Think Positive Eyedazzler

Background: Think Vintage Library design no. 103 (recoloured); Fall 2011 images from style.com (l-r: Hermès, Chloé, Hermès, Isabel Marant, Proenza Schouler)

As the wild wild west continues to inspire fashion and popular culture, it seems only natural that Native American textiles are in the mix – after all, where there are cowboys, there will be Indians!

Proenza Schouler Fall 2011; images from vogue.com

Upon return from a road trip from Santa Fe to Wyoming, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler decided to base their Fall 2011 collection on the jagged designs of traditional Native American blanket weaves, with their most ambitious print collection yet. The familiar traditional Navajo patterns were pixelated and focalised then implemented in varying techniques from thick knits woven on looms, macramé silk knotting and acid-bathed chiffon velvet.

images from vogue.com

The Navajo tribe originated from the modern states of New Mexico and Arizona and were introduced to wool by Spanish settlers. They developed decorative techniques using vegetable dyes creating toothed patterns in earthy colours of natural brown, white, black and indigo, a natural plant based dye introduced by the Spanish and available through trade. The introduction of aniline dyes in the late-1800s marked the beginning of the ‘Eyedazzler’ period where brilliant blues, reds, greens and yellows were introduced to the designs. It is this period of Navajo weaving that is echoed in the Fall 2011 collection of Proenza Schouler who adopted carefully considered shades of familiar Navajo colours, along with variations of their serrated diamond patterns.

Navajo Lodge, New Mexico (an upscale summer resort); image from 1940 by photographer Russell Lee who took photos during the Great Depression

Navajo children

'Parting Friends' taken around 1900 by William Pennington

It is likely that the tradition of Navajo weaving would have died out without the admiration of European settlers of the Americas who considered the tightly woven decorative blankets to be a valuable trade item. Considering the unwavering popularity of Navajo textiles it is unsurprising that they have come to inspire fashion textiles. In 2009 launched a collaborative label Opening Ceremony with Pendleton, the Oregon-based wool mill that has been working with Native American communities weaving Navajo rugs since 1909. Pendleton provided thick wool heritage designs, which were cut into classic street wear styles, including, motocross jackets and mini skirts.