“Lady of Cao, Legacy of Power”: The New Fashion Collection by Estrafalario

Even before the pandemic, the Wiese Foundation had been exploring various ways to promote the sustainable development of women artisans from the district of Magdalena de Cao, a community neighboring the El Brujo Archaeological Complex. This archaeological site, located in the Chicama Valley in the La Libertad region and entrusted by the Ministry of Culture to the Wiese Foundation, was home to the famous representative of the Moche culture, known as the Lady of Cao.

 

Meanwhile, Estrafalario, a sustainable social fashion company created by and for women, specializes in including vulnerable women’s communities within its production chain and is always searching for innovative concepts for its new collections. Estrafalario is also part of the Entrepreneur Fund portfolio, the Wiese Foundation’s social innovation program.

 

 

This is the name of the new fashion collection created by Valery Zevallos, founder and CEO of Estrafalario.

 

“This collection carries the strength of the Lady of Cao; it is inspired by the legacy of one of the most important and enigmatic women in our country’s history, the ceremonial space where her body was found, and the duality of the Moche worldview, reflected in the beautiful paintings of animals and swirls of fresh and salt water. This was the starting point for the collection, based on black and white, with applications of ancient Mochica textiles, accented with the vivid fuchsia and lapis lazuli colors preserved in the Lady of Cao’s funerary bundle. Her divine tattoos were embroidered, accompanied by messages that represent the Moche worldview. Flowing fabrics, cuts inspired by ceramics found in her mausoleum, and golden applications featuring the face of the god Ai Apaec make this a disruptive collection that unites two parallel worlds—our past and our present. A legacy of power that we must keep alive, revalue, and share with the world,” says Valery.

 

The beautiful appliqués that adorn the garments in the collection were handwoven on wooden looms by the women artisans of Magdalena de Cao. These appliqués were crafted using the same textile techniques that their Moche ancestors employed more than 1,800 years ago to create the exquisite pieces still admired today in El Brujo’s textile collection. To achieve this, the artisans visited the archaeological complex, observed, and learned about Moche textile art directly from the archaeologists and conservators who safeguard the original pieces, and have been receiving ongoing training and support since June.

 

“Knowing that the discovery of the Lady of Cao challenged long-held theories about women’s power in ancient Peruvian civilizations only made me want to learn more about her. I felt a reflection of myself, because everything we do as a brand is to demonstrate the value women hold in our society and how powerful we can be,” said Valery.

 

“Visiting El Brujo, immersing myself in its history with the archaeologists and conservators, feeling the living energy at the Huaca Cao Viejo, and working with the artisans from the community itself allowed me to connect with and value the ancestral legacy of the Lady of Cao. As a designer, I feel committed to transmit that legacy to the world,” she added.

 

 

Prototypes have already been made, and purchase orders for mass production have been placed. Meanwhile, the artisans are actively producing the appliqués, and the project team has already begun planning activities for the collection’s launch, scheduled for the last quarter of the year.

 

“Through this project, in addition to valuing the artisans’ work and generating economic income, we have rescued invaluable ancestral knowledge from oblivion and returned it to them, so they can add value to their products in the future and feel proud of who they are,” said Ingrid Claudet, General Manager of the Wiese Foundation.

 

 

Since 1990, the Foundation has collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, fully assuming responsibilities for the research, stewardship, conservation, preservation, tourism management, and dissemination of El Brujo. Through more than 30,000 objects and various archaeological structures built on 100 hectares of protected land, this unique cultural space tells the story of the ancient men and women who inhabited Peru’s northern coast.

 

 

The Wiese Foundation’s Entrepreneur Fund is an impact investment platform that seeks to identify and support legally established Peruvian companies created with the mission of addressing a socially relevant problem in vulnerable communities through their business operations.

 

 

Since 2017, Estrafalario has acted as an agent of change, transforming the lives of women in vulnerable situations and co-creating versatile, environmentally conscious fashion pieces. The company ensures fair pay for its workers and uses organic, recycled, and 100% sustainable materials.

 

In 2015, it launched a social empowerment and employability program that trains vulnerable women’s communities and integrates them into its production chain. Today, Estrafalario works with over 43 women from the Anexo Chorrillos and Fátima prisons.

 

In 2018, Estrafalario was selected to represent Peru at the World Student Fashion Design Competition in Qingdao, China. The brand was also a top-10 finalist at the 2018 Kunan Awards. In 2020, it became one of four social enterprises invited to join the Wiese Foundation’s Entrepreneur Fund.the richness of our heritage.