The Dwell 24: Magnetic Midnight Maison
Ancestral craft knowledge is central to the fabrication of Bogotá designer Lucia Echavarría’s objects.
Ancestral craft knowledge is central to the fabrication of Bogotá designer Lucia Echavarría’s objects.
Lucia Echavarría has always been drawn to festive moments. When she started her Bogotá, Colombia, fashion studio, Magnetic Midnight, nearly a decade ago, it was only fitting for her works to feel celebratory—of craft, of color, and of her native country.
What started as a collection of one-of-a-kind headpieces evolved through the years to include other small accessories like bags, belts, and, most recently, into home wares as Magnetic Midnight Maison. The name is a reference to the time of day when the earth’s two magnetic poles align. It’s believed to be the optimal time to see the aurora borealis, and Echavarría’s notion is that her headpieces, like the auroras, are a special sight.
Sibundoy table lamp by Magnetic Midnight Maison
Photo courtesy Lucia Echavarría
"Headpieces have been used throughout history in all cultures to honor important occasions," she says. "For me, it was an initial canvas to explore themes and play with different materials and crafts."
Not only does Magnetic Midnight Maison mark an expansion in design, it marks an expansion of material. Echavarría credits Colombia’s unique geographical position and biodiversity for its extensive range of raw materials, particularly natural fibers.
For her headpieces, Echavarría initially focused almost exclusively on iraca palm leaf weaving from the town of Usiacurí, where the leaf is separated into fibers, braided around a wire structure, then sewn together "almost like an embroidery." From there, she experimented by combining that technique with gold plating, appliqués, and beading.
Similarly, the Sibundoy lamp was born from an appreciation of ceremony and hyperlocal artisanry. The fully beaded lamp is made by the Kamënstá community in the Putumayo territory; Echavarría explains that the beaded necklaces typically used by the Kamënstá women inspired her to create the lampshade, while the base of the lamp is decorated with a bead inlay technique traditionally used in ceremonial masks. "I wanted to create an object that combined the two ways in which beads are used while respecting the innate language and motifs of the craft," she says.
Throughout her anthology, Echavarría has worked with more than 80 artisans across various regions of Colombia, specializing in several distinct craft techniques. "I would like my pieces to reflect the fact that each element is handmade, that there is an artisan, a family, a community behind each piece and that their ancestral knowledge and know-how imbues every step of the fabrication," she says.
Looking ahead, Echavarría remains committed to creating timeless pieces that bring joy and celebration into everyday life. "The aspect I connect the most with is the ability of craft to tell a story," she says. "Each piece carries the mark of its maker."
You can learn more about Magnetic Midnight Maison by visiting the studio’s website or on Instagram.
Top photo courtesy Lucia Echavarría
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