MEXICO
For many people in the US, Mexico is initially introduced as a packaged, all-inclusive escape, which is exactly how I first experienced it as a child in Cancun. But as I grew up and returned a couple more times, I got to experience the more authentic version of the country.
In 2015, I visited again, but this time going to Puebla to spend time with my then-partner’s family, followed by a journey through Guadalajara and Mexico City. This was my first real taste of Mexico’s living culture and deep-seated hospitality. Though those older memories belong to a past chapter, they permanently made me appreciate the neighbor to the south.
When I returned again in 2024, it was to dive straight into the country’s cultural heartland: the sun-drenched streets of Oaxaca and a return trip (this time, work-related) to Mexico City. And while I didn’t have much time to dive into the capital’s culture, driving all around left me awestruck by the sheer, dizzying magnitude of the city.
But it was my time in Oaxaca that allowed me to slow down and truly find the country’s true pulse. It’s a place where I spent one morning watching Zapotec women preserve indigenous weaving and pottery traditions and an evening swept up in the middle of a cultural night parade.
Beyond the vibrant neon flag canopies, the street graffiti, and the world-renowned food scene, there is a profound depth to daily life here. It’s a country of intense artistic pride, fierce resilience, and a warmth that has redefined itself for me each time I was able to cross the border.
This collection reflects my journey through Mexico’s soul: from the roaring, massive scale of the capital to the quiet, sacred corners of the highlands where tradition isn’t just remembered, it is beautifully, fiercely lived.
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