ORION
“Spread wings, transparent and light, follow the star map that opens the gates of heaven in the shape of an eternal heart. Love free of pain is the only key to the redemption of the soul. Because to love without fear is to fly.”
—Andrés Acosta.
Orion is “the swordsman of the sky” in astrology, the very “Osiris” for the Egyptians or “the light of the sky” for the Sumerians: a symbol of resurrection and rebirth that reminds us of the possibility of being reborn as stars. A beautiful hero of colossal size, Orion tells us that evil will never prevail and conveys messages of strength, guidance and divine wisdom.
Embodied in this project in the figure of a baby and interpreted by the Canarian model Hugo Vargas, O R I O N brings us the key to THE LIGHT. The light that liberates. The light that drives and guides you. The light that confirms. Because only in the light will you reach for the stars.
The models Libana Cabo, Vanesa Ades and Sarah Loinaz, respectively wear the creations christened Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka, in a clear tribute to the three main stars that make up the “belt of Orion” located in the constellation of Orion. They are the three muses and friends of the designer who, with their divine presence, invite us to embark on an interstellar journey into the infinite Universe.
Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka, known in cultural tradition as “the three Marias”, are three bright stars that line up in the sky at a slight inclination and which, since ancient times, civilisations such as the Egyptians considered to be a gateway to the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, the position of the three great pyramids of Giza coincides exactly with the coordinates of the celestial map.
For the Egyptians, it was the resting place of the soul of Osiris, the god of the Resurrection who presides over the court of judgement of the dead, among other attributions. For its part, the Bible speaks of the three stars in reference to three important female figures: Mary, Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany. Other myths and legends also tell stories about “the three Marys” as three red-haired, blue-eyed ladies who arrived on Earth just before the universal flood: Mary, Martha and Margot.
ALNITAK is the southernmost star. Its name comes from the Arabic “An-niṭāq” and means “the belt”. It is a triple star that is progressing towards becoming a red supergiant that will explode as a supernova.
ALNILAM is the central star and the most visible of the three, despite being the most distant: its luminosity is 380 000 times greater than that of the Sun. Its name, which comes from the Arabic “An-niżām”, means ‘pearl necklace’.
MINTAKA, the northernmost blue giant star, whose name derives from the Arabic word “Manţaqah”, also meaning “belt”.
For the three dresses that make up O R I O N, the designer chose several foulards of natural silk taffeta in delicate shades of ivory, indigo blue and pearl grey, produced entirely by hand in a total time of approximately six months in the silk workshop-museum of El Paso by Las Hilanderas. One of the wonders of the city, and recognised as an Asset of Cultural Interest by the Government of the Canary Islands, the silk of El Paso is contagious with beauty and transmits great values such as craftsmanship, tradition, the return to the origin and roots, and even re-use (we reconverted several foulards into three party dresses).
The fabrics, dyed in a natural and artisanal way using indigo and eucalyptus plants, are the celestial base of an embroidery handmade by the designer himself, again using totally sustainable elements such as lead-free crystal and recycled pearls, coming from vintage pearl necklaces in different shades. The pearl, as well as being present in the magical names of the sister stars, has a special symbolism that connects directly with the inspiration for this project. Its name comes from the Persian “murwari”, which means “daughter of light” and speaks of receptivity, of welcoming what comes from the heavens. Hidden from prying eyes by a shell that acts as a veil and protection, its spherical shape speaks to us of the infinite, of that which has no beginning and no end, of eternity, of unity, of perfection, of the development of essence, of that beauty that is hidden within us and which we are not always able to perceive. Hidden in the depths of the sea, this journey begins with a dive into the depths of ourselves until we reach the centre of our heart: the place where the purest love resides, the only access key to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The rest of the elements used range from Oeko-Tex certified organic cotton interlining, GOTS certified organic cotton yarns and for the interior, reused natural washed silks. We are therefore talking about three totally unique, exclusive and sustainable creations that are now permanently incorporated into the collection of the Silk Museum of the City of El Paso, one of those special places on the planet that have a direct connection with the Universe, accessible to our gaze just by raising our eyes to the sky, in an invitation to lose ourselves in a much more spiritual world and in an escape from the earthly reality that surrounds us. A personal tribute to the city of El Paso, which, in the heart of the island of La Palma and as its pulsating organ, is the place that emotionally connects this magical land with the firmament.