Marco Garro is Elevating Costa Rica’s Fashion Scene Globally

How did 21-year-old designer Marco Garro go from commuting six hours a day by bus from a small town in Costa Rica to attending fashion school, to dressing stars like Jorja Smith, Tinashe, and Anastasia Karanikolaou?

After launching his own label this year with unmatched grit and vibrancy—qualities reflected in the bold patterns of his colorful designs—Garro’s work quickly gained attention from top stylists worldwide. His rise to fame, however, wasn’t accidental. I first met Garro three years ago at Hot n Spicy, a popular club in downtown San José, Costa Rica. Though only 5'4", Garro stood out, wearing his own designs and dressing his friends, immediately turning heads as they entered the venue. At that time, he had just started fashion school, but it was clear even then that his clothing told a unique and captivating story.

In the past year, Garro’s talents have caught the attention of the fashion world—during this year’s New York Fashion Week, he showcased his collection "Bajo Presion" (“Under Pressure”) at the NFT Fashion Showcase and Auction. Held in SoHo by Legitimate Tech and the emerging designer platform ap0cene, this event gave up-and-coming designers the chance to present their work within NYFW. Garro’s presentation earned him the LGT/ap0cene Emergent Fashion Showcase Award.

Still based in Costa Rica, where he creates all his collections—including his latest release, "Neutro Rosa" (Neutral Pink)—Garro draws inspiration from his surroundings. "I’m inspired by graffiti, by the streets," he says during a recent Zoom interview. His design process involves photographing objects he finds intriguing, then transforming those images into dynamic, multicolored patterns. These distorted visuals are printed onto fabrics for his garments, which range from form-fitting mesh bodysuits to voluminous, conical dresses.

 

Having recently turned 22, Garro's journey into fashion began in high school theater. "I’ve always been fascinated by McQueen, Mugler, and Gaultier," he says. "The way these designers created shows made me realize that fashion is like a play, with each model embodying a different character depending on the garment they wear. Fashion is not just about the clothes—it’s a dialogue between the designer and the public." Garro, who grew up as a shy, sheltered child with a passion for art, found theater to be a way to express confidence and transform into a more extroverted persona, a skill that would later benefit his fashion career.

After graduating from fashion school, Garro relied on his independent mindset to shape his brand’s ethos. Finding beauty in the mundane, Garro draws inspiration from his small hometown of Turrialba—a place with a population of about 25,000, where life mostly revolves around dairy cows grazing in the mountains. Initially, he moved to San José in 2018 to study fashion design, but later returned to Turrialba and began commuting three hours each way to attend classes. He continues to live in Turrialba, traveling to San José a few times a week to pick up fabrics and ship out orders.

In 2020, after his work was featured on Instagram pages like @ap0cene and @UpNextDesigner, Garro started receiving direct messages from stylists of prominent artists. His rapid success, however, isn’t just luck—Garro credits his strong work ethic and self-confidence as key drivers. "From the first time a stylist reached out, I thought, 'So it begins,'" he recalls. "I always stayed positive. People think it's hard to succeed coming from Costa Rica, but no. If you’re determined, and you find the right methods, you can make it."

Garro’s client list includes a mix of artists and influencers, but his most meaningful work is with drag queens. "Working with drag queens is fundamental to me. I create for people who want to feel free, strong, and empowered," he says. Since he started designing, Garro has dressed queens from Costa Rica and recently made custom pieces for performers like Bimini Bon-Boulash and Pabllo Vittar.

 

While his signature pink and blue patterns have attracted attention from major personalities, including Kylie Minogue, Garro is constantly evolving. "I want to experiment with new techniques, colors, and shapes. I want to offer something different," he explains. His latest collection, Neutro Rosa, which came out in December, is a full-circle moment, inspired by nightlife, ecstasy, and motion—the very themes that first sparked his creativity. Marco Garro is unstoppable, defying all odds and proving that his idiosyncratic designs are a reflection of his personal journey.