This is a typical top collar for a Vélez folk dress, embroidered with a blue palette of pansies and decorated in pink beads to give it extra glitter.
©Andrés Díaz
©Andrés Díaz
©Andrés Díaz
©Andrés Díaz
©Isabella Martínez
Lucy Aguilar
- Embroiderer
- Vélez, Colombia
- Master Artisan
Contact
Spanish
Hours:
By appointment only
By appointment only
Phone:
+57 3223843507
+57 3223843507
©Isabella Martínez
Embroidered gardens
- • Lucy has 50 years of experience in needlework
- • She dresses her clients for the Guabina Festival
- • Embroidered dresses from Vélez were the inspiration for some of Disney’s Encanto costumes
Vélez has a long-standing folk dress and embroidering tradition. Religious pilgrimage, festivals and family celebrations are the main gala events where women from Vélez and neighbouring towns exhibit their dresses. Lucy Aguilar works on embroidering these complete typical attires. Her earliest memories of needlework come from her religious schooling and the nuns who taught her the craft. The simple embroidery over a black, pleated skirt that she learned to make in her youth has evolved into elaborate colourful floral designs she expertly executes today in her workshop, Taller de Lucy. Her daughter Andrea has inherited her love for the craft and nature-inspired decorative elements. Today they work together, Andrea from abroad, and Lucy sowing and embroidering to perfection from her Vélez workshop.
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: ©Andrea Fontecha
Typical Vélez embroidered collar
Photo: ©Andrea Fontecha
Ocaso Veleño, Vélez Twilight
This typical peasant costume is decorated with ribbons and hand embroidered roses. The skirt has a complete bouquet designed on the front in green and yellow beads, acrylic applications and an eyelet bordered underskirt which gives the whole outfit a youthful flare.
Photo: ©Isabel Martinez
Noche Campesina
This typical peasant costume is hand embroidered and decorated in wildflowers called cecilitas. Beads in iridescent black add an elegant touch to the elaborate collar and flower bouquets of this special evening gown.
Photo: ©Isabela Martinez
Mariposas Veraneras
This detail of a pleated skirt is colourfully decorated in zinnia flowers, or colegialas (schoolgirls), as they are commonly known in Colombia. Butterflies and the glimmer of beads and acrylics enhance the garden imagery of this typical skirt.
Photo: ©Andrea Fontecha
Typical Vélez embroidered collar
This is a typical top collar of a Vélez folk dress, embroidered with fuchsia Lady Banks roses and green foliage.
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