlds and challenge our perception of reality.
Music has always been a huge part of my life, and I’ve always wanted to create a space where sound and fashion could intersect. I’m also inspired by what’s happening in the world around us. I see fashion as a reflection of its time, and my process is about translating those influences into Transestética’s own visual language.
Beca: Music, nightlife and electronic culture seem to have an interesting connection with Transestética. How important are these communities to the identity and evolution of the brand?
Dalienla: I’ve always been drawn to nightlife for its atmospheric colors, lights, and the sense of freedom that emerges after dark. Rave and queer cultures have influenced the brand not only aesthetically, but also in the way I think about questioning social norms and preconceived ideas, challenging categories and gender norms, and embracing what exists outside the box.
This is also reflected in the way we approach clothing and jewelry on the body. I want to create pieces that reflect these ideas, so people can wear them and remember them in their everyday lives, beyond any particular scene or subculture.
Beca: As an independent Mexican designer, what have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced when building and growing your own fashion brand?
Dalienla: One of the biggest challenges has been building reliable production processes: finding the right suppliers, coordinating timelines, and balancing creativity with budgets and resources. In fashion, having a great idea is only the beginning. If the process behind it isn’t well defined, the final piece won’t reach its full potential.
Another challenge is that building a brand goes far beyond designing clothes. It’s about creating an entire ecosystem around the products, from production and logistics to the people involved and the experience you offer. And because so much depends on collaboration, learning to navigate different people, expectations, and ways of working has been an important part of the process.
Beca: How do you balance experimentation and creativity with the commercial side of running a fashion business?
Dalienla: One of the biggest challenges is that I tend to get carried away with experimentation and come up with ideas that are visually exciting but can be difficult to wear or sell. Over time, I’ve learned to make these ideas more approachable without losing what makes them unique. Finding that balance is still a challenge, but it’s also the fun part: figuring out how to turn something unconventional into a piece people can connect with and actually wear or want.
Beca: Building the universe of Transestética, what has surprised you the most—and what comes next for the brand?
Dalienla: What has surprised me the most is how much goes into building something you truly believe in, and all the people you meet along the way who contribute to your growth and inspire you. There’s so much happening behind the scenes that people don’t always see. Building a creative project takes more time, effort, and resources than you might expect, but it’s worth it when you’re creating something that really means something to you.
As for what comes next, I want to keep expanding Transestética: growing our showroom, reaching new markets and retail spaces, and eventually opening another store in Mexico City. I also want to develop workshops where I can share my knowledge and creative processes with others. Ultimately, I want the brand to keep evolving through new pieces, collaborations, techniques, and the people who become part of its universe.