In the Peruvian High Andes, in every region – and sometimes even in every village – you can spot another style of clothing. These Quechuan designs and traditions go back for centuries, all the way to the Inca time, and have been influenced along the way by the clothes of the Spanish peasants, so I’ve learned recently.
In the bigger cities more people tend to wear the western type of clothes, but in the Quechuan villages we thankfully can still be amazed by those colourful looks. This only concerns the women by the way, as throughout the country men unfortunately seemed to have stopped wearing their traditional type of clothes.
For insiders it’s possible to recognise the regions by its style. As an outsider, less so, but all of the styles seem fabulous nonetheless. Bright layers of polleras (wide skirts made from handwoven wool), embroidered monteras (a traditional hat), colourful llicllcas (thick capes or shawls) with different ways of decorating all of it per region. Noticeable in the villages in and around the Colca Canyon where the white and beautifully embroidered hats and the patterns on the jackets. They were some eye-catchers for sure. This article therefore is a small tribute to the women in the region and their styles!
