For years, the needles and thread used by Katerine Avella were tools of survival. In the dense jungles of Catatumbo, Colombia, she and other women in the FARC rebels spent their days mending boots and repairing uniforms—practical, utilitarian work required for a life of conflict.
Today, those same skills are being used to stitch together a different kind of future. Through a high-fashion initiative, these women ex-combatants weaving reconciliation in Colombia are transforming their technical precision into a vehicle for peace, moving from the secrecy of the jungle to the spotlights of the country’s most prestigious runways.
The transition began as part of the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and FARC rebels, which established frameworks to aid former fighters reintegrate into civilian life. In the Catatumbo region, a territory long scarred by violence and instability, Avella helped establish “Stitches for Peace,” a workshop designed not only to teach a trade but to provide a sanctuary for women to recover their confidence and prevent gender-based violence.
While the project started with basic apparel like T-shirts and uniforms, it evolved into something more ambitious in 2021. Through an initiative led by the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, Avella met Lina Garcés, an economist and the founder of a second-hand boutique in Cúcuta called Lina’s Closet.
A Bridge Between Victim and Combatant
The partnership between Avella and Garcés was not an straightforward one. Garcés brought her own trauma to the table; her family had been victims of kidnapping during the conflict, leaving a legacy of pain that made the prospect of working with former combatants daunting.
Despite her reservations, Garcés traveled to Caño Indio, deep in the Catatumbo jungle. She found a stark environment of zinc roofs, unpaved roads, and prefabricated housing, but she also discovered an unexpected level of craftsmanship. Garcés recalls that the women possessed an “impressive ability,” noting that those who sewed did so with incredible precision and those who cut fabric worked with the pulse of a professional.
Together, they spent fifteen days refining designs and sizing, eventually creating a line of wraparound skirts. They named the brand “Ixora, inclusive and autonomous,” after the Ixora flower, a plant that blooms year-round in Catatumbo and serves as a local symbol of resistance and perseverance.
The brand’s first collection debuted in late 2021 at the Julio Pérez library in Cúcuta, featuring a runway that brought together both peace signatories and victims of the conflict. The project eventually gained national momentum, appearing in fashion shows in Bogotá, Tibú, and Ocaña. By 2022, Ixora reached the pinnacle of the Colombian textile industry, appearing as special guests on the catwalk at Colombiamoda in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
The emotional climax of this journey occurred during a public discussion at the Cúcuta Book Fair. For the first time, Garcés shared her family’s history of kidnapping with the audience. Addressing the former combatants, she stated: “For me, today they are sensitive women, who want to move forward. For my part, there was forgiveness; now I want to support them and let more people know their work so that we can live in peace.”
The Fragility of Peace
The ascent of the Ixora brand serves as a powerful case study in reincorporation, but it also highlights the volatility of the region. In January 2023, a surge of violence swept through Catatumbo, leading to the murder of social leaders and ex-combatants, and forcing thousands of families to flee their homes.
The insecurity forced the sewing workshop in Caño Indio to close. Avella recalls that the women were too afraid to return to the site, as the immediate priority shifted from entrepreneurship to basic survival.
In a bittersweet turn of events, the group received official notification from the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce that Ixora had been registered as a formal trademark in Colombia during the height of the crisis. However, the milestone went uncelebrated. “It wasn’t the time,” Avella said. “There was too much uncertainty.”
The Path Toward Recovery
Currently, the Ixora project is in a state of “forced pause.” While the sewing machines remain in Caño Indio, the women are awaiting security guarantees that would allow them to relocate to a safer rural area near Cúcuta.
Despite the physical closure of the workshop, the association is pivoting toward psychological and social resilience. The brand recently secured a project with the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN) to provide self-care and psychological support for other women affected by the conflict.
This new phase shifts the focus from income generation to holistic well-being, aiming to provide a space for healing for those who have lived through the trauma of war. Avella describes the project as a dream, noting that beyond the financial aspects, it is about keeping the association alive and demonstrating that a different way of living is possible.
The women of Ixora now wait for the moment they can safely return to their machines. In a region where peace is often interrupted, they remain tethered to the symbol of the flower that shares their name—hoping to bloom again despite the conditions.
For those affected by the ongoing conflict in Colombia, support services are available through the Colombian Red Cross and various UN-affiliated humanitarian agencies.
The next critical milestone for the group remains the secure relocation of their equipment and personnel to Cúcuta, pending government security clearances.
Do you believe fashion and art can effectively bridge the gap between victims and perpetrators in post-conflict zones? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
