About YanantinCo.

A cornerstone of indigenous Andean philosophy is the concept of yanantin, which holds that duality exists not to separate, but to connect all things in harmony and that the sum of such connection is greater than its parts. Its partner, masintin, refers to the material manifestation of this harmony. Born in the highlands of central Peru--born cold, as my family likes to say--raised in sunny California, and traveling between the two all my life, I feel like I’ve always carried these concepts close. You could also say that I’ve been wearing them- from the cozy, patterned alpaca sweaters of my childhood, to the mix of traditional and contemporary pieces in my collection now. Alpacas hold a unique place for Peruvians, considered sacred in our ancient belief system. Their silken fleece was once considered such a luxury that clothing made from it was reserved exclusively for royalty. Its inherent qualities may not have been well understood then, but we know today that it is really a marvel of natural design: responding efficiently to the body’s need for comfort and protection from the elements while maintaining its physical beauty and integrity. Generations of weavers, from master artisans to peasants, and even queens, have used alpaca fiber to communicate themes related to both the physical and the supernatural. Weavers received revelations from the divine spirit through ritual and prayer, their meaning expressed as geometric patterns. Read their story