Innovation

This brand was created by Denisse Kuri who is also the designer. She mentioned during the interview that in 2010, as a student in college, she went to a small rural area in Chiapas for her community service. She has always had a love for Mexican fabrics, and costumes and while in Chiapas she met very interesting women, "hard working, and fighters" (as she describes them), "who work to maintain their families, mostly because the men have gone to the cities to look for jobs; most of them never come back, leaving their women behind." It was due to this encounter that she thought of creating a brand of clothing, which should be based on traditional methods of working with the fabric, "respecting traditions but with a new perspective, and sense of fashion that would take Mexican clothing back to an important role in society."

As we can see in the different models this brand has definitely preserved Mexican roots, but making very different pieces than found in Mexican towns and women selling them in town squares. "It is a whole new way of wearing art", as is their slogan.

Inspiration

While in college, designer Denisse Kuri visited a small community called Tapachula, in the state of Chiapas, and fell in love with traditional clothes and above all artist women. "It was their hard work and inspiration that led me to create a new brand, in honor of those women, and as a way of showing gratitude for sharing with me, their lives and knowledge". This is the true motivation that Denisse had to "create and work on this brand and continue to work with the women in this new perspective of Mexican art, as a way of helping them acknowledge their emotional and economical independence", as she describes it.

Overall impact

• Provides Mexican rural women with a decent and stable job.
• The business increases the women's income considerably by giving them the opportunity to sell through the brand in different important cities.
• The local Mexican artists are the base and foundation of the business. They are the creators of the fabrics used in everything the brand sells (dresses, bags, coats, etc.)
• The brand helps the communities to be known and recognized all over the world. The clothes and accessories has been shown at fashion events in Paris, which brings the world's attention to these women and their communities.

Business benefit

• It sells Mexican clothing in different places achieving very good earnings.
• Each season it comes up with new piece of art.
• It has been recognized in the world of fashion, not only in Mexico.
• The business is now known worldwide and it has made partnerships with brands that work a little bit alike and with the same objectives.

Social and environmental benefit

• Promotes Mexican art, helps the Mexican economy especially in rural areas by providing stable jobs for Mexican women artisans. It gives women better self esteem and security, and as was mentioned in the interview, "I have been blessed with their gratitude, and love and friendship, and I hope I make them feel part of a bigger project, more than just sewing for themselves and selling in the streets."
• It also adds more value to Mexico - its art, its tradition, and its women.
• It benefits directly the economy of Mexican families in rural areas.

Interview

Denisse Kuri, Designer and Founder