Tramando by Martin Churba Summer 2010

I always try to find you guys the best possible quality photos I can dig up. I´d love to show high res images from this amazing Argentinian design house Tramando, but their website contact field is busted.. (Tramando people, if you´re reading this, you might want to have a look at it. It says server error..). So I´ve been sourcing photos all over the web and it hasn´t been easy as I don´t speak Spanish and not many western bloggers have written about this designer. Two hours later I had found a couple of photos.

Anyways, I came across Matrin Churba's works a couple of years ago but his Summer 2010 collection, presented this collection at Buenos Aires Fashion (BAF) Week back in August, just blows me away though. This year's X collection was an exploration into the strong and vibrant roots of African culture. Handcrafted basket weave style by bounding cord with cotton and wool threads Churba pulled his inspiration from Jamaican rastas and Afro-Brazilian musicians to the spectacular ornamentation of East Africa's Maasai people. "We found the inspiration for this collection in cultures where the handwork and craftsmanship are the protagonists and where this craftsmanship is translated into a unique, unparalleled work," says Churba.

Seamstresses and tailors worked with print and sewing machines on the catwalk as the collection premiered on the the runway. The icing on the Tramando cake arrived when top Argentine model Cecilia Mendez strutted down the catwalk in the mini rope dress created by Churba's team during the runway show(!). That´s true talent in my book, to have your team create the garment LIVE right there on the runway and then to have it finale the show...