Celebrating our roots

113 years after the Mexican Revolution, PAAR celebrates its Mexican roots.

PAAR celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year and does so with a collection full of heart and soul. On the one hand, it celebrates the strength and fighting spirit of Mexican women through ADELITAS a collection inspired by Mexican women who contributed to photography, literature, law, architecture and many other fields. On the other, it takes silver as a banner of Mexican pride. The collection is genderless, for all ages, and styles, and can be combined with other pieces and collections from the brand. The timelessness and quality of the pieces also reaffirms PAAR's commitment to creating fine jewellery that can utlimately become family heirlooms, and can be passed down from generation to generation.

Twenty years after Paulina Villalpando created PAAR, she became the image of the collection's campaign for the first time, deeply aware of the fact that this represents what she seeks to honor and celebrate through the collection.

“There are so many similarities between revolutionary women and Mexican women today,” says Paulina. “We find ourselves at a critical moment in the history of Mexico. On the one hand, women increasingly participate in the economic development of the country. We represent Mexico abroad, we participate in politics, we have our companies, and we do everything possible to help one another. On the other hand, we suffer daily from systematized violence and endemic patriarchy. It is a terrible duality.”

Therefore, by remembering these women and their strength, the collection invites us to reevaluate the role of women in Mexican society. The Adelitas were revolutionaries, silent figures who supported the revolution, one of the most important moments in the history of Mexico.

 Pre-hispanic value

The use of sterling silver throughout the collection is also part of the brand's celebration to Mexican traditions. Silver in Mexico has been extracted and used since the pre-Hispanic era and is part of the ancestral wisdom and practices of indigenous peoples. Mexico is one of the main producers of silver, and buying handmade jewelry made with Mexican silver helps keep the silversmith tradition alive.

"For me it was important to make a collection using Mexican silver. Mexico is one of the most important silver producers and has a vast number of silversmiths who know how to work with it. Buying jewelry made out of Mexican silver helps to keep this important tradition alive', says Paulina, founder of PAAR.

Revolutionary women

'Adelitas' were crucial in the fight for equality and workers rights during the Mexican Revolution. Many mothers, wives, daughters, abandoned the limited role they had in the domestic sphere to support the revolutionary struggle. It was one of the first moments in the recent history of Mexico where women began to take a more participatory role in politics and the general direction of the country. The majority were from the north of the country and served as spies, they supplied food to the military camps, some participated in the battlefields and also cared for the wounded. Thanks to them, many social barriers were broken, which allowed them to become singers, authors, and contributors of the great scientific, social, literary, academic, and political advances of the twentieth century.

“The pieces in this collection are made to last a long time in order to be passed down from generation to generation, just as many of us inheritted silver jewellery from our grandmothers, mothers or aunts” - says Paulina.

Adelitas

Each piece in the collection is named after an ADELITA, or other brilliant women who have revolutionized life in Mexico. The revolutionary Adelitas are:

Adela

Adela Velarde “Adelita” was a heroine of the Mexican Revolution. At the age of 13, and against her parents' will, she enlisted in the Mexican Revolution to join a group of nurses, helping thousands of wounded soldiers.

Dolores

Dolores Jiménez, one of the most recognized revolutionaries, participated in the Mexican Liberal Party and joined the Anti-Reelection Women's Club called "Hijas de Cuauhtémoc". He participated in the drafting of the political and social plan proclaimed in Tacubaya and prepared the prologue of the Ayala Plan.

María

María Arias Bernal participated in decrees in favor of women, such as the Divorce Law, the Marriage Law and the Family Relations Law, which recognized equality between women and men within the family.

Hermila

Hermila Galindo was one of the most important feminists in Mexico between 1915 and 1919. She was present in the ranks of constitutionalism and promoted the social development of women. Also, she made several diplomatic trips abroad to promote the importance of female self-sufficiency, encouraging all women to claim their rights.

Discover all the products here and know more about other mexican women that inspired us, read here.