Julia and Renata Franco have spent months thinking about the forces of nature and their impact on society. They titled their spring show Arúmuru Otro Mundo, inspired by the book Cómo Nace Y Crece Un Volcán: El Paricutín, written by Dr. Atl, a Mexican painter and writer who documented the birth of the Paricutín volcano in 1943. The inspiration was most immediately reflected in the collection’s color palette, which began with a deep blue, in a nod to the blue lava volcano, and also included tourmaline, lava orange, and meteorite pink tones.
Beyond that, the sisters wanted to investigate how natural events force people to leave their homes and how difficult it is to leave one’s roots behind. They opted out of the textiles that they usually gravitate to, like linen and cotton, and focused on silk satin, organzas, and crepes. If the clothes gave the appearance of being sculpted by hand, it was because they were. “Julia began by cutting loose rectangles and then joined them,” Renata explained backstage.
The designers continued their tradition of collaborating with other Mexican creatives; the shoes—a highlight of the collection—were fish-shaped, with a tail integrated behind the heel, and were done in collaboration with the Oaxacan brand Baku. “We have worked with them almost every season, and they developed a new fish skin, all dyed with natural dyes and also tanned using traditional methods, with cochineal, indigo, and cempasúchil,” they explained. The accessories were created by Popdots, a ceramics firm from their native Guadalajara.
