The rebozo lies at the heart of Mexican life and is a part of every stage of the journey from birth through childhood, courtship, marriage, death and mourning. The importance of the garment is written into the literature, music, poetry, history and popular culture of the country.
Design motifs woven into the rebozo depict the daily life of Mexico, including its flor and fauna. Ikat, known as jasper in Spanish, is a technique of resist dyeing a pattern on threads before they are woven, and is the best known and credited style of rebozo. Skill and patience are require to mark out the design and execute the many stages involved. Each jasper design has its own name that refers to the mix of pattern and colours: labor double, caramel, poblano, marvilla, de bolita, serpiente, llovisna, venido, greca, paloma.
The fashion industry in Mexico is the most established and important in Central and South America. Within this large and commercial sphere is a small group of designers who are exploring and celebrating indigenous textiles and skills through their fashion collections. The designer Beatriz Russek is a pioneer of blending fashion and tradition. Carmen Rion, Carla Fernández and Lydia Lavin all collaborate with communities of weavers and artisans to create textiles and embroideries that they then interpret in contemporary clothing. They have all featured the rebozo in their collection. Cooperatives such as Fábrica Social and El Camino de Los Altos have also been established to help promote self-sufficiency and sustainability in local communities.
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