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MOLAS: FASHION TRIBALISM

kalekaleaccessorie
Aug 30, 2017
2 min read

Attention! This is a trend alert!

We have seen them in music videos, walking the runways, being showcased in the most famous shops, like Colette in Paris. highlighted by trend setters and influencers... But their roots come from the deepest of the South American jungle, more specifically, from the Northern Colombia and the Darién Province of Panama, where the indigenous Kuna peoples are located.

But what its exactly Molas?

This colorful textile art form is handmade with the techniques of appliqué and reverse appliqué. And it is truly an art as these textiles are complex and intricate. Several layers (usually two to seven) of different-coloured cloth (usually cotton) are sewn together; the design is then formed by cutting away parts of each layer. The edges of the layers are then turned under and sewn down. Often, the stitches are nearly invisible. The finest molas have extremely fine stitching, made using tiny needles. Making a Mola can take from two weeks to six months, depending on the complexity of the design.

Mola means "clothing" in the Kuna language but the origin is anciently related to body painting. The Kuna first used the geometrical patterns from body painting but in the past 50 years, they have also depicted realistic and abstract designs of flowers, sea animals and birds, and popular culture.

After being discovered by local artisans and recently for Fashion designers and brands, Molas are being applied designs of clothes, shoes and accessories, Kale Kale as a worthy ambassador of the Colombian culture bring the beauty and uniqueness of Molas to bright up the traditional leather bags named Carriel available for you to purchase at kale-kale shop online.