This week I’m delighted to share something really special with you. Another partner of mine in Mexico is making some beautiful wall art, including these handcrafted mirrors made from upcycled fabric. Every piece is made from cotton remnants that were discarded because of small manufacturing mistakes. My partner reuses this fabric residue and transforms it into these stunning statement pieces. The innovation behind this raw cotton thread is quite impressive as they have found a beautiful solution for waste.
Read MoreWhen you’re in the kitchen, it’s often the simplest tools that help the most. Now that we’re spending more time cooking at home, I think we’re all paying more attention to these small additions that can make our lives easier, calmer and brighter. With that in mind, I wanted to share the work of a partner of mine from Mexico, who offers items for the modern home kitchen while remembering their prehistoric roots.
From bowls and mortars to vases, trays, mezcal cups, and cutting boards, these goods warm up any home. I particularly love the variety of colored marble available in Mexico – that’s what I wanted to focus on today. Of course, white marble is beautiful, but these green and rose tones are really something special.
Read MoreWith a new year on the horizon, I am delighted to share some fresh new products for 2021. I realize many of you are looking at least six months ahead, so I thought I would start out by sending some fun summer staples. Plus, it’s nice to think about the longer and warmer days ahead! I can foresee this classic hat and bag combo as being among your best sellers. They suit anyone, are made to last, and will never go out of style.
The tote bags are made of henequén, a natural fiber from Mexico, and crafted on the pedal loom. It’s a technique that was introduced during colonial times but has its origins in Egypt. This technique allows the artisan to cover a larger size than the waist loom.
Read MoreThis week I invite you to explore naturally dyed rugs, crafted in Teotitlan. They’re designed with incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail by my partner in France. These beauties can go in any home thanks to their subtle but chic color palette.
In addition to being made using natural dyes, they are crafted on looms that date back centuries. Rooted in tradition, they pay respect to the complex motifs of the Zapotecs, coming from the artists’ memories to represent symbols and stories of the region. Rugs are made by artists who have descended from a long line of weavers. Most artists are fully involved in the process from the dying and preparing of the yarn to the weaving itself. Often the whole family participates.
Read MoreThis week I’d like to show you some of what's new from my glassware partner in Oaxaca. They are now offering their entire eco-friendly, recycled glassware lines in new shades of smokey white, olive green, and dark grey. When I say eco-friendly, I really mean it. 95% of the glassware is made from recycled bottles collected in the nearby neighborhoods in Oaxaca. They mix the glass waste with cooking oil to create their crystal-quality glassware. Discarded glass is crushed and melted before each piece is blown by hand.
Read MoreThis month, I'm delighted to interview Ana Paula Fuentes and her colleague, Carolyn Kallenborn, both experts in the artisan field who are based in Mexico. This interview is particularly unique as it’s a portion of their paper called ‘Slow Design: Guiding Principles and Practical Methods on the Ethics of Designing with Traditional Artisans in Mexico’.
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