Gianfranco Ferré: Mexico, cultural kaleidoscope

Mexico is a cultural kaleidoscope with a rich and complex history, the result of an incredible fusion of indigenous, Spanish, and other ethnic influences over the centuries. This blend has created a unique and vibrant country, admired for its traditions, cuisine, music, and art.

Mesoamerican civilizations like the Aztecs and the Maya attributed symbolic meanings to colors, a tradition still visible today in the weaving of clothing, ceramics, and cultural expressions.

The vibrant colors of Día de los Muertos symbolize joy and emotions: fiery red like the fire of love that persists beyond life, yellow like the sun that shines on eternal affection, and deep blue like the sky.

Cacao in Mexico is a tale wrapped in millennia of history; it is a flavor that resonates through time, a hymn to chocolate that enchants the senses.

"Scents, spices, cocoa and rum, a warmth which rises from the fingertips and beads the forehead, a campesino’s work shirt, a ripe fruit split in half."
Gianfranco Ferré
Women's RTW,
SS 1983

Colorful and captivating is the image of the lively markets and the ancient, spicy cuisine, a symphony of vibrant aromas that awaken the senses with every taste.

A symbol of cultural pride and identity in the city of Puebla is the China Poblana, a typical peasant blouse with its simple rectangular geometry.

A kaleidoscope of traditional dances, the bailes folklóricos, each a vibrant ode with styles and costumes that tell the story of tradition.

The embroidery of Oaxaca stands out for its beauty and complexity: the flowers symbolize the connection to the land and nature, continuing the pre-Columbian tradition among the Aztecs and Maya who used flowers for embellishment and ritual.

With a clear European influence, particularly Spanish, lace represents a significant decorative element in traditional clothing, varying by region and local traditions.

León Guanajuato has a centuries-old tradition in the production of footwear and leather goods, developed in the 19th century, and even today the city is renowned for creating high-quality footwear, maintaining a reputation for excellence.

"Lofty and joyous, this woman walks tall on sturdy platform sandals, zapateros from Leon mode with tooled-leather toecap, strappy at the ankles."
Gianfranco Ferré
Women's RTW,
SS 2004

The botas vaqueras are a recognizable type of cowboy boots, skillfully crafted in the Mexican city and widely exported around the world.

The vast abundance of gold and silver, combined with the introduction of new techniques by the Spanish, has transformed Mexico into an important nation for the production of handcrafted jewelry, with master artisans skilled in filigree and repoussé.

During the colonial period, jewelry had Baroque European stylistic influences and religious motifs but also included indigenous elements, representing a symbol of social status and faith.

The appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico unites indigenous culture and Spanish Catholicism, with the sun rays symbolizing life and the Nahui Ollin flowers, divine to the Aztecs. This icon transcends the religious, conveying cultural and spiritual connection.

"Mexico vibrates above all in the opulence, in the almost ritual glories of certain pieces of lace or embroidery, of tinkling bracelets, of gleaming chains that call to mind the sacred jewelry of the Virgen de Guadalupe."
Gianfranco Ferré
Women's RTW
SS 2006