Lorena Saravia, the designer who bets on Mexican local crafts: "We are drowning in plastic"
With only 25 years the young woman, who already adds 30 springs, founded her homonym firm with the mission of implanting work in Mexico.This is his story.
Mónica Pérez SobrinoTOPMexican designer Lorena Saravia.Photo: Courtesy of the firm
Mexican designer Lorena Saravia, de 36 años, creció rodeada de mensajes de feminidad y empoderamiento que le impulsaron a crear su propio futuro."I come from a family of five very strong women with a marked mentality in which the woman has to study, work and be independent," he says by phone.He spent his childhood and adolescence between pins, fabrics and sewing machines.«Sewing has been indispensable in my house.My great -grandmother made my grandmother's wedding dress, whose machine I keep with me, and all my aunts sewed and made their children's dresses, ”he recalls.But she was the only one who felt one promoted to transfer the tradition inherited from sewing to a life project: her homonym firm.
It all started in 2005, at which time the young woman moved to Barcelona to study the design career in the prestigious School of Happiness Duce, a degree that at that time did not exist in Mexico.After collaborating with different signatures and already in possession of the university degree, he returned to his native country to be part of the Jiménez Macario team, one of the most prestigious Mexican designers, until two years later and with only 25 years, he undertook aindependent path creating your own firm.«I needed to convey a concept through creativity.When designing for others, I could not start 100% what I had in their heads, ”he confesses.
Image of the campaign for its spring-summer collection 2021. Photo: Courtesy of the firm
Its beginnings were modest.Started with his savings and little by little.«Between a friend who had a jewelry brand and I rented a very small study.He grew with mouth to mouth, and the first collection gave to get the next ».The first door of Grupo Axo was opened, a platform that offered him the possibility of entering with four other companies in a business incubator (a program that supports companies in their initial stages through different actions, such as offering advice orfinancing) for four months, at which time they would decide to invest.Saravia was not selected, but for the entrepreneur it was a turning point."This platform lit a chip that brought off, or rather they had never turned on, and I saw that with my own brand I could create a business that would implement work in Mexico," he explains.Six months later, he presented himself to the first edition of Who’s Next Mexico, a contest promoted by Vogue that was born with the mission of giving voice to young Mexican brands, and won the award.«Passion and creative part were accompanied by the mission of creating employment in my country.That is what made me win the first edition, ”he says.
He first had working capital and a business plan;It was necessary to expand.Then he decided to merge with the Ventura Capital Investment Fund, whose relationship has maintained to date.«We have been growing together for six years.It has been my best and my worst marriage.On the one hand, they have boosted me a lot;But on the other you have sales and margins pressure, you can't do things that are not profitable, ”he adds.The next step was to consolidate and strengthen the presence of the firm in the Mexican market."I didn't make sense to do it in reverse, why did a product from our country have to be a boom abroad and not here?".Thus, in 2016, he inaugurated his store on President Masaryk Avenue in Mexico City, sharing a sidewalk with the best international designers and becoming the first Mexican firm that copied one of its windows.
Image of the campaign for its spring-summer collection 2021. Photo: Courtesy of the firm
Contrary to the usual in her country that, according to her, prefers to produce Fast Fashion, the designer has prioritized to crystallize the differentiating DNA of her signature unanimously in her collections.«If you see a Chanel bag, you know it's from Chanel.It is what I have always looked for, ”he says.Define her style as an elegant grunge, aimed at an off -road woman and thought to accompany her in any facet of her routine.«Lorena Saravia has a very classic and minimalist essence, but with special focus on detail.Design for women who is a mother, but also financial and with an active social life ».
The production of its designs develops in different parts of Mexico, always in search of the appropriate artisanal technique for each of its creations.«Mexico is an incredibly rich country, you have to discover what each region can offer you.We work in Oaxaca the waist looms that we move to American, dresses or skirts.The bags we weaving with artisans in Yucatán ».To make the cowboy boots, the iconic product of the firm, they move to a small town in Veracruz called Naolinco "because it could not be elsewhere, there the last of the cowgirl boot is perfect".A custom -made production whose delivery period reaches 45 days after its online purchase.«People understand and accept it, it is the time required by the manufacturing process of each boot.If you need it tomorrow, go to Zara, because I can't solve it ».
Cowboy boots, the most iconic product of the brand. Photo: Courtesy of the firm
For Saravia, fast fashion and the effect of this on the environment is something that we cannot ignore."We are drowning in the world and firms should have a sustainable conscience," he defends.And although the word sustainability covers different agents, the young entrepreneur demands action by brands as a starting point to encourage change."In our case we are inclined to a local production, the fair payment and the labor impulse of women in Mexico".
In addition, he has reset his commercial strategy by closing his store in Mexico."I had already turned five years and it was time to close the circle," he justifies.A decision to which all the distribution channels have been added to focus on the digitalization of the firm and resume the reins of the international expansion that began a year ago."In February of last year we presented Lorena Saravia at Paris Fashion Week and, a month later, the pandemic exploded," he recalls the moment he delayed his plans.Of course: this internationalization, he says, will not affect its roots and maintain the premise of continuing to offer work in Mexico and its artisans."For me it is very important, we would like to continue participating with more states in our production process," he concludes.
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