Huipiles y Mas

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Huipiles de Mexico – Tehuanas Frida Fiesta Fashion Huipiles de Guatemala Zinacatan, MX Capes, Cape-Jackets, Blouses, Skirts and Ponchos

Huipiles de Mexico – Tehuanas

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Huipiles de Mexico are crafted by indigenous women from the Isthmus de Tehuantepec, known as Tehuanas. The blouses are called huipiles, (pronounced “wee-peel-less”), are hand embroidered by Tehuana women, taking them up to a year to complete. Huipiles are embroidered on velvet/velveteen or satin/silk and are lined with a cotton print.

The famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo dressed in and is known by this indigenous attire; it was a way of expressing her solidarity with “la gente”, the people. The matriarchal society of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec held a great admiration and respect for her.

Frida Kahlo is the W!ld Moon Boutique’s icon since the store opened in September 2009.

This modest poster of “The Frame” created in 1938, was the first painting from a 20th century Mexican artist ever bought by The Louvre museum in France. “The Frame”, was given to Sally Moon, by Alan of Alanworks just before Sally opened her Boutique and holds a revered spot on the blue wall, much like her home, Casa Azul. It is adorned with a custom made tin frame to hold her in high esteem. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frida Kahlo’s dresses in the Tehuantepec style are on exhibit in Mexico City at the Casa Azul, January 2013.

 

This image reflects some of our selection of the Tehuana Huipiles in the W!ld Moon Boutique™ located in Old Town Albuquerque, NM. We carry children’s sizes to plus sizes… up to 50” – 52” around. The lengths run from 18” – 23”. Keep in mind that a huipil is a loose fitting garment due to its square shape. The best way to determine your measurements, is to take the width of your bust and the length from your shoulder over your bust.

 

 

 

Frida Fiesta Fashion Frida Fiesta™

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Since 2011, Sally Moon and the W!ld Moon Boutique have produced the Frida Fiesta in Old Town Albuquerque, NM in July in honoring her “arrival” and “departure” and her life in between. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2015 with Aztec dance group, Frida Fashion Show, Frida Look-a-Like Contest, and Frida Parade through Old Town.

2013 Frida Fiesta. Sally is wearing one of her custom leather design huipiles made of lamb suede
and traditional hand embroidered flowers from a Tehuana huipil. These are available under Xochitl™ Collection.

Frida Fiesta Parade, July 2014 walking through Old Town Albuquerque with Mariachis escorting the Fridas in song.

 

Frida Fiesta 2014 Fashion Show Models wearing from very traditional outfits to ones with a modern twist…
something that Frida might have worn if she was here with us today.

 

Click here to shop W!ld Moon Marketplace!

Huipiles de Guatemala

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 There are many styles of huipiles made in Guatemala. Each village or area has their own distinctive look. The women wear them proudly. The design of each huipil can identify her individual personality and the village she is from, as well as her marital, social, wealth, and religious status. They can take 6 months to a year to weave.

Generally speaking they are hand woven on a back-strap loom in cotton or rayon. They range from one, two, and three panels sewn together. Some villages make them very short (18” in length) and very wide while others villages make them longer and in varying widths. The Maya women wear them tucked into their skirt called a “corte” and wear a wide sash over the top of the skirt.

 Here is a sample of three women from different villages wearing their huipiles in the market.

 

Zinacatán, MX Capes, Cape-Jackets, Blouses, Skirts and Ponchos Zinacatán, MX

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The Zinacatán women collectively select the color palette for the season. Their “traje”, suit, ensemble, consists of a cape, blouse, skirt, and sash. They hand weave them on a back-strap loom and embroider the rich floral designs with a free-hand embroidery machine. The men wear a poncho similarly made with floral designs and metallic threads, and large tassels to keep it closed on the sides. 

 

Traditional “traje” with cape, skirt, blouse, and sash. The skirt is a long hand woven cloth sewn closed to make a loop.
The skirt/corte is placed at the waist and is pleated by hand and secured with a sash. The cape has two long tassels to tie closed.

Sally Moon had a dream about a friend showing her a large huipil in blues, purples, and greens. Although she never found it in her dream, her desires for it lingered. Five days later her husband took her to the Maxwell Museum at UNM in Albuquerque; and there it was… exactly what she dreamed. Surrounded by all the colors and textures of the Zinacatán traditional attire, she knew it wasn’t only a dream. She found a source and when the order arrived, Sally had to try them all on. Overwhelmed with all their beauty, it came down to two capes. Since she couldn’t decide, she put one on each shoulder, and voilà the original Zinacatán Cape-Jacket was conceived.

 

Photo at the W!ld Moon Boutique™, showing Zinacatán blouses on the top rack, capes on the second rack, ponchos that are also used as table runners, (see poncho hanging on the right) and the bottom rack are the skirts.

You can purchase these on line at the W!ld Moon Marketplace by clicking here.