Our Designs
The exclusivity of the resources is the basis for the way in which the designers of Asarti work to combine the authentic Inca textile culture with contemporary fashion. Original patterns are created inspired by a combination of ethnic cultures, Andean tradition, the natural environment and present-day elements. These patterns then come to life in surprising combinations of colour, which are the result of the artistic and refined decisions made by the designers. The combinations in the collections are genuinely self-invented mixes of threads. This particular way of colour use translates itself into fashionable and colourful designs that differentiate Asarti from the rest. This extensive colour palette makes it possible for everyone to find the perfect colour combination in Asarti.
The manufacture of the garments is based on an exceptional expertise that has been acquired by the artisans of Asarti in more than two decades as heritage from the knitting tradition of the highlands. Careful hand work and precision in the different knitting and weaving techniques bring the designs to life in gorgeous garments. Making use of hand knitting machines and up to 36 threads of different colours, each design is knitted though a time-consuming process. Talented hands then knit the loose parts of each garment into model and sew these together into the final form. Every detail is then finished by hand. This is how each garment is made into a harmonious work of art.
Asarti uses a variation of knitting techniques aside from hand knitting. These are Intarsia, Jacquard, Jersey and diverse knitting stitches, or “fancy Stitches”. The most time-consuming of these techniques are Intarsia and hand knitting. With Intarsia it seems that the motifs of different colours are knitted together, but in reality it is one whole design. While knitting each row a lot of handwork takes place on every point where there is a change of colour.
Intarsia technique is similar to hand knitting because of the use of many needles which make it possible to knit different coloured surfaces. With the Jacquard technique it is possible to knit one same pattern repeatedly throughout one same fabric. The Jersey technique is mainly meant to make unicolor garments, but it requires high precision work in order to keep the measures and the tensions of the knitted fabric balanced. This is especially important when garments are knitted directly into model, instead of using the common cut-and-sew procedure. This way of knitting is known as ‘fully-fashioned’ and prevents the waste of material. Aside from knitting, Asarti also makes woven shawls, ponchos and ruanas in different textures and patterns. These are all made by hand making use of wooden weaving looms, in the same way as people have woven in the Andes for centuries.