El Cuaco: The First Saddle
Category: Apparel
Competitions: International
El Cuaco is the name of the first horse I ever rode. He was my grandfather's horse and together they ignited my interest in working cattle and riding horses. My deep attraction to leather comes from my family's generational love for cattle farming, horse riding, and Mexican western aesthetics. The inspiration for this project is an old leather saddle I found in my family's barn in Mexico. The saddle has not been used in years but can be dusted off and will ride like it's brand new. I used the saddle to inspire some drapes and paired those with my dads suede poncho. The poncho is decorated with contrasting suede appliqués and designs by burning. Furthermore, on my last trip to my family's farm, my great uncle began teaching me how to rope cattle. I am very inspired by the lasso (rope) and incorporated it through fringe and ties. Together those items helped me design a suede coat-like poncho that fastens at the neck and chest, and is decorated beautifully. This design represents my family and my deep love of cattle and horses. Growing up visiting my family's farm in Mexico, and listening to my dad’s stories of being a young boy on the farm has taught me a lot about respecting animals, longevity, sustainability, and ethics. I learned about respecting and loving the animal but also understanding their purpose. I am working towards a future of producing my own leather from my family's farm and continuing to respect the animal through my designs and business practices. I hope to continue making my family proud and uplifting our tradition of cattle farming and loving animals through my designs. My design for this project is a perfect example of my designer identity, I love leather, family traditions, and the Mexican western aesthetic.
