Fotografías y descripción de un rebozo de pollera zurcida, en tejido de pajita para niña.
Just a sample of the attractive rebozos for sale at the Saturday market in Tenancingo, Mexico State, Mexico.
As I've written before, Evangelina, our housekeeper, and I invariably began our day together leaning against the counter to chat while we drank a cafecito. This day was special. Never was Evangelina's highly refined sense of play more evident than as she began describing rebozos, "Our rebozos are our third hand; whatever we need to do, our rebozos help us with our work." What is a rebozo? Rebozos are shawls worn by Mexican women of all social classes, but especially by women from the countryside. Rebozos are worn draped around the shoulders—sometimes covering the head, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Here's Evangelina's playful litany of uses of the rebozo, along with her commentary: This señora is wearing the classic rebozo from Michoacán; she had the cargo (charge) for maintaining a chapel we visited on the Purhépecha Meseta outside Pátzcuaro. Need to carry your baby? Wrap him in your rebozo and carry him on your back. Your hands are still free to do your work. Need to carry firewood or bring crops in from the field? Carry anything at all on your back the same way you carry your baby." Disgracefully, we failed to photograph campesina (countrywomen) walking along the dirt lane that passed in front of our house just outside Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, bent over from the weight of carrying large bundles of firewood wrapped in their rebozos. "Need a sombrero because the sun too strong? Fold your rebozo and put it on your head. Need a belt? That's easy—wrap your rebozo around your waist!" Going to the market? Baby wrapped in rebozo leaves hands free to select and carry purchases. A Purhépecha friend told me that when the women raise their rebozos to cover their mouths—and sometimes their noses—they are seeking protection from cold air, which is believed to be unhealthy. Note the woman in the left background wearing a black rebozo covering her head, nose and mouth. Or, added my friend, they may be gossiping—behind the rebozo, no one can see who is speaking. Social Customs Surrounding the Rebozo By now Evangelina realized that I was enthralled. Perhaps that's why she grew more serious as she explained that as she was getting ready to marry nearly fifty years ago, her father-in-law took her aside. He explained that she must always have two rebozos—one for household tasks, and one for going afuera (outside) the house. Then he continued, "If you don't have shoes, that's okay but you must always have a good rebozo, because your rebozo says to the world, 'I am a respectable woman'." As Evangelina continued speaking, I recall that she had mentioned more than once how important it was for me to wear a rebozo when we visit the remote Purhépecha pueblos on the Meseta (high plateau outside Pátzcuaro). In her world, wearing a rebozo demonstrates respect. I have heeded her advice. Now that I think about it, my rebozo may explain why women have felt comfortable in striking up conversations with me, which has happened frequently. Group of women resting in front of the church in Nuria on the Purhépecha Meseta (Michoacán) The rebozo's role as a symbol of respectability sets the context for a man's role vis-a-vis his wife's rebozo. Evangelina's prospective father-in-law explained the man's responsibility like this, "If a man cannot tapar (cover) his woman, then he is no man at all." This man has clearly fulfilled his responsibility to his wife Where did the Rebozo come from? The rebozo originates in Asia, where the dervishes and priests of ancient Persia, covered themselves with a type of manta or "xal"—a word transformed in Spanish to “chal”. Interestingly, in Spain it was used as both an overcoat and adornment whose seductive properties were duly noted. Dama con chal c. 1900 España It bears repeating that the Moors (North Africans who carried the Persian culture dominated by Islam) occupied the Iberian Peninsula for almost 800 years (710-1492 CE). Across those centuries, artistic and cultural elements from Persia were incorporated into what became Spanish culture. In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabel—expansive after their final defeat of the Moors in Grenada—were receptive to funding Cristopher Columbus's expedition to sail West in search of a shorter trade route to Asia. Popularized in Spain as the manta, this thick woolen cape was first brought to Nueva España (México) by Spanish soldiers under Cortés, who insisted that his men marry the indigenous women with whom they coupled. These marriages undoubtedly intensified pressures to develop appropriate clothing befitting the wives of the Spanish elite in Nueva España. The thick Spanish mantle was thus ‘mexicanized’ by combining it with elements of the Mesoamerican tilma (cloak/cape). Maya nobleman wearing tilma Aztec Noblewoman wearing tilma Perhaps even more importantly, Spanish galleons brought sheep from Spain to grow wool and Chinese silk from Manila. Over time silk and wool were added to the cotton favored by indigenous weavers before the arrival of the Spanish. In 1582 the Ordinances of the Royal Audiencia (government) of Nueva España prohibited Negro women, mulatas (Spanish-Negro women, slaves on the hemp and sugar plantations on the Yucatán Peninsula) or mestiza (Spanish-Indigenous women) from wearing the chal. The women circumvented the prohibition by redesigning the chal. They changed the garment's size—making it longer and wider—and began dying them indigo with white and pale blue stripes. The new rebozo gained widespread acceptance because women whose heads were uncovered were denied access to Mass celebrated in the churches, which thus increased demand for the rebozo. Purhépecha women kneeling outside a church keeping vigil In Mexico, then, apace with these changes, the Spanish "chal" gave way to the word rebozo, which comes according to various sources, either from the verb rebozarse "to muffle or cover" or from the verb arrebozarse or “to cover the face with a cape or mantle.” By the 18th c. the rebozo was in widespread use among the women of Nueva España. About the rebozo, the second Count of Revillagigedo writes: “[All the women] wear it without exception, even the nuns, even the most elegant and rich women—even those from the humblest and poorest pueblos (villages). They use [the rebozo] like a mantilla, like a shawl, [they wear it] on promenades and even in the house; they wrap the rebozo around their shoulders; they put it on their heads; they cover themselves with it and tie it around their bodies…”. Demure señorita with head covered by a rebozo from Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosí). Over the years, weavers in Mexico’s diverse regions have individualized their rebozos by creating their own styles and colors. For example, the rebozo in Michoacán is characterized by horizontal lines. Oaxaca and Puebla are home to the classic rebozo known as “de bolita” recognized throughout the Mexican Republic. Elegant Rebozos At the highest levels of Mexican society, women don exquisite rebozos intricately woven from silk. Elegant señorita models an intricately woven rebozo Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosí) Rebozo worn fashionably on one shoulder. A workshop on the rebozo was held in Pátzcuaro while we were traveling, so I missed it. But a friend who attended said participants were shown one hundred different ways to wear the rebozo. Arguably the best-known and most expensive rebozos come from Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosí), where craftsmanship is the order of the day. Weavers utilize a range of materials, including cotton, artisela and silk. Proximity to the gold and silver mines of San Luis Potosí gave easy access to gold and silver threads. Rebozo from 1790, in silk with gold and silver (Santa Maria del Rio) Still Curious? As I wrote this blog, I came upon some beautiful photos and videos of weavers in a variety of regions around Mexico. In Spanish, but don't let that discourage you. This 4:28 minute 'short' is my favorite. It describes the 'de bolita' style of rebozo that originated in Tenancingo, State of México. Before the Spaniards arrived, weavers had only cotton to work with, and the garments were mostly white. Today's 'de bolita' rebozos are woven only in cotton. It doesn't matter that I don't understand all the Spanish, because the footage of the weavers working at their looms and photos of rebozos worn in past centuries are powerful visual communications: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLK2JyoVSFw In English: Tia Stephanie (Schneider) runs cultural tours throughout Mexico. She organized this one to explore the art of the rebozo. Her descriptions and photos are beautiful, useful: http://tiastephanietours.com/blog/?tag=mexican-rebozo In English: In 2009 Tia Stephanie joined forces with anthropologist Marta Turok to organize a rebozo fair at Lake Chapala: http://www.focusonmexico.com/Mexican-Rebozos-Wonders-in-Weaving.html In English: If you're curious about how the rebozo is ingeniously arranged to carry a child without knots, this 3-minute UTube video fills the bill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLzk0dabHN0 In Spanish: This is the most comprehensive history of the rebozo that I have been able to find: http://www.mexicolindoyquerido.com.mx/mexico/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110:el-rebozo&catid=190:tradiciones-mexicanas&I In Spanish: This description of the art of the rebozo as practiced in San Luis Potosí is excellent: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/Sanluis/rebozo.html About bordado (embroidery) in Mexico: Jenny's Journal post "Art and Friendship in Zirahuén, Michoacán" introduces the compelling crewel-embroidery art of Houston artist Debby Breckeen who, since 2009, has made her home in the community of Zirahuén, Michoacán, near Pátzcuaro. About bordado in Zirahuén, Michoacán: In June 2011, Debby Breckeen began offering a class in crewel embroidery to the ladies of Zirahuén. Although proficient in the embroidery techniques of deshilado ('Pulled-Thread') and punta cruz ('Cross-Stitch'), the ladies weren't familiar with the crewel embroidery stitches that are Debby's art form. Jenny's Journal post "The Art of the Zirahuén Ladies Sewing Circle in Michoacán, México" tells the story of the group's first year and shows some of the ladies' work.
SOLD OUT NO LONGER AVAILABLE ✥ The Rebozo is a Mexican accessory staple. Originally, indigenous mothers used it for carrying their little ones on their backs while they worked around the house or out in the fields. Rebozos are the perfect chic accessory that is vibrant and rich in tradition. ✥ This Rebozo is lightweight and extremely breathable. The ends fringe ends are tied into a beautiful pattern for added movement. ✥ The natural cotton thread that has been tie-dyed to produce color variations in the final piece. This latter style is called “jaspe” or jasper and are usually woven on backstrap looms. ✥ Please contact me before purchasing so that I know whether you are buying the yellow or navy blue Rebozo. $18 Each ✥ Measurements: Length: 78 in (198 cm) Width: 21 in (53 cm) ✥ Care Instructions Spot clean Hand wash if necessary No ironing required
Las tradiciones del Estado de San Luis Potosí, mencionan un único traje típico regional usado en la Huasteca Potosina. Fray Bemardino de Sahagún menciona a los elegantes mujeres Huastecas que portaban el Quechquemitl, de donde pasó a las totonacas y posteriormente a las nahuas.
Te mostramos diseños modernos y hermosos de cobijas tejidas a gancho para bebe, con los que abrigar a tus pequeños y decorar sus espacios será sencillo
Como las capas tejidas a gancho llegaron para seguir conquistando corazones, no puedes perder la oportunidad para tener tu propia capa y pavonearte con ella.
Vista del Profesor Madariaga con uno de sus diseños para pollera en papel. Foto de un diseño de Pollera, ya en el lienzo o tela de hilo, para armar la pollera, del Profesor Chichi De León. Fotos publicadas con permiso del Fotógrafo Jaques Dumont. No se puede hablar de las Polleras de Panamá, sin mencionar al Profesor Edgardo De Léon Madariaga o como le conocen algunos: Chichi De León. Aquellos que tenemos el honor de conocerle, sabemos de la pasión que siente por nuestro vestido típico y la fidelidad que tiene por su Tuna de Calle Abajo de Las Tablas. Chichi ha diseñado incontables polleras en nuestro país, ha escrito libros sobre la pollera, ha impartido clases, pintor, juez en concursos y promotor constante del folklore panameño. En su residencia se planchan las mejores polleras de la capital, labor cada vez más compleja, a falta de mano de obra que desee hacer este trabajo, que no es fácil. También alquila polleras y ofrece el servicio de vestir de pollera a quien así lo solicite. Definitivamente la labor del profesor De León es incuestionable y a través de sus libros ha dado a conocer La Pollera Panameña.
Congratulations to Francesca Granata and Sarah Scaturro for last night's panel, The Sustainability Equation: Ethics and Aesthetics in Contemporary Fashion. The room was packed, lined with people standing, and the insights from Julie Gilhart, Senior Vice President and Fashion Director at Barneys New York, Mary Ping of Slow Steady Wins the Race and Caroline Priebe of Uluru were diverse and fascinating. As an unexpected delight, I bumped into Janet Hethorn, one of the editors of Sustainable Fashion: Why Now? It was good to see Tara St James of Study NY again; the blog post on her work is now long, long overdue. Watch this space. My notes from the panel ramble all over the place. Furthermore, at times I was listening too intensely to take any. Both signs of an invigorating conversation, I think. Gilhart spoke about the philosophy at Barneys, and the importance of an emotional connection to clothing over product or brand. From a sustainable design perspective, she made a strong case for good design and embodied value as the most important drivers. I'd agree; we've all seen abominable things made from organic cotton, no? Thankfully it's becoming rarer but for a while there seemed to be a lot of things out there that used sustainability as some kind of apologetic excuse for sloppy design and/or crappy manufacturing. Julie mentioned how the Barneys customer is still slightly suspicious of anything labeled organic; at least in some cases the company no longer promotes garments as such, but rather, as strong statements in design. That's what attracts the customer to the clothes in the first place. Common sense, really. Apparently they are getting increasing requests for 'green' gowns for the red carpet. She recommends Isabel Toledo. Not an obvious choice to some but one that made sense to me. Toledo's work has a lovely timelessness about it, without ever appearing generic or 'classic'. Or maybe it is classic; it's just not a word I particularly like. My personal favourite statement from Gilhart, one that gives me much hope, was a quip on how at Barneys they are constantly saying how there are just "too many collections, too many clothes, too much stuff".Right on. Caroline's notion of wanting to design things that the consumer can eventually pass on to her granddaughter sounds deceivingly simple but think about it. It's a powerful statement. Instead of maybe two, three, even five years' worth of wear, she's suggesting several decades. This stems from her having inherited her grandmother's cashmere cardigans, which she wears herself. She has also reappropriated some of her grandmother's patterns for Uluru. Caroline also talked about the need to integrate sustainability into business models from the outset, something she has done. At Fashioning Now, Rachel Bending of Bird Textile spoke along very similar lines; the audio is available on the FN website. As for the Uluru/Alabama Chanin interaction, Caroline prefers co-operation over collaboration; the former speaks of a sustained activity whilst the latter can suggest something temporary. She also noted how she seems to share everything she knows with anyone that wants to know. This is what I love about the sustainable fashion community; the secrecy and paranoia that seem to afflict the rest of industry are largely absent. As for Mary, I think she should work with me. Why? Towards the end she spoke of having produced some leather t-shirts, and as a result she's ended up with five containers of leather scrap (size of container unclear). "It's such a waste", she said. Yes. Mind you, her team is working on designing something out of the scrap, but leather is one area I haven't delved into in my research. Mary, I'm likely to be in touch. I know I already linked to Slow and Steady Wins the Race above but because the site is such fun, here is the link again. On the whole, listening to both Caroline and Mary was a refreshing delight; reading through mainstream fashion sites it's easy to break out in hives over the banal soundbites from some fashion designers. Onto the exhibition, which I saw over a week ago. It is open until February 20, so make sure you see it if in New York. The beautiful catalog is only $10; get it! The exhibition is beautifully designed, with large text panels supporting each of the three sections. The design is by a team of Graduate Interior Design students from Pratt, led by Professor Jon Otis. The designers are Lexie Averick, Yi-Ting (Elvie) Chang, Laura Clifford, Jenni Hellstern, Amanda Meininger, Megan Niemczyk, Alex Pethtel, Juliette Pousset, Dena Saperstein, Jeehee Son, Jinwooh Song and Jordan Wagenseller. Congratulations; the space was a delight to move through. There are three broad themes under which the designers fall; of course, most relate to all three categories, but such ordering makes the concepts easier to understand. Because I'm lazy, here are the panels for you to read, and some not-great photos; a close friend once said I destroy beautiful things with photography. My photography lecturer over ten years ago echoed those sentiments. Anyway, here you go: Reduce: Uluru with Alabama Chanin: Detail of a recycled cashmere sweater appliqued with organic cotton jersey: Rogan, one of the Loomstate designers: detail of patchwork dress of recycled denim, courtesy of Barneys New York: Rethink Slow and Steady Wins the Race: detail of a shirt: Kelly Cobb's 100-Mile Suit: feelers for some of the yarns and fabrics: Revalue SUNO (detail of dress of vintage kanga): Alabama Chanin: Detail of an organic cotton jersey dress: An organic cotton denim dress, dyed with natural indigo: Finally, an audience member mentioned an 'eco-fashion' show taking place at NYU tonight. More details are here.
BLOG ELABORADO PARA COMPARTIR TODO LO APRENDIDO HASTA HOY,
