Peru Part 2

Suleyman outside of TiTi's house

We were recently in Peru where we attended  the Peru Moda show in Lima.  The event hosts manufactures and designers from all over Peru.  There are runway shows to feature the top designers and booths for the attendees to admire, look and feel the garments. 

 The aesthetics of Peruvian designers are like none other, with everything woven, dresses, jackets, pants, and swimsuits.  Of course with a culture so rich in indigenous handicrafts there is plenty of Amazonian and Andean designs to choose from.

Runway Show at Peru Moda

After attending the show and meeting with our manufactures to discuss styles for future seasons, we had some time to play.   It’s amazing the treasures we found this time around, people, places, restaurants and museums.  We are very excited to introduce TiTi Guiulfo as one of our new designers and manufactures.  TiTi specializes in working with the Andean communities to bring the quality and techniques of the people in that region to modern designs.  

Weaver at TiTi's house

We spent time at TiTi’s house and studio working and had the chance to meet her friend and jewelry designer Ester Ventura.  Ester incorporates textiles, seashells, gauzes and feathers into her jewelry making them sculptural pieces and wearable artwork.  We hope to work with Ester in the future to bring some of her designs to the Midwest.  

Ester Ventura's jewelry collection

We also had the chance to meet TiTi’s sister, famous Peruvian chef, Marisa Guiulfo.  Marisa owns several restaurants in Lima, La Bonbonniere.  French inspired with traditional Peruvian dishes, it is the best food we’ve had in Lima, with pastries to dream about.

Pastries at La Bonbonniere

This was our third time to Lima so we wanted to find some new tourist destinations within the city.  The three worth mentioning were very unique and unlike anything I've seen.  First is El Circuito Magico del Aqua, a park which has numerous and enormous fountains.  At night the fountains light up with different colors making a light show. 

Me at El Circuito Magico del Aqua under one of the fountains

The second is the Larco Museum, a privately owned museum of Pre-Colombian Art.  The museum is housed in an 18^th century vice-royal building built on top of a 7^th century pyramid.  Inside is an amazing collection of Pre-Colombian artifacts and a famous erotic archaeological collection.  

Erotic Art from the Larco Museum

Thirdly is the Convent of San Francisco home to a library consisting of 25,000 antique texts and the catacombs which holds an estimated 70,000 peoples remains.  Under the Monastery are the catacombs with narrow hallways that contain large deep holes filled with bones and skulls often arranged in a circular pattern.  It is a very eerie but fascinating experience.  

Catacombs at San Francisco Monastery

Peru Part 1

               

Machu Picchu

 Three years ago Suleyman and I took one of our dream vacations to Peru to hike the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, explore the Sacred Valley and visit the islands of Lake Titicaca.

Sacred Valley

Lake Titicaca

While we were there we did lots of shopping.  We started with one of the best, the Sunday market in Pisac.   We bought art from local artisans, jewelry and amazing leather and tapestry boots.  While in Cusco we went to several markets, a beautiful produce market (one of my favorite places to visit when in another country), a smoothie and juice market, and a random collection of goods market.  This was a great place to see what the Peruvians were buying and the best place for a bargain.

Pisac Market

In Lima there is an abundance of markets offering handicrafts from all over Peru.  We bought jewelry, carpets, pillows, woven bags and scarves.  Every market we went to we found beautiful baby alpaca sweaters, rich in quality and style.  It inspired Suleyman and I to start importing our own line of sweaters from Peru.  The following year we started our clothing line ZuZu Apparel. 

Preview of ZuZu Apparel Fall 2013

Preview of ZuZu Apparel Fall 2013

We now go to Peru every year in April to go to Peru Moda, a fashion event in Lima.  We visit our two fair trade manufactures in Lima to work on future seasons and we see what new designers are working on.   It’s a very creative event, with designers weaving their way through fashion.

Bohemianism

Moulin Rouge bt Henri de Toulouse Lautrec

The term Bohemianism first appeared in the early nineteenth century in France to describe the unconventional lifestyle of adventures, wanderers, artists, writers and musicians.   Our Kashee Spring 2013 Collection was inspired by the famous 19^th Century French Artist, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, his muse Jane Avril and the center of Bohemian culture, the Moulin Rouge. 

Jane Avril by Henri de Toulouse Lautrec

The Kashee Spring 2013 clothing is decadent in style with extra ruffles, buttons and buckles, and artistic in colors with all hand dyed solids and tie-dyes. The collection can be mixed and layered. Just pick a color and go from there.  

 Moulin Vest, Tunic and Bohemian Leggings 

The Bohemian Top and Skirt in Dark Grey

Moulin Tunic and Leggings in Dark Mink

Jane Avril Dress in Blue

  

The French Royal Court invented layering as a style, in the 17^th century, layering silk, velvet, lace, and fur.  I wanted this collection to be rich in texture so when layered with its asymmetrical lines and extra detailing it makes for a very rich palette and Bohemian style.  

Engraving, unknown woman with spear by Antoine Trouvain, late 17th century

Scarves, Hats and Gloves, oh my!

My favorite season for fashion is Fall; an opportunity to wear more accessories, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, tights and leg warmers.  Also I am a big fan of layering, adding texture, color and warmth.  Here are some of my Nomads favorites.

Fushia hat and driving gloves, matching woven
scarf with the Darling London Coat, cowl
neck sweater vest and Ikat skirt

Kaleidoscope Beret with matching scarf and gloves.
Knitted Dove coat with over-sized buttons and
Theme leather trim dress.

Kaleidoscope Beret with polka dot tube scarf
and mittens.  Comfy Taupe jackets and
Chalet Chartreuse Tunic

 I've been obsessed with driving gloves since I was a little girl.  My grandmother always wore them in the winter, I thought they were so ladylike.  Here is our collection of leather and felt driving gloves along with some fun mittens.

You can't layer without the most essential piece, the scarf.  We always have a great selection around the holidays.  Here are just a few.  Scarves, Hats and Gloves, oh my!

Finding Frida

                        

 It was in the early 90’s and my grandmother took me to London- my first experience outside of the US. For me puberty had kicked in, my passport picture was of an afro haired girl with a slight mustache, uni-brow and a nose and chin too big for her face.  Despite my physical awkwardness, the trip was the spark that started an everlasting passion for travel.  We saw all the sights and went to all the museums.   The Tate gallery had on loan a painting of a woman that was like no other I had ever seen.  This woman had a mustache, a full uni-brow and very somber eyes, she was beautiful.  To my astonishment this was a self portrait, it was Frida Kahlo’s,  The Frame.  A life changing moment, the realization that embracing your flaws makes you beautiful and being different is the only way to be.   I was in love, an ode to inspiration, an ode to Frida who was unapologetically herself. 

                       

                         Frida Kahlo's, The Frame

 

   Frida's picture for French Vogue 1938                   

              

Since that time I have seen more Frida Kahlo paintings then I can count, going to Exhibitions in Venice, Seattle, St. Louis, studying in Mexico City where I spent considerable time at her house, which is now a museum in Coyoacán.   I am not alone with my infatuation with this woman.  Along with her husband Diego Rivera she is the most celebrated Mexican Artist of the 20^th century.  She was before her time, a feminist, a realist and a communist and often times called a surrealist although she reputed this.  “I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration.” 

Fall clothing and jewelry inspired by Frida
Clothing by ZuZu Apparel, Numph, Carla Ferandez,
Wind River and jewelry from Turkey.

Fall clothing and jewelry inspired by Frida.
Clothing by Knitted Dove, Comfy, Carla Fernandez,
Matti Mamane, Numph and jewelry from India.

Like her paintings, Frida’s style was personal, eccentric, indigenously inspired, and always over the top.  She used an abundance of color and texture, jewels, fabric and flowers.  She often times had on her shoulders or in her lap live monkeys, birds and dogs, the most cuddly of accessories and her little companions.  The famous quote from CoCo Chanel, “Before you leave for the day…take one thing off…” , otherwise don’t over accessorize.  Frida, it seems did the complete opposite; this is the rule I like to live by, add at least one accessory before leaving the house.   Have an extra finger?   Put a ring on it damn it!  As much as this quote is used in the fashion industry I think the more important quote of CoCo’s is “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”  Rules are for followers and CoCo and Frida were nothing of the kind.

A collection of heels for you, Poetic Licence London and Irregular Choice

Frida Necklace,Carla Ferandez Poncho, Embroidered Scarf, and other beautiful garments.

I think a common misconception is people dress differently for attention, I contend that people cannot help expressing who they are, if there was no one around to see them they would be doing the exact same thing.  This Fall season, I think we should throw our inhibitions out the window and dress in what makes us feel good, for Frida.  

My Love Affair with Turkey

I’ve brought back some wonderful treasures from around the world.  From Paris, floral amethyst earrings; Provence, lavender perfume; Rome, linen harem pants; Nairobi, a painting of running gazelles; Masai Mara, a wedding necklace; Egypt, jasmine oil and giant prayer beads; Peru, baby Alpaca sweaters; from Mexico an  enormous conk shell and from Turkey eleven carpets and a husband!   

Every summer we visit my husband's family on the Mediterranean coast and then visit our friends in the small beach town, Olympos.  Home to Lucian ruins, an pristine coastline and tree house hotels, this is our rustic and relaxing holiday. 

Our first home, Kadir's Top Treehouses in Olympos

The Olympos Beach Coastline

We then go inland to a small village, Seydisehir to Suleyman’s families’ garden where we spend our days eating.  Turkish food revitalizes the taste buds; breakfast consists of tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, tahini, fresh goat cheese, watermelon with feta, jams, jellies, borek, baklava, Turkish sausage, potatoes, eggs and honeycomb.  This is just breakfast - and with a Turkish mother at the table you have to be sure and eat everything!

Breakfast

My mother in-laws Baklava

After spending a week eating and visiting family we then end our trip in Istanbul where we buy more treasures at the Grand Bazaar to sell at Nomads.  We also visit our manufacturer to discuss ZuZu Apparel’s new collection.  This year as we once again travel to Turkey, so it is only appropriate that our Fall ZuZu collection is inspired by that country's rich history, in stores now.

ZuZu Apparel's Lale Blouse and Dervish Skirt 

ZuZu Apparel's Harem Dress

Turkey has many intricate layers of history starting with the oldest civilization and temple at Göbekli Tepe, and the most well preserved Neolithic and Chalcolithic sites at Catalhoyuk.  The Hittites, Greeks, Lucians,  Romans, Persians, Byzantines and Ottomans have all left their mark on what is now Modern Day Turkey.  There are ruins of civilizations buried under other ruins of civilizations. 

The Ancient Greek City, Ephesus 

Mount Nemrut with it's enormous statues of Greek, Iranian and Armenian Gods  

The Byzantine Church the Hagai Sophia

The complexity of Turkey’s history and its culture, its turquoise coast and Anatolian food, is a love affair for me that will never grow old, no matter how many times I go back.

NOTE:  Want to visit Turkey?  Email us at info@magiccarpettraveler.com for more information.

Colors of Summer

With the summer solstice upon us, we must have our collections of color ready to reflect the summer sun.  Coral, Turquoise, Cobalt, Gold, Fuchsia, Emerald and Tangerine to name a few, and of course don’t forget the color to reflect them all, White.  Normally I am queen of the neutrals and like most ladies have an array of black options to choose from, but the time to do color is now!  With great tribal patterns and stripes all the trend, color can be added to the mix with your favorite neutrals.

                                                                    Masai Women

When I think of colorful textiles and clothing I think of the Semi-nomadic people of East Africa, the Masai Tribe.  My husband and I traveled to the Masai Mara in Kenya four years ago and had the opportunity to camp there and visit the Masai people.  The use of color in their garments is like no other.  The kanga worn by women are decorated with flowers and patterns in every color imaginable.  They wear layers of beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  The men wear clothing known as Shúkà which is a sheet worn wrapped around the body, once over each shoulder, then a third time over the top of them.  Typically they are red but blue, black, striped and checkered are also common.  In a landscape that is covered in neutral shades of nature the Masai rebel against the palette reflecting their dynamic colors within. 

                                                Masai Warriors Jumping Competition

Outfits inspired by the Masia and the Colors of Summer…

         


On the left the Arrow Dress, Magenta Tunic, Lemon and Lime Poncho and Mirage Maxi.  
On the right the Island Landscape Tunic and Skirt, Peacock Blouse, Thunder Sky Maxi and Emerald Layer Blouse and Watercolor Skirt.

On our Safari in the Masai Mara we saw families of elephants, giraffes, zebras, gazelles of many kinds, and even a black rhinoceros.  The most astonishing moment was when we came across a group of male lions feasting on a baby giraffe, with a hyena in the distance waiting for their scraps.  Nature and its’ cycle of life is both tragic and beautiful in the Masai Mara. 

Family of Giraffes in the Masai Mara

To the left male Lions after feasting on a baby giraffe.


To the right a very tired
Black rhinoceros 

                                               A family of elephants in the Masai Mara


Like the Masai tribe, let’s play with color, wrap it around us, layer it and mix it up, to reflect the summer sun.  Wishing everyone a wonderful summer and happy travels!