When Paraguayan Gabriela Recalde stepped off the plane in California at 19 years old, she carried a small suitcase, big dreams, and not a single word of English. The young woman from Asunción, Paraguay’s capital city, had left behind her family and friends to work as an au pair, a live-in nanny, whilst learning a new language. What she could not have imagined was that this leap of faith would eventually lead her to a Times Square billboard and transform her into a bridge between Paraguayan artisans and the global fashion industry.
Today, Gabriela Recalde is a content creator with over 170.000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, the founder of GR, a fashion brand celebrating Paraguayan ñandutí lace, and a collaborator with major brands including Marshalls, L’Oréal, Revolve, Dior, and Prada.
“I was just a girl and it was incredibly hard”
The cultural shock of moving to the United States proved overwhelming. Gabriela, who had been studying communications and working with Level, a high-end fashion magazine in Asunción, found herself navigating a foreign language, and unfamiliar customs.
“I did not know absolutely anything,” she recalls. “It was incredibly difficult for me to adapt, to learn the language. It was a cultural shock to live far from my family, my friends, my food, from Paraguay. I was just a girl and it was incredibly hard.”
But gradually, she adapted. Working as a nanny whilst studying English, Gabriela began posting on Instagram as a way to connect with others who shared her love of fashion. “I created a small community, and I really liked that.”
From intern to influencer: Finding her voice in fashion
As her English improved, Gabriela secured an internship with Anthropologie, the American clothing retailer, where she worked as a styling assistant and contributed to the social media team. Simultaneously, her Instagram following grew and brands began inviting her to events, including New York Fashion Week.
“They started to tell me they really liked my content. I feel like I connect with a lot of people and I work with brands that I love.”
Gabriela Recalde: Representing Paraguay
Yet as Gabriela attended more events, she noticed a recurring pattern. When she mentioned Paraguay, people often drew a blank.
“People do not even know where the country is sometimes,” she observes. “There are not many Paraguayans in all of the United States. So I wanted something that represents Paraguay.”
In 2023, Gabriela launched GR, a fashion brand centred on ñandutí, the intricate, spiderweb-like lace handcrafted in Paraguay for centuries. The word “ñandutí” means “spiderweb” in Guaraní, Paraguay’s indigenous language, reflecting the delicate, web-like patterns of this traditional embroidery.
Working from the United States presented logistical challenges. Gabriela reached out to her family in Paraguay for help connecting with artisans. She communicates with craftswomen via WhatsApp, sends designs, and places large orders in advance.
“There are many difficulties because I am far away, but I try to be as organised as possible,” she acknowledges.
A brand that bridges continents
Despite the challenges, the response has been remarkable. At events in Los Angeles and New York, Paraguayan products found eager buyers, many of whom were not themselves Paraguayan.
“This year I did an event in New York where we had almost 45 people, and the happiness of seeing Paraguayans buying our things was something inexplicable for me.”
Customers tell Gabriela they are thrilled to finally have a Paraguayan brand to wear abroad or give as gifts. “That is something that excites me a lot. My relationship with the artisans and working with them to show the world how beautiful ñandutí is and how beautiful our culture is.”
Gabriela works exclusively with Latina, and often specifically Paraguayan models. Last year, she collaborated with Luana, a Paraguayan living in Texas, who created crochet pieces embellished with ñandutí. The collection sold out immediately.
The Times Square moment
In 2025, Gabriela’s work with Marshalls culminated in a billboard appearance in Times Square, one of the world’s most iconic advertising spaces. The campaign included her identity: “Gabriela from Paraguay.”
“For me it was an honour that the Marshalls brand selected me for such a large campaign, and on top of everything they put Gabriela from Paraguay,” she reflects. “Something I never would have imagined.”
For Gabriela, the moment symbolised visibility for an entire country often overlooked on the world stage. “When I say I am from Paraguay, people confuse it, they tell you Uruguay, and no, I want it to be known, I want them to know that we have a lot of richness and a lot to give.”
Looking ahead: Expanding the cultural narrative
Gabriela is now rebranding her brand GR to incorporate additional elements of Paraguayan culture beyond ñandutí. She plans to expand collaborations with other Paraguayans and grow the number of artisans she works with.
“Next year we want to grow the brand much more. I want to collaborate with other Paraguayans and see how we can grow and give opportunities to more people.”
Her mission is clear: using her platforms to showcase Paraguay’s cultural wealth globally. “For me the most important thing is, as a Paraguayan and as a Latina that I am, to represent my country, that is what motivates me the most. And apart from that, it is to open the way for other people.”
A message of possibility: Gabriela Recalde’s legacy
Gabriela’s story resonates particularly within immigrant communities. Her journey from a 19-year-old au pair who spoke no English, to a fashion entrepreneur collaborating with luxury brands demonstrates what dedication and cultural pride can achieve.
“You can live far from your country and still carry your culture in everything you do,” she states. “That is what guides me every day.”
As she looks towards the future, Gabriela remains grounded in the same community-building instinct that first drew her to social media over a decade ago. Only now, that community spans continents, and at its heart beats the intricate, delicate artistry of Paraguayan ñandutí.
Follow Gabriela Recalde on Instagram, or find Gabriela Recalde on TikTok here!
