Designer fashion from Guatemala.

Luisa Villavicencio creates the most stylish cotton goods. You can see a lovely example on the right. This gorgeous cardigan is made using raw cotton and blends three natural shades – ivory, jade and brown.

All the products she produces are natural – no dyes are used at all – and make the most of cotton’s qualities. Luisa explains that she comes from a Guatemalan family and they all have respect for their country’s natural produce, environment and culture.

Growing cotton started back in the days of the Maya culture and Luisa’s father farmed cotton rather than any other traditional crop. Now her family run the only cotton farm that’s left in the country.

When the cotton is made into products, they work with only the three colours mentioned above. The first is the natural ivory shade. Then there’s the brown which uses the traditional ixcaco seed to give it its colour. Then Luisa’s father and brother modified the cotton seed further to create the jade colour. Garments, bags and household linens are created by weaving these three colours in different proportions.

Since the family started the fashion business in 1995, they have grown so that they now have eighty artisans working for them. Many are war widows and work using traditional methods, often in their own homes. Luisa’s parent have since died and she has a strong commitment to keeping their business and their vision alive in addition to providing jobs for those who desperately need to work, plus keeping her country’s traditional methods alive.

See more here.

And see more products below. Click on the images for details.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jackie Jackson, also known online as BritFlorida, is a highly experienced designer and writer. British born and now living in the USA, she specialises in lifestyle issues, design and quirky stories. You can see a wide range of articles here, or visit her website Tastes Magazine. See The Writer’s Door for more information.