Custom Made Piñatas Are a Big Hit in West Roxbury

Fashion designer Luisa Blasencia, with the help of her daugher Maria Blasencia, has been designing custom made dresses for almost 45 years making her a prominent figure in the dressmaking business in Boston. 

The Luisa La Venezolana - LLV store opened its doors in West Roxbury approximately 2 years ago. Blasencia designs custom dresses for customers for multiple occasions such as weddings, sweet sixteens, and prom. 

This year, LLV advertises not only custom made dresses for prom, but they also feature accessories, matching vest and corsages for him as well. 

However, due to the recent hardships and economical strain, the Blasencias started making pinatas for many different celebrations, primarily baby showers, BBQ's, and birthdays. 

"The piñata is meant for the people to have fun," Maria said. "The piñata is supposed to be something you love."

Many people have the preconceived notion that piñatas are used for taking out one's anger, frustrations, and hate; however, Luisa says that the piñata is made for specific events as a symbol of celebration.

"I grew up with the piñata. It is a part of my culture," a proud Luisa said with a smile on her face. "The tradition of hitting comes from Mexico and the ancient civilization of the Aztecs." 

As a proud hispanic, specifically Venezuelan, she emphasizes her love for her culture every time she explains the guidelines to celebrating special occasions with a piñata. 

One of those guidelines is to not hit the piñata with a bat. The celebrators are not supposed to beat the piñata with a bat because there are special sticks that are used. Another guideline Luisa and Maria described is the recommended treats and limit of treats that can go in a piñata.

While Luisa has been designing dresses for about 45 years, she says that she first learned to make piñatas watching her neighbors make them when she was 7-years-old. 

Luisa began to make piñatas for fun from her home, but in 1986 she began to sell them from in-store. Her most memorable piñata was the Ghostbusters piñata back then, but now her favorite and most requested piñata is Spiderman.

The piñatas are available in a range of cartoon characters such as Tinkerbell, Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, and many more. 

"Some little girls get a piñata for their birthday party and are afraid to hit it because it's so pretty," says Luisa, reinforcing the idea that the piñata is supposed to be a symbol of something you love.

Luisa and Maria explain that the most difficult part of the piñata creating process is cutting the cardboard and sewing. But the Blasencias don't let that get in the way of creating piñatas that will serve as a memorable symbol for the special occasions they represent. 

The piñatas are a big hit and beneficial to Luisa's business. 

And with the same smile that never left her face, Luisa said, "The piñatas are what gets people's attention. They make people come by and actually want to come into the store."