Colombia’s Vice President Wears Young Designer’s Resistance Fashion

Colombia’s Vice¹ President Wears Young Designer’s Resistance Fashion

Esteban Sinisterra is a young Black clothing designer from Colombia's largely poor Pacific area. He now designs clothes for Colombia's Vice-President Francia Marquez - the first Afro-Colombian woman to hold the position.

Sinisterra calls it "resistance" fashion. And his colorful designs for Marquez have since drawn² international attention.

Sinisterra grew up in the town of Santa Barbara Iscuande, in the Narino area. He says many young people there have few opportunities to escape involvement in the ongoing³ conflict in the country.

His background is not very different from that of Marquez. The Vice President is a former housekeeper⁴ and environmental activist⁵. She grew up in the poor town of Suarez in Cauca. Because she opposed gold mining, she faced death threats.

"In one way or another her history and my history are similar, so I think there was a very lovely spark there," said the 23-year-old Sinisterra. He now lives in the city of Cali and studies social work in addition to his job as a designer.

Sinisterra learned to make clothes from his aunt and grandmother. Describing his similarities with the Vice President, he said, "First we accept and recognize that we have roots that connect us - which is Africa - but taking into account those roots we also express the territory where we're from, the Colombian Pacific."

The clothes make you think of those roots, Sinisterra said. "It is being able to show that this is who we are...so for me fashion, my fashion, is resistance."

Words in This Story

fashion – n. the area of activity that involves styles of clothing and appearance

opportunity – n. a situation in which it is possible for you to do something that you want to do

background – n. the kind of family you come from and the kind of education you have had.

spark – n. a small amount of a quality or feeling

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。