Clean lines, warm colors, and natural materials from all across Mexico—we spoke with six of our favorite designers across the country about their influences, from minimalism to personal experience. These are just some of their latest creations.
Los Patrones
“Los Patrones was founded in 2015 as an homage to the old school of manufacturers and the industrial spirit of Monterrey,” says Adrian Marfil, lead designer and cofounder. This contemporary furniture brand specializes in carbon-steel. Single lines run through each piece and characterize this latest collaboration—outdoor furniture designed by Christian Vivanco and inspired by the Mexican town of the same name on the Sea of Cortez. “Los Patrones has been characterized for working from within Mexico, with Mexican materials and alongside Mexican designers that have a global vision on design,” Marfil says.
Buy it: Guaymas Shaded Sun Lounger, $571
Two Part Sofa by Gloria Cortina, designed in Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico City. Photo courtesy of Gloria Cortina Estudio
Gloria Cortina
Designer Gloria Cortina is inspired by the human body and the relationship between materials and human skin and posture. “Each piece is thought of as an extension of our own volume,” she says. At work, she says each day brings new surprises and frustrations. “We are very precise with our work and things need to be authentic and pure. Working with natural materials makes you a master in reorienting plans every 15 minutes. Adaptation is a beautiful quality to have.”
Buy it: Two Part Sofa, $30,000
LUZ by Nomade Atelier, designed in San Pedro de los Pinos, Mexico City. Photo courtesy of Nomade Atelier
Nomade Atelier
“Each piece is created with natural materials, taking care to highlight the richness of the craftsmanship of Mexican artisans. We collaborate with small family-run workshops who’ve inherited their craft,” Nomade Atelier Founders Ismael Bachri and Diana Quintero Vallejo say. The latest collection from the French-Moroccan architect and Mexican visual artist was inspired by their own cultural heritage, reflections on spatial and temporal perception, product research and travel experiences, and artistic and architectural processes. “Our work comes after exploring the concept of balance, focusing on the contrast between the anti-material as light, with four materials very present on their visual and physical texture—quarry, brass, Tzalam wood, and leather.”
Buy it: LUZ, $800
V by Joel Escalona, designed in San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico City. Photo courtesy of Joel Escalona
Joel Escalona
“I remembered this sculptor who used to be a badass (he walked from Romania to Paris to be an artist). This was an example of sculpture as attitude—strong yet sensible and poetic,” says BREUER creative director Joel Escalona. Joel’s work has been celebrated at Maison & Objet, Salone del Mobile.Milano, and Art Basel. His latest collection, Noviembre, is inspired by Constantin Brancusi, an influential Romanian sculptor from the 20th century. “Trying to learn something from him … his way of looking and reproducing the essence of things,” Joel says. “When you appreciate and feel one of his pieces, you really understand what he was trying to tell you with every shape he made.”
Buy it: V, $612
Daybed Corchea by Sebastián Angeles, designed in Coyoacán, Mexico City. Photo courtesy of Sebastián Angeles
Sebastián Angeles
“I want to represent Mexico internationally. Often I make allusions to our culture with conceptual representations, which enrich a piece and make Mexican culture more appreciated internationally,” says designer Sebastián Angeles. This daybed from the Pentagrama collection was inspired by music, as all of the pieces in this collection are a visual translation of musical elements accompanied by somatic sensations. “The furniture shapes are abstractions of musical notes on the staff,” Sebastián says. In his 20s, Sebastián is creative director of the Dórica brand and was the youngest designer to collaborate with the Mexican brand Pirwi.
Buy it: Daybed Corchea, $700
Origo Pendant & Origo Wall by David Pompa, designed in Roma Norte, Mexico City. Photo courtesy of David Pompa
David Pompa
“We believe our biggest influences are our personal experiences and the way we perceive and interact with the world,” says David Pompa. The new Origo volcanic rock lighting collection by Studio davidpompa highlights interaction between lightness and heaviness. The Origo pendant reflects geometry in its purest form, mirroring volcanic rock and an opal glass diffuser. The soft light shines onto the texture of the volcanic rock, revealing its relief and contour. Studio davidpompa has studios in Mexico and Austria, and all materials arise from Mexican traditions and processes.
