Xochitl
Xochitl™ Wearable Art Collection
Knowing that I needed both a studio and a team to realize my vision, I acquired the place across from my shop, the W!ld Moon Boutique™, in the Patio Market of Old Town Albuquerque. I also shared my vision with interns and taught them the handwork necessary to craft a leather bag. We now hand-make my custom leather designs at the W!ld Moon Couture™ Design House and Showroom in Old Town.
Xochitl means flower in the Aztec language of Nahuatl. It is pronounced, “sho cheek tul”… when said quickly, it sounds like “sho cheek”. The flowers generally come from hand-embroidered clothing from Mexico.
The Xochitl™ Collection evolved and grew. It started with the original 20 shoulder and belt bags. The Xochitl™ Collection is numbered, signed and named. I felt uneasy to go beyond that number because the Aztec Calendar has twenty days. Xochitl is the last day, which represents Beauty, Love, and Completion.
Continuing to receive inspiration we went beyond the bags and included clothing in the Collection. The first being a cape-poncho for which we used hand woven textiles from the Andes and added leather fringe and a Xochitl™ flower.
Xochitl™ continued to flourish. Frida became the W!ld Moon Boutique’s icon upon its opening in September 2009. Since then, I produce the Frida Fiesta™ in her honor each year. The flowers come from the indigenous clothing that Frida wore, even when it was not popular to do so. While preparing for the Frida Fiesta in 2013, thinking of what to wear, I was inspired to make huipiles out of lamb suede and add the Xochitl™ flowers.
Xochitl™ Collection - La Poncha™
There was a beautiful hand embroidered skirt that hurt my heart to even think about cutting it up for the flowers. It sat for a year and finally it revealed itself: I recreated that beautiful embroidered skirt into a wrap and added leather fringe to it. Upon completing it, I agonized “I don’t know what to call it… it goes over the head like a poncho, but it is worn at an angle… it is not a shawl, it is not a cape… it is a poncho but one made especially for women…” then inspiration finally struck! -- La Poncha™ was born!
Xochitl™ continues to grow and evolve as inspiration strikes. There is a sub-collection called La Luna and Luna Media which determines the size of the bags, Luna Media being the smaller of the two.
The Xochitl™ Wearable Art Collection is made with integrity and done in a “good way”. W!ld Moon Couture™ uses deer, sheep, and lamb suede leather for this Collection. They are all “blessed” giving thanks to the animals. Sally Moon listens to the leather… it tells her what it wants to be. Her “trademark” is her artful use of the natural edges of the hides, the impeccable lacing, and the functionality of the bags, giving them that W!ld™ yet refined look. The hand-embroidered flower with lamb-suede lining crowns The Xochitl™ Collection creating a chicness that enriches with time.
All the bags are signed by Sally Moon, American Couture™. You can have your personally designed Xochitl™ Bag made to your specifications.
Contact W!ld Moon Couture via Contact Us HERE. Or contact Sally Moon for questions and information at 01-505 247-7456 W!ld Moon Couture office. (New Mexico is in Mountain Time.)