2024-03-02 01:03:03
Photos: Jorge Luis Borges
Text: Karla Castillo
The fair every December is an event awaited by Cubans: there is always something new to buy and artisan brands to discover. This year we did not have the International Crafts Fair in Havana, but if you thought you were left wanting, it will not be like that, another proposal was already inaugurated, the National Crafts Fair.
The Havana headquarters is the Cultural Station on Línea and 18, and is joined by the Rancho Boyeros Fairgrounds in order to bring the event closer to other areas of the province, and reduce the concentration of people in a single place.
The inauguration this Tuesday featured two catwalks that placed the guests a little in what have been the latest works of two Cuban designers, Hilda Rosa Peña Hernández and Mariela Alemán, with the Habana 501 and África mia collections, respectively.
One, returning to the guayabera as a characteristic piece of Creole clothing but bringing it to more contemporary styles, the other recalling African culture with stylish prints, garments and turbans. Both with models from Entre Poses and Agencia Actuar, plus musical arrangements by the well-known Rodney Barreto.
Until December 28, the Cuban capital will host the event, while in other provinces it has been taking place since December 4 and will continue until January 9, 2021.
As we have previously said, the uniqueness of this fair lies precisely in that, not focusing the event on a single place, while specific measures will be taken according to the space, to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Another condition is that this year Cuban artisans have seen their productions affected by the shortage of materials, even so the stands available at the fair have a variety of products, perhaps not the usual quantity, but given how the situation is, they are worthy proposals. .
The entrance for the public would be on the opening day from 12 noon, but from nine in the morning, the queue was forming, and even at three in the afternoon, it was maintained with a large influx of public, controlled by several police patrols outside the center, while inside, some workers struggled to break up the small crowds at the stands.
Leather goods, clothing, ceramics, lighting and furniture, as I said, the offer is somewhat varied, and in the midst of the Ordering Task, one might think that the public would have certain reservations about buying products at the fair, in order to save for monetary changes and price increases, but it is not appreciated that way.