José Pajarito Collaboration

Tonalá, Jalisco, México

José Pajarito, son of the late Nicasio Pajarito Gonzalez, is an artist from Tonala in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Nicasio was a nationally celebrated artisan throughout his life, known as one of the “Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular Mexicano”.

Nicasio’s workshop is still operated today by his family. His son, José, focuses on flora and fauna motifs painted on pottery and plates made of “barro” or clay. He works in the regional styles of bruñido and canelo, and considers these mix of clays to be reflective of Mexico’s mestizo heritage.

For Heirlome, José recreated his traditional motifs using acrylic on draped dress silhouette made out of painter’s canvas. His work was digitized to be reproduced in fine silk for Heirlome. 

Juana Goméz Ramírez Collaboration

Amatenango del Valle, Chiapas, México

Juana Goméz Ramírez is an artisan from Amatenango del Valle, in Chiapas Mexico. She is a celebrated artist in Mexico and is considered one of the 'Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular Iberoamericana'. Her specialty is 'Modelado y Poliocromado'.

Since the age of nine, Ms. Goméz Ramírez has been sculpting and painting on a clay known as "barro". She works in pre-Hispanic methods when working with clay, a tradition from the region where she lives. The clay is hand extracted from the mountains very early in the morning. The artisans dig three meters deep to get the best material and then prepared it by mixing it with water and soil, and then sculpt the next day.

After decades of work, Ms. Goméz Ramírez achieved national recognition with her now famous 'Jaguares'. Hand-sculpted and painted jaguars, known for their unique 'mechitas' or hand-drawn spots.

For Heirlome, Juana recreated her jaguars by using ink on a canvas draped dress. Her artwork was digitized to be reproduced in fine silk for Heirlome.

Angélico Jiménez Hernández

San Antonio Arrazola, Oaxaca, México

Angelico Jiménez Hernández is a Mexican contemporary artist and artisan born in 1954 in San Antonio Arrazola, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán in the state of Oaxaca, México. He has been creating wood carved alebrijes or “fantastical animals”, as he prefers to call them, since the age of twelve after learning the craft from his father Don Manuel Jiménez.

As a child in the 1960's, Angelico would help his father sell his art in the market at the Zócalo in Oaxaca City. Don Manuel and Angelico worked in the fields during the day, and would go door to door to sell their work. However things changed after a visit from filmmaker Judith Bronowski, who visited their studio and decided to film a documentary about their work and their lives as artists in Oaxaca. Then in 1978, Judith invited Don Manuel and Angelico to visit her in LA and exhibit their work at a major art gallery.  This event created global interest in their work, and since then they were able to have exhibition in Mexico City, China, and Japan.

As a collaboration with Heirlome, Angelico recreated his trademark ‘fur strokes’ or ‘dashes’ that he paints all over his fantastical creatures, as to allow the wearer to become the fantastical creature herself.

Rodrigo de la Cruz Cabrera 

San Agustin, Oapan, Guerrero, México 

Rodrigo de la Cruz is an artisan from Oapan in the state of Guerrero. He is part of a family that has been making hand painted decorative pottery for five generations.  

The artisans from the region of Oapan are traditionalists, focused on only using natural pigments limiting the colors they use. The de la Cruz family makes unique pieces with the same techniques as their ancestors. They collect clay from the region and use trees and plants to create the pigments. The burning to finish the pieces is done in open air, with the use of organic fuels only. 

Rodrigo is mainly known for the creation of rustic figures of animals and people, and for his “aguadoras” and “canteros”, as well as other vessels in the form of “guages”. Decorations often include nativity scenes, birds and plants. Rodrigo has won several national awards, as have other members of his family. He is a nationally celebrated artisan in México, however due to the current problems afflicting the state of Guerrero, it is not easy to acquire his pieces.

As a collaboration with Heirlome, Mr. de la Cruz Cabrera recreated the decorative dress from his famous 'Reinas' or 'Queens' into a large print.

Heirlome is dedicated to supporting and collaborating with artisans in Mexico and Latin America. These artists employ traditional techniques, passed down through generations, that require meticulous precision and intricate handwork. When creating prints, we honor their artistry by faithfully reproducing every stroke and imperfection. This approach respects the authenticity of their work while integrating it into our modern vision for apparel. Heirlome aims to empower these communities by ensuring the continuation of their unique heritage and art forms. Inspired by these artisans, we strive to promote their work by transforming it into wearable art.

Arturo Estrada Hernandez

Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosí, México

Arturo Estrada is a Mexican artisan, a 'Rebozo' maker with over 40 years of experience from Santa Maria del Rio in San Luis Potosi. A rebozo is a special woven shawl-like garment, traditionally woven by indigenous weavers, generation after generation.

Mr. Estrada began making rebozos at the age of 9, when he joined the 'Escuela del Rebozo'. He is now a teacher and Head of the School, teaching the next generation this very traditional craft. Artisans in Santa Maria del Rio specialize in silk, while other areas in Mexico focus on cotton. Due to a change in government, the artisans in Santa Maria had not had access to silk, as they have relied on the government for decades to source the yarns.

As a collaboration with Heirlome, Mr. Estrada is starting to weave again in silk. Silk yarns are sourced via Heirlome, shipped to Mexico where Mr. Estrada and his team work up to three months in the creation of each one.

Heirlome rebozos are available in Ivory or 'Crudo' meaning un-dyed, raw silk and Black or 'De Luto' traditionally used for mourning.

Taller Jacobo y María Ángeles (JYMA) 

San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca, México

Maria del Carmen Mendoza Méndez (San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca, 1977) and Jacobo Ánegles Ojeda (San Martín Tiljcate, Oaxaca, 1973) began their work as artisans from childhood. They were born into the world of “tonas” and “nahuales” (mythical creatures) thanks to their families, who had their own workshops of wooden figures. In 1994, they married and started working together. Over time, they founded the Jacobo and María Ángeles Workshop, a place specialized in the production of carved figures in copal wood, also known as “alebrijes”.

Jacobo and María’s artistic work is based on the research and interpretation of Zapotec symbols, iconography and worldview from which they gave life to their distinctive style. Their technical and aesthetic innovation ranges from wood curing processes, the application of gold leaf, high-temperature ceramics, silver jewelry, to the use of other materials.

With a strong commitment to art and their hometown, San Martin Tlicajete, the project went from being a workshop for two people to a place that supports the community and preserves tradition. The workshop currently generates more than 250 jobs, minimizing migration in the region and strengthening the craft of wood carving.

Jacobo and María found a way to communicate through narratives, creating a production line from artistic collections based on concepts, research and fantastic stories. Thanks to this, they substantially innovated in the conception of their pieces, which are internationally recognized as works of art.

Madres y Artesanas Tex

Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia

‘Madres y Artesanas Tex’  (Mothers and Artisans Tex) is an organization composed of mini-businesses administered by and made up of women dedicated to the production of high-quality hand knitted garments. Each of these self-administered businesses can count on a guaranteed market thanks to the administration provided by Yelka Maric, the organization’s administrator and principal entrepreneur.

These mini-businesses employ up to 200 craftswomen during the high season. The work model requires an in-house training period which runs until a prototype, in complete compliance with the quality demands of the market. Each mini-business is led by a woman who guides, teaches and supervises all the processes used in producing the assigned garments. Under strict quality-control, the finished product is returned to the company for exportation to the U.S. This business model empowers women in Bolivia, by giving the work while allowing them to care for their families. Women are able to work from home when necessary or bring their children with them to the workplace. M&A Tex specializes in handmade production methods such as macramé, crochet, and other varied knitting styles. The perfecting of these skills is enabling these women to reach womenswear luxury markets.

As a collaboration with Heirlome and knitwear designer Hayley Osborn, M&A Tex hand crafted our Sasha Dress and Sasha Top in Japanese silk yarn.