Pollera

The pollera is a traditional skirt and ensemble with origins in Spain, Panama, Bolivia, and Peru, each region developing its own distinctive styles and cultural significance over time.

In Spain, polleras were colorful wool or cotton skirts with embroidered ruffles, worn by women nearly a century ago, often paired with a decorated top and a headdress called a tembleque.

The Panamanian pollera has evolved into the national folk costume, crafted by specialized artisans with elaborate embroidery and lacework. Panamanian polleras are handmade, vary by region and occasion, and can be highly expensive. They reflect a mix of Indigenous, European, and Afro-Antillean influences and identities, and can be worn by everyone.

The Bolivian and Peruvian polleras are pleated skirts, mostly associated with Indigenous and mestizo women, especially in urban and rural settings. In Bolivia, the pollera became a visible marker of class and ethnic identity, and is central to both social activism and cultural resistance.