The show showcases the result of another partnership between the designer and artisans from Minas Gerais

The Casa Bordada Project arrives at São Paulo Fashion Week with a collection that combines tradition and contemporary creation, the result of the work of 58 artisans from Barra Longa (MG) under the creative direction of designer Ronaldo Fraga. The initiative strengthens and projects the future of the embroidery art of Meninas da Barra — a group formed by dozens of embroiderers from the city who preserve ancestral techniques and local culture. The partnership with Fraga has lasted a decade and began with the As Mudas project, created after the break of the Fundão dam in 2015, and continued with Minha Casa em Mim, both presented on the designer's catwalk during the fashion week.

The Casa Bordada Project strengthens the role of the embroiderers as protagonists of their own history, stimulating financial independence and preserving knowledge passed down through generations. This initiative is an initial partnership with Fundação Renova (currently under liquidation) and was included in the New Rio Doce Agreement for completion by Samarco, as part of the transition actions.

Now, Casa Bordada marks a new chapter in this relationship, reaffirming embroidery — an art passed down from mothers to daughters and recognized as intangible heritage of Barra Longa since 2005 — as a cultural expression and source of income in the region. For a year, Ronaldo Fraga developed a process of qualification and collective creation with the artisans. His original designs came off the paper and into life in the hands of the embroiderers, who transformed them into embroidery using traditional techniques, such as Richelieu — a typical embroidery of Barra Longa, which is linked to the formation of the city itself and is passed down from generation to generation — as well as cross-stitch, crochet, and satin stitch. For Fraga, working with the embroiderers goes far beyond creating fashion: “It is an act of cultural preservation and resistance, where each stitch carries stories and lives.”

The work combined tradition and experimentation, allowing each artisan to imprint her own interpretation on the embroidery. The workshops also encouraged the application of these techniques on different supports and combinations of materials. From this exchange emerged accessories, necklaces, tableware, and cushions, in which embroidery is mixed with clay, soapstone, pearl beads, denim, and other fabrics, expanding the creative possibilities.

The collection presented at São Paulo Fashion Week speaks of Minas Gerais through the greatest name in Minas Gerais culture, Milton Nascimento, whose legacy inspires the appreciation of memory and culture. As a tribute to the singer, some pieces in the collection are named after his iconic songs, such as the Student Heart Necklace, the Maria Maria Necklace, and the Life's Dances Necklace. The pieces in the collection will be available for sale on website www.casabordada.com.br, where you can learn about all the products, their history, and detailed information.