Katia Barros
Co-Founder & Creative Director, Farm Rio
The designer channels Brazil’s vibrant spirit into Farm Rio’s prints and silhouettes, combining bold, joyous design with meaningful B Corp certification.
Katia Barros is the co-founder and creative director of Farm Rio, the vibrant Brazilian lifestyle brand known for its bold prints, maximalist aesthetic and celebration of Rio de Janeiro’s rich cultural heritage. Since its 1997 launch in a 40-square-foot market stall, Barros has transformed Farm Rio into a global success story, leading its aesthetic vision and sustainable ethos.
Alongside co-founder Marcello Bastos, Barros expanded the brand beyond Brazil’s borders in 2019, opening flagship boutiques in New York and Los Angeles, and expanding into Europe and the Middle East with stores in Dubai and stockists such as Liberty London, Le Bon Marché and Galeries Lafayette. By 2025, Farm Rio boasted over 100 stores and more than 2,000 global distribution points, with its signature joyful aesthetic making it one of Brazil’s most recognisable fashion exports, all without showing at traditional fashion weeks.
Under Barros' direction, Farm Rio has also become a purpose-driven fashion brand, earning B Corp certification in 2022 and joining the United Nations Global Compact. Recognised for her cultural and entrepreneurial impact, Barros was named to Hola! USA’s Latina Powerhouse 100 in 2024.
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The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
