ICON | Silvia von Hagen

Photos of Silvia von Hagen via Silvania.

Thanks to Nancy Elsaesser for tuning me into Silvia von Hagen, the creator of the Peruvian textile line Silvania. Von Hagen started creating prints in 1958 after falling in love with the precolonial artwork and designs in Peru while traveling on an expedition. She collected relics and took inspiration from textiles, ceramics, and traditional Peruvian aesthetics. Upon returning to Lima, she created a line that married modernity with tradition in the form of clothing, bags, prints, textiles, pillows and homeware—the South American answer to Lilly Pulitzer, perhaps. The line was popular in Peru until 2003 when it Silvia closed it down (there are a few vintage items that come up on eBay like this scarf). She passed away in 2007, but last year Georgia, her granddaughter, revived the business and focuses on sustainable practices sourcing organic cotton from small family farms.