“Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do” Rumi (Persian poet and philosopher.)
In cities like Paris, Milan, London, or New York design is something that is part of the daily life and names like Coco Chanel, Bauhaus or Phillipe Stark are commonly recognise by everyone. There is a general understanding of what relies behind good design and what it represents.
The design tradition in Latin america is very interesting and of course very different. And there is a increasing interest in all things design, a need to have things made beautifully and the same time keeping the aesthetics of every culture. A good example is Colombia. The design scene in Colombia has been growing in recent years. A new generation of designers both in the field of fashion and product or decoration have chosen to take a risk going over the established structures and create their own point of view largely inspired by their origin.
In a conversation with designer and entrepreneur Mariana Matiz, creator of Matiza we talk about what is currently happening in Colombia, specifically in the field of product and accessories.
In the middle of Usaquén a traditional neighborhood of Bogotá, we found this beautiful space full of magic and inspiration, clear in concept and purpose, with decorative and lifestyle objects perfectly cured, following a story to make visitors fall in love with it. “Matiza is the platform that helps “Author Designers” to take that first step to the real market, it also provides a space where they can project their brands and sales, and also manages to be the springboard that help them land and materialize their business ideas with a network of contacts. We enable these creators through WOM (Word of mouth) to position their brands in the hearts of people.” explains to me Mariana.
Similarly to Matiza, different brands are looking to develop their business model, an interesting initiate that enable because it supports mostly Colombian talents creating a platform that not only gives visibility, but also drives them to design better products with higher quality; valid argument for consumers who prefer to support local design.
There is currently a boom of opening stores both physical and online, the ease of the e-commerce is quite appealing for the scope of the consumer and the cost issue, however it is necessary to have an added value that highlights the product and concept of each brand.
There are many designers with talent and desire, however we agreed in our conversation with Mariana Matiz that to stay afloat after the boom it is necessary to go beyond a brand as we know it, is time to leave the comfort zone to develop projects that generate impact and in this way let Colombian design be known to the world.
Colombian brands and stores to enjoy:
Matiza: http://www.matizatusideas.com
Pájaro Limón: http://www.pajarolimon.com
Makeno: Facebook, Makeno
Fabulosos diseñadores.
I discovered Pajaro Limón earlier this year… madly in love with their designs!