Autumn meets us not only with an abundant harvest and dreamlike colourful landscapes, but also with many specific feasts and celebrations, traditional and surprising at the same time. We, from iELM, are fascinated by the contrasting, unique, exotic cultures of this world; they become a direct source of inspiration for us.
Today we want to tell you about one of the biggest celebrations in Mexico, a special celebration … dedicated to the souls who have passed away – Dia de los Muertos (All Souls’ Day), included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage. The essential idea of this celebration is: family and friends joyfully gather to commemorate and to pray for those who are no longer near them, thus supporting their vast spiritual journey. The day marking the beginning of the celebration is October 31 and it coincides with other known holidays like Halloween, All Saints ‘Eve, All Souls’ Day.
Many of the outdoor clothing for children created by iELM present a graphic design inspired by Dia de los Muertos celebration traditions. The warm and attractive colours delight children and induce them a state of well-being and joy.
Following ancient customs and traditions, traditional elements are prepared for the celebration such as small shrines (ofrendas), Aztec specific flowers- marigold, the favourite foods and drinks of the deceased, egg sweet bread, shaped as a skull or a rabbit. The most popular symbol of this holiday however remains the skull “calavera”, transposed both on colourful masks informally called skeletons (“calacas”) and on sugar or chocolate mini-skull-shaped sweets; the bright colours of these calaveras symbolize the unique personality and vitality of the passed away. The decorative skeletons may be carved in wood, too, and are often imagined wearing festive clothes, singing and dancing, a sign of a happy afterlife.
Therefore, we let ourselves be inspired by the strong colours of the Calaveras skulls and we imprinted children’s clothing as such to ensure their smile. The imprint patterns of softshell overalls and comfortable bonnets contrast impressively beautiful with the environment in which the little ones have their activities; overall, we declare ourselves very fulfilled and happy to find this source of inspiration.
How do you like children’s clothing with the Mexican model “calaveras” and “calacas”?
