DESIGNED BY KUSKAYA AND EMBROIDERED
BY THE SHIPIBO CONIBO TRIBE
The women of the Shipibo-Conibo tribe are renowned throughout Peru for their intricate and majestic textile embroideries which are each a unique artistic expressions of the woman artist.
Distinctive geometric patterns, called Kene, are woven, embroidered, or painted onto objects for everyday life.
It is produced by embroidery and not weaving, including running stiches, cross stiches, and zig zag stitches to create a dazzling and unique patterns.
For Shipibo people, Kene are described pathways on a micro and macro scale. As the meandering rivers leading to their villages, a cosmic serpent, or the veins in a leaf that bring nourishment to a plant.
The Shipibo women are considered artists. For the Shipibo women, the intricacy of their skirts signal their "shina" which is a combination of intellectual, creative, and spiritual depth - an essential part of the woman's identity.
Shipibo embroidery is inspired by the sounds of the rainforest, known as icaros. Known as the song of the rainforest, it is commonly used to described medicine songs performed by shamans for healing, awareness, and amazement.
The spaces, designs, and patterns are mirrored to be perfectly symmetrical.
Today, the Shipibo-Conibo women have adapted their embroidering techniques.
Through the incorporation of color, beads, and innovative techniques, the Shipibo Conibo women continue to evolve their art as a living tradition. The embroideries continue to supply women with income to preserve their cultural heritage.
Through expanding their social networks, they have begun to chart a new path. Inspired by their counterparts in the Andes, they seek visual representation of their Kene internationally.
The incorporation of the women's embroidery in Kuskaya's latest collection reflects the importance of inclusivity of Shipibo-Conibo art in contemporary Peruvian designs - while, at the same time, allowing to create a pathway that reinforces their unique cultural identity.
Discover the collection, below!
