Gorgeous Hand Embroidered Red Shipibo Women's dress

In the Shipibo language, this is called a Chitonti, the traditional dress for women. Shipibo women often hand-embroider their own Chitontis, saving pieces like this for special occasions because of the immense time required to create them.

I bought this Chitonti from a Shipibo friend who had it hanging in his room for years. What makes it unique is that while traditional Chitontis are usually embroidered on a black or white base, this one has a gorgeous, deep red base.

It also features a very unique Kené—it’s not the typical Maya or Xao Kené you usually see on dresses. The fabric has a rough, aged feel from hanging on a wall in the Amazon for so long. It has such an authentic Amazonian look to it; it’s a great piece.