Esmeralda Goncalves is an apparel designer who studied at Rhode Island School of Design. Her studies were inspired by the conviction that fashion is a work of art and that each garment is a performance and something to look closer at. While working at Hasbro and Cashmerrette, she found her love for woman’s design driving her to focus on women’s studies. This soon led her to work at McCann Erickson. During her time there, she learnt the value of minor details, and uses that lesson in her work today. Whether it is traveling to learn at leather tanneries or learning the indigenous textile techniques of Mexico, no detail is ever too small for her to not find beauty in.
Esmeralda’s Fulbright-Nehru project is researching Phulkari, an endangered embroidery tradition found only in Punjab, India. This tradition has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations, thereby carrying with it familial stories. Esmeralda is taking a Punjabi research course to be able to communicate with the woman she is working with. At Panjab University, she is working with the curatorial staff to learn about all the extinct techniques in embroidery’s history. Following this, she is set to have a hands-on experience in the art of making Phulkari.