9 Boricua Instagram Creatives Whose Feeds You’ll Want to Scroll All Day

Puerto Rico, an island gem in the Caribbean, was one of the first to be colonized by the Spanish and one of the stops along the slavery train of the 16th-19th centuries. This unfortunate history has yielded a blended culture that includes diverse races and at least two languages spoken on the island, Spanish and English. Puerto Rico’s uncomfortable position as a demi-state of the USA has not stopped a generation of impressive artists and creatives who use their straddle-position between two places to enhance their work. Las boricuas, whose name alludes to the aboriginal name for the island, Borinquén, are especially interested in preserving the color and sound of their homeland, even as their creations travel the world. For those of us not able to chase them down in person, we can follow their work through their fascinating IG accounts.

8Namibia Viera 

NYC-based fashion designer, Namibia Viera wants you to remember where she comes from. She earned a BFA on the island, then moved to the US to complete her studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She has worked for Oscar de la Renta and Prabal Gurung, designed for Lady Gaga, and been recognized by Stacy Bendet, the brain behind Alice and Olivia. But her clothes are inspired by Puerto Rico — collections are airy, colorful, and always include the requisite swimsuit.