Mantón de manila: A Multicultural Icon

The mantón de Manila, or Manila shawl, is more than an embroidered garment—it is a vivid record of centuries of global exchange. Emerging in 18th-century China, these silk shawls were crafted in the embroidery workshops of Guangzhou and adorned with intricate floral and bird motifs. Through the Manila–Acapulco Galleon Trade (1565–1815), they crossed the Pacific to Mexico, then journeyed across the Atlantic to Spain, where they became prized symbols of luxury and grace.

Although made in China, the shawls came to be known as mantones de Manila by the mid-19th century, a nod to the city that connected Asia, the Americas, and Europe. In Spain, they became inseparable from traditional dress—draped by women of all classes, celebrated in art and literature, and immortalized in flamenco performances. Their flowing silk and dramatic fringes gave the mantón its signature sensuality and movement.

By the late 19th century, the mantón de Manila had come to embody a dialogue between East and West, luxury and folk tradition, global commerce and local identity—a testament to the beauty born of cultural exchange.

For more information, please head to the Ayala Museum website.

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