Fashion Designer Carolina Herrera's Nephew Found Dead In Venezuela

According to the Associated Press, a nephew of Carolina Herrera has been found dead inside a truck on a road near Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. This story is still developing.
The Venezuelan public prosecutor’s office said in a statement Friday, May 12, that the body of 34-year-old businessman Reinaldo Jose Herrera, nephew of fashion designer Carolina Herrera, was found the night before near Caracas. Fabrizio Mendoza, 31, Reinaldo Jose Herrera’s business partner, was also found dead in the same location. The Venezuelan public prosecutor’s office has of yet to determine the cause of death according to the Associated Press.

However, some media outlets including Daily Beast and NBC Miami are calling Reinaldo Jose Herrera’s death the result of an abduction. The Daily Beast reports that kidnappers took Reinaldo Jose Herrera from a restaurant in Caracas and were holding him and his business partner for ransom. These same reports claim that the ransom was paid, but that the kidnappers killed Reinaldo Jose Herrera and his business partner anyway. Their bodies were recovered in a truck on a highway outside the city.

Carolina Herrera, originally from Caracas, lives in New York’s Upper East Side. The Chicago History Museum’s Costume Council named her the 2017 Designer of Excellence, recognizing the work she’s done on dresses created for first ladies like Jacqueline Onassis and Michelle Obama. The award presentation is scheduled for Monday, May 15, yet, at this time, it is uncertain if the event will be rescheduled.
Thank you so much for all your thoughtful messages. The family and I appreciate your kindness. Our only hope is that the tragic assassination of our young nephew, Reinaldo and his colleague, Fabrizio will serve to mitigate the terrible carnage and murders that are committed against our youth in Venezuela. The Electoral Results must be respected. The Communist Dictatorship must go. -Carolina Herrera
A post shared by Carolina Herrera (@houseofherrera) on May 13, 2017 at 7:03am PDT
The Associated Press has not yet received an official statement from Herrera on the death of her nephew. However, according to The House of Herrera Instagram, the designer released a statement on May 13 with a collaged pictured of her and her nephew, denouncing the violence in Venezuela. Her message reads: “The family and I appreciate your kindness. Our only hope is that the tragic assassination of our young nephew, Reinaldo and his colleague, Fabrizio will serve to mitigate the terrible carnage and murders that are committed against our youth in Venezuela. The Electoral Results must be respected. The Communist Dictatorship must go.”

About the author

Jill Di Donato

Fashion Editor

Jill is a New York native who holds a BA in Literature from Barnard College, and an MFA in writing from Columbia University. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Garbage (She Writes Press, 2013) about the downtown Manhattan art and fashion scene in the 1980s. A former staff writer for The Huffington Post and Bustle, Jill comes to Culture Trip after working with Refinery 29, Vice, Salon, Paste Style, Los Angeles Times, Nylon, Shopify, Autre, and producing content for emerging fashion labels. She teaches classes about fashion and culture at Barnard College and The Fashion Institute of Technology. Her prized possessions are her Gucci fanny pack, vintage rocker t-shirts, and her grandmother's collection of costume jewelry. She's always on the lookout for a gem-encrusted turban.