Words by Andrew Forbes
“Colour inspires me” explains Camila Puya de Arcos. “It’s something that I am passionate about. It’s so important to my creative process.” The 2023 winner of the Andalucian Craftsmanship Award, and president of ÁBACA, the association of women artisans founded in Seville, is unveiling her new collection ‘Musa’.
These original, contemporary, and striking designs of handpainted natural silk for men and women, include jacket pocket squares, scarfs, foulards and of course, fans. Each embody the modern artisanship of Camila Puya de Arcos and her closeknit creative and marketing team at the Seville family business created by her mother, Margaret de Arcos more than 25 years ago.
“The inspiration for this collection, Muse, was something that’s aways been part of my life, the Andalusian tiles of our family home in Seville” continues Camila. As a child Camila would play, surrounded by the beauty of the azulejos, an immersive experience that would later inspire her with infinite possibilities.
Camila has taken her own silk road of creative discovery, reaching an exciting point in her career as an artist and a business woman.
As a child she grew up in a creative home. Her mother, Margaret de Arcos, fell in love with painting silk by hand after taking a few workshops. In 1996, after leaving her corporate career, she established her own workshop. Combining her natural artistic talents with her business acumen, she created a range of artisan products that were perfectly suited to corporate gifts and museum boutiques.
“My mother has always been my reference point as a woman, as an artist, and as an entrepreneur” confirms Camila.
“Her work captivated me, I loved to watch her paint, learning the techniques. She’d also take me to Paris, London, and Amsterdam, where she met with museums and companies, selling her collections, so I got a feel for the business side too.”
Each creation from the Margaret de Arcos studio starts as a plain piece of natural silk. The magic begins as the design is drawn out onto the silk, and then the natural pigments go from the brush to the silk, each stroke, a unique moment, an exquisite embodiment of a timeless craft that has been evolving for centuries. Each work is a story in silk, a joyous piece of art to use, to wear, and to enjoy.
“Each day I remain attentive and observant, as ideas can come at any time – this is what inspires me for each new collection. When one starts with just white silk, there is a lot of ground to cover until we create the final piece.”
Camila, and her partner Angelo Aguayo are the new generation driving this extraordinary design studio forward, highlighting the creativity of Andalucia. Margaret de Arcos retired in 2017, when Camila and Angelo began the process to prepare the business for a new era of global opportunities, creating new branding, marketing, and communications as well as developing an online store.
The Margaret de Arcos team has now grown to 7, a ‘family’ of talent that makes each collection a reality. The meticulous process of preparing the silk, creating the design, and painting the silk is done entirely by hand, with a dedicated team of 3 expert artisans, under the direction of Camila. It’s an intricate, creative collaboration of fresh artistic perspectives with a shared vision, an organic process that allows for each piece to be subtly different and unique.
With her background in fashion, Camila took the leap of faith and participated in Paris Fashion Week in 2018. This was to be a catalyst for the Margaret de Arcos new collections of fashion accessories.
Bespoke interior design pieces followed, with headboards, lampshades and screens all featuring Margaret de Arcos hand painted silk designs. “It is so very gratifying to see the evolution and growth that we are experiencing, and the overwhelmingly positive reaction from clients.”
There are now 3 experts working on the business and marketing side led by Angelo Aguayo, building awareness for the artisan products, and reaching new international markets, from their Seville based studio.
As an important part of Seville’s vibrant creative sector, Margaret de Arcos regularly opens their studio for workshops and training. “Customers not only want to enjoy the final piece, but they are fascinated to know where it came from, who made it, and how it forms part of the culture and creativity of Seville” continues Camila.
In 2023 Camila joined the Homo Faber Fellowship project as a master artisan, an educational initiative designed to immerse young talented craft graduates into the skills of artisanship. It is part of the Margaret de Arcos brand’s profound commitment to promotion of craftsmanship through nurturing new talent. Last year the firm’s studio was awarded ‘Artisan Point of Interest’ by the Andalucian regional government, in recognition of the company’s significance as a contemporary part of Seville’s centuries old tradition of working with silk.
“We want craftsmanship to be considered a modern, sustainable career – an integral part of contemporary life. It’s exciting to cherish and develop our trades in Seville, as part of our living history. I believe that craftsmanship is having a renaissance, as in our globalised world we all seek to be closer to our roots, valuing evermore quality, exclusivity, and authenticity” enthuses Camila.
The 2023/24 Musa collection represents the 21st century evolution of the Margaret de Arcos brand. Through every piece runs both the threads of tradition and innovation, embodying both Camila’s creative journey, and a contemporary interpretation of Andalucía’s artisan traditions.
Decorative wall tiles, or azulejos, have been part of the Andalucian architectural and cultural landscape for centuries but Camila didn’t want to simply replicate tile designs but instead allow the forms to inspire infinite new possibilities, resulting in original, bold designs that evoke the very essence of Seville and Andalucia.
“Even during challenging moments, our artisanal process is very beautiful. To see something emerge from the natural white silk and later be sold and enjoyed on the other side of the world is something very special, very rewarding. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such a creative team and to be involved with such extraordinarily silk painting projects.”
Information: Instagram: @MargaretDeArcos
Join Margaret de Arcos Workshop on April 27th at the SO/ Sotogrande Hotel
