Nuestros Sonidos: Chicago Creatives Redefine Latin Art for a Global Audience

Graphic: Courtesy of World Fashion Festival

In the heat of a Holguín afternoon, a trumpet cuts through the air, answering the steady pulse of a drum. It’s not rehearsal—it’s real. For Leon Q. Allen, it’s one stop on a journey spanning three countries, countless artists, and one iconic platform: Carnegie Hall.

Together with fashion producer Cesar Rolon, Allen is giving Latin creativity a rare global platform through a new three-part digital series premiering May 29–31.

A Historic Collaboration for a Historic Platform

The internationally celebrated World Fashion Festival, founded and produced by Cesar Rolon, is proud to announce its official participation in Carnegie Hall’s Nuestros Sonidos, a landmark initiative celebrating the vibrant tapestry of Latin American artistry.

As part of this distinguished showcase, three original 30-minute episodes highlighting music, art, and fashion from Cuba, Argentina, and Spain will premiere on Carnegie Hall’s streaming platform on May 29, 30, and 31 at 7:00 PM (ET).

“We are completely honored as two local Chicagoans selected to make a global impact in arts and culture,” said Allen.“To be featured on Carnegie Hall’s platform is a tremendous opportunity to share these communities’ creativity and spirit with the world.”

It’s the first time the World Fashion Festival has been featured by Carnegie Hall’s platform, and one of the few times fashion has taken center stage in a series rooted in musical heritage.

Graphic: Courtesy of World Fashion Festival

Cuba: Scarcity Meets Ingenuity

The first episode opens in Holguín, Cuba, where Allen, revered for his mentorship at the local conservatory, joins student musicians in a heartfelt jam session.

Meanwhile, Rolon works closely with young Cuban models and three resourceful local designers who craft their garments from repurposed materials—denim scraps, household fabrics, and salvaged trim.

“These Cuban designers work with whatever fabrics they can find, often repurposed materials,” said Rolon. “What they create—against all odds—is nothing short of remarkable. It was important for the world to witness the pride and ingenuity they embody.”

Argentina: Tango as Fashion and Flame

Episode two travels to Buenos Aires during Argentine Fashion Week, blending high fashion with the emotional force of tango. The segment features stunning visuals and live performances by world champions Fernando Gracia and Sol Cerquides, offering a deep look into Argentina’s soul through movement and design.

Spain: Flamenco Reinvented

The final chapter lands in Seville, Spain, for SIMOF 2025 (Flamenco Fashion Week). With over 50 designers unveiling flamenco-inspired couture, the segment, made possible through the support of the Sevilla City Office, highlights the tension and harmony between heritage and reinvention.

“This is a chance to shine a global spotlight on artists and designers from communities often overlooked,” said Rolon. “Fashion is art, and art is identity. Through this series, we celebrate cultural expression in its purest form.”

A Broader Cultural Vision

Far from a single event, Nuestros sonidos (Our Sounds) is a season-long programming initiative celebrating the vibrant sounds, pioneering rhythms, endlessly diverse traditions, and enormous influence of Latin culture in the United States.

The initiative spans genres from salsa and bachata to reggaeton, hip-hop, música Mexicana, and classical and includes live concerts, digital content, and community events across New York City and beyond.

This year’s spotlight on music, art, and fashion from Cuba, Argentina, and Spain offers a vivid lens into that cultural celebration.

Coming Full Circle in Chicago

After streaming across the globe, the rhythm returns home.

This September, the vibrant threads of Cuba, Argentina, and Spain will be woven live into the streets of Chicago. The 8th Annual World Fashion Festival, taking place September 18–20, 2025, is more than a showcase. It’s a cultural return, where global visionaries meet the city that nurtured them.

In a world often divided by borders, the World Fashion Festival builds bridges: between music and design, between neighborhoods and nations, and between the overlooked and the spotlight. What began as a collaboration filmed on three continents ends where it started: with two Chicagoans who believe that culture doesn’t just connect us, it defines us.

“We are completely honored as two local Chicagoans selected to make a global impact in arts and culture,” Allen said.“To be featured on Carnegie Hall’s platform is a tremendous opportunity to share these communities’ creativity and spirit with the world.”

And now, the world comes to Chicago, not just as an audience, but as honored guests of a city that knows how to lead with heart.

For Leon Q. Allen and Cesar Rolon, this isn’t the end of a journey, it’s a homecoming wrapped in purpose. What began as a digital series streamed across continents returns as a living, breathing celebration of identity, resilience, and joy.

In a city built on grit and reinvention, the World Fashion Festival reminds us that culture isn’t just created, it’s carried, shared, and finally, brought home.

The Creators Behind the Movement

Leon Q. Allen and Cesar Rolon are more than collaborators, they are cultural catalysts born of Chicago, fueled by heritage, and driven by vision.

Allen, a trumpet virtuoso with a global touring career spanning 17 years, has been hailed by Jon Faddis as a player who“can play!!!” and by Wynton Marsalis as a musician who knows how to “swing.” Nicknamed “The Truth” by hip-hop legends Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, and Ice Cube, his career bridges worlds from jazz and classical to hip-hop and Afro-Caribbean soundscapes. His performances with Common, Kanye West, James Brown, Drake, and Tito Puente, Jr. are matched only by his dedication to education and mentorship. A proud graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Allen brings the soul of the South Side to stages around the world.

Rolon, the visionary founder of the World Fashion Festival, has spent over a decade building bridges through beauty, design, and identity. Formerly known as Latino Fashion Week, his Chicago-born platform has evolved into an international force, championing designers and artists from Latin America, Spain, and beyond. His mission is clear: to center the stories, cultures, and talents that mainstream fashion too often ignores.

Together, Allen and Rolon are redefining what it means to represent culture on a global stage. Not as a trend, but as a truth. Their work is not just about visibility; it's about voice. Not just about access, but equity.