Mexican Hand Crafted Clothes
Tara A. Spears
When the Women to Women group started the Fashion Show to raise money for the women and children of Jaltemba Bay in 2002, they also wanted to celebrate the talent of the local designers. Although the original designers have retired or moved out of the area, there are still amazing clothing craftsmen that produce outstanding original fashions. If you appreciate artesian clothing, check out the featured designers in La Penita and Guayabitos.
What does handcrafted really mean when it comes to clothing? The alternative, machine made, is the typical mass production model of garment-making, in which clothes are constructed via assembly line with very little human interference. The process is automated and completely replicable. “Handmade” means that at least part of the garment was made the old fashioned way, by hand. This might mean a hand-stitched collar, an embroidered sleeve, or embellished cuffs, or it could mean that a single person used a sewing machine to construct the garment rather than a fast fashion assembly line process.
Most high quality clothing involves both machines and real people and each technique has advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. When assembly-line, standard-sized, ready to wear clothing first became popular, pieces that were handmade were considered old-fashioned and unstylish. They were associated with clothes made at home cheaply, while machine made clothes were avant-garde and associated with designers
But as machine made, ready-to-wear clothing became the norm, handmade garments acquired special, exclusive status associated with top designers and custom couture pieces. Fashion has increased production to astronomical levels, and that sense of value has flipped. Handmade now carries more sense of intrinsic value because of its typically superior construction, detailing, sustainability, and human connection. In essence, the style trend is moving towards handcrafted garments. Luckily, those in Jaltemba Bay can obtain unique, quality, one of a kind clothes and accessories in the local shops and outdoor markets.
Kay Klose is a master artist who creates gorgeous wearable art clothing. This designer has stunning hats, capes, dresses and more. Call 907 952 0659 to arrange a viewing of her clothing. She’s located in La Penita.
Lucy Moreno has also been creating original Mexican clothing for over 25 years. Lucy’s current fashions are featuring hand painted Mexican symbolism. Call for a private consultation in La Penita central: 322 294 4078
Although not Mexican, the ladies boutique in Guayabitos, Lombok Exotic Touch, offers great accessories and clothing for a hot climate. Manager Consuelo can obtain various sizes or colors for your needs.
It is part of the Mexican culture to shop at the outdoor markets. The following vendors do not have stationary locations but create a mobile shop as they move from town to town. Each has flair and excellent quality of their product, well worth adding to your wardrobe. They were selected to participate in the Fashion Show due to the specific type of original design of their goods. All will accept custom orders but you must allow at least 3 weeks for delivery.
Alphonso Castellon/ Ketzali Vallarta. More than just a shirt of dress, Alphonso first draws the image then hand makes the silk screen image. He focuses on the symbolism of his heritage. Monday market, Guayabitos.
Monica Moreno/ Ty Bikinis y Mas. Absolutely must have sundresses and shorts for the beach! Nice range of sizes, colors, styles. Monday market.
Martha Bautista/Oaxaca Originals. Beautiful casualwear made from Mexican organic cotton fabrics with hand sewn embroidery in the traditional Oaxaca motifs. Martha offers children/men/ women shirts and dresses. Thursday (in front of the church) and Monday markets.
Grab a friend and check out the many choices for original artisan clothing- a sneak preview of the January Fashion Show. Best of all, you will be supporting the local merchants. Treat yourself to conversation starter outfit!
Visit our website www.mujeresamujeres.com for information about W2W projects or to donate .
