criollo by agosto

‘criollo’ by agosto prints, 2012 knit leather headstall and bridle

‘criollo’ is a graduate collection created by julia garcia of agosto for a masters of arts in fibers at savannah college of art and design. the collection of equestrian equipment and apparel each piece within my graduate collection is inspired by the deisgner’s native country, her horses, and by the women who rode before her. with each piece, the designer utilizes the traditional argentinian materials of wool and leather, as well as the patterns and colors used by the mapuche tribe of the patagonia to tell their stories. in order to create this collection, she explored a wide variety of techniques, including needle and loom-knitting, jacquard weaving, twining, leather stamping and braiding and printing. each color, pattern, and texture was selected for its symbolism within the mapuche culture, while the materials and methods were selected for durability and comfort to the horse and rider.

‘my relationship with horses was formed at a very young age, as much of my youth was spent on my family’s horse-ranch in my native argentina. the time that I spent there was the happiest for me; so, it was during the seemingly endless months away from argentina that I looked for a connection to the horses, my family, and my home. I discovered quickly that it was all things equestrian, from the horses to the materials, that provided this connection. the argentine equestrian culture is an endless source of inspiration for my designs, from the gauchos to the mapuche tribe of the patagonia, who are known for creating work that is both rustic and elegant. the equipment, weapons, and clothing are created from simple, yet beautiful materials that are so elegantly manipulated to turn functional items into incredible works of art. full of symbols for triumph, victory, blood, peace, and earth, these works inspired my desire to find narratives contained within these items.‘ -julia garcia

knit leather headstall and bosal hackamore

jacquard-woven

knit wool saddle-pad

loom-knit wool saddle blanket

leather and twined rope saddle-girth

hand-embroidered wool saddle blanket

knit wool riding vest

saddle-pad, riding vest, and saddle-girth

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