The Challenge
The MALI (Museum of Art of Lima) invited members of ADÑ, Peru's Design Association, to create exclusive merchandise inspired by The Incas: Beyond an Empire, a landmark exhibition four years in the making. The challenge was to transform one of Peru's richest cultural legacies into a contemporary product people would genuinely want to wear.
The Solution
After exploring multiple concepts, we chose an unexpected direction: a set of three unisex socks. Drawing from Inca textiles, architecture, and symbolic patterns, we reinterpreted these elements through bold graphics and modern color palettes, creating everyday objects that connect heritage with contemporary design.
Detailed Overview
The Incas: Beyond an Empire was one of the MALI's most ambitious exhibitions, bringing together years of research to present a new perspective on the Inca civilization. To accompany the exhibition, the museum invited members of ADÑ to design exclusive merchandise that would be sold throughout the exhibition's run.
Rather than approaching the brief through conventional souvenirs, we looked for a product that could naturally become part of everyday life. After exploring a wide range of possibilities, we landed on a collection of three unisex socks, an unexpected format that allowed cultural references to become wearable design.
Each pair draws inspiration from the visual language of the Inca world, from geometric textile patterns to architectural forms and symbolic motifs, translating them into contemporary compositions through vibrant color and clean graphic execution. The collection creates a dialogue between past and present, celebrating one of Peru's greatest cultural legacies through an object designed not for display, but for everyday use.
Rather than approaching the brief through conventional souvenirs, we looked for a product that could naturally become part of everyday life. After exploring a wide range of possibilities, we landed on a collection of three unisex socks, an unexpected format that allowed cultural references to become wearable design.
Each pair draws inspiration from the visual language of the Inca world, from geometric textile patterns to architectural forms and symbolic motifs, translating them into contemporary compositions through vibrant color and clean graphic execution. The collection creates a dialogue between past and present, celebrating one of Peru's greatest cultural legacies through an object designed not for display, but for everyday use.
