For This Designer the Pollera is Not Just a Fashion Statement

Warmichic’s colorful skirts and bold embroidery might be the first thing that catches one’s eye, but the story their pieces tell is even richer. Founder and designer Karla Quispe works with artisans from Ayacucho (Huamanga) and Cusco (Sicuani), to co-create modern and urban pieces that are infused with Indigenous cultural artifacts, symbols, and worldviews. Through the use of embroidery and the pollera (Andean skirt) style, Warmichic is enabling a dialogue about the “cultural and social fibers that make Peru a complex country”, all the while empowering Indigenous cultural heritage. There is no better example of this than Warmichic’s interpretation of the pollera, which despite being the “product of the cultural encounter between Indigenous cultures and western cultures”, is presently representative of Andean women who resist “modernity.” The motifs used in the garments come from the regions of Junin, Ayacucho, and Cusco. Embroidery is often the medium of choice, but Warmichic also employs techniques such as screen printing and digital printing.

Karla was born in Lima, Peru to Andean migrants. Her father is from Huancayo and her mother from Arequipa. Despite growing up in the capital of Peru, Karla spent extensive time in the places of her parent’s origin, which heavily shaped her worldview and creative inclinations. Initially a graphic designer, she went on to apply to the School of Fine Arts. Disappointed in the schools largely Eurocentric approach to art education, Karla forged her own path creating direct relationships with Andean artisans which would eventually lead to the foundation of Warmichic, “This first experience led me to get to know the work of different artisans and, over time, I became convinced that they were the best teachers who would direct the course of my career.”