We had the good fortune of connecting with Esly Vera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Esly, what role has risk played in your life or career?
As the Mexican saying goes “who does not risk, does not win”. Since I finished university I gave myself the opportunity to take the risk of discovering what I liked it, to try it and do it, and what I always liked was designing through artisanal processes, throughout the 13 years that I have been designing I have worked with the techniques of pedal loom, backstrap loom, weaving of natural fibers such as ixtle and palm, carpentry, painted in lacquer, red and black clay, high temperature ceramics among other materials and techniques. I have collaborated with artisans in the states of: Michoacán, Hidalgo, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Mexico City, the State of Mexico and Chiapas. All this journey has been to give life to my designs, and this means not having a job and a fixed income, but I let myself experiment, learn different techniques and travel. It has been and continues to be a complicated path, but the risk is worth it, because that led me to found my studio and be able to do what I love, design daily for my brand VERA, work exclusive designs together with interior designers and manage between brands / designers and artisans.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Chiapas is a magnificent state, I conceder is the state with the most textile diversity in Mexico, the proposal for contemporary design projects is incredible, the gastronomy is delicious and you could be a Year long touring magnificent places that there are to visit and wouldnt end visiting

Being here, of course I would give you a tour of my workshop, to be able to tell you about the experiments, processes and techniques with which we work. Later we would take a tour of the Huixtán Cabecera workshop, where we produce with a pedal loom, so that you could get to know some of the artisans with whom we collaborate. And if you are interested in learning a little embroidery, we would take a one-day tour workshop with the artisans that we collaborate in San Juan Chamula so you could learn how to embroid  and eat the delicious food in community.

I would take you to see the workshop of Jerónimo Morquecho, a ceramic artist. You could not miss the delicious food of the Tierra y Cielo restaurant and eat a delicious postre in  Oh Lala, a French pastry shop. Eat delicious at Tierra y Cielo restaurant. The obligatory tour is to visit San Juan Chamula and its church, the archaeological site of Tonino and Palenque, places with spectacular energy and views. And if you like hiking a little more and extreme things like me, I would definitely take you to climb the majestic Chichonal volcano and rappel on top of the parrots. A must-see would also be in downpour and the colon lakes.


Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Today I am what I am primarily because of my parents, my friends and all my master craftsmen and producers who have taught me what I have learned up to now. And mainly to my partner and my son who love what I do and support me daily

Website: www.eslyvera.com

Instagram: eslyvera.estudio

Facebook: Esly Vera

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