We have dates! This tour is confirmed for November 15-20, 2023, 6 days and 5 nights. Please arrive by 3 p.m. on November 15. Registration is open to attend Original 2023. This will get you home in time for Thanksgiving!
We are limiting this immersion experience to 10 savvy travelers who are interested in the Mexico’s indigenous textile design, and the merging of traditional clothing with contemporary, innovative fashion. This is the top national textile event in Mexico and encompasses the work of over 400 textile artists from throughout the country.
What we will do and see!
- Attend VIP opening night with special guests from Mexico’s textile world and a preview party
- See the Catwalk — three of them — that features top designers and weavers showcasing their work
- Enjoy three full-days of meandering aisles of handmade + designed textiles from throughout Mexico
- Learn about textile design and development in private sessions we arrange with experts
- Savor Mexico City’s culinary talents at a celebratory group dinner
The tour includes:
- 5 nights lodging
- 5 breakfasts
- Invitation to VIP opening night event and ticket
- Admission to Original for three days
- Transportation to and from our hotel to the Original venue
- Celebratory group dinner
- Private discussions with textile experts
- Textile guide expertise with Eric Chavez Santiago and Norma Schafer
Original was developed by Mexico’s Ministry of Culture as a way to take the offensive against the international fashion industry that is appropriating the cultural patrimony of Mexico’s indigenous weaving communities. The term cultural appropriation describes the process of copycat fashion for economic gain by international clothing designers. We have heard too often of designers coming to Mexico, copying a village’s ancient designs, then producing these garments with exact replicas of the weaving or embroidery patterns, putting them on the runway, and marketing them as their original pieces without offering attribution or compensation to the communities that attach their indigenous identities to this clothing. The event term, Original, references the true origins of Mexico’s indigenous designs.
Put in words of the Ministry of Culture:
“Original is a permanent cultural movement, generated from the Mexican Government, dedicated to raise awareness for the value of the artisanal work and the rights of collective ownership; it aims to build a new ethic in the relationship of the artisans and their communities with the national and international design industry. Each year, Original brings together textile artisan women and men from the the creative towns and communities in al Mexico to showcase their work.”
Our long weekend together will include lodging, five breakfasts, a gala dinner, talks, presentations with cultural anthropologists and top artisans invited to participate in Original. The weekend will also include guide and translation services, visits to Franz Mayer and folk art museums, transportation, and expert educational experiences to go deeper into the language of cloth.
Cost: $2,395 per person shared room; $3,195 single room. A $500 non-refundable deposit will secure your reservation.
To register, please send an email to Norma Schafer.
Reservations and Cancellations. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to guarantee your spot. The balance is due in two equal payments. The second payment of 50% of the balance is due on or before July 1, 2022. The third 50% payment of the balance is due on or before September 15, 2022. We accept payment using online e-commerce only. We will send you an itemized invoice when you tell us you are ready to register. After September 15, 2022, there are no refunds. If you cancel on or before September 1, we will refund 50% of your deposit received to date less the $500 non-refundable reservation deposit. After that, there are no refunds.
We accept payment with Zelle (no service fee), with PayPal or Venmo (with a 3.5% service fee). Please tell us which payment method you prefer, along with your account name or phone number. We will send you a request for funds to complete your registration.
All documentation for plane reservations, required travel insurance, and personal health issues must be received 45 days before the program start or we reserve the right to cancel your registration without reimbursement.
NOTE: All travelers must provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 to travel with us. Please maintain all public health precautions. As COVID-19 is waning, mask-wearing is optional though recommended.
How to Register: First, complete the Registration Form and send it to us. We will then send you an invoice to make your reservation deposit.
To Register, Policies, Procedures & Cancellations–Please Read
