Diseño de una colección de indumentaria en denim a partir de la interpretación del bordado de la vestimenta festiva salasaka para la empresa ALRAM

Abstract

This research presents the design of a denim clothing collection for the company ALRAM, based on the interpretation of embroidery from the festive garments of the Salasaka community, located in Tungurahua Province, Ecuador. The project responds to the need to revalue artisanal techniques that are being displaced by industrial textile processes. The proposal aims to establish a dialogue between tradition and modernity, integrating Salasaka hand embroidery into an urban fashion collection targeted at both male and female audiences. The project followed a design-based methodology, covering stages such as contextual and formal research, technical analysis of traditional and contemporary embroidery, and direct fieldwork observation. Artisanal practices were documented, including processes, materials, and techniques employed by local artisans. This analysis allowed for evaluating the adaptability of embroidery to denim fabrics, considering aspects such as texture, durability, symbolic expression, and visual harmony between the material and the artisanal technique. The outcome is a six-outfit collection featuring upper and lower garments, created using various denim compositions and weights. The collection demonstrates the feasibility of incorporating Salasaka embroidery into industrially produced urban garments while maintaining its cultural and symbolic integrity. In doing so, it reinforces the connection between contemporary fashion design and Andean textile heritage, offering a renewed framework for the valorization of traditional craft techniques.