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With rising entrepreneurial leadership and growing visibility, Mayan fashion design is claiming its place on the global stage. New designs and unparalleled craftsmanship are capturing the attention of a fashion industry long dominated by Western ideas. Moreover, Mayan artisans are building livelihoods and strengthening their children’s well-being through their work. The debut of Colectiva Nuda 6/6 — a collective of grantees of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) — boldly announced that new voices in global fashion had arrived.
When Mildre Ramírez — a Yucatecan Mayan master embroiderer, designer and entrepreneur — was invited to present her work at Spring 2025 Vancouver Fashion Week, she saw a chance to elevate not just her work but the artistry of Indigenous women across Yucatán and Chiapas.
Ramírez works closely with other artisans in a collective to market their products and improve their designs. With support from WKKF and local NGOs Impacto and HANDMADE to Market, Ramírez’s collective joined with others to form Colectiva Nudo 6/6.
Their vision: a contemporary runway collection rooted in traditional Mayan motifs and techniques, handmade by hundreds of Indigenous women artisans across more than a dozen communities separated by hundreds of miles.
With only months to design an entirely new line, the artisans each contributed unique design elements that came together in a striking collection.
The result was 16 original looks for the runway, showcasing handwoven textiles and intricate embroidery techniques passed down through generations. Four artisan designers — Mildre and Fidelia Góngora from Yucatán, and Tania Gómez and Margarita López from Chiapas — traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia to debut Colectiva Nudo 6/6’s collection on a global stage.
The Maya are an ancient group of peoples indigenous to the Yucatán Peninsula, the highlands and rainforests of the Mexican state of Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize and parts of Nicaragua and El Salvador…
The Maya are an ancient group of peoples indigenous to the Yucatán Peninsula, the highlands and rainforests of the Mexican state of Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize and parts of Nicaragua and El Salvador. Their pre-colonial civilization is widely recognized for their powerful empire, achievements in architecture, advanced mathematics, sophisticated writing system and vibrant arts.
Despite the profound disruptions of colonialism, they have sustained their languages, agricultural knowledge, spiritual practices and collective ways of life that continue to nourish both their people and the lands they steward. Today, they thrive by blending ancestral wisdom with contemporary innovations — cultivating sustainable food systems, revitalizing cultural expressions and leading movements for autonomy and justice — offering powerful examples of perseverance and vision for future generations.
Mayan textiles have a rich history that stretches back thousands of years. Woven on backstrap looms and often featuring intricate embroidery, these textiles are not only practical garments but also carry deep cultural and spiritual significance…
Mayan textiles have a rich history that stretches back thousands of years. Woven on backstrap looms and often featuring intricate embroidery, these textiles are not only practical garments but also carry deep cultural and spiritual significance. The complex patterns and vibrant colors often symbolize connections to nature, cosmology and community identity, with designs passed down through generations. Each piece reflects both the skill of the weaver and the heritage of the village or family it represents.
Today, Mayan textiles remain an important marker of cultural resilience and continuity, while also serving as a source of economic empowerment for Indigenous women artisans. Despite the highly skilled nature of the work and the many years of practice required to master the techniques, Indigenous artisans from the Mayan world often struggle to command prices that reflect the value of their products and access markets outside of their communities.
In 2012, WKKF, which prioritizes its investments in the Yucatán and Chiapas regions, partnered with local nonprofits, social enterprises and artisan cooperatives to strengthen the role of handmade Mayan textiles…
In 2012, WKKF, which prioritizes its investments in the Yucatán and Chiapas regions, partnered with local nonprofits, social enterprises and artisan cooperatives to strengthen the role of handmade Mayan textiles as a catalyst for economic opportunity, cultural preservation and women’s leadership. Based on input and direction from the community, WKKF co-developed and funded a long-term growth strategy for the sector that includes:
Through this generational investment in women-led cooperatives and artisan networks, the foundation has helped create sustainable livelihoods that enable mothers to support their children’s education and strengthen family well-being. Beyond establishing themselves as successful earners and entrepreneurs, Indigenous women artisans are reclaiming their traditional roles in Mayan society as influential community leaders and culture bearers. Woven into their crafts and designs is ancestral knowledge that keeps Mayan culture alive and evolving — giving their children and future generations a deep sense of identity, belonging and strength to thrive.
Dozens of Indigenous-owned, women-led cooperatives, enterprises and fashion brands — representing hundreds of artisans and entrepreneurs — are thriving today in a vibrant, loosely connected network…
Dozens of Indigenous-owned, women-led cooperatives, enterprises and fashion brands — representing hundreds of artisans and entrepreneurs — are thriving today in a vibrant, loosely connected network supported by WKKF grantees such as Impacto NGO and HANDMADE to MARKET Mexico. Mayan weavers and embroiderers are carrying forward ancient techniques, styles and patterns passed down through generations, while reimagining them to meet contemporary tastes. Many of these collectives are expanding their reach through online shops, collaborations with established fashion brands, and business-to-business partnerships that build economies of scale.
In early 2025, this growing visibility reached new heights when Aeromexico, the country’s largest airline, partnered with more than 230 Indigenous artisans in Chiapas. Together they created handcrafted embroidery for the new uniforms for flight attendants and ground staff, showcased in a pre-flight video seen by nearly 2 million passengers each month.
Colectiva NUDO 6/6 is a collective of more than 750 Indigenous women from Mexico, whose voices are woven into every thread they create. Born from a proposal to participate in Vancouver Fashion Week, the idea evolved into a collaborative design movement that aims to create a deep and enduring impact within artisan communities and the global fashion industry. By preserving ancestral textile techniques and merging them with contemporary design, the collective generates lasting economic impact, promotes sustainable development and strengthens cultural identity within their communities.
The collective brings together six brands — Kip Tik, Juxta, Antalika’a, Dos Tierras, Mariposas del Sur / Arte Sur and Guillermo Jester — supported by WKKF and WKKF grantees HANDMADE to MARKET Mexico and Impacto NGO. The name “Nudo” (Knot) symbolizes what holds, unites and strengthens them — the bond that connects and propels their movement forward. 6/6 represents the union of six brands and organizations that, together, form a whole where every voice carries equal weight in pursuing a common goal.
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Click on the names below to learn more about each brand.
Kip Tik is a social enterprise that collaborates with artisans, craftspeople, and designers to promote the development of Indigenous and rural communities in Mexico. It fosters innovation through traditional techniques, emphasizing cultural respect, continuous improvement, fair pay, and high-quality production — dignifying artisanal work and integrating it into the global market with a strong cultural identity.
Antalika’a is a brand that reimagines the Maya textile heritage, blending ancestral techniques with innovative design. Antalika’a drives the economic development of women artisans in Yucatán through creativity, collaboration, and craftsmanship.
Juxta is a collaborative platform co-created with women artisans from Los Altos de Chiapas. Through fair trade and contemporary design, Juxta values cultural heritage and ancestral knowledge, strengthening identity, collective dreams, and integral development in a safe space for intercultural dialogue and collaboration.
Mariposas del Sur/Arte Sur are collectives recognized for their embroidery and originaltextiles from Yucatán and Chiapas. Their work centers on authenticity, quality, and the preservation of tradition, helping to strengthen local economies and the cultural vitality of their regions.
Dos Tierras is a collective brand of artisans and designers who create contemporary pieces inspired by traditional techniques from Chiapas and Yucatán. Producing two annual collections for fashion and home, Dos Tierras promotes horizontal practices, collaborative design, and positive social impact in artisan communities.
Guillermo Jester is a brand that embraces a non-binary vision of clothing, challenging the social constructs of fashion and gender. Through collaborations with Indigenous women artisans — primarily from Chiapas — it applies circular fashion methodologies and horizontal design practices to create innovative, inclusive pieces.
HANDMADE to MARKET (formerly Aid to Artisans) is a non-governmental organization that promotes the ethical commercialization of artisanal products, connecting artisans with international markets. Its mission is to ensure fair conditions for creators while honoring and valuing traditional techniques within a global context.
Impacto is a non-governmental organization dedicated to strengthening Indigenous communities and promoting the economic empowerment of women artisans. Through capacity-building and marketing strategies, Impacto works to improve living conditions and preserve the cultural richness of Mexico’s ancestral traditions.
women artisans participated in the creation of the pieces presented
national and international outlets featured by Nudo 6/6 Collective
ancestral textile techniques were used: backstrap loom, pleating, brocade, raised brocade, hand sewing, flat embroidery, rococo embroidery and pompom making
original looks were presented on the runway, designed and produced by the Nudo 6/6 Collective
commercial partnerships consolidated, with a strategic alliance currently under development
More than 130 artisans contributed their skill, creativity and vision to the development of the pieces featured in Colectiva Nudo 6/6’s runway show in Vancouver. Each garment is the result of countless hours of collaborative work by hands that carry generations of knowledge.
While it’s impossible to name every artisan whose talent brought this project to life, the following profiles highlight some of the remarkable women and leaders featured in the accompanying film. Their stories reflect the artistry, collaboration and cultural heritage that define this movement and continue to inspire its evolution.
Use the scroll feature below to read the stories of the artisans.
This collection is a tribute to cultural richness and contemporary creativity as the artists weave together threads, memories and meanings. Each design is the result of an exceptional collaboration between brands and organizations committed to preserving and reimagining ancestral artisanal traditions. Every motif, every line resonates with stories that invite us to reflect and feel our connections to the past and their enduring significance.
Use the scroll feature below to read about the looks presented at Vancouver Fashion Week.
