The first thing you notice when you travel is the way things look – a beautiful woman, for instance, passing in the marketplace, or a smartly dressed man working in the field. I do derive a great deal of pleasure from observing other people, noticing the ways in which they differ, admiring them and setting aside our prejudices in an attempt to understand them.
My first reaction is actually one of surprise. Being inspired by all kind of traditional fabrics I always think the way we dress is an expression of who and what we are, whether that means Fulani or Yoruba, Hmong or Yao, wife or widow, farmer or shopkeeper, Hindu or Muslim.
Garments have their own lives and histories and are the product of a range of processes. Have a gasp on some of my favourites and their origin. I hope to find out soon their history and culture and background.
silvia gattin's behind the scenes blog 