Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

A reimagining of the ancient story of Popo and Izta through a contemporary lens. The collection is a testament to the allure of Aztec and Mexican culture.

Two lovers forever entwined in the embrace of volcanic peaks. This collection is a rekindled love for my heritage, through a fusion of modern design and ancient artistry it breathes life into age-old traditions.

Through my research, I learned of different tapestry and clothing Aztecs wore. I looked into silhouettes, color, and embellishments of their wardrobe. They often wore loose clothing that allowed for breeze and functionality, and didn’t cover as much as we do today.

Their art was beautiful and told stories of their land and ideas. They used stone and pottery as a main medium but also had a codex full of colorful animals, people, and plants. I knew I wanted to take aspects of this research while staying away from having it look like costumes. I wanted to pay homage to the Aztecs in a subtle way that everyone can wear in their own way.

Lineup

For an extra look, I rendered this outfit in CLO, learning to import my fabric into the software. This was for the Rookies award competition, seeing how we can incorporate a computer-aided design into our collection.