design robe

Shades of turquoise and royal blue combine in a gorgeous poncho that is sure to brighten up any winter day. Raquel and Gregor hand-weave a striped pattern with a cozy texture using a soft baby alpaca blend. Baby alpaca is the fine fleece from the season's first shearing.

Raquel and Gregor label all their designs with the name Sillpa, which is the Aymara word for describing comfort, softness, and pleasure. The couple aims to preserve their homeland's rich weaving and textile tradition through their work.

Symmetrical patterns in azure, turquoise, green and steel blue bring a playful accent to this navy blue pullover sweater from Peru. Fernando Cano's design features a soft crew neck and a slightly opened curved waist for a deliciously comfortable fit. The sweater is knit of alpaca - coveted since the days of the Inca Empire because it is soft, lightweight and warm.

Masterfully woven by hand, intricate diamonds motifs flow in bands across an expanse of blue. Artisans from the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco revive ancient techniques and designs for this handloomed cushion cover. Working on a backstrap loom, they utilize patterns that derive from Inca art and seek to keep the old textile traditions alive.

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 color combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of color can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each cushion cover a unique piece of handcrafted art. The reverse side is solid espresso brown.