Sunflowers, Tropical Greens, & Ocean Blues: Introducing Our Summer 2019 Collection!

 
Welcome to Huaywasi’s Summer 2019 Line!
We are so excited to be able to bring together a mixture of old favorites, upcycled innovations, and new ideas in our beachy summer collection. 
To start off, because of how loyal and supportive our Huaywasi followers are, we want to be transparent and explain the price mark ups on some of the items in the collection, particularly pieces that are similar to those we've done in the past. We never want you to question where your money is going and this season we made a couple changes to benefit you and our artisans that incited this increase.
Firstly, our artisans got a raise! As a fair trade brand, it is of our utmost importance to provide our lovely artisan partners with the resources they need and deserve. The final price of a product correlates to how many hours worked on the total products. So when the hourly wage goes up, so do our prices.
This year we also decided that the quality of our product accessories and findings needed to match the high quality of the products themselves. The main example being paying more for higher quality zippers for our accessories. Thank you again for your loyalty and understanding, and we hope you can see the new efforts put into our products!

Inspirations

Our most recent collection is our most cohesive to date. We established this line’s colors as a sunny marigold yellow, deep midnight blue, and vivid pine green. All three are inspired by jewel tones which are known to flatter a wide variety of skin tones and include some of the top colors forecasted for Spring/Summer 2019.
In terms of our designs, we wanted to create pieces that had subtlety as well as an element of longevity that could last through the summer and into fall. Exemplified by using colors like navy that can be paired with brighter tones in the warmer months and neutrals in the colder months.
The piece that we centered the collection around was our fun, tropical Vivi top. This blouse embodies the bright and playful spirit of the collection and features all three colors established for the line.
Another example of our ‘color collaborating’ theme this season is our gorgeous Verano tote made by Daria! Daria has been looming this piece completely by hand for years and has perfected it over time. This season we shifted the colors of this Daria staple to be an exact match for all of the tanks in the collection so you can be color coordinated going out with your tank and your tote!
Our Vero tanks are the perfect piece for hot summer days. We wanted to make a top that was super light and breathable to keep you cool in the heat which is why we chose fabric made of a blend of French silk. The tank is designed to be flattering for most body types with an adjustable tie at the waist to make it snugger or looser. Sticking with our theme of longevity, the top was also made to be an essential, multipurpose top that can be dressed up and worn to work or paired with jeans as a more casual look.
For a while now, we’ve been wanting to add a classic and simple black pencil skirt to our product list. And here it is with our Venus skirt! This was one of the pieces we had the most trouble developing because we wanted to make sure the fit could work on many body types. Artisan Guillermina was really patient with us and the design process as we went through many iterations of the skirt to achieve the perfect result!
To the skirt we also added a touch of ‘tela andina’ on the pockets (yes it has pockets!). Tela andina translates to fabric from the Andes and is very traditional in Peruvian clothing. This accent subtly calls back to our Peruvian origins while still being a versatile addition to your wardrobe.
 

Growing toward a greener future

This season we really wanted to start thinking more sustainably, incorporating  upcycling, recycling, and sustainable fabrics. Our first experimentation with sustainable design practices is with our Vanessa tank. For this top we switched from using cotton blend to linen blend fabrics. Linen needs much less water than cotton to be produced as well as being biodegradable and uses minimal pesticides.
In addition to environmental benefits, linen also has many great comfort features, such as its high moisture absorption, which contributes to the breathability and lightness of our tank. Additionally, similar to the Venus skirt, we added tela andina accents on the back to give it just the right amount of a Peruvian touch.
Next up we have our limited edition Carina tank, which has undergone quite a transformation. This tank actually used to be a part of a floor length dress design that we couldn’t put into production. Not wanting to put this beautiful suede fabric to waste, Huaywasi’s manager, Jill, was inspired to make tank tops out of the dresses. Jill only showed artisan Elena one picture of a similar tank on Pinterest and weeks later Elena whipped up 4 of these upcycled tops!
Correa Clutch
The Correa clutch is a joint creation between two artisans Nélida and Herminia. Nélida first made a belt of hand loomed panels and then Herminia created a bag around it out of recycled canvas materials. This product is also limited edition small batch, so be sure to grab yours quick!
 

The Pucará Bull Backstory

Our final two accessories call back to an important piece of Peru’s culture, the Pucará bull. This bull is actually a blend of Spanish and Peruvian traditions that comes from the introduction of Spanish bullfighting to Peru. The Pucará bull sculpture was originally used in the highlands of the Andes and put on roofs as a sign of good luck and well being. This tradition has now evolved into popular housewarming and wedding gifts to bring good health and prosperity to households.
Artisan Herminia incorporates this tradition through a screen print motif of the bull on our adorable Torito clutches and coin purses that are the perfect size for traveling! Artisan Saida makes the traditional ceramic bulls seen across Peru. For this season, we have adapted this original figurine to serve a dual purpose and hold your favorite succulents and small plants in the new Pucara planter.
We are so proud of our Summer collection, especially with the emphasis on collaboration between all of our artisans. Again, we are so glad we are able to be a fair trade brand and support all of the wonderful artisans that help us make all of these products a reality.
We are still working on the sustainability side of things, but being environmentally conscious is something that we will continue to try to improve in future collections. Until then, we love showcasing our artisan partners' talents through intimate, cohesive, and beautifully designed clothing and accessories. We hope you will love this collection as much as we do!
 
Writers & Contributors: Sarina Matson & Jill Schneider

2 comments

  • Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?

    zalklljfbw
  • Me parece hermoso el trabajo que realizan! gracias por apoyar a nuestras mujeres que quieren buscar su desarrollo personal e independencia económica. Felicitaciones por el esfuerzo y a las artesanas un aplauso por su esmero, dedicación y ganas de salir adelante! paso a paso vamos a lograr el cambio en nuestro pais!

    Saludos,

    MARISOL MEJIA

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published