The Quechquemitl, pronounced quech-que-mitl (its origin is Nahuatl and means “neck garment”) is a pre-Hispanic garment that has been worn by indigenous women for about 2,000 years. In pre-conquest times, it was worn as an upper-body covering by the priestesses and high-born women who had access to the most sumptuous textiles. After the conquest, this garment became widely used in the indigenous communities who adapted it, embellished it with their sacred symbols and made it their own.

While it used to be worn as the only upper garment, this practice has almost entirely disappeared, and today it is usually worn over a blouse for decoration or warmth. Today it is rarely seen but maintains its heritage in central Mexico by the Nahuas, the original indigenous people popularly known as the Aztec. This hand-made garment comes from the small state of Tlaxcala, takes a week to make, and no two are alike.