Indigenous designers create their own fashion
Ecuadornews:
The blouse that Francisca Masaquiza wears dresses her body and is made with fabric and lace. The V-neck has a series of embroidery with purple, green and black threads, handmade. The anaco no longer measures two and a half meters long as his grandmothers used to wear it, now it is shortened to one and a half meters.
The width exposes part of the calf. The sandals are of low heel and are made with thin sash fabric that contain graphics such as the deer, the Chacana or Andean Cross, the Dancer and other figures that are woven in the looms. That makes him look more youthful. “I like the changes, because the clothes are light and modern, did not lose the Andean features,” says the 20-year-old.
The clothes that Masaquiza dresses are from the designs of Vanesa Maiza, designer of the Chibuleo indigenous community. The young woman studies fashion design at the Technical University of Ambato (UTA). The purpose is to create something more modern for indigenous women and men. She says that the ‘boom’ of change began more than 10 years ago when the indigenous woman began to participate in beauty contests such as Reina de Ambato.
The mestizos were the ones who designed and made the clothes. Now we create elegant designs. The changes in the anaco that are already incorporated in the folds help the girls to save time. “The old anacos when wrapping had to make the folds and then fit with the girdle, but that changed without losing the identity. You have to stylize the garments to a certain point that does not lose its essence, “says Maiza.
The idea of the changes in the anaco is not that you see the skin very much, but that it is demure, that is to say, not to show in excess. Something similar happens with blouses. Three years ago Maiza has designed two stylized suits for women. Now he is preparing a 2018 collection, in youth blouses or shoulder pads that will be worn casually and will not be attached to the body. He says he will return to the old, that is, blouses closed with embroidery and lace.
We work on bringing the old to the present with the same colors and embroidery. All this fashion is shown and marketed at Jenny Boutique, owned by Jenny Ainaguano. The young woman explains that even new creations are made by hand through drawings and sketches. This change arose after several investigations with the taitas and mammas of the community and the anthropological study of each of the garments.
“The Chibuleo culture has no books or guide documents, we use the oral question of our parents, grandparents and the elderly.” Ainaguano explains that with the new designs the girls returned to wear indigenous clothing. “They feel more youthful, current and identified with their communities.”
In the Salasaka community, in the design of footwear and clothing for the marriages (of the godparents or the groom) and other parties, Cayetano Pilla and Tomás Jerez work, respectively. Cayetano learned from his father the profession of shoemaker. He started with the changes in the models of the sandals.
Currently this man of 38 years has created 12 designs in various models and colors in taco, flats, sandals, platforms, all have Andean content. It uses native materials such as sheep’s wool and alpaca wool for chumbi weaving or low thin strips. The stylized designs contain the mixture of colors such as red, yellow, blue, black, pink and white. In addition, graphics that depict Andean life and nature such as barley spike, potato flower, mountains, deer, flame and other representations.
“To create I look for something modern for women in the community, I characterize for assembling new models that after being released to the market are copied “. In the commune Cochapamba is the house of Tomás Jerez, 48 years old. Despite her leg disability, her hands to design new embroideries are skillful. Labora has been making clothes for the village festivities for 14 years.
The craft learned only by seeing the artisans. Since then he stopped copying and decided to make his own designs. “The animals, the nature, the mountains predominate in the embroidery that I make, that is the identity of the people”.
Sandals
A pair of sandals with modern colors and designs cost $ 50 in Salaska.
The cost
A suit with necklaces and native costumes can cost from USD 200 to 1 200.
Customers
Gente de Chibuleo, Salasaka, Tomabela and Quisapincha look for these costumes. (I)
Source: http://www.elcomercio.com/chic/disenadores-indigenas-moda-salasakas-interculturasl.html