FEATURED CREATIVE | CARLOS TORRETTA
© Luis Sevillano Jose Tomas en las ventas.San Isidro 2008
Interview by Leila Antakly
In 2011, just before his career as a top model agent took off at Society Management in New York, I interviewed Carlos Torretta, a Madrid-born creative who had quietly launched a visual diary titled El Salvawhore—a moody, curated inspiration blog blending fashion, art, and raw photographic expression.
The site, which operated more like a digital moodboard, showcased a mix of found images and Carlos's own photography, nodding to legends like Juergen Teller and Helmut Newton, while offering a glimpse into his aesthetic world. “I’ve always been fascinated by post-production and visual storytelling,” he shared. “I thought the blog might help other creatives spark ideas.”
Carlos grew up surrounded by creativity—his father, Roberto Torretta, is one of Spain’s most influential fashion designers. After moving to the U.S. for boarding school, Carlos immersed himself in fashion and art circles that naturally shaped his own visual language. Launching El Salvawhore was, in many ways, a seamless next step.
Carlos, why did you start El Salvawhore?
Living in New York, I’m constantly surrounded by artists—photographers, stylists, musicians, designers—and I felt the need for a personal outlet to process all that inspiration. My girlfriend at the time was a fashion consultant, always digging through magazines, books, and websites, and it rubbed off on me. I started collecting images obsessively, and eventually I thought—why not share them?
A lot of the content on the blog is imagery I’ve sourced, but I also shoot with my Contax T2, so there are plenty of original photos in there too.
Tell us the story behind the name—El Salvawhore is pretty unforgettable.
It’s actually a joke that stuck. My best friend, photographer Max Snow, played a prank on me once by posting my number on a male dating site—just to get a laugh. He needed a name for the profile and, since he always teases me about being from El Salvador (I’m not—I'm Spanish and Argentinian), he came up with “El Salvawhore.” I ended up loving the name. It felt irreverent and memorable, and somehow fit the tone of the blog perfectly.
What influences you most creatively?
Definitely my heritage—being both Spanish and Argentinian has shaped my taste and interests. I’m drawn to the contrast between elegance and grit, tradition and modernity. Things like bullfights, gauchos, flamenco culture, and military or equestrian references often creep into my moodboards.
Fashion is a big influence too. I love unexpected pairings—like a Balenciaga heel next to a hunting scene. That kind of tension feels exciting to me.
Which blogs or websites do you check regularly for inspiration?
Some of my go-to sites back then were:
aminuteofperfection.tumblr.com
yvanrodic.com
More than a blog, El Salvawhore was a time capsule of creative impulses—raw, referential, and rooted in a deep love for fashion and image-making. Carlos Torretta may have transitioned into a high-profile role within the fashion industry, but his early blog remains a great reminder of how personal archives can become a canvas for bigger dreams.
An image from Elsalvawhore
