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In the highlands of Peru, weaving has always been more than craft — it’s been a language. For centuries, Quechua weavers have woven their worldview into cloth, embedding symbolism not as decoration, but as guides and protectors. These motifs carried families through generations, woven into garments that held both beauty and meaning.
Ever since PAKA started over 9 years ago, we’ve been on a mission to honor and help protect the ancestral traditions of the Quechua weavers we directly work with. As PAKA has grown, we’ve been asking ourselves - how do we co-create more deeply with these communities, share their art with the world, and do so in a way that directly gives back to them?
Our first-ever Heritage Collection answers that question, and after over a year of design and development, we’re ready to share it with you.
More than just inspired by, this collection was co-created directly with the master artisans of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (CTTC), whose techniques trace back to the Inca. Every piece fuses sacred motifs with modern silhouettes, a collaboration that safeguards traditions while making them relevant for the next generation.
Through this collaboration, we are ensuring that 5% of all sales are given back to the weavers, as royalties to honor their tradition.
A Living Heritage
For Quechua weavers, to create cloth is to carry culture. Each design is a vessel — of memory, of identity, of survival. In a time before books, weaving was how knowledge was passed down: stitches became stories, and garments became guardians.
These ancient symbols are known as the Inca Trilogy and represent the Andean view of the universe, which has three realms:
- Hanan Pacha, represented by the Condor: The upper world, the realm of the gods, the stars, and the celestial sphere. The condor, which flies highest in the sky, is the messenger between the heavens and earth.
- Kay Pacha, represented by the Puma: The middle world, the earthly realm where humans, animals, and plants live and breathe. The puma, a powerful and grounded feline, represents strength, wisdom, and the physical world.
- Ukhu Pacha, represented by the Snake: The inner or underworld, the world below the surface of the earth. This realm is associated with death, rebirth, and the ancestors. The snake, which sheds its skin, represents transformation and wisdom from the deepest parts of the earth.
The Condor, Puma, and Snake are interconnected, representing a harmonious balance of the universe. This trilogy was central to the Inca understanding of the universe, influencing their architecture, art, and daily life. The three realms are not considered separate, but rather interconnected planes of existence.
A Cultural Debut
Alongside the launch of our Heritage Collection, we will debut a powerful short film on November 14th — shot on 16mm film, weaving together the threads of ancestral tradition and modern fashion.
At its heart is actress and storyteller Nathalie Kelley, whose own life bridges Peru and the world beyond. Born in Peru and raised in Australia, Nathalie grew up steeped in the food, songs, and language of her maternal grandparents – an upbringing that anchored her to the Andean way of life and its deep spiritual and cultural roots.
Directed by Sandra Winther, the film is a poetic conversation between past and present – a collage of memory and continuity. It asks: How do we use our past to shape a more conscious future?
Through Nathalie’s narration and the vivid artistry of Quechua weavers, it reminds us that holding onto ancestral wisdom has never been more vital.
Stay tuned to learn more.
