Hispanic representation in fashion and media should be visible, meaningful, and consistent—not something our community has to beg for every September.
Hispanic Heritage Month, observed from September 15 through October 15, recognizes the histories, cultures, achievements, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States. In years past, we watched fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands use this month to spotlight Hispanic models, actors, musicians, designers, entrepreneurs, and content creators. They shared personal stories, celebrated cultural traditions, and created campaigns that made members of our community feel seen.
Were all of those campaigns perfect? No. But they created visibility, opened conversations, and introduced audiences to people whose stories deserved to be told.
This year feels noticeably different.
As we reach the midpoint of Hispanic Heritage Month, PMM Today is disappointed by how little meaningful recognition we have seen from many of the brands that benefit from Hispanic and Latino consumers throughout the year. There may be an occasional social media Story, repost, or brief acknowledgment, but the larger campaigns, thoughtful profiles, creative partnerships, and intentional storytelling appear far less visible.
This is not a scientific audit of every brand’s activity. It is an editorial observation based on what our team has seen across the fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and plus-size spaces. From where we stand, the silence is difficult to ignore.
This Year, Silence Feels Especially Uncomfortable
The lack of acknowledgment feels particularly troubling because of what many Hispanic and Latino families are currently experiencing in the United States.
According to the Pew Research Center, 52% of Latino adults surveyed in October 2025 worried that they, a family member, or a close friend might be deported. That number had increased from 42% in March 2025. Pew also found that 47% of Latino adults felt less safe in their local communities because of the administration’s deportation efforts.
These figures do not mean that every Hispanic or Latino person shares the same experiences or political views. Our community is not a monolith. We come from different countries, races, generations, socioeconomic backgrounds, immigration experiences, and political perspectives.
But these figures do show that fear and uncertainty are affecting a significant portion of our community.
At a time when many Hispanic and Latino people feel scrutinized, stereotyped, or unsafe, visibility matters. Storytelling matters. Public support matters.
This was not the year for brands to become quieter.
Our Community Is More Than a Marketing Opportunity
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic population reached approximately 68 million people as of July 1, 2024, representing 20% of the United States population. That makes Hispanics the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority.
The Latino Donor Collaborative reported that U.S. Latino purchasing power reached $4.1 trillion in 2023. It also estimated the U.S. Latino gross domestic product at $4 trillion. If it were measured as an independent economy, it would rank as the fifth largest in the world.
Hispanic households also participate significantly in the fashion economy. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey show that Hispanic or Latino consumer units spent an average of $2,217 on apparel and related services in 2024.
A consumer unit is the term used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to describe a household or financially connected individuals living together. Therefore, the $2,217 figure represents average annual spending per Hispanic or Latino consumer unit—not the total amount spent by all Hispanic consumers. Still, it provides a verified measurement of our direct participation in the apparel market.
We purchase the clothes. We buy the beauty products. We create the trends. We fill the social feeds. We recommend products to our families and communities. We produce campaigns, style shoots, walk runways, perform on screens, design collections, write stories, and build businesses.
Our value should never be measured only by what we spend. However, brands cannot enthusiastically accept Hispanic dollars while treating Hispanic stories as optional.
Hispanic Audiences Hold Real Power in Media
Hispanic audiences are not waiting for traditional media to decide what deserves attention. We are creating, sharing, streaming, and shaping culture ourselves.
Nielsen reported that streaming accounted for 55.8% of Hispanic audiences’ total television time, compared with 46% for the general U.S. population. Hispanic viewers also spent a greater share of their television time with YouTube, Netflix, and Disney than the general U.S. audience.
At the same time, 56% of Hispanic consumers told Nielsen they wanted to see more representation while scrolling through social media. Among Spanish-speaking respondents, that number increased to 63%.
That gap is important. Hispanic audiences are deeply engaged with media, but many still do not believe they are being adequately represented in the content they consume.
Nielsen also found that 53% of Hispanic consumers expect brands to support causes that matter to them. Representation, therefore, is not simply a matter of adding a culturally themed graphic to a social media feed. It is about building trust, demonstrating shared values, and forming authentic relationships with the people behind the purchasing statistics.
Representation Must Include Size Diversity
For PMM Today, this conversation must also include body diversity.
Hispanic and Latina representation cannot be limited to one complexion, one body type, one age group, or one narrow interpretation of beauty. Plus-size Latinas, Afro-Latinas, Indigenous Latinas, disabled Latinas, older women, queer members of the community, and people with intersecting identities all deserve to be included.
Too often, Hispanic people are underrepresented, and plus-size Hispanic people become nearly invisible within that already limited visibility.
Our community deserves more than one familiar face selected to represent millions of people. We deserve the full, vibrant range of who we are.
Heritage Month Should Not Be Performative, but Silence Is Not the Answer
We understand the concern about performative marketing. Hispanic Heritage Month should never become a box for a company to check before returning to business as usual on October 16.
However, avoiding performative representation does not mean avoiding representation altogether.
Brands can hire Hispanic talent. They can commission Hispanic writers, photographers, stylists, artists, and creative directors. They can collaborate with Hispanic-owned businesses. They can pay creators fairly, tell multidimensional stories, support community organizations, and maintain those relationships throughout the year.
The answer to shallow representation is deeper commitment, not silence.
PMM Today Is Choosing to Celebrate Our Community
PMM Today was founded by a Puerto Rican woman (Madeline Figueroa Jones), and Hispanic heritage is part of our identity, our leadership, and the perspective we bring to the fashion and media industries.
We are disappointed by what we have not seen this month, but we do not want this editorial to end with disappointment.
Throughout the remainder of Hispanic Heritage Month, we will continue celebrating across our social media channels. We will introduce you to inspiring changemakers and, in some cases, catch up with familiar faces who are making an impact throughout the Hispanic and Latino community.
Their stories remind us that our influence is not confined to one month, and our contributions cannot be erased by a quiet marketing calendar.
We are here. We are creating. We are leading. We are purchasing. We are influencing culture.
Whether brands choose to acknowledge it or not, our community’s power is undeniable.
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Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: National Hispanic Heritage Month 2025
- Latino Donor Collaborative: 2025 Official U.S. Latino GDP Report
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- Nielsen: Hispanic Consumers and Streaming Consumption
- Nielsen: How Hispanic Consumers Are Influencing the Media Landscape
- Pew Research Center: Latinos’ Experiences With Immigration Enforcement
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