Zoot Suit Fashion Takes Center Stage at OC Fair

By David Spargur on September 16, 2025 • ( 1 Comment )

Pachucos and Pachucas ruled the runway at the OC fair on August 10th. Flexing the creations of Fullerton’s own El Pachuco Zoot Suits on Harbor, chicos and chicas strutted, flashed, and gave a jumping jive swing dance demonstration at three shows on the OC Promenade stage.

The fashion show was hosted by Vanesa Estrella, who runs El Pachuco, which is owned by her family. Her mother-in-law, Phyllis Estrella, founded the shop after seeing a stage production of Luis Valdez’s play “Zoot Suit” at least five times and was amazed at the portrayal of “El Pachuco” by Edward James Olmos. She fell in love with the style and persona of what the Zoot Suit represented and decided she had to get one for her brother. After seeing how hard it was to get one, she saw a business opportunity. Forty-seven years later, El Pachuco is still supplying Zoot Suits to an international market and the Los Angeles entertainment industry.

Vanesa Estrella explained that Zoot suits were born in the 1920s when swing, jazz, and African American music ruled. Their “zoot suits” had the fashionable high-suspendered waist of the time, giving the long legline. But jumping jive music of bands like Cab Calloway demanded a loose fit and gathered ankles for mobility without tripping up. L.A. Club-going Hispanics, Blacks, Filipino Americans, Japanese Americans, some Italians and Jewish American Youths sported the look. In the 1930s, Pachuco culture was also emerging in downtown LA. They added style with Wide lapels and chains.

However, during WW2, William Randolph Hearst’s “yellow journalists” writing for Los Angeles newspapers tried to portray Zoot Suiters as unpatriotic because of their oversized outfits in a time of wartime fabric rationing. The result was the “Zoot Suit Riots,” where servicemen went after Mexican-Americans (many of whom were serving in the military). East LA Chicanos were blamed for the riots and railroaded in trials that were later invalidated. The whole story is portrayed by the stage production and movie “Zoot Suit.”