Chilean textile designer Pitti Palacios sees her work as more than just a form of creative expression; she sees it as a social necessity.

“Seven years ago, I realized that artisanal Chilean sheep’s wool was being under-appreciated, which meant that only a few spinners were left in our country,” explains Pitti, a young, energetic woman with sparkling blue eyes. “It was in designing clothes that I discovered how to teach the national public to appreciate this material again.”

Utilizing non-traditional colors and incorporating contemporary designs, Pitti worked to decontextualize the material. The result was Design for Valparaiso, a quirky, unique label that has earned Pitti a spot in the ranks of prominent Chilean designers. Her store, which I stumbled upon during a walk through the hills of Valparaiso, has multiple uses including as workshop, office and exhibition space.

“From the outside, the store looks like a traditional house from the patrimonial zone of the city,” says Pitti. “However, once you enter you find a magical factory, where we are weaving textures on our own looms that will ultimately be a part of the designs exhibited in the store.”

Her collections (shown below), which consist of thickly-knitted coats, shawls, vests and accessories, are created entirely by hand, using traditional methods. Pitti and her team purchase rough sheep wool from artisan communities in the Chilean countryside, then they spin the wool on antique looms in her workshop, in full view of clients. Once the fabrics are created, they are dyed in Pitti’s characteristic colors — pistachio, turquoise, orangey cherry and yellow — colors, she says, that are inspired by the bright facades of the houses in Valparaiso.

“Valparaiso has always been a cradle of artists,” she tells me. “The city is inspiring; it has a special bohemian atmosphere that breeds creativity.”

For more of Jessica’s blogs from Chile, click here and here.