Collection by:
The KAWSANKI Collection celebrates Indigenous Andean Peoples as existing and thriving in past, present and future, outside of the museum narrative. It is a remixing of time itself: Yallishka Pacha (past), Kunan Pacha (present), and Unaypi Shamuna Pacha (future), bringing Andean fashion into the future, acknowledging the cyclical nature of time. Each garment is meant to clothe our future ancestors; the ancestors in the making who are changing the world; protecting their communities even in spirit form.
The Kawsanki Collection (pronounced kau-sun-gui) draws inspiration from traditional Kichwa Otavalo garments, the shapes of mountains and rivers, and Indigenous Futurism. The textile itself in this collection is made and designed by Kichwa hands and territories. The black and cream represent the balance of dualities, which is important in Kichwa cosmologies. The fabrics also draw from the colour of corn, grains, interspersed with bright turquoise, indicating the presence of water under a hot midday equator sun.
In addition, we are excited to collaborate with other Northern and Southern Indigenous artists who join this collection with statement jewellery pieces and accessories.
