In one week I experienced an information tsunami of
manufacturing.
First up was a fifth generation Zapotec weaver named Antonio Mendoza.
Raised in a weaving family in Oaxaca he has mastered the ancient skills and recipes
to create 100% natural dyes that are unbelievably vivid and beautiful.
Antonio uses his beautifully dyed wool yarns to weave the most amazing patterns.
His work is in museums and art galleries.
Antonio has a wonderful imagination and such
passion for his art.
I fell in love with this gorgeous dusty rose colored
weaving and had to have it.
Antonio told me the secret to the rose color
is cream of tarter mixed with the red from
cochineal bug.
Antonio knows lots of dye secrets...
And as luck would have it
the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana
currently has a wonderful exhibit
The Red That Colored the World
all about…the cochineal bug!
No photos were allowed inside the exhibit of
over 100 objects, textiles, sculptures, paintings,
manuscripts, art, clothing, etc.
all colored by the amazing little
cochineal bug.
In the 16th century Spaniards discovered the amazing
red dye created from the cochineal
by the Aztecs in Mexico.
The vivd red dye was highly prized
and brought riches and prestige
to Spain.
The range of reds created from the cochineal is impressive.
Next up was a day at Orange Coast College spent listening to
fashion industry insiders speaking on…fashion!
The pressure was on to dress fashionably.
After enjoying the artistry of Antonio and history of the cochineal it was
a stark difference listening to the successes and strategies of the fashion industry.
However it was encouraging that one of the speakers spoke
about how the fashion industry is beginning to be held accountable
for it's impact on the environment.
And it's happening because of consumers.
And then I attended the Imprinted Sportswear Show at
Long Beach Convention Center.
The show was a little mind boggling.
Big business, big bucks, big manufacturing and so, so, so much product.
Every booth was saturated with color and designs and lots of it.
It is a national show with the slogan
Everything you need to grow your decorated apparel business and more
The vendors were all about more, more, more.
And I realized I had come full circle from the beginning
of the week meeting an artist continuing ancient skills
to big manufacturers promoting the newest, amazing
technology.
What a week!
