H.Y.L.A

Hyla Golden Del Castillo is the designer and creative director behind H.Y.L.A. A small sustainable fashion brand based in Toronto that focuses on making one of a kind pieces made from reclaimed and vintage materials. Hyla immigrated from Bogota, Colombia to Toronto when she was 17 with her dog Perseo (and new baby kitten Venus) Initially to study political science and later SWITCHED to fashion design after starting the brand in September 2019. She is a self-taught designer, finding inspiration in songs, people and places aligning strongly with her design motto: “match yourself to your surroundings” (even if these surroundings are virtual or imaginary at times). The designers strong focus on sustainability has also expanded the work she does as she currently runs a contactless repair service in Toronto. Some of the profits of every collection consistently go towards helping valuable efforts in our communities as well as in her hometown as she continues to strive for a more conscious fashion/ consumer relationship in an already over polluted industry. She is looking forward to starting her studies at Ryerson university again in the fall of 2021 to continue learning about the symbiotic relationship between sustainability and fashion.