Fall/Winter 2023: Touch.
Scarification is a special African form of body art that involves creating an incision in the skin then disrupting the healing process to yield a raised mark. Although today it is practiced less, it still exists in Africa and other parts of the world.
Our newest collection 'Touch, experiments with textured fabrics and physical details to transport the Pax Marila woman into a culture across the sea by drawing upon what she feels, our most intimate sense.
Touch: Sensuality
Among the many things that scars can signify, a woman may choose to obtain scars near sensitive areas, such as her face, stomach, and nipples. It is said that these particular markings stay sensitive for many years, and elicit even an erotic sensation when touched or stroked. Our Purl Knit Dress symbolizes this authority to focus on and enhance one's own sensuality.
Touch: Variety
The pattern that scars create on the body are used to tell stories. Namely, in the Mursi tribe, different patterns and shapes can indicate a war conquest, coming-of-age, spiritual clairvoyance, and more. Our Embroidered Rhinestone Top features glass gemstones that contour across the body in a multitude of ways, thus creating a unique shape depending on who wears it.
Touch: Identity
When the slave trade began in Africa, scarification served to protect natives as their scars prevented them from being taken since traders viewed unscarred faces as a sign of good health. Pax Marila pays homage to the strength of a community to persist, as they turned what was once survival into a symbol of pride and perseverance. Our Gold Sheer Masked Top serves as tribute.