MEXICO, 2025

Chiapas, in partnership with El Camino de los Altos

We were honored to partner with El Camino de los Altos (ECLA) to introduce our guests to contemporary Maya weaving of the Chiapas highlands of southern Mexico. With vibrant San Cristóbal de las Casas as our base, we embarked on day-trips to highland villages where we met women artisans who are part of the ECLA textile cooperative. El Camino de los Altos, meaning the highland road, is a unique collaboration between Maya artisans and French designers, founded in 1996. Today, the cooperative comprises 130 members, all women, who are expert weavers, dyers and embroiderers. In collaboration with a team of French designers, they produce an elegant line of interior textiles for a global market, drawing on their unique artistic heritage.

Throughout Chiapas, cultural identity is expressed through clothing. We visited three different indigenous communities, each with a distinctive aesthetic and way of dressing, reflecting the ethnic identity and shared history of its wearers. Garments are made by hand and are worn with pride. In addition to learning about these enduring textiles, and how they have changed over time, we gained insight into the unique contributions each community makes to ECLA. In addition to learning about ECLA’s impact on women artisans, their families and communities, we participated in a hands-on backstrap weaving workshop and visited other contemporary design studios based in San Cristóbal de las Casas.