KUNA MILENIUM

A tribute to more than 3,500 years of textile history

 The most important Peruvian contribution to the history of universal art is, without a doubt, found in “textiles produced approximately between 1400 BC and 1600 AD.”

Artist Fernando de Szyszlo

 

It was due to the mastery achieved by different Andean cultures that they came to be recognized as a textile mecca whose textile heritage has traveled the world. And with the responsibility of preserving the beautiful textile work of its cultures, Kuna's vision is to create garments and accessories capable of dazzling the world, while continuing this millenary tradition that we have received as a legacy.

This philosophy is perfectly reflected in our Milenium collection, which seeks to revive the feats of textile technique and beauty achieved by ancient Peruvian weavers.

The contributions of our ancestors are too diverse and extensive to list, as their development spans a period of more than 3,500 years of history. However, we can get an idea by naming just some of the cultures that settled in the vast Andean territory: Chavín, Paracas, Mochica, Huari, Lambayeque, Nazca, Chimú, and Inca. This collection was inspired by all of them, which we conceive as a tribute to our home, a true cradle of talented textile artisans.

An iconic piece from this collection is a limited-edition mural tapestry that will be exhibited in the new terminal of the Lima International Airport. The mural tapestry is woven with very fine Royal Alpaca and silk threads; it is double-sided, with distinct color shades on each side and measures 1.85 m wide by 3.66 m high. Its wonderful warp and weft pay tribute to complex techniques, patterns, and motifs of the Huari, Lambayeque, and Nazca cultures.

 

Mural Tapestry – KUNA Milenium decorative design

The mural tapestry, made in jacquard plain weave, was designed and woven in the Incalpaca factory by expert textile artists and modern master artisans. It is part of a legacy that continues to evolve and that, from Kuna, we wish to share with the world.

 

HUARI.- The geometric representation is oriented around faces that display both a frontal and profile aspect, thus constituting one of the "visual traps" to which the Andean weaver frequently resorts.

 

NAZCA. – Paracas Necropolis, Early Horizon 10, ca. 700 to 500 BC: Anthropomorphic design alternating with four appendages ending in trophy heads. The body shape resembles a lima bean.

 

LAMBAYEQUE. – Design of birds holding frogs in their mouths. The swan probably represents authority, which is why it always wears a large crown. The real meaning of these iconographies is unknown; however, it can be inferred that often, this type of figure holding trophies in their mouths symbolizes the capture of enemies.

 

NAZCA.- Embroidered zoomorphic motifs.