Havanera Co. finds design inspiration from its rich Latin heritage. Named after the capital of Cuba, Havana is known for fine Hispanic fashion, flair and refined architectural influences. The same goes for our clothes.
This unique line was founded by George Feldenkreis who got his start in the fashion industry in 1967 as a manufacturer of traditional Latin guayaberas. As demand grew for this signature style, George and his son Oscar decided that the time was right to launch a brand that spoke to the growing Hispanic culture in America. Thus, the Havanera Co. was born and launched at JCPenney.
Branching out from the guayabera – Havanera Co. offers casual yet sophisticated pant and shirt styles in airy, lightweight fabrics. The earthy tones of the line convey the warm richness of its Latin influence, while practical construction makes our clothes cool and comfortable.
Our Havanera Co. designs prove you don’t have to be lounging in the tropics to live that laid-back vacation lifestyle. Our resort wear collection combines Latin-infusion style with bold, classic looks you can wear anywhere, anytime. They’re just as suitable on the sandy beaches of a destination wedding as they are at backyard barbecue - just don’t forget to add the perfect, must-have accessory for full Latin flavor – a refreshing Mojito!
Take a flair for fashion, add a little Rumba, a splash of Samba and infuse it with an intense passion for work and life and you’ll get an all-around artistic individual like no other - a designer like Magda Kahn.
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, her South American heritage greatly influences her Havanera Co. designs. Bold, colorful and embellished with embroidery and prints to make her collection stand out amongst other products in the store, she says her designs are “geared towards the guy who wants to wear detailed shirts that are different from all the others in his closet."
For four years, Magda studied her craft at the esteemed IDEC (one of the only fashion design schools in Colombia at the time.) There she dreamt of the fabulous fashion life in New York City and hoped one day she would be able to visit. Little did she know, thanks to the help and influence of her father, she’d not only visit, she would live, work and study in this fashion capital.
She attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in NYC before she was given the opportunity to oversee all production for Morgane LeFay, a high-end brand out of SoHo. Stepping out on her own, she then opened a successful design business in the Big Apple under her own name - building not only her experience but name recognition. In 1996, the weary Northeast winters could not compete against the warm weather wooing her to Miami. She made the leap, moved and never looked back.
A few months following, Magda was hired by Supreme International, now Perry Ellis International. The transition from women’s wear was a bit daunting but she soon found her niche. Eight years ago the company founded Havanera Co. to appeal to the growing Latin Lifestyle community and named Magda the head designer for the brand.
She and her team travel the world for inspiration, exploring new fashions and fabrics and to oversee the quality of their designs. Her team consists of industry artists from all corners of the world – Greece, Brazil, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia and Argentina to name a few – adding additional cultural influences to her collection. Often they pose as everyday shoppers to observe customers purchasing Havanera Co. pieces. Taking notes on this valuable real life input, they incorporate their findings into the following season’s collection – proving the line truly is designed with consumers in mind.
“When you have fun, are passionate and love what you do, it is easy to see that translate into something real with energy attached to it,” explains Kahn about her work. “I like thinking of my father, brothers, husband and even my three young sons when envisioning my customers and their satisfaction with our clothes.”
Available exclusively at JCPenney, Havanera Co. gets its ideas from Hispanic staples like the guayabera, but Magda envisions the line evolving towards other resort wear fashions. Perfect for tropical destination wedding attire, barbequing with friends, sipping Mojitos in a casual restaurant or dancing the night away in a club, Havanera Co. is the perfect go anywhere, wear anything collection for a man on the town.
Magda’s trend forecast: “Expect a color explosion in the upcoming season. Everyone is looking bright and happy. No more gray clouds, fashion will help change the way we see our world.”
