Latest news with #Mexicanartisans
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sandal scandal: Mexican authorities accuse Adidas of cultural appropriation
MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities are accusing sportswear company Adidas of plagiarizing artisans in southern Mexico, alleging that a new sandal design is strikingly similar to the traditional Indigenous footwear known as huaraches. The controversy has fueled accusations of cultural appropriation by the footwear brand, with authorities saying this is not the first time traditional Mexican handicrafts have been copied. Citing these concerns, local authorities have asked Adidas to withdraw the shoe model. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday that Adidas was already in talks with authorities in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca to provide 'compensation for the people who were plagiarized,' and that her government was preparing legal reforms to prevent the copying of Mexican handicrafts. The design at the center of the controversy is the 'Oaxaca Slip-On,' a sandal created by U.S. designer Willy Chavarría for Adidas Originals. The sandals feature thin leather straps braided in a style that is unmistakably similar to the traditional Mexican huaraches. Instead of flat leather soles, the Adidas shoes tout a more chunky, sports shoe sole. According to Mexican authorities, Adidas' design contains elements that are part of the cultural heritage of the Zapotec Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, particularly in the town of Villa Hidalgo de Yalálag. Handicrafts are a crucial economic lifeline in Mexico, providing jobs for around half a million people across the country. The industry accounts for around 10% of the gross domestic product of states like Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacán and Guerrero. For Viridiana Jarquín García, a huaraches creator and vendor in Oaxaca's capital, the Adidas shoes were a 'cheap copy' of the kind of work that Mexican artists take time and care to craft. 'The artistry is being lost. We're losing our tradition,' she said in front of her small booth of leather shoes. Authorities in Oaxaca have called for the 'Oaxaca Slip-On' to be withdrawn and demanded a public apology from Adidas, with officials describing the design as 'cultural appropriation' that may violate Mexican law. In a public letter to Adidas leadership, Oaxaca state Gov. Salomón Jara Cruz criticized the company's design, saying that 'creative inspiration' is not a valid justification for using cultural expressions that 'provide identity to communities.' 'Culture isn't sold, it's respected,' he added. Adidas responded in a letter Friday afternoon, saying that the company 'deeply values the cultural wealth of Mexico's Indigenous people and recognizes the relevance' of the criticisms. It requested to sit down with local officials and to discuss how it can 'repair the damage' to Indigenous populations. The controversy follows years of efforts by Mexico's government and artisans to push back on major global clothing brands who they say copy traditional designs. In 2021, the federal government asked manufacturers including Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl to provide a public explanation for why they copied clothing designs from Oaxaca's Indigenous communities to sell in their stores. Now, Mexican authorities say they're trying to work out stricter regulations in an effort to protect artists. But Marina Núñez, Mexico's undersecretary of cultural development, noted that they also want to establish guidelines to not deprive artists of 'the opportunity to trade or collaborate with several of these companies that have very broad commercial reach.' Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
21-06-2025
- Forbes
An Apartment By One Of Mexico's Buzziest Designers Is Open To Book In San Miguel
Everything in the Mesonia guest apartment was designed by Daniel Valero of Mestiz PEPE MOLINA An apartment created by Daniel Valero, founder of Mexican design firm Mestiz (that's worked with Hermes and Auberge Resorts), is now available for nightly rentals in San Miguel de Allende. Valero, who lives and works in San Miguel, is known for his colorful furniture and decorative accessory creations using natural materials and hand crafted with and by Mexican artisans. While he's done many installations, he's never designed an interior from start to finish. 'We wanted to create an experience where people could be immersed in the Mestiz habitat,' he explained of the Mesonia one bedroom suite, located in the San Antonio neighborhood, which he describes as the 'Roma of San Miguel.' PEPE MOLINA 'Sometimes you stay in a hotel or a rental and there is no authorship,' he observed. 'We want to focus on authorship in everything — Mestiz is choosing the whole experience for you - the coffee, the essence, the soap, everything you find in the space.' PEPE MOLINA It took a year for the designer, who hails from Saltillo, Mexico, to complete the project. In many ways it was a dream scenario: this was a raw space to begin with, the landlord had no issue with him completely transforming it (and changing the layout in the process), and he had already designed many of the pieces he used inside, or had experience with the materials. One exception: iron. 'At Mestiz we are focused on natural materials - ceramics, fibers and woods - we don't normally do ironwork or architectural finishes. It was out of our comfort zone. I had to learn to be patient.' The terrace features an outdoor kitchen (the green cabinet) and the first time Valero has worked with iron (left). PEPE MOLINA Craft and color are at the core of Valero's designs. He originally envisioned the space awash in the light blue that now covers the floors and some walls, but found it a bit cold. So he introduced a burgundy stain on some red pine elements (the large wall that surrounds the bed, and doors), as well as luminous brown tiles made in Dolores. 'I thought they would add coziness and bring a balance between something playful, and something sophisticated,' he explained of the choice. PEPE MOLINA The bathroom area of the Mesonia suite features tiles hand crafted in Dolores, Mexico. PEPE MOLINA He also developed some new items, like a mirror, not normally in the Mestiz line but deemed necessary for the guest experience. PEPE MOLINA The guest suite does have a kitchen, but — surprise! — it's outside and cleverly disguised as a vibrant green credenza. 'I never experienced an outdoor kitchen in the city,' mused Valero. 'It is really nice to be cooking outside while watching people walk by.' All components are electric, so Valero designed covers to protect said components from the elements. PEPE MOLINA There are plenty of restaurants in the area for those with no interest in cooking, and breakfast is included in a stay here. It is provided by Panina, one of the best bakeries in town, conveniently located just downstairs. PEPE MOLINA If all goes as planned, Mesonia is the first in what will be a series of guest apartments designed by Mestiz. 'I want people to have a new type of hospitality experience through craftsmanship and design in San Miguel de Allende. Even if they have stayed in San Miguel before, Mesonia will be completely different. I want people to feel inspired.' Mesonia is available for bookings from July onwards at The rate of $300 USD per night includes breakfast. Designer Daniel Valero in the Mesonia guest suite. Pepe Molina
