"When that 'little black dress' is not enough ... SHANGRILA!"
The Ruana
What is a ruana? RUANA is a Spanish word for an outer cape garment made from flat often rectangular pieces of fabric. In cold mountainous regions of South America, traditional ruanas are made from woven wool. We make ours from vividly colorful silk velvet devore and thus take this simple traditional garment to a new level of fashion. A ruana is like a cape but the front and back panels are of equal length and the sleeves are not stitched. It is longer in the front and back than on the sides. This allows the wearer to throw one, or both, panels over the opposite shoulder. It is vary similar in design concept to the Quechquemitl, a prehistoric Mexican garment that we have re-invented in silk velvet as the "Amarna Shawl." By contrast, Ponchos have a 16" neck opening and Ruanas are unseamed all the way down the front half of the piece.
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| Ruana | Poncho | Quechquemitl |
Click HERE to ORDER a RUANA in any of our silk velvet devore styles and colors!
A ruana cape is versatile, elegant and one size fits all. Unlike the Poncho, it has a split front to hang free or drape over the shoulders and a full back. Shangri-La made a demonstration video that presents twenty different ways to wear ruanas. You may wear it off one shoulder and draped across the front to form a dramatic cowl in the front. The possible ways to wear the ruana are as dizzying as the wrap itself. Cross one side or both with your favorite brouch or pin, cross it under itself, leave it open, or wear it as a wrap skirt or dress. The list goes on as your imagination grows. Pass belt or sash around your waist inside the ruana in back and outside in front. Gather the fronts together in pleats for a nomad look. This will be the most unique item in your wardrobe and amaze your friends.
Click HERE to see a video clip of You Min Gosline showing 20 different ways to wear a ruana. Shangri-La made this instructional video in the Spring of 2004. Since then we have come up with even MORE ways to wear a ruana! This is still a fantastic reference that you should bookmark! Warning: The download time is long, especially if you have dial up.
Worn with anything, ruanas take you in beauty and comfort to concerts, weddings, banquets and the most elegant occasions. Pair a ruana with jeans to stand out beautifully on an ordinary Saturday. Wear our ruanas whenever you want to be noticed as a woman of style and glamour. To refresh your ruana after unpacking, mist it with water on the inside and toss in the dryer or hang to dry. You never need to take your velvet ruana to a dry cleaner!
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