TIW: Despite being a young designer, you already have two businesses - Mariel Delal, your own made-to-order line, and HAUTO_, which you co-founded with Mexican designer and illustrator, Isaac Zeuqram. Very impressive! What was your intention and inspiration behind these two brands, respectively?
Mariel: Thank you so much for your kind words! It really is a dream come true for me. I have been wanting to do this for so long. Having two brands feels so unreal! Both labels have the same core values, but there are some clear differences between them.
Mariel Delal is very feminine and luxurious - everything is made-to-order, and it was created in collaboration with artisans from different parts of Mexico. There is a lot of natural dyeing going on, which is something I was very excited to try! I wanted to try collaborating with Mexican artisans, because my grandmother was an artisan herself. It was a part of my heritage I yearned to connect with. For this line, I wanted to create wearable clothes that were durable and classic, but at the same time unique and innovative. The collection features high-quality finishes (Think french seams, silk linings...), and it is made-to-order because most of the materials are limited (We used textiles made by artisans and deadstock fabrics). We also layer different techniques for some of the pieces. For example, the Papá pants are made of wool that was naturally dyed black and woven in Teotitlán del Valle in Oaxaca, and then embroidered by hand in Silao, Guanajuato!
HAUTO_ was co-created with Isaac Zeuqram, who has a BFA in Architecture, so it has been quite interesting for me to see how he approaches fashion. Our brand is genderless, and it has a streetwear vibe. We wanted to make staples for everyone’s wardrobe - clothing and accessories that you would be able to wear in many ways and for many years to come. We also collaborated with artisans for Hauto_. Everything is made in leather, which is the craft that our town, León, is known for. Our main goal at that time [of founding] was to reactivate the local artisan community, since they had taken a big hit when they had to close the workshops because of the pandemic. We work with four workshops at the moment; every product is made in a different studio in order to extend our aid to as many artisans as we can.
TIW: When developing a new business, there’s often a fear that, even if you have a great idea, quality products, and try your best, for whatever reason, luck won’t be on your side. What gave you the courage to take on these two endeavors, and what do you believe defines a successful business?
Mariel: I did have that fear before starting the brands, but I was able to take the plunge, thanks to my support system. I know it might sound cliché, but I think that if it had not been for my family and friends, I would not have had the courage to do it. They are always so incredibly supportive of everything I do and were the ones that pushed me to do it. I have been so lucky in that aspect, I know most people do not have it that easy. From fittings to photoshoots, there are plenty of people behind both of these brands that have helped them become what they are. So many have lent me a hand along the journey, and I am grateful for each and every one of them!
My vision of what a successful business is has shifted a lot in recent years. I think it evolves with you as your priorities change. Before starting both brands, I thought that having a successful business just meant that it ran smoothly and was profitable. While these are important parts of a company, it is also quite important, in our case, to pay the artisans fairly, create objects that have value to people, and maintain a healthy work environment. All these aspects contribute to having a fruitful business. It is not easy to achieve, but it comes with a sense of fulfillment, once you succeed!
TIW: As someone who studied fashion design and creative entrepreneurship, what do you feel are the main challenges for newcomers to the fashion industry? And, oppositely, what opportunities do you think await them?
Mariel: I believe that one of the challenges that is latent at this time is that the media is incredibly saturated, so it is necessary to be able to differentiate yourself from other brands. You need to know who your target audience is and how to channel your brand through the different social media apps, so that you are able to reach potential clients that are invested in your products.
As for the opportunities, there are definitely more possibilities on the sustainability side of fashion than when I began getting interested in it. A few years ago, there was only one way sustainability “looked” like. Right now there are many different paths a brand can take in order to be a more responsible label: deadstock materials, reversible clothing, up-cycling, zero waste... just to name a few!
TIW: Is fashion your passion, business, or both?
Mariel: Fashion is what I fell in love with first, but the more I learned about the business side, the more I enjoyed it! It is all about balance for me now - when I get stressed out about numbers, or I am feeling like I am in a creative slump, I find it liberating to switch to the other aspect that I was not working on. This technique has really allowed me to equilibrate both the business and the fashion side, by giving me the necessary flexibility to stay engaged for longer periods of time; it has also given me the ability to stay passionate about both!
TIW: And what are your thoughts on turning one’s passion into a business? First of all, do you think that’s even possible? Once you “monetize” your passion, do you think it loses its purity and fervor?
Mariel: At first, I thought that I would lose my passion, but I do not think so now! I believe it has something to do with finding a balance between work life, social life, and rest. For years, I thought that because I loved what I did so much and felt so passionate about it, it was okay to overwork myself, which is when it started to feel like a drag. Now, I know it is important to have some kind of schedule, which is why I set goals for each day. And, then, I check in with myself to figure out if I should keep going (if it is early), or, if I did not finish, decide if I should move any tasks for the next day. I also take breaks, now, which are so important, and I try to plan ahead, which has helped me the most. It has definitely been a learning process, and I am always trying to get better at it!
Image courtesy of Mariel Delal
Shoes in the making
Image courtesy of Chuy
Finished textiles airdrying at Chuy’s workshop
TIW: How do you develop a business strategy to protect, rather than compromise, your original intentions?
Mariel: I am incredibly grateful for my brother, because he helped me develop our business strategy. It has been hard, because we had to create a formula that balanced everything - paying the artisans fairly, making a profit, while also staying competitive. At first, it was quite difficult, because we did not know how much the overhead cost would be (website, photoshoots, traveling costs, etc.). It kept evolving for a bit, but I think that the model that we have right now finally works!
TIW: Why did you decide to make Mariel Delal made-to-order?
Mariel: While I was in school, I realized how much waste was being produced by the industry, so I decided I was going to find ways to be more sustainable. I researched many different routes I could take before deciding on the “made-to-order” model. You can never predict which sizes are going to work well in the market, so, by taking this route, you do not have stock sitting around that may or may not sell, since you only produce what you need. We have very limited stock for the fabrics that were used for Mariel Delal - they are either deadstock or made by Chuy, the artisan that lives in Teotitlán del Valle in Oaxaca. So, that is why the “made-to-order” model works. This way, we do not misuse any of our resources. It takes longer to make, but the clients that buy from this type of model really value the care that goes into the clothes!
TIW: Your production practices promote sustainability, and you are also a believer in “slow fashion.” For those unfamiliar, what exactly is slow fashion?
Mariel: “Slow fashion” means we do not conform to the current fast-paced fashion world that we have right now. I wish I knew about this term before, because it is everything I stand for. There was a point last year where I was quite fed up with fashion, because I thought everything had to be done a certain way. I did not want to have to design seasons. It seems so unnatural/wasteful to me to produce so much. I think that when designs are produced in less quantity, there is more quality, and that is much more important for me, as a designer. So, I decided that if I was going to continue working in fashion, it was going to be on my terms, which is why for both brands, we do not conform with the usual fashion calendar.
It is definitely different designing without this external pressure. Every piece we make is crafted with much more care by people that do enjoy the work that they do. The fabrics/leathers and finishes for the clothing are thought about carefully, with longevity in mind. It still makes me incredibly grateful and happy when somebody places an order from us. It means that they value our work and what we stand up for!
TIW: For both of your brands, you collaborate with Mexican artisans. Describe your relationship with the local craftspeople. What is your vision for this partnership?
Mariel: I just have pure admiration for them. They have this vast knowledge about what they do! I mean, most of them have been doing it since they are quite young, so it is interesting to watch them work, because they have lots of tricks for everything. My relationship with them is so different, from one workshop to the other. Some of them are younger and more open, while others just want to get work done, so you learn to respect that space, too. Some like being filmed/having their picture taken, while others do not. For HAUTO_, we are currently working with five workshops, while for Mariel Delal, there are four workshops involved! It has been a challenge to collaborate with these many studios at the same time, but I truly enjoy it so much and have learned so much from them along the way.
TIW: What do you think the Mexican artisans offer that can’t be replaced by machinery? And is there a specialized form of Mexican craft that you would recommend us to look out for and support?
Mariel: I just think that a lot more care is put into the work. I believe the handmade quality adds humanity to clothing and reminds us that somebody spent a lot of time and care on making each garment. For me, it is humbling to be able to wear it! Their expertise is another aspect that comes into it, since there are some finishes that you cannot do by machine. They have to be done by hand.
One of my favorite techniques is called deshilado. It is a craft in which you take out strand by strand and create “holes” in the fabric, which are then reworked with a needle and thread in many different patterns, depending on the region where the artisan is from. This technique is actually used in some of the garments in the Mariel Delal capsule (look 1 and 5)!
TIW: In a time when cultural appropriation and exploitation are coming to light, how would you encourage others to engage in ethical cultural exchanges?
Mariel: I think the best we can do is collaborate directly with the artisans. By doing this, we not only support them, but it helps them notice that their craft has value. It allows them to keep working on it and encourages them to pass the skill to another generation. I know that collaborating may not always be possible for everyone, so the second-best approach I can think of is acknowledgment - giving credit where it is due. If you felt stimulated by any of their patterns or techniques, it is important to recognize where you are getting your inspiration from and to do it from a place where it comes from admiration and respect.
Editor’s Note: At The Int’l Whisperer, we do our best to maintain the original integrity of our content. Interviews are edited for clarity only. While many of our subjects are interviewed outside of their native language or use their own local variant of a particular language, we recognize this as authenticity and refrain from “standardizing” their original expressions, syntax, or spelling.