Masters Thesis Collection
This study aims to prove that as a result of the growing demand for sustainable and fair trade products in the fashion market, collaborative artisan-made clothing can be a substantial force in fashion while aiding in preservation of indigenous Maya handicraft traditions. This work examines a collection of collaborative textile and apparel design work with the Yucatecan artisans of Punta Laguna, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The designs seek to combine traditional Yucatecan embroidery techniques and regional motifs with sustainable materials and contemporary design methods combining artisan handiwork and natural dyeing and printing techniques with engineered patterns developed digitally.
The research itself can be broken down into four areas:
1) An analysis of work produced in terms of eco-friendly production and contemporary sustainable fashion markets.
2) Traditional Maya clothing aesthetics vs. contemporary notions of fashion in the Yucatan Peninsula region.
3) The effects of globalization and modernization to modern day artisan production and culture related to dress.
4) The viability of artisan produced goods in the international and local eco-fashion and eco-tourism marketplace.
This study has several objectives:
1) to observe the methodology of embroidery characteristically produced in the Yucatan region,and analyze variations between the artisans’ handmade vs. machine made textile goods.
2) to analyze the rate at which the traditions of this craft have been depleted in the region.
3) to explore the potential for a revitalization of garment making using traditional techniques.
Ashley Kubley/ Margherita Pool Pat (Artisan)
Photography: Cedric Smith
Styling: Ashley Kubley
Accessories: Mamie Ruth
