Fashion Heaven Rants Exclusive: From Bogota With Love ... Miss Mochila
Mention Colombia and one cannot help it but to
associate the South American country with two things – coffee and Betty La Fea soap
opera series.
Of late, if you’ve been away with the fashion fairy godmother, Bogota, the capital city of Colombia is making its presence clear as the ‘it’ shopping destination.
Of late, if you’ve been away with the fashion fairy godmother, Bogota, the capital city of Colombia is making its presence clear as the ‘it’ shopping destination.
Step into its iconic shopping mall Centro Andino
and you’ll be surprised to see a huge selection of international designer
labels from Burberry to Dolce & Gabbana making the mall their home in
Colombia, side by side with homegrown designers such as Bettina Spitz and Silvia Tcherassi. What’s more, the city too boasts the largest Cartier store in the
entire Latin American region.
But designer labels aside, of late the fashion
world are embracing the advent of a new fashion statement hailing from Colombia
– the Mochila bags. A heritage work of art crafted by the artisans of Colombia’s
Waayu tribe, the creative process does not only involve skills that are passed
from one generation to another, but also families as they work together to
create these beautiful masterpieces.
Handmade from the start to the end using colourfully dyed yarns and wooden looms, each Mochila bag boasts unique patterns and colours; hence no two bags are created to look alike.
Handmade from the start to the end using colourfully dyed yarns and wooden looms, each Mochila bag boasts unique patterns and colours; hence no two bags are created to look alike.
While Mochila bags is of course, the must-have
Colombian souvenir to be taken home, thanks to the chic efforts taken by Chloe
Abadi of Miss Mochila, the classic Mochila bags have attained cult status as an
inevitable fashion statement among Hollywood celebrities.
For instance, Victoria’s Secret angel Alessandra Ambrosio was spotted by the paparazzi carrying a Miss Mochila bag during one of her many outings.
Ditto the international publications such as Elle Paris and Elle US lauding its unparalleled beauty through a slew of features as one of summer must-have accessories. Even Vogue Paris declared Miss Mochila is the line of the moment and I could always attest to that!
For instance, Victoria’s Secret angel Alessandra Ambrosio was spotted by the paparazzi carrying a Miss Mochila bag during one of her many outings.
Ditto the international publications such as Elle Paris and Elle US lauding its unparalleled beauty through a slew of features as one of summer must-have accessories. Even Vogue Paris declared Miss Mochila is the line of the moment and I could always attest to that!
Eager to know more about Miss Mochila and the
trendsetting Mochila bags, I managed to have a chat with Chloe via email.
My husband is from Colombia and I’ve had always
love handicrafts, so starting up Miss Mochila was a perfect feat for me.
The name 'Mochila" sounds unique.
What does it means? Is it a Waayu word?
Mochila is the kind of bag that is native to Colombia
and yes they do come from the Wayuu tribe.
How long does it take for you to
elevate Mochila bag status from being archetypal tourist souvenir to a
must-have fashion statement?
I started Miss Mochila 3 years ago and this summer
the brand will be in its 4th year.
Of course, I really love what I’m doing!
A tourist in Colombia may be spoiled
by choices of Mochila bags as it is native to the country. However, what sets
Miss Mochila bags apart from the rest?
I personally choose each bag myself and they are
really different from the other one you will find around [the country].
I am taken by the colourful prints on
the bags. Are the patterns indigenous to the Waayu tribe and do they have
significant representation in cultural context?
The bags designs are one of a kind and each
pattern is made by the Wayuu people.
To accomplish a big-sized bag like the Cartagena
usually takes around 3 to 4 weeks.
From my observation, the current
fashion market trend is obviously influenced by celebrities. Besides Alessandra
Ambrosio who was spotted with a Miss Mochila bag, who are the other Miss
Mochila celebrity fans?
Our celebrity fans include Nicole Richie, lots of
Victoria’s Secret models (Ambrosio included), Jessica Alba and many more.
Fashion is a competitive industry by
nature and bags come and go according to trends and seasons. How do you keep
Miss Mochila products relevant to the constant trend change?
To keep the brand relevant, I’m embarking on lots
of collaborations. I did a collaboration collection – a mini version of the
Mochila bags with [French children clothing brand] Bonpoint. Furthermore, Miss
Mochila products are also sold in Urban Outfitters outlets.
The Mochilas are good to be used on everyday
purpose. It can be worn as a beach bag as well as a summer bag. It is indeed an ‘it’ bag in its own right and
the colours are cheerful too!
Besides bags, clutches and bracelets,
do you have plans to expand Miss Mochila's portfolio into ready-to-wear?
I’m adding in dolls from Guatemala into the
product portfolio. Also in the pipeline is a series of new models, coming soon.
Miss
Mochila bags and other accessories are available now at selected retailers in
countries such as France, Australia, Canada, Lebanon, Israel, United States and
the United Arab Emirates.
A selection of Miss Mochila products is also available online at L-Attitude.
A selection of Miss Mochila products is also available online at L-Attitude.
*Photos
courtesy of Miss Mochila.
Miss Mochila at Hartwood –
120, Fordham Avenue, Camberwell, Melbourne, 3124 Australia.
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