Makinasqa is a universe.

At the heart of the Agustina brand lies an ancestral art that has adapted to changing times without losing its essence: the art of Makinasq’a embroidery. This type of embroidery, whose name comes from Quechua and means “made by machine,” is a technique that fuses artisanal mastery with the support of mechanical tools, allowing the creation of designs with an almost unimaginable visual and textural richness..

Origins and Meaning of the Technique:

This knowledge finds its roots in the Peruvian Andes, where the textile tradition has long served as a language for telling stories, transmitting beliefs, and honoring Pachamama (Mother Earth). Although the sewing machine introduces a modern element, each piece remains the result of the vision and skill of the folk artist, who guides the needle with almost choreographic precision, bringing to life flowers, birds, constellations, stories, and countless symbols that converse with the identity of our culture.

This technique has a notable presence in the Colca Valley, where artisans use sewing machines to render vibrant designs inspired by the surrounding landscape and its local flora and fauna, symbolically reflecting their Collagua or Cabana roots intertwined with the identity of the Colca Valley in Arequipa. These pre-Inca peoples, heirs to a worldview that celebrates the connection between earth and cosmos, left a vibrant legacy in their textiles. The Collagua, known for the ritual cranial deformation that symbolized status and spiritual connection, and the Cabana, with a more natural aesthetic, both shared a deep respect for nature.

Their embroideries were not merely decorative but visual narratives of beliefs, mythologies, and relationships with the Apus (sacred mountain spirits) and Pachamama. Geometric and figurative motifs—llamas, birds, astral symbols—become living fragments of these millenary cultures.

In 2018, the knowledge, skills, and practices associated with embroidery in the Colca Valley were declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation, recognizing their cultural and artisanal value.

The first sewing machines began to be used in Makinasq’a embroidery during the first half of the 20th century. The Indigenous tailor Julián Choquevilca, originally from San Pablo in the province of Canchis, Cusco, is credited with introducing this technique to the region in the early 1950s. The arrival of the hand-cranked sewing machine allowed folk artists to explore new creative possibilities while preserving the essence of traditional embroidery (Digital Commons, University of Nebraska–Lincoln).

Beyond his technical skill, Choquevilca was recognized for his ability to create unique patterns that reflected the cultural identity of his community. His work not only embellished traditional garments but also helped preserve and disseminate Andean embroidery techniques, adapting them to modern times without losing their ancestral essence. One of his earliest known works is an embroidered dress made for the daughter of Mrs. Anselma Aragón Durán, created around 1950–1952 in San Pablo.

An Art That Emerges from the Soul and Continues to Evolve

At Agustina, Makinasq’a embroidery was our first encounter with artisanal embroidery. For us, it is much more than a technique—it is an act of preservation and evolution. Each design is born from a collaboration between our creative team and the embroiderers, who contribute not only their skill but also their heritage and sensitivity. Despite the use of a machine, manual intervention remains essential: the artisan guides the fabric and controls the machine to create the designs, requiring a deep understanding of patterns and exceptionally precise coordination.

It is important to distinguish Makinasq’a embroidery from computerized embroidery—they are not the same. While the former involves the manual control of a sewing machine by a folk artist, the latter relies on programmed machines that execute pre-set designs with minimal human intervention. Makinasq’a embroidery retains a high degree of manual involvement, which is precisely what gives it its artisanal character (Journals OpenEdition).

An Embroidery That Connects with the Magical World

This idea reflects how, in many Indigenous cultures—especially in the Andes—textile art is deeply connected to the sacred and the symbolic. Textiles do not serve only an aesthetic or utilitarian function; they also act as a means of communication with the spiritual world. Each color, form, and pattern can carry meanings tied to the Andean worldview: the connection with Pachamama, the Apus (mountain spirits), or the duality of the universe (hanan and hurin).

Indigenous art reflects life, the cosmos, and the spirit of living in community. It carries within it messages of what is enduring and timeless.

Makinasq’a embroidery does more than adorn—it connects. It brings together past and present, the ancestral and the contemporary, and people with the stories they wear. At Agustina, each garment stands as a testament to this connection: a bridge between worlds that, through textile art, meet and recognize one another.

Sources

• Digital Commons, University of Nebraska–Lincoln: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu

• OpenEdition Journals: https://journals.openedition.org

• El Arte Textil — Delia Vidal de Milla