The Feria Maestros del Arte presents a unique fund-raiser fashion show Thursday, September 19, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Arileo Steakhouse, Carretera Jocotepec-Chapala 1088.
Models will showcase the stunning silver jewelry collection of Gabriela Sánchez Arias, huipiles (traditional Mexican one-piece pullovers) by Carmen Vazquez Hernandez from Chiapas, as well as Lupita Zepeda’s rebozos (typical shawls).
Sánchez is a third-generation silver artist. She studied design in Taxco, Guerrero, Guadalajara and Madrid. She was invited to display her jewelry in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, where she developed a collection inspired by the building’s fabled architecture. At the opening ceremonies of the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, all of Mexico’s female athletes wore a pair of her agave earrings. Her jewelry has been seen on runways in Peru and at Fashion Week in Shanghai. She was the featured artist at Tequila’s Mundo Cuervo in 2013.
Vazquez is a nationally renowned weaver from Venustiano Carranza, Chiapas. She has won prizes in competitions throughout Mexico for her huipiles, including the Moda en Mexico show in Mexico City and was nominated for the National Art and Culture Award. Her designs have been displayed throughout Mexico as well as in Japan, Argentina, Chile and Spain.
Zepeda is a traditional Mexican woman: she always carries a rebozo for comfort and as a fashion accent to her wardrobe. She is a tenacious researcher and promoter of the rebozo and works tirelessly so that this ancient woven shawl does not pass into oblivion. During this fundraiser show, Zepeda will demonstrate the many ways in which this most celebrated of Mexican garments can be worn.
Jewelry, huipiles and rebozos will also be for sale at the show.
Tickets, 250 pesos, include snacks, a glass of wine, margarita or agua fresca. Get your ticket at Diane Pearl, Cugini’s Boutique or call Susanne Flater, 387-763-3128, or Zoe Armiger, 333-452-4894. Seating at the show will be limited; those wishing to attend are urged to purchase tickets early. If any tickets are still available, they will be sold at the door.
Feria Maestros del Arte is a non-profit organization in both Mexico and the United States. The group’s mission is to give Mexican folk and indigenous artists a venue to sell their hand-crafted art, which is disappearing due to the ever-changing world marketplace.
Mexican artists invited to attend the annual November show at lakeside pay no booth fee or percentage of their sales to the organization. Volunteers spend countless hours working with sponsors and government organizations trying to provide paid transportation to the show for the artisans. Feria admission fees, sponsors, or fundraising efforts such as the fashion show, provide the funds needed to produce and advertise the event.