by María Jose Vergara // Ecuador
born from the desire to create more authentic fashion, one that has a positive impact on the planet and in which aesthetics and consciousness coexist in a balanced way. Masé is a conscious concept that prioritizes quality in every part of the journey, from the experimental designs to the attentive textile selection AND THE integrity WITHIN THE manufacturing process.Masé goes beyond just being a slow womenswear fashion brand, it is an expression of style, offering cool but sophisticated designs which apart from being timeless, are one of a kind. TRANSPARENCY
Masé’s manufacturing is done by Ecuadorian women and artisans. Most of our
production members are independent mothers which are the support of the
household and the only source of income in their families.The sourcing of materials is also thoroughly thought OUT and revisioned. We also use natural fibers such as hemp, wool, linen, organic cotton and yute . Materials that when decomposed will be biodegradable. We naturally dye some of our garments with: beetroot, cochineal, red cabbage, turmeric, logwood, anatto seeds, and avocado seeds.The word Origen means the root at which something begins its course or existence.
The narrative is about the reconstruction of history and cultural extinction.
“ ORIGEN ”
María José started exploring the traditional clothing of Ecuador, its textures, colors, fabrics, and story. She came across beautiful ponchos and capes.
But why stop there?
the designer encountered herself surrounded by alluring costumes of cultures such as China, Japan, Turkey, Korea, and India.
They all had one thing in common, the outcome of cultural extinction and oppression.
Throughout history, many villages and traditions from these cultures have been removed from the map.
History has been deleted and reconstructed, and we have been presented with a fake reality.
The research path started through discovering the 20th century photographer José Domingo Lasso.
Through his lense, he left us an inheritance of a multifaceted Quito of diverse inhabitants, of streetsand monumental buildings.
His photographs are the graphic footprint of an Andean society that began to live modernity.
To take care of the image of the capital, Lasso thought it was necessary to remove indigenous and beggars from the photographs.
It was about expressing homogeneity, rather than diversity.
However, Lasso’s archive contains diversity, the diversity he tried to eliminate at one point.
“ WARMI ”
The RAW (mantic) Journey
An ethical fashion Collection born out of the intercultural exploration of my shared experiences. sustainable pieces created to carry the spirit of the Andes.
ancestral wis-dom
inspired by the culture, colors, and shapes of Ecuador, featuring vibrant knitwear and patterns.
This all-over print was made thinking about the indigenous embroidering techniques.
“Masé is born out of a mixture between my culture, my costumes, and a modern twist. Being from Ecuador has influenced me to use textures and colors that take me back to my roots. The remembrance of the past is something that has been present in my mind every time I create. I want to keep the native techniques of my land to bring respect and memory of our diversity”
Maria José Vergara