Modern Floklore
Mexico’s history is also evident in its craftsmanship. Souvenirs to take home with you.
By Guillaume Jan Photos Mickaël A. Bandassak
Lava Stone mortar and tzalam pestle
This is the customary tool for crushing seeds and making sauces. “The objects we sell are entirely handmade by traditional craftspersons using natural, local materials,” explain Joana Valdez and Karim Molina, the two young designers who founded the Ayres brand in Mexico City.
Beaded calavera
Calaveras, representations of human skulls that are often colourful and decorative, are omnipresent in Mexican culture to symbolise ancestors. In the mountains of the Western Sierra Madre, the Huichol people cover these skulls with beads secured with beeswax to celebrate of the Day of the Dead.
Scent of the Americas
Mexico City’s Xinú perfume brand (from the word for “nose” in the Otomí language) was founded in 2016 and takes inspiration from the aromatic plants of the Americas. The blends showcase the region’s varied flora, and the elegant fragrances feature new scents, like aromas of agave, lime and pink peppercorn, all in sleek, repurposable packaging.
Atole beverage kit
This traditional Mexican breakfast beverage is made of cornmeal mixed with water using a molinillo (small wooden mill). It is usually flavoured with cocoa, vanilla or cinnamon and served in cups crafted from peltre (a lead and tin alloy that is omnipresent in the local crockery).
