The art of Xiana
Creation, art and passion in every detail.
Photograph: Ana Paes
It was clear to Xiana that her path would be linked to what her hands could create, and so, together with the discovery of digital printing, she gave birth to her precious brand, with beautiful and delicate products that tell her story and everything she had experienced up to that moment.
1. Tell us about yourself and your work. Where did your vocation begin? Any first memories?
Well, I think in a fairly organic way. I started studying Art History because I knew that this was the branch I was interested in, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. During those years of my degree, I realised that my thing was working with my hands, drawing and/or doing something applied. That's why I decided to study Fashion Design. I immediately started working for the industry and that's where I discovered the exciting world of printing... first digital, where I worked for many years, then garment design and, later on, with my own brand where I opened up more to textile art in general and other fields such as hand printing, embroidery, etc...
At home there was always a lot of design, a lot of interest in art and creation. I remember all my childhood, until I was eleven years old when we moved, with a house in the process of being built. Our house was built progressively, investing what my parents could at each moment and each phase was an adventure. I remember my father made a miniature model of the house. He contributed, although he was not an architect, to its design based on the ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright's organic architecture and other references within self-sufficient architecture. My mother was very fond of decoration, fabrics... and there were always scraps around the house, so I grew up making my dolls' dresses with the cuttings, even though we didn't have a machine, I always sewed by hand... madness! I guess all that was the seed of what would later become my passion.
2. What do you find most satisfying about your work, and any that you are particularly proud of?
I always have a hard time keeping just one thing... but the process itself. The remains or traces left by the process of creating a design fascinate me more and more, even more than the finished result. I also love the moment of the photo shoot, where everything makes sense and the work of many months is exposed as a whole. The pieces relate to each other in a place, with some people... And when it comes to a piece, a collection or something more tangible, I'm very proud of the SOL scarfwhich is part of the Eclipse collection. It's a very simple design but it works really well. A clear example of less is more. We brought it out in the middle of the pandemic and we really hit the nail on the head, it was light in those strange and uncertain days. We ran out of stock very quickly...
Photography: Ana Paes
3. What is your creative process like? What are your sources of inspiration? Any particular music while working?
The beginning of a collection can be many things... but normally they always respond to what I have lived at that time, the exhibitions I have seen, the books I have read, films, experiences... In the end, I suppose it is a question of putting things together and they start to connect with each other... I don't know how it happens but in the end it all makes sense, or maybe that is what I want to think.
Photography: Ana Paes
I spend a lot of time working in silence or just listening to podcasts... but lately I'm in a musical phase for work and I'm listening to a lot of Andrew Bird, Leonie Evans, Wilco, Yo la tengo....
4. Favourite colour, book, film and record - in that order! ;D
Red.
The fabric of civilisation by Virginia Postrel.
Harold and Maud (1971) by Hal Ashby.
Houses of the Holly by Led Zeppelin.
But that's what came to me now, if you ask me tomorrow maybe I'll answer you something else (haha).
5. Is your home a reflection of who you are? Tell us what it smells like, your favourite corner, your favourite decorative object or piece of furniture, if you have a collection... And if you have a pet, introduce it to us!
I don't know what my house smells like... but a friend of my daughter's always says it smells great. I'm not one for air fresheners, just sometimes a candle. I'm very fussy about strong smells, I can't stand air fresheners or very floral perfumes... I'm inclined to go for the most natural thing: to ventilate well. In Santiago there is a lot of humidity so it's basic. I recently started using Marseille soap on my clothes, so it leaves little or no smell. I do smell like coffee in the morning and some afternoons like freshly baked biscuits or sponge cake, my daughter loves to cook...
I am particularly fond of a chestnut table that my father made for me many years ago. When we left home to study abroad, my father made a table for each of my sisters and me. If I had designed it myself I probably wouldn't make it like that, it's a very turned style, but I love it.
I don't have a pet, the idea of having an animal in a flat doesn't really appeal to me. When I lived at my parents' house we always had dogs and they were part of our life, I liked them a lot! But they were always outside, they were happy but we didn't share sleeping, eating, etc. space. So, for now, I don't feel that need, although my daughter does... maybe I'll change my mind one day....
Photography: Ana Paes
6. If you could buy anything right now and take it home, what would it be? Anything!
A hammock. To take a nap or just to think and relax... It's like being back in the womb. I think it's marvellous, but we're not used to it here because of the climate. I can also use a hanging "egg" chair.
7. A great plan at home always includes...
Friends, music and beers with snacks!
8. Do you have a signature dish?
I like to cook but due to lack of time I don't do it much and I'm a bit lazy, I admit it, so I'm super practical and I'm great at solving quickly. If I tell you that I make a potato omelette with potatoes cooked in the microwave? I promise it comes out great and people freak out when I tell them I've made the potato that way. So, I could say that at this stage of my life, the "express potato omelette" is my star dish.
9 What is your favourite place in your city? And abroad?
I have many favourite places in my city, but if I had to choose one right now it would be a walk along the banks of the river Sar. One of the best things about Santiago is that there are so many green areas in the city that give me life.
When abroad it's difficult to choose just one, but I'd really love to go back to the flea market in Paris (Saint Ouen). I'm crazy about this kind of markets, I have pieces from there that I treasure like gold.
10. Something you want to tell us that we haven't asked you, speak now or forever hold your peace!
This year I will have my scarves in the Royal Botanic Garden shop inside the Madrid Design Festivalfrom February to April. We are very excited about this because we love this place and whenever we visit the city we always drop by. It is a place of reference for us.
