Summer 2009 Inspirations & Influences

For as long as I can remember I have stayed away from clothing with obvious ethnic influences because being "other" in appearance means wearing clothing that points directly to a culture or people that I could possibly be just raises more annoying questions. Perhaps it's age or maybe I have reached a point in my life where I am ok with letting people assume what they will but this summer I am drawn to the clothing of my sisters in Chile, Guatemala, Ecuador and Peru. I find myself wearing straw hats in very similar shapes and sizes, which have been in fashion for a while now, reaching for embroidered, pieced tops paired with gathered skirts in bright bold fuschia, orange and blue colors layered against inky black and crisp white backgrounds. Needless to say questions do fly but I no longer care. I just wrap myself in my shawl, pull the brim of my hat a little lower, smile and leave them wondering.