The hammocks reached the catwalk turned into clothes by the hands of stylist João Pimenta. The collection was exhibited at the 41st SPFW, with the collaboration of Santa Luzia hammocks and textiles, which offered colorful cotton fabrics (in partnership with the Natural Cotton Color) and recycled yarn from textile waste (Already sorted by color to avoid staining) and recycled PET bottles—which ensures greater resistance to the yarn.
The designer João Pimenta visited the plant in São Bento in January and found in the backlands of Paraiba the hammocks that have become raw material for his collection.
Armando Dantas, CEO of Santa Luzia hammocks and textiles, and Walleska Dantas, director of the factory, went to São Paulo and were amazed to see the parade on the 28th of May, at the Bienal Pavilion, in Ibirapuera Park. “I had never imagined our hammocks in a fashion collection. It was nice to see the swing of hammocks on the body, especially the details of fringes made of macramé, used so creatively by the designer. And the recycled cotton yarn was also well incorporated in the creation of other fabrics, lighter and sophisticated, produced in more advanced looms in other textile companies which also collaborate with Joao Pimenta, “said Armando.
From the rustic fabric of the hammocks a collection of tailor-made uniforms emerged.
The assortment of handmade and mechanical looms enchanted the designer, who took the opportunity to dive into the history of the production process of the company, created 30 years ago. “I was really in love with everything and passion is my creativity’s fuel. I made the first piece and showed Paulo Borges (founder and director of the São Paulo Fashion Week) and the stylist Daniel Ueda—who are more experienced. They were amazed when I said that it was a hammock transformed into costume (blazer). I received all the support and encouragement to continue, “he said.
Joao Pimenta used the uniform—a universal, timeless and genderless piece of clothing—to symbolize his collection. His message includes a new order: to have respect for the clothes we wear and thus consume guided by quality and durability as opposed to the discarding promoted by the fast fashion system.
Inspecting the collection, it is possible to recognize a Northeastern footprint: the swing of the hammocks and their fringes, embroidery of bones of animal skeletons and the crosspieces worn by Lampião. The soldiers march firm like the the brave Borborema troopers, who use to carry the cotton from the backwoods to Campina Grande, at a time when Paraiba was the largest exporter of the cotton in Brazil.
“Joao Pimenta’s parade happened exactly one day before the anniversary of the emancipation of the City of São Bento. I believe this was a great tribute to our land, our home”, concludes Armando.
The event shows that the yarns and fabrics go beyond the use in decoration. They should continue to surprise and conquer both national and international markets.
The opening parade with the participation disabled athletes winners the Gold medal in world and Pan American games, to the sound of the orchestra Neojibá project from Bahia, which teaches music education and also how to make the instruments to low-income people—these are all made from plastic.
