A dress inspired by a woman who belongs to Haiti’s collective memory
Anacaona was a Taíno cacica of Xaragua, one of the major territories of the island of Ayiti before European colonization. She succeeded her brother, Bohechío, as leader of Xaragua and became one of the most prominent female figures of her time. She was also renowned as a poet and composer, contributing to the preservation and transmission of her people’s culture and memory.
Her name is generally interpreted as meaning “Golden Flower,” a name that evokes both beauty and the value associated with her legacy in Caribbean memory.
At a time marked by the arrival and expansion of the Spanish, Anacaona was also a figure of leadership and diplomacy. In 1503, while leading Xaragua, she was captured and executed on the orders of Spanish governor Nicolás de Ovando. Her tragic fate is part of the violence that marked the conquest and colonization of the island.
Centuries later, her name remains.
At Zinice Créations, we have chosen to bring this name back to life through a creation that unites couture, art, and memory.
The Anacaona dress is crafted from Haitian Karabela and becomes a canvas for artistic expression. Each dress features a hand-painted artwork, depicting a different scene. Thus, even when several women wear the same model, no two Anacaona dresses are exactly alike.
One silhouette. One story. One unique work of art.
To wear Anacaona is to let a work of art tell its own story while bringing a part of Haiti’s history and cultural richness to life through fashion.
Each piece has a soul, each image tells a story.
