Two years ago, my auntie Adriana traveled to Portugal and brought me back a cork purse. I had never heard of “cork fabric” and was quite delighted by it. My purse feels like leather, but it is made from the bark of cork trees in Portugal. Cork is harvested by periodically separating the bark from the tree without causing permanent damage to the tree. Yeah, the tree is left standing. I had no idea. The thing that surprises me most about my cork purse is how durable it is. I have uncorked more than my fair share of wine bottles, and those bottle corks break all the time. My cork purse is a different story. After using it for well...
When I design a new collection, I think of the inspiring women in my life. I think of my friends, my idols, my mom, and the women in my family. As I picture each woman, I wonder what kind of style would flatter her body; which features does she like to accentuate? What does her lifestyle demand from her clothing? What details might make her life easier? I draft the clothing patterns myself and sew prototypes to check the design. I usually create three to six prototypes to get the fit just right. Then I select one of my grandmother’s fabric prints, and then a color combination. My aim is to not only choose beautiful prints in vibrant...
I have been insistent that we print our clothing fabrics with fiber-reactive dyes instead of inks, even though dyes are more expensive and it is harder to find factories that print with dyes. Why do I bother? Ink sits on top of fabric, and can fade with washes. Dyes chemically bond to cotton fibers, meaning the clothes we make will not fade, and the dyes will in no way mask the softness of our pima cotton. I am maintaining my grandmother's quality standards from early Silvania.
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I have been hard at work on new product designs at our family home in Lima. More details on new products coming soon!
Follow me on facebook, instagram, twitter, and pinterest @silvaniaperu
About to fill in the gaps on this blue llama twill...check out Silvania's Instagram @silvaniaperu to see the finished fabric and many more images of my creative process.