Argentine Cowboys Turn Trendsetters

In Argentina, the traditional "gaucho" (cowboy) lifestyle is dying out -- but their traditional trousers, known as bombachas, are enjoying a new lease of life.

Published

4 months ago

Categories

World, Arts & Society

Topics

Arts & Culture

Places

Argentina, Buenos Aires

Transcript

SCRIPT: It’s a classic postcard image of Argentina – the gaucho, or cowboy, rounding up his cattle on horseback. But this traditional way of life is dying out – as cattle ranches give way to more lucrative soya plantations grown for biofuel. SOUNDBITE 1, José Peluffo (man) , cattle farmer (Spanish, 12 sec) “The world is globalized now, so people have changed. We no longer have real roots in the land and so there’s been a deep loss of identity” (In Spanish: Está todo el mundo muy globalizado. Entonces la gente por moda va cambiando. No hay un arraigo verdadero. Hay una perdida de identidad muy profunda.) Since 2003 a third of Argentina’s cultivated land has switched from livestock to crops. But At least part of the cowboy lifestyle is still going strong tough – their billowing trousers, called bombachas. Legend has it they arrived in Argentina in the nineteenth century, when the country accepted a shipment of military uniforms from Turkey, left over from the Crimean War. Perfect for horseback riding, the trousers caught on among cattle herders and wealthy landowners alike. SOUNDBITE 2, José Peluffo (man), cattle farmer (Spanish, 8 sec) “I’m very used to wearing these clothes, they’re comfortable and I’m proud to wear them” [In Spanish: Estoy super acostumbrado a usar esta ropa. Me queda comodo y a parte me la pongo con orgullo] And to buy your bombachas – this is the place to come. “Aux Charpentiers” is a Buenos Aires boutique founded by French immigrants at the end of the 19th century. A classic cotton pair costs about 60 euros. The shop has featured in fashion magazines around the world and is a key stop for stylish tourists. SOUNDBITE 3, Juan Robiglio (man) , owner of “Aux Charpentiers” (Spanish, 12 sec) “They'll never disappear, because they're something clients tell us they wouldn’t change for anything in the world, because they're fresh and comfortable” [In Spanish: No va a desaparecer porque es una prenda a traves de los comentarios de los clientes que no la cambiarian por nada del mundo porque es comoda, es fresca] Here, the bombachas are entirely hand-made. SOUNDBITE 4, Carmen (woman), seamstress at “Aux Charpentiers” (Spanish, 20 sec) “Bombachas are a lot of work. The strap, a pocket here, a pocket there… this pair has five pockets. Those over there only have three pockets, thank goodness, and they don’t have buttons. That takes time” [In Spanish: La bombacha lleva mucho trabajo. Tablerito, bolsillito, bolsillo acá,… Lleva 5 bolsillos esta bombacha. En cambio, la que compras por ahí lleva 3 bolsillos y gracias. Y si ojal y sin boton. Todo esto lleva tiempo.] The shop now sells new designs for a younger clientele – narrower bombachas for the city, or linen ones for the summer. Argentina’s gauchos may be making way for soya in the country – but in the city, they’re fashion icons. SHOTLIST: BUENOS AIRES/AYACUCHO, ARGENTINA, DECEMBER 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV -VAR of gauchos herding cattle SOUNDBITE 1 -VAR of Juan Peluffo and his colleagues posing in theri bombachas SOUNDBITE 2 -VAR of exterior of "Aux Charpentiers" boutique -VAR of tailors at work on bombachas SOUNDBITE 3 -VAR of Carmen sewing bombachas SOUNDBITE 4 -VAR of new designs of bombachas in the shop