Caralarga’s WitchCraft, A Spell Revolving Around Natural Haute Couture Jewellery

"Bruja" means "witch" in Spanish and, being generally female, witches usually embody all the supernatural scary power of women. It is therefore rather symbolic that one of latest jewellery collections by Caralarga is called "Brujas".  Caralarga_Bruja-Negro

Founded in 2015 by Ana Holschneider who runs the company with her sisters and located in the 1846 yarn and textile factory El Hércules in Querétaro, México, Caralarga (literally "Long Face") is a Mexican workshop producing handcrafted textile jewellery inspired by the raw materials of nature. Caralarga_A.-Gallos-Negro

All the pieces – including oversized earrings, thick bracelets and dramatic necklaces – are made employing natural fibers such as cotton and sisal or other rediscovered materials like Sansevieria trifasciata, also known as "mother in law's tongue" from Yucatán. Nature remains therefore a strong inspiration for Caralarga, as proved by the materials employed for the pieces: the yarns and fibers are gathered together, combed and woven into braids or reshaped into long tassels.      Caralarga_Trenza-de-Bruja-Negro

There is a group of talented women from Querétaro behind the team of craftspeople transforming the yarns and fibers into theatrical pieces and this means that Caralarga's products are elevated to natural Haute Couture jewels.Caralarga_Atrapa-Brujas-Negro-Pag

Some pieces are more simple, others look more intricate but the quality of the yarns and the way they are braided turns the designs into unique accessories based on three core principles – sustainability, craft and high quality materials.

The larger necklaces actually look like magic ornaments: the latest collection features a "Bruja" necklace, a "Treza de Bruja" design (Witch's Braid) and a large necklace with three tassels called "Tres Brujas" that seems to evoke in its name the powers of the three Greek Moirai – Clotho (spinner; the reference would be very apt since this is textile jewellery…), Lachesis (allotter) and Atropos (the 'unturnable' – death) – and of the three witches in Macbeth Caralarga_A.-Orejas-de-Conejo-Negro

Maybe some of these pieces could be considered as powerful amulets that try to empower the wearer through the stories of the Mexican artisans who make them.Caralarga_Tres-Brujas-Negro

Apart from making jewellery pieces, Caralarga also collaborates with other brands: a while back they incorporated their trademark braided ropes and cords into the designs created by Mexican Yakampot (Francisco Cancino and Concha Orvañanos), a label that also sources fabrics locally in Mexico or from specialty mills in Europe, employs an in-house team in Mexico and collaborates with indigenous artisans to create their products. You can bet that, sooner or later, Caralarga will cast a spell on a prominent fashion label showcasing in a famous fashion capital and launch a collaboration with them. 

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