Together, the duo spent their first month sketching, buying secondary fabrics from Lima, and getting to know the artisans who would be their partners in the design process. Their time was anything if not hands-on. Crescioni and Cedarholm immersed themselves in local lore, including the identification of plants that served as the basis of their vibrant, all-natural palette.
Crescioni and Cedarholm crafted their collection from domestically sourced cotton, baby alpaca wool, and dyes from local flora and fauna.
Marrying their respective skills in weaving and knitting, Crescioni and Cedarholm crafted their collection from domestically sourced cotton, baby alpaca wool, and dyes from local flora and fauna such as chilka, qoli, and the ground shell of the cochineal beetle. “We stuck with what made the most sense being in Peru and sourcing from Peru,” Crescioni, who won Loomstate’s zero-waste challenge nearly a year ago, tells Ecouterre.
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
The landscape of the Patacancha Valley provided a guerdon of inspiration, as well. Almost immediately, the pair noticed the contrast between Quechua traditional dress and the tourists’ colonial-looking garb. Researching expedition images from the early 1900s, along with historic Peruvian styles, they began honing the concept behind their collection.
Riffing off Cresconi’s zero-waste anorak for Loomstate, the collection is defined by both style and functionality.
Working with a limited budget and only local materials proved a fruitful challenge. The final garments are surprisingly close to the original sketches, something that doesn’t happen often in fashion and a testament to the research the designers conducted before digging in.
Riffing off Cresconi’s zero-waste anorak for Loomstate, in particular, Awamaki Lab’s newest collection is defined by both style and functionality. Each piece pays homage to Quechua culture with a tongue-in-cheek twist. The “Wiqaw” (“waist”) dress is belted, for instance, while the “Chakra” (“inherited land plot”) sweater offers a bird’s eye view of the landscape. True to its name, the “Tusuy” (“dance”) dress is a fun, shorter dress.