As part of the “Guatemala Fashion Week” activities, the platform par excellence that has promoted the design and fashion industry in the country since 2014.
On November 10 and 11, the AGEXPORT Handmade Products Commission presented its “Handmade Fashion Showroom”, an event where the public, influencers, fashion personalities from Guatemala and Central America appreciated and acquired unique designer pieces, made with the ancestral techniques of national artisans in collaboration with fashion, jewelry and accessory designers.
In addition, 4 collections by Guatemalan artists were launched, as well as a collection called “Socarrás Historias Hechas a Mano” (Socarrás Handmade Stories), by the Colombian designer Juan Pablo Socarrás, who has extensive experience. This collection was made in collaboration with 30 artisans from Santo Domingo Xinacoj.
We are very excited to be part of Guatemala Fashion Week, in addition to creating art through pieces that are unique and haute couture, without a doubt, the collaboration was also essential and in this showroom we will have several collections from 17 AGEXPORT partners. and also 9 external collaborations. We invite all people who like fashion or wish to purchase unique pieces to participate in our Showroom, where they found a wide variety of racks with very special and unique designs”, explained Emma Gutiérrez, president of the AGEXPORT Handmade Commission.
The collections of handmade and unique items were:
1.Mágicos Relatos (Magical stories): composed by the designers of Estilo Quetzal, Belula Hats, Chi Luisa, Casa del Jade.
2. La colección Maiz (The Maiz Collection): made up of designers such as Victoria Rivera, Shanu Bags, BAU BAU and Hasta el Cielo.
3. La colección Conexión Espiritual (The Spiritual Connection Collection): integrated by the designers Jaspe by VITTO, Wayil and Etzal.
4. Volcana Collection: made up of the designers of Alt Craft, Mar Ive, Floré Floré, Nebula, Tuux and Cristha Fuentes.
Opening international markets to Guatemalan handmade designs
In addition, around 70 business meetings were held between brands and designers with 5 international buyers:
1. Albania Rosario – Brands of Latin America / Fashion Designers of Latin America / NYC.
2. Manuela Gómez – INEXMODA Marketing / Master Craftsmen / Colombiamoda / Colombia.
3. Lorena Moreno – Scouter of fashion brands / Masuna.mx / Mexico
4. Alejandra Novichoc: NOVICA internationally renowned marketplace for handmade products, in support of artists and artisans around the world.
5. Claudia Mendoza / Miami / Mc2Collections.
“The artisanal sector is the second largest employer worldwide, after agriculture, and has a labor force in which 80% are women under 35 years of age, has income of over $500 million per year, and projects growth of 20% for the year 2024. These spaces, such as the Handmade Fashion Showroom, are vital for Guatemalan designers and artisans to be part of this global growth,” stated Gutierrez.
