Encarnación Berrio López

Embroiderer

The veiled charm of the mantilla

Encarnación specialises in handmade veils and fans
She is renowned for crafting the mantilla, the traditional Spanish liturgical lace or silk veil
Queen Sofia of Spain and Queen Noor of Jordan are among her distinguished customers

Mantillas and veils, with variations in shapes and textures, are precious accessories in the Spanish tradition. Encarnación Berrio López started embroidering mantillas and veils in her mother's workshop when she was a young girl. In 1999, she opened her workshop in Granada to offer the unique pieces she and her family have been creating for decades, preserving the tradition of her ancestors for future generations. Over the decades of her career, Encarnación has become a reference in the world of mantillas. She has developed her own timeless style that royals in her country and abroad turn to. Often seen in Goya's paintings and Balenciaga's designs, veils continue to embody femininity today.

Interview

Did you learn your craft from a master?: I started learning the craft with my mother in our family workshop in Granada. In those days, neither she nor the other artisans who worked with us were acknowledged as masters. There was no such concept or title. The most important lesson I remember was repairing damaged parts of mantillas and veils.
How is your craft linked to the area where you live?: For decades in Granada, Spain, women have dedicated themselves to embroidering the Spanish mantilla, a garment worn as an accessory on special occasions such as religious masses, weddings and bullfights. On these occasions, the Manolas, the godmothers of the bullfighters, dress with mantillas, peinetas (decorative hair combs) and mantones (shawls). The mantilla is a symbol of our homeland.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: It is a very traditional craft that does not allow for any kind of evolution. We create the final products with our hands according to traditional methods, using bands, hoops, rods, needles, thimbles, drawings on paper and thread alongside the raw tulle material.
What would you say to a young artisan who wants to do the same work as you?: It is a very demanding, meticulous craft that requires a lot of concentration, passion and hours of work. I would tell them to work with patience, passion and pride to carry on the tradition that characterises this craft.

Encarnación Berrio López is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1971 and she started teaching in 2020