Peruvian Connection has long been committed to making exceptional original design clothing based on artisan textile traditions. In creating this blog, we hope to encourage a community of textile enthusiasts and to provide a forum for their shared discoveries, ideas and commentary. Artists, individualists, romantics and visionaries, we hope you’ll join in.
A store-front view of Noche de Milagros (Night of Miracles).
Patrons enjoy warm conversation, flamenco guitar and the treasures of our At-Home department.
Guests were treated to the Peruvian dish of "Ceviche", one of several Peruvian appetizers.
Wine and shopping - the perfect combination!
I cannot explain why I am so obsessed with the mystery. Nor can I justify my time spent in the relentless search. However, the question still remains.....what is the flower depicted on our Exotica Skirt?
I spoke with the designer and she told me that it was inspired by a flower in a large 18th century French textile (see above). She did not know the exact botanical species except to offer that it looked tropical.
I searched hundreds of images on the internet to no avail. I contacted a retired horticulturist who also could not identify it. However, he did drop a heavy encyclopedia of tropical flowers on my desk. (insert thud)
Many blurry pages later I can only conclude that the flower must be an artist hybrid. A stylized combination of blooms. Perhaps a Water Lily combined with the flower of a Floss Silk Tree or a tropical Dahlia mixed with the pedals of an Iris.
I now pose the question to you, our blog audience. What do you think our exotic flower could be?
More flower themed knit skirts:
I have to laugh when I see our Fiesta Pinafore dress - not because it is funny looking in any way but rather I recall the reaction given to it by our stylist last Spring when she saw it for the first time. Our stylist has many years of experience, working for clients as diverse as California Closets and Vogue en Español, and her wealth of experience carries significant weight to us. After a long day of showing her dozens of styles in need of revision we finally came to the Fiesta Pinafore. I'm not being dramatic when I say...she actually welled up! A single tear fell. Needless to say, she was pleased with the design and we were thrilled to have finally got it right. We still tease her about to this day.
It's not too late. There are still some warm days left! Perhaps you will get the same reaction when you wear it.
On our recent photo shoot to Cuzco, Peru for our Holiday catalog, we had the pleasure to work in the company of a group of camelids. We were immediately in love. They were fuzzy and adorable in a multitude of colors from toffee, black and white spotted to simply pure white. Their Andean caretaker was kind enough to let us borrow them for the day, and with her herding and our patience, we managed to get a beautiful catalog spread. However, we were uncertain if our camelids models were alpacas or llamas.
Over the years we have been told by our camelid-raising customers that the way to tell them apart is that llamas have banana shaped ears and long tails and alpacas have straight ears and stubby tails. Also, alpacas tend to have furry faces and llamas have shorter hair on their faces. To further confuse us, alpacas and llamas sometimes cross-breed, yielding an animal called a huarizo. (Naughty camelids!)
Whatever our creatures were, they endeared us with their big eyes, beautiful coats and gentle demeanor (except for a bad-tempered one that spat at our crew!)
A piece of camelid trivia: one of the oldest alpacas on record, fondly called "Vomiting Violet" lived in New Zealand and died in 2005 at the ripe old age of 29.
With Fall fast approaching, sweaters come out of the closet and my thoughts turn to one of my favorite winter pastimes, knitting. Since I work for a knit wear company you may be asking yourself, "Why bother?...Just buy something!" Trust me, I buy my share of Peruvian sweaters. The truth is that Peruvian Connection sparked my interest in knitting because of the parade of beautiful hand-knits that I see day in and day out. So I asked my mother-in-law to teach me and I made a really mediocre scarf! However, I was hooked. For me the actual craft of knitting is an enjoyable form of insanity that I can't help but indulge for myself.
After knitting for a couple years, I have gleaned a few hard-learned pearls of wisdom that I am eager to share with the budding knitter. So if you also feel the urge to learn the craft of knitting this season, then join me over the next few weeks and we will expand our skills together.
Occasionally, when first browsing the pages of a new collection, I fail to notice immediately a fabulous design hidden between more attention-grabbing styles. However, not to be outdone nor remain quiet any longer is our Black Magic Dress from our Fall 2007 collection. It is unusual to find one design that works for all sizes and yet is as refined and alluring as it is flattering and comfortable.
I normally wear a dress size of 12 so according to the size chart I would wear a size Large in this style. When I put on this dress I was first taken with the ease and coolness of the gown as it swept over me, but I was unprepared for what came next. As I looked into the mirror I became...enchanting. I can think of no better word for it. I felt elegant and beautiful. What a gift! For, as women, we are accustomed to our own critical view of ourselves and it may take many attempts in front of the mirror to appease our own insecurities, no matter how unjustified they may be. However, for me, it is a rare moment indeed when a smile is so immediate and my own approval audible.
This design is nothing less than perfection. Our brilliant designer Donna is the creator of this original silhouette and her concept was to create an elegant, eye-fetching dress wearable for every season on every body. I can personally affirm...whatever magic this particular design possesses...we are all lovelier for it!
If you happen to see Disney's summer blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End you will know that core to the movie's plot-line is the Spanish currency and fantasy pirate relic known as Pieces of Eight. Pieces of Eight were Spanish coins used primarily in the 17th-19th centuries and represented eight of Spain's small common denomination, the Reale. It was not uncommon to cut "pieces" of the coin off as payment since they were made of pure silver and did not lose their value even when offered in pieces.
We are featuring our own epic version of this historical coin in our Autumn 2007 catalogue. The Pieces of Eight Bracelet offers six life-size replicas of the coin, each uniquely cast and accurate to the tiniest detail. You too can experience the intrigue of a pirate's treasure or simply own a museum quality accent. Regardless your motive....ye may have ta keep a watch out for thieven scurvy knaves!
The old hacienda that served as the backdrop for The Mask of Zorro also served as the backdrop for our Fall 2007 photo shoot. Literally out in the middle of nowhere, Tetlapaya Hacienda had all the rustic charm and colonial character for a perfect shoot.
So you think you are ready for a little more pizzazz in your wardrobe but not quite ready for sequins and glitter? Then I have the fiber for you. Viscose rayon is a synthetic fiber produced from cellulose (wood pulp) and began long ago as a quest for an artificial silk. It took almost two centuries of trial and error until finally in 1855 fibers were made from a mixture of mulberry twigs and nitric acid. Fast forward to today; Viscose has become a favorite among designers for its versatility, subtle shine and ability to absorb amazing color.
Lift your wardrobe this season with a touch of viscose from our Autumn 2007 collection:
