Seguimos Aquí: Indigenous Fashion in Latin America

Michelle Ralph-Fortón
Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice

About this Item

Title
Seguimos Aquí: Indigenous Fashion in Latin America
Contributor Names
Ralph-Fortón, Michelle (Author)
Abrego, Sonya (Thesis advisor)
Davidson, Hilary (Thesis advisor)
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice (Degree granting institution)
Date
2023
Degree Information
M.A. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2023
Department: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
Advisors: Abrego, Sonya; Davidson, Hilary
Abstract
Seguimos Aquí: Indigenous Fashion in Latin America, translated to “we are still here,” is a proposed traveling exhibition that will be the first to highlight fashion created by living Indigenous Latin American designers. Showcasing the creativity and talent of five designers and four Latin-owned luxury labels collaborating with artisans from Central and South American countries will emphasize the makers’ craftsmanship and innovations. Ensembles, costumbrismo art, literature, photographs, and museum artifacts will provide historical context for the designers’ work. Media will include interview clips with the designers and artisans, runway coverage, and behind-the-scenes content on the creative process. Accompanying biand tri-lingual didactic text, in order of the Indigenous language, official language, to English, is vital to consider inclusivity and respectful public engagement for all visitors.

Composed of four thematic sections, Perspectivas Cambiantes (Shifting Perspectives) will begin by challenging how we define terms such as dress, fashion, traditional clothing, and costume. This section will demonstrate shifting perceptions of Indigenous people and fashion with examples from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The second section, Resistencia (Resistance), will highlight the importance of Indigenous representation and the lack thereof in the fashion industry. In Respeto (Respect), emphasis on the many hands involved in a brand's identity is central, honing in on fair trade models. The final section, Revolución (Revolution), will showcase current initiatives to help preserve the passing of craft traditions to the next generations and speaks to where the future of Indigenous fashion is going without the limitations of a “non-Western” label. An exhibition checklist, along with exhibition design, public programming, and catalog proposal, is included.
Subject
Fashion
Latin America
Museum studies
Central America
Exhibitions
Indigenous Americas
South America
Keyword
Central america
Exhibition
Fashion
Indigenous
Latin america
South america
Rights
In Copyright
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Identifier
FIT Repository ID: etd_000932
ISBN: 9798379502041
pqdiss: 30422880
Related Materials
Also available from ProQuest
Type
Text
Thesis
Language
English
Publisher
Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Citation

Ralph-Fortón, M. (2023). Seguimos Aquí: Indigenous Fashion in Latin America [Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/120767
Ralph-Fortón, Michelle. Seguimos Aquí: Indigenous Fashion in Latin America. 2023. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, Master's thesis. FIT Digital Repository, https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/120767
Ralph-Fortón, Michelle. "Seguimos Aquí: Indigenous Fashion in Latin America." Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2023. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/120767