As part of the closing celebrations for the Qatar Argentina and Chile 2025 Year of Culture, the initiative has commissioned a remarkable cross-cultural collaboration that brings together traditional Chilean crin artisans and contemporary designers to create bespoke crin de caballo hats for attendees of Qatar’s first-ever competitive polo matches, taking place during Polo AlMarsa from 11–13 December.
Originating in Rari, a village nestled in the foothills of Chile’s Andes Mountains, crin craftsmanship is a centuries-old art form passed down through generations. Local artisans transform coarse, naturally trimmed horsehair into delicate flowers, ornaments, and decorative objects using a fully manual, highly intricate technique.
To bring this vision to life, Years of Culture partnered with María Francisca Alarcón, a designer born in Rari and founder of Perla de Novia in Santiago. Drawing inspiration from global hat-wearing traditions at iconic equestrian events, Alarcón designed a lightweight, oval-shaped hat that can be worn comfortably on the head or over a hijab, emphasising both comfort and understated elegance. Crafted from cotton and linen, the fascinators are embellished with linen bows, light feather accents, and the distinctive crin flowers handmade in Rari.
For this special Year of Culture collaboration, six master artisans collectively produced nearly 200 handwoven crin flowers to adorn 50 custom-designed fascinators. The horsehair preparation and weaving were led by Emerson Basoalto Toro, a third-generation artisan from a family with more than 120 years of experience in crin craftsmanship. Basoalto Toro coordinated the collective effort in Rari, ensuring that the ancestral techniques were upheld throughout the creative process.
The resulting collection made up of three specially selected colours, including light pink, fusia pink and dark maroon, beautifully connects heritage craftsmanship and equestrian culture through a shared appreciation of artistry and tradition.
Attendees at Polo AlMarsa will be able to purchase the limited-edition fascinators at the Years of Culture booth in the Fan Village.
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