cloak poncho

Working in luxurious alpaca wool, Faustino Maldonado creates a handsome hooded cloak for men. The warm but lightweight garment is based on the traditional poncho. Buttons crafted from dried mate gourds secure each side.

The artisan includes a spare button.

Warm shades of tan, brown and ivory exalt the fertile Andean earth. Working in luxurious alpaca, Faustino Maldonado creates a men's poncho with pre-Hispanic motifs. The warm but lightweight garment is woven on the hand loom.

Warm shades of tan, brown and black exalt the fertile Andean earth. Working in luxurious alpaca, Faustino Maldonado creates a men's poncho with pre-Hispanic motifs. The warm but lightweight garment is woven on the hand loom.

Warm shades of brown, grey and ivory evoke Andean fields in Autumn. Working in luxurious alpaca, Faustino Maldonado creates a men's poncho with wide bands of earthen colours. The warm but lightweight garment is woven by hand on a traditional loom.

Working in baby alpaca — the fine fleece from the season's first shearing — the artisans of the centre for Traditional Textiles of Cusco create a handwoven masterpiece. Rows of intricate geometric motifs flow across the ruby red poncho. Its soft allure is woven by hand on the backstrap loom using colours favored by ancient Andean cultures. Its name reveals its inspiration in the small Inca community of Sallac.

The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the colour combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of colour can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each textile a unique piece of handcrafted art.

Vertical bands of earth tones distinguish this classic poncho for men. Artisans of the centre for Traditional Textiles of Cusco work with ancestral techniques to create fashion for today and always. Woven by hand of fine alpaca wool, prized by the ancient Inca for its lightweight warmth, its colours come from natural dyes. Geometric motifs pay tribute to the traditions of Chinchero, where time seems to have stood still for centuries.

The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the colour combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of colour can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each textile a unique piece of handcrafted art.

When the mist falling over the Andes hides the majestic peaks, a road to home is invented in the eternal warmth of alpaca wool. In proud tribute to their roots, Faustino Maldonado and his family weave this song of nostalgic voices, the ideal accompaniment on a wintry night.

Alpaca wool forms intricate geometric patterns in natural colours. The undyed yarn showcases the soft beige, cream, brown and black tones of this Andean animal. Faustino Maldonado and his family weave a cloak of extraordinary beauty.

The piece takes its name from the artisan town of Hualhuas.

Peruvian designer Anaychay presents this fabulous 100% alpaca pullover sweater. What appears from a distance to be a sort of argyle pattern is actually Andean women with braids, wearing ponchos and traditional hats. The soft, warm sweater is knit by hand using the intarsia technique.