Huipiles: Urban Outfitters Could Possibly Never
As the temperature gets warmer, some of my favorite retailers like Urban Outfitters, Zara and Forever 21 are showcasing their spring and summer collections including boho chic clothing for women. Many of these boho styles include patterns, embroidery and prints of traditional clothing from countries around the world, including India, Ghana, Thailand, Morocco and Peru to name a few.
One of the frequently replicated boho style prints found in trendy stores today is inspired by a traditional Mayan garment used by indigenous women in Mexico and Central America called the Huipil. The Huipil is a loose fitting, embroidered tunic that can be made as short as a blouse or as long as a dress. Huipiles have been worn by Mesoamerican women since pre-Colombian times. One of the ways to make a Huipil is to start with raw wool or cotton, which is washed, combed, and spun. Artisans attach colorful threads to a back strap loom (old school!) and use the loom to weave colored yarn into the cloth to embroider the garment. The embroidery on a huipil can identify the community to which the wearer belongs to; it can signify history, cultural identity and something personal about the wearer. Embroidery can include symbols of mythological and environmental importance such as gods, animals, and flowers. Many of these patterns and meanings date back to ancient Mayan civilizations. Depending on the region, people have different ways of wearing and styling huipiles. In Guatemala, the huipil is used as a part of a woman’s traje (traditional outfit), along with a corte (a traditional skirt) and a faja (a belt).
It’s not hard to wonder why demand for the huipil style has gone up in the U.S. and Europe. The time and dedication by artisans results in masterful, beautiful pieces of artwork. Critical concerns from the indigenous communities in Guatemala and Mexico are emerging as demand for this style increases. Many wonder whether exporting their art to new markets abroad may compromise the heritage of the artisans. However, many also dismiss allowing Urban Outfitters, Zara and Forever 21 to create their own cheap, watered down versions of the huipil style and let corporations make money off of centuries of tradition and culture. I’m not urging anyone to take a stand (that’s your choice); however, I highly encourage consumers buying items influenced from someone else’s culture to take time to research and educate yourself about the history of the item and the people who created it.
Check out these videos from artisan Lidia Lopez talking about huipiles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsna1gZ6Wjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8ezKT-wuqs
Further reading:
http://www.npr.org/…/a-modern-twist-on-mexican-tradition-hi…
https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/maya/maya5.htm
http://oaxacaculture.com/…/when-indigenous-oaxaca-dress-be…/
http://evermaya.com/pages/what-is-huipil
Anything to add? Comment below!
