Gustavo Neri
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Gustavo Neri is a Brazilian-Canadian menswear designer and the founder of GUSTAVO NERI, a premium tropical-inspired label based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Sewing runs in his family. His grandmother is a seamstress and still sews today. Growing up in Brazil, Gustavo watched her work and heard stories of tailors and seamstresses on both sides of the family. He did not expect to follow that path, but in 2021, something shifted. What began as a personal frustration, spending long restaurant shifts in plain, forgettable shirts that felt nothing like him, turned into a decision: if the clothes he wanted did not exist, he would make them himself. One shirt became a vision he has not stopped chasing since.
Before fashion, Gustavo spent years working as a graphic designer. That background shaped the way he approaches garments: with a strong sense of composition, intention, and detail. Today, he designs and crafts each piece from his studio in Vancouver, working in small quantities, made to order, treating every garment with care.
GUSTAVO NERI is built on three values: passion, quality, and people first. Its mission is to create premium clothing that elevates style, boosts confidence, and sparks meaningful conversations through designs that capture the essence of Brazil through color, culture, and craftsmanship. Its vision is to become a trusted reference in contemporary menswear, recognized for tasteful design and exceptional personal care.
For Spring/Summer 2027, GUSTAVO NERI presents ORIGENS, a collection of eight looks inspired by places across Brazil. Each look carries a name, a story, and a silhouette shaped by memory and identity. It is the brand's Vancouver Fashion Week debut, and an homage to where it all began.
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What inspired your journey into fashion design and the creation of your brand?
My path into fashion began with a simple frustration. I wanted a hot pink button-up shirt and could not find one in Vancouver. So, I decided to learn how to make it myself. My first shirt was full of mistakes. But I wore it, and people complimented it. That moment stayed with me. What started as a personal experiment became a brand.
How would you describe your brand's identity or design philosophy?
For me, the brand is my “recanto”. When I am behind the sewing machine, the noise of the world quiets down. I feel relaxed, creative, and fulfilled. That feeling lives in every piece I make. My design philosophy is simple: make things with intention, make them by hand, and make them so the person wearing them can feel the care that went into every stitch.
What inspired this collection?
ORIGENS was inspired by my own life. I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to Vancouver in my twenties. Distance has a way of bringing things into focus. Living here gave me the perspective to look back at Brazil with clarity and gratitude. My roots are not something I left behind. They are something worth celebrating. ORIGENS is that celebration. It is a collection made from Vancouver, about Brazil, by someone who needed to leave home to truly understand what home meant.
Are there any signature pieces, materials, techniques, or craftsmanship you would like to highlight?
One piece I am particularly proud of is in the first look, a long-sleeve linen shirt featuring Richelieu embroidery. It took me more than a week to design and embroider it with my home sewing machine. It pushed me far outside my comfort zone. But that is exactly why it matters to me. Some of the techniques I used I learned at home, from my mother. She embroiders, and she taught me to embroider recently. She also taught me to give my best to every piece I make. Every hour spent on that shirt taught me something new. For me, that process is what craftsmanship means.
What story or message does this collection tell?
The message is simple. Wherever you go, where you come from will always be with you. Your roots do not disappear when you leave. They travel with you, shape how you see the world, and show up in everything you create. That is what ORIGENS is about. It is a reminder that your origin is not your past. It is part of who you are right now.