Mask Envy
Vintage Fabrics Give These Masks a Retro Vibe
Laureano Faedi is sewing his way through his enormous collection of textiles
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This story is part of our series Mask Envy, where we showcase San Franciscans’ creativity and take a look at some of the coolest masks spotted around the city. Have a look you want to submit? Email us.
There’s a little something for everyone at Paloma, a goods and apparel store in Hayes Valley. It’s partly Americana, part worldly, part vintage, and part handcrafted. While the brick-and-mortar store is currently closed, owner Laureano Faedi has stayed busy fabricating masks. We chatted with Faedi about his business, his masks, and his hopes for 2021.
The Bold Italic: Hi Laureano! Tell us about yourself.
Laureano Faedi: Hi, I was born in Buenos Aires but have lived in the Bay Area for about 30 years. I attended the Art Institute here in the Bay Area and have always spent my time working in different sorts of craft and media. I mostly make leather goods, but I’m interested in all crafts, so throughout the years at Paloma, I’ve produced all sorts of products.
How would you describe Paloma?
The shop is part retail space, part studio, and part hangout. My wife and I always joke that the shop’s motto should be “shit I like and shit I make” since there’s really no rhyme or reason to what I make or sell at the shop. There’s a strong Japanese vibe that runs through Paloma based on my interest in the rich history of Japanese textiles. Everything from boro, the art of patching fabric over time, to denim, to sashiko, which is a form of embroidery.
You were already crafting apparel and using interesting techniques to do so. How has the transition to making masks during the pandemic been for you?
Like many other makers, when the lockdown hit and I had to shut my doors, I had to turn to making masks in order to be able to pay my rent, but I wanted to make something that would fit within the aesthetic of my shop.
