Our History

Lara Lladhon

ARTISAN LEGACY

Lara Lladhon is the third generation of children of Syrian-Lebanese and Ukrainian immigrants. From a young age, she was immersed in textiles that were part of her family tradition, preserving the layettes for each child born into the family. The grandmothers were responsible for preparing each piece for the newborn, using the most intricate stitches and techniques. Among them, there was a playful rivalry over who could create the best or most beautiful pieces, instilling in Lara a deep appreciation for textiles and those fabrics marked by family identity: ‘the love of the grandmothers.’

In the 90s, in her village, there were not as many opportunities for sports or extracurricular activities as there are today. Girls would go to learn sewing in workshops at the public library or, with luck and patience, learn to knit at home.

After lunch, I remember my grandmother visiting us daily for coffee, and during those winter afternoons, when the weather encouraged it, she would teach me to knit with two needles. My grandmother, Antonia, was very strict when teaching; she liked you to learn quickly and well. The first piece I made had 16 rows done, and when I proudly showed her my progress, she immediately noticed a mistake. She then told me that if I wanted to learn, I had to unravel ten rows and knit them again…

My grandmother knew countless techniques and created the most beautiful pieces. In her family, each of her sisters had a task and responsibility at home; she would knit and sew clothing for her family, while her sister made beautiful embroideries. As a teenager, on each birthday, I would receive a beautiful embroidered handkerchief from my mother or grandmother, a family legacy. Today, I treasure them and display them with pride.

The turns of life connected me with a family of artisan artists. Through them, I began learning weaving techniques, immersing myself in a world of colors, textures, and noble materials that rekindled my enthusiasm for creating.

After much effort, we built our workshop in the heart of the monte santiagueño. Immersed in nature and respecting its rhythms, we create woolen textile pieces with a talented team of artisan weavers, using sheep’s wool. We start the process with shearing from the producer, followed by selecting the wool, carding, and spinning, then continue with dyeing, warping, threading, and weaving on the loom.

After several years, we decided to name our project. Thus, Pintuna was formally born in 2023.

Lara Lladhon