Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebel Guerra
Hi Ebel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts as the son of a mother who is a lifelong seamstress. My mother cut and sew apparel in a flea market or in Spanish called “Mercados” in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. In early 80’s, my parents moved the family to Los Angeles, CA. My mother’s love for cutting and sewing apparel continued after settling in Los Angeles, and she started a small apparel manufacturing company is Downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District. I proudly grew up helping my mother to cut, sew and finish apparel at her manufacturing company. I learned to use the cover stitch, double needles, single needle, overlock, and button machines. During the 90’s, I started to listen a new genre of music know back then as “Underground/Dembow” (music played by Playero, Nando Boom, El General, DJ Nelson) The clothing line reflects the hottest and trendiest new musical phenomena Reggaeton® Lifestyle, a blend of reggae and rap. The music was fascinated to me because it brought new sound with Spanish Rap/ HipHop. The latest music genre became known as “Reggaeton.” I was heavily involved in promoting the music to local disk jockeys to play it in different dance clubs around Los Angeles County. I also organized and sponsored live concerts with Old School Reggaeton artists in Prince Hall, Grand Ave, and Mayan Club to just name a few locations. My love for cut & sew apparel and Reggaeton music moved my entrepreneur spirit to registered and trademark the “Reggaeton” name with United States Patent and Trademark Agency in 2001.
I asked myself, “How often can the World of music and entertainment say, we have something new?” How profitable is a new genre for those with the foresight to lead the way, and create the bandwagon that others will jump on once it is too late? Reggaeton® (US Registered Trademark) Fashion is a lifestyle brand company started in Los Angeles, California. We moved to Houston, Texas to look for new opportunities, new investors, new collaborations, content creators, new fashion designers that are motivated with the diversity and creativity of Houstonians. The dream is to use the music phenomenon combined it with fashion to responsibly unify the Latino community in the United States. Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, JBalvin, Maluma, Karol G, Annita, Peso Pluma and Santa Fe Klan are now household names as 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Dr Dre, and Eminem is to the hip-hop community.
Reggaeton Fashion demographic was and continues to be young Hispanics in United States. We had overnight success with the Reggaeton Fashion Brand that we closed a deal with the Adjmi Group, a conglomerate corporate based in New York as our direct investor & licenser. Adjmi Group and I were to launch the first ever all Reggaeton artists festival in the United States, but it came crushing down as the U.S. Housing Market Crashed in late 2007, we lost our investors, contract deals, and license revenue. One thing I never lost was the dream and vision to see my Reggaeton Fashion Collections sold everywhere worldwide. I continue to look for partnerships, joint ventures, collaborations, investors, and capital funds for growth & development.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For any business owner and entrepreneur, it is never a smooth road. Here are some of my struggles: The main issue is that no apparel brand caters directly to the Hispanic consumers. Second, marketing to the Hispanic consumers is a challenging task because of strong Nationalities Mindsets, Cultural Differences and Educational Backgrounds. Third, Hispanics have strong tides to their Mother Country. Fourth, Hispanics (US Born) do not have self-identity. Fifth, Hispanics lack trust in companies with no social awareness. Finally, very few things connect Hispanics together and the typical customer is a young Hispanics. I want to design fashion with the Reggaeton® Brands with the unique Dog Logo as the bridge that makes the Hispanic market proud of their ancestry, community values, and cultural empowerment. I want to find new manufacture, distribution channels and reach my target market. Here are some numbers that make dollars and sense. Hispanic consumer’s average spending on apparel is $683 men/boys who represent 2.5% of national total. For women/girls the figures are $891 and 2.1% and for children less than 2 years olds are $237 and 0.4%. Other apparel spending on products and services amounted to $449 and 0.8%. These figures are based on the Hispanic market. In 2024, the Hispanic Market’s buying power was $1.9 trillion. Latinos represent 38% of U.S. population under 18 years old. States with largest Latino population are California, Texas, Florida, and New York. Again, no fashion brand directly caters to the Hispanic market, but I am still trying by knocking on doors, looking for investors, pushing for a new merchandise and licensee agreement with an existing and/or established fashion brand.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am proud to bring two things that I love in apparel and music together. I love the challenge to be the first/pioneer fashion brand to represent Hispanics in the United States and Worldwide. I want for every Hispanic to purchase and own at least one Reggaeton brand apparel in their life. I am proud of doing collaborations with Machete music group, Nuyorican Productions, and American Idol in the past. We are proud to have provided apparel to the main characters in the movie titled, “Feel the noise,” 1st and 2nd season of American Idol and Reggaeton artists. Finally, we had two showcases in Magic Show in Las Vegas. Our business model offers products that targeted to a specific market niche. Our products are high quality men, women and children’s apparel and accessories. During the startup phase the Reggaeton brands established our products presence in all important markets of Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Puerto Rico. We offered design apparel with high quality material at a premium price.
Here are links found in YouTube about the Reggaeton Dog Logo in the movie, Feel the noise.
1. Video Clip#1 – https://youtu.be/e_FH4kl0MV0?si=Bq7-FTipXMIa49vg
2. Video Clip#2 – https://youtu.be/sHPZ-C_ST3Q?si=NQrir8PTWxaHBY-l
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I do not like the spotlight, being the center of attention, and being unfriendly to anyone. I want to create and promote the Reggaeton fashion brand with the same values as the values found in the Hispanic communities. I want people to know that I started this fashion brand to empower, unite and let Hispanics to know how powerful we are in the United States market.
Reggaeton® Fashion is managed by an ambitious entrepreneur. Our President and CEO of the company is Ebel Guerra, a graduate from the California State University of Dominguez Hills in Carson, California and holds a BS Business Management in 1998. Attended classes at UCLA’s Anderson School Executive Program in Brentwood, California. With strong business experienced by starting and operating small businesses, a wholesale fragrance business, and an entertainment promotion company respectively. We vision Reggaeton as the next urban fashion just as Marc Ecko, Phat Farm, FUBU did in the mid-80s.
Mr. Guerra is the proud owner/president of the trademark Reggaeton® brand; hence, nobody has the right to use the name Reggaeton in any particle of clothing without his expressed written consent. Mr. Guerra’s has established connections in the Reggaeton music industry and has a strong following through his young and emerging clothing line. At present Ebel Guerra CEO. Mr. Guerra has over 25 years’ experience on leadership position in manufacturing, marketing, and promotion. Active member of United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which organizes business management seminars that prepared some of my business acumen well. Please reach out to Ebel Guerra, for merchandise and licensee deals, joint ventures, collaborations, partnerships, and investors. ebel@rgwear.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reggaetonbrands.etsy.com
Image Credits
Reggaeton Fashion Brand
