HUIPIL SERIES

The Huipil Series is inspired by the traditional garment of Mexico and other parts of Central America. The garment is often seen as a record for cultural traditions through its use of visual language and historically used to convey identity and status. The Huipil, a wearable piece of art narrates the life of it’s people. Styles and ornamentation differ regionally and although outsiders might have trouble interpreting their meaning, the decorative motifs hold specific meaning to its community.

I use the structure of the garment as a canvas to catalogue the current state of our maternal line and my personal growth as a daughter and mother. These “dresses” act as a record for the generations of women in my family. They record transformative moments through motifs of flora and fauna which are tied to personal experiences or cultural significance. In “Matrilineal Huipil” —each woman is identified by her birth flower. As women, we add to the garden of our identity when we bring life into the world. Through this work, I aim to capture moment in time as our garden continues to bloom.

These conceptual garments allow my daughter to trace her origin simply by observing their intricate details. The garment’s history has a way of linking a vibrant future with its ancient past. The power of this metaphorical garments is one I wish to adorn my daughter in.