Bacardí hosted a cultural celebration in Brooklyn on Thursday night, drawing on the spirit of San Juan’s La Placita de Santurce to highlight Puerto Rican heritage and Afro-Caribbean creativity.

Held at Fandi Mata in Williamsburg, the event — dubbed La Placita de Bacardí — featured a live DJ set, Caribbean-inspired visuals, and a preview of a new capsule clothing collection created in partnership with Brooklyn-based streetwear brand TIER and artist Reyna Noriega.

La La Anthony and Joan Smalls were among the attendees, engaging with guests and viewing the collection. Designer Brandon Blackwood also came out to support Tier founder and creative director Nigeria Ealey.

A collaboration rooted in culture

The three-piece “Rooted in Rhythm” collection includes a hat, T-shirt and crewneck, each referencing movement, migration and musical influence across the Caribbean. Noriega, a Cuban-Bahamian artist based in Miami, collaborated on the designs.

“We wanted this collaboration to be meaningful and authentic,” Ealey said in a statement. “By bringing Reyna’s artistic lens into the mix, we created pieces that tell a deeper story about identity, movement and creative expression.”

“As a Cuban and Bahamian artist, it means so much to me to partner with a brand with such a rich history in the Caribbean,” Noriega said. “The ultimate goal is to foster a feeling of celebration, connectivity and music.”

Celebrating Puerto Rican influence

The event also served to spotlight Bacardí’s historical connection to Puerto Rico, where its rum has been produced at the world’s largest premium rum distillery, Casa Bacardí, in Cataño.

“This was a way to honor Puerto Rico’s cultural influence and reflect on the rhythms that continue to shape our brand story,” said Lisa Pfenning, Bacardí’s vice president of North America.

The capsule collection is expected to launch in July.