Close Window

Susan Wagner

"I was born on October 5, 1972, and I grew up in a household filled with art. My mother is an antiques restorer, so there were always paintings, pieces of furniture and other beautiful objects around the house. My father, a doctor and philosopher, instilled in us a passion for books, music, and culture in general. My siblings and I naturally followed the path of art, my sister is a fine art artist, and my brother is a producer and creative director for a TV channel.

"I studied Literature and Geography, then I lived in the U.S.A and Spain, where I studied Spanish Literature. Throughout it all though, I constantly took courses in fashion design but my passion remained with traditional embroideries. I set up my own workshop in 2005, which replicates the traditional embroidery workshops of the highlands.

"I was married once, and now I live with my son, the soccer player. He has been by my side all this time, patiently staying at the workshop while I worked long hours. My cats are my hobby, and I collect Peruvian art.

"I've always had a special fondness for apparel and accessories, especially those that have an original quality to them as well as showcase traditional Peruvian embroideries. Other than their beauty, embroideries reveal a surprising variety of details when looked at up close.

"I began by designing a red taffeta skirt with an enormous silver flower embroidered with pre-Hispanic techniques. I thought it came out beautifully, and others agreed… many orders were placed for me to do more! I began to sell my designs at Christmas fairs, and I realized they appealed to people of all ages.

"The money I earned I re-invested in my workshop and in taking further courses. The embroidery techniques I specialize in are from the Huanaco sierra in central Peru. They use the same techniques they developed centuries ago to decorate their costumes for festivals and religious holidays. I am still amazed how pre-Hispanic and Hispanic embroidery techniques are still being used. They are transmitted from one generation to another. Now my designs include styles from Huancayo, Ayacucho, and from several Cuzco communities. The weaves are done with wool and cotton from Cajamarca, Puno, and Cuzco too.

"It's hard to describe my work, other than by saying that I am mainly interested in preserving and reclaiming traditional Peruvian embroidery and weaving arts. I blend together the different textile art forms from around the country, always surprised by the new materials. My designs are original and contemporary. I'm moved by a desire to have the world get to know the wonderful textures, colors, shapes and patterns.

"My goal is also to be able to provide work for other people as well as for entire communities throughout the country. A major aspect in this labor is to reach out to marginalized communities in the southern sierra as an important aspect of social inclusion.

"When I returned to Peru after living abroad, I became aware of our cultural richness, and most importantly, I found wonderful people who share my same passions. They are an example of constancy, effort, and love for one's culture. We have formed a team that two people from Huanuco who master embroidery techniques, and the seamstresses are form Huancayo and from Puno. We work together under the same conditions, strengthening our national identity by respecting and making use of the riches that abound within the differences.

"We have one sewing machine, a cutting table, and the embroideries are done in frames, as if painting a stretched canvas. I make the designs and manage the workshop, which sometimes doubles as a showroom.

"Our techniques remain artesian, we do not use industrial-sized machines nor do we mass-produce therefore, each bag or item of apparel is made by hand. This allows us to create job opportunities for people outside the workshop too, in their communities."